《The Main Heroines are Trying to Kill Me》 Chapter 449: Enlightenments Chapter 449: Enlightenments ¡°Frey...?¡± ¡°What is that power...?¡± The heroines, having regained their senses, looked at the glowing Frey and cautiously asked. ¡°...Well, I¡¯m not really sure.¡± Unfortunately, he too didn¡¯t fully understand the situation. - Crackle... crackle... ¡°But... it feels different from before.¡± The only thing Frey could be sure of was that the ¡®Stellar Mana¡¯ that always surrounded him felt different now. - How... can a mere human... And the fact that the ¡®God of Chaos¡¯ was clearly disturbed by the words Frey had just unconsciously spoken. ¡°...At least it doesn¡¯t seem like a disadvantage.¡± Frey continued to smile softly, seemingly realizing something. - Whoosh!! Tentacles started flying in from all directions. ¡°Things like this are a piece of cake.¡± ¡°Frey, you¡¯ve worked hard up till now, so stay back and recover...¡± The heroines quickly took a defensive stance against the relentless attacks. - Crackle... ¡°...Huh?¡± As Frey inhaled and extended his hand, a blinding light shot forward, eradicating the swarming tentacles. ¡°How... how did you get so strong, Frey?¡± ¡°What technique are you using now?¡± Ruby and Irina, who never lost in terms of combat power, looked up at Frey, questioning the absurdly powerful strike they had just witnessed. ¡°...¡± Frey floated silently in mid-air, emitting light from his entire body. ¡°Could it be... that crazy bastard is using some weird technique again, sacrificing his life?¡± ¡°That could be... his strength is beyond what I can gauge...¡± The heroines, looking at him with worried eyes, began to speculate. ¡°We need to stop Frey right now. That self-sacrificing maniac is probably burning his own body as fuel.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll fly up and grab him... Ruby, you...¡± ¡°...That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Huh? Kania...?¡± In the midst of their anxious discussion about how to stop Frey, Kania, who had been staring blankly upwards, interjected with a gentle smile. ¡°I think I have an idea of what¡¯s happening.¡± ¡°How can you know? Even we can¡¯t figure it out...¡± ¡°It¡¯s something only I can feel right now.¡± Kania spoke with a voice filled with emotion. ¡°It seems the young master has awakened his divinity.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°To be precise, he has become aware that his abilities are of divine origin. I¡¯m not sure what triggered it, though.¡± Irina and Ruby¡¯s eyes widened at her words, ¡°I knew it! I knew it!¡± Serena, who had been listening to the conversation, exclaimed with an excited expression. ¡°The three types of mana were indeed divine power, weren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Yes, including my dark mana as well.¡± ¡°My thesis was correct! Well, considering how different its nature is from ordinary mana, it¡¯s only natural!¡± Serena, who had a bitter experience of having her thesis repeatedly rejected for mentioning ¡®divinity¡¯ and had to use the metaphorical word ¡®sacred¡¯, muttered ecstatically at Kania¡¯s explanation. ¡°My argument, which was taboo enough to be banned in academic circles, now feels so refreshing. Once this is over, I¡¯ll revise...¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what¡¯s important right now.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± Upon hearing Ruby¡¯s sharp remark, Serena snapped back to reality and looked up at Frey. ¡°...¡± Frey still floated silently in mid-air, glowing. ¡°Frey, is that plan... still valid?¡± Serena shouted up to him, and Frey looked down quietly. ¡°Of course.¡± Then he smirked and answered. ¡°Given the situation, I¡¯m lacking in power.¡± ¡°Then...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s end this, as planned.¡± At that moment, - Who do you think you are!! The giant Eye, bloodshot with rage, launched a full-scale assault on everyone. . . . . . - Boom...!!! Deafening sounds echoed from all directions as the black tentacles were crushed and scattered. - Wham...! Simultaneously, we began to scatter as per our prearranged plan. ¡°Kania, be careful!¡± As I sprinted toward the main body of the Eye, following our initial plan, the Young Master¡¯s parting words to me rang out. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Young Master.¡± Why did that one phrase make my heart flutter? ¡°I¡¯m familiar with the darkness.¡± I tried to calm myself and focus on the target ahead, but my heart kept pounding. Maybe because the end was near. All the past events flashed before my eyes like a panorama. The time when I first regained my memories from the previous cycles, and started this new cycle by serving the Young Master poisoned food. Back then, I only wanted to kill you at all costs, but who would¡¯ve thought you had such a story? I thought I was the first to understand your story, and there were times when I believed it would remain our secret. ¡°Kania, it¡¯s dangerous!¡± ¡°Want to hide in my shadow? I have plenty of room.¡± ¡°No need.¡± But that was just my delusion. You had more stories and connections than I thought, and I was just one of them. I once had the audacious dream of monopolizing you, but now I know very well that¡¯s not possible. Still. Still, I... - Frey¡¯s mother died because of you. ¡°...?¡± Just as I reached the Eye and tried to clear my thoughts, a dark voice echoed in my mind. - Yet, you haven¡¯t changed your selfish heart. The Eye¡¯s last desperate attempt to poison my mind. - No matter what you do, nothing will change. Frey will eventually lose, and even if he wins, that fact will be irreversible. ¡°...¡± - Do you think you deserve to enjoy happiness by Frey¡¯s side? It was a good try. A few months ago, it might have shaken me. - Swoosh...!!! But it was too late to disturb me with such words now. Because I am Kania. As the Young Master¡¯s butler, I will serve him forever. . . . . . ¡°The plan to restrain the Eye has succeeded, everyone.¡± Kania¡¯s voice echoed around. ¡°Irina, it¡¯s your turn.¡± Alright, my turn now? ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± - Hup...! As I kicked off the ground and soared into the air, the Eye began to stare intently at me. - Crackle!! Countless tentacles began to surge towards me. ¡°...Too slow.¡± But for some reason, they didn¡¯t feel threatening at all. Perhaps it was because my eyesight, enhanced by my dragon transformation, had become too fast. Or maybe it was because I was confident that Frey¡¯s light, which enveloped me, would protect me even if I were to take a direct hit. Instead of focusing on the battle, other thoughts came to mind. Thoughts about Frey¡¯s current state. What the future would be like once all this was over. And how Frey felt about me right now. - If it weren¡¯t for you, Frey wouldn¡¯t have killed his mother. ¡°...Hm?¡± But as I reached the Eye, a fierce voice echoed in my head. - How does it feel to have inflicted such lifelong trauma on someone? To think it would resort to such desperate measures. I was a little disappointed. - Crackle...!! - Roar...!! As I descended, I unleashed my ¡®ultimate magic¡¯ on the Eye, which hurriedly shielded itself with tentacles. Normally, this spell would carry the risk of shattering my body. But in a spiritual body, I had nothing to lose. . . . . . ¡°Clana! Hurry with the light!¡± ¡°A... All right!¡± It was my turn My heart was pounding. Can I really do this? ¡°Huuh...¡± As I extended my arms above my head and gathered my strength, immense pain started to surge through my body. ¡°Ugh...¡± It was my first time using this technique, and I wondered if it was too much for me. - A coward who couldn¡¯t even protect her parents. ¡°...!¡± As I trembled, lost in thought, the horrifying voice I heard earlier began to echo in my mind again. - You¡¯re nothing but a mere side character with no individuality or charm... What are you trying to achieve now? ¡°Ugh...¡± - Frey won¡¯t acknowledge you anyway. Just cower in the corner like you always do. At first, I was filled with rage, but gradually, the words began to feel true. At the beginning, all I did was hold Frey back. Later on, I didn¡¯t even make a significant contribution. What was the point of being the Empire¡¯s princess or having solar mana if I couldn¡¯t shine like others? No matter how hard I tried, I always felt like I was falling behind. Surely, Frey also thought of me this way... - Flash...! Just as I was about to be consumed by these gloomy thoughts, the silver light surrounding me flashed. ¡°...Ah.¡± Only then did I regain my senses with a faint smile. ¡°That too... was part of me.¡± I had already realized this. I almost forgot. - Shhhhh... Isn¡¯t that right, Mother? . . . . . ¡°Ferloche, it¡¯s your turn!¡± Clana, holding up the keepsake left by her mother retrieved from the Cloud Kingdom¡¯s underground, began illuminating the dark place like the sun. ¡°Bring that bastard down!¡± She fiercely shouted at me. ¡°Understood!¡± Wow. Our Clana has changed. She shed her usual timid demeanor and was blazing like the sun. ¡°I¡¯ll slam it into the ground!¡± So, should I follow her lead? I could clearly see her mother standing behind her, quietly supporting her. That was good news. Her mother¡¯s soul wasn¡¯t completely annihilated in the siege. What a relief! - Ferloche, you... Shut up! - Boom!!! After enduring your disgusting gaze for eons, I¡¯ve gone mad, so your childish tricks wouldn¡¯t work on me anymore! ¡°Got you!¡± Just shut up! . . . . . ¡°Serena! It¡¯s your turn!¡± Ferloche, with a cheerful expression, was gripping the Eye¡¯s tentacles and pulling them towards the ground. I didn¡¯t expect this to work. The Sun God¡¯s Blessing was indeed powerful. ¡°By the way, it tastes like squid!¡± Or maybe it was Ferloche¡¯s impressive feat of holding onto the tentacle, biting it with her teeth as it tried to escape her grasp? - How does it feel to have a newcomer take your place? As I was lost in such useless thoughts and fanning myself, the annoying voice started echoing in my head again. - If you cooperate with me, just a little, I could offer you a world that would satisfy you. What nonsense. It was a pathetically childish offer. ¡°...What a ridiculous thing to say.¡± From Ruby¡¯s murmuring beside me, it seemed she received the same offer. - Swoosh...! As the Eye was completely dragged to the ground and I sent it a dose of the toxic lunar mana, it writhed in agony before finally closing its eyes, and I whispered softly. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve regained my husband and friends... this is the world I wanted.¡± That was the Eye¡¯s fatal mistake. . . . . . ¡°...Now, it¡¯s my turn.¡± Ruby, who had been observing the battle from above, began descending with a low murmur. - Rumble...! But at that moment, the space began to tremble violently. ¡°...What?¡± Startled by the unexpected turn of events, Ruby stepped back. - You... all...! The Eye began to shout with a furious voice. - Do you think I¡¯ll go down like this...!! Simultaneously, the space started shaking wildly. ¡°Is it planning to self-destruct?¡± Sensing something was wrong, Ruby murmured and hurriedly flew towards the Eye. - Crack...! ¡°...Ugh.¡± ¡°F-Frey!¡± But a huge tentacle passed by her and headed straight for Frey. - Crackle... crackle... The light surrounding Frey¡¯s body struggled to fend off the tentacle, but it was not enough to completely repel the Eye¡¯s desperate attack, even as it damaged its own main body. ¡°Damn it, Frey! I¡¯ll...¡± Grinding her teeth, Ruby was about to rush to his aid when suddenly... - Crack... A small sound came from beside her. ¡°We¡¯ve finally arrived!¡± And the voice that followed, though as quiet as the cracking sound, was enough to draw everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Hello there!¡± ¡°Grrr...¡± Lulu growled and walked out of the portal, leaving behind a hellish landscape glowing with red lava, with Glare on her back. Chapter 0: Prologue - Like that, I Got Fucked I was the Empire¡¯s greatest villain. ¡°The Empire wouldn¡¯t be in this pathetic state if it weren¡¯t for you.¡± These were the last words that my fiance?e, who was a genius that appeared once in a lifetime and the Chancellor of the Empire, said to me before she went to fight in the final battle against the Demon King¡¯s army. She died defending the imperial castle until the very end. ¡°Fuck off and die, retard!¡± These were the last words said to me by the Archmage who swept through the battlefield and hunted down the Demon King¡¯s executives. She managed to inflict a fatal wound on the Demon King before her limbs were torn apart. ¡°You¡¯ve made me realize even God has forsaken us. For that, I¡¯m truly grateful.¡± These were the Saintess¡¯ parting words, who was said to be born only once every few thousand years. She died at the hands of the Demon King¡¯s forces as she struggled to evacuate one more imperial citizen. ¡°...Disgusting.¡± The Warlock¡¯s dying words, as someone who had been my attendant since my childhood. And when I opened my eyes, I was lying in the dormitory bed where I was staying the day before I entered the academy. ¡°Ha...I really am back...¡± After realizing that I have returned to a time in the past after checking the calendar on my desk, I muttered quietly. ¡°System.¡± Path of False Evil An unavoidable fate that is given to you, you who once destroyed the world. Save the world by tainting your name with sin. [Accumulated False Evil Points: 0] I stared ahead with a satisfied look at the system window obtained with great difficulty after doing something that did not fit my nature before I tried to get out of bed due to feeling hungry. Warning Penalty! ¡°What?¡± When I checked the window that had appeared in front of me, I had no choice but to freeze in shock as I got out of bed. Penalty 5 Main Heroines have awakened the memories of the previous timeline! ¡°...What is this bullshit....?¡± I¡¯m fucked.Nne?w n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com Chapter 1: This Fucking World ¡°I...there was nothing like this mentioned in the prophecy...?¡± While reading the atrocious details of the penalty, I hurriedly rummaged through my old suitcase and pulled a worn-out piece of paper. Even though it looks like a worthless piece of paper, this is my family heirloom that has been passed down through generations for over 1,000 years. And what was written on this scrap of paper that had been passed down through generations? That answer will be known if one goes to the statue of the Hero, the largest sculpture in the Empire, and read the contents etched on the slab, which states: On the 1000th anniversary of the death of the Demon King, the heir of the Demon King will appear and devour the world. You will need a hero with the same strength as me to stop the heir. T/his chapter is updated by nov(e?(l)biin.co/m This was the official testament and prophecy of the Great Hero, known throughout the Empire to have defeated the original Demon King. However, the real prophecy was actually written on this paper. Of course, it¡¯s the same until the part, ¡®You will need a hero with the same strength as me,¡¯ but...from that point onwards, it has been recorded as a secret book and handed down from generation to generation in my family. ¡°Father, these are not runic characters... nor ancient texts... what¡¯s the identity of these characters that are too well structured to be termed as cipher?¡± ¡°Ah... these are called Hangul.¡± For reference, my father called these mysterious characters ¡®Hangul¡¯. My father, who deeply respects the Hero, was proud to merely know the name of these characters, but I didn¡¯t like them because they were very complex. Anyway, the content written after the widely known prophecy of the Hero is as follows. And that Hero will be my direct descendant, who will be born exactly 1000 years after the death of the Demon King. So, future descendants, if you are reading this, keep your eyes wide open. As it stated, when I opened my eyes wide, colorful pictures and videos appeared and then the following phrase greeted me. Let¡¯s attack from now on. Yes. The legendary Hero who defeated the Demon King 1000 years ago, and the ancestor of our family, came from another world. According to the ancestor¡¯s Prophecy, he was playing a ¡®game¡¯ called ¡®Dark Tale Fantasy¡¯ when he uttered an insult, calling it a ¡®SHIT game¡¯ and then lost consciousness because of an unknown force. He later woke up to find himself in a world where the game ¡®Dark Tale Fantasy¡¯ became reality. His prophetic book was written in magical characters that only a direct descendant of my family could view through space-distortion magic, and was dozens of pages long. Roughly speaking, it is the story of my ancestor, who had barely managed to reach a happy ending using their ¡°Game Knowledge.¡± Anyway, the important thing is that there was a sequel to the ¡®game¡¯ called ¡®Dark Tale Fantasy 2¡¯ in the world where my ancestor was originally from, which was evaluated as being a ¡®dog shit game,¡¯ ¡®worse than part 1,¡¯ and ¡®made by the development company to torture the players¡¯. According to my ancestor, who was quite familiar with its content, as he was introduced to the series through the sequel, in order to grant the present world a ¡°Happy Ending,¡± the Hero must destroy the world once. This is because, by doing so, you can get a ¡®system¡¯ with the ¡®Hidden Route¡¯ and achieve a ¡®happy ending.¡¯ So, I committed evil deeds in the previous timeline and ruined the world. Of course, I had no choice but to feel a tremendous sense of guilt because I grew up kindly under a father who was proud that I was a direct successor to the Hero... but what could I have done? The Demon King would have destroyed the world instead if I didn¡¯t. In that way, after committing many repulsive deeds and even catching the Demon King off guard at the last moment, I regressed and earned the title of ¡°Path of False Evil.¡± So, I didn¡¯t really commit any evil deeds but was instead a ¡®False Evil¡¯ and tried to protect the Empire and the world at my own expense, but the memories of the women who hated me to death in the previous timeline have also returned. ¡°What should I do... They¡¯re just so troublesome... Ha....¡± I held my head and tried to recall the ¡®Main Heroines¡¯ who should have returned with their memories by now. ¡®The greatest genius on the continent who will become the Chancellor in the future, one with the potential to become the continent¡¯s strongest Archmage, a Saintess who only appears once every 1000 years, a Warlock who would have shrouded the world in darkness if it weren¡¯t for the curse, and the Imperial Princess... ..¡¯ No matter how much I thought about it, it was so ridiculous that I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. If I hadn¡¯t been a member of the revered family of the Hero and the first son of the Ducal household with over 1000 years of history, I might have been mercilessly killed with a knife somewhere in the middle of a street by now. Moreover, even such a position might have been meaningless if the Princess had not been a scarecrow at the very end of the line of succession to the throne. Of course, within a few years, the Princess will be first in the line of succession with her extraordinary talent... but she won¡¯t be able to touch me right now. ¡®...She can¡¯t touch me, can she?¡¯ Anyway, according to the ¡®game¡¯ information left behind by my ancestor, the Main Heroines were initially designed to fall in love with me... It is mentioned that if things go well, I¡¯ll be able to have a harem, but it looks like I will be stabbed by the five heroines, let alone have a harem. Somehow, I¡¯ll have to rack my brains out to survive from the main heroines. ¡®First...who is the most urgent...?¡¯ First of all, since tomorrow is the Academy¡¯s entrance ceremony, I will be facing most of the heroines tomorrow at the Academy. Only the heroine who would become my fiance and future Chancellor is excluded. If my memory is correct, she¡¯s currently on a trip abroad. Including the Archmage, the Saintess, and the Princess for now. And of course I¡¯ll have to see them tomorrow, but there¡¯s nothing I can do about that right now. ¡®Then, the only heroine that¡¯s left is...¡¯ ¨C knock, knock, knock... ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°The soup used to be the Young Master¡¯s favorite....¡± ¡°Where did you get that answer from!!¡± ¨C Clank!! Kania, who had been struggling to continue her words, closed her eyes tightly when I shouted at her and spilled the soup as she opened her mouth with a shudder. ¡°...Then what kind of food would you like me to bring?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to bring what I always ate?¡± ¡°.....¡± ¡°You idiot!! You wouldn¡¯t know unless I tell you, would you? It¡¯s a sandwich! Sandwich!!¡± ¡°Uh, yes, of course... I¡¯ll have it ready for you right away...¡± I screamed in disgust as she clenched her teeth and staggered out of the room. [Acquired False Evil Points: 1 pt! (Self-Defense)] And at the same time, a window appeared in front of me. That¡¯s right. The ¡®Path of False Evil,¡¯ a cheat system obtained as a regression perk following the prophetic book, gives you points every time you commit an evil deed. And these accumulated points will become the medium to save the world. For me, who was once the Greatest Villain in the Empire, this is just the system I need. ¡°Master, the sandwich you ordered.¡± Anyway, after looking into the system window and pondering for a while, Kania, who was much more emaciated than before, re-entered the room, this time with a sandwich. ¡°Why is there no cheese? Please go make it again.¡± ¡°But....¡± ¡°Are you going to talk back to me now?¡± ¡°...No.¡± Having sent her down again, I continued to nitpick and overwork her. ¡°The surface of the bread is dry and twisted. Again.¡± ¡°The ham is too thick. Again.¡± ¡°Too few pickles. Again.¡± ¡°The shape is so distasteful. Again.¡± After going back and forth between the room and the kitchen for a long time, she began to reach her limits, but her eyes were still filled with hatred. ¡°Thinking about it, I forgot to ask for tuna. Again.¡± But, when I reordered the sandwich for the eleventh time, she ended up coughing blood from her mouth and tripping on the floor as she had forced herself to overuse the black magic. [Acquired False Evil Points: 1 pt!] [Acquired Survival Bonus Points: Extra 10 pts!] [Accumulated False Evil Points: 22 pts!] I stared blankly at the windows that appeared one after another when she collapsed; I got up quietly and approached her unconscious self. ¡°... I¡¯m sorry, Kania.¡± Seeing her sullen expression, I uttered an apology that would never be heard; I quickly carried the young lady to the bed and reached out to begin infusing my life force into her body. ¡°...Kuhn!¡± I felt the pain as if my whole body were being torn apart. Yes. The reason that the effect of the curse weakens when Kania is by my side is not because I have special powers as a hero. It¡¯s just that I imbue my life force into her so that her curse stagnates for a while. Thanks to this, my lifespan is slowly being reduced, but what can I do? It¡¯s an unavoidable fate since I decided to live as a villain. [Acquired False Evil Points: 30 pts! (Self-sacrifice)] [Accumulated False Evil Points: 62 pts] After I finished injecting my life force, I felt a tingling sensation in my body. As I sat down on the floor, I muttered with a sigh. ¡°This time, don¡¯t die in front of my eyes, Kania.¡± Looking down at her quietly shivering form, I began to re-read the last line of the prophetic book, which I had read repeatedly, using the moonlight permeating through the window as a light source. When everything is over, the Hero will perish in vain alongside the Demon King. Indeed, it¡¯s a damned world. Chapter 2: Entering the Academy The chirping of the birds signaled the daybreak. ¡°...I guess it¡¯s time to lay her down, isn¡¯t it?¡± I carefully lifted Kania, who was dozing on the bed, and placed her gently on the floor where she fainted. After this, I sat down on the bed that she was originally sleeping on and shouted at her. ¡°Hey!! How long are you going to just lie there!?¡± ¡°...Huh!¡± She, who was lying on the floor, stood up in shock and looked at me with clenched teeth as she confirmed the fact that she collapsed on the floor. ¡°Why are you staring at me like that? Do you have any complaints?¡± ¡°...No.¡± ¡°Then go prepare breakfast.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°Oh, and if you¡¯re going to bring a terrible meal like yesterday...just take your sister and leave.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°What? You don¡¯t want to take your sister with you? Will you leave her with our family? I¡¯ll make her my mistress if that¡¯s the case.¡± When I mentioned her sister, Kania couldn¡¯t control her expression and burst into tears. To her, her younger sister was both her most precious existence and her biggest weakness. ¡°Then...please get ready...I¡¯ll be right back...¡± ¡°Yes, work hard.¡± As she fled the room crying, the system window appeared in front of me without fail. [Acquired False Evil Points: 1pt! (Insincere Remarks)] ¡®...What¡¯s this message next to the point? Is it explaining the circumstances under which I committed the evil deed?¡¯ I glanced at the system window for a moment, then soon nodded and muttered. ¡°Well, I never really meant those words from the bottom of my heart.¡± Kania¡¯s younger sister later proves to be a valuable key to her future cure, so how could I treat her like that? Well, I still have to make Kania hate me by telling her I still covet her sister. ¡°Breakfast.¡± When I got up from bed and settled down at the dining table, Kania brought coffee and sandwiches. ¡°........¡± As I said nothing while looking down at the meal, Kania clenched her teeth. She must be thinking that I¡¯m about to ruin the meal again. However, I just made sure that the ¡®False Evil¡¯s Intuition¡¯ wasn¡¯t triggered. Given that ¡®False Evil¡¯s Intuition¡¯ that warns me of a serious threat to my life once a day didn¡¯t activate, it seems my breakfast isn¡¯t poisoned. ¡°...Okay, I¡¯m tired of nitpicking now.¡± I started drinking coffee with an expression that said I had no choice because it was such a hassle. ¡®It¡¯s so delicious.¡¯ I¡¯ve been thinking for a long time, but Kania is great at cooking. Right now, even this coffee alone is enough to overwhelm the royal baristas. ¡°Why is this so bitter again?¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± Of course, I could never say that it was delicious, since I have to be a villain. ¡°Anyway...there¡¯s nothing to like about this.¡± ¡°I will do my best to please you, master.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t just stand there and hand me the invitation to the academy. I want to show you something.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As I ordered in an apathetic voice, Kania pulled out an academy invitation from her arms. [Sunrise Academy] Frey Raon Starlight, the first son of the noble family of the Hero. We invite you to Sunrise Academy, the pride of the Empire and the foremost academy on the continent. Please come to our academy and become the starlight that shines upon us. Sincerely, Dean Lionel ¡°Did you see? They want me to become their starlight.¡± I snorted as I quietly read the invitation, then crumpled it up and threw it at Kania. ¡°I¡¯m in a different position than you, an orphan who could only enter the academy with my father¡¯s letter of recommendation.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°So, won¡¯t you take good care of me at the academy? Kania?¡± ¡°Yes, but Young Master...you should know...¡± Unless Kania is asleep, I have no choice but to infuse my life force into her this way. Of course, infusing life force this way is several times more physically demanding than when she is asleep, not to mention that I¡¯m even treated as a sexual harasser. Well, if I can prolong Kania¡¯s life, I¡¯m fully willing to be treated as a sexual harasser. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a nap, so keep quiet. Kania.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°........¡± So I tried to close my eyes for a moment in the carriage before entering the academy, but soon I remembered that the woman in front of me was hell bent on killing me. ¡®...Fuck.¡¯ I eventually gave up on sleeping, closed my eyes and looked at the False Evil points I had once again earned through self-sacrifice. [Accumulated False Evil Points: 100 pts] ¡®Oh, that¡¯s quite a lot?¡¯ It hasn¡¯t even been a day since my regression, but I¡¯ve already accumulated 100 points, probably because I¡¯ve been doing various evil deeds nonstop. ¡°Store.¡± I opened the window, muttering ¡°store¡± in a hushed voice, and rolled my eyes while keeping them closed. ¡®Let¡¯s see...stat distribution...item store...and even the skill store? That¡¯s a lot.¡¯ As written in the prophecy, the store seems to consume the evil points and provide me with benefits. I want to examine it in detail right now, but there is Kania lurking out in front of me. I¡¯ll have to find out more later once I return to my dormitory. ¡°Ummm...mmmmmmm...Kania...hold on...hehe...¡± ¡°........!¡± After I finally made my decision, I pretended to sleep while calling out Kania¡¯s name the whole way to the academy. Thanks to this, the bloodlust I could feel has increased, but as a result, the accumulated False Evil points have also grown. I guess I¡¯ll have to use this often. . . . . . ¡°Young Master, please wake up.¡± ¡°Kania...hehe...that posture is nice...keep it up...¡± ¡°Young Master, please...¡± ¡°...Huh, what is it? What¡¯s the matter?¡± I was pretending to sleep for a while, then suddenly Kania started shaking me to wake me up. As I roughly rubbed my eyes and woke up, Kania sighed and said. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived at the academy. We¡¯ll have to get off soon.¡± ¡°Already? These days, carriages are really fast....¡± As I stretched out and looked out the window, Sunrise Academy appeared in front of me. It¡¯s so heartwarming to see the academy standing on the ground again. Originally, that academy collapsed under the attack of the Demon King. ¨C Frey Raon Starlight, the first son of the Starlight Duke, the family of the Hero, is here! ¡°Did you see Kania? I haven¡¯t even entered the academy yet, but they still recognized me?¡± ¡°I think they saw the family¡¯s crest on the carriage.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so tactless, sometimes you just have to agree.¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± I, who was deliberately being mean to Kania, muttered to myself as I looked at the accumulated False Evil points. ¡®The rules of equality will be ensured, yet such nonsense is still left...equality is just a pretense.¡¯ There is a rule that states, ¡°Everyone is equal in the academy,¡± so why hasn¡¯t the tradition of announcing the arrival of a son from an influential family on the day of the entrance ceremony yet to disappear? This is a place to gain knowledge, not a banquet hall. The Empire is gradually rotting because of such evil practices and corruption. Although I was the one to destroy the Empire in the previous timeline, it is quite clear that the Empire¡¯s fall was imminent, even without the involvement of the Demon King or myself. So, I have to defeat the Demon King, make sure the heroines survive, and clean up the imperial blemishes to some extent. After defeating the Demon King, I¡¯ll probably be no longer in this world. Well, it¡¯s not impossible if I use the knowledge gained from both the prophecy and the previous timeline, but the heroines are still the problem. False Evil¡¯s Intuition [A powerful killing intent is felt nearby!] ¡°...Hehe, speak of the devil.¡± I took a deep breath as I recited the famous saying my ancestor loved to use in the prophetic book. It¡¯s not just any ¡®Killing Intent¡¯ either, but a ¡®Killing Intent¡¯ that I could feel. Apparently, the Main Heroines are all furious. Chapter 3: Freshmen Welcome Party The entrance ceremony ended without a hitch. ¡°Everyone, cheers!!¡± What¡¯s noteworthy is the welcoming freshman party held after the entrance ceremony. Of course, the reception of commoners is modest and straightforward, but that wasn¡¯t the case for the nobles. ¡°...This is a wine from the western continent. It¡¯s 56 years old.¡± ¡°Here, veal filet steak and foie gras. I wish you a pleasant meal.¡± The people of the Empire are starving, yet these esteemed daughters and sons, who didn¡¯t even receive a title, are spending enough money to feed a village for a few months at a welcoming party for freshmen. Then again, I¡¯m the leader of such a group. ¡°Lord Frey! Let¡¯s have a toast!¡± ¡°Oh my, the rumors going around that you¡¯re a handsome man are true. Can you spare some time tonight?¡± ¡°Greetings, Lord Frey! I¡¯m the second son of Viscount Ariel.¡±Discover new chapters at novelhall.com Surrounded by countless flattering people seated at the place of honor, I gave a strained smile and sipped my drink. Of course, internally I¡¯m worried about how to survive from the heroines while trying to figure out how to eradicate the parasites that corrode this Empire. ¡°So, do you know what that commoner bastard said earlier?¡± ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°Well, he said his dream is to become a student council member! Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s funny?¡± ¡°He¡¯s definitely got a screw loose. Should we knock some sense into him?¡± As I pretended to have fun chatting with the women who approached me, I overheard the conversation of the nobles sitting next to me. Yes, on the surface, Sunrise Academy strives for equality for all, but it¡¯s not the case at all on the inside. Most aristocrats implicitly ignore the commoners, and some even blatantly bully them. This stands true for aristocratic students as well. The greater their power, the more benefits and fame they receive, so the professors turn a blind eye to these absurdities. In other words, it¡¯s bullshit. ¡°It¡¯s not a guy, but a girl?¡± ¡°What? A girl? That would be more fun, right?¡± The woman they are talking about now is probably ¡®her¡¯, who will become the Archmage of the Empire in the future from a commoner and dominate the battlefield. When she was at the academy, she became a bullying target for the aristocrats after injuring three inebriated noble students who picked a fight with her. ¡°Right? I suppose that sounds interesting.¡± ¡°Ah, Lord Frey?¡± ¡°So, when are you going to do it, George?¡± ¡°Uh...well...wouldn¡¯t it be better to go as soon as possible...haha...¡± ¡°Really? Then do a good job.¡± ¡°Oh, yes!¡± As I spoke indifferently, the nobleman in the middle bowed 90 degrees and went out of the banquet hall while having a heated discussion with the people he was talking to. ¡®Anyway, I have seen no trustworthy person among this extravagant bunch¡¯ I stared at the student¡¯s back pitifully, as he would soon become a sacrifice to the woman destined to be an Archmage, and got lost in thought. Tomorrow, when I officially start attending the academy, obviously I will cross paths with the heroines. This is because all of us are assigned to Class A. Of course, unlike the five heroines who are naturally talented or just geniuses, I had to pull some strings to get in. In fact, I used the backdoor on purpose. Honestly, even if I take the exam now, I¡¯m confident I¡¯ll be tied for first place with my fiance?e and get a perfect score. But alas, I can¡¯t because I must be an incompetent, evil, pathetic and vile person. Of course, someone who is not familiar with the system might ask, instead of stressing too much, why not just selectively commit the evil deeds after confiding to a few people at random that I¡¯m a False Evil. In fact, that¡¯s a situation I¡¯m desperately hoping for, but there¡¯s no way the system can easily present a happy ending to this doomed world. ¡°System, inherent skill window.¡± [Inherent Skills Window] -Permanent Debuff: The Fate of False Evil Description: Every time you are discovered to be a ¡®False Evil¡¯, your vitality and lifespan will decrease. This daunting penalty is the reason I can¡¯t reveal my identity and abandon selective evil. I¡¯m still periodically giving my life force to Kania, and I have a lot of work to do, so if my life span further decreases because of the system¡¯s penalty, I¡¯ll be done for. So, I should never let people find out that I¡¯m a False Evil. ¡®...Should I just give up on being a villain?¡¯ For a moment, I felt my resolve weakening, but then I shook my head and hardened my heart. As the successor to the hero who appeared in the world 1000 years ago, my father trained me for a long time. If I don¡¯t step up here, the world will perish. However, my father is not a cold-hearted person who drives his son into a desperate situation, knowing he would die. Father would have torn the prophetic book to shreds if he¡¯d known that I was doomed to die. Perhaps my ancestor had foreseen this, and put a spell on the phrase ¡®The Hero will perish in vain alongside the Demon King¡¯ so that only I could see it. But if this happens, then my ancestor from another world would have been a person without blood or tears, who forced his heir to sacrifice himself 1000 years later. ¡°System, show clear privilege.¡± [Clear privilege: When everything is over, you can make a single wish to the Sun God.] Perhaps my ancestor negotiated with the Sun God 1000 years ago in order to avoid such a reputation, and left me, his successor, this gift. After all, he is the Sun God who is the Overseer of Light in this world, and can easily grant the wish of a mere mortal like me. In short, this is my plan: First, I¡¯ll become infamous as I keep on committing evil deeds while gathering evidence one after another and reigning as the secret mastermind. Simultaneously, I¡¯ll weaken the axis power of evil while eradicating the despicable customs and abominations of the empire. Then, on the day of the decisive battle, I¡¯ll use the system to die along with the Demon King. After that, I¡¯ll wish for my revival to the Sun God. Eventually, the women started screaming as the men grabbed their hands, and finally I, who had been quietly observing the situation until then, had no choice but to take action. ¡°Can¡¯t you stay still? This lowly bitch dares...¡± ¨C Clank!!! ¡°...Puhak!!¡± I threw the crystal wine glass in my hands at the boy who was walking while holding Irina¡¯s head. ¡°...What the hell? What kind of fucker ...¡± The male student, who was staggering after being hit by the wine glass, grabbed his forehead and started swearing, while I glared coldly at him and opened my mouth. ¡°You bastard! What are you calling me?¡± ¡°Lord F-Frey!!¡± Since my drunken behavior of throwing glasses and violent nature is widely known, the surrounding atmosphere became chilly in an instant. ¡°Lower your head.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± As soon as I finished my words, he banged his head so hard that a dull sound resounded in the banquet hall. However, I looked at him coldly and opened my mouth again. ¡°Where are you putting your head?¡± ¡°...Yeah?¡± ¡°Place your head on the shards of the broken glass, you punk.¡± ¡°......!¡± The guy rolled his eyes for a moment at my words, but he was quick to notice, as he banged his head on the shards of the broken wine glass with all his might and shouted. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m sorry!! Lord Frey!! Please forgive me!!¡± At that shocking scene, the surrounding atmosphere became uncontrollably grim. As I sighed amidst it all and got up from my seat, I calmly said. ¡°Everyone except for these girls get out.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me? I told everyone to leave, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Ha, but...¡± ¡°Get out so I can have fun with them, you bastards!!!¡± As soon as I rebuked them, the students, who had been wary for a while, soon rushed out. ¡°Please, someone s-save me...¡± Soon after, a slender-looking female student, who was dragged to the banquet hall and the only woman on the left side of the male student, opened her mouth while trembling. ¡°...Let¡¯s see how you taste.¡± ¡°Uhhhhhhh...!¡± I ignored her plea and started stroking her chin, and at that moment, the rest of the girls who witnessed the scene started trembling in fear. ¡°Hey, run away!!!¡± ¡°...Aughhh!¡± Irina pushed me down with all her strength and screamed at the children next to her. ¡°T-Thank you...!¡± ¡°Uhhhhhhhh...¡± Then the girls, who were terrified, fled all at once, and Irina, who was smiling at them, soon keeled over as she ran out of strength. ¡°... You¡¯re one crazy bitch, aren¡¯t you?¡± After confirming that the girls had escaped, I slowly got up, picked up a bottle of wine from the desk and chugged it down my throat as I approached Irina. ¡°Haa... it turns out you¡¯re disgusting until the end. You bastard.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a bastard who will soon become a corpse, a filthy piece of shit who only thinks with his lower half. An utter trash. If I had known that things would turn out this way, I would have used my ultimate magic on you instead of the Demon King.¡± ¡°What kind of bullshit are you spouting, you bitch?¡± I desperately pretended to be drunk as she kept shooting the events of the previous timeline like a rapid-fire gun, and after conveying that I had no clue what she was talking about, I arrived in front of her and reached out to her. ¡°Damn it, I should have saved some mana for committing suicide.¡± I felt a hit to my heart from her words as soon as I grabbed her collar. I soon closed my eyes and slumped to the floor. ¡°Zzzz...Zzzz...Zzzz...¡± ¡°.........¡± Normally, doing such a defenseless thing in front of her would be suicidal, but she is currently in a ¡®Mana Exhaustion¡¯ state. In other words, she can¡¯t harm me right now. ¡°........¡± After I collapsed on the floor and pretended to snore, I felt her looking down on me for a moment, then she staggered quickly out of the banquet hall. Honestly, I don¡¯t know how I would react if she actually tried to kill me. Fortunately, it seems that she was smart enough to recall the possibility that the men I had chased off earlier might return and if they find me dead, not only herself but also her family will be annihilated. [Acquired False Evil Points: 200 pts! (The Savior of Female Students)] ¡°Ha...it¡¯s really tough.¡± After a while, when the False Evil points appeared in front of me, my tension was relieved at once, then I sighed and tried to get up... Notice! [Emergency Protection skill is automatically used!] ¡°...What?¡± Target: Irina Philliard¡¯s 12 o¡¯clock Curse [Details: The 12 o¡¯clock curse sentences the target to inevitable death at 12 o¡¯clock midnight the day after the spell is cast. This devastating curse can only be used once a year, and the person who activated the curse suffers from mana exhaustion for 1 year.] I almost passed out when I saw the system window that popped up in front of me. Apparently, I have a lot of work left to do in the future. Chapter 4: Sleeping with the Enemy ¡°Young Master, wake up.¡± ¡°Umm, what is it..¡± ¡°Young Master, if you sleep here, you¡¯ll ruin not only your reputation but also the face of the family. So please get up quickly.¡± ¡°Heummm...¡± I almost died the day after I returned because of Irina¡¯s curse. Shocked by this realization, I was quietly lying down dazed in the empty banquet room, but I quickly pretended to be drunk when Kania entered. ¡°Kania...carry me...¡± ¡°Young Master, you¡¯re well aware that I...¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Our Kania is a warlock, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Y-Young Master!¡± ¡°Besides, she¡¯s always in a weak state because of the curse she bears as a warlock...well, I guess she can¡¯t help after all...¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll carry you on my back. Please, just stop.¡± ¡°Hehe...thank you! Kania!¡± Kania took a deep breath as she slung me onto her back, and then she started wobbling. ¡°Woah... phew...¡± ¡°May I put you down for a moment?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I will need to get off if you hold me in an upright position.¡± ¡°........¡± Kania trembled slightly after hearing this, then soon responded in a guttural, irritated voice. ¡°I¡¯ll fix it.¡± ¡°Giddy up! Run, run!¡± ¡°...Ha, really?¡± So Kania slowly started heading towards my dormitory, listening to my fake drunk rambling with her dead eyes fixed on me. ¡°Cough! Cough! Cough!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you this time?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it...keep following the way you were going, you Black Magician...Oh, did I just say you¡¯re a Black Magician, not a Warlock...?¡± ¡°.......¡± And so I began imbuing life force into her while she carried me on her back. Kania will not last long and die soon if I don¡¯t infuse life force into her periodically like this. That¡¯s why I have to infuse life force into her whenever I get an opportunity like this. For reference, the larger the area of contact, the more life force I can transfer to her. So, I tried to imbue months¡¯ worth of life force at this opportunity, but soon I gave up when I remembered that Kania was also looking for a chance to kill me. So I started infusing a little more life force than usual to relieve her fatigue as I snuggled close to her back and pretended to sleep. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s God¡¯s trick or what...¡± At the same time as I was sharing my life force, Kania, who was carrying me on her back, suddenly muttered in a spiteful voice. ¡°...even for my sister¡¯s sake, this time, I must kill you.¡± ¡®That¡¯s too much.¡¯ I felt nauseated, as I couldn¡¯t even spit the blood that came up to my mouth since I was already overdoing it by sharing my life force with Kania. In the meantime, she¡¯s declaring that she¡¯s going to kill me. Thanks to this, I felt my heartache. However, this is inevitable as long as I act like a villain. Now, to Kania, I¡¯m a piece of trash that¡¯s aiming for her younger sister, who has shown time and time again to have an outstanding talent in healing magic. ¡°...gulp.¡± Thanks to the side effects of transferring life force, I quietly swallowed the blood in my mouth and started dozing off on her back. Of course, I couldn¡¯t fall asleep completely, as I was afraid of being killed while sleeping. Sure enough, it¡¯s hard pretending to be the villain. . . . . . ¡°Young Master, we have arrived.¡± ¡°Ahhh...where...?¡± ¡°This is the dormitory where the Young Master will be staying from today. The Academy has especially made sure that the room is of the finest quality, so there will be no inconvenience...¡± ¡°Get out.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°You should just leave so that I can get some sleep.¡± I interrupted her explanation as I beckoned her to leave, pretending to be annoyed. ¡°Then, if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡±Ree?ad latest novels at novelhall.com Kania then greeted me at 90 degrees as she smiled brightly for some reason. I stared at her for a moment, and just as she was about to open the door to leave, I muttered. ¡°Wait, don¡¯t go.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t leave yet.¡± ¡°...I understand.¡± When I overturned my earlier order after she had just almost left, she tilted her head for a moment as if confused, but soon showed an expression of understanding. Perhaps, she¡¯s thinking, ¡®What¡¯s wrong with the Young Master?¡¯ ¡®Ah! The Young Master is going to bullshit again!¡¯ Isn¡¯t it possible for her to come up with the answer on her own? ¡°...Kania?¡± I was about to rack up more false evil points, as I was furious at the guy who dared to knock on my door in the middle of the night, but oddly enough, Kania was the one standing in front of my room. ¡°What¡¯s all that?¡± ¡°...My luggage.¡± I don¡¯t know why, but her luggage is piled up in the hallway in front of my room. ¡°Then, excuse me.¡± ¡°.....?¡± As I was tilting my head at such a strange sight, Kania suddenly pushed me inside the room and started unpacking her bags, one by one. ¡°...What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m unpacking?¡± ¡°No, why are you unpacking your luggage here?¡± ¡°From today on, I have to stay here too.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Startled by her words, I soon calmed my pounding heart and started speaking slowly. ¡°...What kind of bullshit is this? You belong to the dormitory where all the lowly beings gather; this is the dormitory for nobles.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you know?¡± Upon hearing my words, Kania smiled quietly and some unexpected words came out of her mouth. ¡°I entered the academy as Young Master¡¯s servant.¡± ¡°What? What do you mean?¡± Kania entered the Academy as a regular student in the previous timeline, if I recall correctly. So why is it like this now... ¡°Yesterday, I asked Young Master¡¯s father via telegram. And fortunately, I got permission.¡± ¡°...Why the hell?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he just worried about the Young Master, his son, who he lived with for a long time?There¡¯s no other reason.¡± Kania coldly replied to my question with a puzzled look and then added a few more words with a smirk. ¡°Oh, and the Duke also said this, ¡®Monitor the Young Master so he won¡¯t cause trouble.¡¯ If you kick me out, he¡¯ll have you expelled from the Academy.¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± The moment Kania said ¡®expelled,¡¯ the system displayed a red warning window. Warning! Game Over Crisis! The Path of False Evil System considers the following three scenarios as ¡®Game Over.¡¯ 1. Expulsion, or no longer attending the academy for some other reason. 2. The death of Main Heroines, even if it¡¯s only one. 3. The System Owner dies in a situation other than the ¡®Final Battle¡¯. Yes, the system is constraining me in this way. Among them, the one that has now become a problem is the first case, expulsion from the academy. According to my ancestor¡¯s words in the prophetic book, it¡¯s a constraint because the background of ¡®Dark Tale Fantasy 2¡¯ is the Academy... Thanks to this, I¡¯m now in a tough situation. So why can¡¯t I just explain the situation to my father, who knows I¡¯m a False Evil, and then expel Kania or make her a regular student? Because this damned world isn¡¯t that easy. Because of the magic spell cast on the prophetic book, at the moment of my regression, anyone besides me who knew the contents of the prophetic book will have their memories recalibrated. Such a magic spell was cast because the system will penalize me by shortening my lifespan if someone finds out I¡¯m a false evil. Therefore, if the ¡®Game Scenario¡¯ mentioned in the prophetic book is correct, perhaps by now, my father has transformed into a person who treats me harshly because of my foolish behavior, and at the same time, he can¡¯t abandon me because of his fatherly love. It¡¯s a very awkward and strange setting, but what can I do about the ¡®Constraint¡¯ of the ¡®Scenario¡¯? After all, there was a reason my ancestor was so fond of the term ¡®Dog shit game.¡¯ Anyway, in conclusion, in my previous life, I couldn¡¯t tell anyone the truth in order to make the hero¡¯s armament rampage, which uses ¡®good¡¯ as its source of energy. Despite that, my father cheered me on and consoled me, and now my father is no longer by my side. In other words, there¡¯s no one who can help me. While I was in such a depressed mood, Kania, who had unpacked all her luggage in my room, laid down on the extra bed, then bid me goodnight with a stiff smile. ¡°Then... Good night, Young Master.¡± ¡°........¡± After conveying her words, Kania quietly closed her eyes and fell asleep. ¡°...This is driving me crazy.¡± After a moment of outrage, I thought about going outside to sleep but soon realized that Kania might find that suspicious if I did that all the time for no apparent reason. And more importantly, there is nowhere I can sleep outside. It won¡¯t be easy to get a good night¡¯s sleep from now on. ¡®No, can I even sleep in the first place?¡¯ . . . . . ¡°Tonight, I pray to the Holy Sun God...¡± While Frey was staying up the entire night with his eyes wide open, ¡°...I apologize that I¡¯m an apostate who dared to doubt the existence of the Sun God, and I¡¯m extremely grateful that you¡¯ve given me another chance.¡± In the women¡¯s dormitory not too far from the dormitory he was staying in, a girl of small stature reverently held her hands together in prayer. ¡°Even though I¡¯m ashamed of myself, I dare to beseech the Sun God...¡± She is known to the world as the ¡®Pure-White Saintess¡¯ thanks to her elegant and lustrous white hair, kind and pure heart, and the golden aura blooming from her body. ¡°...please help me this time, so I can tear Frey Raon Starlight to death.¡± She soon finished her prayer with a cold expression on her face. ¡°...If necessary, I will offer you the life of this Ferloche Astellade.¡± Chapter 5: The Clue ¡°...Young Master, it¡¯s morning. Please wake up.¡± ¡°mhmm...five minutes...¡± ¡°Today is the first day we¡¯ll meet our classmates. If we¡¯re running late...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care...just let me sleep a little longer...¡± ¡°...¡± I stayed up all night in fear of getting stabbed by Kania while sleeping. Of course, when Kania got up and tried to wake me up, I deliberately pretended to be asleep just to annoy her. It may appear to be a pointless action, but each of these actions becomes a false evil point that can save the world. [Acquired False Evil Points: 1 pt! (Poor Acting)] To overcome the problems I¡¯m facing right now, I immediately need to move on to the next phase. In other words, I need to work harder to commit more intense evil than ever before. ¡°...Ha, then I¡¯ll leave first. I hope I¡¯m not late...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re my attendant, you should go with me. Wait here for a minute.¡± ¡°...¡± She has been trained as a butler in our family since childhood. So she has a sort of obsessive-compulsive disorder for following set rules and regulations and terribly hates breaking them. So, if I make her late on the first day... I¡¯ll be able to earn quite a lot of points. ¡°...Young Master. Please, let me help you prepare immediately...¡± ¡°Am I a kid? Stay still. I can handle this on my own.¡± I stopped Kania from trying to help me, then started packing as slowly as possible. ¡°Please, Young Master...¡± ¡°...¡± Then Kania, who was watching me, broke out in a cold sweat and hurried me along. ¡°Let¡¯s see...books... writing utensils...hmm, shall I take a quill or a fountain pen?¡± ¡°Young Master, we¡¯re running out of time. Let¡¯s take everything first and then-¡± ¡°Which one do you prefer? Kania?¡± ¡°...the fountain pen.¡± ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll take the quill.¡± ¡°!¡± After wasting time like this for a while, Kania lowered her head and muttered suddenly. ¡°...Young Master, we only have a minute left. Please allow me to leave.¡± ¡°Wait, I haven¡¯t decided what brooch I¡¯m going to put on yet.¡± ¡°D-Did I do...something wrong?¡± I was casually rummaging through my brooches when I saw Kania glaring at me with a resentful expression while asking a question. I wanted to tell her that trying to kill me is a mistake. But I decided to remain silent since it¡¯s all my fault and karma. ¡°If you tell me, I¡¯ll rectify it. So please forgive me...¡± ¡°Kania, you like fountain pens, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± But as she kept speaking, I took the treasured fountain pen that she always carried out of her pocket and spun it around while answering her questions. ¡°I heard that the recently developed magic fountain pen writes while moving by itself, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, isn¡¯t it really convenient? Because you don¡¯t have to hold the pen in your hand while writing.¡± ¡°I see. But why does it matter now...¡± ¡°By the way, just because a fountain pen can write by itself doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s better than its owner, right?¡± I grabbed Kania¡¯s shoulder with one hand and stopped spinning the fountain pen in the other, then started poking her in the chest. ¡°If the fountain pen gets excited about the fact that it can move on its own and write on its own accord, it¡¯ll eventually be thrown away. In the end, a fountain pen is just a tool, no matter how brilliant the applied magic is.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So, if you don¡¯t want to be abandoned, don¡¯t act on your own, Kania. If you keep being imprudent, such as sending a telegram to my father when I didn¡¯t even ask like this time around, I¡¯ll throw you and your sister out of the family using my authority somehow.¡± ¡°I-I...understand.¡± Kania replied with her teeth clenched as I finished my speech by flinging her fountain pen into the corner of the room. I looked at her with a satisfied expression, then glanced sideways at the clock behind her and opened my mouth after confirming that it was past the hour mark. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go slowly.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°You carry my bag. I¡¯ll just pick up a brooch then catch up with you soon.¡± ¡°...All right.¡± So I let her carry my bag and sent her out of the room. Then, I immediately stumbled and groaned, as I covered my mouth with my hand while coughing. ¡°Cough! Cough! Ugh...¡± Apparently, when I grabbed Kania¡¯s shoulder with my hand, I tried to infuse a day¡¯s worth of life force. It seems I overdid it. After sitting on the floor coughing for a while, I staggered up with my hand on the bed as I sighed and headed for the door ¡°...Haa.¡± And now it¡¯s time to head to Class A, where all the heroines who are trying to kill me are gathered. . . . Thanks to this, I was freed from the pain of having to listen to what I already knew and started stretching as I leaned back in my chair. Suddenly, Kania, who was sitting next to me, got up from her seat and began heading somewhere else. As I was gazing her way while craning my neck, I suddenly heard a voice from behind. ¡°...E-Excuse me. Sir Frey?¡± ¡°......?¡± When I heard a shrill voice, I turned around to find Saintess Ferloche standing behind me with a nervous expression on her face. ¡°...Would you like to visit the cathedral after school? I would like to give my blessing to Sir Frey, a member of the Hero¡¯s family.¡± False Evil¡¯s Intuition A strong murderous intent is felt nearby Eventually, as soon as she made a suggestion while sweating profusely, a system window popped up in front of my eyes, and thanks to that, I had no choice but to mutter under my breath with an absurd expression on my face. ¡®...What? Is this a foreshadowing of a murder?¡¯ She is called the ¡®Pure White Saintess¡¯, who is kind and pure enough to be acknowledged by all the people across the continent. In other words, she is too nai?ve to come up with a proper scheme. ¡°...Status Window¡± [Stats] Name: Ferloche Astellade Strength: 1 Holy Power: 8 Intelligence: 2 Mental Strength: 8 Passive Status: Blessing of the Sun God I closed my eyes tightly and opened her status window while muttering softly as I looked at the trembling Ferloche, then opened my eyes wide when I saw the status effect field. ¡®...The Blessing of the Sun God?¡¯ The Blessing of the Sun God is not something that any mortal can receive. It is a blessing bestowed only upon a Saintess recognized by the Sun God, and only when their earnest prayer has been answered. With such a blessing, the ability values become meaningless. Today, Ferloche can even bend me with one hand and tear me to shreds. There¡¯s even a legendary tale that thousand years ago the Saintess, who was a member of my ancestor¡¯s party, the Hero, used that blessing to tear off the sides of the Demon King. ¡°...No.¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± If I follow her to the cathedral, I¡¯ll be quietly offered as a sacrifice to the Sun God in secret, so when I immediately rejected her, Ferloche had a shocked expression on her face. ¡°Now, w-wait a minute...don¡¯t be like that, you don¡¯t seem to know the value of my blessing. The blessing I¡¯m offering to Sir Frey today can¡¯t even be bought with money...¡± ¡°...Well, I don¡¯t need it?¡± ¡°Yes? But...¡± ¡°Get out of my face. I hate religious fanatics.¡± ¡°U-Uh, excuse me... so...¡± As I spoke with an annoyed expression on my face, Ferloche broke out in a cold sweat and began stuttering. As one can see, this ¡®Pure White Saintess¡¯ literally not only has a pure heart but also a pure mind. To say it in nicer terms, she is a devout believer who only knows the Sun God and his doctrines. To put it bluntly, she¡¯s just a holy power shuttle. When I realized that she didn¡¯t even come up with a Plan B when I would reject her offer, her scheme was already over. ¡®...Tch, because you¡¯re so stupid, the Church took advantage of you.¡¯ The elders of the Church who coveted her ability, which was overflowing with holy power to the extent that even the system had to label it holy power instead of mana, deceived her with honeyed words into becoming their holy power shuttle. After all, it is the Church that serves the crazy Sun God who bestowed his blessing upon the heroine who¡¯s trying to kill me instead of giving me a helping hand, who was desperately struggling to save the world. Not to mention the guy didn¡¯t even show up at all in the previous timeline when the Demon King was rampaging all around without hesitation. Therefore, the Church needs to be reformed. It feels like even when I stay still, I somehow get more mess to deal with. ¡°Uh, u-uh... um...¡± ¡°...Piss off. You holy power shitstain.¡± ¡°...!¡± When I rebuked her harshly because of my worsening mood, the Saintess bowed her head while holding back her tears and returned to her seat. To be honest, I was worried about what to do if she got desperate enough to try ripping my head off, but I¡¯m glad she didn¡¯t. ¡°Uh, how is he even alive... that fucking son of a bitch... was he in¡®First Crisis¡¯ cahoots with the Demon King since this early on...?¡± Ferloche returned to her seat looking defeated.Then, Irina, who was next to me, started muttering something in a panic. She will suffer from ¡®Mana Exhaustion¡¯ for a year, so in the future, I think I should take care of her like Kania. If she drops out of Class A or gets expelled, the ¡®scenario¡¯ will have a lot of problems. ¡®Then, the most dangerous ones are the Imperial Princess and my fiance?e...¡¯ So, listening to the voices of Ferloche, who was diligently planning her next scheme in the back seat, and Irina, who was constantly muttering next to me, I quietly leaned back in my chair and started pondering about the Imperial Princess and my fiance?e. And after mulling over it for a while, I came to the following conclusion. ¡®...Should I just take a leave of absence?¡¯ Even with the system, I¡¯m not confident I can beat them both. . . . . . ¡°I found it, my fountain pen.¡± While Frey was agonizing over how to deal with the Imperial Princess and his fiance?e, Kania returned to Frey¡¯s dormitory and picked up the fountain pen that had been lying on the floor. ¡°...I¡¯ll definitely kill you, you son of a bitch. No matter the cost.¡± She tightly embraced the fountain pen, which she forgot to take with her in fear of being late. The most precious treasure her sister gave her as a gift when she was young then tried to return to the main academy building before the class bell rang... ¡°...Huh?¡± Soon after, she noticed something on the white bed sheet as she tilted her head and approached it. ¡°...What is this?¡± There remained blood-stained handprints. Chapter 6: Field Practice ¡°Now, time for practical training. Everyone, follow me outside.¡± When the break was over and class resumed, Prof. Isolet turned around and walked out of the classroom after leaving an instruction to follow her. ¡°Tch, if only she wasn¡¯t a Bywalker...¡± ¡°It¡¯s annoying... I¡¯d rather have classes like before...¡± While the commoner students were quietly preparing to leave, the majority of aristocratic students grimaced and started blaming Isolet. ¡®They can only gossip behind her back since they can¡¯t say anything in front of her... disgusting.¡¯ They¡¯re getting mad because even if they want to talk openly in front of someone, they can¡¯t, however that¡¯s a daily routine for these guys. But are these guys themselves skilled enough? Absolutely not. Most of the aristocratic students in Class A, the highest-ranked class in the academy, entered through the back door. In other words, if Isolette swings her sword even once, most of them will be knocked out cold. On the other hand, the commoner students got admitted while relying on their own abilities. For this reason, the nobles ignore them as lowlives but are jealous of them at the same time. ¡°Excuse me, Sir Frey, if you ever change your mind...¡± Anyway, while I was glaring at the nobles, the Saintess walked up to me and started talking again with a desperate look on her face. ¡°I told you I¡¯m not going, you bitch.¡± Of course, I had no intention of dying until I defeated the Demon King, so I snubbed the Saintess who was trying to convince me to go along with her. ¡°...!¡± The Saintess, with a shocked look in her face, immediately ran out of the classroom.Well, it¡¯s not surprising as because of her kind-hearted nature, she was never subjected to profanity. ¡®...By the way, is she going to keep doing this? Then it¡¯ll be a bit problematic.¡¯ Although the Saintess has a fraudulent buff called ¡°The Blessing of the Sun God¡±, in reality, her actual risk factor is quite low since she is far too inferior in terms of scheming. As long as I¡¯m careful, she probably won¡¯t be able to kill me. However, if the Saintess maintains this farce in the future, then it will be quite difficult. This is because the ¡®False Evil¡¯s Intuition¡¯, which warns me of a mortal threat once a day will be neutralized. If the Saintess keeps on approaching me like this every day while forcefully triggering the ¡®False Evil¡¯s intuition¡¯, I¡¯ll be clueless when a genuine crisis will come. In other words, the Saintess is unintentionally putting me in danger by neutralizing one of the most useful skills I possess. No matter what, eventually I need to come up with a countermeasure. ¡°...Ugh.¡± As I was contemplating this, I suddenly heard a moan and when I glanced aside, I found Irina slumped on the floor surrounded by several aristocratic female students. ¡°Oh, what are you doing? Did you twist your foot?¡± ¡°What? They said that she¡¯s a promising prospect, but she isn¡¯t much, right?¡± ¡°Ha, I don¡¯t even know how she managed to sneak into Class A when she¡¯s just a commoner... Did she bribe someone with money?¡± Seeing the black smoke rising from her stomach, she probably took a hit from a magic spell after getting into an argument with the nobles. If she was still in good shape and possessed her original skills, she would have cleaned up the surrounding nobles with just one flick of her finger, but in her current ¡®mana exhausted¡¯ state, she won¡¯t be able to stand up to these inferior people as she can¡¯t even use her basic magic properly. ¡°........¡± Irina, who was groaning while holding her stomach, discovered me staring at her miserable state and gave me a terrifying glare full of hatred. Usually, if I were the main character in an ordinary hero drama, in such a situation, after chasing out the surrounding nobles in a cool manner, I would hold Irina¡¯s hand and gently lift her up. Afterwards, Irina will supposedly develop a crush on me for saving her, a commoner despite me being a noble... She will then probably join the ¡®harem party¡¯ as a ¡®harem member¡¯ according to the contents written in the prophetic book. But unfortunately, I¡¯m not the main character of an ¡®ordinary¡¯ hero drama. In order to become a hero, I¡¯ll have to commit ¡®False Evil¡¯. ¡°...So you think you can join the student council?¡± ¡°.......What?¡± ¡°You need to know your place, you lowlife.¡± As I insulted her, the aristocratic ladies surrounding her snickered then began casting their next magic spell, and in that desperate moment, right before she was about to be engulfed in multiple magic spells... ¡°Hey, stop!!¡± ¡°...Arianne!¡± Irina¡¯s friend, Arianne intervened, spreading a protective barrier using both her hands. ¡°Irina! Are you all right?¡± ¡°Y-You...¡± ¡°Hey, stop bullying innocent people... let¡¯s go on our way, all right?¡± ¡°........¡± The aristocratic girls who were blocked by her powerful barrier, which is a special protective magic spell, dispersed one by one as soon as they lost interest after touching the magic barrier several times. ¡°...A lowly friend befitting a lowlife.¡± While watching such a scene, I threw a sarcastic remark at them and began conversing with the aristocratic ladies, who soon turned their attention to me as I fell in deep thought. ¡®...Arianne. She¡¯s a friend who¡¯ll be quite helpful in taking care of Irina.¡¯ Arianne is Irina¡¯s childhood friend. Born with an innate aptitude for protection magic, she formed a formidable duo with Irina, who has an exceptional talent for offensive magic. In the future, when the Demon King¡¯s army invaded, at that time those two jointly annihilated an entire corps in the battle. ¡°Arianne... thank you...¡± ¡°No, why! We¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we? By the way, Irina, what did you do to exhaust your mana? By any chance, did you put a curse on someone?¡± ¡°........¡± Meanwhile, Irina remained silent for a while at Arianne¡¯s intuitive question, then soon opened her mouth. ¡°Arianne.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°...This time around, I¡¯m going to protect you no matter what. For sure.¡± ¡°.....?¡± Arianne who tilted her head in confusion after hearing Irina¡¯s meaningful words, had in fact sacrificed her life to protect Irina from the Demon King¡¯s attack. So, for Irina, until now, that incident always remained a trauma. Perhaps, those words... is her conviction to protect and never let her die right in front of her eyes again. [Acquired False Evil Points: 60 pts! (Instilled firm will) I sighed for a moment while staring at the system prompt, which displayed the number of points I reaped from Irina who is determined to kill me. Then I left the classroom alongside giggling noble ladies. . . . . . Well, it can¡¯t be helped. Since if they officially announce that Irina is suffering from mana exhaustion, then she¡¯ll be investigated for the cause, and in that case, the reverse tracking of the spell will lead to the death curse she put on me, so to avoid all that she has no choice but to hide it. When the system¡¯s item store gets unlocked, I¡¯ll have to look for some artifacts that can help her out. ¡°I, well... I¡¯ll abstain...¡± ¡°.....Huh?¡± Saintess Ferloche, the next challenger who stepped forward, declared her abstention as soon as she stood in front of Prof. Isolet. ¡°Are you kidding me right now?¡± ¡°Ah, oh no... I just don¡¯t intend to use this power on the professor...¡± Currently, Ferloche has the blessing of the Sun God without permission, which can only be obtained once by praying on the sacred day and with Church¡¯s consent, so if she spars with Prof. Isolet, the truth will be discovered. Of course, one might think that isn¡¯t it all right to spar with Prof. Isolet in moderation, but there¡¯s a reason why the legend that the previous generation Saintess tearing off the sides of the Demon King exists. Although the blessing of the Sun God is weak against multiple enemies, it¡¯s still a terrifying blessing with not much room to counter in a 1:1 situation. In other words, no matter what Prof. Isolet does, she won¡¯t be able to withstand it. ¡°...Then this will be the last one.¡± Prof. Isolet, who was glaring at Ferloche, beckoned her to go away, then spoke while looking at me, the last remaining student. ¡°...Status Window.¡± [Stats] Name: Isolet Arham Bywalker Strength: 8.5 Mana: 5 Intelligence: 7 Mental Strength: 7 Passive Status: Injured Right Arm I muttered and opened Isolet¡¯s status window, then after staring at her status window for a moment, I immediately unsheathed my sword and asked. ¡°...Did you have fun playing around with these commoners? Sister?¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you say something when someone asks a question...?¡± ¡°...You¡¯ve become corrupt, Frey.¡± Yes. I actually know her. The Starlight and the Bywalker families have deeply entwined bonds that have remained firm over for generations since the era of the Hero¡¯s Party 1000 years ago. Thanks to that, we had a close relationship like that of siblings and knew each other since we were kids. We used to do joint sword training and play house together, but she is no longer on my side. I¡¯m everyone¡¯s public enemy right now. ¡°...Corrupt? That sounds funny. I guess sister is just an idiot.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°It¡¯s hilarious how the only thing you can do when you come to the academy after kicking off the position of Imperial Knights¡¯ Deputy Commander is to play around with me, just like when we were kids.¡± ¡°...Come at me.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± The moment she coldly cut me off with her words, I charged at her while pointing my sword. ¨C Clank!!! And then sparks flew off. ¡°.....!¡± ¡°Why? Are you surprised?¡± She was pushed back for a moment after barely blocking my blow with her trembling right arm, as I kept unleashing fierce sword slashes to take advantage of the opening. ¡°...What? Was Young Master Frey always this good at swordsmanship?¡± ¡°Well, since he¡¯s from the Starlight family, isn¡¯t it natural?¡± ¡°...But rumor has it that Lord Frey doesn¡¯t really have a knack for swordsmanship?¡± While the students were shocked and started babbling about my unexpected display of skill, Ferloche, who lowered her head, stared coldly at the red brooch glowing on my chest. ¨C Claaank!! The fierce duel concluded the moment when I struck her sword and it ended up getting stuck to the floor, while all the students were stunned by the result... ¡°...It¡¯s magic!¡± Suddenly Ferloche cut in between us, then shouted, while pointing at my brooch. ¡°...There¡¯s evil magic in that brooch!¡± With that said, Ferloche strode up to me then began injecting holy power into my brooch, and instantly an evil aura leaked out of the brooch with a terrible screech. ¨C Screeeeeech!!! The brooch, which was making terrible creaking noises for a long time, eventually couldn¡¯t withstand the constant injection of holy power and shattered into pieces, then Isolet who was quietly watching the whole scene finally opened her mouth with a hardened expression on her face. ¡°...To think you would resort to such evil magic, you¡¯re a disgrace to the Starlight family.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t sister also a disgrace to the Bywalker family?¡± ¡°Frey Raon Starlight, penalized 20 demerit points for using an artifact in violation of the rules..¡± ¡°...Why? You can¡¯t say anything, so you want to press charges with your authority as a professor?¡± ¡°...In addition, individual counseling. Follow me right now.¡± Then I started following Isolet towards the main building as I was instructed. I sighed and muttered under my breath while staring at the system prompt that appeared in front of me. [Acquired False Evil Points: 100pts! (Reasonable investment)] ¡°...That was expensive.¡± I remember spending a third of my assets customizing that brooch. Well, it doesn¡¯t matter now since I got the desired result... However, it¡¯s such a waste since I could¡¯ve just reused it as many times as I wanted. ¡®...I need to write a letter to my father asking for more money.¡¯ I quietly followed Isolet while lamenting at the irony that it is necessary to have a fortune to commit more evil. . . . While Frey was grumbling as he followed Isolet. ¡°evil magic...¡± Kania, who overheard the phrase ¡®evil magic,¡¯ recalled the blood-stained handprints on the bed she saw back in the dormitory and muttered with a sharp look. ¡°...I need to find out what the hell he was doing back in the room.¡± As soon as Kania said that, something was being created using the dark mana gathered in her hand. Chapter 7: Talking Face-to-Face ¡°...Frey Raon Starlight, do you¡¯ve any idea how much of a serious matter this is?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know? Why¡¯re you even making such a big deal out of one artifact?¡± Currently, I¡¯m having a private conversation with Isolet alone in the staff room. The reason I¡¯m having a private meeting with her is because the other professors sneaked out of the staff room one by one the moment they glanced at my face. Even if I¡¯m the first son of the Duke who has significant influence over the Empire, does it make sense for a professor to be afraid of his student? However, this corrupted academy of this rotten Empire has accomplished the impossible. At this point, frankly, it¡¯s outright astounding. Of course, most of the professors who just went out now are newcomers or commoners in charge of the first year, but that doesn¡¯t mean that this situation is normal. ¡°If it had been a common reinforcement artifact, this matter wouldn¡¯t have escalated like this. Obviously, that¡¯s also a violation of the rules, but it would¡¯ve only ended up with a firm warning and penalization with demerit points.¡± Isolet stated with a serious expression on her face while I was engrossed in my thoughts, so I asked her back with an extremely annoyed look. ¡°Then why are you doing this now?¡± ¡°The artifact reacted to the Saintess¡¯s ¡®Holy Power¡¯. How could you not know what that means?¡± ¡°Sister, you know well enough that my brain lost its shine when I was a kid, right? So, why isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± As I brazenly answered with my legs crossed, Isolet sighed and then soon changed her expression to that of concern and said. ¡°Frey... you weren¡¯t like this when you were a kid... why the hell did you change like that...¡± Hearing her mild emotional voice, I momentarily felt my heart ache. [Isolet Arham Bywalker¡¯s Current Emotions: Anger/Disappointment/Concern/Regret/Pity] Because of that, I used the [Mind Reading] skill without even realizing. As I blankly stared at the information that appeared in front of me, I soon closed my eyes and began reminiscing. When I was young, Prof. Isolet...No, sister Isolet always treated me kindly, was one of the few people who believed in me until the end, even when everyone pointed their fingers at me. Come to think of it, my childhood friend and fiance?e also tried to rehabilitate me till the end, but even though sister Isolet and I only had a relationship similar to that of siblings, I felt more grateful to her for still believing in me. Maybe that¡¯s why I did it? When I saw her corpse after she died in the academy protecting the students while slaying the Demon King¡¯s army, I wailed for a long time while holding her frozen body, despite knowing the fact that she would obviously come back to life after the regression, maybe that¡¯s the reason after all? ¡®...No, let¡¯s not wallow in needless sentimentality.¡¯ Isolet Arham Bywalker is now alive in front of my eyes. Not only her, the 5 ¡®Main Heroines¡¯ who hated and cursed me till their death are also alive. So, to make sure they never die again... No matter what, I must become the villain. ¡°...Don¡¯t be melodramatic. I haven¡¯t changed, I just adapted to the world.¡± ¡°Frey...¡± ¡°...And I¡¯m certain, sister, you too will realize it someday, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Even if you continue living righteously like that, you¡¯ll eventually break down at some point. Sister, you know that quite well, right?¡± ¡°.........¡± She must be feeling quite unpleasant listening to this, as she was someone who always used her beliefs as a weapon, and never gave up on her own will and beliefs. ¡°I suppose so, however, even if I break down...the buds I¡¯ve nurtured will surely bloom someday.¡± Nevertheless, she spoke gently while looking at me without showing any signs of dislike. Really, she¡¯s such a nice person. ¡°So, Frey. Stop being stubborn and...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s move on to the point. So what¡¯s wrong with this artifact?¡± I quickly changed the subject, as I thought conversing any further would reveal my true feelings. Isolet looked at me quietly while sighing, then soon returned to her business-like expression. ¡°The artifact reacted to ¡®Holy Power¡¯. That means...it¡¯s an artifact that uses black magic, which is strictly prohibited by the Empire.¡± ¡°...So?¡± ¡°Where did you get that artifact? Frey?¡± ¡°...in the back alley.¡± ¡°That brooch isn¡¯t something that can be sold in a place such as a back alley...¡± ¡°You know it¡¯s a code word, right?¡± ¡°.........¡± For the nobility, ¡®Back Alley¡¯ is a jargon referring to the largest and most notorious black market in the underworld. Of course, if you get caught, you¡¯ll be sentenced to death under the Imperial Law, but none of the nobles obey it. There are rumors that when the Empire¡¯s key figures and political powers decide to meet, then instead of sending letters, their carriages turn towards the back alley. ¡°...Can you bear the consequences of that comment just now?¡± ¡°Are you going to report me, the first son of Duke Starlight? We live in an era where, let alone a duke, even a baron¡¯s wife brags about the ornaments she bought in the back alley. Do you really think the report will work?¡± ¡°...You must have forgotten my influence.¡± ¡°Rather than elder sister who is half way disowned by the Bywalker family, who were the Hero¡¯s comrade...the first son of the Hero¡¯s family, the Starlight, who might be hated but isn¡¯t abandoned, will be more influential.¡± ¡°.........¡± As I retorted, she glared at me, and then immediately opened her mouth. ¡°...I will report this to the Imperial Family.¡± ¡°Yeah, do whatever you want.¡± ¡°In addition, I will report this incident to your father as well.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a bit...¡± After the meeting, I was going to write a letter to my father asking for some money when I get back to the dormitory...but if this incident reaches my father¡¯s ears, I¡¯ll be in trouble. ¡°Hey, I¡¯ll do anything, just don¡¯t tell my father...¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°...Eh? Sister?¡± ¡°Haa...¡± When I urgently pleaded with a sullen expression, Isolet let out a deep sigh, then opened her mouth. ¡°Then let me offer you a condition.¡± ¡°...Condition?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already succeeded once...¡± However, I clearly heard... ¡°...there¡¯s nothing that can¡¯t be done twice.¡± ...What she muttered with determined eyes. ¡®...In any case, she¡¯s an outstanding person.¡¯ If my fiance?e is a model of a natural genius, then the Imperial Princess is literally an example of a hard-working self-made person. She was called the Solitary Princess, last in the line of succession. However, in the previous timeline, she clenched her teeth and expanded her base of support, all the while honing her combat capabilities by training to the bone. Through sheer efforts and hard work, she eventually shocked everyone by becoming first in line of succession, but in the aftermath, this feat has worn away her once cute personality and turned it cold. However, her once adorable personality that occasionally pops out was famous as one of the funniest attractions of the Imperial Palace that welcomed her as the new Empress. Until the Demon King destroyed everything. ¡°........¡± As I was reminiscing about the past for a while, the Princess glared at me. As I hastily averted my gaze from her, I started worrying about a dilemma that suddenly popped up in my head. ¡®... Should I obstruct the Imperial Princess from expanding her influence? Or Shouldn¡¯t I?¡¯ If I let the Imperial Princess widen her circle of influence, my life will be in danger right away, meanwhile if I were to interfere, I¡¯ll put the future Empire in danger. Since all the other heirs to the throne are legitimate dirty sons of bitches. ¡®...It¡¯s really driving me crazy.¡¯ How come it feels like nothing is getting resolved and more and more problems keep piling up? ¡°...Dog shit game.¡± ¡± Yes? I beg your pardon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, by the way, did you mention a pub earlier...?¡± I spit out the words my ancestor liked to use in the prophetic book and agreed to go out for drinks with the nobles. Today, I want to sleep soundly in bed after drinking till dawn. . . . . . ¡°... Young Master, you¡¯re here¡± ¡°...Oh, that¡¯s right. You¡¯re here as well.¡± I forgot Kania was staying in my dorm. She even waited for me with her eyes wide open until I returned after drinking till dawn. ¡°...Well, I¡¯ll prepare your bath.¡± ¡°No need. Get out of here.¡± ¡°Yes, then I¡¯ll sleep on an extra bed.¡± ¡°No, get out of the room.¡± ¡°Then have a good night.¡± ¡°...Fuck off.¡± It¡¯s been a while since I spit out curses, but I soon realized that this will result in a loss of false evil points, so I calmed my mind as I laid down on the bed. ¡®...I¡¯m going to lie here just like this until Kania falls asleep, then I¡¯ll infuse her with enough life force for tomorrow and also get some sleep.¡¯ As I was lying in bed while organizing my thoughts, I found a black cat doll on the desk. ¡°...Hey, what¡¯s that for?¡± ¡°You mean that?¡± As I asked while pointing to the doll, Kania answered my question with a smile. ¡°...It¡¯s a gift from my sister. Isn¡¯t it cute?¡± ¡°Tsk, a black cat...it¡¯s a bad omen.¡± I actually love cats, but I lied without even realizing. I think it is because I developed a habit of lying while living as a villain. ¡®...that¡¯s sad.¡¯ As I was feeling depressed, along with the overlapping tipsiness and the late night mood, I quietly turned off the lamp at my bedside, closed my eyes, and then pretended to be asleep. . . . . . So, after a while since Frey and Kania went to bed. ¡°...Are you sleeping?¡± ¡°........¡± Frey, who was lying quietly with her eyes closed, asked Kania a question, and after confirming that there was no response, he quietly stood up. ¡°...Okay, I¡¯m sure you fell asleep.¡± Frey can easily tell whether or not Kania is asleep, as it has become a routine for him to infuse life force into her when she is asleep. After determining that Kania was indeed sleeping soundly, he turned around and started heading towards the extra bed. ¡°...All right, you¡¯re definitely asleep.¡± ¡°Well then, shall we get started for today?¡± Eventually, Frey arrived in front of the extra bed, then slowly extended his hand to Kania, who was in deep slumber. And such a figure of Frey was reflected in the eyes of the black cat doll lying on the desk. ¡°..............¡± Chapter 8: Main Quest ¡®...You¡¯re finally awake.¡¯ Kania clearly captured the figure of Frey getting out of bed. Of course, if she had opened her eyes even a little, Frey, who was secretly infusing his life force into her, would have noticed right away. That¡¯s why at that moment, she didn¡¯t open her eyes. If that¡¯s the case, how on earth is she observing Frey when she didn¡¯t even open her eyes? ¡°..............¡± It¡¯s because she¡¯s currently residing in the black cat doll placed on the desk. She doesn¡¯t know why, but somehow during yesterday¡¯s training class she was in exceptionally good condition, so she gathered dark mana in her palm and summoned a creature. And using that as a medium for the elementary black magic ¡®Hidden Gaze,¡¯ Kania fell into deep slumber at the same time she possessed the black cat doll which she created earlier. She has never shown this black magic spell to Frey before. Therefore, thinking that there is no risk of being caught, Kania muttered to herself. ¡®...Show me what the hell you do in the middle of the night, Frey.¡¯ As soon as she muttered this in her mind, Frey began approaching her while extending his right arm. Meanwhile, Kania was glaring at Frey, but then quickly returned to her normal expression. Currently, Kania is completely assimilated with the cat doll, so she can even move like an actual cat. However, in doing so, there is a risk of being discovered by Frey, so she stayed as immobile as possible while observing Frey. ¡°Well then, shall we get started for today?¡± ¡®...As expected, you do something at night.¡¯ Hearing Frey¡¯s murmuring, Kania grinned inwardly in satisfaction, thinking she hopefully could get a hold of his weakness... ¨C Sshhh... ¡®...Huh!?¡¯ Her smile froze and turned to an appalled expression when Frey, who was standing in front of her, reached out his hand towards her sleeping self. ¡®Hey, this disgusting son of a bitch...¡¯ Kania felt her blood boil watching Frey reaching out to her with a concerned expression on his face,she got a sense of helplessness of being unable to do anything. This is because once someone possesses a creature using the black magic ¡®Hidden Gaze,¡¯ they can¡¯t return to their original body no matter what they do until a certain period of time has passed. Of course, using an advanced black magic would solve such a problem, but because of the ¡®Curse of Self-Destruction¡¯, Kania could only use elementary black magic even when she is in good condition. So even after knowing the risks involved, she had no choice but to use elementary black magic. And now, that misjudgment has proved to become the most fatal defeat and terrifying experience in Kania¡¯s life. ¡°...hmmm.¡± Unaware of Kania¡¯s thoughts, Frey touched her body with a nonchalant expression. As Kania watched the scene with contempt and disgust, she suddenly realized one possibility. ¡®You fucking bastard...no way... since before...!¡¯ Frey¡¯s natural and carefree behavior raised the possibility that this might not be the first time. And the moment she realized it wasn¡¯t just a possibility, rather an actual fact, Kania¡¯s strings of reason snapped. When she first regressed, she was blinded by vengeance and one way or another, she tried to kill Frey, but she soon realized that outright killing him is far too generous of a treatment for the man who destroyed the world. So Kania made up her mind. She would become Frey¡¯s servant, then slowly recover her mana by his side, and then at the right time, when her mana recovers to a certain extent, she would cast a black magic spell on him that would inflict pain worse than death. She will also try secretly getting hold of his weaknesses, and eventually revealing them to the entire world in order to ruin him. In the final moment, she would personally end his life with her own hands. However, after witnessing Frey touching her sleeping body, Kania decided to put aside her plans and only think of one purpose. Her purpose was to kill that filthy, hideous and repulsive man as soon as she returned to her original body first thing in the morning, even if she runs out of dark mana and dies in the process. My younger sister is taking refuge in the family far away. She is a girl who knows how to take care of herself. Tomorrow, Frey Raon Starlight must die. After she finished contemplating, Kania vividly watched what he was doing to her with eyes that blazed hatred. She is even willing to go to hell to fulfill her revenge, and even in death she didn¡¯t want to forget her hatred for Frey. ¡°Ha... Haa...¡± ¡®...Huh?¡¯ But something seems a little strange. ¡®...Why is he behaving like that?¡¯ Frey, who she clearly believed was about to do something disgusting, just quietly puts his hand on her stomach then closed his eyes. ¡°...Ugh.¡± Then, he groans while breaking out in a cold sweat. Kania absent mindedly stared at Frey after witnessing such a strange sight, but soon came to her sense and fell in thought. ¡®...He¡¯s doing something to me.¡¯ Clearly, Frey is doing something to me with his hand on my stomach. If so, what the hell is he doing? Why does he look so distressed and even break out in a cold sweat while touching my stomach? ¡®...I don¡¯t know what it is, but it¡¯s definitely not an honorable thing.¡¯ It¡¯s definitely not a good thing if he is doing it in the dead of night, after confirming that I¡¯m sound asleep. Certainly, such a behavior can only mean he is up to something bad. ¡®Magic, bloodstains, cursed artifacts... and even his suspicious actions towards me...hopefully, I¡¯ll get a clue to destroy him.¡¯ Once again, Kania calmed herself down and began monitoring Frey¡¯s every move, thinking that she hopefully could find a clue to destroy him. ¡°...Whoa.¡± After a while, Frey staggered away from Kania. She left her regrets behind since she couldn¡¯t find any clues and tried to organize her future plans until her magic spell was almost dispelled... ¡°...Hey, it¡¯s really cute.¡± ¡®.....?¡¯ She started panicking when suddenly Frey turned his gaze to the cat doll placed on the desk, the doll in which she is currently possessing. ¡°...Oh, it¡¯s soft.¡± ¡®.........!¡¯ Kania intuitively realized that something was wrong when soon Frey took a seat on the chair next to the desk, then lifted her up and began stroking her gently. However, since she didn¡¯t want to get caught possessing the doll, all she could do was remain still and let Frey gently stroke her. Frey, who had been stroking the cat doll Kania possessed for quite a while, suddenly stopped, then gazed at the cat doll. ¡®...is he going to stop now?¡¯ . . . . I contemplated over at the newly unlocked skill window, and immediately selected one skill without hesitation. ¡°Of course it has to be Silence.¡± Shouting out phrases such as the ¡®System Window¡¯ or ¡®Status Window¡¯ in public was way more embarrassing than I thought. Last time, I was so embarrassed when Isolet tilted her head after hearing me mutter during our private conversation. Even if it¡¯s not for that reason, if I keep uttering these phrases, sooner or later people might get suspicious. So, for now, it would naturally make sense to buy the ¡®Silence¡¯ skill. ¡®...Item Store.¡¯ Having completed the purchase of the ¡®Silence¡¯ skill, I muttered ¡®Item Store¡¯ in my mind to check it out as well. [Store / Elementary Items] ¨C Mask of Deception (300pts) Description: Wearing it will allow you to completely hide your identity for 1 minute. (Cooldown: 7 days) ¨C Whip of False Evil (500pts) Description: The person being whipped doesn¡¯t really feel any pain. ¨C Elixir of Potential Lv1 (700pts) Description: This mysterious elixir can draw out the potential of the person who drinks it. (Purchase Limit: 0/1) ¡°...There it is. The elixir of potential.¡± According to my ancestor¡¯s strategy mentioned in the prophetic book, the ¡®Elixir of Potential¡® is essential to rapidly develop the healing powers of Kania¡¯s younger sister.¡® Originally, it¡¯s an item that can only be obtained by overcoming all sorts of hardships. However, I can easily get it by committing evil deeds. ¡®...By the way, is there nothing helpful besides the elixir of potential? Is it because it¡¯s still just an elementary level store?¡¯ It has some pretty useful skills and items for effectively committing evil deeds, but it doesn¡¯t have any overpowered skills. That¡¯s why I clicked my tongue, but soon I remembered how ¡°The Path of False Evil¡± system is structured as I sighed and muttered. ¡°...Well, there¡¯s nothing I could do about it.¡± The ¡®Path of False Evil¡¯ system differs in structure and its objectives in many ways from the system that my ancestor used, which slowly but surely helps a person grow stronger. This is because, unlike a thousand years ago, no matter how strong you are or powerful items you possess, you can¡¯t face the Demon King unless you have the ¡®Hero¡¯s Armament¡¯. Therefore, the ¡®Path of False Evil¡¯ system is developed only to beat the grim scenario of this hopeless Dark Fantasy World while simultaneously awakening the hero¡¯s armament earlier than the standard route. Of course, I fear the heroines who are constantly looking for an opportunity to kill me. However, since this is an anomaly that¡¯s not even mentioned in the prophecy, the system probably isn¡¯t prepared for it either. Anyway, the heroines also have no choice but to take matters into their own hands. To conclude, it¡¯s really sad and daunting... I must prevent myself from getting shanked by the Heroines in the future, while at the same time, I need to level up the system as fast as possible by committing evil deeds. Because only then it¡¯s possible to awaken the hero¡¯s armament decades earlier in order to give this world a ¡®True Happy Ending¡® and beat the scenario that directly leads to the bad ending. [There is a new notification!] After organizing my thoughts, I was about to close the system, but a single notification window appeared in front of me. When I pressed it, the following phrase popped up in my mind. Congratulations on your advancement to the Elementary Level! May you continue being incompetent, repulsive, and cowardly while committing evil deeds to save the world. ¡°.........¡± I chuckled and mumbled, glancing at the system notification, which I couldn¡¯t tell whether it was a poor joke or a snide remark. ¡°Good gracious, I guess you only mentioned the key factors.¡± ¡®Incompetence¡¯, ¡®repulsiveness¡¯ and ¡®cowardice¡¯ are the three factors that the system deems as important. This is because the compensated points for evil deeds are rewarded by judging all these three factors. However, the right words can sometimes be hateful. ¡°...uhh.¡± I sighed and pushed the annoying notification window out with my hand, but this time a new notification window with a slightly different design appeared before me. Main Quest: Raid on the Commoner¡¯s Dormitory Quest Content: Stop the raid and capture the culprit behind it. Reward: Increases the awakening progress of the hero¡¯s Armament. Failure Penalty: Slight decrease in health and lifespan. ¡°...It¡¯s finally here, the main quest.¡± As I stared at the notification window about the main quest that finally started, I quickly checked the schedule marked on the wall calendar, then muttered to myself. ¡°...I must get that item in the back alley.¡± There is one item that I must obtain in the back alley when I¡¯ll be going there soon with Isolet. If I don¡¯t get it, I won¡¯t be able to prevent the upcoming ¡®raid on the commoner¡¯s dormitory.¡® So, no matter what kind of hardship I have to go through... even if I have to suffer, I¡¯ll make sure to get my hands on it. ¡®...Well, Isolet will be the one suffering.¡¯ . . . . . Around the same time, Frey was muttering about his plans in the dormitory. ¡°...After all, in the future, if I want to keep Frey in check with ease, I need to get that item.¡± ¡°This time, I¡¯ll definitely secure that item...¡± ¡°In order to grow my forces faster than the previous timeline... I¡¯ll need that item...¡± Kania, Ferloche, and Clana were also aiming for the same thing as Frey. Chapter 9: Back Alley ¡°Frey, you there?¡± ¡°...Kania, go open the door.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± When the promised weekend came, Isolet showed up at my dormitory with blazing eyes. For reference, the past few days have been normal with nothing special. For the most part, the Saintess who received the blessing which allows her to bend any superhuman existence in half is constantly trying to kidnap me to the cathedral and because of that she keeps triggering the ¡®False Evil¡¯s Intuition¡¯ skill in vain. As a result, I¡¯m forced to live every waking moment trembling in anxiety. I shuddered in fear when I heard Irina frequently reciting the chant of the ultimate curse she created in the previous timeline. I also broke out in a cold sweat when the Princess would occasionally glance at me with a cold smile as I tried to greet her back with a foolish grin of my own. It has become part of my routine to play with the fluffy cat doll after infusing my life force into Kania. I keep trying to take it away from Kania, who recently started sleeping with the doll in her arms. However, I got scared when she tossed and turned around... Now that I think about it, her behavior in the past few days has been quite odd. However, she is alive, and that¡¯s all that matters, right? ¡°Welcome, Lady Isolet.¡± ¡°Kania? Why are you...¡± ¡°I am currently living in this room as the Young Master¡¯s attendant.¡± Isolet was surprised to see Kania, who opened the door for her on my behalf, and once Kania¡¯s explanation was over, Isolet glared at me, then opened her mouth. ¡°Frey, are you out of your mind...?¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°To bring Kania... a woman... in your room... such immorality...!¡± Isolet exclaimed, her voice trembling with anger and a bright red blush appeared on her face. Yes, Isolet is quite vulnerable to such situations. Having only trained in the Bywalker family, she knows nothing other than martial arts and is a pure maiden who had no prior romantic experience because of her characteristic upright personality, and unapproachable cold atmosphere. Isolet herself knows she is already at marriageable age, so whenever such such a topic comes up, she reacts sensitively without even realizing. ¡°...Kids these days are fast, sister.¡± ¡°Eiii...!¡± ¡°Why? Sister, why don¡¯t you try it at least once before it¡¯s too late? You don¡¯t want to become an old maid, right?¡± ¡°.........!¡± Her face was blushing even more at my words, but when she heard the words ¡®old maid¡¯ she stood there frozen stiff.Discover new chapters at novelhall.com ¡®...Don¡¯t tell me she died because of a heart attack?¡¯ I quickly used my inspect skill in panic to check her status window, then soon breathed a sigh of relief. [Stats] Name: Isolet Arham-Bywork Strength: 8.5 Mana: 5 Intelligence: 7 Mental Strength: 7 Passive Status: Injured Right Arm/Mental Shock Although she didn¡¯t die, she was afflicted with a ¡®mental shock¡¯ debuff. [Acquired False Evil Points: 100pts! (The Harsh Truth)] ¡®...Even the system confirmed the kill.¡¯ As I offered my condolences to Isolet, who became a certified old maid approved by the system, Kania, who was standing next to me with a dissatisfied expression, opened her mouth. ¡°...Young Master is joking. My relationship with the Young Master is nothing like that.¡± ¡°Kania, now I...¡± As I was about to chastise her out of habit, I froze at the sight of her status window that appeared in front of me. ¡°...Young Master?¡± ¡°Kania, last night was really great.¡± ¡°...Please don¡¯t be like this.¡± Then Kania, who had been staring at me mysteriously, suddenly shoved me aside with a disgusted look when I slyly put my hands around her waist. ¡°...............¡± As I glared at her and tried to wrap my arm around her once again, I noticed Isolet unsheathing her sword with an expression that suggested she would strike me at any moment, so I quietly hid my arm behind my back and asked. ¡°Anyway, why are you here? Sister?¡± ¡°...Are you asking because you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. We¡¯re supposed to go to the back alley, right?¡± ¡°...Quickly get ready. We¡¯re going to leave right now.¡± After leaving me with those words, she left the room with a blushed face. ¡°........¡± ¡°...Kania.¡± After confirming that she stepped out of the room, I glared at Kania coldly. ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°Did you just shove me?¡± ¡°.........¡± ¡°...Answer me.¡± As I approached her with an apathetic expression on my face, Kania bowed her head, then opened her mouth. ¡°I apologize, Young Master... I lost my mind for a moment... kyaa!¡± I shoved her onto my bed before she could finish speaking, then climbed on top of her and whispered. ¡°...Kania, why do you keep being rebellious?¡± ¡°Y-Young Master...! Don¡¯t be like this...!¡± ¡°Why? Why don¡¯t you push me away like you did before? Come on, hurry and push me away. If you aren¡¯t pushing me... it means you like it as well.¡± ¡°U-Ugh...!¡± At my words, Kania turned pale and started shoving me aside, but she was so weak that it was nearly impossible from the beginning to push me away with her weak strength. ¡°Yes... you like it too, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°P-Please Stop! Stop it!!¡± Eventually, when I grabbed Kania¡¯s collar with an insidious gaze, she started throwing her fists at me. ¡°...Heh.¡± ¡°...hiik!¡± She hammered me with her fists for a while, and after getting the timing right, I grabbed both of her hands and firmly clutched them. Next, I forced my weight on top of her body, then whispered once more. ¡°...If I put my mind to it, I can force myself on you like this.¡± ¡°.....!¡± ¡°Because you belong to me. You¡¯re neither a butler nor my attendant... You¡¯re merely a tool I use as I see fit.¡± ¡°Ah...ahhh...¡± As I apathetically watched her eyes slowly turn dim, I opened my mouth to put the final nail in this matter. . ¡°So, don¡¯t be disobedient. If you act rebellious one more time... This won¡¯t end here... Cough!!¡± ¡°.....Young Master!?¡± However, soon a great deal of blood poured out of my mouth, and I ended up spilling a lot of blood on her clothes and bed since I couldn¡¯t close my mouth in time. ¡°...... Cough, cough! Cough!¡± ¡°Wha-What¡¯s this...¡± ¡°...Get lost.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± After stroking the hair of the brave little girl who wanted to repay me when she grew up, I whispered quietly again. ¡°It¡¯s all right. You don¡¯t have to repay me.¡± ¡°Really...?¡± ¡°Yes, instead, help me out for a second.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°What you are going to do from now on is worth several times more than a few gold coins.¡± Having said that, the little girl tilted her head as I whispered something into her ears, then soon she gave me a beaming smile and said. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re asking me to do this, but I¡¯ll try my best!¡± ¡°...All right, when you¡¯re done, take your little brother out of this place as soon as possible.¡± Having said, I took out a whip, then started beating the kid with all my might. ¡°...kyaa!!¡± When she screamed with her feeble voice, the beggars who were plundering Isolet¡¯s money, the passersby, and even Isolet herself immediately looked our way as their faces contorted with an appalled expression. ¡°...You lowlife! How dare you try to pickpocket?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry!! I¡¯ll never do that again... kyaa!!¡± ¡°Shut up!! Bugs like you deserve to die!!¡± With that said, I began exerting more force on the whip, and the little girl¡¯s screams grew hoarse. ¡®...Ah, my arm hurts.¡¯ Of course, this whip is the ¡®Whip of the False Evil¡¯ that I purchased in advance from the store, which inflicts no pain on the person being whipped. Perhaps this little girl is clenching her teeth to hold back her tickles by now? ¡°Oh, no!! Please stop it!!¡± As I was pretending to beat the kid, Isolet rushed to the scene with blazing eyes, then yelled at me as she wrapped her arms around the kid. ¡°Are you insane!? What did this kid do...¡± ¡°She tried to steal my wallet.¡° ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean you need to beat the child to this extent!!!¡± Enraged, Isolet laid the girl on the ground and then strode up to me with eyes that blazed hatred. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll stop. I¡¯ll just go on my way...¡± ¡°...You¡¯re really a horrible person. Really.¡± ¡°...You realize that now?¡± ¡°I was an idiot for believing in you. From now on, I won¡¯t worry about you... I won¡¯t treat you privately, either. So, don¡¯t call me sister from now on.¡± ¡°Do as you wish.¡± Having said that, she glared at me with disdain, then turned around and strode towards the little girl. ¡®...Did it work?¡¯ I stared at her for a moment, then immediately used the ¡®Mind Reading¡¯ skill with a sense of anticipation, but... [Isolet Arham Bywalker¡¯s current emotions: Contempt/Rage/Disappointment/Concern/Regret/Pity/Sorrow] ¡°...Haa.¡± I sighed deeply as soon as I discovered that she still has emotions such as concern, regret, and pity. ¡®You won¡¯t worry... you¡¯re lying.¡¯ If Isolet continues to be ¡®concerned¡¯ about me... she will be in grave danger in the upcoming main scenario. So, on this occasion I was going to end her affection for me... but this kind hearted older sister seems to be still concerned about a scum like me. ¡°.........¡± I quietly showed the little girl in Isolet¡¯s arms a thumbs up since she was looking at me with a slightly terrified expression. ¡°...T-Thank you!¡± After that, she got away from Isolet in a hurry, then thanked her in a loud voice while bowing her head and later disappeared into a dark alley. [Acquired False Evil Points: 300 pts! (Charity Angel)] ¡°...Let¡¯s go.¡± While I was staring at the notification window that appeared in front of me, I calmly spoke to Isolet, who was still glaring at me. ¡°...Where?¡± When she asked again coldly, I replied while pointing to the dark alley where the kid had just entered. ¡°...to the back alley.¡± . . . . . ¡°...Ha, is this really back alley?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Isolet, who entered the back alley, was speechless when she witnessed the gorgeous scenery in front of her. Indeed, even I would be stunned. If you go back a block, you¡¯ll see children starving to death, and if you go a block ahead, you¡¯ll lay your eyes on decorations everywhere and people walking around while wearing jewelleries from head to toe. However, this is precisely the ridiculous reality of this rotten Empire. ¡°...Did all these people come here through the dark alley we entered from?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not even an entrance. High-ranking people claim it¡¯s filthy, and it¡¯s just an alley that¡¯s not even used for emergencies.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°Then, welcome to the heart of the Empire... Professor.¡± When I changed the way I addressed her, Isolet frowned and spoke coldly. ¡°Guide me to the store.¡± ¡°It¡¯s right in front of you. Can¡¯t you see?¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t come in through the dark alley for no reason. I entered through that way on purpose in order to save time.¡± ¡°...You wait here. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Having said that, she started trudging towards the magic tool shop. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, owner. But I¡¯ll hire you soon so you won¡¯t feel bored for long...¡± ¡°U-Ugh...!¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± After a minute of silence for my favorite eccentric owner, suddenly I turned around at the sound of a distant groan then immediately froze. ¡°Uh! Ugh! Ughhh...!!!¡± ¡°...Stay still, kid. There is no one here to help you.¡± ¡°Huh? You don¡¯t look like you ate much, yet you¡¯re so full of energy, isn¡¯t it? I think we got ourselves a valuable product, right?¡± It was because, in the dimly lit crevice between two buildings, I saw the little girl who previously received a pouch of gold coins from me struggling while forcefully held by a group of masked men. ¡°Puha... Saa-Save me...! Ugh...!¡± ¡°If she is this good... she¡¯ll be a premium product if we feed her well.¡± ¡°...We¡¯re withdrawing for today.¡± ¡°Hey, you¡¯re going to let me have some fun today, right?¡± The girl, who had been struggling for a while, soon fainted after being hit by a blow in her stomach. Soon afterwards, the masked kidnappers tied her up and exchanged some words, then disappeared somewhere in an instant. ¡°Ha...¡± Watching the scene quietly, I murmured, fiddling with my sword, which I previously hid inside my robe, close to my chest in fear of being swarmed by beggars if they were to find that out. ¡°...It seems I¡¯ll have to change my plans.¡± For the first time in a long while, the moment has arrived to serve my original role as a hero. Chapter 10: The Heros Advent When I arrived at the spot where the assailants disappeared alongside the girl, I felt a familiar yet unpleasant feeling. ¡°...Black magic.¡± In black magic, the more evil the caster¡¯s heart is, the more vicious is the dark mana. It¡¯s hard for ordinary people to notice, but I can easily tell the difference since I have always been with Kania. ¡°.........¡± I closed my eyes for a second to feel the vicious dark mana of the black magic. A while later, I sensed the traces of dark mana leading to the street outside. ¡°...Is it a stealth spell?¡± Even in the back alley, it¡¯s almost suicidal to abduct a girl in broad daylight and use the crowded street as an escape route. Apparently, there is a fairly skilled warlock among the kidnappers. [Unexpected Quest Occurred !] ¡°...Hmm?¡± While I was speculating, a system window suddenly appeared in front of my eyes. Sudden Quest: Child Rescue Quest Content: Rescue the little girl. Reward: ??? Failure Penalty: Slight reduction in health and lifespan. ¡°...Quest? So, is this case related to the ¡®Scenario¡¯?¡± The quests given by the ¡®Path of False Evil¡¯ system are closely associated with the grim fate of this world, namely the ¡®scenario,¡® which is directly linked to the inevitable bad ending. In that case, there seems to be one more reason to save that kid. I don¡¯t know why, but saving that little girl will help prevent the bad ending of the world. As I firmed my resolve with such a thought, I heard a rumble from outside. When I went outside, wondering what was going on, I witnessed the magic tool store being smashed. ¡°Lass, why are you acting so violently? Do you have something against me?¡± ¡°...You¡¯re quite skilled. I have to take you seriously.¡± Having said that, Isolet¡¯s expression turned serious. She unsheathed her family sword while the magic tool store¡¯s owner took out various artifacts with a benign smile on his face. ¡°My goodness, you¡¯re a lass who doesn¡¯t understand words, aren¡¯t ya? Then there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. Since you¡¯re the one who wrecked my store in the first place, don¡¯t blame me too much, even if you get hurt, all right?¡± As soon as those words were spoken, Isolet¡¯s sword slash and the owner¡¯s magic spell clashed. After observing the scene for a while, I judged that the battle would be over by the time I returned, and pulled out the black robe I had taken off earlier when I entered the back alley. ¡°...Why is someone as strong as you opening an illegal store in a place like this?¡± ¡°In the back alley, there is an unwritten rule that one shouldn¡¯t ask about someone¡¯s past! And even if it isn¡¯t an unwritten rule, I have no intention of telling someone like you who suddenly invades and wrecks other people¡¯s property!¡± I grinned when I heard the cheerful owner¡¯s voice, then soon put on my robe and silently followed the trail of black magic. ¡°...Well, did you know my chef used to serve a potato dish for both lunch and dinner?¡± ¡°It makes me nauseated just thinking about it. So, what happened to that chef?¡± ¡°I kicked him out after I broke his wrist. It¡¯s still generous considering my mouth still reeks of potatoes, thanks to that jerk.¡± As I was following the trail, I sighed inwardly when I accidentally overheard the conversation of gentlemen wearing suits. ¡®...On the marketplace right next block, children are dying because of starvation and don¡¯t even get to eat potato peels, let alone potatoes.¡¯ If possible, I would like to feed all the vagrants in the marketplace until they¡¯re satisfied. However, if I did that as the first son of the ¡®Starlight¡¯ family, I won¡¯t have any life span left because of the system¡¯s penalty. Moreover, I don¡¯t have enough funds to help them while hiding my identity. Because I also need financial resources to overcome the upcoming scenario. I momentarily stared at the gentlemen passing by me, and swore to myself that once everything was over, I¡¯ll immediately start with poor relief project as I quietly marched forward. . . . . . ¡°...Huh? Is this the dining district?¡± For some reason, the trail of black magic led me to the restaurant district. I tilted my head for a while. Next moment, I closed my eyes again to sense the dark mana since I was worried if I somehow misunderstood the traces of the black magic. However, still I could feel a strong presence of dark mana in the dining district. Eventually, I opened my eyes and decided to trust my instincts as I dashed towards the dining district. After walking around the dining district for such a long time, luxurious restaurants became sparse, and shabby eateries gradually started appearing, as the dark mana grew more and more intense. ¡°...Hmm?¡± However, when I reached the far end of the dining district, the presence of the dark mana suddenly disappeared. As I raised my head to assess this abnormality, I was greeted by the sight of an old tavern that looked as if it belonged in the countryside. ¡°...Greenhorns aren¡¯t allowed.¡±Updated chapters at novelhall.com ¡°...Get lost.¡± I took a deep breath, and the moment I was about to enter the tavern, suddenly two ruffians came out of the entrance and blocked my way. ¡°I came here because I heard that the snacks here are delicious...¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you hear us, kid? Fuck off.¡± ¡°...Should I just beat him to a pulp? It should be fine, since I¡¯m bored to death, anyway.¡± Nevertheless, when I didn¡¯t back down, the thugs approached me threateningly, while cracking their knuckles, but... ¡°...Can you recommend to me what¡¯s delicious here?¡± ¡°¡±.........!¡±¡± Soon after, I tossed a few gold coins I took out from my pocket at them. The thugs, who immediately snatched the gold coins, absent-mindedly stared at each other for a moment, then hastily bowed their heads in front of me and began groveling. ¡°Of course, Young Master...our tavern has delicious ¡®Snacks¡¯.¡± ¡°Well then, let¡¯s have some fun!¡± So, as I entered the tavern, leaving behind the two of them who still had their heads bowed, instead of a bustling drinking party, a room splendidly decorated with mirrors and all kinds of jewels greeted me. ¡°...Oh my, aren¡¯t you a charming young man? What business do you have here?¡± ¡°.........¡± Eventually, a madame wearing thick make-up came down with beaming eyes. Having grasped the situation roughly, I promptly started acting. ¡°I prefer to see and choose in person.¡± ¡°...You¡¯re quite impetuous, aren¡¯t you? Then... look at this catalog...¡± ¡°No, not with pictures, but with my own eyes.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°These days, there are so many places where people scam you with pictures. Where do you keep the kids hidden? Warehouse? Basement?¡± ¡°......¡± As I spoke calmly, the madame frowned slightly and opened her mouth ¡°...I¡¯ll get in trouble if I do this handsome young man.¡± ¡°...You¡¯ll be in trouble?¡± ¡°Yes... Our store also has its circumstances... If we follow all our customers¡¯ requests...¡± ¡°...Even like this?¡± ¡°......!¡± However, when I took out a gold coin pouch from my pocket and put it on the counter, her eyes were wide open for a moment, then she soon tried to look composed and said. ¡°You must be quite a wealthy young man, aren¡¯t you? However, no matter how much you offer, it¡¯s a trade secret...¡± ¡°...Even like this?¡± ¡°Hey, if you keep doing this...¡± ¡°...Even like this?¡± ¡°..............¡± And then, as I took out gold coin pouches one after another and put them on the counter, the madame had a troubled look on her face as if she was agonizing over something. ¡°...Isn¡¯t it possible?¡± ¡°Um... that¡¯s...¡± ¡°Even after this, if it isn¡¯t possible, I have no choice but to find another store.¡± ¡°...Now, wait a minute!¡± After staring at the madame with an apathetic gaze, the moment I got up from my seat and pretended to retrieve the gold coin pouches, she screamed in panic. ¡°It¡¯s usually not supposed to be like this... but I¡¯ll make an exception for you since you¡¯re such a handsome young man, all right?¡± ¡°...Even though this robe hides my appearance, I¡¯m flattered.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re in this line of work for a long time like myself... Even if you hide your appearance, I can tell.¡±... After she finished speaking with a seductive smile, she rose from her seat and motioned for me to follow her. I got up from my seat while giving her a nonchalant look and used the?Inspect?skill on madame who slowly started walking somewhere. For reference, I already raised the?Inspect?skill a few days ago by spending some points in advance to prepare for today. Therefore, people¡¯s disposition now also appears in the status window. [Stats] Name: ??? Strength: 7.5 Mana: 7.5 Intelligence: 7.5 Mental Strength: 8.5 Passive Status: Blessing of Bewitchment/Succubus¡¯ Fragrance Disposition: Gold Digger ¡°...Ha.¡± When I saw her status window, I sighed and muttered to myself outrageously. ¡®The reason the sudden quest popped up was this?¡¯ Having said that, she blew wind into my ear. ¡°Remember this scent. It belongs to your master.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°The succubus¡¯ fragrance... It isn¡¯t for everyone, all right? It¡¯s only for my toys.¡± ¡°.......Yes.¡± ¡°Great, nice. So... can you take off that stuffy looking robe?¡± As I started taking off the robe according to her instruction, she looked at my face with anticipated eyes. However, as soon as she laid eyes on my face, she panicked. ¡°...W-What? What about that eerie mask?¡± ¡°I just bought it.¡± ¡°What? What is that...¡± I stabbed my sword in her stomach in response to her question. ¨C Shluk! ¡°I know you¡¯re trying to report to the Demon King...¡± ¡°........!¡± She tried to convey my appearance to the Demon King through means of transmission magic, so I quickly bought ¡®Mast of Deception¡¯ from the store, which allows me to hide my identity completely for one entire minute while wearing it. Thanks to this, the Demon King must be furious at the sight of me wearing the white mask that even the Demon King¡¯s eyes can¡¯t see through, not to mention I also interfered with the awakening ritual. ¡°Uh, why...¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± As I was about to wrap things up, the Succubus Queen grabbed the sword stuck in her stomach and spoke in a faint voice. ¡°How come... the Succubus¡¯ Fragrance... didn¡¯t work...?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple, because my mind is stronger than you.¡± ¡°I-Impossible... how... a mere human... more than me...¡± ¡°...Are those your last words?¡± ¡°W-Wait a minute!¡± As I was about to pull my sword from her stomach, the Succubus Queen screamed frantically. ¡°I¡¯ll give you information about the Demon King!!¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Y-Yes, I don¡¯t know how you can tell... Anyway, you¡¯re aiming for the Demon King, right? Let me help you! Even if I look like this now, I¡¯m still one of the closest aides of the Demon King, all right?¡° ¡°.........¡± As I stared at her, she started begging even more earnestly, as if she had found a glimmer of hope. ¡°That¡¯s not all!! I¡¯ll give you gold and silver jewels!! Not just the money in this store, but all of my wealth!!¡± ¡°..........¡± ¡°A-And... if you wish, I¡¯ll even serve you at night!! I¡¯m the Succubus Queen, you know? I¡¯m confident I can satisfy any man...¡± ¡°...It¡¯s almost a minute.¡± ¡°...Eh?¡± Having said those words, I forcefully drew the sword from her stomach. ¡°...Blergh!¡± I stared at her as she fell to her knees and spurted a great deal of blood out of her mouth. I looked at the children behind her and said in a gentle voice. ¡°Guys, cover your eyes.¡± Then the children in the prison who were staring at me immediately covered their eyes with their hands. It¡¯s really commendable that they listen to the adults so well. ¡°Why... Why... For you... it¡¯s the best offer above all else...¡± Meanwhile, as she was on her knees bleeding, she asked me a question in a fading voice. ¡°...Simple.¡± In response to her question, I pointed to the children cowering behind her in fear. ¡°...You shouldn¡¯t have touched them.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± And the next moment, her head was flying midair. ¡°Even I didn¡¯t touch the kids in the previous timeline.¡± I added those words while coldly staring at her head, which eventually fell and rolled around the floor, then quietly turned my back and looked at the children ¡°¡±........¡±¡± Even then, the children kept their heads down while covering their eyes. I felt proud looking at these children, and eventually I was able to find that kid, my ultimate reason for coming here. ¡°...She¡¯s still unconscious.¡± I cut down the iron bars with my sword and freed the little girl, along with the other children. I gently took her in my arms, who remained unconscious even now because of the previous blow, then started heading outside alongside the other children. . . . . . ¡°¡±Thank you very much!!¡±¡± After coming out of the secret passage, I freed all the women in prison. Afterwards, I collected the gold coins I had given to the Succubus Queen and distributed them little by little to everyone. Originally, I was only going to give them one coin each, but seeing the faces of the impoverished people who were kidnapped to finance the Demon King and the awakening ritual, I couldn¡¯t do it. Then the women and children bowed their heads and asked my name, but If I told them I would die instantly, so I covered my body tightly with the black robe and kept my face hidden with a mask, and remained silent. Saddened by this, they bowed their heads once again disappointingly, and escaped from this dreadful hell of a place after forming a group. ¡°...Ummm.¡± I had a satisfied expression on my face as I watched the backs of the disappearing people, then spoke with a smile when the kid I was holding in my arms moaned and opened her eyes. ¡°Are you coming to your senses?¡± ¡°...Whe-Where am I?¡± The little girl, who looked around with a dumbfounded expression for a moment, soon stared at me silently and started crying. ¡°Oh, brother... did you save me...?¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°I-I haven¡¯t even paid off the gold coins yet...¡± ¡°...I told you, you don¡¯t have to pay me back.¡± ¡°B-But...¡± ¡°...Well then, I¡¯ll be off.¡± I dropped her hesitantly at the entrance of the tavern. I was about to leave when I realized I needed to hurry back to Isolet, who was waiting for me, but... ¡°...Brother.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The girl grabbed my robe and stopped me, then asked a question with an innocent expression. ¡°Who are you, brother?¡± ¡°Me?¡± When I received that question, I fell in deep thought for a moment. Because, the kid was just asking out of curiosity, but... it¡¯s a question that means a lot to me. Who am I... In other words, my identity... My identity has never changed since the day I first learned about my destiny from my father. Even when I committed my first evil deed to my fiance?e, Even when the Main Heroines began to despise me, Even when they began to die one by one, Even when I finally succeeded in dying alongside the Demon King. I always had only one identity. To maintain that identity, I¡¯ve always played a different persona every time I committed an evil deed. Using lines and tones that only a cowardly, pathetic, childish third-rate villain would have uttered separated me from my self-defined identity as a false evil. If I didn¡¯t do that, I was afraid what I was doing would become a real evil instead of a false one, and because of this, my identity would eventually disappear one day and I would become a true evil. And in the end, it seems that such a bloody effort was not in vain after all. I was able to protect my identity up to this moment. ¡°...Status Window.¡± I looked at my reflection in the mirror at the entrance of the tavern and intentionally used the?Inspect?skill by muttering out loud, even though I could open it in my mind if I wanted to. [Stats] Name: Frey Raon Starlight Strength: ??? Mana: ??? Intelligence: ??? Mental Strength: 9 Passive Status: Blessing of the Stars / Critical Health / Depleted Life Force As I stared at the status window that appeared in front of me, I quietly answered the little girl, who was looking at me curiously. ¡°...Hero.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± To the little girl who tilted her head as she heard my words, I looked at the very last line of my status window and answered in a solemn tone once again. Disposition: Hero ¡°I¡¯m a Hero who was passing by.¡± The illustration drawn in this chapter is a fan art drawn by one of our staff members to recreate a certain scene if you guys want us to keep doing that let us know down below in the comments, we will keep outsourcing for more fan arts. Meanwhile if you do like our work and want to support us, you can consider supporting us here Chapter 11: A Variable Shows Up ¡°...Hero?¡± When I introduced myself as a hero, the kid asked again with a dumbfounded look on her face. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s all you need to know.¡± ¡°...All right!¡± She looked so cute that I had a fatherly smile on my face while stroking her hair. A moment later, the?Inspect?skill I used earlier showed her status window. I immediately frowned when I saw that window. [Stats] Name: Glare Strength: 1 Mana: ??? Intelligence: 5 Mental Strength: 6 Passive Status: Mysterious Potential Disposition: Pure ¡®...Is it a trend to have question marks on the status window these days?¡¯ The question mark that appeared again had me confused for a moment, but only after seeing her passive status, I realized the reason for the question mark. ¡®...This kid is a hidden gemstone.¡¯ According to the words of my ancestor recorded in the prophetic book, the ¡®Mysterious Potential¡¯ passive is a trait that has a low probability of appearing in young children. If there is a trigger, the trait blooms into a powerful ability. Of course, there is no way to know whether or not that trait exists unless one has a system. Hence, most children with that trait fail to blossom, but the kid in front of me seems to be lucky. ¡®This kid¡¯s mana status has question marks... Maybe she has a high aptitude for magic?¡¯ I opened the item store to give the kid a last present before parting ways, but soon a realization hit me and I sighed. ¨C Elixir of Potential Lv1 (700pts) Description: This mysterious elixir can draw out the potential of the person who drinks it. (Purchase Limit: 0/1) ¡®...that¡¯s right, can I only buy this once?¡¯ In order to save Kania, whose curse is worsening fast, it is necessary to feed her younger sister the?Elixir of Potential?so she can quickly awaken her healing abilities. So... It¡¯s a pity, but I don¡¯t think I can give an elixir of potential to this cute little girl. ¡°...Kid.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Now listen carefully to this brother.¡± ¡°...Yes!¡± Regrettably, the only thing I could do right now is give her a few hints about her ¡®Mysterious Potential¡® to increase the possibility of her attaining enlightenment. [Congratulations! You have successfully cleared ¡ºSudden Quest: Child Rescue¡»!] [As a reward, you can choose one of the following three items!] Once more, a system prompt appeared in front of me with the list of rewards, and I silently browsed the list for a while. [Rewards List] False Evil Points: 500pts Gold Coins: 150 Ring of Good Fortune . . . . . ¡®...Ring of Good Fortune?¡¯ The item placed on 3rd in the reward list had a name which drew my attention. So, when I touched it without realizing, the description of the item popped up in front of my eyes. ¨C Ring of Good Fortune Description: It may or may not bring good luck to the wearer...? As I stared at the item that had a question mark on the reward description, I immediately fell into deep thought. ¡®...Still, this ring is worth 500pts and 150 gold, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ I¡¯m in an urgent situation right now where I need to earn false evil points as fast as possible, but I still have a bit of leeway since I¡¯ve been working pretty hard lately. And there¡¯s still plenty of gold. Today, I brought all my fortune to secure that ¡®item¡¯... 150 gold is not a big deal for me to begin with. Then all that¡¯s left is this mysterious ring... Why don¡¯t I give this to the little girl as a gift? Although it is not possible to give the?Elixir of Potential?as a gift... I can give her the ring of good fortune, which I obtained as a ¡®Clear Reward.¡¯ Even if it¡¯s a bit ambiguous, it might bring good luck to her as described. And if that good fortune becomes a trigger to awaken her ¡®Mysterious Potential¡¯... then there is no gift more suitable than that. ¡°...Um, Hero?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°Oh, sorry. I kept you waiting.¡± ¡°Oh no! I¡¯m not bored at all!¡± ¡°Did I ever ask if you were bored?¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± When I said so, the little girl who was stabbed by my words slowly turned her gaze to the side. I smiled at her adorable appearance, and after choosing the 3rd item, the [Ring of Good Fortune], as my clear reward, I offered it to the little girl. ¡°...Now, a present.¡± ¡°Again, again!? P-Please don¡¯t do that...! I can¡¯t pay you back even if I die!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to pay me back. all right?¡± ¡°Uh, my mom taught me that one must repay their debt...¡± Hearing her sullen response, I was about to ask the whereabouts of her mother, but I paused when I recalled the fact that children wandering around the market have all been abandoned here. Obviously, this little girl¡¯s mother either abandoned her since she eventually couldn¡¯t hold out anymore, or she might have left her deceased mother¡¯s side to beg here in the market streets. So, I better not remind her of that trauma again. ¡°Later, when I become famous, come visit me to pay me back.¡± ¡°...When you become famous?¡± ¡°Yes, soon the time will come when the whole Empire will hail the Hero¡¯s name. If you really want to repay me, you can pay me back then.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, yes!! No matter what!! I will definitely find you and pay off my debt.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t force yourself to pay me back if you can¡¯t afford it...¡± ¡°...Y-Yes.¡± ¡°Well, will you accept the present now? Come on, give me your hand.¡± The little girl hesitated when I asked her to give me her hand, but soon she cautiously held out her hand. After briefly staring at her hand, which was thin as a rake from lack of food, I carefully put the ring on her bony finger as if to not hurt her and said. ¡°...this is a ring of good fortune.¡± ¡°...Ring of good fortune?¡± ¡°Yeah, if you keep wearing it... eventually, you¡¯ll have a stroke of good fortune.¡± ¡°R-Really?¡± Isolet spoke with an absurd expression on her face after hearing my words. ¡°There is a possibility of terrorist attack and many people might actually die... and you¡¯re here regretting the fact that you lost money?¡± ¡°I blew away 11 gold coin pouches! This is a serious matter...¡± ¡°Just tell me where the auction house is right now. And you¡¯ll be leaving this place right now.¡± ¡°Why, you worried about me...¡± ¡°Frey!!!¡± Her shout momentarily stopped me from speaking, but soon I scratched my head and opened my mouth again. ¡°...No, but I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything you can do even if you go there?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°There is a powerful magic that only allows those with a pass to enter. Even if you want to dismantle it, it will take hours for the imperial mages to arrive, right?¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± Hearing my words, Isolet quietly bit her lips. Realizing that she was on the verge of taking the bait, I started my final act to put the last nail in the coffin. ¡°...Ah! Come to think of it, there is one way to get in...¡± ¡°W-What is that?¡± When she asked urgently, I responded calmly. ¡°Me and... the professor have to become lovers.¡± As soon as I finished speaking, there was a moment of silence between the two of us. ¨C Schwing... ¡°Wait, wait! It¡¯s not a joke, I¡¯m serious! It¡¯s for real!!¡± Soon, in that moment of silence, she slowly drew her sword, and I reflexively stepped back as I urgently tried to explain. ¡°...Explain.¡± Sheathing her sword, she gave me a command, as I sighed in relief and spoke. ¡°Actually, I have a pass.¡± ¡°Very well. Give it to me right now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no use taking it with you. I¡¯m the only one who can use the pass.¡± I continued speaking while staring at Isolet with a sly smile. ¡°However, if I register the two of us as lovers or a married couple in the auction house system, the two of us can enter together.¡± ¡°...Isn¡¯t the system too lax regarding security measures?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because not everyone can receive a pass. Only those who come from proven families, and that too with wealth and honor, are carefully selected and given such a privilege.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°In other words, if you want to go to the auction house, you have to pretend to be my lover while we¡¯re inside. Otherwise, I will be suspected.¡± I smiled and said a few words to Isolet, who suddenly started blushing shortly afterwards due to her chronic illness being triggered. ¡°Then, please take care of me, Isolet.¡± And the next moment, Isolet struck my head hard with her scabbard. . . . . . ¡°Register Frey Raon Starlight and Isolet Arham Bywalker as lovers.¡± ¡°...Wonderful. Have you finally reconciled?¡± ¡°If you sell this information to the intelligence guild, I assure you the next day, the Duke will put you in your grave.¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting scared since it doesn¡¯t feel like you¡¯re joking. Please come in.¡± Me and Arham Bywalker passed the manager safely, and entered the auction house wearing the black robe we had brought in advance and the mask given to us by the manager. ¡°...D-Do we really need to have our arms crossed together like this?¡± ¡°Look at what the guys who came in pairs are doing... They¡¯re totally embracing.¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± Seeing the couple¡¯s affectionate behavior, Isolet groaned and struggled to avert her gaze. ¡°...You¡¯re too stiff. Try to cross your arms naturally.¡± ¡°...D-Don¡¯t you know I¡¯m trying?¡± ¡°...Haa.¡± So, feeling like I was wearing a hard piece of wood on my side, I took a seat in the auction house and started examining the people inside. Of course, the people were disguised in black robes and masks, but my?Inspect?skill has no issues with that. ¡®...Countess, Elder of Mage Tower, Imperial Finance Officer...the key figures of the Empire have all gathered in one place.¡¯ As I quietly scanned the auction house,I muttered inwardly with a laugh when I realized that all the famous people in the Empire have gathered in this cramped auction house. ¡®Well, at this point in time, the worth of the item I¡¯m aiming for is still unknown... It¡¯s not the internal competition that matters, but the external ones.¡¯ The reason I brought Isolet here today is to prevent the Demon King¡¯s forces from attacking me while I¡¯m aiming for the item. I¡¯m already having a hard time these days, not to mention if I use my ¡®Blessing of the Stars,¡¯ I might suddenly die screaming in agony. This is because the Demon King¡¯s force, which will soon attack this place, is not a small elite group like before, but larger in terms of numbers, so it will drain a lot of my power. Of course, because of how large the force¡¯s size will be, it¡¯s easier to let Isolet deal with them, while I comfortably secure the ¡®item¡¯. If I can secure that item here, I can definitely succeed in the ¡®Raid on the Commoner¡¯s Dormitory¡¯ quest... ¡°...Ah!?¡± ¡°Hueh!¡± In the process of searching for people, I was startled when I spotted someone unexpected, and when I yelled out in surprise, Isolet, who was frozen stiff by my side, let out a strange scream as well. ¡°¡±.........¡±¡± As a result, the people in the auction house silently glared at us, and both of us had no choice but to bow our heads for a moment. ¡°...What in the world is wrong with you?¡± ¡°.........¡± Eventually, Isolet whispered to me in a resentful voice, but I ignored her and grabbed my head with a dumbfounded look. ¡®...Why is Kania here?¡¯ I don¡¯t know why, but Kania¡¯s status window popped up in front of me when I scanned the person sitting next to Isolet. I wished it was just a coincidence and their names were similar, but even the stats and passive were the same. How the hell did this happen? ¡°........!¡± I was so exhausted that I thought I might have been mistaken, so I looked up to check the status again, but this time the status window of Saintess Ferloche appeared in my mind when I looked at the person sitting in front of me. ¡°...Excuse, let me have a seat.¡± ¡°...Ah, yes. Sure...!¡± As I was idly staring at her status window, someone tried to sit next to me, so I pulled myself to the side and looked at the person. This time, the status window of the Imperial Princess Clana popped up in front of my eyes. ¡°...Is there a problem?¡± ¡°...No, no.¡± I hastily responded to the Princess, who glanced at me questioningly. I looked at Isolet, who was staring at me with a puzzled expression, and then cursed inwardly when I glanced at the Main Heroines who appeared at the auction house one after another. ¡®.......It¡¯s truly a dog shit game.¡¯ Something¡¯s wrong. Not just wrong, but seriously wrong. Chapter 12: The Auction ¡°Frey, why are you breaking out in a cold sweat...¡± ¡°...From now on, don¡¯t call me by my first name.¡± ¡°.....Why?¡± Having hastily cut off Isolet¡¯s words, I could feel a cold sweat rolling down my body as I fell in deep thought. ¡®...I thought all three of them wouldn¡¯t make a rash move at this point? Do they resent me that much?¡¯ The item I¡¯m trying to secure now is the ?Stone of Domination?, one of the artifacts the Demon King will use in the future. The artifact, which has the characteristic of suppressing and controlling the target¡¯s will, will be treated as a ¡®cheap ornament¡¯ at the auction house that will begin shortly and will only cost 10 gold. So my plan was to buy the ?Stone of Domination? along with a few useful items at a reasonable price... Meanwhile, I would escape leisurely after entrusting Isolet to deal with the Demon King¡¯s force who will storm the auction house. However, all the Main Heroines have gathered at this auction house. Perhaps they thought they could control me with that stone of domination... but as long as I have ?Blessing of the Stars?, any sort of mind control ability won¡¯t affect me. In other words, the Main Heroines are totally wasting their time. ¡®...By the way, do they even have the money to buy that artifact at this point in time?¡¯ Kania has no money. Although she is a butler of a Ducal family, she spends most of her money on her younger sister, so she usually carries only a few silver coins as an emergency fund. And if you think about it, it¡¯s the same for Saintess Ferloche and Princess Clana. Although Ferloche is nominally in a position where even the Pope can¡¯t treat her lightly, the leaders took advantage of her because of her nai?ve personality. For that reason, of course, she doesn¡¯t have any personal assets. Most of her fortune went into the hands of the bishops and the Pope, since she has donated whenever she could because of her pure character Of course, there is a possibility that she might have asked the church to give her money, but even if she has experienced the previous timeline, it¡¯s highly unlikely that the Saintess, who has the same personality is going to get the money from the bishops or the Pope. And Princess Clana has no money either. One might say that the notion of the Imperial Princess having no money is utter nonsense, but it¡¯s not the case at all for someone who is at the rock bottom in the line of succession. Her siblings are jealous of her natural looks and wit. However, at the same time, they fear she will climb up the order of succession. Thanks to this, as many as five of her siblings have kept her in check, and as a result, despite being a princess, she has lived an impoverished life. Anyway, in conclusion, these women are currently short of funds. ¡®Besides, how are they even here right now?¡¯ Today is the day Kania takes a leave to visit her sister once a month. I was a little relieved, since on this day, no matter what happened, she would always go to visit her sister, but now she stabbed me in the back. And today, the Saintess is required to perform the sacred ritual at the Church. Since it is an essential ceremony that is held only once a year, the church must have been in turmoil by now. In the case of the Princess, today there is a major event to decide on her fiance?. From the standpoint of someone who needs to grow her power, it¡¯s an enormous risk to be absent from such an event without permission. In other words, despite not having a single penny, the three Main Heroines gave up attending the places they must go, all in hopes of gaining control over my will. If it was on other occasion, I would have been so grateful to the point of being moved to tears. ¡®...However, I¡¯m glad Irina didn¡¯t show up.¡¯ Irina would have wanted to come as well, but she probably wasn¡¯t able to get the pass because of her status. At this point, she is just a student from a commoner background at the academy. ¡°Well, ladies and gentlemen! You¡¯ve been waiting for a long time! We will now begin the auction!¡± After being immersed in thought for such a long time, the host¡¯s loud voice brought me back to my senses. Although the one item I must purchase here today is the ?Stone of Domination?, I also had plans to buy some useful items for the future. However, the intrusion of the Main Heroines made the plan obscure. I don¡¯t think I should buy anything besides the most useful and cheapest ones. ¡°Well then, the first thing! An ornamental box with a pure white color and precise carvings! Let¡¯s start with 1 gold!¡± I decided to not spend as much, but as soon as I spotted the first item, I started writing the price on the panel in front of me, ready to place my bid. Of course, I¡¯m not a spendthrift. That box is actually a hidden feature of the game. According to the prophetic book, when you are on the false evil route, an auction house event may occur where an ornamental box containing kits which will aid in false evil deeds will be auctioned off. In the words of my ancestor, it¡¯s called the ¡®Easter Egg¡¯ of the ¡®Developer¡¯, an existence similar to the Creator God of this world... I still don¡¯t know what it means, but since we are talking about my ancestor, it must be worth buying. It¡¯s not an essential item, but my ancestor advised me to buy it because if I have it, it will help me in many ways to act as a false evil. ¡°...Yes! We have received a bid of 5 gold here! Is there anyone who wants to offer a higher price?¡± When I offered 5 gold, a few people who were about to lift the panel glanced at me, then quietly lowered their panels. They probably would¡¯ve offered 2 to 3 golds, but as soon as I presented a bid of 5 golds, they immediately gave up since they didn¡¯t want to lose a bidding round this early. ¡°3...2...1...Successful bid! Sold! Ornamental box, sold for 5 gold!¡± Eventually, the host announced the winning bid, and the staff carefully wrapped the box in a cloth and handed it to me. ¡°...Are you supposed to receive the item right away after the bidding is over?¡± ¡°...Still, what¡¯s illegal is illegal. It¡¯s quite different from a legitimate auction that safely delivers to your home.¡± ¡°...There doesn¡¯t seem to be anything that dangerous, though.¡± Isolet muttered with a sullen expression while looking at the ruby necklace that came out as the next item of the auction. But that¡¯s because she doesn¡¯t know what she is talking about. Right now, even this ornamental box has a setting that it was initially stolen from the artisan Rosinante. And now, the ruby necklace Isolet is staring at with a sullen expression has a curse which drives people crazy after three days of wearing it. This auction house is a place where items acquired through illegal channels or subjected to curse are traded. ¡°Well, it¡¯s illegal, based on the fact that it¡¯s in the back alley.¡± Of course, if I tell her the truth, there is a good chance that Isolet with her righteous sense of justice would cause a mess even before the ?Stone of Domination? appeared, so I indirectly told her an appropriate reason. However, suddenly the host raised his voice. ¡°Among the items that have appeared up to now, this is the most valuable one! If it wasn¡¯t for the trump card that would mark the end of today¡¯s auction, it might have emerged as the last item!¡± ¡°Why on earth is he seasoning it like that?¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s not really a big deal? From the auction house¡¯s point of view, the commission increases when the price is raised as much as possible, so sugarcoating is essential...¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s the secret book that contains the lost sword art of the Bywalker family!¡± ¡°......!!!¡± I stopped speaking as my mind went blank when I heard the shocking words that came out of the host¡¯s mouth. ¡°...Did I just hear wrong?¡± ¡°...uh, yes... maybe you did...¡± ¡°This secret book which has the noble sword art written in it is said to have been lost 450 years ago during the clash between the Bywalker and Moonlight families... However, recently we were able to reclaim it in its complete form!¡± ¡°...You should quietly make your way to the exit. There will be a bit of a commotion.¡± ¡°Wait, wait! Wait a minute!¡± I quickly grabbed Isolet, who quietly put her hand on her sword and was about to get up from her seat as she glared at the excited host. ¡°Are you really going to cause a ruckus? Don¡¯t you know we have all the Empire¡¯s most important people here?¡± ¡°...Let go.¡± ¡°Even if you can¡¯t catch the terrorists and find out who¡¯s behind them?¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°And since I¡¯m the one who brought the professor, if she causes a problem, I¡¯ll be blacklisted from the auction house. You realize that, right? So...¡± ¡°...Give me the panel.¡± ¡°.....Huh?¡± As I was trying to stop her, while dripping in cold sweat, Isolet opened her mouth, pointing to my panel. ¡°...First, I¡¯ll secure the secret book, then stop the terrorism, and finally destroy this auction house.¡± ¡°No, that means the important figures of the Empire...¡± ¡°...Give me the panel.¡± ¡°........¡± Hearing her threatening tone, I had no choice but to hand her the panel. She focused her gaze and started writing letters on the panel. ¡°The starting price is 1000 gold!¡± ¡°¡±........!¡±¡± Both the Princess and the Saintess flinched at those words. They momentarily glared at me, then started writing the prices on the panel with their trembling hands... ¡°...From now on, the price will be incremented at a rate of 100 gold!¡± Hearing the verdict of the host, they dropped the panel helplessly and lowered their heads. ¡°Is there anyone who would like to offer more? If not, I¡¯ll start counting! 3...2...¡± ¡®...By the way, do they actually have the money they wrote down? If yes, where did they even get it?¡¯ I had a hunch that I won, and started brainstorming where those girls got their money from, but... ¡°30,000!! Bid of 30,000 gold!!!¡± ¡°......!¡± Soon after, suddenly someone offered a price twice than me. I stared at that person in astonishment. ¡°.....Hmm.¡± ¡®...Isn¡¯t he the eccentric collector who earlier bought the Hero¡¯s Armor for 150,000 gold?¡¯ I closed my eyes and lifted the panel in a cold sweat. ¡°40,000 gold! 40,000 gold bid!!¡± ¡°........¡± I used my winning hand since I didn¡¯t have much gold left for bidding anymore. Fortunately, it worked, as I put my panel down and pondered. ¡®...That guy spent 150,000 gold in the fierce bid war earlier, so he¡¯s definitely strapped on money. If here he bids less than 50,000 gold... I¡¯ve got a good chance.¡¯ ¡°Yes! 45,000 gold!¡± ¡®...Good.¡¯ I sneaked a peek at the eccentric collector before raising the price again. I found him silently staring at me, we momentarily locked eyes as I soon lifted the panel. ¡°...46,000 gold! Oh, 47,000 gold! 48,000 thousand gold!¡± After many close calls, both of us eventually reached the end of our long war. ¡°49,949 gold! Judging from the figure written down to the unit¡¯s digit, it seems they have bid all the money they possessed!¡± Having presented all the money I had in my hand, I grinned and looked at the eccentric collector. ¡°.........¡± He quietly stooped his head with his arms crossed. ¡°All right, it was close, but... I won.¡± ¡°I¡¯m counting! 3...2...1...¡± I finally breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back in the chair... ¡°...Hmph.¡± ¡°.....!!!¡± However, I was soon astounded when he snorted and lifted the panel at the last moment ¡°50,050 gold! Bid of 50,050 gold! In the end, it crossed the 50,000 mark!!¡± ¡°...Newbie.¡± He looked at me and threw a sarcastic remark in a deep voice, as I started regretting what had happened earlier. ¡®...Damn, if I had known it would turn out like this, I would have chosen 150 gold as a reward.¡¯ If only I had the 150 gold, which appeared as the second item on the reward list for clearing the sudden quest, I could have put an end to this bidding war. At this rate, the eccentric collector will take the ?Stone of Domination?. ¡°I¡¯m counting! 3...2...1...¡± ¡®This will put a damper on my plans...¡¯ I was supposed to get out of the auction house as soon as I got on my hands on the ?Stone of Domination?. However, I felt frustrated by this unexpected situation and grabbed my head. ¡°50,150 gold! Bid of 50,150 gold! Ridiculous! I never expected it would be this popular.¡± Suddenly, Isolet, who was quietly watching our competition besides me, wrote 50,150 gold on the panel and lifted it up, as I gave her a dumbfounded look. ¡°...What are you doing?¡± ¡°150 gold. I¡¯ll lend it to you.¡± ¡°...Why?¡± When I inquired while panicking, she replied, coldly glaring at her father, who was holding the secret book with utmost care. ¡°...It¡¯s the cost of cleaning up afterwards.¡± ¡°No, wait a minute. That person...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s begin the countdown! 3...2...1...¡± I was trying to stop Isolet from committing patricide, but as soon as the host began the countdown, I carefully turned my gaze to the eccentric collector. ¡°......¡± The eccentric collector was silently glaring at us with his fists clenched. ¡°...Newbie.¡± ¡°......!¡± The moment I returned his words in a similar fashion, the host exclaimed. ¡°Successful bid! Successful bid! ¡®Unknown Stone¡¯ sold for 50,150 gold!!¡± Hearing this, Isolet grabbed my arm, rose from her seat, started descending from the platform as she headed towards the unknown stone. ¡°...What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Take that and leave immediately. I have business to attend to.¡± ¡°No... So...¡± ¡°...I¡¯ll reclaim the secret book at the same time as I stop terrorism, and you, with your Ducal family¡¯s influence, will take care of the aftermath.¡± ¡°You must be out of your mind. Do you think I¡¯m some kind of mastermind reigning the underworld? I¡¯m just the first son of a Ducal family who lives his life in a pompous fashion... huh?¡± As I was trying to convince Isolet, who thought I was some sort of mastermind who orders his henchmen to solve almost everything with a flick of his finger, suddenly someone stood up. ¡®...Kania?¡¯ Kania stood up from her seat, glaring at the ?Stone of Domination?, and started emitting dark mana from her right hand. Seeing her, I realized one possibility and dashed towards the place where the ?Stone of Domination? was located. ¡®...Come to think of it, Kania didn¡¯t take part in the bidding war itself, did she? Therefore, no doubt, from the very beginning, she was planning to steal the stone of domination...!¡¯ ¨C Clatter! ¡®...Fuck.¡¯ As I rushed to the ?Stone of Domination?, I muttered emphatically when I saw the dark mana emitted from Kania¡¯s body, covering the whole auction house with a snap of her finger. ¡°That¡¯s not why I gave her so much life force...¡± As the dark mana created by Kania¡¯s black magic engulfed the whole auction house, the panic-stricken people began collapsing one after another. Amidst all this, I witnessed the Imperial Princess, who protected herself with solar mana, the Saintess, who swathed herself in holy power, and Kania, who momentarily staggered with blood in her mouth, all dash towards the ?Stone of Domination?. ¡°Ancestor... I wonder what the hell kind of battle you risked your life for...¡± Soon after, with an apathetic expression, I opened the ornamental box I had in my arms and started rummaging inside. . . . ¡°...This seems fun.¡± Meanwhile, the eccentric collector, who was observing the spectacle with interest, ¡°Isn¡¯t that right? Your Majesty, Demon King?¡± quietly captured the scene and sent a signal somewhere. Chapter 13: The Secret Battle ¡°...Nice, there it is.¡± As I was rummaging through the box, I found a cylindrical object made of metal similar to steel and muttered. ¡°...Didn¡¯t they say that consuming this will restore my life force?¡± According to the words of my ancestors mentioned in the prophetic book, the identity of this cylindrical object, one of the items contained as an Easter egg in the box, is a ¡®Caffeinated Beverage¡¯, is a preferred herbal drink of the ¡®Developers¡¯ who created this world. In the game, it is said if you drink this beverage, you will continuously replenish some life force over a duration of a few minutes. If this beverage is combined with my ?Blessing of the Stars? which maximizes the recovery of life force, I¡¯ll probably be able to endure this chaotic situation to some extent. ¡®...By the way, the ?Blessing of the Stars? isn¡¯t all that great once you reach your limit.¡¯ As the successor to my ancestor, who was the Star Hero, I can also use the ?Hero¡¯s Power? and ?Blessing of the Stars? just like my ancestor. The ?Hero¡¯s Power? is a skill that uses life force as a fuel, allowing me to burn my life force to generate explosive power against my opponent. And when the life force depletes, the ?Blessing of the Stars? is automatically triggered and it quickly replenishes the depleted life force. Looking at it this way, it appears to be a fraudulent skill that allows the use of a powerful technique without any risk, but it¡¯s not the case at all. There is no harm in using it once or twice. However, if you abuse this ability all the time, you will exhaust your body, and as a result, your life span will be reduced. It is a natural phenomenon since you forcibly burn your life force. When life force is reduced, you need to take rest, absorb mana and slowly recover the depleted life force, Of course, I¡¯m already in a situation where I have overstrained my body by forcefully transferring my life force to Kania. Perhaps because of this, I can¡¯t properly exert my strength and my life span is considerably reduced. Well, it doesn¡¯t really matter, since I¡¯m destined to perish along with the Demon King. ¡°...Ugh, what¡¯s this?¡± After I slit the bottle with a knife and took a sip, I frowned as I tasted the bitter flavor of the beverage. As such, I reaffirmed my vow that I would definitely get the ?Stone of Domination?. I forcibly chugged the drink down my throat as my body started to heat up, I felt rejuvenated. ¡°...Phew, that¡¯s better.¡± After confirming that my body, which was severely wounded in the battle against the Succubus Queen, on top of infusing life force into Kania earlier in the morning, recovered to some extent, I immediately drove away the darkness which engulfed the whole auction house and forged ahead. ¨C Swish... Then, as soon as I was detected as a person with his consciousness intact, the dark mana tried to attack me, but I waved it away with my hand as if I was swatting a fly. The reason I can dispel such a dark mana that can make any ordinary person faint the moment they came in contact with it is because I have ?Stellar Mana?. The ?Stellar Mana? that has been inherited from the previous Hero by the direct lineage of the Starlight family, has ?Property of Light? similar to ?Solar Mana? inherited by the Imperial lineage, the ?Lunar Mana? possessed by the Moonlight family to which my fiance?e belongs to, and the ?Holy Power? used by the Saintess of the Sun God. Therefore, these four mana, which protects as well as represents the Sunrise Empire, are overwhelmingly effective in driving away the vicious dark mana. ¡°Hah!!¡± As Clana stretched her hand towards the ceiling and unleashed her mana, she glowed with a dazzling and radiating aura, which effectively swept the dark mana surrounding her. The ?Solar Mana? used by the Princess burns the enemy with a radiating destructive force. However, it¡¯s so powerful that there is a risk of the caster being injured, and there are times when it fails to differentiate between a friend or foe. ¡°...Lord Sun God, give strength to this humble lamb.¡± As Ferloche closes her eyes and prays, she radiates with a pure white aura which dispels the darkness surrounding her. The holy power used by the Saintess is specialized for bestowing blessing upon those who desire it, healing wounds and casting out dark mana. Therefore, her power is no less than a natural nemesis to black magic. ¡°..Aughh.¡± Meanwhile, Kania¡¯s ?Black Magic?, which is quietly approaching the ?Stone of Domination? while fluctuating, is the power the Sunrise Empire is most wary of. The Sunrise Empire worships the radiant light, as it is evident from the sun symbolizing the Imperial Family, the moon symbolizing the Ducal family of Moonlight, a meritorious retainer serving since the establishment of the Empire, and the stars symbolizing the Ducal family of Starlight, also a distinguished family serving the Empire since its founding. However, since black magic symbolizes darkness, which can dye anything to its own color, the Sunrise Empire has no choice but to firmly oppose such black magic. ¡°...Great, I got it.¡± As I watched the heroines ardently wade through the darkness, I immediately grabbed the ?Stone of Domination? and smiled in satisfaction. Since I had a head start, of course, I would reach it first. This is a fact that even a fool knows. ¡®...But, why didn¡¯t the Demon King¡¯s force attack yet?¡¯ For some reason, the fact that the Demon King¡¯s force didn¡¯t launch a raid is a little concerning. Could it be Kania¡¯s black magic caused a variable, and as a result, they gave up on the raid? Or, did something change because I killed the Succubus Queen? ¡®...No, that¡¯s not important right now. I need to take this ?Stone of Domination? and get out of here quickly before the heroines get to this place...¡¯ ¨C Bam!! ¡°.....Argh!!¡± Soon afterwards with the ?Stone of Domination? in my hand, I flew with a bang when I got kicked by the Imperial Princess, who was airborne using the solar mana concentrated on her legs as propulsion to take flight. ¡°...You, what¡¯s your identity?¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± ¡°Answer me, right now.¡± After I flew away, I slumped when I collided with the wall. A moment later, The Princess approached me and spoke coldly. [Stats] Name: Clana Solar Sunrise Strength: 7 Mana: 7 Intelligence: 7 Mental Strength: 8.1 Passive Status: Blessing of the Sun/Monarch¡¯s Aura Disposition: Sovereign ¡°...Surely you¡¯re an entity that isn¡¯t supposed to be in the scenario, so why did you appear here?¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t speak, I will have no choice but to inflict pain on you, Mr. Irregular.¡± I was momentarily using my ?Inspect? skill to gauge her combat capabilities, but then the Imperial Princess gathered solar mana at the tip of her finger and aimed at me.Updated chapters at novelhall.com ¡°...Where shall I shoot the first shot? Arms? Legs? Eyes? Wherever it hits, I¡¯m sure the pain would be quite horrible, wouldn¡¯t it? So, hurry up and open your mouth.¡± After staring at her for a moment, I concentrated my stellar mana around my throat and distorted my voice as much as possible and said. ¡°...down.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°...Look down.¡± At those words, the princess looked at her own lower body with a stupefied expression on her face, and soon froze. It was because she had concentrated the powerful Solar mana on her legs, the fabrics covering her lower body had disappeared. Even her underwear. (TL note: Bruh...) ¡°...Kyaaa!?¡± The Imperial Princess, who was looking down in a daze for a while, soon screamed and plopped down, covering her lower half with her hands. I didn¡¯t miss this opportunity, as I promptly got up and dashed for the exit. ¡°W-Wait! Wait, Stop!!¡± Soon after, the Imperial Princess started shooting at me with bullets imbued with solar mana from her fingers. ¡°...Heup!¡± While dodging her onslaught, I drew my sword and deflected her attacks towards the Saintess, who was blocking my path in front of me. ¨C Thump!! A colossal white shield appeared in front of the Saintess, and the Princess¡¯ attack that collided with the shield disappeared with a rumble. ¡°......!¡± When I turned my gaze away, Eucarius tapped my shoulder and continued speaking enthusiastically. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! The Demon King¡¯s army won¡¯t collapse just because she is dead! And the force that was originally planning to raid this place is investigating the place where she died... The culprit will be identified soon!¡± ¡°Ah... that¡¯s fortunate... haha...¡± ¡°By the way, why are you here?¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± Eucarius suddenly tightened his grip around my shoulder and opened his mouth while tilting his head. ¡°...And you were even forcing yourself to purchase the ?Stone of Domination? that is going to be offered to the Demon King?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s...¡± ¡°It was quite a refreshing experience to be called a ¡®Newbie¡¯ by a newbie like you. I¡¯m really grateful to you for giving me such an experience.¡± ¡°...I-I apologize!¡± I opened my mouth as I hastily knelt in front of him, who had his eyebrows scrunched up. ¡°Actually, I recently got information about the ?Stone of Domination? from the Intelligence Guild...!¡± ¡°... Isn¡¯t that the information that no one besides the Demon King knows?¡± ¡°However, the information I received from the Intelligence Guild matches with what Lord Eucarious explained to me a while back! Did you know they claimed that it will be put up for auction today.¡± ¡°...And?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s why I bought it with my own money and was going to present it to the Demon King. I never imagined that my competitor would be Lord Eucarious!¡± Hearing my impassioned words, Eucarius stared deep into my eyes and asked a question again. ¡°...You couldn¡¯t see through my illusion?¡± ¡°...But isn¡¯t Lord Eucarious a master in the art of disguise? Really, I was inadvertently fooled!¡± ¡°...Hmm, yes, indeed. That¡¯s right.¡± After momentarily fiddling with his beard, Eucarius smiled and said. ¡°As expected, you¡¯re really good at flattery...¡± ¡°Yes, yes...¡± ¡°...That¡¯s why I like you!¡± Having said that, everyone was subjected to Eucarius¡¯ hallucination of being swallowed by the darkness as a result of his mind magic. Soon after, he opened his mouth while looking briefly at Clana and Ferloche, who were swinging their arms around with all their might. ¡°...The Imperial Princess and the Saintess. Isn¡¯t it an intriguing combination?¡± ¡°Th-That¡¯s right...? Haha...¡± ¡°I would like to kidnap them... but if I do that, the Demon King¡¯s plans will go awry, so I¡¯ll have to endure the urge.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°Why? Are you disappointed?¡± ¡°Ah, no!¡± As I refuted while sweating, he opened his mouth with a smirk. ¡°...If you wish, I can alter the hallucination magic so that you can have them both now.¡± ¡°.........¡± My expression almost turned cold at his remark, but soon I spoke with a frightened look on my face. ¡°Well, if you do that, my life will be over!¡± ¡°Haha, indeed... They are women who will destroy your three generations if they ever find out you held them in your arms! But how can a man not have any desire?¡± He giggled as he patted my back, and then, as if he suddenly remembered something, he grabbed my arms and led me somewhere. ¡°...So, that¡¯s why I¡¯ve prepared these women who won¡¯t cause any problems, even if you hold them.¡± ¡°........!¡± Eventually, I arrived at a place where I found Isolet holding a sword with a vague expression on her face, and Kania kneeling before her, gasping for breath. ¡°...These two women suddenly attacked me, so I hypnotized the sword-wielding woman to attack that fierce warlock.¡± ¡°...............¡± ¡°I was a bit preoccupied after that... but it looks like it¡¯s settled, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Perhaps the magic you used on the woman holding the sword is the magic that Lord Eucarious loves to use?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the ?Seal of Slavery? magic spell you know so well. Now, as long as I don¡¯t die, that woman will be my slave forever.¡± Having said that, Eucarius made a covetous face and started licking his lips. ¡°...I hate warlocks, so you can have that warlock. If you wish, I can even stamp the seal of slavery on her.¡± ¡°.........¡± ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll have some fun...¡± ¨C Schwing! ¡°...Keuk.¡± I drew my sword and cut Eucarious¡¯ head with one slash, who was approaching Isolet with a lustful expression. As the severed head rolled on the floor with a bizarre sound, I spoke in an apathetic voice. ¡°...Have fun watching the Succubus Queen to your heart¡¯s content in the netherworld.¡± When demons die, they go to the netherworld, the designated underworld of the demons, instead of their native realm ¡®Hell¡¯. ¡®There, suffer alongside the Succubus Queen and pray that your soul can be cleansed.¡¯ I sheathed my sword and headed towards Kania. ¡°...Wh-Who are you?¡± ¡°.........¡± Kania, whose life will be in danger if I don¡¯t infuse life force into her immediately since she engulfed the entire auction house in darkness and also fought with Isolet, asked a question in a trembling voice as I approached her. ¡®... I¡¯ll have to live with depleted life force for a while.¡¯ I reached out to her to share some of the life force I recovered earlier by drinking the beverage from the ornament box... ¡°...Be-Behind!¡± I had no choice but to stop and turn around at her urgent cry as my expression changed to that of astonishment. ¡°...Kill!¡± I don¡¯t know why, but Isolet, whose hypnosis still had not been undone despite the fact that I killed Eucarious, suddenly drew her sword and charged at me from behind. ¡°...Haa!¡± In such a desperate moment, I... ¡°...Ugh!¡± I made the choice to hug Kania, who was in front of me. ¨C Shluk!! And so, while I was shielding Kania from Isolet¡¯s sword, I began infusing my life force into her with my eyes closed. Soon I felt an excruciating pain in my back and muttered inwardly. ¡®Dog... Shit... Game...¡¯ I¡¯m slowly starting to hate everything now. Chapter 14: Alliance, and... ¡°I-I need to catch that irregular who broke out into the scenario as soon as possible...!¡± ¡°Demong King¡¯s servant...! Where did you go? Come out now!¡± ¡°...Cough.¡± I hugged Kania tightly while listening to the voices of the Princess and the Saintess from afar, and soon spurted blood from my mouth. ¡°...U-Um!¡± Soon afterwards, Kania flinched with an astonished expression on her face, and I used Inspect skill as I held her even tighter. [Stats] Name: Kania Strength: 3 Mana: ??? Intelligence: 7 Mental Strength: 4 Passive Status: Afflicted/Weakened/Mana Instability/Curse of Self-Destruction Disposition: Aide ¡®...I think I have infused enough life force.¡¯ Seeing that the ¡®Critically Ill¡¯ displayed on the passive section has changed to ¡®Afflicted¡¯, I tried to pull out the sword stuck in my back, but... ¡°Di...e...¡± ¡°...Arghh!¡± At that moment, Isolet twisted the sword stabbed in my back, which forced me to let out a piercing shriek of pain. ¡®At this rate...I¡¯m going to die...¡¯ The caffeinated beverage and the ?Blessing of the Stars? created a synergy effect, so even if I¡¯m filled with life force right now, it won¡¯t stay the same forever with a blade in my back. Therefore, I really need to get out of this situation before the duration of the synergy effect ends. With that in mind, I turned around and used my ?Inspect? skill as I stared deep into Isolet¡¯s unfocused eyes. [Stats] Name: Isolet Arham Bywalker Strength: 8.5 Mana: 5 Intelligence: 7 Mental Strength: 7 Passive Status: Injured Right Arm/Hypnotized (Weakening) Disposition: Knight ¡®...It seems like the hypnosis won¡¯t be undone immediately, rather she will be released after the hypnosis is weakened over time.¡¯ After all, it seems to be a skill bestowed upon Eucarious by the Demon King, who favored him. The ?Seal of Slavery? skill, which was given to him by the Demon King, who has the highest proficiency in mind control capabilities, is a fraudulent skill that allows him to unconditionally control the mind of people, who has lower mental strength than him, regardless of their abilities. Of course, since the skill was transferred to Eucarious, who died, the Demon King won¡¯t be able to use this skill again in the future. However, that¡¯s not really a major blow to the Demon King. ¡°...Ugh!!¡± ¡°...............¡± While I was thinking like that, Isolet twisted the sword once more. Thanks to that, I spat out another handful of blood and gripped the sword¡¯s hilt with trembling hands. ¡°...Cough.¡± However, I just couldn¡¯t exert any strength with my hand. Probably because I transferred way too much life force to Kania all at once, and as a result of that, I overstrained my body. And so, at that moment, when I gradually closed my eyes while holding Kania in my arms... ¡°...L-Let me help you.¡± Kania took my hand that was holding the sword¡¯s hilt, as she slowly unsheathed her own sword.. ¡°...Haa!¡± ¡°.....!¡± Soon, Kania mustered all her strength and slashed at Isolet. Immediately afterwards, she backed away to avoid her attack and pulled the sword out of my back. ¡°...Cough!¡± As soon as Isolet¡¯s sword was pulled out of my back, my robe and clothes were drenched in blood, and a puddle of blood formed on the floor. ¡°It-It¡¯s all right...¡± ¡°...Give me the sword.¡± Hearing my words, Kania abruptly stopped and handed me the sword. ¡°...Why did you do that?¡± ¡°.........¡± Kania¡¯s expression hardened when I kept my mouth shut despite her question as she handed me the sword and changed her earlier question. ¡°...Who are you?¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m a her¡ª¡± I was about to answer her question that I was a hero, but I changed my words halfway to rule out that possibility. ¡°¡ªoic citizen.¡± Having said those words, I got up with my teeth clenched and pointed my sword at Isolet, who was still staring at us with a dazed expression. ¡®...I only need to hold on for a few more minutes.¡¯ I tightened my grip around the sword¡¯s hilt, as I resolved myself to hold Isolet off until she regained consciousness, and the moment she returned to her senses, I¡¯ll get the hell out of this auction house. ¡°Heup!¡± ¨C Clank!! And the next moment, our swords clashed. ¡°...a gap.¡± ¡°...Ha.¡± As we kept clashing against each other with our swords, I momentarily lost my strength when I felt an agonizing pain in my back, and so Isolet took advantage of that gap and stabbed me with her sword. I twisted my body to barely dodge her sword, but it caused me to lose my balance as I wobbled and struggled to stand upright. I muttered inwardly when I saw Isolet imbuing aura into her sword, not wanting to miss such an opportunity. ¡®...If I was in normal condition, I would have subdued her right away.¡¯ In my last training, I was intentionally hiding my true skills by using that black magic brooch which would respond to holy power as camouflage. In other words, I could have easily subdued Isolet whose right arm is injured if I could use my ?Hero¡¯s Power? for a short period of time. However, now I¡¯m in a situation where my body is overstrained to the extent that even if I use ?Blessing of the Stars? to the maximum coupled with the caffeinated beverage, my life force recovery would still be slow, on top of that I even have a serious wound on my back. In other words, it¡¯s dangerous to go on like this. So, I have to end this duel with a single slash... ¨C Swoosh!! The moment Isolet straightened her sword and prepared to strike, suddenly dark mana surrounded her. ¡°...Heup!!¡± However, when Isolet emitted sword aura, the dark mana momentarily retreated and began to hover around her, seeking for a chance to attack. At the same time, I heard a moan from my side. ¡°...Ugh.¡± I urgently called out to Kania when I saw her stretch out her hands and control dark mana from afar. ¡°You don¡¯t need to use magic! I¡¯ll take care of this!¡±Chee?ck out latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°........¡± ¡°Haa... this is driving me insane.¡± However, as if my words fell on deaf ears, she kept pushing herself so hard that she eventually fainted and collapsed on the floor. Even though Princess Clana and Saintess Ferloche reacted differently, they were equally surprised when they saw Kania. ¡°...The fact that you¡¯re here means you¡¯re also a regressor.¡± ¡°No-Noooo Way... Ms. Kania also returned!?¡± Kania briefly stared at them in silence and answered. ¡°...Yes.¡± Then, Clana asked her a question with a sharp gaze. ¡°Just one question, are you... an enemy of Frey or an ally?¡± ¡°Enemy.¡± ¡°A prompt answer. I like it.¡± Kania, who responded promptly, frowned and asked the Princess in a tensed tone why she believed her so easily. ¡°...Why don¡¯t you doubt my word?¡± Then the Princess chuckled and replied to her in a confident tone. ¡°Since I went through hell... I have become proficient in screening out lies.¡± ¡°.....Aha.¡± Meanwhile, Saintess Ferloche, who had been idly watching the two converse, soon began to ask questions urgently. ¡°Di-Did Your Highness, the Princess and Ms. Kania really return like me!?¡± ¡°...Yes, it seems so.¡± ¡°Ho-Hold on a second... Then maybe Frey as well...!¡± When Ferloche hypothesized with her eyes wide open, the Princess shook her and said. ¡°No, I¡¯ve been observing Frey for the past few days... There were no signs of that at all. At the academy, he behaves just like the same trash he was before.¡± ¡°...That¡¯s right. Frey hasn¡¯t really changed much.¡± As soon as Kania agreed, Ferloche sighed and opened her mouth. ¡°Phew... that¡¯s fortunate then... If that evil person returned as well... It would have been awful...¡± ¡°...Now is not the time to talk about this.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Clana, who cut off Ferloche¡¯s words, spoke with a serious expression on her face. ¡°...It seems that because of our regression and the things we did after we returned, caused some variables to occur.¡± Having said that, Clana continued her words, pointing to the decapitated Eucarius, who suddenly reverted to his hideous demonic form. ¡°...Originally, the ?Stone of Domination? traded today was supposed to be sold at a cheap price and had to be robbed by the Demon King¡¯s forces just before it reached the hands of the buyer.¡± ¡°Ri-Right...?¡± ¡°However, suddenly, this demon and a mysterious man began competing with each other, and eventually the ?Stone of Domination? was sold for over 50,000 gold.¡± ¡°I-If that¡¯s the case... No way...?¡± ¡°Yeah, it seems that a variable has occurred.¡± When Ferloche¡¯s expression froze upon hearing those words, Clana crossed her arms and continued. ¡°...We need to find out why that demon came to the auction house and who that mysterious irregular is. It would have been better if we were able to interrogate him after apprehending him earlier.¡± ¡°...Isn¡¯t that swordsman also a servant of the Demon King?¡± ¡°...How come?¡± When Clana asked, Ferloche answered while sweating. ¡°Uhh... The only one who knows about the ?Stone of Domination? is the Demon King, so... anyway, isn¡¯t he on the Demon King¡¯s side?¡± ¡°...if he was, he wouldn¡¯t have confronted this demon.¡± ¡°...ah.¡± Clana stared at Ferloche, who looked stupid with pity in her eyes, then soon turned her gaze to Kania and asked. ¡°By the way, did you kill this demon, or was it the eldest daughter of the Bywalker lying over there?¡± ¡°......¡± As Kania remained silent at those words, the Princess, who momentarily tilted her head at her attitude, soon crouched down next to Eucarius, and carefully examined the decapitated region, then finally opened her mouth. ¡°Well, seeing how the cut is clean, it¡¯s not your skill. It seems you were quite embarrassed to admit that you didn¡¯t get to kill this demon, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°.........¡± ¡°By the way... as expected, Ms. Isolet is truly amazing. This time, I must help her become the next Sword Saint.¡± Having finished assuming things on her own, the Princess stood up and offered a suggestion to Kania and Ferloche while pointing outside. ¡°Anyway, it must be fate that we met here, so would you like to go to a diner with me? There is a diner nearby that I used to frequent when I was having a hard time.¡± ¡°......?¡± ¡°Ye-Yes?¡± As Kania and Ferloche tilted her head at her words, Clana continued with a cold smile. ¡°...There, would you like to have an in-depth conversation with me on how to control Frey?¡± ¡°...Ah! Yes!¡± Hearing those words, the Saintess smiled brightly and nodded, and Clana, who also had a smile on her face, soon turned her gaze towards Kania and said. ¡°...You should come as well.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°You hate him too, right? And I don¡¯t discriminate against a warlock as long as their skills are good.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°...We will restrain our powers as much as we can, so you don¡¯t need to worry.¡± Hearing those words, Kania quietly nodded her head, but eventually stopped when she saw Isolet next to her. ¡°...Seeing that her breathing has stabilized, she¡¯ll soon wake up just fine. So, don¡¯t worry too much and follow me.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Upon hearing Kania¡¯s answer, Clana smiled contentedly and headed for the exit, along with Ferloche, whose eyes were twinkling next to her. ¡°...Um, what happened to the Empire after I died?¡± ¡°... It was ruined.¡± ¡°Wha-What about the imperial citizens!?¡± ¡°...They¡¯re alive now. We¡¯re alive as well. So, we just have to make sure that the future doesn¡¯t repeat itself.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Kania silently watched them chat like sisters, even though they had quite the awkward relationship in the previous timeline. ¡®Based on the body shape and strength, he certainly wasn¡¯t Lord...¡¯ She contemplated with a serious expression on her face. ¡®However, the sword that the man had earlier... it looked exactly like the sword Milord used to drive out the bullies who were harassing me and my sister on the street, the day I was hired by the Starlight family...¡¯ Eventually, arriving at the entrance, Kania muttered inwardly as Clana used a cognitive impairment magic spell on her ¡®...Was there an illegitimate child in the Starlight family? I¡¯ll also need to dig into this.¡¯ Kania, who went outside with such a reasonable guess, tried to follow the Princess and the Saintess, who had already begun navigating through the crowd... ¡°.......!¡± However, when the Princess and the Saintess found a familiar object on the ground as they struggled through the crowd, she froze on the spot. ¡°...That?¡± An all too familiar brooch was glistening in the sunlight. Chapter 15: A Lucky Day ¡°...Ugh.¡± Arriving at the academy dormitory, I sighed and quietly began to wrap bandages around my back. In fact, it¡¯s a wound that requires professional medical attention, but since I don¡¯t know when Kania might return to the dormitory, I need to finish applying first aid as soon as possible. ¡®...Damn system. If you¡®re going to be like this, at least provide me with some sort of medical assistance like items that can heal my injuries.¡¯ Suddenly, I burst into anger as I cursed the stingy system while applying first aid with a bandage. How could it give someone like me, who is trying so hard to protect the world, a mask that can hide my identity for only a minute once a week, and a whip that doesn¡¯t deal any damage even if I whip someone with it... Even if the system is mainly based on ¡®False Evil¡¯... Isn¡¯t this too much? At the very least, they should give me an ointment which heals wounds right away, or a potion that instantly restores life force when you drink it. As I was fuming with such thoughts, my expression distorted when I twisted my body and felt the agonizing pain in my back returning over time. ¡®...It¡¯s really driving me insane.¡¯ To be honest, at this point, even with a mental strength figure of 9, my mental state is still shaken. Even if I¡¯m the only person who can save this wretched world. Even if the world is destined to perish, if I don¡¯t do this. Even if I know there is a chance for me to be reborn and live happily ever after. I can resolve being tainted with evil deeds by thoroughly separating my true self as a hero and my self defined identity as a villain. I can withstand being hated and persecuted by the Heroines and those around me. For if they don¡¯t hate me, those whom I love will die. However, this solitude is hard to bear. This lonely struggle, where there is no one who understands me, sometimes shakes my resolve, no matter how much of a hero I am. So sometimes I wonder how good it would have been if I could earn points steadily while reigning as a cool and charismatic mastermind from behind the scenes. But it¡¯s an impossible wish. Because I have to become a disgusting, pathetic, and childish third-rate villain, not a fancy mastermind with a noble demeanor and elegant tone. According to the prophetic book left behind by my ancestor, the route that has the highest clearance rate among the dispositions that can be selected while following the ¡®Path of False Evil¡¯ is precisely the ¡®Third-rate Villain¡¯ that I¡¯m imitating. The reason for this is the ¡®Cumulative Notoriety System¡¯ that will soon be added to the system. The ¡®Cumulative Notoriety System¡¯ is a system that will evaluate my notoriety spread around the world once a week and convert it into points. That feature is the heart of the ¡®Path of False Evil¡¯ system that literally draws points in abundance... but the disposition needed to unlock this core feature that generously gives points is precisely the ¡®Third-rate Villain¡¯. In fact, in a way, it makes sense. For example, if you ask anyone passing by the street right now, if they heard about the infamous Count Justiano, the tycoon of the underworld, nine out of ten people will shake their head in denial. But ask them if they know Young Master Frey, the first son of the Ducal family of Starlight, nine out of ten will nod their head in approval. As you can see from this example, the world perceives a notorious ruffian known throughout the Empire as a worse person than a quiet, secretive mastermind reigning the underworld, known only to those in the circle. For this reason, the ¡®Third-rate Villain¡¯ disposition has an excellent advantage when it comes to earning points. However, ironically, it was the least frequently selected disposition in the game of the world where my ancestor originally came from. The reason for this is simple. Because the game¡¯s storyline was too dark and depressing. Even though the clearance rate is quite high, the players who played the game with that disposition felt extremely tired, so people who usually play games for fun never selected the ¡®Third-rate Villain¡¯ disposition. However, I chose ¡®Third-rate Villain¡¯ because if done properly will certainly save everyone besides me. This is because the place where I¡¯m right now isn¡¯t ¡®Dark Tale Fantasy 2¡¯, a game for fun and entertainment, but the Sunrise Empire where the people I care about and my beloved family lives.Chee?ck out latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°Let¡¯s see. Yeah, this should be good enough... Huh?¡± After I finished wrapping bandages underneath my clothes, I suddenly noticed something strange when I looked in the mirror to examine if the bandages were visible. ¡°...Where did my brooch go?¡± The star-shaped brooch that was crafted by the store owner in the back alley after placing a special order in secret was an artifact that could remotely deliver life force to Kania in case of an emergency, has disappeared. I must have dropped it in the back alley... but I don¡¯t remember exactly where the hell I dropped it. Did it fall off when I was fighting the Succubus Queen? Did I drop it when I was being chased by the heroines at the auction house? Or did it fall off while I was navigating through the crowd? ¡®...This sucks, it¡¯s such a waste.¡¯ Considering the cost of making the brooch, I would like to put on my coat and go out to look for it right away, but alas, I can¡¯t. Not only is my current physical condition dire enough that I need to take rest immediately, but there is also the possibility of being discovered by the Main Heroines while wandering the back alley looking for that brooch. ¡®...Speaking of which, what happened to the store owner?¡¯ The owner, who had been beaten unconscious by Isolet, was left alone in the middle of the street, abandoned by her because of the emergency case of terrorism. He probably woke up again shortly after, but it might be difficult to ask the owner to craft the brooch again, since he suddenly became unemployed after his store was wrecked. Still, the good news is... I already had a spare crafted in advance in case I lost ?Remote Life Force Transmission Brooch?. I began to rummage through the secret space I had magically crafted in the front pocket of the bag I brought from home to take out the spare brooch and wear it on my chest. ¡°...Huh?¡± However, a certain piece of paper was tucked in my grasp along with the brooch. ¡®...I never put a paper in here?¡¯ After momentarily tilting my head, I quickly unfolded the crumpled piece of paper and discovered something written inside. To my Dear Son, ¡°......!¡± And the moment I read the first line, my hand holding the letter began to tremble. This is because the first sentence of the letter was written in ¡®Hangul,¡¯ the language of the previous Hero. It was my father¡¯s handwriting who copied the handwriting of the former Hero. Were you surprised to see this letter? Yes, you must be surprised. I was also quite surprised a while ago. ¡°...Wh-Why? There wasn¡¯t any letter like this in the previous timeline?¡± Obviously, there was no such letter in the secret space of the bag last time around, so I was worried that an unknown variable other than the memories of the Main Heroines had occurred. However, the moment I read the next line, I breathed a sigh of relief. Yes, it seems you have succeeded in returning with the Demon King after all. Seeing the strange phrase ? 10 minutes before Memory Recalibration ? floating in front of my eyes. ¡°...Oh, so that¡¯s what it was.¡± I finished reading that line, relieved that fortunately it wasn¡¯t a variable generated by the system that could harm me. So how did you kill me, my son? Poisoning? Strangulation? Beheading? Decapitation? And as soon as I read the next line of the letter, I closed my eyes for a moment, then soon opened them again and started reading the next line, unable to control my trembling hands. Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t kill me because of our bond as father and son? No, that can¡¯t be right. ¡®Patricide¡¯ is a necessary act required to make the Hero¡¯s armament rampage. Indeed, the content of the letter is true. I killed my father with my own hands in the previous timeline. In order to make the ?Hero¡¯s Armament?, which offers blind allegiance to the ¡®Starlights¡¯, the family of the Hero, run amok, the direct heir has no choice but to commit abominable sins. And among those abominable sins, the ¡®Event¡¯ that must occur is the ¡®Patricide¡¯. In other words, the protagonist must murder his father with his own hands. To be honest, killing my father was the biggest crisis I ever faced in my life. Why must I kill my father with my own hands in order to save him... How terrible of a fate is this? So, the first person I wanted to see after returning was my father... but I deliberately avoided seeing him. Because no matter how much I wanted to see him, the moment I would see my father¡¯s face... I would be reminded of that scene and those memories would haunt me. Anyway, son, if you¡¯re reading this letter now. I hope you will listen carefully to what I have to say from now on. I tried not to remember that moment again as much as possible, but after reading the next line, I froze. This father of yours is sorry. ¡°......¡± After staring at that line for a while, I slowly began to read the following content. I hate myself so much for making you shoulder such a responsibility, who was kinder and purer than anyone else. ¡°Father...¡± Mana: ??? Intelligence: ??? Mental Strength: 9.3 Passive Status: Blessing of the Stars/Exhausted/Depleted Life Force Disposition: Hero ¡®...The mental strength went up by 0.3?¡¯ According to the prophetic book, once a stat reaches the figure of 9, it¡¯s difficult to raise the value any further without some sort of trigger. So, was it possible that the time when I cried yesterday while holding the cat doll acted as a trigger for the value to rise? ¡®...Well, I guess there are days when even I would vent my emotions once in a while.¡¯ Apparently, last night was a critical moment for my mental breakthrough. However, since my mental strength figures are almost at the highest level, it seems that I was able to survive the crisis with just the help of the cat doll. Well, it¡¯s a little embarrassing that I cried while hugging a cat doll... but thanks to that, fortunately I was able to raise my mental strength stat and also I feel quite refreshed, so I can bear that much. ¡°Kania, what are you standing there for? Go, bring me my breakfast!¡± After I was done thinking, just like every other day, I rudely barked orders at Kania to bring me breakfast. ¡°........¡± ¡°...What are you doing?¡± However, something was strange. As Kania didn¡¯t listen to my orders, and instead just stared straight into my eyes. ¡°...Young Master, let me tell you an interesting story.¡± ¡°...What?¡± When Kania stared at me for a while and spouted some gibberish from her mouth, I was about to cut her off and scream for breakfast, but... ¡°Enough! Bring me break¡ª!¡± ¡°Yesterday, I went to the auction house in the back alley...¡± ¡°¡ªfast, ah...¡± Hearing the words coming out of her mouth, I began to stutter, and hastily started racking my brains. ¡°...Auction house in the back alley, interesting. Go on, tell me.¡± ¡°However, there, I found a person wielding a sword identical to the one the Lord used.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± The moment she mentioned about my father¡¯s sword, I suddenly recalled the fact that my sword was a gift from my father. ¡®...I thought he ordered a new one from a blacksmith, since it looked so beautiful and sharp, but it was the sword my father previously used!?¡¯ I lamented my father¡¯s stingy behavior for a moment, then remembered that it was all to provide me with funds, as I silently coughed before accepting her words. ¡°Maybe they just looked similar? Or maybe that person was my father who went out to get some fresh air.¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± ¡°...All right, so stop spouting nonsense this instant...¡± ¡°...Oh, Young Master. You dropped your brooch.¡± ¡°Oh? Ugh...¡± I was trying to get her to bring me breakfast, dismissing her words as delusional or mere coincidence, but the moment she leaned forward and offered me my brooch, I unconsciously accepted the brooch and reached out to my chest. ¡°...Huh?¡± However, I realized I already had a star-shaped brooch stuck to my chest. ¡°The man with the sword dropped this brooch when he left... Anyway, isn¡¯t it the same brooch Young Master always loves to wear?¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°You won¡¯t call this a coincidence as well, will you?¡± Eventually, when Kania silently interrogated me, I urgently started making excuses. ¡°...This is a brooch I bought from a magic tool store in the back alley. It¡¯s a pretty famous place, so he probably bought the brooch from there as well.¡± ¡°...Where is that store?¡± ¡°It no longer exists.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say it¡¯s a famous place?¡± ¡°The owner got into an argument with a violent tempered person there. So, the store was wrecked in the aftermath.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± ¡°All right, so stop talking nonsense...¡± As I managed to make up an excuse in a cold sweat, I was about to first send Kania away and figure out what to do in the future... ¡°...Ah, Young Master! Over there!¡± ¡°.....?¡± When she suddenly pointed backwards with a shocked expression on her face, I quickly turned around, wondering if the Demon King somehow found out about yesterday¡¯s events and attacked us. And at that moment... ¨C Tss! ¡°...Aaarghhh!¡± She pressed my back hard. As I screamed in agony, I slumped onto the bed and grabbed my back. ¡°Wha-What are you doing...¡± ¡°...Isn¡¯t that the trick the Young Master used on me yesterday?¡± ¡°......!!!¡± Kania, who replied like that after hearing my question, asked with a look of incomprehension on her face. ¡°...Young Master, why did you save me yesterday?¡± ¡°Ah...¡± And, at that moment... [Penalty incurred!] ¡°...I just don¡¯t understand. Besides, I also don¡¯t really understand what happened earlier at dawn. So, please convince me...¡± ¡°...Nooo!!!¡± ¡°.....!?¡± The system window, which I hoped would never appear, floated before my eyes. Permanent Debuff: The Fate of False Evil The user¡¯s lifespan and vitality will be massively reduced! [Stacks: 1] ¡°Young Master? What¡¯s wrong...¡± ¡°Coug-Cough!!!¡± ¡°...Kyaa!?¡± And as I looked at that system window with a hopeless expression, I coughed up more blood than ever before and muttered inwardly. ¡®...It was a close call.¡¯ When I keeled over while vomiting blood, I noticed Kania reaching out to me in the back of my fading consciousness, as I struggled to keep my eyes open. ¡°.............Young Master?¡± Meanwhile, Kania reached out and caught Frey, who was about to hit the ground, and began to shake him while looking at the unconscious and limp Frey with a perplexed expression. However, despite her actions, Frey didn¡¯t regain consciousness that day. We made art and recreated the letter scene. Let us know below in the comments if it¡¯s something we should keep doing in the future. Chapter 16: A Space In The Subconsciousness I quietly stared at Frey, who has been lying in bed for several hours and still hasn¡¯t opened his eyes. ¡°Why on earth did this happen...¡± When I interrogated him about yesterday¡¯s events, he suddenly collapsed while coughing up blood. What the hell is this situation? ¡®Frey never had a chronic illness...¡¯ Looking back on my memories, even in the previous timeline, he had never been this sick. So what caused him to spew out blood in this timeline? ¡®...Could it possibly be related to what he does to me every night?¡¯ As a result of observing him with the black magic ?Hidden Gaze? for the past few days, I discovered that every night he would just close his eyes and concentrate for a while with his hand on my stomach. And then, he would sigh and trudge back to his own bed with an exhausted expression on his face as he stroked the cat I had earlier possessed. Since I¡¯m stuck to his side all day long, I was able to observe him closely, but I didn¡¯t notice anything suspicious other than that. So the bloodstained handprints on the dormitory bedsheet, the blood he threw up on me the last time when he attacked me and his current unconscious state since this morning, are most likely related to what he does to me every night. If so, what does he do to me every night? Until recently, I believed it was an unknown form of black magic. It was because I suspected if Frey had already been the Demon King¡¯s confidant from this point on, there is a possibility he would use some method to drain the dark mana in my body to commit evil deeds, or even worse, offer it to the Demon King. If that¡¯s the case, the reason my physical condition deteriorated so much in the previous timeline must have been because he had been doing this secretly for a long time. Frey Raon Starlight didn¡¯t have the ability to improve my physical condition, but he did have the ability to worsen it. After all, just like he stated before, Frey never considered me as a butler, an attendant, or even a human being... he merely thought of me as a tool. ¡®It should have been the case...¡¯ This has been my guess so far. But, as a result of yesterday¡¯s events, that assumption has been shaken to its core. Yesterday, he saved me from the demon, as he showed up in a black robe and mask. To say he was just trying to protect his ¡®tool¡¯ or his personal ¡®dark mana¡¯ reserve would be a lie, because he even suffered a fatal wound from the sword that pierced his back. He would never have done this if he had indeed treated me as a tool rather than a person, as he always did. ¡®...Besides, what was that strength?¡¯ Frey Raon Starlight has always been weak. In the previous timeline, people called him the ¡®Shame of the Starlight Family¡¯ behind his back. This is due to his inability to use ?Stellar Mana? inherited from the Starlight family, his poor martial prowess, and the fact that his mana is almost non-existent. However, such a man overpowered Isolet, who is known as the ¡®Second Coming of the Sword Saint¡¯. When I regained my senses, I only saw Isolet collapsing, but it was clear that Frey was holding his sword in reverse at that time. In other words, he was actually capable of defeating the next Sword Saint with the reverse-edge of the sword. ¡°..............¡± Looking at Frey, who still had his eyes closed, I quietly asked a question. ¡°Why the hell did you save me?¡± ¡°Why the hell did you hide your strength?¡± ¡°And why the hell... did you cry in sorrow?¡± I recalled the events of this morning, as I didn¡¯t receive any answers to my questions. Yesterday, I don¡¯t know why but I decided to leave my black cat doll which I prefer to hug while sleeping on the desk, and since I knew he was quite fond of the cat doll I created, I hoped he would let his guard down and leave some sort of clue behind. When he raised his hand from my stomach, he began to vomit blood again. My suspicions that it was black magic grew... However, in my heart, I was regretting the fact that I still lacked concrete evidence. ¡°...Kitty, a lot happened today.¡± ¡®...Great, he started talking to himself.¡¯ However, Frey, who was wiping the vomited blood on the floor, picked the doll I was inhabiting and began to lament. That¡¯s exactly what I wanted. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you everything that happened today because if I try to tell you, it¡¯ll take all night... I think I¡¯ve almost passed the point of death at least three times.¡± ¡®...No way, was that man really Frey?¡¯ So, as I guessed he was talking about yesterday¡¯s events, my suspicion that he was the mysterious masked man grew even more. ¡°And... I also read a letter my father sincerely wrote to me. I almost burst into tears back then... but I held it in. Because I¡¯m a Hero.¡± ¡®...Hero?¡¯ He uttered the word ¡®Hero¡¯ out of nowhere. I momentarily tilted my head inwardly at his incomprehensible words when he suddenly muttered in a trembling tone, as if his throat was tightened with unshed tears of sorrow. ¡°...Honestly, it¡¯s hard. It¡¯s so hard that I feel like I¡¯m going to die. But what can I do? I¡¯m a Hero. I have no choice but to give it my all.¡± ¡®.......!¡¯ Frey was in tears as he spoke. I flinched for a split second when I saw his sorrowful and dejected appearance, which I had never seen before in the previous timeline, and I felt sorry for him, but he just held me in his arms as he silently shed tears of sorrow. He held me and cried for a long time before trudging back to his own bed, and thanks to him, I had to spend the entire night ruminating as I dwelled inside the cat. ¡°...Was there really a reason for everything?¡± And the conclusion I reached after a long night of contemplation was the new hypothesis that there was a reason for every single one of his actions. Because, the way he called himself a hero and his lonely and dismal appearance as he wept bitterly couldn¡¯t be explained otherwise. So, I tried to confront him about the truth earlier this morning. What is the reason he does something like that to me every night? Why does he hide his strength? Why does he vomit blood every day... And why he has no choice but to commit evil deeds while looking so lonely and sad. But this is what happened when I asked him. ¡®...I don¡¯t have much time.¡¯ From tomorrow onwards, I¡¯ve decided to make a full-fledged plan with the Princess and the Saintess to bring down Frey and eventually kill him. So, I need to find out the truth about Frey Raon Starlight before it¡¯s too late. To decide whether to continue despising Frey and drive him to death, or to consider his situation and spare his life for one more day. ¨C Swoosh... With that thought in mind, I quietly stretched out my hand and summoned a large amount of dark mana from subspace. This dark mana is meant for casting the black magic spell, which is the ¡®curse worse than death¡¯ that I used on Frey on the first day of my regression. Ever since I assumed Frey was stealing my dark mana, I invested a significant portion of my dark mana that I had been accumulating in my body on a daily basis and stored it in the subspace. If he was indeed stealing my dark mana, I thought if I didn¡¯t store it on a regular basis in advance, I wouldn¡¯t even have the dark mana left to cast the curse in the future. ¡®...Certainly, this should be enough.¡¯ From now on, I intend to use this dark mana to infiltrate Frey¡¯s subconscious and seek the truth. Frey, who is the direct descendant of the legendary Star Hero, had absolute resistance to mind manipulation magic even in the previous timeline... However, it¡¯s impossible to protect your subconscious. Because the subconscious space is literally an unknown space... It¡¯s easy to infiltrate such a place by resonating one¡¯s dark mana that has a similar wavelength to it. Also, no matter how resistant Frey is to mental attacks, he wouldn¡¯t even be aware of the infiltration, let alone respond to it. This is due to the fact that this advanced level of black magic ¡®visits¡¯ the target¡¯s subconscious, as opposed to mind manipulation magic that ¡®attacks¡¯ the subconscious. Of course, even with these benefits, it also has its fair share of drawbacks. In his subconscious, I don¡¯t know what will happen to me. Since the medium that allows me to invade the subconscious of a person is the dark mana of the ¡®Black Magic¡®, the evil and darkness of that individual will materialize and erupt from all directions And the ¡®Administrator¡¯ I will meet there will try to mislead me and assimilate me into his subconscious forever. Of course, I have invaded people¡¯s subconscious a few times before, so I know how to use my magic to constrain and deal with the administrator... Nevertheless, it¡¯s a place where one should never let their guard down. ¨C Swooosh... As I recalled these precautions, I slowly directed the dark mana into Frey¡¯s subconscious, but soon I paused for a moment and pondered. ¡®If I use this here, I will not be able to cast a curse worse than death on him...¡¯ This is my insurance that I had prepared as my last resort. If I use this all here to invade his subconscious... I won¡¯t be able to cast the curse on him for the rest of my life. After deliberating for a moment, I eventually directed my dark mana again and muttered. ¡°...It doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be that curse. There are still many ways to get revenge.¡± And so, after I had injected all my dark mana into Frey, which was enough to keep me stable for the next few months, I quietly closed my eyes and began to resonate with his subconscious. ¡®It¡¯s such a waste of dark mana... but it doesn¡¯t matter since I¡¯m the one who used it.¡¯ And so, feeling a little dissatisfied, I was sucked into his subconscious. . . . . ¡°I¡¯m sorry... Please stop talking about that part... Please...¡± ¡°........¡± When I earnestly pleaded, the young Frey was forced to keep his mouth shut due to the magic restraints I placed on him beforehand. Of course, the boy was only guilty of telling the truth... but I had no choice, because if I heard any more, I was going to lose my mind and assimilate into Frey¡¯s subconscious. ¡°...There is another thing I would like to ask.¡± ¡°.........Yes.¡± ¡°In the previous timeline, when I committed suicide right in front of him... What was his reaction..?¡± ¡°...He cried for the fifth time in his life.¡± ¡°...For the fifth time?¡± When I asked about the other situations, wondering how different they were, young Frey slowly began to narrate the events. ¡°The first time was when Isolet¡¯s corpse was found stone-cold at the academy.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± ¡°At that moment, Frey, who lost his acquaintance for the first time in his life, almost gave up on his plan to commit false evil deeds.¡± ¡°...the second?¡± ¡°The second time was when the Demon King¡¯s army occupied the Imperial Castle, and Frey¡¯s fiance?e was killed by the Demon King in the last stand to buy time for the Imperial Princess to escape. At that time, all Frey could do was bury her mangled body in the ground.¡± ¡°The...third...?¡± ¡°The third time was when Irina Philliard was torn to pieces, leaving the Demon King with a mortal wound. There wasn¡¯t even a corpse left at that time... so he sat there shedding tears for a long time, covered in her blood.¡± ¡°...Just tell me the rest.¡± ¡°The fourth time was when Ferloche made sure that Imperial citizens get onboard the ship as she stayed back on land to block the Demon King¡¯s army. The fifth time was you, and the sixth time was when he offered the Imperial Princess as a sacrifice with his own hands.¡± ¡°...Ha.¡± I can¡¯t even imagine how much mental anguish he must have suffered. How dare I call such a person disgusting and commit suicide in front of him? ¡°The seventh time... It was during the last supper with his father before he went off to face the Demon King.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°At that time, Frey put poison in his father¡¯s meal to make his passing as painless as possible. His father looked at him with a warm gaze and eventually closed his eyes with a subtle smile... As he saw his father¡¯s lifeless body fall on the table, Frey cried bitterly for a long time.¡± ¡°...And, after dying alongside the Demon King... did he regress?¡± ¡°...Yes. And you have already seen him cry for the eighth time, haven¡¯t you?¡± After young Frey¡¯s finished narrating the events, a long silence passed. ¡°...Then, Is Frey unconscious because he gave me so much life force?¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°I absorbed the life force he infused into me until he passed out... I thought it was mine, and I even wasted it using my black magic, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Uh, that¡¯s...¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe I despised him and even planned to kill him, believing he was actually aiming for my life.. Really...¡± ¡°...That¡¯s a system penalty.¡± While I was blaming myself with a mocking laughter, the young Frey suddenly interrupted my monologue. ¡°If your identity as a false evil is discovered, your lifespan and vitality will be massively reduced. If that happens... the clearance rate will also be greatly reduced...¡± ¡°Blergh...!¡± ¡°...Sister?¡± When I heard that, I began to vomit. Disgusting I, an evil warlock who wields cursed black magic, used the life force he gave me to my heart¡¯s content while he was sacrificing his own life span to save me. I, who despised him so much that I was hell bent on killing him. And it was me who triggered the system penalty, significantly reducing his life span and vitality, as well as the possibility of this world being saved... It¡¯s really unbearably disgusting. ¡°Blergh... Blerghh...¡± With that thought, I lay on the floor nauseated as I threw up repeatedly. ¡°...Don¡¯t do that.¡± However, Frey, in his youthful form, approached me and caressed my back as he spoke with a solemn expression. ¡°Don¡¯t hate yourself.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s enough for me alone to be hated.¡± ¡°......!¡± As he said that, his brightly smiling figure was shining like a star in harmony with the bright and serene atmosphere around him. After momentarily staring at him in a daze, I intuitively realized that if I talked to the administrator any longer, I would lose my mind and get assimilated into the subconscious world, so I raised my trembling hands and snapped my fingers. ¡°...There is dawn after every dusk.¡± So I returned to the dormitory room, listening to his soothing voice as if I woke up from a dream. However, Frey still had his eyes closed. . . . . . ¡°...Mhmm.¡± When I opened my eyes, I saw the dormitory ceiling. Why is the dorm ceiling visible? Why does my mind feel so hazy? ¡°...Young Master.¡± ¡°Kania? Why are you... Ah.¡± As I nervously looked around for a while, I soon froze when I saw Kania standing with an apathetic expression in front of me. ¡®...I¡¯m screwed.¡¯ Kania has discovered my good deed. And it appears that the cost was higher than I had anticipated. ¡°How long have I been like this?¡± ¡°...You¡¯ve been like this all day.¡± Hearing those words, I glanced out the window and saw the birds merrily chirping while basking in the morning sunshine. I tried to get up, but I couldn¡¯t exert any strength in my body. ¡°...................¡± I felt Kania¡¯s gaze. I was about to explain everything to her... but soon changed my mind. If she were to learn the whole truth, she would probably suffer heart-wrenching guilt. Although it wasn¡¯t intentional, she did put me in danger by periodically using my life forcing and triggering the system penalty. Of course, from the beginning I was determined to carry everything by myself, so I won¡¯t let her suffer by revealing the truth. From now on, I¡¯m going to tell her the scenario I¡¯ve decided in case the Main Heroines ever find out about my good deeds, so Kania feels as little guilt as possible Suffering is enough for me alone. ¡°You¡¯re probably wondering what¡¯s all this about.¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°...Then let me tell you the truth.¡± Having resolved myself, I looked at Kania with a cold gaze and said. ¡°...I used you.¡± Then a crack appeared in her expression. Seeing her all too familiar expression, it seems that I¡¯m worthy of being hated. Chapter 17: Mixed Feelings ¡°You used me?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been using you all along.¡± Hearing my cold words, Kania¡¯s brows furrowed even more. As I looked at her coldly, I began to narrate my story. ¡°I¡¯m sure you already know that Starlight is the Hero¡¯s family.¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± ¡°In our family, there is one prophecy.¡± ¡°You mean that prophecy?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the prophecy that exactly a thousand years after the death of the Demon King, the heir of the Demon King and the Hero¡¯s successor will reappear.¡± After hearing those words, Kania quietly opened her mouth. ¡°...You mean to say you¡¯re that Hero, Young Master?¡± ¡°Yes, but I have a curse.¡± ¡°Curse?¡± ¡°The curse that the previous Demon King placed on the Hero¡¯s successor in his desperate last struggle before his death. My strength is weakened each time people discover my good deeds. On the other hand, the more notoriety I gain, the stronger I¡¯ll become.¡± Kania responded to my words with a glum nod. I continued speaking, being optimistic that things might surprisingly be easy. ¡°So, I¡¯ve been brazenly doing bad things since I was a kid. Because only by doing so will I be able to defeat the Demon King.¡± ¡°Is... that so?¡± Upon hearing this, Kania gritted her teeth and asked a question. It seems like my impudent words have offended her. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I did a lot of detestable things to you as well.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°I have no intention of asking for forgiveness. After all, a single word of apology will never wash away the humiliation and pain you¡¯ve suffered until now.¡± ¡°......Yes.¡± Ignoring Kania¡¯s distorted expression, I heaved a sigh and concluded my story. ¡°Since you¡¯ve just discovered my good deeds, I¡¯ll be in a weakened state for the time being.¡± ¡°...For the time being?¡± ¡°Of course, there will be a permanent decrease in stats. But, don¡¯t worry. Even if my body has weakened, after a short rest, I¡¯ll regain enough strength to defeat the Demon King.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Well, the penalty doesn¡¯t apply to those who have already discovered my good deeds once... So, I¡¯ll stop harassing you from now on.¡± As I firmed my expression as much as possible and spoke without revealing any emotions, Kania also looked at me with an apathetic expression and said. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± And, for a moment, a heavy silence descended upon the dormitory room. ¡°...I have one question.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I saw you doing something to me at dawn.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± I remained silent when I heard that, as Kania gave me a frosty stare and asked. ¡°What was it you were doing?¡± ¡°...That was to help you recover with the Hero¡¯s power.¡± ¡°Recover?¡± ¡°Yes, aiding you in your recovery is a good deed, so I had no choice but to do it secretly. I apologize if I offended you.¡± ¡°...No.¡± ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll help you recover once every night. If we skip even one day, it will cause serious problems.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After Kania replied with a brief answer, we expressionlessly locked eyes with each other for a moment. ¡®...This should be enough.¡¯ Since I explained it this way, Kania probably won¡¯t try to attack or attempt to take my life. Of course, it won¡¯t solve her long-standing resentment, but in order to prevent her from wallowing in guilt, I had no choice but to explain it this way. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take my leave. Young Master.¡± ¡°All right then... Oh, I¡¯m going to visit the Duke¡¯s mansion next week. Make sure to prepare in advance.¡± ¡°Un-Understood...¡± Kania replied furiously and took her leave, as her expression finally crumbled down, seeing me being shameless until the end. Certainly, she would give me a look of disdain, since even if I was in her shoes I would have a contemptuous expression if you suddenly told me that all the people who tormented me all my life had a justified reason, and I need to understand their situation. But that¡¯s fine. Because I must be the only one hated. [Acquired False Evil Points: 10pts! (Mixed Feelings)] I suddenly recalled a question after momentarily staring at the system window that displayed the points I earned because of Kania, who discovered I¡¯m a false evil. ¡®...By the way, what date is it today?¡¯ As my vitality and lifespan are massively drained, I forced my creaking body up and glanced at the calendar, then breathed a sigh and muttered. ¡°It¡¯s class again from tomorrow.¡± Instead of recovering my body during the weekend that coincides with the Imperial Holiday, I received a debuff, and honestly it will be a pain to go to class tomorrow. With my current physical condition, it won¡¯t be surprising if I collapse within an hour of class. Besides, moving across the hallways might need Kania¡¯s assistance. However, it seems I have to get through this somehow since there is still a lot of work left to do. ¨C Creak... I mumbled as I pulled out the ?Stone of Domination? from the box I hid under the bed. ¡°...I think it¡¯s time to help Irina.¡± The raid on the commoners¡¯ dormitory is approaching. . . . . . ¡°Aren¡¯t you a little late?¡± ¡°...Sorry.¡± ¡°S-Sorry!¡± ¡°Lady Ferloche, I wasn¡¯t talking to you.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± After leaving Frey¡¯s dormitory, Kania headed to the cafe? in the back alley, where the Princess and the Saintess were waiting for her. ¡°So why the delay? You didn¡¯t make the first move, did you?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t. It was just a personal matter.¡± ¡°Personal matter... I¡¯m quite curious what Ms. Kania¡¯s personal circumstances are?¡± ¡°...I would also like to ask you one thing.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Wha-What!? No!! I¡¯m not his lover, it¡¯s absurd!¡± When Isolet was startled by her words, Kania lowered her voice and gently turned her gaze to the side. ¡°It¡¯s said that you need to be lovers or a married couple to enter the auction house together... If you¡¯re not a couple... Don¡¯t tell me you two already have a child together?¡± ¡°......!!!¡± Isolet froze at those words and tried to make excuses while sweating profusely... ¡°I-It¡¯s not like that...¡± ¡°Does the child resemble the Young Master, or does he resemble Professor Isolet? Personally, as the butler of the Starlight family, I prefer if he resembled the Young Master...¡± ¡°Heungh...!¡± As soon as Kania raised the level of her remarks, Isolet¡¯s chronic illness was triggered and she rushed out of the cafe in a hurry, with her face flushed red. ¡°¡±........¡±¡± The Princess and the Saintess absent-mindedly stared at Isolet¡¯s fading back, then soon turned their gaze to Kania, who shrugged her shoulders and replied. ¡°It appears that Professor Isolet has a special relationship with Frey. Earlier, she said she would give me private lessons. Therefore, from now on, I¡¯ll be in charge of her to dig up Frey¡¯s information.¡± Hearing those words, the Princess and the Saintess nodded reluctantly, and Kania stood up from her seat with a satisfied grin on her face. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± ¡°Are you leaving already?¡± ¡°Yes, I must get to work if I want to destroy Frey.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, then, farewell.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll leave as well...!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be coming along with me to the library.¡± ¡°...Eh? Bu-But...¡± ¡°Did you forget what I said earlier?¡± Leaving behind Ferloche, who looked as if she had lost the world, and Clana, who kept pushing her with a stern expression, Kania headed for the entrance, her expression having reverted to her usual apathetic self. . . . . . ¡®...From now on, Professor Isolet won¡¯t be able to approach those two personally. The same goes for Irina and Young Master¡¯s fiance?e.¡¯ As I walked out of the store and stared at Isolet¡¯s back, who was walking with long strides in the distance, my mind drifted off in thoughts. This morning, the Young Master lied to me. At first I panicked, but as I listened to his story, I understood why the Young Master lied. He lied to relieve my guilt. He is a hero who abandoned all the routes of comfortably defeating the Demon King at the cost of sacrificing others, and instead chose to walk the path of false evil. It¡¯s a harsh fate that in order to defeat the Demon King, he needs to earn ¡®points¡® by committing evil deeds. It¡¯s a strange life where there is no one by his side who understands him. If it was up to that point, I would have just pitied him and wanted to be of help, but my heart wouldn¡¯t have broken in this way. However, I continued to listen. The shocking truth that young Frey revealed in the subconscious world. When I asked him to tell me if any of Frey¡¯s actions were out of care for me, he revealed the tragic truth that followed the words ¡®He shared his own life force¡¯. ¡°Frey¡¯s mother... died fighting your parents, who were warlocks. Your parents coveted her mana, who had more radiant stellar mana than anyone else.¡± ¡°What...?¡± ¡°The idea was that by taking the most radiant of the stellar mana, then after corrupting... and injecting it into you as a child, they could create the most powerful artificial warlock in the world.¡± ¡°What... does that mean...?¡± ¡°However, the experiment failed. The warlock produced from the corruption of the stellar mana was more powerful than anyone else... but the curse of self-destruction, created by the imperfect fusion of stellar and dark mana, has drained your life force.¡± ¡°What does that mean!!¡± ¡°Later, when the sealed prophetic book awakened, Frey¡¯s father, who learned this fact, broke into the laboratory, but in the aftermath of the creation of that self-destructive curse, your parents died, and in the end Frey¡¯s father beheaded them with his sword and brought you and your sister along with him to the Starlight Duchy.¡± ¡°...That¡¯s impossible. I¡¯m sure at that time the Lord was in the street...¡± ¡°Frey, who then read the whole unsealed prophetic book, chose to magically manipulate his and your memories in case he would hate you, the daughter of the warlocks who killed his mother.¡± ¡°Memory... Manipulation...?¡± ¡°Respecting that choice, his father transcribed the original prophetic book in his own crooked handwriting on another piece of paper, and gave it to Frey, changing only the prophecy about you.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°...This is why Frey deeply cares for you. He made such a choice because he feared he would hate you.¡± After hearing that story and even realizing that I had cut his lifespan as a penalty, I couldn¡¯t help but throw up in disgust. Because I was unbearably disgusted at my own existence as a warlock who was given such a ¡®cursed¡¯ mana. I hated myself because I was ignorant enough to try kill him with that power, even though I continued to suck his life force to cure the curse caused by that same power that uses his mother¡¯s life as a medium. Even though the Young Master said it was enough for him alone to be hated, I¡¯m the one who should have been hated by him in the first place. So, I made up my mind. I would help him from the shadows. If he, whose life is soon going to end, has decided to push my help away and walk his own path alone. I vowed to respect that decision and secretly protect his back. Because I, who originally deserved to be hated by him, am not worthy to stand by his side. ¡°Of course, when that time comes, I will reveal the truth and I too will gladly be hated by the Young Master...¡± I muttered like that and quietly made my way to the dormitory. ¡°...And on the day when everything is over, I too will fade away along with him.¡± It¡¯s time to reinforce our strength in preparation for the upcoming raid on the commoner¡¯s dormitory. . . . . . ¡°...Lady Serena, what on earth is that?¡± ¡°Oh, this one?¡± Meanwhile, at that time, somewhere in the Western Continent. ¡°...It looks like a wriggling earthworm. Why on earth are you holding on to it the entire trip?¡± ¡°Well?¡± ¡°Besides, why did you change the travel route to the ruins of the former Hero Han-Byeol Raon Starlight 1000 years ago?¡± ¡°Would you like to guess?¡± ¡°Hmm... I know that every time Lady Serena visits the ruins, you carefully examine the letters that look similar to the ones you¡¯re holding right now... but the rest...¡± ¡°Oh, this means ¡®Hero¡¯.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Frey¡¯s fiance?e, Serena Lunar Moonlight, was unknowingly threatening Frey¡¯s life. Chapter 17.5: The Hero and the Main Heroines Discover new chapters at novelhall.com Frey Raon Starlight [Stats] Name: Frey Raon Starlight Strength: ??? Mana: ??? Intelligence: ??? Mental Strength: 9.3 Passive Status: Blessing of the Stars/Depleted Life Span Disposition: Hero 2. Kania [Stats] Name: Kania Strength: 3 Mana: ??? Intelligence: 7 Holy Power: 8 Intelligence: 2 Mental Strength: 8 Passive Status: Blessing of the Sun God Disposition: Saintess 5. Serena Lunar Moonlight [Stats] Name: Serena Lunar Moonlight Strength: ??? Mana: ??? Intelligence: ??? Mental Strength: ??? Passive Status: ??? Disposition: Genius Strategist (TL Note: These are some fan made illustrations for now, we will add the official illustraions in the chapters later, also unfortunately I couldn¡¯t find any fan art for Clana) Chapter 18: Starting The Quest ¡°Master, it¡¯s time for dinner.¡± ¡°...Hmm.¡± In the evening, Kania entered the room with my dinner. ¡°What¡¯s today¡¯s menu?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Young Master¡¯s favorite, sandwiches and coffee.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± If there is one thing that has improved since Kania discovered I¡¯m a false evil, it is that I can relish the meals she prepares for me without leaving any leftovers. Kania is an excellent chef. She has been an excellent chef since she was a kid, and she studied many different cuisines to suit my palate, which would make most chefs faint because of my pretense of being picky. ¡°...Could it be that it doesn¡¯t taste good?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°Really?¡± When I unconsciously praised her, I noticed that Kania had an awkward expression, as if such treatment was strange. ¡°...Kania, you always had a talent for cooking since you were little.¡± ¡°I had?¡± ¡°Yes, it was a shame whenever I was forced to leave food behind in order to commit evil.¡± ¡°...Isn¡¯t it because the food didn¡¯t taste good you would always leave the dishes unfinished?¡± Kania asked with an absurd look when I showered her with praises. Her look was so funny that I almost burst out laughing as I picked up the sandwich on the plate in front of me and said. ¡°You really don¡¯t know? If you had just tasted it yourself, you would have realized I was being unreasonable.¡± ¡°I did try it myself, but the Young Master kept saying it was tasteless, so I also thought that the food I cooked was bad.¡± ¡°Have you ever cooked for anyone else?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t very confident in my cooking, so I only cooked when the Young Master ordered me to do so.¡± ¡°I see...¡± I felt a pang in my heart when I thought of Kania, who must have continued cooking while in a depressed state. I tried to put on a cheerful expression on my face as I drank the coffee placed in front of me. ¡°...Hmmm.¡± ¡°Does it taste bitter?¡± ¡°You¡¯re skilled in brewing coffee as well, Kania.¡± ¡°Really?¡± When Kania asked with a look of disbelief, I responded with a bitter smile. ¡°All the harsh words I said to you were lies. Keep that in mind.¡± ¡°...Then, my sister¡¯s words about my food being delicious weren¡¯t just false comfort, but the truth instead.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± I finished the sandwiches, relieved that she had regained a bit of her self-esteem, but then I suddenly remembered the first day of my regression and cautiously opened my mouth. ¡°Oh, do you remember the day I threw your sandwich?¡± ¡°Yes...¡± ¡°I also lied back then. I¡¯m truly Sorr¡ª.¡± I felt bad for her, so I was about to apologize to her, but quickly stopped myself from doing so. Because, based on the scenario I explained to her, I don¡¯t even deserve her forgiveness. ¡°You¡¯re sorry?¡± As I kept my mouth shut, Kania asked with her brows furrowed. After staring at her in silence, I finally decided to abandon my presumptuous attitude I had initially resolved to adhere to and began to speak with my head bowed. ¡°As I promised you the other day, I won¡¯t ask for your forgiveness because of what I did to you.¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°Instead, I will do my best to treat you well from now on.¡± ¡°...Treat me well?¡± ¡°Yes, I still have no choice but to treat you harshly in front of other people... But when we¡¯re alone, I¡¯ll do whatever you want.¡± ¡°...Anything?¡± ¡°Yes, anything.¡± Hearing my sincere words, she observed me quietly as I stared back at her and carefully strung my words together. ¡°You can think of it as an atonement for what I did to you. Of course, if you feel unpleasant, you don¡¯t have to force yourself to accept my gesture because I¡¯m solely doing it for myself.¡± Having said that, I waited nervously for her response, as Kania opened her mouth with a deep frown. ¡°...Suit yourself.¡± ¡°I appreciate it, Kania.¡± As I noticed the fact that she replied with an unwilling expression on her face, it was clear she agreed reluctantly, but... even if it¡¯s like this, I still wanted to treat her nicely. Of course, I also wanted to treat the other ¡®Main Heroines¡¯ well, but the person who I tormented the most was Kania because she was the only one who was always by my side. Even when she took her own life, she probably didn¡¯t die voluntarily, rather it must have been so painful for her that she had no other choice but to commit suicide while hurling curses at me. So, I¡¯m glad she is willing to let me treat her well even in this way. ¡°By the way, Kania, why don¡¯t you eat?¡± As I was about to continue dining with a subtle smile, I suddenly realized that I had never seen Kania eat her meal. ¡°...I only prepared dinner for the Young Master.¡± ¡°Then, when do you eat?¡± So when I asked Kania what she usually eats, she answered as if it was obvious. ¡°Until now, I just ate whatever I could while preparing your meal.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°Since I¡¯m always making an effort to satisfy Young Master¡¯s tastes.. Before I knew it,that became a habit.¡± Hearing that, I got up from my seat and said. ¡°Let me cook for you.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°I can at least cook for you. I just need to cut the ingredients with a knife and sprinkle a bit of salt... Ugh!¡± But as I boldly tried to act upon those words, I felt a pain all over my body and I had no choice but to sit down again. ¡°...Are you all right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll recover soon.¡± ¡°But the recovery rate seems too slow for that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get better after some rest.¡± As I slumped down and struggled to put strength in my voice to utter a reply, I watched her in silence when she picked up her cat doll that was lying on my desk and asked in a cautious tone. ¡°Oh, Kania.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Can I get something like that black cat doll over there?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°...Because I actually like cats.¡± Then Kania gave me an intense glare. Well, it¡¯s understandable since I suddenly claimed to like cats who I labeled as bad luck a few days ago. ¡°Unfortunately, this cat doll was handmade by my sister, so there is only one of these in the world.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡± I said so, but when I couldn¡¯t hide my disappointment, Kania momentarily pondered and soon said. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯ll give this to you, Young Master.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to...¡± ¡°I can just ask my sister to just make me another one.¡± With that said, Kania handed me the cat doll with a deadpan expression. ¡°...Thank you.¡± I tried to refuse her offer, but after much consideration I accepted the cat doll because I was grateful to the doll since it raised my mental strength figure by 0.3. ¡°Huh? Why is there no sound?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Originally, this doll would make a cute sound when I pressed its belly...¡± ¡°......¡± Hearing my words, Kania suddenly frowned. As I tilted my head, wondering why, she grumbled in a low voice. ¡°...Why on earth would you touch its belly?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± t, ¡°I¡¯ll rub it gently without pressing too hard... Please let me touch it... Hmm?¡± ¡°...Meow.¡± Eventually, after being disgraced by the cat doll, I was able to regain the right to touch its belly again. I felt slightly defeated, but I don¡¯t mind being defeated time and time again by the cat doll who I¡¯m grateful to for my mental health. ¡°Meow...¡± ¡°Hehe... It¡¯s soft...¡± I stroked the cat doll¡¯s belly for a long time, and before I knew it, the pain stopped as my eyelids drooped, and I fell asleep while hugging the cat tightly with a bright smile on my face. That day, I had a pleasant dream of being surrounded by cats. . . . . . ¡°...Young Master, be careful.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± When I woke up in the morning, my mental state was considerably stable, as if playing with the cat was worthwhile since it healed my mind. However, my condition still wasn¡¯t good, and in the end I had no choice but to head to class supported by Kania. ¡°...Heungh.¡± But, something is strange. Kania keeps twitching and moaning every time I stumble or my hand rubs against her belly. ¡°Kania, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°The-There was an error in synchronization, so the sensitivity...¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Oh, no... it¡¯s because I have an upset stomach.¡± ¡°...Oh god.¡± After looking at her with pity for a moment, I moved away from her and opened my mouth. ¡°From here on, I will go alone.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t let you force yourself when you have an upset stomach.¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°I told you I would treat you well from now on. I¡¯m fine, so go ahead first.¡± ¡°........¡± As I said this, she suddenly bit her lip and began to glare at me. ¡°...What¡¯s wrong, Kania?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look fine at all.¡± Saying so, she pointed to my quivering legs as I struggled to stand still. ¡°...I can handle this much. After all, I¡¯m a Hero.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be fine because you¡¯re a Hero?¡± Then Kania retorted with her fists clenched. ¡°Have you always risked your life with such idiotic thoughts?¡± ¡°Shh, someone might hear you.¡± ¡°...I¡¯ll go on ahead first.¡± As she said so in a cold voice, she increased the pace of her strides and went on ahead. ¡®...I feel a little sad.¡¯ It seems I¡¯m doomed to be hated by Kania. It doesn¡¯t matter whether she finds out I¡¯m a false evil or not. However, I need to firm my heart. Because from now on I¡¯ll be facing the main quest, which is the most important key in order to overturn the scenario. ¡®...By the way, was there one skill that I haven¡¯t purchased yet?¡¯ I opened the skill store and carefully examined the last remaining skill, knowing that I need to be fully prepared in advance since I would be starting the main quest in earnest today. [Store / Elementary Skills Level 1] ¨C False Evil¡¯s Deception Lv1 (250 pts) Description: Permanently slightly increases the persuasiveness of lies. ¡®...This is absolutely necessary, right?¡¯ Even though my deception and acting skills are considerably great because of my experiences in the previous timeline, the permanent buff that increases the persuasiveness of lies can¡¯t be ignored. And since I will deal with the cunning Princess Clana and my fiance?e Serena, who is hailed as the greatest genius on the continent, this skill is a must buy. ¡°...Actually, I¡¯m a woman.¡± Having thus purchased ?False Evil¡¯s Deception? with enough points left to buy ?Elixir of Potential?, I lied to test the effectiveness of the skill. ¡°...I don¡¯t really notice anything different.¡± After tilting my head for a while, I came to the conclusion that it must be because it was just too outrageous of a lie to be particularly believable, as I tried to reach the classroom before it was too late... ¡°...Eh.¡± ¡°.....!¡± I soon discovered Saintess Ferloche standing in front of me with her mouth wide open as I exclaimed in panic. ¡°Wait, I¡¯m not going to the cathedral!¡± As I shouted urgently, the Saintess stuttered, and I wondered if the ?False Evil¡¯s intuition? would be triggered in vain today... However, for some reason, the system warning window didn¡¯t appear. What the hell is the meaning of this? ¡°Yo-You¡± ¡°.....?¡± ¡°¡ªare a woman?¡± ¡°.....What!?¡± I was puzzled when I heard Ferloche¡¯s dumb statement and was about to ask her what the hell she was talking about, but she turned around and ran away with a stupefied look on her face. I didn¡¯t even have the strength to yell at her to stop, let alone chase after her, as I muttered and slowly made my way to the classroom. ¡°...Did it work?¡± I don¡¯t know if the effect of the skill is good or if the Saintess is just an idiot. . . . . . ¡°Today, there is one announcement.¡± After entering the classroom, as I was sitting in my seat and moderately dealing with the aristocratic students, Isolet entered and made an announcement. ¡°Soon, there will be a performance evaluation.¡± As the students began to murmur at those words, Isolet pounded the blackboard to silence the kids and opened her mouth. ¡°Recently, the frequency of the appearance of unidentified monsters has soared throughout the Empire. Therefore, the Imperial Family has issued a decree to increase the importance of combat education at the academy.¡± As I listened to her, I swallowed my saliva, realizing that the Demon King had finally begun to exert power over the Empire in earnest. Meanwhile, Isolet glared fiercely at the students and continued her speech. ¡°So, the performance evaluation you will be taking part in this time around is a 1:1 spar between the students.¡± When she finished, there was pin drop silence in the classroom for a moment. ¡°Make sure that there is a mutual agreement between yourself and the partner for your spar. If you can¡¯t find a partner, I¡¯ll arbitrarily assign one.¡± Eventually, when she decided on the partner selection method, the student began whispering to each other, as I looked around while overhearing the conversation between Irina and her friend Arianne, who were sitting next to me. ¡°Irina, let¡¯s pair up for the spar. I¡¯ll use my strength in moderation...¡± ¡°Arianne, I told you I don¡¯t want your pity.¡± ¡°Then what if your grades suffer as a result? Then you¡¯ll be kicked out to the lower class, and even your scholarship will be revoked...¡± ¡°Well, I told you I don¡¯t need it, didn¡¯t I!?¡± ¡°Irina...¡± After the conversation ended, there was an awkward silence between Irina and Arianne for a while, as I quietly sat there pensively observing them. ¡®...How do I force Irina to become my sparring partner?¡¯ In order to start the main quest ¡®Raid on the Commoner¡¯s Dormitory¡¯ in earnest, I have to face Irina Philliard in the performance evaluation. The reason it is ¡®start¡¯ rather than ¡®clear¡¯ is because confronting her is the bare minimum condition for the quest to be completed. And in that spar, I need to lose to Irina, who has a strength stat of only 3 and couldn¡¯t even use basic magic well due to mana exhaustion. I must lose. That should be possible. After all, it¡¯s a dog shit game. Chapter 19: A Perfect Crime ¡°Young Master, would you like to be my sparring partner?¡± ¡°Oh, I think I¡¯d be more suited to be Young Master¡¯s sparring partner?¡± When Isolet class was over and it was time for break, the aristocratic students clung to me and asked me to be their sparring partner. So many flocked to me that if someone else witnessed the scene, they would¡¯ve thought that I¡¯m a true villain getting persecuted for my piled up Karma. Of course, it¡¯s true to a certain extent, but... that¡¯s not the reason now. ¡°...I will act to the best of my abilities and take responsibility for raising your score!¡± ¡°I have learned the art of socializing, and the act I will put on will even deceive the invigilator. Instead, Young Master Frey, please ¡®remember¡¯ my face.¡± In reality, these guys aren¡¯t trying to make an example out of me because they hate me, instead they¡¯re trying to curry favor. Over the past few days, when I was dealing with these aristocratic students gathered around me appropriately, they judged my actions as a sign that they had entered my fold and formed a faction on their own. And presumably they decided it would be suitable to carry out ¡®facilitate the grades¡¯ as the first mission of the Frey faction. In view of that, it seems that they also thought that my duel with Isolet last time, when I overpowered her, was also a magic fraud. Indeed, the reason they couldn¡¯t recklessly go after Isolet was because of her status and ¡®strength,¡¯ so it¡¯s only natural for them to believe that I had used that magic brooch to defeat her back then. Of course, I was only demonstrating my true skills back then. ¡°I appreciate the gesture, everyone, but I already have someone in mind I¡¯ve decided to pair up with...¡± ¡°Young Master Frey, if you don¡¯t mind, why don¡¯t you pair up with me?¡± Anyway, while I was turning down the students¡¯ proposals, suddenly one female student approached me with an alluring smile on her face. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I said? I told you I have already decided on my partner...¡± ¡°...I can be your sparring partner for the night.¡± ¡°.........¡± As I shut my mouth at her words, several female students approached me and winked at me. Apparently, these guys are trying to show their hospitality beyond just facilitating my grades. ¡®...Crazy Bitches.¡¯ Perhaps those girls did that because they heard rumors that I¡¯m a ruffian obsessed with women. Well, rumors about me are widespread throughout the Empire that it would be strange not to know about them. Of course, I didn¡¯t take any actions to suppress them since such notoriety will help me defeat the Demon King. However, sometimes when I hear such a ridiculous rumor, deep inside I want to scream my lungs out that it isn¡¯t true. As for what rumors are circulating around... There is a large assortment of sex slaves being kept in the cellar of the Duke Starlight¡¯s Mansion with minimal food provided. I¡¯ve been in relationship with each and every one of the daughters from noble families below the rank of Marquis, and so on. The reason why the Imperial family can¡¯t treat the Starlight family recklessly is because I have a secret relationship with the princesses, which would cause a continental scandal if a word ever leaks out. Because of these kinds of weird rumors circulating about me, I often found myself in situations where I get involved with women who flock to me because of these rumors. Of course, I have no desire whatsoever to form a relationship with these women who approach me simply because they see me as a way to forge their careers. ¡°How about it? If you wish, we can even do it right now or later tonight...¡± ¡°Later, let¡¯s do it later. I¡¯m not feeling well right now.¡± ¡°Oh my, you mean you¡¯re choosing me as your partner?¡± So when I expressed my firm rejection with a frown, most of the female students scampered away on their own. But the woman who was first to seduce me in the beginning clung to my arm and began to wag her tail. ¡°No... I didn¡¯t mean it that way...¡± ¡°Thank you so much for choosing me as your partner, Silver-haired Young Master.¡± ¡°...Silver-haired Young Master?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the nickname given to Young Master Frey by the female students at the academy after they saw your silver hair and stunning appearance. Oh, you didn¡¯t know, Young Master Frey?¡± ¡°........¡± I don¡¯t know what the hell this girl is talking about right now. The nicknames the academy students use when they talk about me behind my back are ¡®moron¡¯ and ¡®Shame of the Starlight Family¡¯. It¡¯s not a cool nickname such as ¡®Silver-haired Young Master,¡¯ which inspires a sense of awe the moment people hear it. ¡°Anyway, please take good care of me. My name is...¡± ¡°...I apologize, but the Young Master has a different partner in mind.¡± ¡°...Ha?¡± I tried to hold back my frustration and laugh it off, wondering how I could get out of this situation, when suddenly Kania interrupted our conversation. ¡°...Excuse me, but who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Kania, the butler of the Starlight Household and Young Master Frey¡¯s aide.¡± ¡°Ah... are you that orphan?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Kania responded with her teeth clenched, when the girl who had been trying to seduce me until now raised the corners of her mouth as if to mock her. ¡°...By the way, what did you mean when you said there is a different partner?¡± ¡°Young Master has already decided to spar with me.¡± ¡°Oh my, is that true? Young Master Frey?¡± When Kania replied coldly, the girl asked me with a surprised look on her face. ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°Hmm... I see so that¡¯s what you meant earlier..¡± When I replied firmly, she looked at us with a curious expression and soon opened her mouth. ¡°...The silver-haired Young Master and the black-haired commoner, that¡¯s quite an unexpected combination, if I do say so myself.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Will you accept my proposal if I dye my hair black?¡± ¡°...That¡¯s quite the hassle.¡± ¡°I apologize. I have a personality that once I make up my mind to achieve something, I will never give up.¡± Not succumbing to my cold tone, she grabbed the hem of her dress and greeted me with a slight bow. ¡°...Then, I¡¯ll dye my hair later and come to see you.¡± ¡°........¡± With those words, she began to head towards the entrance of the classroom. ¡°You, I¡¯ll remember your face.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± As I said so in a low voice, she gently turned and spoke with a beaming smile. ¡°It¡¯s such an honor. My name...¡± ¡°...I already know your name, Isabel.¡± ¡°Ummm... So this was all a test.¡± She responded with a look of understanding when I nonchalantly cut her off. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll see you soon.¡± ¡°...All right.¡± ¡°Oh, then I won¡¯t dye my hair after all. In fact, I absolutely loathe the color black.¡± Having said that, she momentarily glanced at Kania, then soon threw a few snide remarks before leaving the classroom. ¡°...because it¡¯s a filthy and vulgar color.¡± As soon as she left, a long silence passed between me and Kania, who remained in the classroom. ¡°Kania, what happened right now was my...¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize.¡± I hastily opened my mouth after confirming that there was no one around, but Kania cut me off with a cold expression. ¡°...I just did what I had to do.¡± ¡°But still... ugh.¡± ¡°...Young Master?¡± I was about to apologize to her, but I had to stop because of the intense pain I suddenly felt in my back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. I just got stressed over that woman, and my head has been hurting for a while. Maybe I should take some rest...¡± ¡°...I see, then I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°...I have something I need to take care of.¡± With those words, Kania walked out of her classroom without looking back. ¡°Ha...¡± After sitting there in a daze for a while, I shook my head helplessly and muttered. ¡°...Damn it.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I did some background research since you kept bothering me... And, I found out that your sister is currently working as a maid in our mansion...¡± ¡°.....!!!¡± There was a tremor in Arianne¡¯s eyes the moment she heard my words, and when I saw that, I raised the corners of my mouth and continued my words. ¡°So you know... soon, your sister¡¯s place of work will be moved to our mansion¡¯s cellar.¡± ¡°Tha-That means...¡± ¡°You know what that means, don¡¯t you? Your sister is beautiful... rest assured, I¡¯ll use her well.¡± ¡°Aaa...¡± When I finished speaking, Arianne slumped to the floor with a crestfallen expression, and at the same time Irina jumped out of her shield and grabbed me by the collar. ¡°Aa... this scum!! I¡¯d rather you bully me!! Rather embrace me!! Or rather beat me to death, you son of a bitch!!¡± ¡°...What a heartwarming friendship.¡± I raised my hand to restrain the nobles who were approaching me to get Irina away from me, and then I spoke in an apathetic tone. ¡°By the way, I don¡¯t like wild bitches like you... so why would I want to embrace you?¡± ¡°Fu-Fucking Bastard...!¡± ¡°Still... the courage to curse at the first son of the Duke is admirable. I like that.¡± I shoved Irina down, who was grabbing me by the collar, and opened my mouth while looking down at her as she fell with her butt on the ground. ¡°I have a proposal for you then.¡± ¡°...Proposal?¡± ¡°Yes, a generous offer to appreciate your bold courage, which I find special.¡± Hearing my words, Irina clenched her teeth while clutching the dirt on the ground, as I continued speaking while looking at her. ¡°In this upcoming performance evaluation, become my sparring partner.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have a bet on who will win or lose the duel.¡± Irina tilted her head with her brows furrowed at the word ¡®bet¡¯, as I made an offer she could never refuse ¡°If you win that duel... I¡¯ll hand over a portion of my mana to you.¡± When I finished speaking, all the surrounding nobles began to murmur amongst each other. Indeed, it¡¯s a natural reaction since ?Stellar Mana? is considered to be the highest level of mana that can¡¯t even be bought with money. ¡°Even a bitch with no magical talent might cause a miracle if she possesses the mana of the revered Starlight family. Of course, in order to do that, you¡¯ll have to defeat me first.¡± When I threw a sarcastic remark at Irina, her eyes widened, and she asked. ¡°What if I lose?¡± ¡°Leave the academy and then become my exclusive slave.¡± ¡°...Exclusive slave?¡± When she asked with a frown, I replied with a smirk. ¡°Now that I think about it, I think I might have a taste for slowly bringing girls like you who pretend to be strong down to your knees.¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s your answer? Are you going to do it or not? Decide quickly.¡± When I urged her to make a choice, Irina shuddered, then soon exclaimed loudly. ¡°I¡¯ll do it! I¡¯ll do it!!¡± ¡°...Fine. Then, let¡¯s take an oath of death.¡± ¡°...What!?¡± While Irina looked startled, I tapped the black brooch I had earlier picked up from my ornamental storage case during the break and was wearing it on my chest. ¡°Because lowlives like you don¡¯t know the value of promises... That¡¯s why I always have this prepared.¡± As soon as I was done speaking, the brooch was activated and dark mana flowed out, binding Irina. ¡°What the... Why are you looking at me like that for? You¡¯ve also secretly placed such an oath on your servants.¡± As the nobles in the vicinity stared blankly at me, I scoffed at them and soon turned my gaze to Irina and asked. ¡°I¡¯ll ask again, are you really going to bet?¡± ¡°...Ugh!¡± Irina, who was biting her lip so hard that even blood was leaking out, eventually answered in a quieter voice than before. ¡°Hey, Irina... Don¡¯t take that oath. I¡¯ll take care of your problem and I¡¯ll figure something out about my sister¡¯s case as well...¡± ¡°...I¡¯ll do it. Fuck, I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°No! No Irina!!¡± ¡°Great.¡± And at that moment, the dark mana penetrated into our hearts. ¡°...You moron, don¡¯t you realize that if you break your promise, you will die?¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°You seem to know very well, then... I¡¯ll see you on the day of performance evaluation.¡± Leaving those words behind, I slipped out of the crowd of nobles, and soon my footsteps momentarily halted as I turned my gaze to the nobles and spoke in a low voice. ¡°...From now on, don¡¯t touch that bitch. Soon she will become my exclusive slave and serve me as a woman... I don¡¯t want her to get hurt.¡± After hearing my words, the nobles silently nodded and began to quietly follow me towards the exit of the backyard. ¡°Wa-Waah... Irina... I¡¯m sorry... I-I-It¡¯s all because of me...¡± As I left the courtyard deeply immersed in my thoughts, leaving behind Arianne who hugged Irina while crying bitterly, and Irina, who was silently glaring my way as she caressed Arianne¡¯s back. ¡®...I have to accumulate as much mana as possible before the day of the duel.¡¯ It seems like I¡¯ll be busy for a while. . . . . . ¡°...Ms. Kania! Ms. Kania!!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Meanwhile, Kania, who was walking down a secluded hallway at that time of the day, tilted her head and asked what was going on when she saw Ferloche rushed to her. ¡°I¡¯ve uncovered top-class confidential information about Frey...!¡± ¡°...Top-class confidential information?¡± Then, with a serious expression, Ferloche whispered in Kania¡¯s ear that she had found Frey¡¯s top secret information, as she asked what the information was with a grave look. ¡°What the hell is this top-class confidential information you speak of?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised all right... Frey is... actually...actually¡ª!¡± ¡°...Actually?¡± ¡°¡ªa woman!!¡± ¡°.........¡± Eventually the Saintess exclaimed with a nervous expression, as Kania stared at her in a daze and soon replied with a relieved look. ¡°...I see.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess Ms Kania knew about it as well!!¡± Kania nodded quietly as she recalled her vow to never get involved with this creature after witnessing her stupid look with her head tilted until the end of the last meeting, despite Clana¡¯s five-hour long explanation that whales are mammals and not fishes. ¡°Yes... Frey was actually a woman all along! I guess we¡¯ve got one of his... no, her weaknesses!¡± So in the end, the Saintess, who eventually became convinced of the fact that Frey is a woman, clenched her fists and rejoiced at her own achievement. Soon after, she suddenly looked at Kania and asked. ¡°Um, by the way... do you know where the infirmary is?¡± ¡°...Why the infirmary?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s... I heard that earlier Isabel suddenly collapsed with a stomachache... I was wondering if there is anything I could do to help...¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I don¡¯t think you need to go.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°A cat that keeps wagging its tail unnecessarily... needs to be scolded so they keep their tails curled.¡± ¡°.....???¡± Ferloche tilted her head, not understanding what Kania was saying, while Kania added her words in a low voice. ¡°...and besides one cat is more than enough.¡± Having said that, Kania gently stroked Ferloche¡¯s head, who was still tilting her head, as the dark mana that remained in Kania¡¯s hand until then slowly got purified. Indeed, it was truly a perfect crime. Chapter 20: Right-Hand Man ¡°...Then, see you at the next meeting.¡± ¡°...Yes!¡± I bid farewell to the Saintess after stroking her hair for a while and confirming that there wasn¡¯t a single trace of dark mana remaining in my hand. The Saintess smiled brightly, then gave me a slight bow before heading towards the classroom. ¡®...As expected, Ferloche¡¯s risk factor is low. Besides her unpredictable nature, I can be rest assured.¡¯ Ferloche, who not only has a pure heart but also a pure mind, would waste her time on her own chasing after the wrong clue, even if I don¡¯t do anything. To begin with, the Church of Sun God should have have brainwashed her thoroughly by strictly teaching her about the dangers of warlocks, but seeing her act so friendly towards me... made me feel like she needs help to avoid danger. ¡®...In addition to that, I need to be wary of rest of the girls.¡¯ First and foremost, in the case of the Princess, her destructive ?Solar Mana? is indeed problematic... but her political influence is overwhelming as well. She has already begun to gather her own entourage behind the scenes, and she is expanding her sphere of influence in more daring and diverse ways compared to the previous timeline... In the near future, the power structure of the Imperial capital will change dramatically. So, when the Imperial Princess comes into power, she will soon launch an all-out attack on Young Master. If that happens, even if the Starlight family which has withstood the influence of the Sun God Church, the Moonlight family, and to a certain extent, the Imperial family, will soon reach their limits. ¡®Irina is currently mana exhausted, so she won¡¯t be a danger for now... but in the future she will be a problem.¡¯ The future Archmage Irina Philliard is currently in a mana exhausted state for some reason. Perhaps she failed to cast a complex curse on Young Master, and is suffering from side effects as a result of that... Thanks to it, she won¡¯t be a danger for now, but she will still be a serious threat in the future. ¡®Finally, Lady Serena. I... I don¡¯t know how to deal with her.¡¯ According to the facts I discovered in the subconscious space, the person who Young Master had the most trouble deceiving in his previous life was Lady Serena. Indeed, that person deserves to be hailed as the greatest genius of the continent since she for several years single-handedly prevented the withering Empire from falling apart in the ¡®previous timeline,¡¯ and personally led the wounded and worn-out soldiers to fight against the Demon King¡¯s army until the bitter end. So, when she returns from her trip, I need to cast a black magic spell to manipulate her mind. If I don¡¯t do that, the Young Master will be in danger. ¡°...Phew.¡± After I finished planning, I approached the window in the hallway and gazed outside. Just then, I saw the Young Master come out of the backyard with his followers. As I quietly watched the Young Master haggardly deal with his followers, who were constantly trying to suck up to him, my gaze soon drifted in deep thought. ¡®As expected... there are too many annoying flies buzzing around the Young Master.¡¯ Based on my experiences from the previous timeline, all the people around Young Master have different thoughts inside their minds. Half of the people around Young Master are opportunists who have no choice but to somehow make a connection with the Starlight family who wields tremendous power in the Empire. And the other half are aristocratic ladies who fell in love with the Young Master or coveted him after seeing his striking appearance. Although Young Master himself doesn¡¯t seem to be aware of it because of his tendency of self-loathing, but Young Master¡¯s status is actually quite remarkable amongst the young aristocratic ladies of the academy. Even if people call him trash and the worst ruffian of the Empire, there is a reason why women are drawn to him like moths to a flame. However, whenever a woman tries to get close to Young Master, he misunderstands that it¡¯s because she is coveting his status and authority. Perhaps that¡¯s how he must have reacted in the past as well. Since he is a man, who in order to save everyone else, intentionally commits evil deeds and is willing to be hated, it¡¯s hard for him to believe that there are people out there who see him in a favorable light. Still, you never know what¡¯s in their hearts. So, as the Young Master¡¯s butler and aide, I¡¯ll always have to be on guard. ¡°...?¡± With such thoughts in my head, I was about to move away from the window when I saw a familiar face in the distance at the entrance to the backyard. ¡°...Irina?¡± Irina was supporting her sobbing friend, while glaring at the Young Master with eyes that exuded killing intent. It seems that Young Master has committed another evil deed.Discover new chapters at novelhall.com ¡®...Master, you¡¯ve always been hated like that.¡¯ Earlier this morning, as I supported his frail body on the way to the classroom, I couldn¡¯t manage my facial expression well enough. Whenever the Young Master coughed, staggered or complained about the pain in his back... It was so hard for me to bear the guilt. ¡®...I¡¯m the one who should be hated.¡¯ The Young Master who forgave me once for possessing the cursed mana created at the expense of his mother¡¯s life has now forgiven me once again for gnawing away at his life force and life span. Besides, he even took care of me so that I won¡¯t suffer from guilt and lied to make himself a bad person, all for my sake... Every time he looks at me, his eyes are filled with guilt and regret. Every time that happens it becomes really difficult to manage my expression. As Young Master¡¯s aide, I resolved myself to silently follow his back as he walks on the solitary path he has chosen for himself... However, sometimes I feel the urge to tell him the truth right away. I already know everything about you. I¡¯m the one who should be hated But if I say that, I no longer would have the confidence to stand next to him. Therefore, even if it¡¯s cowardly, I will still continue to serve Young Master as his aide and watch over his back treading two steps behind. ¡®...But only in the final hour, I will stand by his side.¡¯ After making such a vow, I set aside the guilt I felt about Young Master, and began to contemplate about the new concern that suddenly came to my mind. When I fell asleep after receiving life force from the Young Master last night, I possessed the cat doll once again. Honestly, it¡¯s not because I wanted to... but because I forgot to disperse the channel I initially set up as a medium. Anyway, while I was quietly watching the Young Master after possessing the doll.. in the middle of the night he suddenly woke up groaning in pain. Young Master, who was checking the alarm clock with fuzzy eyes, sighed and lifted the doll I was possessing. My first thought was to dodge his approaching hand... but I couldn¡¯t do so after glancing at his desperate expression. As such, for a while the Young Master complained while holding me in his arms as he kept pressing my belly, and I who had vowed to not make cat noises just for today, had no choice but to meow when master aggressively began to press my belly. I had to do this because the Young Master was almost in tears. But the next thing I knew, You Master began to press my belly repeatedly... this caused a big problem. ¡°...heungh.¡± Just like right now, my stomach became so sensitive that I would respond to even the slightest breeze or contact. Perhaps when Young Master pressed my belly while I was inhabiting the cat doll, some stellar mana was infused just like how a slight amount of stellar mana would blend in with the life force, when he would place his hand on my belly and transfer his life force at night... Now, no matter what I do, this condition just doesn¡¯t get any better Thanks to this, when Young Master gently touched my belly throughout the night, or when I was supporting him, his clothes grazed my belly. I felt a bit... sensitive... ¡®If I don¡¯t pretend to be a cat, the Young Master will be disappointed...¡¯ As a butler and an aide, relieving Young Master¡¯s stress is one of the key virtues. If I can make him feel better by pretending to be a cat... I can pretend to be a cat a hundred or even a thousand times. But if my current abdominal condition continues, it will be quite difficult. Besides, the sensitivity seems to be worsening. Until before, I could somehow endure by gritting my teeth... Now, just a mild breeze grazing me is enough to make me lose strength in my legs. ¡®...I need to consult with Young Master about this later tonight.¡¯ After organizing my thoughts like that, I walked with longer strides and headed for the training hall. Now is also the time to train my strength in preparation for the upcoming event. . . . . . ¡°...Frey Raon Starlight, and Irina Philliard. Is it true that you two mutually agreed to be each other¡¯s sparring partner?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°...Frey.¡± ¡°What is it again?¡± However, just as I was about to head out of the staff room, Isolet suddenly called me in a low voice. As I slowly turned to face her, wondering what else she was going to say, I found Isolet looking at me with a serious expression on her face. ¡°...A sword¡¯s purpose isn¡¯t to slay people, it¡¯s meant to protect them.¡± Eventually, she caressed the sword beside her and spoke words that were quite familiar to me. I stopped for a moment and let those words sink in, as they are the ideals I wield my sword for. But a moment later I retorted. ¡°So what?¡± ¡°... Don¡¯t treat her too harshly in the upcoming duel.¡± ¡°Well, you don¡¯t need to worry. It¡¯s a duel between two losers anyway.¡± After giving her a vague answer with a smirk, I walked out of the staff room and muttered inwardly. ¡®...Sister still remembers those words.¡¯ Feeling somewhat better, I walked down the hallway humming to myself, but when I recalled what I had done to Irina, I began to feel depressed again as I trudged back to the classroom Maybe I should go for a drink today. . . . . . ¡°Hmm...¡± Meanwhile, Isolet, who had been carefully examining Frey¡¯s expression, muttered while sitting in the staff room with her hand on her chin. ¡°...Was it an illusion after all?¡± Frey¡¯s life was being threatened in more ways than he had expected. . . . . . ¡°Ugh, my head...¡± I was feeling restless, so after class and a few drinks with some aristocratic students, I returned to the deserted dormitory and threw myself on my bed. ¡°...Did I drink too much?¡± In my previous life, I used to drink a lot to relieve my stress of committing evil deeds, and since I felt a bit depressed today, I decided to drown my sorrow in liquor like old times. Thanks to this, my body feels exhausted on top of being severely wounded and my vitality and lifespan being massively reduced. However, because of my high mental strength, I can¡¯t help but feel a little better whenever I drink to my heart¡¯s content. I¡¯m known to the world as a lightweight who gets drunk after drinking half a bottle. ¡°... Let¡¯s check out the newly acquired skills, shall we?¡± Grabbing my throbbing, aching head, I opened the newly unlocked skill store window, and a large window appeared in front of me [Store / Elementary Skills Level 2] ¨C Life Force Recovery (1000pts) Description: Permanently slightly increases the life force recovery rate. (Total amount does not increase) ¨C False Evil¡¯s Deception Lv2 (700pts) Description: Permanently slightly increases the persuasiveness of lies. ¨C Inspect Lv3 (1000pts) Description: The Inspect skill numerically displays the degree of how good or evil a person actually is. (-100~100) ¡°...I definitely need to buy the first skill.¡± Since I¡¯m already in such a state after only getting penalized once, I think I need to buy the first skill as soon as possible. Of course, it won¡¯t increase my life force or lifespan that has already been depleted... but it will still be quite helpful to have my life force recover faster, since when I infuse life force into Kania at night, my body remains languid for the rest of the day. ¡®...The rest of the skills would be nice to have as well.¡¯ After giving the second and third skill a brief glance and rating them as useful in my heart, I tried to close my eyes to get some rest before Kania arrived... Notice [There is an important change!] ¡°...Huh?¡± As soon as a notification window popped up, I stretched out my hand with a bewildered expression. Main Quest: Hidden Route! Achievement Method: In the ?Performance Evaluation? scenario, make a bet with Irina and force her to take the ¡®Oath of Death¡¯ while maintaining lower favorability with her. Quest Content: Win the duel against Irina! ¡°...Oh, this.¡± And as I was reading the contents displayed in the prompt, I soon lost interest and swiped it away without even glancing at the reward. My ancestor, who already mastered the game, mentioned this particular hidden quest in the prophetic book. And according to the prophetic book, this hidden quest shouldn¡¯t be accepted. The rewards are great, but if I accept this quest, the probability of Irina discovering my true nature as False Evil will skyrocket. It¡¯s a hundred times better to be a mana supplier than blowing my cover. Because if I get penalized once more, I really don¡¯t know what will happen. ¨C Thud Thinking like that... I was about to close my eyes this time, but the dormitory door was slammed open. It seems like Kania has returned. ¡®...Ha, it can¡¯t help it.¡¯ Since now that I have skill to increase my life force recovery rate, I was about to rest for a while until my body recovers... but seeing Kania return; I was about to get up from the bed to share my life force. ¡°Y-Young Master...¡± ¡°.. .Kania?¡± For some reason, I found Kania holding her belly and gasping for breath as I hastily rushed to her side. ¡°...Kania what¡¯s wrong all of a sudden?¡± ¡°M-My stomach... the stellar mana... the side effects...¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Ha...! Don¡¯t touch me...!¡± Since she complained about serious abdominal pain, I put my hand on her stomach, but Kania fiercely shoved it away. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry... But... I can¡¯t stand it any longer... I-If you don¡¯t do anything... my stomach... Ugh...!¡± ¡°...Kania? Kania!!¡± After struggling to continue her words in a trembling voice, she soon grabbed me and shivered. ¡°No more... it¡¯s unbearable... I know it¡¯s a shameless request, but... please help me before it¡¯s too late...¡± ¡°...Ha.¡± As I silently watched Kania, who began to look at me with tear-filled eyes, I eventually heaved a sigh and carried her to bed I¡¯m afraid tonight might be a little long. Chapter 21: Healing ¡°Haa... Haa...¡± ¡°.........¡± Kania is lying on the bed, gasping for breath. I sat down gently next to her on the bed and asked. ¡°... How long have you been like this?¡± ¡°Si-Since this morning... my belly has become more sensitive... and in the end...¡± ¡°I see. So, that must have been the reason all along.¡± ¡°What...¡± My heart aches when I look at her suffering. Perhaps the reason she is in this much pain is because some amount of stellar mana might have blended in when I was infusing my life force into her. Originally, I made fine adjustments to prevent the fatal stellar mana from fusing with the dark mana... but I guess I made a mistake because I was in a terrible state at that time. In the end, I harmed Kania once again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kania.¡± ¡°...Eh?¡± ¡°...I think it¡¯s probably my fault.¡± I can finally treat Kania well, but instead of treating her well, I¡¯m making her suffer... I really have no excuses. It seems I¡¯m fated to do evil deeds one way or other... ¡°Young Master.¡± ¡°Kania?¡± I lowered my head and blamed myself a moment longer, before Kania, who had been trembling until then, lightly grabbed my hand and opened her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s... not...Young... Master¡¯s... fault... ugh...!¡± She struggled to utter some words as she gazed at me with tearful eyes, then soon closed her eyes as she began to shiver again. ¡®...Yes, this isn¡¯t the time for this.¡¯ This isn¡¯t the time to wallow in guilt. Right now, my priority is to treat Kania, who is suffering from abdominal pain because of me. Apologies can wait until the treatment is over. ¡°...Kania, I¡¯m going to lift your top a little.¡± As I spoke calmly after concentrating my senses, Kania nodded her head powerlessly. I glanced at her, then began to slowly lift her butler¡¯s uniform. ¡°Eungh...!¡± Then Kania let out a faint moan. It seems she feels tremendous pain just from having her clothes graze her stomach. I therefore stopped lifting her uniform for a moment, then I began to ponder when I suddenly felt a sense of de?ja? vu from the moan that Kania just uttered. ¡®...Don¡¯t tell me this was the faint moan I heard back then?¡¯ At dawn, while I was playing with the cat doll, I heard a woman¡¯s moan in the room. I thought I heard a ghost, or it was just a hallucination because I wasn¡¯t feeling too well at the time, but now that I think about it, Kania¡¯s moan sounded quite similar. ¡®In truth, she must have been ill since the moment she received my life force...¡¯ Even though Kania must have been in a lot of pain, I can see her struggling to hold back her moans and trying to fall asleep. It seems that she lied to me in fear that I would feel guilty if she said she had been ill all night. After all, I truly don¡¯t deserve an aide like Kania. ¡°Kania...¡± ¡°Yes... Master...¡± ¡°...Can you bear with me for a moment?¡± I pushed my piling guilt to a corner of my mind and whispered to Kania as I lifted her top and fully revealed her belly. ¡°What? What do you... Ha...!!¡± And the next very moment, I poked Kania¡¯s belly with my finger. ¡°Heuuungh...Haa..¡± Thanks to this, Kania, who was about to ask me what I meant, was forced to close her eyes due to the excruciating pain that surged over her as I gently held her when she was convulsing while clutching my arm. ¡°...I apologize.¡± ¡°Ughhh...Ugh...¡± When I apologized in a muffled voice, Kania, who had been writhing in pain for a long time, wiped the tears from her eyes and said. ¡°Please don¡¯t...... apologize... rather, I¡¯m the one who... hiik...!¡± ¡°...Well then, I¡¯ll start in earnest.¡± ¡°Arghhh...¡± I couldn¡¯t see her suffering any longer, so I placed my left hand on her belly where the mana was distributed to some extent, then poked her with my finger, as I cradled her wrist in my right hand and stabilized her mana. ¡®...This might be a bit tricky.¡¯ As I stabilized Kania¡¯s mana while listening to her groans, I frowned when I sensed that my stellar mana and her dark mana had already started to fuse deep inside her womb. A fusion that deep could cause permanent side effects or even become a ticking bomb. Of course, it¡¯s too early to be certain that such a thing will happen as I have already stabilized a significant amount of stellar mana... That said, if the fusion is completed while I¡¯m standing still, it can¡¯t be reversed. ¡®...I can¡¯t let that happen. I¡¯ve no choice but to absorb this completely.¡¯ Now that it has come to this, it seems that I must absorb the stellar mana along with the dark mana deep inside Kania¡¯s womb. Of course, it would be perfect if only the stellar mana could be absorbed, but then the dark mana that had already been fused with my stellar mana could go berserk. However, if I absorb the two fused manas at the same time, there wouldn¡¯t be any problem. Needless to say, it might be too much for my body, but I¡¯m destined to perish alongside the Demon King anyway. ¡®...And, since I gave her my word that I would treat her well.¡¯ With that in mind, I took a deep breath and began to press her belly. ¡°...Heup!¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Then Kania groaned and tilted her head. It seems that she also noticed that her mana was draining, since it was the dark mana that always existed deep within her. ¡°...Ugh.¡± ¡°Y-Young Master...?¡± As I continued to exert strength, my stellar mana and her dark mana, in a half blended state deep inside her womb, were slowly getting sucked into my hand. Seeing this phenomenon, Kania opened her eyes wide and spoke in an urgent tone. ¡°Young Master, the stellar and the dark manas are conflicting in nature! If you forcefully absorb them...¡± ¡°...I¡¯m sorry, but this is the only way.¡± So when Kania blankly stared at me, speechless for a moment, the dark mana slowly crept up my arm. ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°...What are you doing now?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not a big deal. It¡¯ll be over in a moment.¡± ¡°...Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re absorbing the dark mana right now?¡± And when I heard those words, I realized. ¡®You¡¯re... valiant, warm, benevolent and virtuous, Young Master.¡¯ All of my assumptions were indeed correct. ¡°...Young Master, let¡¯s take a day off for today.¡± ¡°No. I must never skip it. If I do so... your dark mana might go out of control. I don¡¯t know what will happen then.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± To be considerate of Young Master, I requested him to take a rest for tonight, but he shook his head in denial with a resolute expression on his face. I¡¯m afraid he still remembers the incident when I went through mana outburst in the previous timeline. Of course, it was agonizing back then... ¡®...But that¡¯s nothing compared to the pain Young Master must have been through.¡¯ ¡°Um, Kania. Could... you please listen to me without getting angry?¡± At that moment, when the guilt was again surging over me, the Young Master looked at me and stuttered. ¡°...Yes?¡± I was puzzled as to why he was looking at me, but then he blushed and spoke in a muffled voice. ¡°That... because of the treatment I just did, the condition of your belly is still delicate... I think I should refrain from putting my hands on your belly while treating you?¡± ¡°Yes, I agree.¡± ¡°So, I have to put my hand on another part of your body... that part...¡± ¡°...that part?¡± ¡°...is your heart, the most embarrassing place.¡± ¡°...ah.¡± Having said that, Young Master lowered his face with a guilt-ridden expression and muttered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m well aware you loathe such contacts, yet...¡± ¡°........¡± Meanwhile, I kept staring at Young Master... ¡°Or should I just infuse it through your hand? It¡¯s a bit tricky, but if you¡¯re uncomfortable, I can handle it...¡± ¡°...Is this fine?¡± ¡°........!!!¡± I carefully placed Young Master¡¯s hand which I had been holding until then on my bosom. ¡°Kania...!¡± ¡°...Please begin, Young Master.¡± Of course, if my clothes were in the way, it would hinder Young Master¡¯s transfusion of life force, so I slightly lifted my top to expose my bare skin. ¡°Then... let¡¯s begin...¡± After momentarily hesitating, Young Master soon began to infuse life force into me. ¡®...It feels so warm.¡¯ Was it because I got too used to receiving life force through my belly every day, or was it the barrier of the clothes that I couldn¡¯t feel it well? The area around my chest, where the Young Master¡¯s hand was placed, began to heat up ¡®I never knew that receiving life force was such a warm and cozy experience...¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s me who feels comfortable while receiving life force... but the Young Master...¡¯ Even now, Young Master is sacrificing himself for me. After all, he is a selfless and noble man. As I was carefully observing Young Master¡¯s complexion, I prepared myself to take his hands off the moment he showed any signs of struggle, but I suddenly began to feel an abnormal phenomenon in my chest region. ¡®...Why do I feel a rising heat in my chest?¡¯ Obviously, it was just warm a moment ago, but before I knew it, my chest region where Young Master placed his hand began to heat up. Panicked, I quickly stretched out the fingers of my palm that was holding the back of Young Master¡¯s hand and touched my chest, but I didn¡¯t feel any heat at all. ¡®...What? Is there something wrong with the life force transmission process?¡¯ Just as I was wondering if I had to let go of Young Master¡¯s hand with a worried expression on my face, I began to hear a periodic thump coming from somewhere. ¨C Thump, Thump, Thump I quickly lowered my head, contemplating its meaning. ¡°...Eungh.¡± ¡°Kania? What¡¯s wrong!? Maybe it¡¯s the stellar mana again...¡± ¡°N-No. That¡¯s not it...¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°...It¡¯s nothing.¡± As I desperately avoided Young Master¡¯s concerned eyes with my head down, I muttered inwardly while listening to the clear sound of my heartbeat that was piercing my ears. ¡®...After all, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m worthy to be Young Master¡¯s aide.¡¯ With such thoughts, my face seemed to have turned beet red. . . . . . ¡°Hum Umm Hum ~ ? Hum Umm Hum ~ ?¡± While Kania was blushing with her head down, Ferloche was humming while writing something eagerly. ¡°So... if you don¡¯t want your secret to be revealed... as soon as the academy ends today... come to the Cathedral of the Sun God... Ferloche Astellade.¡± Ferloche, who had been writing diligently, even reading the contents of the letter aloud, put down her pen with a satisfied look and muttered. ¡°Fufu... Great. In that case, no matter what, wouldn¡¯t Frey... come to the cathedral with eyes that blazed in anger...?¡± Having said that, Ferloche nodded to herself and picked up the envelope, then suddenly she opened her eyes wide and exclaimed. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right! This is a blackmail letter!¡± Ferloche, recognizing the fact that she had written her name proudly on an anonymous blackmail letter, briefly opened her eyes wide, then quickly picked up the pen again with a contented smile on her face. ¡°...Done!¡± Eventually, Ferloche, who had drawn a large ¡®X¡¯ on top of her name, smiled, then placed the letter inside the envelope and mumbled. ¡°Frey... till the day I ruin you... you shall live as my puppet... Heuaam... I¡¯m sleepy...¡± Having her head overheated from eagerly writing the letter, Ferloche yawned aloud in the middle of her monologue, and then dragged her haggard body off to the bed. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to tomorrow... Phew...¡± Lying on the bed, Ferloche immediately fell asleep after muttering with a delighted smile, as she imagined her enormous success that would unfold tomorrow. It was Ferloche who, until the very end, remained completely clueless about the error in the letter folded inside the envelope. Chapter 22: Caught...? ¡°...Young Master, you¡¯re awake?¡± The next after a rather long night, I woke up to find Kania waiting in front of me in a suit. ¡°mhmm.¡± ¡°Then shall I prepare your breakfast?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t have much of an appetite today.¡± Eventually, I refused in case Kania would have trouble preparing breakfast, but she frowned and said. ¡°...Young Master, you shouldn¡¯t skip your meals.¡± ¡°Is that so...?¡± ¡°Yes, especially breakfast is essential for a balanced meal.¡± ¡°...Then, please prepare something light.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± I succumbed to her stern gaze, so in the end I asked for a light meal. Soon I got immersed in my thoughts as I watched Kania leave the room. ¡®...For some reason, Kania¡¯s attitude towards me seems to have softened.¡¯ I¡¯m not sure, but maybe Kania doesn¡¯t despise me as much as I thought. Of course, she still has her memories of the previous timeline, and I wonder if it¡¯s actually possible... but it might be because of her kind heart. Originally, the hearts of the warlocks gradually become more evil because of the dark mana they possess. Kania, however, has such a kind heart that doesn¡¯t erode, even though she has the talent to grow into a warlock who can shroud the world in darkness. Of course, there are other reasons besides having a kind heart. That reason is... ¡°...Ugh.¡± Suddenly, my head throbbed in pain. I guess it¡¯s because I pushed myself quite hard yesterday. I held my head for a while, then for some reason I couldn¡¯t recall what I was thinking about, so I was momentarily puzzled, but when I heard the sound of the door opening, I quietly got up. ¡°Kania, are you here already?¡± ¡°...Yes, I¡¯ll leave the breakfast here.¡± Kania, who opened the door and entered, put down the buttered rye bread and coffee, then walked out of the dormitory room again. ¡°...Then, I hope you enjoy your meal.¡± After saying those words, Kania disappeared, and I silently muttered while chewing the rye bread. ¡°...It¡¯s strange.¡± Something is strange Buttered rye bread was one of my favorite foods when I was a kid. That was even before Kania joined as our butler. But ever since I grew up, I never asked for it to be prepared... How did Kania know about this and prepare it for me? ¡®...Is it just a coincidence?¡¯ For a moment, I tried to put it off as a coincidence, but there are a lot of oddities to write it off as such. The attitude she showed me last night, her more frequent outings these days, and today¡¯s rye bread with butter... It seems I have to investigate what Kania is up to these days. ¡°...Um, Young Master Frey?¡± Engrossed in such thoughts, the moment I left the dormitory, the dormitory manager approached me from afar, and bowed his head. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I apologize, but... it¡¯s just that... we received dozens of complaints last night, so...¡± ¡°Complaints?¡± ¡°Yes, so... uh... please exercise a little restraint while making love with your servant in the middle of the night...¡± ¡°.........¡± It appears that I will have to cast a soundproofing magic on the dormitory in the near future. . . . . . ¡°...Heup!¡± ¡°I-Irina! Don¡¯t overdo it!¡± I sneaked into the training hall and was spying on Irina¡¯s training. The reason why I¡¯m doing this is because I need to plan how to lose to her in the upcoming performance evaluation duel. If she is still in a state where it¡¯s difficult to even use basic magic, I¡¯ll have to do something stupid, such as tripping while charging at her, or accidentally stabbing myself while swinging a sword. However, if she is in a state where she can at least use basic magic, she can defeat me in the duel if I act moderately. In this world, I have been jeered at as a third-rate chef who cooks street food with first-grade ingredients, a fool, who despite possessing the stellar mana is unable to use it. In other words, even if I lose to basic magic, I might be mocked for a while, but it won¡¯t be a big issue. ¡°...Ha!¡± ¡°Irina...!¡± While I was immersed in my thoughts, five fireballs appeared over Irina¡¯s head. Looking at them, I stopped wondering about how I should lose to her for a moment, and observed the fireballs burning above her head with a rather impressed look and muttered inwardly. ¡®...Even if she is mana exhausted, she¡¯s still the future Archmage, isn¡¯t she?¡¯ Fireball is not only the highest level basic attack magic spell but also the most commonly used combat magic spell. In actual battles and wars, the ?Fireball? spell, which is more practical and faster to chant than advanced magic spells such as ?Meteor? and ?Earth Quake?, is used more often and easily causes more fatalities. Furthermore, if she can add and enhance various attributes along with summoning five fireballs, which are the basics of combat magic in a mana exhausted state... Perhaps Irina might even defeat a few foolish nobles. ¡®...But the key is accuracy and power.¡¯ Of course, summoning five fireballs, which are said to be the basis of combat magic in a mana exhausted state, is quite commendable, but the reality isn¡¯t that easy. This is because the fireball magic spell is not about summoning alone. It takes a great deal of concentration and mana just so it could hit the target, not to mention precise control is also essential in order to detonate it once it hits the target. Her inability to defend herself when she was constantly being harassed by the nobles is also likely to have caused problems in the process of controlling her magic. In other words, it¡¯s an arduous task for Irina in her mana exhausted state. ¡°Hey, Irina! Aren¡¯t you overdoing it? After all, about three...¡± ¡°That... fucking bastard... if I want to land a shot... I¡¯ll have to do at least this much...¡± While I was immersed in my thoughts, I began staring at Irina with trembling eyes, as she glared at the target while swearing at me... The next moment, one of the fireballs that was floating above her head flew towards the target. ¡°...Ugh!¡± The fireball hit the exact center of the target, and the moment I smiled quietly at the thought that in this way I would easily lose to Irina and give her my mana... ¡°Argh...¡± ¨C Whoosh... Suddenly, Irina staggered and lowered her outstretched arms, and then the floating fireballs, which had been burning fiercely, disappeared into thin air in the blink of an eye. ¡°Irina... See. Isn¡¯t five too much?¡± . . ¡°...It¡¯s packed today as well.¡± When I arrived at the classroom, I found various gifts in my drawers and on my desk. Seeing such a scene, I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. One might wonder isn¡¯t it nice to receive gifts, but these aren¡¯t just gifts, but bribes accompanied by long letters. And of course, the content of the letter is nothing but a clear indication that they want to have a good relationship with the Starlight family or want to become my lover. ¡°...Today is a free-day, so shall we take a look at the overdue bribe?¡± However, bribes should always be taken regularly. Because the letters will come in handy as evidence when I reform the Empire later, and the bribes will fund my evil deeds. Recently, I have some funds in my hand, thanks to the money in the borrowed-name account left to me by my esteemed father, but... one is always in need of more money. Of course, I won¡¯t spend it on personal expenses, rather I will mostly use it for relief and charity once everything is over. There is no better place to spend black money than that. ¡°...Hmm?¡± Anyway, I chanced upon a rather strange piece of paper in my drawer while I was pocketing all the overdue bribes during my once a week free-day, where I could choose to attend the classes or take a break as I wish. ¡®...What¡¯s this?¡¯ When I tilted my head and closely examined the scrap of paper, I discovered something wrapped around it with letters written in an illegible form. ¡°...Envelope?¡± I wondered if there was a diamond or chocolate inside, and once I opened the envelope, a letter slipped out. I tilted my head for a moment and eventually when I discovered the words written at the top if the letter folded inside the envelope; I froze for a long time. Blackmail Letter Seeing the rather incomprehensible words, which were still written with the utmost pressure to produce thickness and sharpness so as to convey the will of the writer, I began to read the contents of the letter with a serious expression. I know who you are, Frey Raon Starlight. And after reading the first line, I closed my eyes for a moment and muttered inwardly. ¡®...Don¡¯t tell me, the Saintess found out about me?¡¯ In the Sunrise Academy, where even the students of the lowest class C are skilled, the only person who would use such an unconventional semantic is the Saintess. But how could the Saintess be able to recognize my true identity? The Saintess, despite having regressed once, has only an intelligence value of ¡®2¡¯ as seen through the ?Inspect? skill. And frankly, if it wasn¡¯t for having the knowledge of the previous timeline, it would have appeared as ¡®1¡¯ unconditionally. Even though the Saintess was hailed as the ¡®Pure White Saintess¡¯ who appeared for the first time in a thousand years and boasted the highest status in the Church, she was still deprived of her authority in the end. No wonder there are so many jokes spread among the people that the Sun God while giving the Saintess power accidentally touched her head and turned her into an imbecile, or that she is actually a mastermind and even more of a genius than my fiance?e, Serena, and everything is just a part of her grand plan. It¡¯s unbelievable that such a Saintess discovered my identity. But then, what is the meaning of this letter that no one can imitate? Could it be that the Sun God, whom I couldn¡¯t see, secretly whispered something in her ears? ¡®...It¡¯s all right. The penalty window hasn¡¯t appeared yet. First, let¡¯s continue reading... no, let¡¯s try to decipher it.¡¯ After panicking for a moment, I continued reading the letter, remembering that the penalty window hasn¡¯t appeared yet, and still holding onto the hope that the Saintess only suspects I¡¯m a False Evil. If you don¡¯t follow my instructions, I¡¯m going to [captive/expose] (<- Which of these is correct?) your secret to the academy students. ¡°...Ha.¡± After examining the paper for a while and finally interpreting its contents, I read the last sentence, then quietly put the letter in my pocket and grumbled as I walked out of the classroom. So, if you don¡¯t want your secret to be revealed, come to the cathedral of the Sun God as soon as the academy ends today. [Per????X???? Astellade] ¡°...This is really driving me crazy.¡± . . . . . When I hurriedly got on a passing by carriage and arrived at the cathedral of the Sun God, Ferloche welcomed me with a bright smile ¡°...Welcome, Sir Frey.¡± ¡°........¡± The subtle light emanating from above illuminated the seated Saintess, creating a halo. ¡°What the hell is that letter...¡± ¡°...Silence.¡± I tried to ask her about the letter, but she cut me off with an icy voice. ¡°...I already know who you are, Sir Frey.¡± Eventually, when she spoke in a cold tone, I had no choice but to revise her assessment in my mind. ¡®...The theory that the Saintess has been the mastermind all along, isn¡¯t that a joke?¡¯ The chilled and confident expression isn¡¯t something that comes from a person who is acting upon mere suspicions. Indeed, it seems Ferloche Astellade knows something about me. And maybe that¡¯s... ¡®...Wait, then why doesn¡¯t the penalty window appear?¡¯ For some reason, the penalty window didn¡¯t appear. To be honest, I came here prepared with various response scenarios, believing that the Saintess called me out because she is suspicious that I might be a False Evil. However, the Saintess now has a confident look on her face. Then... Why the hell doesn¡¯t the penalty window appear? ¡°From now on, I will sentence you in the name of Sun God...¡± In a situation where I couldn¡¯t let my guard down at all, I began to listen to her in silence, wishing that I could have borrowed at least half of Serena¡¯s intelligence. ¡°...Lady Frey.¡± ¡°.....?¡± The next moment, I couldn¡¯t believe my ears. ¡°What did you call me just now...¡± ¡°...Shh.¡± I stood there with a puzzled expression on my face, as the Saintess, who once again cut off my attempt to ask her a question with a nonchalant look, pulled something out of her bag and threw it in front of me with a triumphant smile. ¡°No, what the hell is this...¡± ¡°From now on, you are...¡± And after hearing her next words, my mind shut down. ¡°...to become my personal maid and serve me until the day you die.¡± ¡°.....!?¡± And there remained a maid outfit with cute, frilly decorations at my feet. **** You can support us here Donation Goal Reached Chapter 23: The Threat **** ¡°...You want me to be your personal maid?¡± ¡°Yes! From now on, you will be my personal maid and serve me for the rest of your life!¡± ¡°.......¡± When I inquired again in an absurd tone, the Saintess once again declared, pointing a finger at me with a look of triumph. As she said so, the corners of her lips slightly turned up. ¡°You mean to say I¡¯m a woman?¡± ¡°Yes! You¡¯re a woman!¡± ¡°...Why?¡± According to the prophetic book, arguing with the Saintess is a dangerous action that can directly lead to a bad ending. But if I didn¡¯t ask now, the situation would spiral out of control, so I took the risk and inquired. The Saintess then crossed her arms and then opened her mouth with a smug look. ¡°Fufu, you¡¯re going to come out like this...? Fine! Then... I¡¯ll tell you why!¡± Having said that, she looked down at me as she raised her three fingers and stated. ¡°There are three reasons why you are a woman!¡± ¡°...Three reasons?¡± ¡°Yes! Well, let me tell you the first reason!¡± Saying so, the Saintess folded one of her fingers and began to narrate her reasons. ¡°You¡¯ve already confessed in front of me that you¡¯re a woman!¡± ¡°...I did?¡± ¡°Yes! In the hallway back then!¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± Only then I realized why this situation transpired. Apparently, this nai?ve Saintess really believed the lie I spouted to test the skill that raised the persuasiveness of lies while passing through the hallway. My mind was occupied with plenty of other concerns, so I left her alone, wondering if she really believed it... But I guess I¡¯ve overestimated Ferloche¡¯s intelligence. ¡°Don¡¯t you know it was a joke?¡± ¡°Ha... Now, that excuse won¡¯t work! And this isn¡¯t the end!¡± When I stated it was just a joke with a pitiful expression, the Saintess snorted and snapped back at me, then folded her second finger and spoke. ¡°The second reason is... your pretty face!¡± ¡°...What are you talking about?¡± When I asked her while tilting my head at those words, the Saintess opened her eyes wide and said. ¡°Your pretty face... In fact, it clearly aligns with the truth that you are actually a pretty girl disguised as a man!¡± ¡°.........¡± ¡°What do you think? Aren¡¯t I right? I hit the nail on the head, didn¡¯t I? As expected... My guess was right!¡± As I stared at the smug Saintess, who finished stating her second reason, for some reason, I had a sudden urge to flick her forehead. However, I held back since it would be a true evil deed that wouldn¡¯t bring in any false evil points, and I asked the Saintess, who was still shrugging her shoulders, one last question. ¡°...What¡¯s the last reason?¡± ¡°The last reason... I¡¯ll come up with it right now!¡± Saying so, she threw a white stone at me. ¡°...What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°As expected... I knew it... This proves it...!¡± When I involuntarily grabbed the stone and asked her while tilting my head, the Saintess replied with a satisfied grin on her face. ¡°The stone turns black when an impure person touches it!¡± ¡°It turns black?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure of it! Since it¡¯s a stone that the Church¡¯s bishops make me hold every day!¡± The Saintess excitedly declared with a twinkle in her eyes, then slowly rose from her seat and gradually came down to where I was. ¡°Frey Raon Starlight... The reason you¡¯re a virgin, even though you have so many women by your side...¡± ¡°...Reason?¡± Eventually, the Saintess stopped right in front of me, and then pointed at me and declared. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re a woman, you can¡¯t embrace them!¡± Then a heavy silence descended upon the cathedral ¡°...How did you even learn about that sort of stuff?¡± As I quietly stared at Ferloche, I was so impressed by the fact that she knows about the act of making love that I muttered without even realizing. ¡°Yes! Of course! Back in the day, the nuns taught me for several years, saying that if I went to the academy in that state, I would get in trouble! So I definitely remembered their teachings!¡± ¡°...Sigh.¡± After hearing her explanation, I earnestly prayed that she wouldn¡¯t go around, claiming she had regressed. Soon afterwards, I gazed down at the white stone in my palm and fell into deep thoughts. ¡®...Considering it¡¯s the Saintess, she racked her brain quite a lot on this, but she¡¯s still sloppy.¡¯ Now, my left arm is charred from forcibly absorbing Kania¡¯s dark mana last night, so it¡¯s covered in a bandage. And, of course, the bandage is also wrapped around my left palm, holding the stone. In other words, the chastity meter she threw right now is not working as it supposed to be. ¡°Come here!¡± Meanwhile, the Saintess picked up the maid¡¯s outfit at my feet and held it out to me with sparkling eyes. If she was eventually going to do that, I don¡¯t know why she even bothered to throw the maid¡¯s outfit at me earlier. ¡°Once you put this on, make sure to clean the whole cathedral.¡± ¡°Hey...¡± ¡°After that, you will recite the purification prayer along with me! And after that, confession! And then...¡± ¡°...How long are you going to keep doing this?¡± As I spoke in a cold tone because I didn¡¯t have time for any more of her charade, the Saintess¡¯ eyes widened and she said. ¡°Geez, aren¡¯t you afraid that the truth will be revealed!? If you keep behaving like this... I¡¯ll expose your secret to the academy...¡± ¡°...Expose.¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m going to expose it!¡± I looked at her, who suddenly began to squeal, and I responded to her threats in an impassive tone. ¡°Sure, do it.¡± ¡°...Eh?¡± ¡°Go ahead, expose it.¡± ¡°......?¡± As I left those words and began to head for the exit, the Saintess caught up to me with a panicked expression on her face. ¡°Do-Don¡¯t leave!¡± ¡°...Let go of me.¡± ¡°If you leave, I¡¯ll reveal that you¡¯re a woman..!¡± ¡°...How many times do I have to tell you? I¡¯m a man.¡± ¡°B-But...¡± ¡°I¡¯m a busy man. I don¡¯t have time to kid around with a bitch like you. So, let go of me and return to that seat.¡± I gave Ferloche one last warning, holding back the irritation that was about to explode, but she suddenly began to speak in a quavering tone. ¡°Why... Why the hell do you keep lying...?¡± ¡°Sigh... If you bother me any longer, I¡¯ll formally protest to the Church...¡± ¡°Stop lying already!!!¡± Saying so, she approached me with fast strides... ¡°Lying is a great disrespect to the Sun God... huh...?¡± ¡°......!!!¡± ¨C Grab ¡°¡±.........¡±¡± And there was silence for a while. ¡°...What¡¯s this?¡± The Saintess, who grabbed my lower half, looked up and asked in a confused tone. ¡°...A man¡¯s family jewel.¡± And the moment she heard my words, her face turned red, and she began to stutter. ¡°Th-Th-The¡ªThen... you¡¯re really... a ma-man...?¡± ¡°...How long are you going to hold on to it?¡± ¡°Kyaa!!¡± Eventually, unable to resist any longer, I slapped her hand, then Ferloche backed away and screamed, as she held her hands together in devotion. ¡°Lo-Lord Sun God!! Forgive me for my sins and save me from evil!!¡± ¡°...You won¡¯t apologize to me?¡± ¡± So-Sorry...! No... I won¡¯t apologize to you... Well, it¡¯s still my fault... Ugh...¡± I stared at Ferloche with a pitiful gaze, who was spouting gibberish and still had her face dyed bright red, and just as I was about to leave her behind and head out of the cathedral. ¨C Click Click ¡°...Hmm?¡± For some reason, the door to the way out was locked. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on...¡± So, as I was perplexed for a moment, I turned around and tried to ask Ferloche what this was all about. ¡°Frey... you... are you really not a woman... ?¡± When I posed that question, Ferloche was about to reply without thinking, but soon she asked with a wary look on her face. ¡°But why are you asking me that now!?¡± ¡°Oh... You¡¯ve gotten a little more intelligent, after all.¡± ¡°What? What did you say just now...¡± ¡°Ah, what I meant was... as a maid who will serve you for the rest of my life, I need to know all such trivial details.¡± When I lied to relieve her vigilance, Ferloche soon relaxed her guarded expression and began to speak in an excited tone. ¡°Aha! So that¡¯s what you meant! To be honest, Frey, I¡¯m still a little skeptical about your words... but for some reason I feel it¡¯s true, so I¡¯ll tell you something special!¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°Actually, there are a few others who have seen the future as I have!¡± ¡°......¡± Then I closed my eyes and held my forehead as I listened to what she said, wondering if it was true. ¡®...They have already formed an alliance.¡¯ The fact that the Main Heroines have already formed an alliance is quite troublesome. It seems I quickly need to come up with a contingency plan. ¡®...By the way, is it fine for Ferloche to tell me all of this? This is crazy.¡¯ Apparently, Ferloche should never be an ally. ¡°Hey... can you tell me who these people are, who saw the future just like you?¡± ¡°...No!¡± With such determination, I posed a question, trying to figure out which of the Main Heroines are part of the alliance, but Ferloche shook her head in denial and exclaimed. ¡°Her Highness Clana warned me not to tell anyone!¡± ¡°...Clana?¡± ¡°Yes! Y-You asked me again... Hiik...!¡± However, it was all for nothing since the very next moment she spilled Clana¡¯s name. ¡°...I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t hear it. Keep talking.¡± ¡°Ah, thank you! Anyway, I stumbled upon people who saw the same future as I did, and I tried to cooperate with them.¡± ¡°...Cooperate on what?¡± ¡°Frey, cooperating to ruin your life and eventually kill you!¡± ¡°........¡± I honestly wasn¡¯t expecting such a kind explanation... Apparently, the Saintess is a tree that keeps on giving. ¡°I understand. But why do you think it¡¯s all in vain?¡± ¡°Ah... that¡¯s...¡± As I nodded and asked one more question, the Saintess began to speak in a sullen tone. ¡°Recently, I received an oracle from the Sun God whether or not what I¡¯m doing is right...¡± ¡°...An Oracle?¡± ¡°Yeah... But the Sun God said it wasn¡¯t right...¡± When my brows furrowed at her words, Ferloche once again opened her mouth with a bright smile. ¡°In other words! I can¡¯t beat you if I cooperate! So... I have decided to act individually!¡± ¡°...I see.¡± ¡°And so, with my amazing reasoning, I discovered your weaknesses... and by threatening you like this, I created an opportunity to reform you and change the future! After all, the oracle is always right!¡± ¡°Sigh...¡± I sighed and tapped the brooch on my chest, wondering if I should blame the Saintess for misinterpreting the meaning of the oracle, or the Sun God, who I had no idea what in the world they were thinking. Now, it¡¯s time to go back to being a false evil. ¡°Okay, now I have explained it, right? So, put on that maid outfit and start cleaning...¡± ¨C Her Highness Clana warned me not to tell anyone! ¡°...Eh?¡± Ferloche, who was speaking in an enthusiastic tone as she suddenly picked up the maid outfit and offered it to me again, tilted her head when her earlier remarks came out of the brooch I tapped earlier. ¨C ...Cooperate on what? ¨C Frey, cooperating to ruin your life and eventually kill you! ¡°......!¡± Then, when her own fairly dangerous statement came out of my brooch, she flinched and asked me a question. ¡°Wha-What¡¯s this about...?¡± ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s a threat.¡± ¡°Th-Threat...?¡± As I said so, glaring coldly at Ferloche who inquired in a trembling voice. ¡°The third Princess of the empire and the Saintess conspired to capture someone...?¡± ¡°U-Um...¡± ¡°That too, the next head of the Ducal family of Starlight, the revered family of the Hero...?¡± ¡°Hiiik...!¡± The Saintess, who had been trembling for a while, soon began to scream. ¡°If you¡¯re going to keep acting like this...! The fact that you¡¯re a woman...!¡± ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m actually a man.¡± ¡°No, you said earlier you¡¯re a woman!¡± ¡°I lied. You should know better since you touched it, didn¡¯t you? It can¡¯t be faked easily.¡± ¡°Ughhh!!¡± Then Saintess, who had been sweating profusely at my brazen attitude, said with a cold expression on her face. ¡°Then, after all, you must die here...¡± ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter if you kill me... Then this recording will soon be transmitted across the Empire, right?¡± ¡°...What?¡± When she showed a puzzled expression at my words, I opened my mouth while stroking the brooch on my chest ¡°This brooch... not only has a simple recording function, but it also has transmission magic.¡± ¡°...Transmission magic?¡± ¡°I believe it must have been passed on to my subordinates by now. Of course, I have already given them prior order that in case if I die or disappear, the recording I sent them must be released to the entire world.¡± . ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± She is right. My words are blatant lies. The ?Recording Brooch? is one of the three brooches I always wear on my chest, along with the ?Remote Life Force Transmission Brooch? and the ?Brooch of Death Oath?, and it has a function of recording what the other person says. But of course, it doesn¡¯t have the ability to transmit those recordings. Adding such a function would cost tens of thousands of gold and is basically a waste of money. ¡®...Still, I¡¯m glad I chose to wear these brooches.¡¯ It became a habit to wear these brooches on my chest, which I used to cherish even in my previous life, and thanks to that, today I was able to turn the table. Therefore, I want to craft and wear more brooches with diverse functionalities... However, unfortunately, I haven¡¯t yet found the artisan who was beaten by Isolet in the back alley. So it seems that crafting additional brooches will have to be postponed for the time being. ¡°If you think I¡¯m lying, why don¡¯t you give it a try?¡± Regretting that I couldn¡¯t add more brooches, I soon shook my head and retorted to Ferloche, who was denying my words. ¡°...Argh!¡± ¡°Well, if you snap my neck I¡¯m going to die... but don¡¯t you know that both you and the poor third Princess won¡¯t be safe either? However, you¡¯re still going to kill me anyway, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ugh...!¡± The Saintess, who had been furiously glaring at me, soon lowered her head and muttered. ¡°...I lost.¡° ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I lost! You damn Frey!!¡± Ferloche began to yell at me, almost on the verge of tears. ¡°The door is now unlocked, so get out of here! Let¡¯s pretend nothing happened today...¡± ¡°...No. Why would I pretend that nothing happened today?¡± ¡°What do you mean...?¡± I approached her with a sneer, and I whispered while gently stroking her chin. ¡°...Isn¡¯t it your turn to be blackmailed now?¡± ¡°.....Hiik!¡± Hearing my mocking whisper, the Saintess trembled and looked at me with fear in her eyes as I spoke while handing her the maid¡¯s outfit that was lying on the floor. ¡°Put it on.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°Put it on.¡± ¡°Uh, here...?¡± I nodded at her bewildered look, then soon spoke with a smile. ¡°...From now on, you are my personal maid.¡± Upon hearing those words, the Saintess slowly began to change her clothes while making a face full of shame. After all, I¡¯m really good at being hated. **** Alright, I don¡¯t really like adding TL notes at all as I believe they destroy the immersion while reading. So please make sure to join our discord to stay updated about all the latest info on Main Heroines and our other novels. 1 more sponsored chapters left I will release it on Wednesday night after I get off work. As for those who are worried about a schedule I¡¯m trying to build up stockpile of advanced chapters, so the schedule will be like this in June, weekly 3 chapters if we hit the donation goals. It seems that the chapters also keep getting longer. RIP. Thanks for reading. You can support us here You can rate this series here Chapter 24: Being a Hero Is Hard **** ¡°Hey, this is enough... isn¡¯t it...?¡± ¡°No, sweep from the beginning again.¡± ¡°But... this is already the fifth time...¡± After three hours of having Ferloche dress as a maid and clean the cathedral, she began to plead in tears. ¡°Please... my arms are about to fall off... Plea...¡± ¨C Frey, cooperating to ruin your life and eventually kill you. ¡°Urgh...!¡± While staring at her in silence, I tapped the brooch and replayed her recorded words as she clenched her teeth and picked up the broom again. ¡°...Ouch!¡± But she screamed and dropped the broom, then began to examine her palms as tears welled up in her eye. ¡°Ow, it hurts...¡± Her soft hands, which were usually protected by the Church and had never done anything harsh before, were bleeding and riddled with scrapes. ¨C Rasp... Ferloche, who was miserably examining her own hands, tried to concentrate her holy power in her hands while staring at me... ¡°...No need to heal your hands.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t heal your wounds, just clean it as it is.¡± ¡°.....Ugh¡± Hearing my impassive tone, she trembled and grabbed the broom again. After watching her for a while, I rose from my seat and headed towards her. ¡°...How can you hold it so lightly?¡± ¡°Wait... It hurts so much...¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you hold it tightly like this?¡± ¡°Kyaaak...!¡± Arriving in front of her, I gripped her hand with a cold expression and brushed it against the broom, as the Saintess screamed and dropped the broom again. ¡°...Pick it up again.¡± ¡°I was wrong... Please forgive me...¡± Ferloche fell to her knees and pleaded to stop this continued abuse, as I asked coldly, pointing to her hand. ¡°...When did I say you could heal your wounds?¡± ¡°So-Sorry... but it hurts so much...¡± Before I knew it, I was observing her hand with my brows furrowed, as I picked up the broom again and handed it over to her, then opened my mouth. ¡°I see. Then clean until your hands are scraped again.¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± When I spoke bluntly, the Saintess wept and began to clean the cathedral again. After some time had passed in this manner, I noticed that the sun was setting, so I rose from my seat and told her. ¡°...Stop, that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°Sob... Sob...¡± I moved close to her to check, and sure enough, her hands were just fine, not a scratch on them. ¡°...What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± When I asked her coldly, the Saintess muttered dejectedly, and I whispered while stroking her head. ¡°Was it really that hard...?¡± ¡°Yes, yes... huh...¡± ¡°...Then, do you want to do some other work from now on?¡± ¡°Uh, what kind of work...?¡± As she asked hopefully, I answered with a smile. ¡°...It¡¯s an extremely simple job. All you have to do is embrace me at night. How about it?¡± ¡°......!¡± Upon hearing this, the Saintess immediately looked at me with disgust and said. ¡°...I¡¯ll clean.¡± ¡°Where? The cathedral? How will sweeping the cathedral be of any help to me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll clean your room...¡± ¨C Slap!! ¡°...I will clean the Master¡¯s room.¡± ¡°All right, that¡¯s good.¡± The Saintess, who changed the way she addressed me after I slapped her, staggered towards the broom closet. ¡°From now on, you¡¯re going to clean my room every evening. If you skip even one day, it won¡¯t be fun.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°And, if you change your mind, feel free to serve me at night...¡± ¡°Enough.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Please... just stop...¡± Ferloche, who was listening to my sarcasms in silence while changing her clothes after putting the broom down in the closet, abruptly cut me off and began to speak with a disgusted look. ¡°Please... don¡¯t say such vile words to me with that face of yours...¡± ¡°...Vile words?¡± ¡°Before the prophecy that I would become the Saintess came to pass... the words you said to me with a smile on your face... what was that all about...?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± When I desperately tried to avoid her words with an indifferent attitude, the Saintess¡¯ expression turned bitter as she opened her mouth. ¡°Ha... I see. You don¡¯t even remember what happened back then.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Even if you do remember it... it must have been a sense of superiority over a street orphan, rather than sympathy or compassion, wasn¡¯t it?¡±Chee?ck out latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°...Fine. As of today, I will completely stop expecting anything from you.¡± With those remarks, Ferloche, who closed the closet, glared at me coldly and said. ¡°I believed perhaps I could make you repent. And when the moment arrives, when I have no choice but to kill you for destroying the Empire... I thought I would feel guilty.¡± ¡°...And so?¡± ¡°However, no matter how much of an idiot I am, at this point, even I understand that all those thoughts were wrong.¡± ¡°...So, what¡¯s your point?¡± ¡°You are a monster, Sir Frey.¡± Ferloche, who cursed me with a resentful expression, glanced at me on her way out of the cathedral and said. ¡°...From now on, I will do whatever you ask me to do. So, please don¡¯t spread that recording to the world.¡± ¡°Then will you help me with that nightly activity as well?¡± ¡°...I¡¯d rather take my own life than help you with that.¡± Leaving those words behind, the Saintess staggered out of the cathedral and began to walk down the streets under the night sky. ¡°...Kania, can I lament for a moment?¡± ¡°...Yes, please feel free to do so.¡± However, unlike Kania, who completely absorbs the alcoholic content, Frey, who began to be affected by alcohol to some extent, spoke with eyes that looked slightly more clouded than before. ¡°...I want to give up being the Hero.¡± ¡°Then give up.¡± ¡°...What?¡± However, when Kania bluntly responded to his complaint, Frey raised his voice with a sobered expression on his face. ¡°No...!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°If I give up being the Hero, the Demon King will destroy this world...¡± ¡°Destroy rather than rule?¡± ¡°Yes, that damned bitch... doesn¡¯t want to rule instead, wants to burn the whole world. Just... what the hell does that guy want to do?¡± As Frey began ranting about the Demon King, Kania watched him for a while before opening her mouth. ¡°Then why did you say earlier that you want to give up being the hero?¡± ¡°...Ah, that?¡± Then Frey, who was busy cursing the Demon King, opened a new bottle of wine, poured it into his glass and muttered. ¡°...Because it¡¯s hard.¡± ¡± ...Yes, it is.¡± As such, a silence passed between them for a while. ¡°...When I used to drink like this, Serena would hit me on the back.¡± ¡°Yes, I remember.¡± Eventually Frey broke the silence, as he took a sip of wine and said. ¡°Even though I kept acting like a bastard... Serena was still worried about me.¡± ¡°Because she¡¯s your fiance?e.¡± ¡°...But, after all that happened... she won¡¯t worry about me anymore, will she?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Kania agreed unconsciously as she stared at Frey¡¯s face ¡°...Kania, how much do you know?¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± Frey then questioned Kania with a sharp gaze. ¡°Your attitude towards me... outings that became more frequent these days... buttered rye bread... putting it all together, there¡¯s only one conclusion.¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°You already know a lot about me. I¡¯m not sure how you figured it out.¡± ¡°........¡± As Kania kept her mouth shut, Frey quietly poured wine into the cup. ¡°...I went to the training hall this morning, and I found a slight trace of dark mana left behind. You seem to have tried to erase it, but... it¡¯s way too familiar of a mana for me, so I noticed it right away.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± ¡°You¡¯re training for the upcoming ¡®Raid on the Commoner¡¯s Dormitory¡¯, aren¡¯t you?¡± When Kania nodded in silence at those words, Frey smiled and asked one more question. ¡°Yes, I guessed as much. So... Can you tell me how much you know?¡± Upon hearing Frey¡¯s question, Kania hesitated for a moment, then soon mumbled. ¡°...Everything.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± As such, the two silently clinked their glasses together in the air, as Kania took a sip trying to maintain her compose expression. ¡°...Young Master?¡± However, Frey was staring at her blankly while holding a glass of wine. ¡°...Kania, do you know what your disposition is as seen through my ability?¡± ¡°...What is it?¡± Then Frey lowered his glass and put it down on his desk as he spoke in a solemn tone. ¡°Aide.¡± ¡°........¡± Having said that, Frey rose from his seat, extended his hand to Kania, and said. ¡°...I look forward to your kind cooperation, Kania.¡± ¡°...Likewise.¡± Kania replied with a grieved smile as she quietly shook his hand and stood up. Then, after staring at him for a while, Kania soon tilted her head and asked. ¡°...But why did you get up all of a sudden?¡± ¡°... I need to infuse life force into your body before I go to bed.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be drinking anymore?¡± ¡°...Drinking anymore won¡¯t make me feel better, it will just make me feel miserable.¡± Having said that, Frey quietly took Kania¡¯s hand and headed for the bed. ¡°...Then, I look forward to working with you today.¡± Soon afterwards, Kania quietly brought his hand to her chest, but... ¡°...Come to think of it.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°I figured I could share life force through your back... since it¡¯s uncomfortable from the front because of your chest.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± Kania, who gave Frey a blank stare, nodded her head in understanding. ¡°Then I¡¯ll start the infusion.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Soon, as always, Frey¡¯s life force began to be infused into Kania. ¡°......¡± And Kania, with a slightly regretful expression, kept her head lowered, but when she spotted the cat doll on Frey¡¯s bedside, her lips turned up to form a gentle smile. This was the moment when her disposition, Aide, shone its light. . . . . . ¡°Even though Irina told me not to interfere...¡± Meanwhile, at that time... in the commoners¡¯ dormitory, ¡°...I still have to help her somehow.¡± Arianne, Irina¡¯s childhood friend, gulped and looked down at the magic scroll she invested a month¡¯s worth of her own tuition funds to buy **** You can support us here Chapter 25: Memories ¡°Meow...¡± ¡°...It seems tonight I¡¯m dreaming about cats as well. It feels nice.¡± I have been dreaming of cats a lot lately. That too, they seemed to be lucid dreams. Of course, for someone like me, who is head over heels for cats, I couldn¡¯t have asked for anything better. The only thing that can comfort my exhausted mental state is these dreams filled with cats. ¡®...No, I should confide in Kania from now on.¡¯ Honestly, I wasn¡¯t aware that Kania knew everything about me, so I was going to forge ahead all alone... However, such a path would have been too desolate to walk on my own, and I wouldn¡¯t be able to bear the solitude.. I felt pity for the cat doll, but it¡¯s impossible to keep clinging and lamenting to a cat doll forever that could only make a meow sound. ¡°Meow?¡± While I was dwelling on such thoughts, the cat in front of me tilted its head as if perplexed and approached my feet. ¡°...Huh?¡± Upon closer inspection, I discovered the black cat doll, one of my most cherished treasures these days, was staring at me with a dim gaze. Only then did I realize that it was my beloved cat doll that mewed, and I cautiously asked a question because I was flustered at the thought that it might have noticed my true feelings. ¡°Uh... Did you read my mind?¡± ¡°..Purr!¡± Then the cat doll purred with a pouty expression and turned its head to the side. Flustered by this, I scratched my head and muttered. ¡°Well, since you¡¯re in my dream, of course you would know what¡¯s on my mind.¡± ¡°...Meow.¡± ¡°I apologize... I¡¯ll stroke your belly for you... Ah wait, isn¡¯t that what I like rather than you?¡± After apologizing to the cat doll for a while, I suddenly scanned the surroundings and frowned. ¡°...This place seems familiar.¡± While I was looking around the familiar street that was evinced in my dream, I saw a little kid walking afar. I muttered in astonishment with my eyes wide open. ¡°...Isn¡¯t that me when I was young?¡± For some reason, my younger self was walking towards me while holding hands with someone. Suddenly, I felt an urge to hide, so I dashed towards the wall, and the cat doll promptly followed me. While I was hiding behind the wall, my younger self stopped and pointed towards somewhere else. He let go of the other person¡¯s hand and sprinted in that direction. ¡°Damn. Just why...¡± And, at that moment, I realized what¡¯s this situation was all about. ¡°...Who are you?¡± ¡°Why are you lying down like that? Are you ill?¡± Now, I was dreaming of the day I first met Ferloche. ¡°Th-That¡¯s... I¡¯m¡ª¡± Ferloche, who was lying on the street in a scruffy state, stared at my younger self with fear in her eyes, as he crouched down to examine her condition. The sight reminded me of Ferloche, who was glaring at me with contempt in the cathedral earlier today. ¡°...Uh.¡± I hurriedly tried to close my eyes and covered my ears in fear of how the appearance of the young Ferloche in my dreams would affect me. However, for some odd reason I could still clearly see and hear what¡¯s happening in front of me. ¡°Here, drink this.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this...?¡± ¡°Potion. If you drink this, you will get better.¡± Ferloche, who received the highest quality potion from my younger self, asked him with a wary look on her face. ¡°You... who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the first son of the Ducal family of Starlight, Frey Raon Starlight.¡± ¡°Why are you being nice to me?¡± ¡°........¡± Hearing her harsh reply, he put his hand on his chin with a serious expression and began to agonize over her question. Then Ferloche, who had been staring at him with suspicion in her eyes, smirked as if she was already aware of his answer. ¡°I knew it... If I drink this potion, you¡¯re going to kidnap me, aren¡¯t you? I don¡¯t need this potion. So take it back.¡± And from that point on, I felt confused and began to question myself. ¡®...Why is it different from my memory?¡¯ Obviously, according to my memory, Ferloche was supposed to say ¡®Thank you¡¯ while making her usual nai?ve and dumb face, then gulp the potion down her throat. So, why is the dream different? ¡°...Why can¡¯t I be nice to you?¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± After pondering over her question for a while, my younger self answered with a bright expression on his face. Meanwhile, Ferloche opened her mouth with a puzzled look. ¡°What do you mean...?¡± ¡°Is it wrong to help the ill?¡± ¡°.........¡± Upon hearing his words, Ferloche closed her mouth shut, as my younger self took out two more potions from within his inner pockets and handed them to her. He then pointed to the cathedral in the distance. ¡°Hey, there¡¯s a cathedral! If you go over there, they¡¯ll take care of you!¡± ¡°...I can¡¯t trust that place. Some of my friends went missing after going to the cathedral.¡± ¡°...Sigh.¡± But when Ferloche refuted coldly, my younger self sighed and was speechless for a moment. Then, soon, he cautiously offered a suggestion. ¡°...Then, would you like to come over to my house?¡± ¡°I knew it! You were a trafficker all along!¡± ¡°What¡¯s a trafficker?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know that! I¡¯m talking about thugs who kidnap kids like us and sell them!¡± ¡°.....?¡± After listening to Ferloche¡¯s angry rant for a while, soon my younger self heard someone calling out to him from afar and he bid farewell to Ferloche. ¡°...Sorry, I think I have to go now.¡± ¡°Now, hold on! Where are you going, you trafficker!¡± ¡°If you have nowhere to go, be sure to go to that cathedral over there! It¡¯s a safe place that I often visit!¡± ¡°I knew it! That was your intention all along!¡± ¡°...Well, then take care!¡± My younger self, who bid her farewell, turned around and hastened with eager footsteps towards someone standing in a distance, while Ferloche briefly inspected the potion in her hands then shouted stammeringly in his direction as she gazed at his fading back. ¡°I-I-I¡¯ll feed this to a passing-by rat and, if later, it gives off a bizarre reaction! The-Then... I¡¯ll immediately expose the atrocities of the Starlight family to the public!¡± After she huffed and puffed for a long time, she muttered with a sullen look. ¡°...I¡¯m running out of food. Should I really go to that cathedral?¡± And the next moment, the world froze. ¡°...What?¡± When the black cat doll next to me scanned the surroundings in bewilderment after such an anomaly, a dazzling glow radiated near me. ¡°...Hmm.¡± My brows furrowed seeing the glittering radiance, but soon I felt perplexed when I realized the glow was gradually spreading. ¡°Mew... meow...¡± ¡°.....?¡± However, suddenly the cat doll trembled and hid behind me, then peeked its head out and began to stare at the light. ¡°¡±...Argh.¡±¡± The fragments that lit up my surroundings burst out all at once and emitted rays of light. The beings in my dream, hit by those rays of light, were instantly burned to smithereens and eventually turned into ashes. -Sizzle... The fragments of light, which melted away even the darkness that was about to devour me, soon penetrated my arms and burned like a flickering candle, gradually defrosting the icy fear that encroached on my mind. ¡°...Meow.¡± While I was staring in bewilderment at this scene, I suddenly heard the cry of the cat doll in front of me. So when I looked ahead with a vacant gaze, I noticed the cat doll was dragging someone towards me with its teeth sunk into their ankle. ¡°Kitty... you can¡¯t bite someone¡¯s ankle like that...¡± I urgently tried to stop the cat doll, but soon when I saw the person in front of me I was left speechless. ¡®...Isn¡¯t that the person who was holding the hand of my younger self?¡¯ While I was staring intently at the familiar person, she soon stretched out her hand and clenched her fist. ¨C Shimmer... Then the light fragments spread all over the place soon vanished in unison. ¡°.....!¡± And at that moment, I immediately recognized the person in front of me. ¡°If the Sunrise Imperial House is the sun that brightens the dawn of the Empire¡± ¡°And if the Moonlight Duchy is the moon that illuminates its dusk.¡± Before I realized, I was already rushing to her with a bright smile on my face as she continued talking. ¡°Then, the Starlight Duchy is the star that shines upon those devoid of their light.¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Suddenly, she began to fade, splitting into countless fragments of star, as she left me with one last piece of advice and vanished from sight. ¡°...So, you¡¯re an aristocrat noble enough to protect everyone, Frey.¡± ¡°Mother......?¡± And the next moment, I was on my dorm bed with my hands outstretched in the air. I muttered a word I had never used since I was a child. ¡°........¡± After being dazed for a while in that state, I carefully put down the black cat doll I was holding and glanced to the side. ¡°........¡± As I glanced aside, I saw Kania was still asleep. I carefully got up from my bed and headed to the desk. ¨C Gurgle.. Eventually, I quietly sat down on the chair next to the desk and began to pour the rest of the wine into the glass. ¡°...Damn it.¡± And then, I began drinking alone till dawn. Of course, I didn¡¯t feel any better. . . . . . ¡°...Y-Young Master. Are you all right?¡± As soon as morning came, Kania got up from her seat and rushed to Frey, who was at the desk. ¡°...Are you awake, Kania?¡± ¡°Young Master, is there anything wrong with your body?¡± ¡°...Why are you asking that?¡± When Frey asked with a puzzled look, Kania opened her eyes wide and answered in a low tone. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s... because I heard screams at daybreak.¡± ¡°...Ah, that.¡± Then Frey answered with a grin. ¡°...I just woke up from a nightmare.¡± ¡°......¡± Upon hearing this, Kania quietly took a step and said with a stiff expression on her face. ¡°Then... I¡¯ll bring you breakfast.¡± ¡°...Fine.¡± As when Kania bit her lips and was about to leave, Frey called out to her in a low tone. ¡°...Kania.¡± There was a tremor in his voice, so Kania looked at him with a concerned expression and inquired. ¡°...What am I supposed to do?¡± Then Frey, who was holding an old scrap of paper, cautiously asked her a question. ¡°...Let¡¯s say that you devoted your entire life to the prophecy that was written in a single piece of paper, believing it was your destitny.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°However... what if that very prophecy was wrong?¡± Upon hearing his words, Kania looked at him with pity and replied with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. I don¡¯t think the prophecy is wrong at all...¡± ¡°...It¡¯s already proven wrong on two occasions.¡± ¡°What?¡± But as Frey spoke while swaying the paper in his hand, Kania¡¯s expression turned stiff. Thus, she inquired. ¡°What do you mean...?¡± ¡°Even if we don¡¯t consider the penalty regarding the memories of the Main Heroines... What about Ferloche¡¯s past...? I was certain about Ferloche¡¯s setting described in the prophecy...¡± ¡°...Young Master?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with this... No, it¡¯s been wrong since long ago...¡± Frey soon crumpled up the prophecy and threw it into his bag, and began to mutter helplessly. ¡°If I can¡¯t even believe the prophecy... What the hell am I supposed to believe...? The system? No... The system is the reason I became this way... Then, what in the world am I supposed to believe in...¡± ¡°....Young Master Frey.¡± ¡°Now I can¡¯t even trust my own memories... What the hell am I supposed to trust...¡± Kania, unable to see such a scene any longer, approached Frey and hugged him. She softly whispered. ¡°Young Master, you can trust me.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°...Because I¡¯m your aide.¡± Thus, the two hugged each other for a long time. As their figures were illuminated by the morning sunlight permeating through the window. **** Alright, here is the promised weekly free chapter, sorry for the slight delay as I was busy launching some of our other series, while also building a stockpile. I announced a couple of days back that I¡¯ll be releasing today on our discord server. Join there for the latest updates. All right donation goal has been reached. Guys this chapter has a lot of foreshadowing, people on reviews are claiming it as plot holes. It¡¯s the most vital everything will fall into place soon, so hang in there. Thanks for reading. You can support us here Weekly Donation Goal: 100/100 Chapter 26: An Accident ¡°...Well, I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± ¡°...All right.¡± It was only in the morning when I finally calmed down I sent Kania, who had been comforting me until then, off to class first. In fact, it would be great if she could support me because my body is still not in good shape, but that could raise doubts among the people. So, even if it¡¯s a little hard, sending her away is the right decision because hiding our relationship would be beneficial to our future plans. ¡°..Sigh.¡± With that in mind, I opened the skill store and began to browse the skills I would need at this point. [Store / Elementary Skills Level 2] ¨C Life Force Recovery (1000pts) Description: Permanently slightly increases the life force recovery rate. (Total amount does not increase) ¡°...I should buy it now.¡± Today is the day of the long-awaited performance evaluation duel. Therefore, I need to buy this skill so I can endure Irina¡¯s beating to some extent. ¡°...Oh.¡± Thinking as such, I pressed the skill to buy it, and soon energy coursed through my veins. I didn¡¯t expect much since it was supposed to be a slight increase, but it seems to be worth the price of 1,000 points. ¡°...I hope Irina shoots the fireball right at me.¡± I closed my eyes for a while and felt the energy coursing through my body, then I began to rummage through my bag while worrying about Irina. ¡°...All right, this should be enough.¡± Eventually, I took out three of the highest grade mana potions I had bought from the back alley on my way back to the dormitory from the cathedral yesterday. I didn¡¯t hesitate to open the lids and gulped them down one by one. ¡°...Urk.¡± I thought they would taste fine since they were the highest grade mana potions, but they were surprisingly bad. Thanks to this, I felt nauseated, but if I threw up, tens of thousands of gold would be wasted, so as I forced myself to gulp them down, I soon felt a fiery mana swirling in my belly. ¡®...This should be enough.¡¯ After briefly closing my eyes and feeling the mana in my belly. I soon smiled when I realized the right amount had been concentrated. Perhaps this amount of stellar mana will be of help to Irina. Of course, Irina is after my life, but if I don¡¯t give her mana, her grades would gradually worsen... which could cause problems in the scenario. There are already many twists, even though I have tried to avoid the variables as much as possible, but if Irina is demoted to a lower class or gets expelled from the academy, who knows what might happen. Therefore, for now, I need to proceed according to the contents written in the prophetic book. ¡®...written in the prophetic book?¡¯ As I was organizing my thoughts and preparing to head to the classroom, I briefly stopped while pondering about the prophetic book. ¡°...Sigh.¡± I heaved a deep sigh, as I tried to calm my anxious mind, and then muttered inwardly with a serious expression on my face. ¡®Two prophecies written in the book have already proven to be wrong... Must I follow it blindly?¡¯ There was clearly no mention of a penalty where all Main Heroines will gain the memories of their past lives as a result of my regression. Of course, I did find the situation quite bizarre, but up until now, I had been trying to rationalize that the penalty must have been incurred due to some unexpected variables that even my ancestor couldn¡¯t foresee. However, now I discovered that even Ferloche¡¯s setting is wrong. According to my memory and the setting mentioned in the prophetic book, Ferloche has always been a nai?ve and stupid girl since time immemorial. When I was young, she drank the potion I handed to her without a hint of suspicion, and even when I told her to go to the cathedral, she didn¡¯t doubt my words and went there. But in yesterday¡¯s dream, or rather nightmare, she confidently exclaimed to my younger self that she would ¡®expose¡¯ his atrocities. Chee?ck out latest novels at novelhall.com The same Ferloche, who asked a grammatical question in the blackmail letter because she couldn¡¯t differentiate between the words ¡®captive¡® and ¡®expose¡¯. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t matter if the dream I saw earlier was just a silly dream... but after noticing how my sword¡¯s tint has faded in a day, I¡¯m certain that the spirit residing in the sword must have intervened. Then... If the dream is indeed true, and if my ancestor, who I believed knew everything was wrong... what am I supposed to do if even the prophecy I devotedly followed turns out to be wrong in the end? Is it really fine to believe the prophecy, the system, and my memory? ¡°.............¡± I stood there contemplating about it for a long time, but in the end my mind couldn¡¯t weave an answer. Because, to deny the prophecy and the system.. is to deny every single deed I¡¯ve ever done. And if I denied it, I felt like I won¡¯t be able to hold on to my sanity any longer... In the end, I decided to put aside my concerns for later until I find more concrete evidence. ¡®...It¡¯s still within control. I can still make things work.¡¯ As such, I barely self-rationalized like that, then heaved a deep sigh and left the dormitory. . . . . . ¡°Everyone pay attention. I will now explain the precautions needed for the performance evaluation.¡± All the students of Class A were assembled in the training ground. ¡°¡±........¡±¡± And soon, I sensed an immense killing intent. I looked around to see what was going on, and soon discovered Clana, Ferloche, and Irina were glaring at me. Aside from Clana and Irina, I never expected Ferloche to glare at me with eyes filled with such murderous intent. ¡°...Focus! All of you, concentrate!¡± When the girls who had been glaring at me like that heard Isolet yelling, they averted their gaze from me, then turned their attention to her. I began contemplating about my future plan after thanking Isolet inwardly for letting me have a breather. Today no matter what, I need to lose to Irina. After my defeat, I will play the role of an egomaniacal ruffian with high pride who was forced to hand over his mana to a lowly commoner because of the oath of death. Obviously, while handing over my mana, I will only transfer the amount required for Irina to not flunk for a year. Otherwise, my mortality rate will soar. ¡°...Also, lately mysterious monsters have been appearing all over the Empire.¡± While I was immersed in such thoughts, Isolet¡¯s voice resounded throughout the training ground with the help of a loudspeaker magic artifact. ¡°The knights are still blocking them to some extent, but if the current trend continues, the Imperial capital we live in will be in danger someday.¡± Indeed, her statement is true. By now, due to the aftermath of the Demon King¡¯s awakening, demons must have been appearing throughout the Empire. And those demons will ravage the barren land devastated by the ¡®Great Famine,¡¯ wreaking havoc and inflicting massive casualties throughout the Empire. And because of that, half the imperial subjects of the Empire will starve to death, while the other half will be preyed upon by the demons. Of course, the lords will be busy protecting their own property, ignoring the pleas of the subjects they ought to protect. After all, it is a desolate world. ¡°So, as per the changed imperial policy, I will raise you to be the shield that protects the Empire. And the first step in that regard is this performance evaluation.¡± While I was contemplating about this filthy rotten Empire, Isolet observed everyone with an icy gaze and continued to speak. ¡°So, performance evaluation will be conducted in the form of ¡®Full-scale real life combat¡¯.¡± When the students looked confused at those words, Isolet added briefly. ¡°...and with the determination to kill each other.¡± With those final words, Isolet finished stating the precautions and sat down, and a heavy silence descended upon the training ground. ¡°Then... the first pair, Clana Solar Sunrise and Ferloche Astellade, come forward.¡± In this heavy atmosphere, Isolet announced the start of the performance evaluation in a solemn tone. ¡°Saintess Ferloche. Once again, this isn¡¯t a game...¡± ¡°...I know.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°...No longer will I be fooled.¡± ¡°Aarghh!!¡± ¡°...Ha, I knew it. What the hell sort of fireball is that bitch?¡± As soon as I arrived in front of her, I knocked her down on the dirt floor with a kick. ¡°No matter how much you struggle... there are some things that will never change... Irina.¡± ¡°With that filthy mouth...don¡¯t...don¡¯t ever call my name...you bastard...¡± ¡°You bitch, you¡¯re going to become my pet soon... you lowlife.¡± ¡°Ugh!!¡± As Irina was muttering curses while glaring at me with hateful eyes, I grabbed her by the hair and slammed her on the ground. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Look closely. This is the soil of the ground that suits you.¡± ¡°Ughh...¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You¡¯ll swallow more of these in the future.¡± Eventually, I opened the flask of purified mana I kept in my sleeve and spilled it on the ground without anyone noticing, then I provoked her by grinding her face on the soil damped with mana. ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°What happened? Do you feel bad because your face is being rubbed on the ground?¡± ¡°Cough, cough...¡± ¡°By the way, no matter how much I think about it, I think this dirty ground looks less repulsive than you...¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°No matter how much worms and filth roam this ground... Isn¡¯t it natural to feel repulsed when something as vile as you touch it?¡± After saying that, I muttered inwardly as I began to walk out of the sparring ground, leaving her behind, who was still clenching her teeth. ¡®...Please, just hit me with one shot.¡¯ As I trudged along, praying fervently that she would land a fireball on me, I sensed the rising heat behind me and turned with a contented smile on my face. ¨C Whoosh!! And at that moment, the first fireball hit me. ¡°Aarghh...!¡± After getting hit properly by her fireball, I immediately stumbled back, feeling the relief that Irina could beat me rather than the confusion due to the burn being worse than I expected. ¡®...Why does it burn so much?¡¯ Although ?Fireball? is a fatal magic spell, a single fireball isn¡¯t really threatening. Unlike ?Meteor?, which boasts considerable power individually, ?Fireball? is a magic that competes with rapid fire and quantity. But this.. this isn¡¯t a fireball, it¡¯s more like a meteor. After all, even if she is in a mana exhausted state, she is still the Archmage of the future. ¡°Aargh, it hurts!!¡± With such thoughts in my mind, I rolled on the ground with tears in my eyes, and at that moment, two fireballs flew straight at me. ¡°Aargh! It¡¯s hot, it¡¯s hot!!¡± I greeted those fireballs with joy, and I once again rolled on the ground and began to recite the lines of the third-rate villain I prepared in advance. ¡°You, you dare... you filthy lowlife... bitch...!¡± I felt like dying from cringe. However, each of these dialogues is highly effective and brings immediate results. I can tell just by looking at the commoners¡¯ faces as soon as I uttered this line. ¡°...How does it feel to roll around on the ground after being beaten by a filthy and lowly commoner?¡± ¡°Cough... Cough...¡± ¡°...Get up, there¡¯s still more.¡± ¡°Ugh... Huh...?¡± After rolling on the ground for a long time, I staggered up hearing Irina¡¯s words, but soon I froze at the sight before me. ¨C SIzzle! ¡°Aaaarghhh!!¡± This time, three fireballs were flying at me. ¡°Ugh...ugh...¡± Although I was in pain, I pretended to be unconscious, in honor of her, who managed to manipulate three fireballs simultaneously in a mana exhausted state. ¡°Get... up... still... one... more left...¡± When I heard her despiteful voice, I smiled bitterly and staggered up with my tattered body. Despite the fact that my life span and vitality have been massively reduced, I¡¯m still a hero, so I¡¯ll be able to endure one last attack. Of course, I might really lose consciousness if I get hit by that one. However, the false evil deeds I have committed against Irina... No, from her point of view, they were true evil deeds full of malice, so it¡¯s only justifiable that I face her hatred and wrath head on. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s not over yet... bitch...¡± And so I finally stood on my feet, spouting repulsive lines until the very end, as I clenched my teeth and waited for the last fireball she would cast. ¡°Take... this... and go to hell...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s end this once and for all...¡± ¨C Thud ¡°...Huh?¡± Irina, who was about to send the last fireball flying at me, staggered and immediately collapsed. ¡°¡±.........¡±¡± And at that sight, heavy silence lingered for a long time. ¡°I¡¯ll count to 10. 10, 9, 8...¡± ¡®...Damn, now that this has happened, I have no choice.¡¯ Eventually, I panicked when I heard Isolet counting, so I tried to wake her up with the remote life force transmission brooch while crying inwardly. -Chime!! Suddenly, a large mysterious magic circle appeared on the floor of the sparring ground where me and Irina were. When it began to glow, I straightened my sword while frowning at the abnormal phenomenon. ¡°...Huh?¡± And in the next moment, a bright light erupted from the magic circle and devoured both me and Irina in an instant. ¡°Bu-But what I bought was supposed to be a recovery scroll...!?¡± After hearing Arianne¡¯s bewildered cry while covered in that bright light, I soon lost consciousness. . . . . . ¡°Ugh...¡± I grabbed my throbbing head and slightly opened my eyes. Soon I saw numerous trees standing before me. ¡°.....?¡± I was bewildered by the fact I couldn¡¯t find the students and supervisors watching over us in the training ground. However, when I scanned the surroundings, there were gray trees as far as the eyes could see. ¡°...Fucking crazy.¡± I looked at the scene in a daze and immediately spat out a curse. It was because I realized that the place where I was standing right now was the ¡®Ashen Forest¡¯, a hideout infested with all kinds of demons, which should only appear in the middle to late stages of the ¡®game¡¯ according to the scenario mentioned in the prophetic book. ¡°This... just what the hell is going on...?¡± As I stood up, still not yet grasping the situation, I lowered my gaze when something got caught up in my feet. ¡°........¡± I found Irina¡¯s unconscious self, who was gasping for breath. ¡°... This is driving me insane.¡± It seems that both me and Irina had passed out in this demonic hideout after getting teleported hundreds of kilometers away from the academy. At this point, I¡¯m anxious about what will happen next. ¡ª- Chapter 27: The Demonic Hideout ¡°...What should I do?¡± There is a saying, ¡®Beyond mountains, there are mountains.¡¯ There is no other saying that could describe my current predicament more accurately than that. No, now that I think about it, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s an accurate expression since before I could even cross the first mountain, another mountain presented itself. I don¡¯t even know the outcome of the duel, but here I¡¯m along with Irina teleported to the middle of the ¡®Ashen Forest,¡¯ a demonic hideout that should only appear in the middle to late stages of the scenario. [Acquired False Evil Points: 500pts! (Battle of the third-rate villain)] ¡°Sigh..¡± As soon as I swiped away the false evil point acquisition system prompt that appeared in front of me, I heard Irina¡¯s moan. It seems she will soon regain her consciousness. ¡°...........¡± Because of this, my brain froze for a moment. It seems things would spiral out of control if I stayed still, so I punched myself in the head to force my brain to work. ¡®...Should I disguise myself?¡¯ Disguise is probably the most effective method in the current situation. I always carry the ¡®Mask of Deception¡¯ and a black robe in case of an emergency. The mask of deception will at least cover my face, although the stealth effect is still on cooldown, and the black robe will hide my hair and figure. In other words, If I wear these two and forge my way out of the ¡®Ashen Forest¡® while protecting Irina, I will be able to deceive her and safely leave this demonic hideout. However... ¡®...There is a high risk of getting exposed.¡¯ Both of us together were engulfed in a spatial teleportation magic. And there were quite a few who witnessed this scene. So.. if Irina finds out the whole story after safely getting out of here, she¡¯ll naturally suspect me of being the masked guy without batting an eye. ¡®...Then, should I just openly use my powers?¡¯ It will be easier if I could openly use my powers. Of course, by the time we get out of this forest, my physical condition will be dire... but at the very least, we¡¯ll be able to get out of here safely. However, Irina will be suspicious. Obviously, Irina now believes that I¡¯m a servant of the Demon King, so I can deceive her by claiming that my source of power originates from the Demon King. However, I need to actively shield her from harm while we forge our way out of this place. And, if I protect her, even Irina, who despises me, will begin to doubt my intentions. ¡°...Shit, damn system, at least give me an item that can make me peerless.¡± It would be great if I could get my hands on a peerless item or a weapon. But unfortunately, this is a cavern infested with quite a few high-tier demons and monsters, who possess considerable strength second only to combat oriented ¡®Executives¡¯ of the Demon King. And apart from their individual strength, their overwhelming number is quite troublesome. To make matters worse, my condition is also dire. If it was before my lifespan and vitality were drastically depleted, I would have been able to hold out, but because of the penalty, my combat power has also degraded, not to mention I was even hit by six of Irina¡¯s fireballs. ¡®The only weapons I have right now are a sparring sword and the whip of false evil... What should I do...¡¯ With a tattered body, a sparring sword and a whip, there is no way I could slay them effortlessly. So, what the hell am I supposed to do? ¡°............¡± After agonizing over this dilemma for a while, I pulled out the whip from the inner pocket of my garment and began to approach Irina. ¡°...I guess I have no choice.¡± From now on, I¡¯m the kidnapper who abducted Irina. . . . .Chee?ck out latest novels at novelhall.com . ¡°Irina...¡± ¡°Ari-Arianne...?¡± A familiar scene appeared before my eyes. The scene I experienced in the previous timeline which I wanted to erase from my memory, yet at the same time I must never forget. ¡°Ru-Run away... I¡¯ll block the path... and buy time for you...¡± Arianne, who was in my arms, was muttering while looking at me with dimmed eyes. ¡°...Stop being so melodramatic and come at me. I¡¯m done messing around with you lowlives.¡± Meanwhile, the Demon King yawned and provoked me from afar in an indifferent tone. ¡°Kill you, I will kill you... I will kill you!!¡± ¡°...Hmm?¡± As I glared at the Demon King, I began casting the grand magic spell by pouring in all my mana, rage.... and the magical knowledge I acquired throughout my life. No matter how invincible the Demon King is... this grand magic spell will surely deal a fatal blow. ¡°No, no Irina... Y-You have to live...¡± When Arianne noticed what magic spell I was trying to cast, she gathered her last bit of strength in her body to grab my arm and stop me... ¡°You have to live¡ª¡± In the end, she couldn¡¯t finish her words as she slid into the embrace of death and her body went limp. ¨C Rumble! And at the same time, the grand magic spell that no one has ever been able to reproduce for the past 1000 years was gradually materializing in my palm. ¡°...Interesting, that could really hurt me.¡± However, the Demon King simply analyzed the magic circle with an intrigued look. The legendary grand magic spell of the Archmage, who was the Hero¡¯s companion, was nothing but mere entertainment in the Demon King¡¯s eyes. ¡°...Shut up.¡± However, even if it¡¯s just mere entertainment... even if it leaves nothing but a small scar... I resolved myself to cast this magic spell on the Demon King. ¡°...........¡± Because I will leave hope behind for my childhood friend¡¯s family and the people of the Empire ¡°Haaah!!!¡± ¡°But you know what...¡± When I activated the magic circle, the Demon King smirked and concentrated mana on the fingers. ¡°...I can¡¯t let you hit me with that, can I?¡± ¨C Ziiing!! And, in the next instant, a dark ray of light flew towards me. Many knights and warriors collapsed in vain in the wake of that attack. And it wouldn¡¯t be any different for me. ¨C Thud...! ¡°...Hmm?¡± However, the attack was unsuccessful. Because the strongest shield, which my cherished childhood friend summoned by pouring all her life into just before she passed away, was protecting me. ¡°...Oh.¡± As the magic circle began to emit light, the Demon King looked anxious. It must be difficult to deal with the grand magic spell that left the former Demon King in a dire physical state a thousand years ago. ¡°Take this!!!¡± Yet, nevertheless, I didn¡¯t stop casting the spell. May this magic spell slow down the Demon King¡¯s march even a little, so that even one more imperial subject survives... so that even one more hope of the Empire lived to see another dawn. ¨C Ruuumble!!! The grand magic spell I invoked with such a will began to devastate the surrounding area within a few moments of being cast. I muttered under my breath before the aftermath devoured both the Demon King and myself. ¡°If I had known this would happen...¡± As I thought of him, who I believed was different from the other rotten and corrupt nobles, but overtime became more and more like them and eventually destroyed the Empire. ¡°...I shouldn¡¯t have helped that piece of shit back then.¡± Soon after that despondent murmur, darkness devoured me. As I stood there in a daze, surrounded by darkness, I soon realized all of this was just a nightmare, and it reproduced the last moments of my previous life. ¡°...Fuck.¡± I felt my scar burn when I reminisced about the time I saved him. My brows furrowed at that thought, and I soon opened my eyes. Because I wanted to get out of this wretched dream as soon as possible. ¡°...Huh?¡± However, something is strange. For some reason, I can¡¯t seem to wake up from this nightmare. Usually, when I open my eyes wide, I can wake up from my nightmares... What¡¯s going on? ¡°.....!?¡± Besides, for some reason, my body doesn¡¯t even move. No matter how hard I try, my body doesn¡¯t move. ¡°Um, Ummm..!¡± And when I soon realized that I couldn¡¯t utter any sound, it was only then that I was able to comprehend the current situation. ¡®Do-Don¡¯t tell me... kidnapping...?¡¯ I was abducted. . . . ¡°...Sigh.¡± ¡°Gasp...¡± However, I soon realized the voice belonged to a woman at death¡¯s door, gasping for her last breath. ¡°Scrunch?¡± ¡°Crunch?¡± Numerous insect-type monsters and goblins were clinging to the woman¡¯s half-dead body and gnawing away at her flesh. I immediately got rid of those monsters, closed my eyes shut and reached out to share my life force with her, as she seemed to be on her last breath. However, soon I had to stop. ¡°Please kill me...¡± ¡°..........¡± Because she implored me to kill herself. ¡°If I apply first aid...¡± ¡°The village I lived in was razed to the ground... my friends... my husband and children... and my neighbors... they¡¯re all dead...¡± ¡°.........¡± ¡°So... just kill me... adventurer... I don¡¯t want to live anymore...¡± After briefly observing her in silence, I slowly tried to persuade her. ¡°Still, if you survive, you could start a new life somewhere else. So...¡± However, I soon stopped talking. Because this is the current situation of the whole Empire. At least in some areas like the Imperial capital, which are well fortified, a fresh start is possible, but... it¡¯s common for backward, rural, and remote areas to be ravaged and wiped out by demons. It¡¯s a dreadful situation that will never end until the nobles try to kill the Demon King rather than caring about their own well-being. So, it would be too cruel to ask her to start a fresh life elsewhere in such a despondent situation. However... if it¡¯s after I defeat the Demon King.. when I earnestly begin reforming the Empire... maybe. ¡°Sir adventure... It looks like you¡¯re severely wounded ... you don¡¯t need to help me... I just want a painless death...¡± ¡°...Sigh.¡± Immersed in such thoughts, I tried to reach out to the woman again, but once again, she refused to take my hand and pointed to my tattered body. Only then did I recall the fact that I lacked the life force to even get out of this place, let alone the life force needed to save her. So I placed my hand on the hilt of my sword. ¡°Thank... you...¡± Seeing the change in my expression, the woman thanked me in tears, then soon closed her eyes. ¡°...Let me ask you one thing.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± However, I didn¡¯t take her life right away and asked her a question in an icy voice. ¡°...Did those demons kill your husband, children, and neighbors and dragged you here?¡± ¡°.........¡± The woman nodded with great difficulty. ¡°...I see.¡± And the next moment, I raised my sword with a rueful smile. ¨C Schwiiiiing!! Eventually, when I swung my sword in full force, the woman closed her eyes, sensing the approaching death. ¡°.....?¡± However, no matter how long she waited, death didn¡¯t come to her. The woman slowly opened her eyes as her eyelids trembled. She was left speechless when she witnessed the sight in front of her. ¡°Screech...¡± ¡°Screech...¡± This is because the countless demons and monsters that nestled in the deepest region of the cave were all falling on the floor one by one, dying in agony. ¡°..........¡± The woman who had been staring at the scene for a long time began to weep bitterly. I quietly looked at her, then soon opened my mouth. ¡°...Unlike those demons, I¡¯ll make sure you pass away in peace.¡± ¡°Thank you... Thank you so much...¡± Then the woman extended her neck out to me with a relieved smile, and a few moments later, her body fell limp on the floor. ¡°.....Sigh.¡± After staring at her lifeless body for a while, I heaved a deep sigh and walked away with heavy steps. ¡°...Cough.¡± And wiped the blood seeping out of my mouth. . . . . . ¡°I-I just... heard a voice...¡± ¡°...Oh, you mean that?¡± When I returned to Irina, she began to inquire urgently. ¡°Surely... It was a woman¡¯s scream... What the hell... is going on...¡± ¡°You are not the only one here. There are quite a few women who are being educated to be embraced by the Young Master.¡± ¡°You¡¯re Crazy... you psychotic bastard...¡± Upon hearing that, Irina, who looked resentful, soon stiffened her expression and asked me another question. ¡°Wait... there is a scent of blood...¡± ¡°...You noticed.¡± ¡°Ma-Maybe you...¡± ¡°If she ever escapes from this place... there is a high chance she will betray the Young Master. That¡¯s why I dealt with her on my own.¡± ¡°Die! Die!!! You piece of shit!!!¡± ¡°Sigh...¡± I sighed as I looked at Irina, who began to struggle with all her might. Seeing her like that, I soon spoke in a cold tone. ¡°...Don¡¯t worry. The Young Master ordered me to finish your education without killing you.¡± ¡°Shut up! Frey and you... I¡¯ll definitely kill both of you!!¡± ¡°Education will start tomorrow.¡± As I approached Irina, who was still struggling and shouting, I whispered in a creepy voice. ¡°...Let¡¯s see how long your struggle will last.¡± After saying so, I gagged her mouth again and sauntered to the corner of the cave and began to contemplate. Now it¡¯s time to get her out of here. . . . . . ¡®I¡¯ll kill him... I¡¯ll definitely kill him... I¡¯ll definitely...¡¯ I don¡¯t know how much time has passed. If I was able to sneak a peek at the scenery outside, I could have at least guessed whether it was day or night, but I can¡¯t judge because my eyes are covered. ¡°...Ugh!¡± I¡¯ve already tried to gather mana several times to get out of this desperate situation, but no matter how much I struggled, I couldn¡¯t muster any mana at all. Perhaps I failed because I overdid it in the duel earlier. ¡°Screeeeech!¡± ¡°Awooooo...¡± ¡°Crackle.. Crackle...¡± ¡®...Shit.¡¯ Furthermore, even if I somehow succeed in mustering mana and free myself from this bondage, I will still have to deal with Frey¡¯s scumbag servant and probably the countless monsters lurking outside. ¡®Still... I will never give up...¡¯ Even in this hopeless situation, I kept trying to muster mana over and over again. Even if I have to fight his servant, even if I get mangled by the monsters and demons... I had to get out of here and kill Frey. This is because I need to save the Empire, the Imperial subjects, and Arianne. ¡°...Gasp?¡± As I felt an excruciating pain all over my body while struggling to gather mana, my gag suddenly came off. ¡°Huh...¡± ¡°Shhh.....!¡± I was perplexed by the abrupt situation, when suddenly someone blocked my mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t have time to explain...! We need to get out of here first...!¡± After a while, an unidentified person who urgently spoke to me in a high-pitched tone began to drag me somewhere. While I was being dragged along like that, I quietly muttered to myself. ¡®...Yes, I can¡¯t die in a place like this even after regression.¡¯ It seems that the Sun God is helping me. 1. ¡®Beyond Mountains, there are mountains.¡¯ is a Haitian proverb which means as you solve one problem, another problem presents itself. We could have localized it but we decided to stay faithful to author¡¯s initial frame of writing. Chapter 28: Hardships And Adversities ¡°U-Um...¡± ¡°...We don¡¯t have time to talk right now! We need to get out of here as soon as possible!¡± I untied the whip tying Irina¡¯s legs, then grabbed her arm and rushed out of the cave. ¡°W-Wait... Haa...!¡± Then Irina, who began running with me in haste, stumbled and collapsed on the ground. ¡°Ge-Get up quickly! If we don¡¯t get out of here...¡± I started urging her to get up quickly, but... ¡°You need to take off this blindfold and the rope binding my arms, else I won¡¯t be able to run properly!!¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± Convinced upon hearing Irina¡¯s words, I loosened the blindfold and the whip, tying her arms. ¡°...W-Where are we?¡± Irina, who had her brows furrowed, soon scanned the surroundings with a bewildered look on her face. ¡°...This is where Frey¡¯s secret hideout is located. It¡¯s a place where no one approaches because there are usually demons lurking around.¡± ¡°..........¡± I gave her a brief explanation and was about to get going again, but suddenly Irina glared at me sharply and inquired. ¡°...Who are you?¡± ¡°........¡± After momentarily staring at her, I replied in a hushed voice. ¡°...A nameless maid belonging to the Shadow unit of the Starlight family.¡± Having said that, I was meticulously hiding my appearance with a white mask and black robe. I also altered my voice to be as thin as possible, using the stellar mana to conceal my nature as a man. Still, I held my breath because there was a possibility of exposing myself to the experienced Irina, who asked one more question with a perplexed expression. ¡°...Why are you helping me?¡± It seems that Irina didn¡¯t recognize me. As expected, it was the right decision to wait until dusk, when the whole place was submerged in a moonless darkness. Of course, it will be a bit risky due to lack of visibility, but in order to deceive Irina by maximizing the efficiency of the black robe I¡¯m wearing now, moving at night was the best choice. ¡°That¡¯s...¡± As I organized my thoughts, I heaved a sigh and began narrating the scenario I had prepared in advance for this moment. ¡°...Actually, I¡¯m also a victim.¡± ¡°Victim...?¡± ¡°Yes ... I¡¯m a member of the Shadow unit, but at the same time... every night in this secret hideout I¡¯m forced to serve the heinous Frey...¡± ¡°Does that mean... Frey is here right now...?¡± When she asked with an astonished look, I lowered my head helplessly and said. ¡°Yes... Frey was planning to kidnap you in the duel the other day, so he ordered the Shadow unit to replace Arianne¡¯s recovery scroll with a spatial teleportation scroll.¡± ¡°What...?¡± ¡°Unaware of that, Arianne tore the scroll to help you... and that¡¯s how both you and Frey ended up here.¡± ¡°Then Arianne...!¡± ¡°Yes... Ms. Arianne, who fell into the trap, will be castigated. Of course, Frey, who came here with you, would safely enter this secret hideout and would be looking forward to embracing both of us until the search team finds us using magic backtracking.¡± Upon hearing that, Irina trembled and muttered in a voice, seething with rage. ¡°How can a person do... something so disgusting...?¡± ¡°Yes... you¡¯re right... when I was first brought here...¡± I sympathized with her words, but when I shook my head helplessly as my words became obscure near the end, Irina inquired cautiously. ¡°Then... why are you helping me...?¡± ¡°Earlier today, when... I saw the woman who was running away being killed, I decided... I had to get out of here somehow...¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°While I was trying to escape, I brought you along since you happened to be at the entrance of the cave. I wanted to bring other captives with me if possible, but they are all chained up...¡± As I continued to speak in a quivering tone, Irina, who was biting her lips, approached me and opened her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m really thankful. This grace even after death...¡± ¡°Haa...!¡± Then, when she tried to hug me, I quickly backed away and exclaimed. ¡°I-I hate it!!¡± ¡°Ah...¡± And for a moment, an awkward silence lingered in the atmosphere. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry... it¡¯s just that I¡¯m traumatized...¡± ¡°........¡± If Irina had hugged me, she might have figured out my body shape, so I started making excuses based on the scenario I came up with on the spot. Upon hearing the excuse, Irina gave me a guilt-ridden look. ¡°...Sorry.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Now let¡¯s get out of the woods... Hmm?¡± Having calmly accepted Irina¡¯s apology, I turned around with a sharp expression when I suddenly sensed a presence behind me as I was preparing to leave the forest. ¡°Guruk...! Guruuk...!¡± ¡°Guuruuk...¡± Looking back, what entered my field of vision was a horde of goblins corrupted by the dark mana approaching us with a slavering look. ¡°B-Be careful...!¡± Seeing the scene, Irina hurriedly stepped in front of me and summoned flames in her palms, but the flames were extinguished in less than 3 seconds. As I looked at Irina¡¯s figure in silence, who was muttering in a hushed tone, I drew the sword I found earlier in the pile of skeletons inside the cave. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this... First and foremost, you should...¡± ¨C Kachiing! ¡°...Huh?¡± However, when I suddenly darted forward and cut off the head of the goblin leading the horde, she looked at me with a shocked expression. ¡°Guruuk!!¡± ¡°Gu-Guruuk...!¡± Meanwhile, I looked at the horde of goblins, who began running away when they lost their leader. Soon, I glanced at Irina and opened my mouth when I discovered that she was still staring at me from behind. ¡°Come on, the hideout houses a lot of agents who are several times stronger than I am.¡± ¡°Uh... yes...¡± That¡¯s how my and Irina¡¯s arduous adventure began. . . . . . ¡°Gasp...gasp¡± ¡°Um... are you all right...?¡± For a while, we encountered only a few weak monsters, so we¡¯ve been able to endure to a certain extent, but... eventually, within a few hours of leaving the cave, we met a flock of fairly strong demonic monsters, the ¡®Drakes.¡¯ Because of this, my body soon reached its limit as I had no choice but to protect Irina while facing all the drakes who were rushing at us from all directions. If it wasn¡¯t for the penalty... I would have been able to hold on somehow. What a shame. ¡°Sorry... I¡¯m afraid I need to take a break...¡± Fortunately, I drank a lot of highest-grade mana potions, originally intending to transfer a considerable amount of mana to Irina, so I¡¯m brimming with stellar mana. Therefore, unlike other times, it wasn¡¯t too difficult to keep my voice altered with stellar mana for such a long period. ¡°Ye-Yes... let¡¯s take a brief break... Y-Your body is also in a terrible state...¡± While I was immersed in my thoughts, Irina pointed at me with a trembling tone. When I looked down at my body, wondering what she was talking about, I realized that my condition was indeed terrible. My shoulder, that was torn off by the Fenrir, had turned green, the entirety of my body was covered in scars, and blood was seeping through the fabrics of the mask because of the significant amount of blood I coughed up. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a dirty tactic that Frey often uses.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, because that bastard specializes in such dirty tactics.¡± Irina, who strongly sympathized with my additional explanation, soon grimaced and muttered to herself. ¡°But... the sound I heard ¡®a while ago¡¯...¡± After muttering to herself for a long time, she looked at me with a sullen expression. Soon, she closed her eyes and grumbled. ¡°Why am I making so many mistakes today...¡± Of course, it¡¯s not that she made a mistake, it¡¯s just that currently I¡¯m acting. So, it¡¯s not Irina¡¯s fault. ¡®By the way, am I becoming too much of a scumbag? Will I be fine?¡¯ Leaving behind the guilt-ridden Irina, as I stared at the giant boar and grabbed the hilt of my sword, I suddenly began to ruminate if I was becoming too much of a trash as a person... In retrospect, it¡¯s not that different from my widespread infamy. Thus, I decided to put aside my concerns for now and began to skin the giant boar. ¨C Crackle... Crackle... After a while, Irina kept glancing at the meat of the giant boar I had skinned while it was being cooked in the bonfire. ¡°...Ms. Irina, please feel free to eat.¡± ¡°Re-Really?¡± ¡°I hunted it, intending to share it with you in the first place...¡± ¡°Bu-But... I only have berries...¡± ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t this my favorite ice dragon berry? I really liked it when I was a kid...¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± I picked up the berry and took a bite so Irina could eat the meat without feeling burdened. However, suddenly Irina frowned and kept staring at me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°No-Nothing...¡± ¡°Ummm... It¡¯s delicious... After all, this fresh taste is the best...¡± ¡°............¡± Thus, smiling cheerfully, I pushed the berry under my mask, and Irina, who had been observing me for a long time, eventually quietly picked a piece of the meat from the bonfire and took a bite. So, for a while, a munching sound echoed through the forest. . . . . . After finishing their meal, the two decided to get some rest for an hour. ¡°Then... shall I sleep first...?¡± ¡°...Un, sure.¡± Eventually, Liana, who won the rock-paper-scissors, went to bed first, as Irina stood quietly next to her for an hour. ¡°..........¡± However, even after the promised hour had passed, Irina was silently staring at the woman who introduced herself as ¡®Liana¡¯ without waking her up. ¡°Zzz... Zzz... Zzzz... Zzzzz..¡± ¡°Good...¡± After a long time, when Liana began snoring, Irina stealthily approached her. ¡°...As expected, I need to check for myself.¡± Eventually, Irina, who was now in front of her, began to reach out to the mask she was wearing... the moment she was about to unmask her hidden face. ¡°...Whoaa!¡± ¡°...Haa!¡± Suddenly, Irina tripped backwards when Liana yawned aloud and sprung up. Liana stretched for a while, then soon turned her gaze to Irina. ¡°...Hmm? Ms. Irina? Why are you like this?¡± ¡°Ah no... it¡¯s nothing...¡± ¡°Come to think of it, it¡¯s time for the change in shift. You have gone through a lot today... so rest for a while.¡± ¡°...Yeah.¡± Later, when Liana suggested the change in shift, Irina tried to reply calmly, but she was still biting her lips. Soon afterwards, she lay down on the ground and closed her eyes. ¡°..........¡± And Liana... No, Frey, who briefly stared at her, put his hand on his chest and muttered under his breath. ¡°...I almost got caught.¡± Thus, Frey stood by Irina¡¯s side, keeping watch, as he ruminated that it was fortunate that he hadn¡¯t slept for an hour. ¡°...Mhmm.¡± I shouldn¡¯t sleep at the expense of my identity being discovered. . . . . . I wanted to give Irina a bit more rest, so I stood by her side for about an hour and a half keeping watch, and when she woke up on her own, we began to forge our way through the forest again. As we continued to advance through the forest, it was soon the break of dawn. However, Ashen Forest, as its name suggests, was a place that remained submerged in darkness until noon, and thanks to this, I was able to hide my appearance effectively from Irina until we reached the end. ¡°Ms Irina, look over there! I can finally see the end of the forest!¡± ¡°...I¡¯m truly glad.¡± By dawn, we had finally reached the end of the forest. We were fortunate to arrive at the end a few hours earlier since we didn¡¯t come across any monsters. For some odd reason, they suddenly vanished from the vicinity. Meanwhile, we looked at each other with a bright smile. ¡°Then... it¡¯s time to part ways, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes.. I¡¯m going to beg Frey for my life like a dog... make sure you hide somewhere.¡± ¡°...Got it.¡± ¡°Oh, and... I¡¯ll never forget that you saved me. So, if you¡¯re ever in need of help, please visit the Imperial Mage, ¡®Irina Philiard¡¯.¡± She paused for a moment, then soon opened her mouth again with a smile. ¡°...If you can¡¯t bother to remember my name, you¡¯ll just have to find the strongest Archmage in the Empire.¡± ¡°...All right.¡± As I waved at her and bid farewell with determined eyes, I concentrated stellar mana to eavesdrop on Irina, who began to mutter from behind. ¡°...After all, should I take off the mask by surprise?¡± And soon after realizing that she was still suspicious of me, I hastily headed for the end of the forest... ¨C Ruuuuumble!!! ¡°.......!¡± Suddenly, something colossal emerged from the exit and I froze on the spot. ¡°Tha-That¡¯s...!¡± And it was the same for Irina, who experienced the previous timeline. Because that¡¯s... ¡°...Fuck, that¡¯s why all the monsters in the area disappeared.¡± Because the dark golem, the final boss of the quest ¡®Academy Demon Invasion Incident,¡¯ which was supposed to take place a long time from now, stood before us. ¡ºTarget Recognized... Confirming Objectives...¡» The colossal golem that sprang up from the ground in an instant quietly examined us, then soon spoke in a mechanical voice. ¡ºBegin Eradication...¡» And as soon as the voice ceased, a dark beam of light flew towards us. I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re screwed.. Translator¡¯s Notes: All right done with all the promised sponsored chapters. Chapter 29: The Desperate Struggle ¨C Ziiing!! ¡°Kyaaa!!¡± When the laser emitted from the Dark Golem¡¯s core hit the ground, Irina was flung back in the aftermath. ¡°...Damn it!¡± The moment I witnessed that scene, I dashed to her and was barely able to catch her right before she crashed into the ground. ¡°...Cough.¡± ¡°Arghh!¡± I hugged her and rolled on the ground. Perhaps because of my exhausted state and the fatal wounds inflicted all over my body, my reflexes were dulled. ¡ºTarget Found... Eradicate...¡» ¡°...Crazy golem bastard.¡± The golem, who was staring at us, trudged towards us with its heavy body, and I straightened my sword while uttering a swear. ¡°W-We need to run away... you... can¡¯t defeat that...!¡± ¡°........¡± Meanwhile, Irina shouted urgently. Well, I can understand why Irina is screaming like that. That golem is the one who destroyed the Sunrise Academy and inflicted a fatal blow to Isolet... it¡¯s a strategic weapon of the Demon King¡¯s army. In the previous timeline, because of its overwhelming status, it took half a day to subdue it, even after all the Imperial Knights were dispatched. ¨C Thud... Thud... ¡°Li...ana...?¡± However, now is not the time to worry about that. Whatever happens, I have to fight that damned golem right here, right now. Now that the Golem has been activated, it will chase us to the ends of the world. So, even if we run away from this forest, it will still be a mortal threat, and even if we somehow managed to hide, the nearby villages will only be in danger. Since ¡®Ashen Forest¡¯ is located on the outskirts of the Empire, it will take several days for the knights to be dispatched here in order to subdue that golem, and if that golem heads to a nearby village... I can¡¯t even fathom how much destruction it will cause to both life and property. ¡°...Huff.¡± ¡°Wa-Wait, are you going to fight?¡± ¡°Ms. Irina... Run away...¡± And it will be a major problem if Irina dies. ¡°No! If I have no choice but to run away, let¡¯s run away together!! I can¡¯t leave you alone...¡± ¡°Leave!!!¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± Irina flinched and took a step back when I howled at her. ¡°You said you¡¯re going to kill Frey no matter what. You have to make up your mind.¡± ¡°Bu-But...¡± ¡°Anyway, from the moment my younger siblings were tortured to death. I was already a living corpse. I never had the will to live anymore.¡± ¡°.........¡± ¡°So... please get out of here and avenge us. That¡¯s more than enough.¡± Before I duke it out with the golem, I need to first send off Irina, so I had to endure and say a cringe-worthy line, as Irina bit her lips tightly and said. ¡°...After all, I must have been mistaken.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Liana... I will never forget your name even in death... surely... definitely...¡± ¡°...It¡¯s an honor.¡± Upon hearing my sentimental words, Irina shed tears then soon turned around and began running. ¡°...Phew.¡± If she didn¡¯t leave even after all this, I would have knocked her out and gotten her away from here before fighting the golem. I then breathed a sigh of relief and began heading towards the golem. ¡ºHuman... Identified... Exterminate...¡» ¡°Wait, but if I defeat this guy here, the scenario will... Sigh.¡± If I neutralize this guy here, the scenario in the Prophecy will go awry. In other words, variables will arise. However, if I don¡¯t defeat it now, it looks like it will be game over for me, so what can I do? And in the first place, the scenario of the prophecy¡ª ¨C Roooaaaar ¡°...Sigh.¡± When the golem roared loudly, I put my concerns aside for later and began analyzing the golem in front of me. ¡®At this point, it probably hasn¡¯t fully recovered its strength yet... this battle will be like fighting the intermediate to higher ranks of combat executives in the Demon King¡¯s Army.¡¯ The Dark Golem commanded the demons during the invasion of the Sunrise Academy, and is called the strategic weapon of the Demon King¡¯s Army... However, at this point in time, It¡¯s probably weaker than its final boss form in the previous timeline. Because the Dark Golem was unintentionally awakened by us while it was replenishing its mana in ¡®Ashen Forest.¡¯ That¡¯s why it¡¯s comparatively smaller than it was during the invasion. Of course, it would still be on par with the intermediate to higher ranks of ¡®Combat Executives.¡¯ For reference, the Succubus Queen and Eucarius, who were easily killed last time, were not ¡®Combat Executives¡¯. In the first place, the combat executives are not people who lose their lives in a single strike even if you catch them off guard. Anyway, the point is that I have a slight chance of winning right now. Earlier, I couldn¡¯t use ¡®Stellar Mana¡¯ properly because I was being cautious of Irina, and only relied on my martial arts to deal with the monster. But now that she is gone, if I use the ?Hero¡¯s Strength? and the ?Stellar Mana? swirling within me because of those mana potions I drank yesterday, I will be able to fight it somehow. Of course... because of the depleted vitality as a result of the incurred penalty, I¡¯ll have to defeat it as soon as possible and probably after the battle I¡¯ll be moribund. ¨C Ziiing!! ¨C Kachiiiing!! As soon as I organized my thoughts as such, a dark beam was fired from the golem¡¯s energy core. At the same time, I swung my sword and the slash exuding stellar mana clashed with the beam. ¨C Bang...!!! Suddenly, a massive explosion went off and the entire area was engulfed in smoke. Not missing this opportunity, I quickly dug into the golem¡¯s leg. ¡°Heup!!!¡± Eventually, my sword cut off the Dark Golem¡¯s right leg, and he lost his balance and collapsed on the ground. Fatal Error ¡ºBeep... Fatal Error... in Balance System... Attempting Repair...¡» ¡°...It lost its leg. How can it even repair it?¡± ¡ºUnable to... Repair...¡» ¡°Phew... that¡¯s good. I thought it might have a spare leg.¡± I breathed a sigh of relief after being momentarily frightened by the golem¡¯s words, then began to approach it in order to finish it off¡ª ¡ºSearching for countermeasures... Results obtained... Deploying flight mode...¡» ¡°...Crazy.¡± I stood there speechless, staring blankly at the sky, when the golem suddenly spread its wings and took flight. ¡°...It¡¯s already using the berserk pattern?¡± It¡¯s a disaster. The Golem spreads its wings either during its last stand or when it¡¯s going to self-destruct. However, I never expected it to deploy flight mode as soon as it lost a leg. ¡°...Cough.¡± As I looked up at the golem in disappointment, I felt like a dog chasing the wind*. I slumped to the floor, feeling excruciating pain in my chest. ¡°Damn it... I can only swing my sword twice...¡± My body is still overflowing with ?Stellar Mana?, but perhaps because of the lack of vitality as a result of the penalty, I think I can only deal two more sword slashes imbued with the ?Hero¡¯s Strength?. Of course, I¡¯ve crossed so many hurdles since yesterday, so rather than being disappointed, I should be grateful that I could use the sword slash twice more... However, the situation is too desperate for me to be grateful. ¡ºTarget Locked... Mana Missiles Deployed...¡» ¡°...This is driving me crazy.¡± The situation has become even more severe. Small gun barrels that appeared all over the Dark Golem¡¯s body were all aiming at me. Judging from that, it seems that the crazy golem is about to fire the mana missiles that devastated the academy all at once in my direction. ¡®...Something¡¯s strange. Why is it in a hurry to kill me?¡¯ Because of this development, I became more and more suspicious. Even if I did interrupt its sweet slumber... From its point of view, I would be just like an ant passing by, so why is it going all out? It¡¯s somewhat reasonable if it went into a berserk state because its leg was torn off and it couldn¡¯t repair it. However, it doesn¡¯t make sense that it is deploying all its mana missiles, which is like a special move, at someone who is nothing more than an ant in its eyes. Something¡¯s wrong, no it¡¯s been wrong for a long time. ¨C Whoosh-Bang!!! ¡°Ummm...¡± ¡°You¡¯re finally awake, Young Master...?¡± When I opened my eyes, I was in a carriage that left a trail of dust behind. As I woke up feeling excruciating pain all over my body, I caught a glimpse of the sunset outside the window. It seems quite some time has passed. ¡°...Kania, are you all right?¡± Having roughly figured out my situation, I first inquired about Kania¡¯s condition, who must have used a considerable amount of dark mana to save me. ¡°...Why are you asking about my well-being?¡± Then Kania asked back with an exasperated expression on her face. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m worried because you used a massive amount of dark mana that even the mages of Magic Tower had difficulty dealing with. Also, I¡¯m feeling fine...¡± ¡°...I manipulated the dark mana inside the Dark Golem to prevent others from coming closer. So stop worrying about me.¡± Soon after, Kania cut me off sternly, then took an ointment out of her bag and began applying it on my body. ¡°...oh.¡± It was only then I noticed that I wasn¡¯t wearing a shirt. ¡°Are these all the wounds from today?¡± ¡°...I had a few wounds from last time.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± As I replied briefly to Kania¡¯s question, she had a bitter expression on her face, and after she gently touched me for a while in the wobbling carriage, I asked her a question quietly. ¡°...So, what¡¯s going on?¡± Upon hearing my question, Kania stopped applying the ointment, then lowered her head and said. ¡°...The Lord has intervened.¡± At that response, I froze for a moment. ¡°Father...?¡± ¡°Yes, and please don¡¯t get agitated. The Lord... has collapsed.¡± ¡°...What!?¡± As I jumped up, shocked by her words, Kania grabbed me in haste. ¡°Calm down. You need to calm down...¡± ¡°Wh-Why did my father collapse...!¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± Soon afterwards, the more she talked, the more I couldn¡¯t bear her words. She said that when both Irina and I disappeared from the training grounds, my father was so enraged that he personally visited the Magic Tower to hand in a request. It¡¯s a fact I learned from Kania, and apparently, both my father and the Tower Master were close friends back in the days. It was rather astonishing since there weren¡¯t any signs of their relationship in the previous timeline. In any case, my father, who was on his way back home after submitting a request to the Tower Master, was so stressed about this situation that he collapsed. And overnight, the Starlight family who lost both their Lord and their heir, at the same time, was in an upheaval. ¡°Currently, the Lord is in a coma. So, as soon as you return to the Empire and report that you survived, you will immediately become the ¡®Provisional Lord of the House¡¯ according to the Imperial laws.¡± ¡°........¡± I was in a daze for a long time after hearing her words. Eventually, I opened my mouth. ¡°What about Arianne?¡± ¡°..Incarcerated in the Imperial prison.¡± ¡°...Sigh.¡± With my head lowered, I soon began to give orders to Kania in a solemn tone. ¡°First and foremost, we have to calm this situation down somehow. At the same time, we have to secretly spread the rumor that I am behind this incident, and lastly, we have to make it easy for everyone to hear this rumor.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°As for Arianne... Convey my suggestion to Dean Lion to acquit her and drop all charges against her since I want to calm this situation down appropriately. If that doesn¡¯t work, bribe him, implicitly tell him I¡¯m the one who changed the magic scroll.¡± ¡°All right.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll delegate the powers of the Provisional Lord. However, even if you¡¯re competent, can you handle all this...?¡± ¡°...Please, just leave it to me.¡± Having instructed Kania how to handle this case, I asked the next most important question. ¡°...What was the duel¡¯s result?¡± ¡°Young Master won the duel by securing a majority of the supervisors¡¯ votes.¡± ¡°...Nothing is going my way.¡± I grumbled under my breath when I realized that another troublesome situation had occurred. ¡°...In this case, the raider will be random.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later. Anyway... Lastly, about my father...¡± I calmly tried to change the subject of the conversation to my father, but I couldn¡¯t bear to continue my words, so I lowered my head. ¡°Young Master... Don¡¯t worry too much. The Lord will wake up soon...¡± ¡°...It¡¯s a special event.¡± ¡°What?¡± When Kania looked confused, tears welled up in my eyes and I barely managed to utter a reply. ¡°If my father, infuriated by my evil deeds, falls into a coma... he can¡¯t... he will never wake up... till the day I kill the Demon King...¡± ¡°.........¡± Unable to finish speaking, I bit my lips tightly, then muttered in a low voice. ¡°...Kania, I need a hug.¡± Upon hearing that, Kania quietly got up from her seat, then hugged me and whispered. ¡°...Anytime.¡± So both of us spent a moment hugging each other. Of course, when the wounds all over my body began to hurt, I had no choice but to release her from my arms. . . . . . ¡°...Disappearing without a trace is suspicious as well.¡± Meanwhile, Irina was riding in the investigation squad¡¯s carriage on her way back to the Imperial capital. ¡°Although it was only for a split moment... the body I felt when I was hugged was never that of a woman¡¯s. Moreover, the shade of sparkling mana left at the scene of the incident was also suspicious. And finally...¡± She looked down at the dried and twisted fruit in her hand with a sharp glint in her eyes and muttered. ¡°...The maid who had no prior contact with me knows the nickname I made up, ¡®Ice Dragon.¡¯¡± . . . . . When the ¡®kidnapping in the middle of the duel¡¯ incident ended and the Empire was submerged in the dusk¡¯s darkness, a woman groaned while lying on the bed. ¡°M-My stomach... Why does it hurt so much... And what the hell is even a ¡®Cat¡¯s Tail¡¯ that the Saintess keeps saying and refusing my request for medical treatment...?¡± Isabel, who was paying hundreds of times the price for insulting Kania in front of Frey a few days ago, groaned while grabbing her stomach. She was suffering from an extreme case of diarrhea due to Kania¡¯s curse. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s because of... damn bastard Frey... that lowlife did it out of spite... somehow... I need to get revenge...¡± ¨C Growl! ¡°...Heugh!¡± But as soon as her stomach growled, she rushed to the toilet with tears in her eyes. ¡°...Ahhh.¡± Meanwhile, a crow sitting by the window quietly captured her troubled figure. 1. Just like a dog chasing chickens was looking up at the roof ¨C It is a metaphorical axiom which means that the work you have been trying to do either fails or there is nothing you can do about it because you are falling behind. Another meaning is the literal meaning where a dog chases a chicken, chicken flaps its wings and flies to the roof, and the dog has no choice but to keep staring at the chicken atop the roof from below. TL;DR we localized this to ¡®dog chasing the wind.¡¯ 2.Alright next up we will be returning in 10 days with premium chapters and consistent release rate of 3 free chapters/week can¡¯t go more than that for now because the chapters are really long compared to other KR novels. So hang on till then. I hope you guys were able to recognize the Skyrim reference. Chapter 30: Extinguishing Stars and Shining Moon ? Extinguishing Stars and Shining Moon ? ¡°...Young Master, please get ready to leave.¡± ¡°...Hmm.¡± The weekend arrived, and it was time to visit the Duke¡¯s mansion as planned. Even if it wasn¡¯t on schedule, I had to go there because I need to take care of a lot of affairs as the Provisional Lord. ¡°Then, before heading to the Duke¡¯s mansion, I¡¯ll give you a brief report.¡± ¡°...Sure.¡± As I stood up to get dressed, Kania took out her notebook and diligently began to report what had transpired so far. ¡°First of all, about the case of ¡®kidnapping in the middle of the duel¡¯... it was successfully calmed down as instructed by the Young Master.¡± A few days ago, thanks to Kania, the kidnapping incident during the duel was safely resolved. I entrusted her with full authority the moment I was appointed as the Provisional Lord of the Starlight family when I arrived at the capital. Saying it was safely resolved would be an overstatement, rather, the incident was ¡®buried¡¯ would be the right way to put it. ¡°Some bribes were paid to the chief of the investigation squad and Dean Lionel to cover up the case, and the Magic Tower didn¡¯t want to disclose that they were involved in this to begin with, so you can rest easy.¡± ¡°...Well, the magic tower would have been rather anxious if we couldn¡¯t cover up the incident. By the way, the chief of the investigation squad took the bribe?¡± ¡°Yes, he even provided guidelines on how much bribes should be offered to cover the entire incident.¡± ¡°The Empire is becoming worse day by day.¡± I frowned and added the chief of the investigation squad to the future blacklist. I then asked carefully. ¡°Did you spread the rumor well?¡± ¡°Yes, currently at the Academy, almost everyone has accepted the rumor as a fact that the Young Master is the true mastermind behind this incident. It¡¯s just that everyone is trying to stay quiet in front of you.¡± ¡°...I see. That¡¯s a relief. Then, what about Arianne?¡± ¡°She was released yesterday and returned to the Academy again. Of course, I secretly leaked the story that it was the Young Master who manipulated the guards with black magic and swapped the scrolls.¡± ¡°Good job, Kania.¡± I swore I wouldn¡¯t cross paths with Arianne in the future, and I asked Kania, who was still reporting in a stern tone, the next question. ¡°Finally... What about Irina?¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Irina is waiting outside the room at the moment.¡± ¡°...Hmm, I get it. Then let her in.¡± When I said so in an anxious tone, Kania nodded quietly and left the room. A few seconds later, Irina entered the room. ¡°All right, so... Why are you here?¡± When I looked at her and spoke arrogantly, Irina trembled, then soon fell to her knees and opened her mouth. ¡°From now on... I will absolutely obey you, Frey...¡± ¡°...Absolutely obey me?¡± When I looked at her with an intrigued expression, Irina crawled right up to me, then slammed her head hard on the floor and said. ¡°I¡¯m begging you... I¡¯ll obey you, please, just spare my life... Please...¡± ¡°And what¡¯s in it for me?¡± When I inquired as such, Irina cautiously glanced at me while still keeping her head lowered and said. ¡°...I will do anything you ask me to do. So, please, only my life...¡± ¡°Did you just say you will do anything?¡± I cut her off, then grabbed her arm and threw her onto the bed. ¡°Aaahhh...!¡± ¡°...Then, before I leave, why don¡¯t we spend some time together?¡± As I got on top of Irina and whispered softly in her ear, Irina bit her lip, then nodded quietly and said. ¡°P-Pl-lease be ...¡± ¡°........¡± Watching her reaction with an icy gaze, I sighed, then quietly got out of bed and said. ¡°Sigh, well... in times like this, you have to resist... else it really ruins the mood.¡± ¡°So-Sorry...¡± ¡°All right, clean my room and do my laundry till I return.¡± ¡°........¡± I quietly got out of bed and tried to ignore Irina, who was gawking at me as I took off my clothes. ¡®...Damn it, she¡¯s also suspicious.¡¯ Irina suspects me. When I ran into her a few days ago, I used the ?Mind Reading? skill and noticed there was ¡®suspicion¡¯ among her feelings towards me. I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s suspicious of, but apparently there are some lingering uncertainties she has about me. So I acted aggressively today, but she didn¡¯t get infuriated like usual and instead begged me to be gentle. And now she¡¯s closely inspecting me as I get undressed. It seems she is trying to ascertain whether I have any wounds on my body. But unfortunately for her, I have already prepared a countermeasure for the wounds. ¡°There you go. On top of these clothes, make sure you wash all the rest of the clothes in the room.¡± ¡°Huh...?¡± ¡°What are you doing? Did you not hear me?¡± ¡°N-No... no that¡¯s not...¡± Upon hearing my cold tone, Irina, who was examining my naked body, blushed and turned her eyes away. ¡®...As expected of Kania. Even if she is in a mana exhausted state, she is able to deceive Irina.¡¯ Currently, Kania disguised my body to appear to be in a pristine state by cloaking it with dark mana. In other words, with one snap of Kania¡¯s finger, my body will revert to its tattered state. Black magic isn¡¯t the sort of magic that can heal wounds, but it can be applied in this manner. ¡°Then... have a safe trip.¡± ¡°Sigh, you shouldn¡¯t say something you don¡¯t really mean.¡± ¡°.........¡± After successfully deceiving Irina, I threw the remaining pile of clothes on her face and walked out of the room. [Acquired False Evil Points: 50pts! (Close Call)] ¡°...Sigh.¡± Considering that the number of false evil points earned is this small, it seems this won¡¯t resolve Irina¡¯s suspicions right away. Perhaps I need to make a plan to clear her suspicions. ¡°...How did it go, Young Master?¡± As I was walking down the hallway, while being immersed in my thoughts, Kania cautiously approached me and inquired. ¡°...Everything¡¯s fine. I just let her do some simple chores.¡± ¡°I see...¡± When I answered indifferently, Kania nodded her head, then immediately asked me one more question with a sharp glint in her eyes. ¡°...By the way, what was that scream I just heard from your room?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s... well.. it was just a brief experiment.¡± When I stuttered as I roughly tried to gloss over her question, Kania stared at me with suspicions in her eyes. ¡°...Frey.¡± While I was trying to avoid her gaze, I heard a familiar voice from across the hallway. ¡°Isolet?¡± Isolet was walking towards me with a harrowing expression on her face. ¡°Hmm? What brings you here...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask you straight.¡± When I tried to reply to her in my usual sly tone, she sharply cut me off and stopped right in front of my face. ¡°What¡¯s with those rumors circulating in the academy?¡± Before long, she asked a question, exuding a murderous aura that I had never seen before. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about...¡± ¡°Frey, I¡¯ll warn you for the last time. Tell the truth.¡± While I was trying to figure a way out of this situation, I heard her voice seething with rage and intuitively realized that the moment I was waiting for had finally arrived. So, as such, I soon replied with a grimace. ¡°Well, I got rid of all the evidence... There¡¯s nothing more to hide now that the case has come to naught. I did nothing wrong.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°As the professor must have heard from the rumors, indeed, the truth is, I was the one behind the kidnapping.¡± Then Isolet trembled as she lowered her head and asked. ¡°Why...? Why... Just why did you do such a thing...¡± ¡°Why do you keep asking questions when you know everything?¡± Inwardly praying that she would finally stop worrying about me, I drove the final nail into the coffin. ¡°I kidnapped her under the guise of an accident to add her to my assortment of sex slaves. Of course, I didn¡¯t feel guilty since I was only putting a lowly bitch and her friend who kept bothering me every day in their places.¡± Then, as Isolet hardened like a statue, I continued to speak with an irritated expression. ¡°However, one of the sex slaves escaped, and did you know that lowly bitch revealed the location of the secret hideout? Well, I did teach that little bitch a lesson.¡± ¨C Kick!! . . . ¡°Kania, where is your little sister now?¡± When I arrived at the duke¡¯s residence and unpacked my luggage, the first thing I started looking for was Kadia, Kania¡¯s younger sister. ¡°...Kadia is asleep in her room.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then things will be easier.¡± ¡°...I¡¯m sorry I won¡¯t be able to help you.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± And when I heard from Kania that Kadia was sleeping in her room, I left Kania, who looked worried, and began heading to Kadia¡¯s room. The reason why I left Kania behind is that in her current state, Kadia will become sick if Kania¡¯s dark mana resonates with her ?Healing Power?. Therefore, until Kadia¡¯s healing power is fully awakened, Kania should refrain from getting close to her as much as possible. [Store / Elementary Items] ¨C Elixir of Potential Lv1 (700pts) Description: This mysterious elixir can draw out the potential of the person who drinks it. (Purchase Limit: 0/1) Accumulated Points: 2200pts ¡°...All right, it¡¯s finally time to buy this.¡± Therefore, it¡¯s my responsibility to feed Kadia the elixir that will help grow her healing ability. If possible, I would like to have other servants do it, but it would be problematic if the servants misunderstood my intentions and threw the elixir away. On the other hand, it wouldn¡¯t be fully effective if I mixed it with food or drink. ¨C Creak... With that in mind, I purchased the ?Elixir of Potential?, then quietly opened the door to Kadia¡¯s room, and went inside. ¡°Zzz... Zzz...¡± ¡°...Hmm, no matter which angle I see her, she looks exactly like a miniature Kania.¡± After endearingly staring at Kadia, who resembled Kania, for a moment, I opened the cap of the elixir of potential and began pouring its content into her mouth. ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°There you go... well done.¡± Then Kadia frowned and began gulping the elixir down her throat without spitting it out. Seeing this, I gently stroked her hair, feeling proud, then muttered. ¡°...Soon, you will be able to hold your sister¡¯s hand again.¡± After saying so, and pouring the elixir into Kadia¡¯s mouth, I left her room with a satisfied smile. ¨C Craaash!!! ¡°Ughhh!!!¡± And the next moment, I was hit by a shimmering flash of light as my body flew across the hallway and crashed into the wall. ¡°Cough...Cough... Wh-What in the...¡± ¡°This fucking bastard... what did you do...¡± As I was leaning against the wall, pondering about this sudden unexpected situation, a girl approached me with a disgusted look on her face. ¡°What did you do to Kadia, you filthy bastard!!!¡± Then the girl grabbed me by the collar and began shaking my torso while screaming her lungs out, only then I realized the identity of my attacker. ¡°Aria... Let go of me.¡± She was my sister, Aria Raon Starlight. ¡°You...it¡¯s a narcotic, isn¡¯t it...? It¡¯s a narcotic, right?¡± ¡°What do you mean narcotic...¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason for you to give Kadia a potion unless it¡¯s a narcotic, you scumbag!! You did it last time as well!!¡± ¡°Sigh...¡± As I sighed at her allegations, Aria grabbed me by my collar and began crying. ¡°My father collapsed because of you... Is that the only thing going on in your head?¡± ¡°And so¡ª¡± ¡°My mother died because of you!! Now my father is going to die because of you!! Did you return home just to threaten a maid and drug a girl the same age as me?!¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°Y-You should have died instead of my mother... you should have died instead of my mother back then!! You devil bastard!!!¡± Eventually, Aria howled as the noise echoed through the Duke¡¯s mansion. However, I couldn¡¯t say a word to her. Because no matter how accidental... It¡¯s indeed a fact that my mother died because of me. ¡°.......Sigh.¡± I calmly listened to Aria, who continued to yell that I should have died instead of our mother. Tonight, I wish I can see my mother again, even if I have to go through a nightmare like last time. . . . . . Meanwhile, somewhere in the Western Continent. ¡°Hello, old archaic witch.¡± Frey¡¯s fiance? Serena, who was eating a sweet cake in a humble villa, said so with a mischievous smile when an elderly woman wearing an old cloak opened the villa¡¯s door. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m the rightful owner of the Sunrise Empire¡¯s Magic Tower, and it¡¯s only been four years since I¡¯ve been called that way.¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s better to address you in that manner rather than the Magic Tower Master.¡± ¡°Sigh...you really are a shrewd bitch, anyway¡ª¡± Surprisingly, the elderly woman who introduced herself as the Tower Master of the Sunrise Empire took off her cloak, then sat across from her and said. ¡°¡ªSo, what¡¯s your urgent request?¡± Serena answered with a sharp glint in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s simple. Please erase my memory.¡± Upon hearing this, the Tower Master burst into laughter and opened her mouth. ¡°Pfft Hahaha!! Do you have any memories you want to forget? Did you get dumped by Frey? Or did you witness an affair again?¡± ¡°...Perhaps?¡± ¡°Pfft... well, it¡¯s not my job. So, how much memory do you want me to erase?¡± After laughing out loud for a long time, the Tower Master wiped away her tears at the corner of her eyes and asked a question. As such, Serena replied with a composed expression. ¡°...What?¡± Upon hearing her following words, the smile on the Tower Master¡¯s face completely disappeared, and she inquired with a serious look. ¡°You want to go back to your childhood?¡± ¡°Perhaps I do?¡± ¡°...I really wasn¡¯t going to ask you this, but I guess I have to do it. So, what the hell do you mean?¡± When the Tower Master asked seriously, Serena frowned slightly and began speaking. ¡°Ummm... well... I don¡¯t know if interpreting mainly words rather than sentences was somehow godsend... or if my habit of always ¡®doubting¡¯ everything to the end helped...¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°Still... there is a limit to ¡®force¡¯ myself to remain ¡®doubtful¡¯... without drawing the ¡®conclusion,¡¯ so I¡¯m trying to prevent that from happening.¡± As she uttered incomprehensible words, there was a scrap of paper full of check marks and circles tucked in her grasp. ¡°...What nonsense are you talking about?¡± ¡°Oh, and I have one more request.¡± The Tower Master stared at her as if she was looking at a lunatic, but Serena didn¡¯t care and once again uttered a shocking statement. ¡°...Please cast the ¡®Absolute Obedience Magic¡¯ on me.¡± ¡°......!!!¡± Upon hearing this, the Tower Master looked at Serena with her mouth agape, then soon asked in a serious voice. ¡°...Who will you obey?¡± Serena replied with a subtle smile reminiscent of the moonlight. ¡°Frey Raon Starlight.¡± Upon hearing her answer, the Tower Master, who had been silent for a while, soon asked with an irritated expression. ¡°What¡¯s the point of doing all these crazy things?¡± Then Serena answered with a broad grin. ¡°...I¡¯m actually going to pull one over the Sun God.¡± Having said that, Serena picked up the slice of cake in front of her with a fork and nibbled at it. The Tower Master stared at her blankly, then soon shook her head and muttered. ¡°...Crazy bitch.¡± Always stay 5 chapters ahead of free one by subscribing here You can support our group here Chapter 31: The Apple Never Falls Too Far From The Tree ? The Apple Never Falls Too Far From The Tree ? ¡°...Mhmm.¡± When I opened my eyes, I saw a rather familiar ceiling. This used to be my room until I entered the academy. ¡°Ugh...!¡± I was trying to get up, feeling slightly puzzled as to why I could see the ceiling of my room, but suddenly an agonizing pain surged over my body. As I was trembling and curling up in pain, someone gently grabbed my hand. ¡°...Young Master.¡± ¡°Kania.¡± For a long time, we stared at each other in silence without uttering a single word. And then the very next moment, both of us opened our mouths at the same time. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault...¡± ¡°I apologize for showing you such a violent display.¡± And when we finished speaking, we again began to stare at each other in silence. ¡°...Why are you blaming yourself?¡± Soon I opened my mouth with a bitter smile, thus breaking the silence. ¡°It¡¯s not that you didn¡¯t want to visit Kadia. So it¡¯s not like it happened because of you, but only if your curse could disappear...¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s... it¡¯s not about that...¡± ¡°Huh...?¡± However, for some odd reason, Kania looked distressed, and soon began to weep bitterly. ¡°Kania...? What¡¯s wrong...?¡± ¡°So-Sorry... I¡¯m sorry, Young Master...¡± ¡°......?¡± Eventually, as I was lying in bed, Kania bowed and began to apologize in a trembling tone, and as I was comforting her by patting her on the back with a baffled expression¡ª ¨C Stomp...Stomp... ¡°¡±......!¡±¡± We heard footsteps in the hallway, getting closer to my room. Surprised, both of us hurriedly separated from each other. ¨C Creak... Eventually, the door opened, and my sister Aria entered the room. We quietly exchanged glances and then began to act naturally. ¡°Young Master... what the hell did you do to my sister...?¡± ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t do anything?¡± ¡°But... that potion...¡± ¡°Ah, get out!!¡± As I shouted like that, I threw the pillow next to me at Kania, and the next moment, the pad hit her right in the face. ¡°...Eh?¡± I was perplexed for a moment, then soon fixed my expression and muttered inwardly with a sigh. ¡®...Why didn¡¯t she dodge?¡¯ Obviously, when I threw the pillow, I secretly gave her a signal to avoid it. Still, for some reason, Kania didn¡¯t bother dodging. Did she not see my signal? Or did she get hit on purpose to make our act seem more natural? Whatever the case, I felt sorry for Kania. ¡°...As you command.¡± While I was immersed in such thoughts, Kania left the room with a rather grim expression on her face. ¡°... Disgusting bastard.¡± And as soon as she left the room, Aria began to rebuke me harshly. ¡°If anything happens to Kadia... then I¡¯ll blow your head off... You scumbag...¡± ¡°...Aria, after hanging around with a lowly bitch, did you also become a lowlife?¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you understand the fact that it¡¯s satisfying to fool around with a low-key bitch like that?¡± Upon hearing my words, Aria¡¯s face turned livid with rage. Meanwhile, I snorted and continued speaking. ¡°We are the heirs of the Ducal family of Starlight, who boast unparalleled prestige and influence in the Empire. And both Kania and Kadia are worthless people given to us from the filthy back alley.¡± ¡°... Sigh.¡± ¡°So, when you keep giving affection to those who have no worth, your familial aristocratic etiquettes¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Aria cut me off in a spiteful tone and began to approach me while concentrating stellar mana in her palms. ¡°You have no right to say anything to the Provisional Lord of the family...¡± ¡°Why do you always spout disgusting words whenever you open your mouth?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pour this stellar mana you envy so much in that mouth of yours, you bastard.¡± Having said that, Aria pointed her hand at my face, and a complex magic circle appeared on her palm. ¡®...After all, she¡¯s a prodigious child.¡¯ I pondered while staring at her. If I¡¯m a ¡®Star Swordsman¡¯ who wields stellar mana, then my younger sister Aria is a ¡®Star Mage¡¯ who shoots stellar mana. She inherited my mother¡¯s skills, who was the strongest ¡®Star Mage¡¯ in the history of the Starlight family. In the future, she will become a splendid mage and a star that shines upon this Empire. Besides, my younger sister is kind-hearted. And unlike the aristocrats of this rotten Empire, she likes to help out the impoverished Imperial citizens. In the previous timeline, she used the Starlight family¡¯s financial resources to support the Imperial subjects till the day of the Empire¡¯s fall. Of course, when the corrupted nobles paid her a visit, she slammed the door right at their faces. And finally, my little sister is so cute. When I was young, she always followed me everywhere, and when I would turn around, she would flinch in surprise just like a rabbit, then hug me with a wide grin. ¡°Open your mouth, you scum.¡± ¡°...Hmm.¡± After being immersed in those memories for a while, I woke up to Aria¡¯s icy voice. When I looked ahead, Aria, who was standing right in front of my face, was resentfully pointing at my face with her magic circle. ¡®...After all, it¡¯s my karma.¡¯ There is no more Aria who grabbed me and prevented me from threatening a servant. The Aria, who wept bitterly while kneeling in front of me and begging me to return to her original kind brother as I kept committing evil deeds no longer exists. As my evil deeds continued for months, years and decades, her heart gradually decayed over time, and in the end there was nothing left but contempt, disgust and hatred for me. ¨C Snap! With such thoughts in my mind, I snapped my finger, and the knights flocked to my room. ¡°...Get her away.¡± ¡°¡±Yes, my Lord.¡±¡± The moment I gave them a curt command, the knights flocked to Aria. Even if I¡¯m mocked as the Empire¡¯s worst scoundrel, the knights have no choice but to obey my command because currently I have the highest authority to make decisions in this house under the Imperial law. Obviously, Aria can still blow me away with her magic. However, in this situation, where the knights are obligated to carry out my orders, Aria will have no choice but to back down. ¡°Eh, you¡¯re going to act like this?¡± As expected, Aria, who was apprehended by the knights, ceased casting her magic spell. However, she raised her hand to stop the knights who were trying to drag her out, then began to rebuke me with a cold expression. ¡°How do you feel about usurping your own father¡¯s position?¡± ¡°...Amazing.¡± ¡°Crazy bastard. Is that what a son would say?¡± It was becoming a pain to deal with her any longer, so I roughly retorted and tried to chase her away. Still, she continued admonishing me while enduring the strength of the knights with her stellar mana. ¡°After all, you¡¯re the one who made my father like that, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°My lively father suddenly collapsed on his way back home and fell into a coma. Even the most skilled healers of the Empire don¡¯t know why he collapsed like that.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be true that he just simply collapsed because of stress. If that¡¯s the case, then there must be someone behind it... You know very well that no one has a grudge against my father, right?¡± ¡°...Aria.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me by my name, you disgusting bastard. After all, there is only one person in the Empire who wants my father gone.¡± Saying so, Aria pointed at me with tears in her eyes. ¡°Now that you¡¯re the Provisional Lord, your tongue has become rather sharp, huh? What have you done to your own father?¡± ¡°...Get her out right now.¡± ¡°Will it be my turn next? You took my mother and father away from me... Are you going to take my life as well?¡± ¡°...Take her away.¡± ¡°Seeing you right now, our mother is surely weeping in heaven...¡± ¨C False Evil¡¯s Deception Lv2 (700pts) Description: Permanently slightly increases the persuasiveness of lies. ¨C Inspect Lv3 (1000pts) Description: The Inspect skill numerically displays the degree of how good or evil a person actually is. (-100~100) [Accumulated Points: 2001pts] ¡°...Damn, give me life force recovery or healing skills.¡± After cursing the system for a while, I quickly bought all the remaining skills. ¡°...Well, I have to buy these anyway.¡± I pondered my decision for a while, but then I soon recalled that this was the only place where I could spend the points. Thus, I quietly leaned back in my chair and tried to get some rest. ¨C Creak... As I was taking a break for a moment, the door suddenly opened. Because of this, I hurriedly took a defensive stance because I thought Aria had invaded again. However, it was Kania, not Aria, who entered. ¡°...Young Master? What¡¯s that ridiculous stance?¡± ¡°No... nothing.¡± I blushed and averted my gaze, and Kania, who looked at me with a subtle smile, soon approached me and placed something down. ¡°...What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Sandwiches and coffee. Young Master¡¯s favorite meal.¡± ¡°Uh... thanks, but why this all of a sudden?¡± When I asked with a slightly puzzled expression, Kania smiled bitterly and pointed to my body. ¡°If you don¡¯t eat anything, your wounds won¡¯t heal.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± I was flustered upon hearing those words as Kania turned around and began heading towards the door. ¡°Thank you for the snack, Kania.¡± I smiled at her and sent her off, but suddenly Kania stopped right in front of the door. ¨C Click! ¡°...Kania?¡± After locking the door, Kania slowly approached me again and spoke in a hushed voice. ¡°...Young Master, please take off your clothes.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s time to apply ointment on your wounds.¡± ¡°Eh...why? I can apply ointment on my own...¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll apply it in every nook and cranny. Because there are wounds where the Young Master¡¯s hand can¡¯t reach.¡± Upon hearing that, I scratched my head for a moment, then carefully took off my shirt. ¡°...Well then, let¡¯s get started.¡± So, I ate the snacks that Kania had prepared for me, then left my body in her care. And after some time had passed. ¡°...Young Master.¡± ¡°Hmmm?¡± Kania, who had been silently applying ointment all over my body, suddenly gave me a vacant gaze and asked a question. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°...Everything is fine though?¡± When I replied to her calmly, Kania frowned and said. ¡°Then why are you trembling like that?¡± ¡°........¡± When she said that, I realized that my body was indeed trembling. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just... because I¡¯m tired...¡± In fact, the cause for my body trembling like that was a mixture of complex reasons, such as my father, who was lying comatose in the next room, my sister who resented me, and the anxiety that I often felt whenever Kania wasn¡¯t next to me because over time I came to rely on her a lot. However, if I told Kania all of this, she would needlessly worry, so I grouped all these reasons in my answer as ¡®tired.¡¯ Kania, who was still staring at me, gave me a subtle smile and asked. ¡°...Can I give you a hug, Young Master?¡± ¡°...Sure.¡± When I affirmed after a moment of deliberation, Kania hugged me and whispered to me in a hushed voice. ¡°...Are you still concerned about what Lady Aria said earlier?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, even in death I¡¯ll be with you.¡± ¡°........¡± Feeling the warmth in Kania¡¯s soft whisper, I replied in a serious tone. ¡°...There is no need for you to be with me in death.¡± And for a moment, absolute silence lingered in the room. ¨C Bang Bang!! ¡°Open the door!!!¡± ¡°¡±.......!¡±¡± Soon Aria¡¯s pounding on the door broke the silence. Kania pulled away from me with a bewildered expression, and I, too, began to get dressed in panic. ¡°...Huh?¡± Meanwhile, Aria, who forcibly opened the door using magic, had a bewildered expression when she looked at me and Kania, who were blushing. Soon afterwards, she began heading to the drawer. ¡°What are you doing...¡± Eventually, she took out a file from the drawer, turned around, and walked out of the room. ¡°........¡± After blankly gazing her way for a while, I noticed Kania had picked up the first aid box placed next to me once more, so I took off my clothes again and muttered inwardly. ¡®...Where have I seen the file Aria was carrying?¡¯ . . . . . ¡°Well then, good night.¡± ¡°Yes... Good night to you as well, Kania.¡± There was so much work piled up that I was forced to stay awake until dawn. After sending off Kania, who had been helping me right by my side till then, I began to head towards my room. ¡®...I¡¯m so glad I brought the cat doll.¡¯ My accumulated stress was at its peak, but my stress seemed to be relieved to some extent at the thought of stroking the cat doll¡¯s belly, which recently began to meow while lying on its back. ¨C Hum...Hum... ¡°...Hmm?¡± As I was humming while heading to my room, I suddenly heard a sobbing sound coming from somewhere. I anxiously headed to the source of the sound, wondering if a ghost had appeared in the mansion. However, to my surprise, the sound was coming from the room Aria and Kadia were sleeping in. ¡°...Hmmm?¡± After momentarily titling my head, I soon erased my presence with the help of stellar mana and then began to peek inside the room through the keyhole. ¡°Sniff...Sob...¡± Then I saw Kadia sleeping soundly in bed while Aria was crying, kneeling down on the floor as she looked down at the file she had earlier taken out of my office. Curious about what the hell she was looking at, I concentrated stellar mana in my eyes and began examining the file she was staring at... ¡®...Ah.¡¯ Soon, I heaved a brief sigh inwardly. ¡®...She is doing the same thing as me.¡¯ What she was looking at was a picture of our mother. Seeing those pictures soothes my loneliness. I smiled bitterly at the thought that we were indeed blood related siblings because of how similar we were. I turned around and was about to stride back to my room¡ª ¡°Brother... why the hell did you become like this... just why...¡± Aria, who turned over the page of the file, or rather an album, wept bitterly when she saw a picture of me as a kid holding her in my arms and riding a wooden horse. ¡®...No.¡¯ And when I saw the system window that appeared in front of me, I had no choice but to feel a deep sense of despair. [Aria Raon Starlight¡¯s Current Emotions: Disappointment / Concern / Longing / Love-Hate / Grief / Guilt] ¡°Where did your innocence of the past go... Why the hell did you become such a monster...¡± It seems a new variable which surpasses even Isolet has appeared. Wanna read ahead? You can access the Premium chapters here You can support our group here Chapter 32: Prelude ? Prelude ? ¡®...What should I do about this?¡¯ Now I¡¯m in a complicated situation. ¡°Sob...Sob...¡± Because I realized that my sister, Aria, was still worried about me. ¡®Damn, I can¡¯t let this happen.¡¯ There is a reason why I got rid of Isolet¡¯s concerns about me at the cost of being beaten by her. Everyone who is ¡®concerned¡¯ about me will be ¡®cursed¡¯ in the event ¡®Ordeal of the System,¡¯ which will transpire one day. Just when I somehow managed to get Isolet to turn her back on me... a new variable has appeared before my eyes ¡°.........¡± As I stared at the new variable in front of me, I closed my eyes tightly and decided. ¡°...Ahmm.¡± ¡°......!¡± After erasing the stellar mana cloaking my body, I intentionally let out a signal. Aria, who was trembling while looking down at the file, flinched, then quickly closed it and stood up. ¡°Uhm? Ms. Aria?¡± ¡°...Shh, be quiet.¡± Aria, who quietly whispered to Kadia, who woke up after hearing the sound, sneaked up to the door. ¡°Heup!!¡± ¡°Arghh!!¡± The next moment, she opened the door with all her might and blew me away. ¡°Wh-What... Why are you doing this...¡± ¡°You, you...! I told you!! Don¡¯t even come near our room!!¡± ¡°Gasp... That¡¯s right.¡± She grabbed me by the collar and began yelling at me, as Kadia trembled behind her while tightly hugging her pillow. I briefly glanced at Kadia and complained to Aria, who was holding me by the collar as if I was being wronged. ¡°No, but... since she took the drugs, shouldn¡¯t I mess around a bit?¡± ¡°Please, please just shut up. Please.¡± ¡°Do you know how much money I spent on that drug? 3,000 gold! 3,000 gold! I can¡¯t just blow that money into the air, right?¡± ¡°Stop it. Please.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure she will feel great since I bought the best product...¡± ¡°Brother... Stop... Please stop it...¡± I was again using the same method that made Ferloche and Isolet give up on me and prayed that my sister would do the same, but suddenly tears rolled down Aria¡¯s face. ¡°Brother... You weren¡¯t like this... Why the hell are you doing this...?¡± I almost hugged her like I did when I was a child in response to her unexpected outburst, but just before I touched her back, I came to my senses and quietly lowered my hand. ¡°You who hated this kind of thing more than anyone when we were young... don¡¯t you remember?¡± ¡°...I can¡¯t really recall.¡± ¡°Brother... I remember clearly you said, ¡®I will slice the lower halves of people who would do such a thing.''¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t remember?¡± Of course, I remember clearly what I said, but I was pretending not to know. Seeing this, Aria grabbed me and began shaking me. ¡°Are you under a curse? Or are you being threatened? Or...¡± ¡°Behave reasonably.¡± ¡°...Ugh!¡± Aria¡¯s remarks were starting to get more dangerous, so I hurriedly pushed her away and stopped talking. Then I stared at her with a cold expression and said. ¡°Why are you arguing with me when you don¡¯t have a clue about me?¡± ¡°Tha-That¡¯s...¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll consider those 3000 gold as waste. That should be enough, right?¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°And as I said, if you keep up this rude behavior...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll definitely find out.¡± ¡°...What?¡± I realized that it would be hard to get rid of her concerns today, so I was going to finish dealing with this situation moderately and head over to my room, but suddenly Aria spoke in a determined tone. ¡°I¡¯ll find out for sure.... the reason why you changed like that.¡± Looking at her speaking in such a serious tone, I read her information displayed on the window with the ?Inspect? skill. [Stats] e: Aria Raon Starlight Strength: 4 Mana: 7.2 Intelligence: 7 Mental Strength: 8.5 Passive Status: Stargazer Disposition: Guardian Goodness Stat: 95 After seeing her ¡®Goodness Stat,¡¯ I couldn¡¯t utter a word and quietly turned around and began heading to my room. ¡®...I¡¯m in trouble.¡¯ My little sister, who couldn¡¯t forget my younger self from her childhood, became a new threat. There are many events I need to overcome and countless enemies I need to deal with... it¡¯s crazy to think that a family member could become as threatening as those people. ¨C Flop When I arrived at my room, barely holding onto my mental state that was on the verge of collapse. I lay listlessly on my bed and began staring at the ceiling with a vacant gaze. [Acquired False Evil Points: 300pts! (Death Flag)] ¡°...Sigh.¡± After removing the hideous system window that appeared in front of my eyes, I tried to ruminate, but soon gave up. For some odd reason, neither the self-lamentation nor self-rationalization, which usually comes out as a coping mechanism, appear at all. I just want to stop thinking for a while and rest. The system, the Demon King, the Sun God, and so on, I want to rest in peace for just one day... ¡°Meow.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± Suddenly, a familiar mew tickled my ears. Realizing the meaning of the sound, I barely held onto my fading consciousness and turned my head to the side with a smile. ¨C Lick And at the same time, the black cat doll, which has now become an inseparable existence, began licking my cheeks. ¡°Meow...¡± The next moment, the doll lay on its back and revealed its belly and began staring at me with anticipated eyes. ¡°For the past few days, you haven¡¯t budged a bit... Why do you seem lively tonight?¡± ¡°M-meow... mew, meow...¡± Seeing the adorable doll, I began to press its belly, while feeling immensely grateful to it for helping me forget everything and relax. Abraham Raon Starlight ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you see his face once before we leave?¡± ¡°........¡± As I looked at the nameplate with a bitter expression on my face, Kania quietly stood by the door and said. ¡°I¡¯ll stand guard watching out for Lady Aria.So, Young Master, you should go and briefly greet him.¡± ¡°...Thank you, Kania.¡± After quietly expressing my gratitude to Kania, I opened the door and went inside. ¡°...Father.¡± When I entered, my father¡¯s visage caught my eye. He was lying in bed with his eyes closed. Seeing my father, I took a deep breath, then quietly uttered a few words. ¡°I won¡¯t talk long.¡± I didn¡¯t want to be melodramatic, so I suppressed my emotions and left a short message. ¡°...I¡¯ll certainly return here after I defeat the Demon King.¡± When I left the room after such a brief greeting, Kania asked a question with her brows raised. ¡°...You came out sooner than I thought?¡± ¡°Because I didn¡¯t want our meeting to be melodramatic.¡± ¡°I see. I was about to call you since Lady Aria is coming this way. What should we do?¡± When I got out of the room, I closed my eyes tightly when I heard Aria coming to see me. I soon opened my mouth and began to walk with hastened steps. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here quickly.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Thus, I went straight to the gates of the mansion and boarded the carriage that Kania had priorly parked by the side of the road. ¡°Young Master, Lady Aria is coming out.¡± ¡°...The carriage needs to get going.¡± Then, with a rattling sound, the carriage departed. I leaned back in my seat, ignoring my sister¡¯s anguish howls, calling my name, and asked Kania, who was sitting next to me. ¡°Kania, can I ask you to cast normal magic instead of black magic?¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°I can still hear Aria¡¯s crying, it seems that this carriage isn¡¯t equipped with soundproof magic... I know it¡¯s hard, but can you cast a soundproofing magic spell?¡± ¡°Young Master...¡± Aria¡¯s cries echoed with grief, so I had no choice but to ask Kania for a favor. However, Kania¡¯s face turned pale for some reason. ¡°What do you mean by crying?¡± ¡°.....?¡± I was bewildered by the incomprehensible reaction, but Kania took my hand and spoke with a concerned look. ¡°Lady Aria opened the door, came out, briefly gazed our way, and then went right in. And now I can¡¯t hear anything besides the rattling sound of the wagon.¡± Upon hearing that, my expression froze, then I cautiously asked Kania. ¡°Hey, Kania. Is there any black magic that erases or clears your memory for a certain period?¡± ¡°Why do you ask...¡± ¡°Is there... If my brain is shut down for a while, won¡¯t this get fixed?¡± As I said so, I covered my ears with both hands and muttered, ¡°No, cast a spell that puts me to sleep. Can you also manipulate my dreams? No, no... Just get rid of this crying. I think I¡¯m going insane.¡± ¡°Young Master...?¡± ¡°Kania... What¡¯s wrong with me...?¡± I panicked and trembled at this terrible situation that I had never experienced in my previous life. However, when suddenly I felt my mind getting cleared, I smiled with a dazed expression. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s working. The cries have stopped.¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°What kind of magic did you use? Did I just regain consciousness after passing out? Or is this a dream? Are you treating me by showing a fantasy?¡± ¡°Young Master...¡± ¡°Thank you, Kania. As expected, I can¡¯t really get through life without you...Haha...haha...¡± While I was shaking hands with Kania, I soon realized she had a sorrowful expression on her face, so I inquired with a confused look. ¡°Kania? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Umm... Since when have you been in such a mental state?¡± ¡°Mental state? It¡¯s fine. Even if I look like this, my mental strength figure is still 9.3? So, I don¡¯t suffer from any kind of insanity... Severe fits of anxiety heal by itself and don¡¯t last for more than a few minutes. Isn¡¯t it amazing? Even now I regained my sanity rather fast.¡± ¡°...Young Master doesn¡¯t seem sane at all.¡± When Kania spoke firmly, I, who was pretending to be fine, smiled slightly, then muttered in despair. ¡°Sorry... no matter how high my mental strength is, it seems I¡¯m slowly reaching my limit...¡± Then Kania lowered her head and muttered. ¡°I apologize... I¡¯m still lacking... If only I had been more capable...¡± So, for a long time, Kania¡¯s self-reproaching murmurs resounded in the carriage. ¡°I think... I think I need to seek some sort of psychiatrist in absolute secrecy... Let¡¯s find a suitable place...¡± ¨C Flap! Flap!! ¡°Ugh!!!¡± Suddenly, a familiar-looking white owl flew over to the carriage window and flapped its wings vigorously. ¡°...Hoot!¡± Eventually the owl spat out a letter on my lap, then flew up and disappeared over the horizon of the sky. Both of us, who were gazing at his direction, muttered in unison. ¡°It¡¯s from Serena.¡± ¡°...It¡¯s from Lady Serena.¡± After those words, I quietly opened the letter on my lap as silence descended upon the carriage. I soon frowned and muttered. ¡°...Did she go crazy after remembering her previous life?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°See for yourself.¡± Then, with an absurd expression, I handed the letter to Kania and muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, but it seems... it¡¯s one more thing to be concerned about... Sigh... How the hell am I supposed to deceive the girl who fooled me in the previous timeline...¡± ¡°...What is this?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± But when Kania looked perplexed and asked what was going on, I scratched my head and spoke. ¡°Uh... She wrote it in an awful handwriting, but I can still recognize it...!¡± However, as I looked at the letter again, I froze with my mouth agape. ¡°Is this like a password the Young Master and Lady Serena used? I don¡¯t know what it means, no matter how many times I look at it...¡± Because I realized that the following contents of the letter were written in ¡®Hangul¡¯. ¨C I¡¯ll see you soon. P.S. I love you (perhaps?) Serena Lunar Moonlight As I stared at the letter with a frozen expression, I sighed and muttered. ¡°...Dog shit game.¡± These nonstop variables are really getting on my nerves. Wanna read ahead? You can access the Premium chapters here You can support our group here Chapter 33: The Meeting ? The Meeting ? ¡°Young Master, why are we heading towards the back alley?¡± ¡°...I need to buy something.¡± I was aware that my mental state wasn¡¯t good, so before I returned to the dormitory, I planned to stop by a psychiatrist for some counseling. However, after seeing Serena¡¯s letter, I was so shocked that I overturned my decision because my exhausted mind had become a little clear. I guess my mind felt clear because of the extreme shock I received after reading the letter. I could really benefit from this sort of shock therapy in the future. Anyway, after delaying my visit to the psychiatrist because my mind became clear, I turned the carriage to the back alley where I had planned to stop by sooner or later. Now I am wearing a robe and heading to the back alley through the Market Street entrance along with Kania. ¡°Young Master, did Lady Serena find out the truth?¡± ¡°Hmmm... Seeing that the penalty window didn¡¯t appear, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case.¡± ¡°But how does Lady Serena know about ¡®Hangul¡¯?¡± ¡°...Perha¡ª¡± When I Unknowingly imitated Serena¡¯s mannerisms, I heaved a deep sigh as I looked at Kania with a worried expression and continued speaking. ¡°There are so many variables popping up these days... I feel like I¡¯m getting more and more derailed from the scenario.¡± ¡°...Scenario?¡± ¡°Yes, the ¡®scenario.¡¯ The only way to save this world.¡± Upon hearing those words, Kania¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Is that... the only way?¡± ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t know whether it will be the petty sun god... or the fancy system, but I do know that such a transcendent being is the only one who can give this world a happy ending.¡± ¡°........¡± As I spoke composedly, Kania stopped, then looked straight into my eyes and asked. ¡°...Is that really the only way?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Do you have to keep suffering while being swayed by the ¡®System¡¯?¡± Upon hearing those words, I remained silent, and Kania took one more step closer to me and continued speaking. ¡°I don¡¯t know because I haven¡¯t read the prophetic book... but surely there must be another way?¡± ¡°Another way...¡± ¡°And the Young Master tends to rely on the ¡®System¡¯ too much. Later on, it will prove to be problematic...¡± ¡°I have no choice.¡± I cut her off and said with a bitter smile. ¡°There is another way. But if I don¡¯t follow this route, the rest of the endings are all sad.¡± ¡°...For example?¡± ¡°One of the happy endings, if you don¡¯t follow this ¡®route,¡¯ is to survive with only one of the ¡®Main Heroines¡¯ and live in a ruined world.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°Of course, there are other ways, but most of them end up like this. So, I have no choice.¡± Kania, who was at a loss for words, spoke to me again in a serious tone. ¡°Even so... The ¡®System¡¯ restricts Young Master¡¯s actions a lot. Besides, it¡¯s even malicious. So, don¡¯t trust it too much...¡± ¡°...On the 1000th anniversary of the death of the Demon King, the heir of the Demon King will appear and devour the world.¡± Then I quietly recited the phrase that was familiar to her. ¡°You will need a hero with the same strength as me to stop the heir.¡± Then Kania, who was blankly staring at me, soon realized something when I recited the following phrase. ¡°No way, by ¡®same strength¡¯....¡± ¡°Yes, it was the ¡®System.¡¯ Of course, it wasn¡¯t the ¡®Path of False Evil¡¯ like me... but he also used a ¡®System.''¡± I added briefly, looking up at the sun that was shining brightly above our heads. ¡°And with that system, he eventually defeated the Demon King.¡± Kania, who was staring at me with pity, also turned her gaze to the sun and muttered. ¡°...I hate the sun floating above my head today.¡± ¡°I know.¡± After staring at the sun for a while, we sighed and began to move forward again when we heard complaints from behind for blocking the road. ¡®...Is it really the right decision to follow the system?¡¯ And from that point on, even though I didn¡¯t express my misgivings to Kania, I became more skeptical about the system. Doubts, such as why a convenient system that can solve everything feeds on my evil deeds. Why almost all the abilities provided by the system only help to spread evil... However, I reserved my judgment for later, just like in the case of the prophecy last time, because I was on the verge of losing my mind. I thought I could no longer hold on anymore if I touched such a fundamental issue when my mind was on the brink of collapse. ¡°Excuse me...!¡± As I was walking down the market street and was about to enter the back alley with listless eyes, I suddenly heard a sound from somewhere. ¡°Um, please give me something to eat...¡± ¡°I starved for three days...¡± ¡°Help...¡± When I came to my senses and looked around, I saw children with ragged bodies surrounding both of us, begging desperately. ¡°...Kania, give me a pouch of gold coins.¡± ¡°Then what if your good deeds get exposed?¡± I felt sorry for those children, so I tried to help them, but Kania looked at me with a worried expression and pointed out the fact that my good deeds could be exposed. That¡¯s true, it would be a colossal disaster if I make a blunder while overdoing it. Although unlike before, I¡¯m wearing a white robe instead of a black robe... but you could never be too sure. ¡°That¡¯s right. Then I¡¯ll give it to you instead.¡± However, I couldn¡¯t turn a blind eye to the starving children, so I ordered Kania to hand out the gold coins in my place. I then endearingly gazed at the brightly smiling children. ¡°...There are also some kids who took gold coins back then.¡± Soon I noticed that most of the children who I rescued from the Succubus Queen were also mixed in with the beggars. Seeing this scene, I heaved a deep sigh and stroked my temple. ¡°¡±Thank you, sister!!¡±¡± ¡°¡±Thank you, sister!!¡±¡± After pondering for a while, I whispered to Kania, who was smiling and waving at the kids running away. ¡°Kania, I can¡¯t stand this any longer.¡± ¡°.....?¡± At my sudden remark, Kania tilted her head in confusion. ¡°I want to do some charity.¡± ¡°Eh!?¡± And it didn¡¯t take long for her expression to turn into astonishment. . . . . . ¡°Young Master, please reconsider.¡± ¡°...No. I¡¯ve given it enough thought.¡± ¡°Please, Young Master...¡± As I entered the back alley, I lowered my voice as much as possible, but Kania was still pleading with me. ¡°Young Master, you will run out of vitality and lifespan. Please, don¡¯t do charity...¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware of how long I will live.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± The little girl, who had been looking at the Tower Master in confusion, soon answered with a bright smile when the Tower Master held her hand and asked her name. ¡°...Glare!¡± ¡°All right, you are my disciple from now on.¡± ¡°...Eh?¡± However, when the Tower Master looked down at her with ecstatic eyes and declared that she would become her disciple, Glare tilted her head in confusion. And the lucky ring on her left finger that she had cherished till now glowed radiantly with the light emanating from her body. . . . . . ¡°...Sigh, I think I¡¯ll be able to hold on a little more.¡± ¡°Young Master, you have worked hard today.¡± When I returned to the dormitory again after purchasing many things I needed for my future plans in the back alley, the setting sun marked the beginning of dusk. After lying on the bed and staring blankly, I realized that Kania was looking at me anxiously. ¡°...Finally, the time has come for the ¡®Raid on the Commoners¡¯ Dormitory.''¡± So when I was about to ask what¡¯s wrong, I heard what Kania said and realized why she had such an expression on her face. ¡°Yes, soon.¡± ¡°We have already identified the students who caused the raid in the previous timeline. If you give an order, they will be suppressed immediately...¡± ¡°It¡¯s no use.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± I shook my head and cut off Kania¡¯s words as I opened the system notification window floating in front of my eyes and said. You have successfully cleared the Hidden Route! Quest Content: Win the duel against Irina! Reward: Lifespan Gauge Alterations: The mastermind behind the raid on the commoner¡¯s dormitory will be random. ¡°Because I defeated Irina, the scenario changed.¡± Initially, the ¡®Raid on Commoner¡¯s Dormitory¡¯ occurred when Irina overwhelmingly defeated a high-ranking aristocrat in a duel during the performance evaluation. The high-ranking aristocrat, who became a laughing stock among the commoners because of her terrifying treatment, set fire to the commoner¡¯s dormitory alongside his friends out of spite. In the end, there were no casualties thanks to Ferloche, Irina and Kania, but.. many were wounded. And many commoner students who were suppressing their wrath eventually exploded. The movement, which originated from commoner students, became widespread and finally engulfed the entire Empire, giving birth to rebellion and chaos. Of course, the Demon King, who manipulated everything from behind the scenes, will be revealed to the world in earnest from that point on. In other words, the ¡®Raid on the Commoner¡¯s Dormitory¡¯ is the event that will be the cornerstone to the Empire¡¯s downfall and at the same time, it will mark the Demon King¡¯s debut. Since it¡¯s such an important event, it must be prevented... but things got twisted because I defeated Irina. Initially, the strategy for this event was to pretend to be the high-ranking aristocrat who was brutally defeated by Irina, and then take a few nobles and set fire to the dormitory, and eventually get caught... However, from the moment I defeated Irina, the ¡®raider¡¯ became random. As a result, it became impossible to predict who would raid the commoner¡¯s dormitory for what reason and in what way. ¡°...Then, it¡¯s a pretty big deal, isn¡¯t it?¡± After hearing my explanation, Kania asked with a worried expression. ¡°I know... Kania, you¡¯re my aide so you can stay in the noble dormitory. Irina is suffering from mana exhaustion... Ferloche is strong, but I¡¯m still a little worried about her... .¡± I couldn¡¯t find a plausible solution because I was buried under a lot of work these days, so I grabbed my temple and began ruminating how to deal with this situation. ¡°Can¡¯t I just stand guard and keep an eye out around the dorm?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± While I was pondering about it for a long time, Kania asked cautiously, but I shook my head in denial Then Kania, who was slightly confused, opened her mouth as her body began exuding an aura. ¡°Young Master, I would have been uncertain about this a few days ago... but if it¡¯s now, I can subdue most of the academy students.¡± ¡°But if you use black magic, there will be traces of residual dark mana remaining in the scene. It will become rather troublesome if we get entangled with the investigation squad. I can cover up other cases with bribery and Starlight family¡¯s influence... but it¡¯s hard to cover up cases related to black magic.¡± ¡°I mean, I was going to use normal magic instead of black magic. To be honest, aristocratic students who aren¡¯t commoners... I can easily suppress them with my eyes closed...¡± ¡°...It¡¯s because you have no idea.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I sighed and said to Kania. ¡°This event...might be our first hurdle.¡± Upon hearing those words, Kania looked puzzled as I quietly got up from my seat and continued speaking. ¡°In most random events... the Demon King personally intervenes.¡± At those words, Kania bit her lip tightly, then opened her mouth with a determined expression. ¡°...I still think I need to step in.¡± ¡°Sigh, let¡¯s think about it later.¡± I felt exhausted while I was trying to persuade Kania, so I decided to put aside this matter for later and closed my eyes. I then inquired in a serious tone. ¡°By the way, are there any new reports? If not, let¡¯s sleep.¡± ¡°...There is one thing.¡± ¡°Oh Yeah...? Then tell me...¡± So, my consciousness gradually drifted away in slumber while listening to Kania in a dazed state... ¡°...The Imperial family has sent you an invitation to the ball.¡± ¡°Invitation to the ball?¡± However, when I heard Kania¡¯s following words, I had no choice but to open my eyes wide. ¡°Yes, at that ball, Your Highness Clana¡¯s fiance? will be decided.¡± ¡°...This is driving me crazy.¡± ¡°...Eh?¡± This is because the event that was supposed to take place a long time from now suddenly occurred. Really, this is driving me crazy. . . . . . ¡°...I¡¯ll ask again, who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡± Meanwhile, at that time, not far from Frey¡¯s dormitory. ¡°¡ªa loyal servant of the Demon King.¡± Kania¡¯s curse had been lifted from Isabel¡¯s belly, and now she muttered with a dazed smile. ¡°Very well. Now I¡¯ll give you your first mission as the servant of the Demon King.¡± To her surprise, the crow sitting by the window gave her orders in human tongue. ¡°Raid the commoner¡¯s dormitory.¡± The setting sun glistened Isabel¡¯s figure, as she smiled upon hearing the command. Wanna read ahead? You can access the Premium chapters here You can support our group here Chapter 34: Appearance ? Appearance ? ¡°Young Master Frey! Are you all right?¡± ¡°Are you hurt anywhere?¡± ¡°May I carry your bag?¡± The weekend ended and weekdays began, and as I was heading to my classroom to attend the lectures, aristocratic students flocked to me. Usually, I would have chatted as much as I could with a smile, but now I wasn¡¯t in the mood to get entangled with them. ¡°...Apologies, but I¡¯m a little tired right now.¡± So, when I spoke in a serious tone with an irritated expression, the nobles who were looking at me began disappearing one by one. As expected, a single glance is enough for cunning opportunistic guys like them. ¡°Young Master Frey... you seem to be in a bad mood today?¡± Then someone approached me and whispered softly in my ear. Even among the nobles, there seems to be at least one such ignorant person. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Oh, have you forgotten all about me?¡± But when I turned around, I could see a somewhat familiar face. ¡°...I told you not to behave rudely.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m so scared.¡± So, after briefly reflecting on my thoughts, I was able to recall she was Young Lady Isabel from the Marquis family, the woman who insulted Kania the other day. ¡®...Shouldn¡¯t she be under investigation right now?¡¯ Obviously, I had clearly exposed the corruption of the Marquis Household to my father, and I was trying to guess the reason why this woman was walking around freely. However, soon I recalled the fact that my father was in a comatose state and stroked my temple. ¡®Is it because the complaint hasn¡¯t reached the Imperial family since my father collapsed?¡¯ I felt immensely frustrated by the fact that my well thought out plan failed because my father collapsed and it¡¯s all my fault. Meanwhile, Isabel smiled coquettishly and began pricking me even more without knowing my inner thoughts. ¡°Do you still remember my face?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then why do you keep sending me back?¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± When I inquired with my brows furrowed, Isabel looked distressed. ¡°Young Master Frey¡¯s butler keeps sending me back? If you remember my face, there¡¯s no reason to do so, right?¡± Unable to bear the disgust at the words that came out of her mouth, I finally stopped walking and opened my mouth. ¡°Isabel, I heard you are getting engaged to the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then why do you keep doing this?¡± When I frowned and asked again, Isabel uttered a word as if it was the most natural reason. ¡°He is ugly.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Giving such an ugly man my first time... I mean... isn¡¯t it a bit sad for a woman?¡± Seeing Isabelle talking with her eyes wide open, I chuckled. ¡°Hahaha... you¡¯re amazing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m grateful for your praise.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not feeling well these days. I¡¯ll see you later.¡± ¡°...Sigh.¡± I didn¡¯t want to get involved with her anymore, so I tapped my brooch that I was wearing and was about to leave, but soon Isabel heaved a sigh and said. ¡°Do you like that vile lowlife that much?¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°Well, everyone has different tastes... Anyway, I¡¯d like to make a suggestion...¡± ¡°...Suggestion?¡± ¡°Would you like to be my dance partner at the upcoming ball?¡± Hearing that, I smirked and opened my mouth. ¡°...What about the Prince?¡± ¡°Um... he¡¯s stupid and fat, so after dancing for the first time, he will be gasping for his breath and let me go, just like last time.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of the backlash from the Imperial family because of your blasphemous actions?¡± ¡°...Well, it¡¯s just between the two of us, isn¡¯t it?¡± Upon hearing those words, Isabel smiled as her eyes formed a crescent moon pattern and walked out of the hallway. ¨C Tap Tap Meanwhile, after tapping the brooch to end the recording, I asked her one last question. ¡°...But why are you coming after me?¡± Then she briefly stared at me and answered as if it was natural. ¡°Because you¡¯re handsome.¡± Having said that, she walked out of the hallway. ¡°...I don¡¯t think anything has changed from last time.¡± For some odd reason, I felt a strange aura from Isabel, so I used my ?Inspect? skill but it seems nothing had changed. Then what was that eerie feeling? ¡°...Young master.¡± ¡°You surprised me!¡± As I was ruminating with my brows furrowed, I suddenly heard Kania¡¯s voice next to me, out of nowhere. ¡°What... Kania? Since when have you been there?¡± ¡°...I was by your side the whole time.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± As she said so, Kania¡¯s body was emanating a dark aura. ¡°Kania, that kind of magic...¡± ¡°It¡¯s an elementary magic spell that allows me to seep into the Young Master¡¯s shadow and serve you right by your side. It consumes very little dark mana.¡± ¡°Still, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll get caught...¡± ¡°This magic has been used for stealth since time immemorial. So, no one in the academy can see through this magic spell except for Saintess Ferloche. And Lady Ferloche is on my side now.¡± ¡°........¡± As I stood there speechless while staring blankly at Kania, who refuted my remarks one by one, she suddenly frowned and muttered. ¡°...It¡¯s strange. Dark mana still exists in her body.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. By the way... What are you going to do with her suggestion?¡± ¡°Well... I don¡¯t know...¡± ¡°You can refuse.¡± When I said so calmly, Kania who unintentionally let out a sarcastic remark, spaced out for a split moment, then soon began apologizing to me urgently. ¡°I apologize, Young Master. I crossed the line...¡± ¡°Pfftt...¡± Her new humane side was so funny that I burst into laughter. However, suddenly something popped out in front of us. ¡°¡±......!¡±¡± We momentarily froze, but as soon as we realized it¡¯s just a kitten who was staring at us with its eyes wide open, we breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°...Oh, why did you suddenly run over there?¡± But we froze again when we heard the Princess¡¯ voice right in front of us. Although the stealth magic erases the presence to some extent... you have no choice but to get discovered, if someone is right in front of you. Of course, I don¡¯t mind getting caught alone, but now Kania is also next to me... ¡°...Gasp!¡± Suddenly, Kania hugged me tightly and covered my mouth with her hand. And soon both of us were rolling around in the grass. As both of us were rolling around and I had no clue what was going on, strands of grass and dirt covered our bodies. However, the next moment Clana arrived, trampling on the patch of grass, and lifted the kitten. Soon she was taken aback when she noticed us. ¡°Y-You guys!! What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Sob, Sob! Sniff!!¡± As Kania began wailing, Clana¡¯s expression soon turned cold when she inferred the situation. She then pointed at me while concentrating solar mana on the tip of her finger and said. ¡°Frey Raon Starlight, get away from her this instant.¡± ¡°...Tsk.¡± I was afraid that she would shoot solar mana at my head, so I quickly got away from Kania and grumbled. ¡°...You sure look like a Princess when you bark orders.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Your Highness.¡± I replied to the Princess in a dissatisfied tone as her eyes blazed in anger. I then directed my gaze towards Kania and said. ¡°...Why are you rebelling and won¡¯t let me have my way with you like always?¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± At those words, Kania turned her head with an ashamed expression, and at the same time, a golden aura emanated from Clana¡¯s body. ¡°...You better think this through. What will happen to you if you touch me, the Provisional Lord of the Starlight family? Aren¡¯t you still in a precarious position?¡± ¡°Sure, let¡¯s stop.¡± Undaunted by my sarcasm, the Imperial Princess continued walking towards us radiating even more of a burning aura. After judging that I would never wake up again if I was beaten by her, I quickly decided to leave the backyard. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. I was invited to the ball... you are going to pick your fiance? there, right?¡± However, when suddenly I recalled something , I halted after securing a safe distance, then looked at Clana, who was still emitting a golden aura and said. ¡°So, who will you choose?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°As far as I know... all fiance? candidates are trash, who are infamous throughout the Empire, so whoever you get engaged to... you¡¯re still going to suffer, right?¡± ¡°...Shut up.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you come to me rather than getting engaged to such people?¡± ¡°Frey Raon Starlight. Don¡¯t you fear the backlash from the Imperial family for your insolence?¡± Finally, I threw one last mocking remark while making a spiteful expression at the Princess, who eventually reached her threshold of anger. ¡°Then, see you at the ball. ¡®Third¡¯ Imperial Princess.¡± Having said that, I hurried to the main building, ignoring the scorching solar mana behind me. [Acquired False Evil Points: 300pts! (Foreshadow)] ¡°...The message that appears next to the acquisition window. Who the hell is writing these?¡± As I tilted my head at the question that I probably will never figure out until the very end, I hastened my footsteps. Probably, it¡¯s something related to Serena who is willing to kill me or make me suffer in the near future. . . . . . ¡°...Caw.¡± ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re here?¡± Meanwhile, around that time, in an unknown room. A girl was sitting on a splendid throne with a bored expression on her face. She inquired with her brows raised when an emerald-eyed crow flew in through the open window. ¡°Caw, Caaaw!¡± ¡°...Speak in human tongue. Although I can understand your words, it¡¯s still awkward to listen to.¡± ¡°I understand, Your Majesty, the Demon King.¡± Eventually, the girl, who was called the ¡®Demon King¡¯ by the cawing crow, smiled and said. ¡°I haven¡¯t gone through awakening yet, so I¡¯m not the Demon King. For now, refer to me as the heir.¡± ¡°...But you are the last hope of the demons. We demons have no doubt that you will show us the long-awaited destruction of this world...¡± ¡°...Stop babbling. Are all demons as talkative as you?¡± The crow, who briefly shut its beak at the girl¡¯s rebuke, looked at her and then opened its beak again. ¡°...I have something to report.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°The recent death of Succubus Queen and Eucarius...¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. Stop talking.¡± But once again, the Demon King cut its words off with a bothered expression on her face. The crow then spoke in an urgent tone. ¡°But... this is important...¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that¡¯s enough?¡± ¡°........¡± The crow, who continued to talk, hurriedly bowed its head when the girl radiated a vehement aura in all directions. ¡°...Let me ask one last thing.¡± ¡°Please feel free to ask.¡± The girl, who was looking at the crow pathetically, slightly raised her head and spoke with an intrigued expression. ¡°If there is a Demon King, there must also be a Hero, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± When the crow hesitated to answer her question, the girl clasped her hand and smiled. ¡°Well, I think I already got the answer.¡± An opaque window floated in front of the eyes of the girl who had just finished speaking. The window seemed to be only visible to her. Chapter 35: A Friend ? A Friend ? ¡°Is everything fine today?¡± ¡°...It seems so.¡± After discussing with Kania about how to defend the ¡®Raid on the Commoner¡¯s Dormitory,¡¯ both of us finally decided to monitor the situation together. Of course, Kania, who will be in a lot of trouble if anyone finds her snooping around, is now hiding in my shadow. ¡°It¡¯s strange. I thought they would make a move at this point.¡± ¡°If you take a look at the main quest window floating in front of me, it seems true that the raid hasn¡¯t happened yet...¡± After several days of intense surveillance, there was no sign of an attack, as both of us gradually became exhausted. This is because it¡¯s a job that forces us to stay up the entire night, while keeping our nerves sharp, and as a result of that, our mind and body gradually reached its limit. ¡°...Just in case, the raider isn¡¯t aiming for this situation, right?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Perhaps they¡¯re delaying the raid in order to discover our existence or the presence of any guard, and maybe they also want us to drain our stamina.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± If the raider had noticed that both of us were monitoring the dormitory, there would be a high probability that a penalty window would have appeared. However, in preparation for such a situation, I bought various items from the back alley a few days ago which aids in hiding my presence. In addition, although it¡¯s not as efficient as the old brooches, I regularly carry a few magical artifacts imbued with dark mana and I was planning to bark orders while using them, so even if someone finds out, I¡¯ll be mistaken for using black magic. ¡°So, there is no chance our existence will ever be discovered.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± When I conveyed those to Kania, she nodded quietly and whispered. ¡°However, I believe we should still assume that the raider is aware that someone is trying to stop him.¡± ¡°Yes, I think so too.¡± I muttered under my breath as the sun gradually rose in the distance. ¡°...Because our opponent is the Demon King.¡± Soon afterwards, as I was trudging my body back to the dormitory, I asked Kania a question that flashed through my mind ¡°By the way, Kania. What¡¯s Ferloche and Clana¡¯s stance on the commoner¡¯s dormitory raid?¡± ¡°I was going to report their recent moves when we arrived at our dormitory.¡± ¡°Well then...¡± Nodding to Kania¡¯s reliable answer, soon my steps stopped when I found someone approaching me from afar. ¡°...Hello.¡± Ferloche approached all the way right in front of my face, she then glared at me with a stiff expression. I ignored her and tried to pass her by, but Ferloche grabbed my arm and stopped me. ¡°What the hell are you trying to do?¡± ¡°...Let me go.¡± ¡°Tell me. What the hell are you trying to do...¡± ¡°I told you to let me go.¡± I wanted to get some shuteye before going to class, so I tried to shake off her hand with a stony expression. However, Ferloche grabbed me using the Blessing of the Sun God and yelled. ¡°Are you planning to raid the commoners¡¯ dormitory!?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Recently, I¡¯ve been sensing an ominous aura around the commoners¡¯ dormitory. And now, I can feel that you¡¯re overflowing with that same ominous aura.¡± Having said, I thought Ferloche was about to shoot me with her holy power, so I flinched back. However, she just bit her lip and opened her mouth. ¡°Look at that. As expected, you are up to something.¡± ¡°...So what?¡± ¡°I know everything. In the previous timeline... No, I saw the future.¡± Ferloche pointed at me with a determined look and began speaking. ¡°Even if you¡¯re my master right now... if there are a lot of victims.. if it¡¯s such a situation...¡± However, she couldn¡¯t finish her words and lowered her head. ¡°¡±........¡±¡± And soon silence reigned for a while. ¡°...Come clean my room at 7 o¡¯clock tonight.¡± I was still disturbed by her appearance in the dream I had last time, so I left her with those words and walked past her to head to my dormitory, as she loosened her grip around my arm. ¡°Frey.¡± However, just as I began heading to my dormitory, she called my name and grabbed my arm once more. Because of this, I felt so annoyed that I almost screamed, but.... ¡°Are you really planning something...?¡± However, when I noticed she was looking at me resentfully, I kept my mouth shut. ¡°What the hell are you so dissatisfied with? After all, is it because I rejected your proposal? Or are you aiming for something?¡± ¡°What are you talking about...¡± ¡°In fact, I want to kill you right now to prevent anything bad from happening, but if I do so, the recording will spread... Then Clana, who is already having a hard time dealing with a fool like me, will be in danger.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Although I hate you to death, I still obeyed you for her... for the sake of innocent commoners, I can even give you this body that you covet so much.¡± Having said that, Ferloche bit her lips tightly and immediately fell to her knees as she started begging while grabbing my leg. ¡°It¡¯s a conclusion I finally arrived at after deliberating hard for a few days. So... please accept my offer and please don¡¯t touch the commoner¡¯s dormitory.¡± As she said so, her eyes blazed with resentment, hatred, and disgust. I stared at her in silence, then soon opened her status window with ?Inspect? skill. [Stats] Name: Ferloche Astellade Strength: 1 Holy Power: 8.3 Intelligence: 2.3 Mental Strength: 8 Passive Status: Blessing of the Sun God Disposition: Saintess Goodness Stat: 100 ¡°Even though it is extremely detestable... and I will lose my qualifications as the Saintess... but I will let you hold me whenever you want. So, please refrain from harming so many people.¡± Eventually, Ferloche closed her eyes and implored. Seeing her goodness stat, I heaved a deep sigh and uttered. ¡°...Always be prepared. I will call you whenever I feel like it.¡± Upon hearing my words, Ferloche looked distressed for a moment, then soon opened her mouth with an expression mixed with relief and disgust. ¡°I...understand.¡± Soon I again started heading towards my dormitory and left the Saintess, who was still trembling on her knees. I then whispered to Kania, who was hiding in my shadow. ¡°Kania, can you brainwash Ferloche?¡± ¡°Impossible. It¡¯s impossible to completely brainwash Lady Ferloche unless it¡¯s the fully awakened Demon King.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± Discarding the first plan I had in mind, I opened the entrance to the dormitory building while racking my brain. ¡°Kania, I was thinking...¡± . . . . ¡°Hello, Your Highness Clana.¡± ¡°...Hello.¡± While Frey and Kania had been arguing for a long time, Ferloche greeted Clana, who had already arrived at the library in advance and was waiting for her. ¡°You seem to be working rather hard. It¡¯s nice to see.¡± Clana was examining various materials with a despondent expression when Ferloche came up to her and took a seat beside her. Clana then painstakingly smiled and praised her. ¡°...Thank you!¡± Then Ferloche, who was crying inwardly because of the earlier events, also tried to answer with a cheerful smile. Soon the two ladies who were wearing masks picked up books from the shelves of the library. ¡°...All right, that¡¯s enough. Let¡¯s go to the dormitory then.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Thus, the two gathered all the books they were going to study today and began walking while facing forward, maintaining a slight distance from each other. The current relationship between the Imperial Family and the Church was rather estranged, so they had to do it. ¡°...Oh, Clana. Where are you going this early?¡± ¡°......¡± As they were walking down the hallway while maintaining a slight distance from each other, the First Princess suddenly blocked Clana¡¯s way. ¡°...Ah.¡± Because of this, Ferloche was momentarily stunned. However, when she recalled Clana¡¯s advice that she should pretend they weren¡¯t close to each other, she rushed to the ends of the hallway with her eyes closed. ¡°Clana, do you have anything to do with that idiotic Saintess?¡± ¡°...No.¡± Clana firmly denied her claim when the First Princess, who had been staring at Ferloche, inquired with a cold expression. ¡°In fact... Even if you¡¯re doing a lot of things lately, you probably wouldn¡¯t have approached the Saintess. The Imperial family is trying hard to keep the Church in check. So, it isn¡¯t the case, right?¡± Then the First Princess raised the corners of her mouth and began to caress Clana¡¯s shoulder. However, Clana, who was quite accustomed to such provocations, showed no reaction. Then the First Princess, who frowned for a moment, clapped her hands and said. ¡°Oh, come to think of it... Tomorrow is the ball, right?¡± Clana¡¯s eyebrows trembled upon hearing her words, and then the First Princess smirked and whispered in her ear. ¡°The fiance? candidates are all chosen with the utmost care for you by my mother, myself, and my brother. How about it? Shouldn¡¯t you be grateful?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Even in such a situation, Clana tried to keep her composure and answered, but eventually, she closed her eyes tightly upon hearing the following remark. ¡°If you don¡¯t show up this time, or if you don¡¯t choose a fiance?... you¡¯d better be prepared.¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°Anyway, mother who doesn¡¯t really like the Church or the Saintess, believes you¡¯re close to her. You realize what will happen if that¡¯s the case, right?¡± After saying those words, the First Princess tapped Clana¡¯s shoulder, then passed her by with an elegant gait. ¡°...Gnash.¡± Clana, who was standing in the hallway grinding her teeth for a long time, soon recalled that she had made a prior appointment with Ferloche and began trudging towards the dormitory. ¡°Your Highness Clana... are you all right...¡± ¡°Um, how far did you read?¡± ¡°Oh, that... 41st page.¡± ¡°I see, then let¡¯s read from there.¡± Clana, who finally entered her dormitory, smiled at Ferloche, who was waiting for her after arriving before her. She then opened the book. ¡°Your Highness Clana...¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± However, Ferloche was still looking at her with pity ¨C Press... Eventually, Ferloche gathered holy power and touched her lips, only Clana realized that blood was dripping from lips because she chewed it too hard. ¡°...Thank you.¡± Clana, who had barely suppressed her emotions that were on the verge of exploding, thanked Ferloche and quietly began reading the book. ¡°Your Highness Clana.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Ferloche briefly watched Clana pitifully. She soon opened her mouth and cushioned her hand while transmitting holy power. ¡°Your Highness Clana, teach me how to overcome stupidity... in return I¡¯ll be Your Highness Clana¡¯s Friend.¡± ¡°...Friend?¡± ¡°Yes, friend.¡± Upon hearing Ferloche¡¯s words and seeing her bright smile, Clana nodded quietly and smiled back, then soon turned over the page of the book and said. ¡°...I think it¡¯s page 14, not page 41.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Thus, Ferloche and Clana began reading the book as they gazed at the first friend they had made in their lives. ¡®After all, for Her Highness Clana¡¯s sake I have no choice but to surrender to Frey.¡¯ ¡®For Lady Ferloche¡¯s sake... I have no choice but to get engaged.¡¯ Just like genuine friends, they cared for each other . . . . . ¨C Rattle! Meanwhile, at the border dividing the Western Continent and the Sunrise Empire. ¡°...At this rate, even if we are a bit late for tomorrow¡¯s ball, we¡¯ll be able to get there somehow.¡± ¡°Well, if that¡¯s what Lady Serena claims, then it would be the case.¡± Serena was chatting with her maid in the carriage, heading for the Imperial Capital at high speed. ¡°...But what are you writing now?¡± The maid, who had been quietly yawning in the carriage, tilted her head and asked Serena what she was writing with such an intense look. ¡°A love letter.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The maid, who frowned at Serena¡¯s words, shook her head and said. ¡°...Don¡¯t you hate Young Master Frey?¡± Upon hearing her words, Serena stopped writing for a moment, and said with a cold expression. ¡°I hate him so much that I want to kill him.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you give up on him?¡± When the maid asked that question with a frustrated look on her face, Serena sighed quietly and answered. ¡°Because I¡¯m his fiance?e.¡± Chapter 36: Bombshell ? Bombshell ? ¡°...Young Master, are you really going to do such a crazy thing?¡± It has already been a day since I told Kania about my plans. So, as I was getting dressed to go to the ball where Clana¡¯s fiance? will be decided, Kania spoke to me about the plan I told her yesterday. After arguing with her yesterday, I went to the classroom without a wink of sleep, and since then, I¡¯ve been trying to ignore this subject. But now, seeing her blocking the door and emanating a dark aura, if I ignore her again this time, she will really get mad. ¡°Then why don¡¯t we just watch Clana get engaged to those stinky bastards?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as easy as you think it is...¡± Upon hearing the words I had to say out of necessity, Kania heaved a sigh and said. ¡°I¡¯m sure Her Highness Clana has a plan. She can take care of herself...¡± ¡°Kania, have you finished all investigations regarding the five candidates chosen as Clana¡¯s fiance??¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°Then, start with the first fiance? candidate.¡± After hearing my command, Kania hesitated for a moment, then took out her notebook and began turning the pages. ¡°Yes... First of all, the first fiance?... is the Lord of a Marquisate family, now 53 years old. He has three sons and one daughter...¡± ¡°...Next.¡± ¡°The second to fourth candidates are no different from the Young Master. Of course I meant... when the Young Master pretends to be a villain.¡± ¡°Fifth?¡± ¡°He is a man well known for his lust; rumors suggest that every woman who has been involved with him is ruined...¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. I hope now, after looking at that list, you understand the reason why I¡¯m doing this.¡± As I spoke with my brows furrowed, Kania coughed and said. ¡°I¡¯m just worried about the Young Master.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not like this my first time, right?¡± ¡°However, you¡¯re up against the Imperial family. No matter how prominent the Starlight family is in the Empire...¡± ¡°...Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± As I spoke sternly, Kania tilted her head. ¡°Even if things go wrong, the Imperial family won¡¯t touch us right away.¡± ¡°...How come?¡± ¡°Because our family are the descendents of the hero from 1000 years ago, and my ancestor had made a covenant with the Imperial family.¡± Hearing that, Kania asked with an expression of incomprehension. ¡°...Does it still stand?¡± ¡°Whether it stands or not, you¡¯ll know when the time comes.¡± As I finished talking with a confident expression on my face, Kania put her notebook down on the desk with a clattering sound and pouted. ¡°So, how are you going to take care of the aftermath?¡± ¡°Well... is there really any need to take care of the aftermath?¡± As I scratched my head, Kania placed her palm on her face and then began shaking her head. ¡°Young Master... I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re amazing or just stupid.¡± ¡°I must be stupid. There are a myriad of people who are more amazing than me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure there are.¡± When I saw Kania looking at me with an eased expression, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Kania, as my butler, I do like your discipline and perfectionist side... but this honest side of yours that you show from time to time is also a pleasant sight.¡± Upon hearing my remark, Kania¡¯s expression froze, and she immediately began apologizing to me. ¡°I apologize, Young Master. I made a mistake...¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. From now on, please be comfortable around me without being too conscious of your appearance.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then...¡± When she heard those words, Kania looked at me with a bright smile for a moment, then scratched her head with a troubled expression and said. ¡°On second thought, I think I¡¯m more comfortable with my usual look.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I grew up maintaining this image since I was young... The thought of abandoning it makes me anxious.¡± ¡°Well...¡± As I briefly stared at her, scratching her head with an awkward expression on her face, I offered a suggestion. ¡°Um... Would you like to go out together soon?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s something that all normal girls around your age like doing. I know a bit about this...¡± That said, Kania responded with an absurd expression on her face. ¡°I know. It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t go out because I was unaware of this, all right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s not that you didn¡¯t go because you weren¡¯t aware. So, let¡¯s go out together.¡± When I said that, Kania stared blankly at me and lowered her head as she understood the meaning behind my words. ¡°Of course, you can also go out with Clana and Ferloche too.¡± ¡°Her Highness Clana is busy these days, so she won¡¯t have time for it, and if I keep hanging out with Lady Ferloche, it¡¯s going to be detrimental to you, won¡¯t it?¡± ¡°However, if you¡¯re caught hanging out with me, it will cause quite a bit of trouble.¡± ¡°...What¡¯s wrong with a Master and his butler going out together?¡± As I tilted my head, Kania said with a stern look on her face, as if she was asking something obvious. ¡°Young Master, are you thinking of committing an evil deed?¡± ¡°If we follow the scenario where I¡¯m trying to seduce you, and you pretend to be uncomfortable, it won¡¯t really be a problem, huh? In the first place, it¡¯s something I do every day.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant... that¡¯s not the problem.¡± At the end of my response, Kania raised her head and asked with a blush on her face. ¡°Why are you so nice to me?¡± ¡°Um... well.¡± I replied to her with a subtle smile. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to be nice to you because I have always made you suffer since my childhood.¡± ¡°........¡± As I said so with a regretful expression, Kania bit her lip and then asked quietly. ¡°So, when...¡± ¡°After this ball and the raid.¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master...¡± After quietly nodding her head, Kania suddenly frowned and raised her voice. ¡°Come to think of it, this isn¡¯t the problem right now. The main issue is how are you going to deal with the aftermath?¡± ¡°Like I said, I don¡¯t intend to do anything.¡± ¡°What the hell do you mean...¡± ¡°I will bear the consequences of my actions until Clana gathers enough strength to retaliate. That¡¯s why, even though we could have executed our plan in secret to begin with, we are going to cause a ruckus at the ball on purpose.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s an opportunity to protect Clana from those bastards and at the same time raise my notoriety.¡± Upon hearing this, Kania finally gave up trying to persuade me with a hopeless expression, and then sat next to me on the bed and said. ¡°If all the Imperial aristocrats were like you... the Empire wouldn¡¯t have ended up this way, would it?¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t know.¡± As Kania listened to my words, she stared into my eyes and said. ¡°I¡¯m sure it wouldn¡¯t have ended up in this state.¡± ¡°I appreciate your praise.¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s get going.¡± At the same time, we got up from the bed and began heading to the carriage waiting outside. ¡°By the way, did you come up with any plans for Lady Serena?¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± Of course, I decided not to drink a lot because the work I¡¯ll be doing today needs to be perceived by the people attending the ball as something I did in a sane state of mind. Thus, I waved to my drinking partners with a slightly disappointed expression and headed to the place for desserts, hoping that I might be able to satiate my hunger. However, soon a pretty interesting sight entered my field of vision. ¡°...Princess, so which one of us will you choose?¡± ¡°Would you mind giving me a moment of your time?¡± ¡°Hmmm, even though this body is old, I¡¯m much better than these kids.¡± Clana was surrounded by her fiance? candidates. ¡°You¡¯ll find out in a while. So, then...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that, please... Can¡¯t you just tell me?¡± As Clana tried to leave the scene looking disgusted, one of the candidates reached for her arm and asked a question in a sly tone. Upon closer inspection, it was the guy who was considered to be lustful. ¡°You¡¯re being rude.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Clana, who looked displeased by his action, strongly slapped his hand away. The guy looked annoyed for a moment, but soon opened his mouth with a smirk. ¡°Well... now you can treat us this way since we¡¯re just candidates, but once you get engaged, you¡¯d better be prepared, all right?¡± Having said that, he ogled Clana with a covetous gaze, and so did the rest of the candidates. ¡°...Sigh¡± Clana, who turned her back on those candidates, quickly left the scene. She then found me watching the spectacle quietly and opened her mouth with a sneer. ¡°...What do you think? Don¡¯t I look funny?¡± ¡°........¡± As I stared at her impassively, Clana passed me by with a cold expression and said. ¡°If you had just kept the promise you made to me back then, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡± Upon hearing her remark, I closed my eyes, and Kania, who had been away for a while, approached me and asked. ¡°...What did she say?¡± ¡°N-Nothing.¡± I struggled to avoid that question and headed to the center of the banquet hall with Kania, who had been waiting by my side until then. This was because the main event of this ball was about to start soon. ¡°Emperor Raikon Solar Sunrise, the glorious sun of the empire, and Empress Ramie Solar Sunrise are entering!¡± As I was quietly waiting for the right moment in the center of the banquet hall, the lights in the ballroom suddenly went out, and I heard the attendants¡¯ announcement. And the next moment, the Emperor and Empress of the Sunrise Empire entered side by side. ¨C Swoosh...! Soon, the Emperor emanated the radiant solar mana, and those who witnessed the scene all bowed their heads at once. ¡°...Ugh.¡± Meanwhile, Kania, who is vulnerable to the solar mana, frowned, as I hurriedly radiated the stellar mana to shield her from solar mana. ¡°Ugh.¡± Although the stellar mana blocked most of the solar mana, it also had the property to cleansing dark mana, so Kania gradually began to get drenched in sweat. Seeing this, I secretly held her hands and imbued her with my life force after a long time. ¡°...Everyone raise your heads.¡± After holding Kania¡¯s hand for a long time, the Emperor withdrew his solar mana, then took his seat on the throne and declared solemnly. For reference, I held my head high. This is because the Starlight and the Moonlight Ducal families are not obligated to bow in front of the Emperor. I hate the privileges that the aristocrats are entitled to, but I like this privilege where I don¡¯t have to bow to the Imperial family. ¡°As you all might be aware, the reason I invited all of you lords here today is to announce the betrothal partner of the Third Imperial Princess Clana.¡± Upon hearing that declaration, the eyes of Clana¡¯s fiance? candidates, who were standing at the podium, lit up. ¡°The method of selecting the betrothal... Ha-am...¡± The Emperor glanced at those fiance? candidates with a bored expression and suddenly yawned in the middle of his speech. He then rubbed his eyes and continued to speak. ¡°Ramie, please explain on my behalf.¡± Having said that, the Emperor, who couldn¡¯t overcome his lethargy, yawned again while sitting on the throne. On the other hand, the Empress smiled at the Emperor, then continued narrating what the Emperor was saying earlier. ¡°The method of selecting the fiance?... Originally, Clana, the Third Princess, was supposed to choose by herself, but there seems to be a slight problem.¡± As soon as she said that, the attendants¡¯ announcement resounded through the room. ¡°The Rising Suns of the Empire are entering!!¡± Then the First Prince, the First and Second Princess appeared one after another, and finally, Clana could be seen following them with a desolate expression on her face. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t make rash decisions when choosing a companion you¡¯ll be spending the rest of your life with. So, the Rising Suns of the Empire and I together chose the right partner for yourself after a long discussion and consultation.¡± Upon hearing this, Clana trembled and lowered her head as the First and Second Princesses glanced at her and giggled. Meanwhile, the First Prince pretended to resemble a father who had a troubled expression. ¡°Then, let¡¯s announce the fiance? of the Third Imperial Princess we have chosen for herself.¡± Having said that, the Empress stood up, then slowly descended from the throne, and headed towards the podium where the fiance? candidates were standing. The fiance? candidates gulped and everyone¡¯s attention turned to the Empress and the fiance? candidates. ¡°...Hmm.¡± The Empress, relishing in such attention, arrived at the podium where the candidates were standing, and slowly passed by the candidates with leisurely footsteps. The Empress passed by the bald-headed old Marquis and the blushing drunkards, and eventually stopped in front of one person. ¡°...Hehehe.¡± That person was the lustful man who had tried to grab Clana¡¯s arm earlier. ¡°Uh-uh, uh...¡± Clana¡¯s lips were bleeding from biting on them too much, as she trembled while watching the scene. ¡°Let everyone know! Clana Solar Sunrise, the Third Imperial Princess of the Empire, is engaged to...!¡± Without even giving her a glance, the Empress smiled and tried to declare her fiance? to the public, but... ¡°Empress, would you mind waiting a bit!!?¡± ¡°...Hmm?¡± I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, then exclaimed emphatically. The Empress stopped talking with her brows furrowed and then began staring at me. ¡°Duke Frey? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I have something to say.¡± Having said that, I headed to the podium and glanced at the flustered nobles. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want to say, but I want you to be mindful of this situation...¡± I walked past the Empress, who snapped back at me with her brows furrowed and slowly started to climb the podium. The Imperial guards hurriedly tried to block my way, but the Emperor waved his hand to deter them with an intrigued expression on his face. After all, he is the Emperor who likes stimulating and exhilarating things because of his extreme lethargy. ¡°...You, what are you doing?¡± When I reached the podium safely, I knelt down in front of Clana, as the nobles began causing a ruckus, and the Prince and the Princesses had a dumbfounded look on their faces. ¡°Clana Solar Sunrise.¡± In such a chaotic atmosphere, as soon as I uttered her name, absolute silence descended upon the ballroom, and in that reigning silence, I smiled and threw a bombshell. ¡°I¡¯ve been in love with you for a long time.¡± Everyone froze upon hearing those words. ¡°N-N-No... what are you...¡± Meanwhile, when Clana heard my words, she began stuttering with a shocked expression on her face, as I smiled at her and threw another bombshell. ¡°...So, in accordance with the covenant, I hereby officially propose to you.¡± And in the next instant, the ballroom was in utter chaos. . . . . Meanwhile, at that very moment when Frey made those bombshell remarks. ¡°............What?¡± Serena, who belatedly entered the ballroom, stared at the podium with her mouth agape. And in her grasp, a love letter she earnestly wrote on her way here fluttered. Chapter 42 will be out on Monday (PST), I was busy with company project this week had to clock in 100 hrs at work. Rest assured I will dish out 4 chapters in the upcoming week. Chapter 37: Discussions ? Discussions ? ¡°Pfft Hahahaha!!!¡± The bellowing laughter of the Sunrise Empire¡¯s Sovereign, Raikon, silenced the chaotic ballroom. Since he was the Emperor who usually only had a grim and sullen expression on his face, which eventually became his identity, his laughter was enough to shut the mouths of all the people in the ballroom. ¡°Hahaha... that¡¯s hilarious...!¡± The Emperor, who had been laughing alone in such absolute silence for a long time, wiped the tears that welled up in the corner of his eyes from laughing too much, then directed his gaze my way and said. ¡°You, can you take responsibility for those words you just uttered?¡± ¡°...That I do not know.¡± I responded rather calmly. Of course, if he was any ordinary emperor, my remark could have been considered as imprudent and impolite. However, in the case of Emperor Raikon, it¡¯s the right answer. ¡°Pfft...Pwahaha...¡± As expected, the moment the Emperor heard my reply, he once more began to laugh. Thus, he kept laughing alone for a while in this deep silence. ¡°Duke Frey, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking...¡± Upon seeing the Emperor¡¯s reaction, I was relieved that things were proceeding according to plan, but suddenly the Empress hastily approached me and was about to whisper something. ¡°...Fine! Then, I¡¯ll discuss your request with the Empress!¡± However, when the Emperor rose from his seat with a cheerful expression, the Empress frowned and urgently strode back towards him. ¡°You, this matter...¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since an interesting thing happened. What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± The Emperor, however, showed a pleasant expression and headed to the prepared great hall designated for meetings. Meanwhile, the Empress chewed her lips and glared at me for a moment, then eventually began to follow him. ¡®...Mission accomplished.¡¯ Judging from this, my plan seems to have succeeded. Of course, I was almost certain of the success of this operation, so I wasn¡¯t surprised. In the Sunrise Empire, where the Emperor has absolute power, the Empress dominates because of the Emperor¡¯s lethargic attitude. Because of his behavior, the Emperor emerged as a symbol of incompetence, and the Empress was able to wield power in his stead. In this Imperial age, he is enamored with stimulating and exhilarating affairs. Therefore, long before, I had already predicted that he would get involved in this matter if I somehow managed to relieve his boredom. Of course, it¡¯s something only I could have done. Because once this is over, the Emperor will revert to his lethargic behavior. After that, the Empress, the Crown Prince, and Imperial Princesses will personally come forward, and the only person who can rival their status in the Empire is me, the heir and the Provisional Lord of the Ducal family of Starlight. In other words, this plan was a strategy that only I could use. Of course, I considered the possibility of the Emperor being annoyed or the Empress somehow finding a way to interfere, so I uttered the word ¡®covenant¡¯. Thanks to this, the Empress and her children must be in a pinch. ¡°Shall we leave?¡± ¡°...Hmm?¡± Immersed in such thoughts, as I smiled triumphantly, an attendant came to my side and offered to escort me. ¡°Once the fiance? of Her Highness the Third Imperial Princess has been decided, we were ordered to guide them to a room where they can spend time together with the Princess comfortably. Under the current circumstances, it seems that it would be fine for you to go, Lord Frey.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± Upon hearing her words, I nodded and left Clana, who was staring blankly at me until then, and began to descend from the podium alongside the attendant. ¡°¡±........¡±¡± As I descended from the podium, numerous gazes were directed my way. A gaze seething with envy and jealousy, a gaze filled with awe and astonishment, a gaze with opportunistic eyes that¡¯s brimming with greed, or a gaze assessing me as a little boy. Countless eyes were pointed at me, but they were neither too burdensome nor suffocating. Because I had always received such gazes. ¡°...You.¡± As I was heading to the room prepared in advance after ruining the fun of so many people, someone blocked my way. ¡°.....!¡± And when I saw the face of the person blocking me, the calm expression on my face had no choice but to turn into a look of bewilderment. ¡°What... What is the meaning of this?¡± It was because Serena, my fiance?e, who would be the biggest obstacle to my future plans, who never gave up on me until the last moment in the previous timeline, and who I never wanted to meet at this point in time, was blocking my path with an icy expression on her face. ¡°Ar-Are you joking around again? I already know that you were never serious about cheating.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± But something is strange. I thought there would be proper interrogation concerning whether or not I remembered the previous timeline, or a system notification displaying murderous intent... because I have come across those notifications a lot in the past. ¡°Although... judging from your facial expression and gestures, I felt a bit of sincerity... No, rather you were quite sincere, but that¡¯s also acting, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯ve considerably improved your acting, huh?¡± ¡°What do¡ª¡± ¡°So, stop it. Stop acting... I know a scenic spot...¡± ¡°Get your hands off me.¡± Her trembling hand reached out to me, and my old habit of dealing with her involuntarily sprung up. ¡°Yes.¡± Then suddenly, the light in her pupils dimmed, and she withdrew her palm with an obedient look. ¡°.....?¡± Her behavior seemed strange, then suddenly the light returned to her pupils, and she began speaking again. ¡°...Let¡¯s move over to that scenic sight and have a calm conversation. What the hell are you dissatisfied with, and why did you do this...¡± ¡°Silence.¡± Just in case, I gave her another order, and the light faded from her pupil as she closed her mouth. ¡°...Stop talking and leave.¡± I gave her a detailed order, thinking it won¡¯t work, but soon Serena¡¯s mouth twitched slightly and she began heading somewhere There was something bizarre about her behavior, so I tried using my ?Inspect? skill and the result was quite shocking. [Stats] Name: Serena Lunar Moonlight Strength: 7.8 Mana: 7.8 Intelligence: 10 Mental Strength: 9 Passive Status: Familial Subordination / Absolute Obedience Magic Disposition: Genius Strategist Goodness Stat: 0 ¡®...Absolute obedience magic?¡¯ Of course, the curse that binds her ?Familial Subordination? was expected. Because of that, she suffered quite a bit while trying to confront me in the previous timeline. The phrase ¡®Genius Strategist¡¯ was also nothing surprising, as it best describes her disposition. It would be strange if she wasn¡¯t given the title of strategist, since she was the genius tactician who blocked the Demon King¡¯s army for years with wounded and exhausted soldiers. ¡®But... Why is there absolute obedience magic?¡¯ Absolute obedience magic, a magic spell that is designed for the subject to be loyal to only one target... It is an advanced-tier magic that forces the subject to obediently follow the orders of the said target without fail. But why is such magic cast on her, and why am I designated as the target who she is loyal to? ¡°...Lord Frey? It¡¯s time to go.¡± While I was immersed in my thoughts, the attendant urged me to get a move on. Eventually, when I emptied all the cocktails, the First Princess said so in a slightly excited tone and beckoned to the attendant. After waiting for a while, the attendant returned with an antique-looking bottle. ¡°It¡¯s a wine from the Western Continent. It¡¯s aged for about 130 years.¡± Soon afterwards, the First Princess smiled, and the attendant opened the wine bottle and began pouring it into my empty glass. ¡°...I¡¯ll have a drink as well.¡± Then the Crown Prince, rumored to like booze as much as I did, ordered the attendant to pour him a glass too, and soon both of us began exchanging glasses. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve had this thought since I was a kid. I want to break that ferocious personality of her... once.¡± ¡°...It¡¯s a bad habit, but that bad habit of yours is something that we need right now.¡± After drinking for such a long time, the Crown Prince became somewhat drunk, and we both sincerely began conversing under the influence of wine. ¡°Toy with her to your heart¡¯s content, break her and eventually shatter her heart... then throw her away. You can¡¯t hold on to such a defective object for the rest of your life.¡± ¡°...Can you say something like that about her? Isn¡¯t she also a part of the Imperial family?¡± ¡°Then what about you? Why are you doing this to someone you¡¯re familiar with?¡± Soon when the Prince frowned slightly and criticized me as such, I leaned against the chair and replied to him with a smile. ¡°Honestly, aren¡¯t you tired of calling someone who doesn¡¯t have the qualifications to represent the Imperial family, the Third Princess?¡± Hearing this, the Prince smiled softly and picked up his glass. ¡°Don¡¯t you think we get along quite well?¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± After we made a toast and emptied all the drinks, the First Princess sitting beside us intervened in the middle of our conversation. ¡°By the way... What will you do with Lord Frey¡¯s fiance?e, Serena?¡± Upon hearing that, I remained silent for a while, then soon glanced at the moon that began to emerge in the sky and said in a composed tone. ¡°I¡¯ll throw her away for now, then pick her up later.¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± The Prince burst into laughter upon hearing my outrageous remark, while the Princess spoke to me with a satisfied look on her face. ¡°Are you confident?¡± ¡°Honestly, it might sound a little rude to the Empress, but... all the candidates she chose were idiots. Rather than imbeciles, it¡¯s better for an expert to handle this.¡± ¡°Good, very good.¡± At that moment, while I was conversing with the royal siblings, one of the servants entered the room with a scroll. ¡°...The outcome of the meeting has come out.¡± Upon hearing this, both the Prince and the Princess took deep breaths, as I sipped quietly and listened. ¡°Frey Raon Starlight¡¯s engagement proposal will be on hold for one year.¡± And the next moment, the Prince, the Princess, and I all frowned upon hearing the words from the mouth of the servant, who began reading the scroll. ¡°This decision was made because the ¡®covenant¡¯ that Serena Lunar Moonlight just requested from the Emperor and the ¡®covenant¡¯ requested by Frey Raon Starlight contradict each other.¡± When Serena¡¯s name was mentioned, I heaved a deep sigh. ¡°In exchange, I will give Frey Raon Starlight all the rights reserved for Clana¡¯s fiance? for one year. Of course, his official fiance?e is still Serena Lunar Moonlight.¡± The servant, who was reading the scroll calmly, coughed for a while and then read the last line. ¡°If Frey Raon Starlight¡¯s resolution does not change even after one year, I will acknowledge his engagement to Clana Solar Sunrise. However, if there is any change in his mind, I will pretend that there was no marriage covenant to begin with.¡± The servant, who declared in a solemn voice, folded the scroll and added a few more words. ¡°This content has taken effect under the sovereign authority of His Majesty Raikon Solar Sunrise, the Emperor of the Sunrise Empire.¡± And silence lingered for a while. ¡°Well, now that I¡¯ve gotten my fiance?¡¯s authority... both of you should be able to do whatever you want.¡± When I consoled the Prince and Princess who had grim looks on their faces, they smiled and nodded their heads. Then both of them rose from their seats. ¡°Then we should get going, shouldn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°I wish you all the best in the future, Lord Frey. We will continue to provide you with monetary and non-monetary compensation and support for your hard work.¡± After leaving those words, they began to head for the door. After momentarily staring at them, I opened my mouth. ¡°Hold on! Since I¡¯ve received such good wine... I have to give you a present as well... I don¡¯t have a present to give you right now, so I¡¯ll give you a piece of advice!¡± Upon Hearing this, the Prince stopped walking, as I smiled slightly and tapped the brooch. ¨C He is ugly. ¨C Huh? ¨C Giving such an ugly man my first time... I mean... isn¡¯t it a bit sad for a woman? Then the voice of Isabel, who was engaged to the Crown Prince, came out. The Prince¡¯s expression gradually turned rotten upon hearing it. ¨C ...What about the Prince? ¨C Um... he¡¯s stupid and fat, so after dancing for the first time, he will be gasping for his breath and let me go, just like last time. But my brooch kept pouring out Isabel¡¯s insults at him, and when the Prince finally trembled in rage, I spoke with a subtle smile. ¡°...If you meet the wrong wife, you will suffer for the rest of your life.¡± Upon hearing this, the Prince quietly gritted his teeth and answered in a serious tone. ¡°...Thank you for the advice.¡± The Prince conveyed his thanks and left the room alongside the Princess who had a frozen expression on her face. ¡°...Is the leftover wine mine?¡± As I was left alone in the room, I quietly poured wine into the glass and smiled. ¡°...This is quite good.¡± Serena¡¯s intervention was something I didn¡¯t expect, but this could protect Clana from the threat of engagement for a year. Also, since I have been given the means to contain Clana... the Prince and the Princess will have no choice but to be in my good graces. Just a moment ago, the hot-blooded Prince struggled to endure his wrath and conveyed his thanks for giving him the advice. So... Now, how do I deal with Serena... ¡°...You¡¯re the most repulsive person I¡¯ve ever known.¡± As I calmly brought the wineglass to my lips, Clana, who had tears in the corner of her eyes, slammed the door open and said. ¡°You remember nothing. Of course, how can someone who forgot about the promise they made as a child remember anything?¡± Seeing Clana speaking with hatred and contempt, I sighed. ¡®...After all, she was eavesdropping and listening to everything.¡¯ I could barely feel the solar mana beyond the room, so I had a rough idea of what Clana was doing. Even the incompetent Prince and Princess didn¡¯t seem to have noticed. ¡°In any case... what happened today... I¡¯m a fool to have expected for a moment that what you did today was in order to keep the promise you made in the past.¡± ¡°...What are you talking about?¡± ¨C Clank!!! The moment I asked with a dumbfounded look, Clana shot golden mana at my glass, shattering it in the aftermath. Thanks to this, my clothes were covered in wine, and Clana, who was staring at me, opened her mouth with a cold smile. ¡°Then try embracing me after a year.¡± Having said that, Clana turned around and added a few words. ¡°...Of course, it¡¯s unlikely to happen.¡± Eventually, Clana left the room without looking back, and I briefly stared at her, then averted my gaze to the broken wine glass with a disappointed expression and muttered. ¡°...This was an expensive wine.¡± As I was regretfully looking at the red wine, whose each sip would have probably amounted to thousands of gold, I turned around when I suddenly felt a strange tug on my arm. ¡°Hoot-Hoot!!¡± Then I saw a familiar-looking white owl tugging my arm. ¡°...The moon beyond the sun.¡± Apparently, it¡¯s time to see my fiance?e. Chapter 38: The Moon Shining Upon The Stars ¡°Hooot!!¡± ¡°...I got it, all right?¡± The owl tugged my arm with its beak and was dragging me somewhere. If it just let go of my arm and flew ahead, I would still follow it on my own, but it just won¡¯t stop tugging my arm. In fact, my arm is starting to hurt now. ¡°I¡¯ll follow you on my own, so go ahead!¡± ¡°Hoooooooot!!¡± So, when I swung my arm vigorously in panic, the owl tightened its beak even more firmly and began flapping its wings. As expected, it¡¯s smart enough to understand the human tongue because it resembles its master, not to mention it¡¯s tenacious just like her. ¡°...This guy.¡± ¡°Hoot, hoot!¡± But at this rate, I felt like it would tear off my arm, so I began tickling the owl¡¯s feathers. ¡°Hoo... Hoot...!¡± Then the owl twisted its body, then released my arm and began glaring at me. After all, this guy has always been weak to tickles since my younger days. ¡°...I¡¯ll follow you, all right?¡± With that thought in mind, I glanced at the owl and it stared back at me with distrust in its eyes. The owl then perched on my shoulder. I think it¡¯s trying to keep an eye on me. ¡°...Would you like some snacks?¡± ¡°Hoot.¡± Having rotated and stretched my now free arm once, I picked up a cookie on the table next to me and offered it to the owl. It turned its head slightly with a sullen look, but when I placed a cookie in its beak, it began to nibble on it with a look as if he had no choice but to do so. I thought the owl looked cute, so I gently began stroking its head. ¡®...Should I raise an owl as well?¡¯ I do like animals a lot. My favorite is cats, but I also like other kinds of animals besides cats. Because it¡¯s fine for me to be kind to animals. In the previous timeline, ¡®Animals¡¯ were exempted from the crisis where I had to commit evil deeds in order to make the ¡®Hero¡¯s Armament¡¯ rampage. So, when I felt exhausted from continuously committing evil deeds, I would try to find solace in caressing kittens and by doing good deeds such as treating wounded animals. Perhaps that¡¯s why I always had an ardent desire for pets. Later, when everything is over, I plan to raise a black kitten that resembles the doll that Kania gave me... ¡°Hooot!!¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± When I paused to contemplate for a moment, the owl got anxious again and pecked my finger. As I glared at the owl, it opened its beak wide in response. Upon seeing this, I hastened my steps and quickly put my hands behind my back. ¡°...Oh, Young Master Frey! Are you meeting someone here?¡± However, while I was passing through the central hall, someone grabbed my arm. ¡°Ugh!¡±?¡± It was also the part that the owl bit earlier. I turned around looking slightly annoyed and found Isabel was staring at me with a bright smile. ¡°By the way, who owns this owl?¡± Dressed in an overly flashy dress, she tilted her head and reached out to the owl. Upon seeing that, the Owl frowned, then hopped to my other shoulder. As expected, this guy is a good judge of character. ¡°...Apologies, but I¡¯m a little busy right now.¡± Anyway, I tried to hurry up because I didn¡¯t know when this owl would snap and tear off my arm, but Isabel blocked my way and spoke with a smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that the Silver-haired Young Master could be so romantic.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°¡¯I¡¯ve been in love with you for a long time¡¯... Is there any woman who wouldn¡¯t fall for you when you say such a romantic line with that charming face of yours?¡± ¡°What are you talking about...¡± ¡°It was like seeing a knight in shining armor riding a white horse, who showed up to rescue the Princess in her hour of need. You¡¯re really amazing, Young Master Frey.¡± I briefly stared at Isabel, who was speaking ecstatically, then turned around with an expression as if I was looking at someone pathetic and tried to walk past her... ¡°Did you see how all the young aristocratic ladies were blushing earlier? Oh, of course, their faces are still flushed red. Take a look over there.¡± Before I knew it, she stood in my path once more and pointed to the young ladies whispering amongst each other in the distance. ¡°What do you think? How does it feel?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care, so get out of my way.¡± When the owl on my shoulder began staring at me, I broke out in a cold sweat and was about to leave, but Isabel suddenly smiled and said. ¡°Then why did you choose the Princess?¡± ¡°.....?¡± ¡°Why did you choose the Princess when all she has is that pretty face of hers? Even her personality is filthy?¡± ¡°...Sigh.¡± My patience finally reached its limit as I was frustrated by her constant carping. In the end, I opened the lid to those suppressed emotions.. ¡°Well, as I said before, tastes can be unique. By the way, you said we would dance together last time? If you don¡¯t mind, can we do it now...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you realize both your personality and appearance are inferior to the Princess?¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± So, when I spoke with an icy look on my face, Isabel was stunned. ¡°No... I don¡¯t think it¡¯s even right to compare you to the Princess. Your personality is trash, you¡¯re lacking in appearance, and you don¡¯t even value your chastity? Do you really believe I¡¯d want to associate with the likes of you?¡± ¡°Wh-What do you mean...my appearance is pretty... enough to be on par with the Imperial Princess...¡± ¡°...Sigh.¡± As I looked at her, who began stammering in embarrassment, I added. ¡°...You can¡¯t even beat my butler in terms of looks.¡± Having said that, I turned my back on her as she began screaming. ¡°I knew it...! You¡¯re in an intimate relationship with that bitch aren¡¯t you...? Despite that you even proposed to the Imperial Princess? I¡¯ll spread this fact to each and every family¡¯s informant and soon it will be known to all the people of the Empire...! ¡° ¡°...Please come with me for a moment.¡± ¡°W-What?¡± However, the next moment, the Imperial Knights appeared and grabbed her arms. Meanwhile, Isabel looked at the knights in bewilderment. ¡°Wh-What are you guys doing? Why aren¡¯t you letting me go?¡± ¡°...This is the order of the Crown Prince. If you resist, we will use force.¡± Soon she began struggling, but the moment the knights firmed their grip around her arm and mentioned the Prince, her complexion turned blue as if she had been stabbed. ¡°Hold on! I think there¡¯s been a misunderstanding... Kyaa!¡± However, the knights didn¡¯t care about Isabel¡¯s pleadings at all, and in the end, she was dragged away by the knights with a soulless expression on her face. While being dragged, she still kept yelling at me. ¡°F-Frey! You did this, didn¡¯t you? Last time I suffered from a stomach ache for a few days, and now this! You were behind them all!¡± I moved aside as I roughly listened to Isabel¡¯s incessant howls. She was glaring at me as if to kill me. ¡°I¡¯ll curse you!! I¡¯ll curse you!! I¡¯ll show you...¡± ¡°...Noisy woman.¡± However, soon the knights knocked her out by hitting the back of her nape, and then proceeded to drag her limp body. ¡°¡±........¡±¡± And the people who glanced at her for a moment soon averted their gaze and then began gossiping among themselves. ¡®...At times like this, the notorious image I forged long ago is quite handy.¡¯ There was quite a bit of commotion, but people didn¡¯t take it that seriously because I was involved in the incident. No matter how much the aristocrats are fond of incidents and gossip, they pay no heed to political problems regarding me and women or any violent incidents involving me and young masters of other noble households, because it¡¯s an everyday incident. Due to that, I was able to remove quite a few villainesses without anyone realizing. ¡°Hooot!¡± While I was immersed in such thoughts, the owl flapped its wing at my face and let out a stern cry. ¡°...You¡¯re not going to cut me any slack because of this incident, are you?¡± ¡°Hooot!!¡± When I inquired as such, it managed to understand my words and began nodding its head vigorously. ¡°Lord Frey? May I have a moment.¡± I chucked and fed the owl another cookie, but soon someone called my name while I was on my way. ¡°Sigh... Really, who is it this time...!¡± Because of this, I felt really annoyed and when I turned around in annoyance the real ruler of the Empire was standing in front of me. ¡°...I greet the ¡®Twin Sun¡¯ of the Empire.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°...I hate the moon.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. You said you liked the moon the most among the sun, the moon, and the stars when we were young.¡± I spoke to Serena in a low voice, but she immediately rebutted my words. My favorite memories are those of my childhood, but at times like this, it¡¯s rather uncomfortable. ¡°...And you said you hated the sun the most.¡± Seren smiled bitterly for a moment, then soon began glaring daggers at me. ¡°But what happened today?¡± ¡°About that...¡± ¡°You¡¯ve crossed the line by openly proposing to the Imperial Princess by using the covenant in a place where all the important aristocrats of the Empire have gathered.¡± ¡°........¡± I couldn¡¯t utter a single word after seeing the furious look on her face. Soon she eased her expression and said. ¡°...if the Moonlight family didn¡¯t have a covenant, it would have been a disaster.¡± ¡°Serena.¡± ¡°They said it¡¯s for one year? Is that the grace period?¡± I tried to say something, but she cut me off and continued speaking while smiling bitterly. ¡°For a year, I¡¯ll do everything I can to change your mind.¡± ¡°I...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep trying and continue working hard to make you look at me again before the year ends... and capture your heart once again.¡± After saying that, Serena approached me without leaving a moment for me to say anything... ¨C Chu Then She kissed me ¡°Although this might mean nothing to you because of how experienced you¡¯re...¡± After such a long time, Serena spoke slowly and said with a soft smile. ¡°...but it¡¯s still my first kiss, so I hope you¡¯ll remember this for the rest of your life.¡± Upon seeing her like that, I clenched my teeth, then closed my eyes tightly and gave her an imperative command. ¡°Serena...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°...Don¡¯t love me.¡± I felt my heart shatter into pieces when I uttered that command. However, the response I got was something I never expected from her. ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± After staring blankly at her as she responded with an impassive face, I hurriedly began giving orders again. ¡°Don¡¯t love me.¡± ¡°How do I do that?¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how.¡± I broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing her continued rejection, but Serena opened her eyes wide and inquired. ¡°Why are you speaking in an imperative tone? Are you brainwashing me?¡± ¡°Forget everything I¡¯ve ever said in an imperative tone.¡± I felt the system window flickering in front of me for a moment, and when I gave the command urgently, Serena nodded and began staring at me with a vacant gaze. ¡°...If you know anything about the ¡®weakness¡¯ of ¡®Absolute Obedience Magic,¡¯ explain everything at once. I don¡¯t know much about it.¡± When I asked her that question, Serena nodded her head once more and began speaking. ¡°The weakness of ¡®Absolute Obedience Magic¡¯ is that it can¡¯t give orders that can harm the subject who obeys them. The reason is that the Demon King who invented this magic a thousand years ago deliberately put this restriction on purpose in order to rule out the threat to his safety posed by this spell... The theory behind this magic...¡± ¡°...That¡¯s it.¡± Having figured why this had happened, I took a deep breath and gave her an order. ¡°Don¡¯t be so sure about everything related to me in the future.¡± ¡°...Understood.¡± This way, I won¡¯t be threatened by the penalty because of Serena. This is because the system penalty only activates when the person is absolutely ¡®certain.¡¯ However, having committed a grand act today, my life will be threatened by her soon or later in ¡®another way.¡¯ Of course, not because of her will, but because of the will of her ¡®family.¡¯ My guess is that Serena is the one who decided to cast ?Absolute Obedience Magic? on herself ... maybe it¡¯s the system, but it¡¯s highly likely that she did it on her own will. So, from now on, I have to figure out a way to save Serena¡¯s life... while also try finding a way to stop the Moonlight Ducal family from persecuting her. On top of that, I need to deal with the curse of the system that¡¯s cast upon those who are worried about me... ¡°...I¡¯ll give you the love letter next time. I crumpled it up in anger earlier.¡± As I was immersed in such thoughts for a while, Serena spoke to me with a shy expression on her face and a moment later, bid her farewell. ¡°Well then, farewell.¡± Having said that, Serena turned to the carriage that had been waiting for her in the distance with a subtle smile on her face. After momentarily looking at her, I also turned to the carriage waiting for me on the other side, but¡ª ¡°Oh right.¡± My footsteps came to a halt, and I glanced back when I heard Serena¡¯s voice from behind. ¡°I love you.¡± Then Serena, who glittered under the mellow moonlight, smiled broadly and uttered the words she had always said to me. After seeing her like that, I turned around once more with a bitter smile on my face and began heading towards my carriage¡ª ¡°...Perhaps?¡± However, when I heard her following word from behind, I once again came to a standstill and took out the letter I had kept in my pocket until then. ¨C I¡¯ll see you soon. P.S. I love you (perhaps?) Serena Lunar Moonlight Soon after, I reread the contents that had been illuminated by the mellow moonlight that shined upon her and muttered with an absurd expression. ¡°... Don¡¯t tell me you have calculated this far?¡± Looking back, my fiance?e has always been an unparalleled genius. . . . . . ¨C Serena. Do you realize what you did? ¡°I apologize, but...¡± After such a long night, the dawn has finally arrived. ¨C How dare you use the covenant of the Imperial family and the Moonlight family without consulting us? You even did that for Frey... ¡°But that¡¯s the only way...¡± Serena, who was riding in the carriage, was talking to someone using a communication crystal ball with an aggrieved expression on her face. ¨C The Sunrise Imperial House is the sun that brightens the dawn of the Empire, the Moonlight Duchy is the moon that illuminates its dusk, and the Starlight Duchy is the star that shines upon those devoid of their light.. ¡°Yes, I know.¡± ¨C This balance has been maintained for a millennium. However, the evil heir who appeared in the Starlight Ducal family for the first time in a thousand years is trying to break that balance. Upon hearing those words, Serena began speaking urgently while drenched in cold sweat. ¡°B-But... My Lord, I made a new appointment with him today. So, if you give me a year...¡± ¨C Today, Frey abandoned you and proposed to the Third Imperial Princess. At that point, the opportunity given to you was already over. ¡°...¡± However, when the Lord¡¯s cold words flowed out of the crystal ball, Serena closed her eyes. Soon afterwards, the Lord gave her a crueler order than anything else before. ¨C Kill Frey Raon Starlight as soon as possible. ¡°...Pardon!?¡± ¨C All the elders of the Moonlight family, who secretly guard the night of the Empire, have agreed. ¡°But I...!¡± Upon hearing those words, Serena panicked and screamed, but right at that moment, magic circles appeared all over her body as Serena began trembling with fear in her eyes. ¡°Acccckkkk!!!¡± Eventually, when the magic circle began glowing, Serena shrieked in agony and the icy voice of the Lord was heard once again from the crystal ball. ¨C Don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re under the curse of ?Familial Subordination?. When those words were delivered, the light of the crystal ball went out, and Serena muttered under her breath while trembling. ¡°Still, I... can¡¯t give up on him...¡± She tried to speak calmly while holding on to her fading consciousness, but just before she collapsed, she uttered a word after struggling for a bit. ¡°...Perhaps.¡± Having said that, Serena eventually lost consciousness and collapsed, and the carriage of the Moonlight Ducal family began heading towards the Sunrise Academy. Chapter 39: Raid On The Commoner’s Dormitory (1) ? Raid On The Commoner¡¯s Dormitory (1) ? ¡°Young Master, what are you staring at in a daze?¡± As I lay on my bed staring absent-mindedly at the ceiling, Kania asked a question with a perplexed expression on her face. ¡°Try to guess.¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± When I asked her a question in a dazed tone, she inquired again with a slightly absurd expression on her face. ¡°How can I guess that?¡± ¡°...Serena would have just looked straight into my eyes and guessed it right?¡± But when I provoked her with a mischievous expression on my face, she frowned and approached the bed I was lying on. ¡°Um... So, are you looking at the system?¡± Then she settled down on the bed, looked me in the eye, and answered. ¡°...As expected, Kania is also amazing.¡± Noticing Kania¡¯s serious expression, I judged it would be best to stop teasing her. I slowly got up from the bed and said. ¡°Yes, I was looking at the system.¡± ¡°...But why were you just staring at it? I remember you moving your pupils back and forth when you looked at the system in the past.¡± ¡°...Oh.¡± In response to Kania¡¯s sharp question, who was prying into my situation, I smiled and continued speaking. In addition, I realized the fact that she was quite smart. ¡°Initially, there were many things I could check out in the system, but unfortunately, now I can only stare at it in a daze.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± As Kania once again asked with a puzzled expression on her face, I glanced at the system window floating in front of my answers and replied. ¡ºSystem update in progress...¡» ¡°...The system is updating.¡± Due to the outrageous act I performed at yesterday¡¯s ball, I was able to reach the mark of 3,000 false evil points by the time I got inside the carriage after parting ways with Serena. And, from that moment on, the system shutdown and only this message was being displayed on the window. Thanks to this, I can¡¯t even use my usual ?Mind Reading? or ?Inspect? skills. According to the prophetic book, when the system is undergoing ¡®update,¡¯ all its abilities besides the penalty and quest feature will be temporarily disabled... Perhaps the ?False Evil¡¯s Intuition? won¡¯t get triggered. ¡®Anyway, to not allow the use of skill until the update is done, even though I know the system is ruthless... this is really too much.¡¯ The system only aids in committing evil deeds, so it probably won¡¯t provide any help in clearing the main quest. Still, it¡¯s quite a pity that I can¡¯t use essential skills such as ?Inspect?. ¡°...Young Master.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± While I was clicking my tongue inwardly in regret, Kania suddenly whispered. ¡°Lady Serena is right outside the door.¡± ¡°...How do you know that?¡± ¡°You do know that my dark mana tries to resist the solar, stellar and the lunar manas, right? So, I can sense her presence easily with its help.¡± ¡°...That¡¯s impressive.¡± I smiled upon seeing that Kania was already proficient to this extent, even though her curse had only been slightly neutralized. I then took a deep breath and opened the door. ¡°...Perhaps you were already aware I was here?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I can tell just by assessing how fast you opened the door and the look on your face. Well, it¡¯s not that impressive of a deduction, so let¡¯s just stop talking about that... anyway, can I come inside?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± When I saw Serena trying to squeeze her way inside, I grabbed her arm urgently and inquired. Upon hearing my question, Serena answered as if it was totally natural for her to do so. ¡°Do I need a reason to enter my fiance?¡¯s room?¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°...I told you, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯m going to change your mind within a year. So, I¡¯ll always try my best.¡± Having said that, Serena forced herself into the room and began inspecting every corner. ¡°Hm... the room is pretty clean, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°...Probably because there are a lot of cleaners.¡± ¡°The maids seem to be rather skilled. Seeing that there is not a speck of dust.¡± Serena muttered while wiping the windowsill with her finger. Soon her gaze turned to Kania, who was sitting on the bed. ¡°So, why are you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Young Master¡¯s butler...¡± ¡°Ms. Kania, I¡¯m not asking about that.¡± Serena sternly cut off Kania, who was sitting on the bed, and asked with a cold expression. ¡°Do you intend to harm Lord Frey, or are you trying to help?¡± ¡°...The latter.¡± ¡°Yes, that seems true. Thank you for your answer.¡± Kania, who spoke anxiously, looked bewildered when Serena judged her words as true so quickly. On the other hand, Serena, who was staring at her, smiled and said. ¡°Lord Frey, is this part of your usual fake affair?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never lied to you about such matters.¡± ¡°That¡¯s another lie. You¡¯ve gotten pretty good while I haven¡¯t seen you in a long time, but you can¡¯t fool me... perhaps.¡± Serena, who unwittingly added ¡®perhaps¡¯ at the end of her words because of the absolute obedience magic, suddenly stopped smiling and spoke with an icy look. ¡°By the way, I don¡¯t know if it was your aim... or just a coincidence, but this time you¡¯ve picked quite the suitable partner, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well, a stray cat is always just a thieving cat.¡± I stared blankly at Serena, who was uttering unfamiliar words, and suddenly Kania spoke in a low voice. ¡°...By the way, Lady Serena doesn¡¯t like cats, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I hate cats. I absolutely loath them.¡± Then Kania smirked and said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. Young Master seems to be quite fond of cats.¡± ¡°Ho, he just likes them as ¡®pets.¡¯ You didn¡¯t know that?¡± Serena, who was smiling pleasantly, and Kania, who had a cold smile on her face, clashed with each other. While I was watching the situation unfold, suddenly Serena frowned and slumped down on the chair. Upon seeing this sight, I inquired. ¡°...Is that your chronic illness acting up again?¡± ¡°Oh, are you worried about me, perhaps?¡± ¡°Never mind, get out of this room. Because I don¡¯t want to see your pathetic self.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°No, hold on. Wait for a moment.¡± Since I thought I roughly understood why she collapsed on the chair, I told her to leave. However, just when she was about to leave, I called her once more and gave her a command. ¡°Contact me immediately if you see some strange signs near the commoner¡¯s dormitory.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± However, Serena pointed to the dormitory with a confident expression. As I was staring at that direction with a bewildered look, suddenly Kania opened her mouth while breaking out in a cold sweat. ¡°...I can feel a terrifying magic.¡± At that moment, I spread the stellar mana in all directions with a stony expression on my face, and I could feel a substantial amount of mana surrounding the dormitory. ¡°You know how to use the stellar mana? Why the hell did you hide this fact...¡± ¡°...Forget the fact that I just used stellar mana.¡± Having grasped the general situation, I gave a quick order to Serena, who was talking to me with a sharp glint in her eyes. ¡°...Hmm?¡± Then Serena looked dazed for a moment, and soon tilted her head. ¡®...As expected, I shouldn¡¯t erase her memories deliberately whenever I want.¡¯ Then, for some odd reason, when Serena started looking at me with a grim expression on her face, I muttered quietly to myself. ?Absolute Obedience Magic? forces the subject to follow the orders of the target it¡¯s loyal to without question, but if I keep erasing her memories like this, Serena, a peerless genius, might grasp the gap between the erased memories and become suspicious. Isn¡¯t she glaring at me a little right now? So, I think I should refrain from erasing her memories unless it is an emergency. ¡°Come on, look.¡± With that thought in mind, I calmly accepted her gaze. Soon, Serena picked up a stone from the ground and threw it at the entrance of the dormitory. ¨C Swoosh! Then, the stone that flew swiftly disappeared as soon as it made contact with the entrance of the dormitory. ¡°...It seems the space inside and outside the dormitory is separated.¡± ¡°Yes, seeing that the stone you threw disappeared without a trace. Then wait in front of the entrance for a moment.¡± After I calmly responding to Serena¡¯s explanation, I gave her a command. Meanwhile, Kania, who was standing next to me, spoke urgently. ¡°I think we should retreat for now.¡± ¡°...Why?¡± ¡°You also know that as well. No beings can cast this kind of large-scale spatial magic....¡± ¡°...I know that only the Demon King and her aide can use it.¡± After replying calmly, I took something out of my pocket and showed it to her. ¡°But if we have this, there is nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± When Kania saw the ¡®Stone of Domination¡¯ I took out, she looked perplexed. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the ¡®Stone of Domination,¡¯ an item for mind control? I know it well because I overheard the conversation between the Young Master and the Demon King¡¯s servant in the previous timeline.¡± ¡°...Yes, according to the original scenario, this ¡®Stone of Domination¡¯ is an item to awaken the brainwashed ¡®Raider.''¡± I said so with a relaxed smiled ¡°However, the ¡®true power¡¯ of this item is not something like ¡®mind control.''¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Leaving behind Kania, who looked perplexed, I put the ¡®Stone of Domination¡¯ back into my pocket and stepped forward. ¡°Well, you¡¯ll see with your own eyes later...¡± However, the next moment when I noticed something, I quickly grabbed Serena and Kania, then flung myself onto the grass next to them. ¡°Y-Young Master? What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°You... what are you doing?¡± Feeling panicked, Kania and Serena opened their eyes wide and began admonishing me, but... ¡°...So, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Hurry! We¡¯ll be late!¡± ¡°As expected, there¡¯s a variable.¡± The two quickly shut their mouths when Isolet, Ferloche, and Clana passed by the place where we were just standing. ¡°Uh-Umm?¡± Of course, I blocked Serena¡¯s mouth. ¨C Swoosh! Eventually, the three of them arrived at the entrance of the commoner¡¯s dormitory and disappeared from our sight in an instant. ¡°Fuha... Frey? What the hell is going on here? Why do we have to hide like this?¡± While I was drenched in sweat as I witnessed the scene, Serena began asking questions, as if she couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. ¡°...Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re planning to do something bad again?¡± Eventually, she looked at me with a desperate expression, so I tried to avoid her gaze and spoke to Kania. ¡°Kania, cast a cognitive transformation magic spell around here. Don¡¯t let anyone approach the commoners¡¯ dormitory...¡± ¡°I can do that as well.¡± After cutting my words, Serena got up from her seat and unfolded the fan she was holding. ¡°...Yes, so you don¡¯t want anyone approaching this place for a while, right?¡± ¡°Yes... But...¡± ¡°Tell me. What the hell are you trying to do over there?¡± As Serena continued to question me, I noticed Kania staring at me with a melancholic look on her face. I then closed my eyes and said. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. So don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°... Perhaps I¡¯ll even believe you.¡± Then Serena tried to soften her expression, but anxiety still lingered in her eyes. ¡®...As expected of Serena. If it weren¡¯t for absolute obedience magic, this wouldn¡¯t have been possible.¡¯ The first reason Serena was anxious was probably because she wasn¡¯t certain about everything concerning me, and the second reason was that she could read lies in my eyes. Yes. Today, I will subdue an unknown assailant who borrowed power from the Demon King and take his place. The strategy I came up with to clear this ¡®Main Quest¡¯ was to pretend to be brainwashed by the Demon King and become the final boss of ¡®Raid on Commoner¡¯s Dormitory¡¯ case. After I¡¯m subdued, I¡¯ll reveal that Demon King was behind this incident to the world and claim my innocence. In other words, this case will not be the beginning of the Empire¡¯s downfall and the debut battle of the Demon King... rather it will be the first step towards a happy ending and a blade of counterattack against the Demon King. ¡°Then let¡¯s get going.¡± It¡¯s also the first step in getting Serena to turn her back on me. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll have to see for myself.¡± ¡°Be careful, Young Master.¡± With those thoughts in mind, I walked to the entrance of the Commoner¡¯s dormitory with Serena and Kania. ¨C Slam!! ¡°...huh?¡± ¡°Oh God.¡± And the next moment, what unfolded before my eyes... ¡°Screeeech!!¡± ¡°Rooooaar!!!¡± The interior of the commoner¡¯s dormitory was transformed into a dungeon, and intermediate-rank demonic monsters charged at us in full speed. ¡°...Did I fail the quest?¡± Apparently, there¡¯s a problem in this timeline. You should check out the illustrations on our discord server You can rate this series here Chapter 40: Raid On The Commoner’s Dormitory (2) ? Raid On The Commoner¡¯s Dormitory (2) ? ¡°Grooowll!!¡± One of the demonic monsters rushing in the front took a giant leap and flew straight at us. ¡°...Hmm.¡± Soon it extended its sharp claws, and upon seeing this, I quickly reached out to the sword that I recently bought in the back alley, but... ¨C Clank!! Serena, who suddenly stepped forward, easily blocked its claws with the fan in her hand, and in the next moment, she lightly waved it. ¡°Shrieeek!!¡± Soon afterwards, the demonic monster was flung away helplessly and collided with its rushing companions. The monsters who witnessed this scene began faltering. ¡°How dare-?¡± Serena, who stared at these demonic monsters condescendingly, flapped her fan in a relaxed manner, and then launched an attack infused with lunar mana towards them. ¡°Gro-Growl...¡± ¡°Squeal... Squeal...¡± Thus, the demonic monsters, swept away by her lunar mana, faltered and began collapsing one after another. Soon, only silence lingered in the dormitory¡¯s lobby. ¡°What do you think? I¡¯m amazing, aren¡¯t I?¡± As I stared at the scene in a daze, Serena asked me a question with twinkling eyes. ¡°...Not really.¡±Ne/w novel chapters are published at novelhall.com ¡°Ugh.¡± After responding bluntly to Serena, I tried to ignore her sullen expression and muttered to myself. ¡®As expected of Serena. She has already completely mastered the Moonlight family¡¯s arcane skills at this point in time.¡¯ The ¡®Moonlight Ducal Family,¡¯ one of the three ¡®Ducal Households¡¯ of the Empire, is a ¡®Family of Assassins¡¯ that guards the night of the Empire. Perhaps that¡¯s why the Moonlight family, which symbolizes the moon, uses ?Lunar Mana?, which is most suitable for ¡®Assassination¡¯, because it is subtle and quiet but also secretive and fatal at the same time. Like the radiant and overwhelming ?Solar Mana? of the Sunrise imperial family that symbolizes the sun, and the sparkling and beautiful ?Stellar Mana? of the Starlight family that embodies the stars, it possesses the abilities suitable for that family. Of course, compared to the solar mana, which constantly generates explosive power, and the stellar mana, which can produce a tremendous burst of power in an instant, its destructive force might be lacking... However, lunar mana, which secretly digs into opponents like poison, is just as fatal in a different sense. ¨C Rustle... While I was immersed in such thoughts, I noticed that the monsters slowly disintegrated into ashes. Seeing that sight, Serena spoke with a sullen look on her face. ¡°...If you had continued training with Lady Isolet and myself, this wouldn¡¯t have been a problem for you.¡± Of course, I can annihilate these demonic monsters with one swing of my sword. I just didn¡¯t bother doing it in order to hide my power from the assailant and Serena. ¨C Swoosh... Anyway, seeing the demonic monsters collapse, I was about to get a move on and begin searching for the assailant in earnest. However, just then I heard a familiar noise from behind. ¡°...Excuse me for a moment.¡± Kania was absorbing the dark mana flowing from the crumbling demonic monsters. ¡°...Ugh.¡± Watching this, Serena¡¯s brows furrowed as she hid behind my back and used her fan. She began driving away the dark mana spread everywhere around her. ¡°Here, absorb it all.¡± ¡°...Thank you.¡± Kania frowned slightly in response to her actions, then began absorbing the dark mana several times faster than before. ¡°...Oh my, the stray cat seems to be angry.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care, so get away from me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As I freed myself from Serena, who was clinging to my back, I heaved a sigh and began examining the two alternatively. ¡®...It would be nice if the two of them could just get along.¡¯ Serena has known from a very young age that Kania is a warlock. I don¡¯t know how she figured it out, but it¡¯s probably because she was a born genius, and as such, I asked her to keep quiet about this. Fortunately, she followed my instructions and didn¡¯t reveal Kania¡¯s identity, but since the day she found out, she and Kania have not been on good terms. I never understood the things they always bickered about. ¡°...Huh?¡± As I was reminiscing about that, Serena, who was standing behind me, suddenly tilted her head with a puzzled expression. Serena¡¯s reaction meant that something must have happened, so I rushed to where she was standing. However, when I arrived there I didn¡¯t notice anything special, but then¡ª ¡°...Graffiti?¡± ¡°Well, there seems to be something suspicious.¡± While I was inspecting the enormous graffiti painted on the lobby floor, Serena suddenly turned around and began heading somewhere. ¡°...That¡¯s the dormitory manager and the maid, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes, looking at their nameplate... I think so.¡± I followed her and found the manager and the maid both collapsed on the floor under a toppled desk. ¡°They are not dead, just unconscious. Even if I don¡¯t measure their pulse, I can sense the slight tremors in their muscles...¡± ¡°Well, if you know why they¡¯re in such a state, explain it to me concisely.¡± ¡°It¡¯s magic. They fell into slumber because of a spell.¡± After hearing Serena¡¯s explanation, I sent her away and fell into deep thought. Soon afterwards, I spoke to Kania, who was standing next to me absorbing dark mana. ¡°Kania, can you infiltrate their subconscious space?¡± ¡°D-Do you know about that black magic spell?¡± ¡°Of course, I know. I know everything about you.¡± When I said so with a smile while looking straight at Kania, she broke out in a cold sweat and looked embarrassed for some reason. Upon seeing her expression, I added. ¡°Ah, if it seems too hard, no need to do it. It takes a lot of dark mana and is quite the dangerous black magic spell.¡± Kania stared at me for a moment, then smiled and spoke. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m overflowing with dark mana right now because I absorbed quite a lot from these monsters.¡± ¡°...Thank you, Kania.¡± After hearing my words, Kania lightly nodded in return and immediately began infusing dark mana into the unconscious maid. As I was looking at the scene curiously, Kania suddenly frowned and hurriedly withdrew her dark mana. ¡°...I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Seeing Kania shaking her head in denial, I inquired with a puzzled expression, and she replied with a serious look on her face. ¡°...I don¡¯t know. Something like an unknown force is preventing me from infiltrating their subconscious space.¡± Upon hearing her words, my expression distorted. ¡°...The Demon King really is crazy.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible for your ¡®Subconscious Invasion¡¯ magic spell to not work... unless the ¡®Demon King¡¯ intervened.¡± ¡°Then... you mean the Demon King is here now?¡± When Kania asked with a shocked expression, I slowly shook my head in denial and answered. ¡°No, it¡¯s not... She probably shared her power with the ¡®Assailant¡¯.¡± ¡°Pardon? Not an executive or a servant... but with an ¡®Academy Student¡¯?¡± Having said that, Kania had an expression as if she didn¡¯t understand, and I also spoke with an incomprehensible look. ¡°That¡¯s why I told you. The Demon King is crazy. Why the hell did she do this? Why? Just Why?¡± I¡¯ve been speculating hard about the scenario that seemed to be out of sync for a long time, but soon, Kania asked cautiously. ¡°It¡¯s no use!! I¡¯ve said it many times... the moment ¡®Frey¡¯ arrives, you¡¯ll all die!!!¡± Then all the people who were confronting her frowned at the same time. Even Kania and Serena, standing next to me, began looking at me in bewilderment. ¡®...She sacrificed her soul.¡¯ Watching this scene, I was able to figure out what the situation is now. It seems that she had dedicated her soul to the Demon King in order to obtain ¡®revenge¡¯ by placing the blame for this incident on me, and in exchange, she received a portion of the ¡®Demon King¡¯s Power¡¯. ¡°Stop and surrender! You have no chance of winning!!¡± ¡°...If you keep spewing out dark mana like this, eventually you will run out of life force.¡± Of course, it¡¯s only a portion of the ¡®Demon King¡¯s Power,¡¯ so it won¡¯t be long before she runs out of steam. ¡°Eh, that¡¯s impossible! I only need to activate this magic circle here today! Then I¡¯ll officially become a member of the Demon King¡¯s Army... and the rest, my master, Lord Frey, will take care of it!¡± The Demon King probably bestowed this power upon her, so she would activate the ¡®Power Awakening Magic Circle.¡¯ If that magic circle is activated, everyone in the commoner¡¯s dormitory will be sacrificed, and the Empire will be engulfed in a rebellion led by the enraged commoners. At the same time, the Demon King who has awakened the ?Blessing of Doom? will finally be revealed to the world. She is under a constraint where she can¡¯t appear in the world unless she awakens the ?Blessing of Doom?. ¡®...The Demon King sure used her brain rather well.¡¯ To receive power from the Demon King, one must give up everything and pursue only one purpose. Isabel, who must have been in contact with the Demon King¡¯s army from a few days to a few weeks prior, probably met the requirements after I caused her downfall not too long ago... Because of this, she turned the ¡®Raid Incident,¡¯ which was supposed to occur on a smaller scale, into a ¡®Large Scale¡¯ incident just so she could make a favorable impression on the Demon King. ¡°F-Frey!?¡± ¡°...That guy.¡± While immersed in such thoughts, the people who had been fighting with Isabel for a long time finally noticed my presence. ¡°...Wait, what? Lord Frey?¡± Then Isabel, who had been merrily selling my name until then, began staring at me in bewilderment. ¡°Ah...Ahhh...Ahhhh...!!!¡± Then suddenly she moaned and rushed at me. ¡°...Huh¡± ¡°This filth.¡± Then Kania and Serena turned cold and tried to block the way... ¡°Lord Frey!! Please forgive me!!!¡± Isabel, who stopped right in front of me, suddenly knelt down and slammed her head on the floor with all her might. ¡°¡±.........¡±¡± Soon, the people who were watching this lunacy without even thinking of attacking her turned their gazes towards me in unison. ¡®...Is she crazy?¡¯ Of course, I was also puzzled because I had no idea why she was suddenly doing this, but soon someone¡¯s voice resonated in my head. ¨C Frey Raon Starlight, associate of the Demon King¡¯s army. ¡®...Who is it?¡¯ As I was perplexed by this sudden situation, the black crow sitting by the window in front of me winked. ¨C I¡¯m a lowly servant of the ¡®Great Demon King.¡¯ It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. Then the voice resonated again in my head, and only then did I remember who the crow was. ¡®...Yes, this crow was the true culprit behind the raid on the commoner¡¯s dormitory.¡¯ The crow, labeled as the ¡®Demon King¡¯s Pet,¡¯ has the ability to grant the wishes of the nobles involved in the ¡®Raid on the Commoner¡¯s Dormitory¡¯ scenario and collect their souls in exchange. ¨C That woman made a wish to join the Demon King¡¯s Army. In other words, she is your direct subordinate. According to the crow, Isabel¡¯s wish was to ¡®Join the Demon King¡¯s Army,¡¯ rather than getting revenge. So now, she seems to be doing her best to make a positive impression on me, who has already been in close contact with the Demon King. ¨C Today, in an hour, the magic circle will be activated to awaken the Demon King¡¯s power.. and sooner or later, they will appear in this world. For now, talk to that girl and buy me some time. The crow implored me in a desperate tone. As expected, Isabel alone wasn¡¯t good enough to stall for time. ¨C I haven¡¯t forgotten the loyalty you showed to the Demon King¡¯s army thus far. So, if you cooperate, I¡¯ll bestow upon you infinite glory in consideration of today¡¯s work. Having said that, the crow opened its beak and began urging me. Upon seeing this, I took a few deep breaths, then spoke to Isabel. ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve been paying attention until now...¡± ¡°Leader, I apologize! I¡¯m so sorry!!¡± When I said that, Isabel shuddered in fear and screamed earnestly. In reality, I was way too bothered to pay any attention to her. ¡°No way... you were...?¡± ¡°Sigh, as expected... At this point, I thought he had something to do with the Demon King.¡± ¡°...You filthy bastard.¡± As soon as I pretended to know Isabel, everyone on the top floor charged at me. Kania also got a rough idea of the situation, as she quietly clenched her teeth and began attacking me. ¡°Hold on!! Wait a moment!!¡± As soon as the enraged girls charged at me with a cold look on their faces, Serena stepped in front of me and exclaimed. ¡°...Serena?¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s been a while...¡± ¡°...I missed you.¡± When Irina, Ferloche, and Clana saw her, they looked pleased. ¡°Perhaps! Lo-Lord F-Frey took the lead in slaying the demonic monsters in order to save everyone!¡± But when Serena shouted urgently, they quickly mumbled with an icy look. ¡°...Lady Serena, I guess she didn¡¯t return.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really unfortunate.¡± ¡°...Tsk.¡± Feeling the chilly atmosphere, Serena hurriedly turned her gaze towards me and asked. ¡°You!! Tell me the truth!! You¡¯re not behind this... right?¡± However, as soon as I drew my sword and observed everyone with a relaxed expression on my face, Serena stopped speaking and began glaring at me. ¡®...Are you racking your brain again?¡¯ Knowing that this expression on her face only appears when she ruminates, I touched the ¡®Stone of Domination¡¯ in the pocket with my hand, thinking that I should get to work before things went wrong any further. ¡°¡±Roooooaaaaar!!!¡± The next moment, all the demonic monsters in the commoner¡¯s dormitory began rushing to the top floor. ¨C What, what!? What¡¯s this!? ¡®...What is it? This is the hidden power of the Stone of Domination.¡¯ Eventually, as the bewildered crow¡¯s voice resounded in my head, I answered quietly to myself, then touched the ¡®Stone of Domination¡¯ once more and put him into a state of hypnosis. While that guy is an actual testament to the Demon King¡¯s resurrection, I need to protect my political position. Thus, making it seem that I was threatened to become the mastermind behind this incident. In addition, I need to pretend that my mind was being manipulated. Therefore, I think I should use the crow whose pupils appear to be dazed and its beak wide open. Only then will the Empress, who is in a cooperative relationship with me, and the Sun God Church, who I had been religiously paying bribes to, be able to protect me. ¡°Muahahahaha!!!¡± After organizing my thoughts as such, I burst into a peal of evil laughter, then immediately emanated dark mana that Kania had absorbed and infused in my body in advance. I then exclaimed enthusiastically. ¡°For the return of the Demon King!!!¡± As such, everyone present on the top floor prepared to launch an attack. ¡®...This time around I¡¯m going to be out cold for at least a week, aren¡¯t I?¡¯ It seems that the moment has arrived for me to become the final boss of the ¡®Raid on the Commoner¡¯s Dormitory.¡¯ You should check out the illustrations on our discord server You can rate this series here Chapter 41: The Conclusions Of The Case ? The Conclusion Of The Case ? ¡°...Undo the magic circle.¡± ¡°Undo the magic circle, Frey. If you disable it, I will spare your life.¡± ¡°Are you really going to sacrifice the lives of everyone in the commoner¡¯s dormitory?¡± As I summoned all the demonic monsters with an evil smile on my face, everyone on the top floor urged me hastily. Looking at them, it seems that no one here knew how to disable this magic circle. ¡°........¡± Of course, Serena, who is rapidly calculating the magic circle from afar, will soon figure it out. ¡°Hahahaha! It¡¯s no use!¡± Therefore, having decided to move forward with the plan quickly, I touched the ?Stone of Domination? and began controlling the crow, which remained on the windowsill with its beak wide open. ¡°Tha-That guy...!¡± ¡°...Isn¡¯t it the Demon King¡¯s pet?¡± Soon the crow¡¯s eyes lit up, and it yelled loudly. The crow then flew over and settled down atop my head. Meanwhile, I concentrated stellar mana around my throat and began imitating his voice. Then, all the heroines who had retained their memories from the previous timeline looked astonished. It¡¯s a natural reaction in a sense because they have seen the crow with the Demon King on numerous occasions. ¡°This guy is already under my mind control. So, whatever you say is useless.¡± The crow continued speaking to the heroines in a condescending tone while I manipulated its expression with the hidden power of the ?Stone of Domination? that allows someone to control the demonic monsters. ¡°No matter what you do, this magic circle will be activated. Then, after a millennium, the Demon King shall appear in the world.¡± Having said that, I made the crow flap its wings atop my head, as it continued glaring at everyone condescendingly. ¡°So, just surrender. If you surrender, I¡¯ll honor your courage by allowing you to join the Demon King¡¯s Army¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯ll never surrender!!¡± However, Ferloche cut the crow off in the middle of its speech and stepped forward. ¡°Lord Sun God, lend your powers to this humble... ugh!!¡± Soon after, Ferloche stumbled and keeled over in the middle of her chant when she tried casting a lethal spell to purify all evil beings. It¡¯s probably because she had already used quite a bit of her power so far. ¡°It¡¯s no use. If you don¡¯t surrender... only death will be your fate.¡± When I spoke to her in a tone similar to the crow while emanating dark mana. Clana and Isolet stepped forward and said. ¡°...We¡¯ll deal with him, Ferloche. So you replenish your holy power.¡± ¡°If it is the spell of purification, then it could annihilate that crow. So, please replenish your holy power.¡± Having said that, the two of them glared at me for a moment, then soon launched their attacks. ¡°...Huff.¡± Irina and Arianne also reached out and began preparing their magic spells from behind. When I witnessed this scene, I took a deep breath and resolved myself. ¡®...Today, right now, right here, I will raise my notoriety as much as possible.¡¯ Perhaps after this ¡®Update¡¯, the ¡®Cumulative Notoriety System¡¯ will be unlocked due to which my ¡®Notoriety¡¯ known throughout the Empire will be converted into ¡®False Evil Points¡¯. I mean, since things have already turned out this way... I might as well use this opportunity to raise my notoriety. In order to do that, I need to tarnish my image as much as possible while also protecting my ¡®Political Position¡¯ with the help of the Sun God Church and the Empress who I have close ties to... In addition, I need to keep the Third Imperial Princess in check through means of the ¡®Covenant.¡¯ Not to mention, in order to make Serena and my sister give up on me... this is probably the most effective way. Because of this, when this is all over, my image will be at rock bottom, and I will become the public enemy who barely managed to defend his ¡®Political Position,¡¯ but... it doesn¡¯t matter, because that¡¯s what I¡¯m hoping for. ¡®...And I have no other choice if I want to shatter this magic circle.¡¯ Besides, if I want to deal with this magic circle naturally in front of everyone, the only way to do so is by causing a ruckus like this. This is because, in order to neutralize the mana in the graffiti engraved from the first to the top floors, the mana and the sword aura of these heroines who are bound to become the strongest in the world in the near future must be spread evenly throughout the building. If their mana and aura are spread out evenly... ¡°Hah!!¡± ¡°Heup!!¡± I couldn¡¯t even finish organizing my thoughts before Isolet and Clana charged at me. ¡°It¡¯s no use!!¡± I yelled at them in that imitated tone with an evil look on my face and swathed my sword in dark mana. ¨C Clank! Then Isolet stopped in her tracks and swung her sword with all her might, and in the next instant, both our swords clashed against each other, unfurling black smoke everywhere. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s mind manipulation or acting, but now that such an opportunity has arrived... prepare yourself.¡± Then, a dazzling light pierced through the black smoke, and a destructive beam was shot along with Clana¡¯s cold remarks. ¡°...Tsk, everyone is so violent. This person seems to be hated a lot, doesn¡¯t he?¡± I looked straight at the beam and spoke a line indicating that I was being manipulated, and the next moment, I parried the beam with my sword and scattered it evenly downstairs. ¡°I knew this was the case... perhaps¡± Then Serena, who had been glaring at me until then, smiled with a sullen look and unfolded her fan. ¨C I¡¯ll-Play-Along-With-You-For-Now. Before long, she covered her own face with her fan and mouthed a few words while pursing her lips so that only I could see her, and then quietly winked at me. ¨C Per-ha-ps. ¡°...This is driving me crazy.¡± Then, with a slightly suspicious look, she pursed her lips again and mouthed a word. I heaved a deep sigh when I saw that. Apparently, Serena inferred all the interpretations of the magic circle and my plans in that brief span of time. ¡®...Well, I thought of a way in order to prepare for such a situation.¡¯ She¡¯s not sure of everything about me. In other words, no matter how clear the truth may be, when it¡¯s something related to me, she has no choice but to remain ¡®doubtful.¡¯ I slightly nodded my head in response as I had already figured out a way to use that to disappoint Serena later. As such, I focussed my gaze on Clana, who was in front of me. ¡°Haaah!¡± Then, out of nowhere, Ferloche emerged through the smoke and charged at me fiercely. ¡°Lady Ferloche! It¡¯s dangerous...¡± Upon seeing that, Clana screamed in panic, but¨C ¡°Kyaa!!¡± Then soon Ferloche crept behind Isabel, who gazed at her blankly for a split second before being flung away after getting punched. ¡°...After all, I think it would be better to help out rather than quietly replenishing my holy power behind.¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°I was able to cast that spell at the auction house earlier because I had saved up my holy power for that day. So, in order to use it again, I will have to replenish my holy power for quite a long period of time.¡± After glaring at Isabel, who had been trembling in the distance as she had exhausted all the Demon King¡¯s power, Ferloche concluded her speech in a solemn tone. ¡°...I won¡¯t be worthy to be called the Saintess if I quietly observe everything from behind while my friend¡¯s life is in danger.¡± ¡°Y-You...¡± Upon hearing that, Clana looked at Ferloche with a slightly moved gaze. ¡°Ugh...¡± On the other hand, I was blocking the holy power and the solar mana they were shooting at me, while at the same time, I was spreading them evenly downstairs. ¡°... Frey, you possessed that level of skill?¡± Isolet, who was examining me quietly, raised her sword with a perplexed look. ¡°...According to the inscriptions regarding black magic recorded in the ancient literature, it¡¯s stated that the Demon King¡¯s pet can corrode people¡¯s minds, then infuse Demon King¡¯s power into them and control them as their host.¡± Then Serena, who had been standing still until then, joined the heroines and said so with an icy look on her face. As such, Irina, who kept ruminating over this until her head overheated, shot a small fireball at the monster that crept up behind her and muttered to herself. ¡®...For now, I¡¯ll put my judgement on hold.¡¯ He was extremely evil and heinous in my previous life. So, that behavior might also be a part of some evil deed. Even while she was working as his maid, she was persecuted and harassed many times. His obnoxious gaze and sticky touch were similar to the ones she had experienced in the previous timeline. So for now, I¡¯m still not sure... ¡°Cough!!¡± Irina, who had been immersed in such thoughts, opened her eyes at that sudden development. ¡°Cough... Damn it...¡± It was because Frey suddenly coughed up blood and collapsed on the floor... . . . . . ¡°...Did he finally reach his limit?¡± ¡°A normal person¡¯s body cannot withstand the power of the Demon King for long. For Frey, that power was far too strong.¡± ¡°Slowly... let¡¯s take the crow off his head and we¡¯re done.¡± The women, who were fiercely assaulting Frey, slowly began approaching his collapsed self. ¡°Cough...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how you ended up being mind controlled, but no matter how evil you are, you would never...¡± Among them, Isolet, who was at the forefront, began speaking to Frey in an icy voice, but¡ª ¡°Heheh... heheheh...¡± ¡°.....!¡± Suddenly, when Frey started laughing in a sinister way, Isolet stopped in her tracks and quickly unsheathed her sword. ¨C Kachiiiiiing!!! Soon Frey swung his sword at her with all his might, and as such, a sword slash imbued with dark mana was shot at Isolet. ¡°...Ughh!! Meanwhile, Isolet clenched her teeth and received the sword slash head-on, but soon she began to be pushed back, perhaps because her strength was depleted. ¡°¡±Hah!!¡±¡± To help her, Ferloche and Arianne summoned their shield and barrier to block the sword slash, and in the next moment, the rest of the people joined to help her. ¨C Rumble!!! After such a fleeting moment, eventually, the sword slash exploded in the air without cleaving anyone. ¡°¡±........?¡±¡± However, Frey, who was in front of them, disappeared while they were blocking the sword slash. ¡°He-Hey over there!!¡± While everyone was looking around for Frey, Ferloche opened her eyes wide and pointed to the lobby on the first floor. ¡°Hahahaha!!¡± There was Frey, standing at the center of the graffiti and absorbing the mana that was scattered everywhere. ¨C Spaaaark!!! ¡°It¡¯s too late to realize now!!¡± The moment his voice resounded, graffiti from the top to the first floor started shining in unison and the entire building quaked in the aftermath. ¨C Rumble!! ¡°...Well, I told you it¡¯s no use.¡± People who intuitively felt a sense of crisis began to dish out all sorts of attacks, but they were blocked, or rather absorbed, the moment they hit the massive pool of mana that surrounded him. ¡°After today¡¯s ritual... the Great Demon King will be resurrected, and the world will be heading towards destruction!! Hahahahaha!!¡± Having said that, Frey began floating in the air and then shot upwards at high speed. Upon seeing this scene, Isolet opened her mouth while clenching her teeth as she prepared to rush to the top floor. ¡°...You girls stay here. Let me go up to the top floor and dive into that mana.¡± ¡°No!! Then you will...¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if we can protect everyone.¡± Having said so, Isolet charged while destroying the staircase with her sword. However, the rest of the people still followed after her using magic and began climbing to the top floor. ¡°...Frey, can you hear me?¡± ¡°The Demon King... For the Demon King...¡± Soon after, Isolet, who reached the top floor first, approached Frey while speaking to him calmly ¡°It¡¯s my fault for not stopping you from becoming like this. So, I¡¯ll take responsibility for the last time and stop you.¡± ¡°Ughh...¡± ¡°Then...¡± As Frey was engulfed in a massive pool of mana, Isolet, who finished speaking, drew her sword and tried to dive into the mana pool... ¡°...No!¡± However, Serena, who suddenly appeared from behind, stopped her from doing so by grabbing her leg and knocking her down. ¡°Aaaarghhhh!!!¡± ¡°Wha-What...? Wh-Why is he like that...?¡± ¡°First, summon the shield...!¡± As soon as the others arrived, the stairway crumbled entirely. And as such, the late arrivals, along with Isolet, began staring at Frey in a daze, who suddenly started floating in the air while howling in agony. ¡°This mana flow... perhaps?¡± ¡°It seems that the magic circle has failed.¡± ¡°Fortunately, there will be no casualties.¡± Naturally, since they possessed the greatest talents in the world, they could roughly infer what had transpired just now. And soon they began muttering with a relieved expression on their faces. ¡°¡±........¡±¡± Meanwhile, Kania, Serena, and Irina, who knew the details of what actually happened, remained silent, and they either lowered their head or had a shocked expression on their face. ¨C Spaaark!! In such a moment, which was blended in relief, seriousness, and astonishment, the mana condensed on Frey¡¯s body materialized in the form of lightning, and pierced through the ground of the top floor and flew downstairs. ¨C Rumble, rumble!!! After that, mana, in the form of lightning that flew downstairs, destroyed the floors, demonic monsters, and graffitis inscribed all over the commoner¡¯s dormitory. ¡°Ughh...¡± After a short groan, Frey, who seemed lifeless, stopped emitting and discharging that mana into the air and slowly began to fall from midair. ¡°¡±........¡±¡± And as such, silence lingered on the top floor for a long time. ¡°.......Sigh.¡± Until Irina, who finally managed to reach the top floor, made eye contact with Frey, whose consciousness gradually dimmed, and heaved a brief sigh. You should check out the illustrations on our discord serve Chapter 42: Memories of the Hero and the Mage ? Memories of the Hero and the Mage ? ¡°...Ugh.¡± I let out a groan, then slowly opened my eyes. I found myself in a place engulfed in darkness, without a glimmer of light. ¡°What¡¯s this place?¡± Bewildered, I radiated stellar mana in all directions, but for some reason, it didn¡¯t work. ¡®...Damn it, I hate darkness.¡¯ I really loathe the dark. To be precise, I truly hate being in a dark room without a glimpse of light. Of course, the room I¡¯m in right now, although it seems vast, I don¡¯t like it because I don¡¯t know where it ends. ¡°Ugh...¡± Because of this, I was struggling with disgust. But soon I felt a presence at my feet. ¡°Meow.¡± ¡°...A cat?¡± A black cat... No, a cat doll was nibbling at my feet. ¡°...I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here with me.¡± I lifted the cat doll up, feeling a bit reassured because of its presence. The cat doll, however, meowed and began licking my face aggressively. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Meow... meow...¡± I was trying to get the cat doll away from me, but suddenly it lashed out at me and knocked me down, then began licking my face. ¡°...What?¡± Having been suddenly defeated by that little cat doll, I ended up scratching the back of my head while the cat kept licking me for a while. ¡°Meoww...¡± By the time my face became glossy, the cat curled atop my chest and began rubbing its face. ¡®...Is this sleep paralysis?¡¯ The dream seemed way too wholesome for it to be sleep paralysis, so I kept lying on the bed. But suddenly, the surrounding darkness began fading. ¨C Woosh... Eventually, green fields and trees entered my field of vision, and only then did I realize what situation I was in. ¡®...It¡¯s the same dream I experienced back then.¡¯ Perhaps, the situation now is similar to that time when I saw Ferloche¡¯s past. ¡°...Mom?¡± Sure enough, soon, I saw my younger self. ¡°...Yes, didn¡¯t I get lost while playing hide and seek in the woods?¡± Back then, I got lost in the woods while playing hide and seek with my mother. I¡¯m sure I did. It should have bee... ¡®...Something¡¯s strange?¡¯ Now that I think about it, something really is strange. Why did I get lost while playing hide and seek? Why was it that my mother, the greatest stellar wizard, couldn¡¯t find me? ¡°Mom... where are you...?¡± Eventually, the words that came out of his mouth were quite different from what I remembered. ¡°Mom... how long do I have to hide...? Mom...¡± With an anxious expression on his face, my younger self continued to cry out to my mother, but he couldn¡¯t see a glimpse of her, and as such, the night deepened in the woods. ¡°I-I¡¯m scared... sniff...¡± My younger self, who had been crying and trembling in fear while waiting for my mother for a long time, soon leaned against a tree as he fell asleep after being exhausted. ¡°Sob sob...¡± And after a while, a wolf, who found him asleep, slowly crept up to him. ¡®...That¡¯s what happened?¡¯ I tilted my head because the memory seemed completely different from what I remembered. And at the next moment, a fireball flew in from somewhere at high speed. ¨C Whoosh!! ¡°Whimper!¡± Then the fireball hit the wolf in its tail, and it ran away with its tail still set on fire. ¡°H-Huh..?¡± My younger self woke up from that commotion, and after looking around for a moment, he found a red-haired girl in front of him. The girl was Irina from my childhood, whom I used to play with secretly in the streets for several months at that point in time. Eventually, we became acquainted because I kept talking to her unilaterally. ¡°Y-You¡¯re...¡± ¡°Frey, why are you here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± The young Irina, who ignited a fire in one hand while examining the crude paper in the other, crumpled it up and put it in her pocket. She then muttered. ¡°All right, now that I have found the missing first son of the Duke... If I get the amount written here, I can live on my own for a year.¡± ¡°...What do you mean?¡± When he inquired with a slightly scared expression, Irina frowned and replied. ¡°The handsome ¡®Noble Master¡¯ doesn¡¯t need to concern himself.¡± ¡°But still...¡± ¡°Fine, I always say this, but... I hate talking to nobles. I¡¯m doing this for money in the first place.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°Just get up already. Don¡¯t you want to go home?¡± While Irina was getting irritated by his constant barrage of questions, my younger self stood up in a hurry and exclaimed. ¡°I want to go home! I miss my mother!¡± ¡°Then shut up and follow me.¡± ¡°All right...¡± Thus, my younger self and Irina began heading down the mountain through the darkness. ¡°...By the way, what was that paper from before?¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°And how did you find this place? Hm?¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± Irina, who was quietly going down the mountain, closed her eyes tightly upon hearing my constant questions, and soon became annoyed. ¡°Be quiet!! You¡¯re hindering me from finding the way!!¡± ¡°...But I know the way as well.¡± ¡°What?¡± But when my younger self answered clearly, Irina looked slightly perplexed. She then frowned and asked. ¡°Then why were you missing?¡± ¡°Missing? Me?¡± ¡°Yes, according to this paper...¡± Having said that, Irina closely inspected the paper. However, she soon froze on the spot and turned around while letting out a cough. ¡°Ahem... Anyway, let¡¯s go down.¡± ¡°If I go down the mountain, will I get to see my mother?¡± As a result, the ground quaked violently, and my younger self, who was holding Irina in a precarious manner, lost his balance and stumbled forward. ¡°Aaaaaah!!¡± ¡°Nooooo!!¡± Thus, both of them fell down the cliff helplessly. ¡°...Is it a dream? If it¡¯s real, there¡¯s no way Irina and I would have survived the fall. ¡° ¡°Meow.¡± As I stared blankly at the scene, I speculated for a moment that this scene wasn¡¯t real and it was just a dream... ¨C Whoosh... But in the next moment, when the scene began to change slowly, I changed my mind. ¡°Hey... wake up...!¡± ¡°Uh... uh...¡± Because Irina was shaking my younger self, who lay there unconscious. Both of them were drenched in water. ¨C Ripple... Ripple... To their right, a river was flowing briskly, and to the left, a firewood was burning that Irina had ignited with her magic. ¨C Crackle! Crackle!! ¡°...Damn it, when are they coming?¡± Irina, who stopped shaking me for a while, sparked a flame in her left hand and shot it into the sky. Upon seeing his unconscious self, she became anxious. ¡°You moron... you should have just run away... Why did you come back?¡± Having said that, Irina ignited a flame in her right hand and began warming up his frozen body. Soon, she muttered with a look of incomprehension. ¡°You are an esteemed noble Young Master... you go out on the streets to play around with commoners like me just for your amusement.. You¡¯re just an annoying noble...¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°But then... why did you come back...¡± Irina muttered to herself while staring at my younger self as he moaned and groaned for a while. However, when she sensed a presence in the distance, her expression stiffened and she quietly stood up. ¡°Grrr...¡± The werewolf, who had been chasing them all the way to the bottom of the cliff, was slowly approaching them at that time. ¡°Haaa!!¡± Irina, who was glaring at the werewolf, soon tried to ignite flames in her hand with all her might, but... ¡°Damn it, I used a lot of mana on the search magic spell...¡± With little mana left in her body, she soon stumbled and collapsed. ¡®...?Search Magic? spell is a large-scale magic that can only be performed by 5 mages from the Magic Tower...¡¯ ¡°Grrr.¡± I was momentarily amazed by the discovery that Irina could use ?Search Magic? at that young age, and before I knew it, the werewolf approached my younger self. She drooled at the sight of him. ¨C Boom!! ¡°Hooowll!!!¡± However, Irina, who was lying on the floor, mustered all her strength and shot a fireball right at the face of the werewolf. As a result, the werewolf covered her face while rolling on the ground. ¡°Qu-Quick... I need to get out of here...¡± At that moment, Irina staggered up and tried to move, but ... ¡°...Hooowl!¡± She stopped when she glanced at the unconscious body of my younger self. Soon, she began dragging him along. ¡°If I just make it to the bushes over there... I can hide his body...¡± ¡°Hooowl!!¡± ¡°Kyaa!!¡± However, her clothes were soaked wet, and her abdomen was hurt pretty badly. As a result, she soon reached her limit while dragging him, and eventually, the werewolf caught up to them. ¡°Roooaaar!! ¡°Kyaa!!¡± Before long, the furious wolf slammed her fist on Irina. Then the sharp werewolf¡¯s claws tore her clothes and left a deep cross-shaped scar on her cheeks. ¨C Pow! Pooow!! ¡°Ugh... Ugh...¡± The werewolf adjusted the intensity of her punches to inflict utmost pain on young Irina. The werewolf then grinned when she saw that Irina was about to lose consciousness and aimed her sharp claws at her throat. ¡°Grrr...¡± ¡°What a shitty life...¡± Seeing the scene, Irina burst into tears and spat out curses in a melancholic tone. In the next moment, just as the werewolf¡¯s sharp claws were about to pierce her throat... ¨C Thud!! ¡°Hooowwwll!!¡± Suddenly, a dull sound resounded, and the werewolf collapsed while foaming from her mouth. ¡°Why... did you come back...?¡± Young Irina, who was staring blankly at that figure, soon found my younger self holding a thick stick behind the collapsed werewolf. ¡°I¡¯m a Starlight...¡± ¡°F-Frey...¡± ¡°...We¡¯re a family of the Great Hero... Weak or strong... We protect them all.¡± After saying those words, my younger self uttered a few more words before losing consciousness, collapsing into Irina¡¯s arms. ¡°...That¡¯s what my mother always told me.¡± And soon silence lingered for a while. ¡°Here!! The signal has been fired from here!!¡± ¡°Young Master!! Are you okay?¡± ¡°Son!!¡± Eventually, the servants of the Starlight household along with my father arrived at the scene, and at that moment, my eyes were once again dyed with darkness. ¡°...Sigh.¡± Having glimpsed through the memories of my past, I heaved a deep sigh and muttered. ¡°I... was supposed to awaken my stellar mana after seeing the prophetic book... it was also mentioned in the setting...¡± ¡°Meow...¡± ¡°Now... I don¡¯t know.¡± Having said that, I hugged the cat doll, who was staring at me with a sullen look, and lay down in the dark room. . . . . . ¡°Young master... please wake up...¡± Meanwhile, at that time, in Frey¡¯s dormitory. ¡°...You promised to go out with me.¡± Kania, who just came out of Frey¡¯s subconscious, muttered as she looked at him with a haggard face. ¡°How can you delay the promise for 3 months..?¡± Before long, the first semester of Sunrise Academy was already coming to an end. Advanced chapters are available on our kofi. Chapter 42.5: The Hero and the Main Heroines (2) ? The Hero and the Main Heroines (2) ?Ne/w novel chapters are published at novelhall.com Frey Raon Starlight The Council of Main Heroines Chapter 43: Similar, Yet Different ? Similar, Yet Different ? ¡°No way...¡± After seeing Frey lose consciousness on the top floor of the commoner¡¯s dormitory, Irina was in shock. ¡°Is it really true that he acted as the medium himself?¡± Based on the theory that Irina established, to destroy the magic circle drawn inside the commoner¡¯s dormitory, it was essential to install a ¡®Medium¡¯, where mana was concentrated, in the center of the magic circle. Only by concentrating a large amount of mana in the medium, and then releasing all of it at once, was it possible to shatter the structure of the magic circle inscribed with dark magic. Of course, there is also a standard method by decrypting the magic circles in the order they were drawn. However, in an urgent situation like this, if the standard method was used, the magic circle would have been activated, so there was probably no other way. Still, there are significant risks in this method as it does not follow the standard decryption method. That is.... ¡°...Are you perhaps dead? Frey?¡± Irina, who was immersed in her thoughts as she stared blankly at Frey, came to her senses after a while when she heard Ferloche¡¯s voice in front of her. ¡°Um...hello? Mr. scumbag?¡± Ferloche was poking Frey with a slightly terrified expression. ¡°Hiik!¡± Ferloche, who continued to poke Frey with her fingers, screamed in shock when Clana grabbed her by the shoulder from behind. ¡°Frey is currently unconscious.¡± ¡°Oh...I see..¡± Upon hearing those words, Ferloche stepped back with a complicated expression on her face, but Clana was still looking down at Frey. ¨C Spark Then, a small golden flash of light began circulating in Clana¡¯s hand. ¡°Argh....¡± Seeing the light, Ferloche made an anticipated expression, while Clana began approaching Frey with a resolute expression. ¡°Frey!! Are you all right!?¡± But at that moment, Serena rushed over to Frey. ¡°Please step aside for a second, Serena. I will take a look...¡± ¡°Ah, the crow that was probably controlling Frey is staggering!!¡± Clana frowned slightly and opened her mouth, but Serena began talking without giving her a chance. ¡°That crow is the culprit behind everything! So, at least, in this case, Frey is innocent...¡± ¡°...Sigh...¡± Clana looked at Serena for a moment as she hugged Frey and started speaking urgently, then turned around with a cold expression on her face. ¡°Your Highness...Clana..¡± Then Ferloche looked at her drenched in a cold sweat. ¡°...it¡¯s rather good. It¡¯s a good opportunity to ruin him.¡± ¡°But still....¡± ¡°If I were to kill him now, I could probably pull it off... But then, that would be a very comfortable death for him, and there would be too many witnesses. Not to mention, the corruption and the information about the Demon King¡¯s army that will be buried with his death will be considerable.¡± Clana, who had been talking to Ferloche, heaved a deep sigh and continued to speak. ¡°There are a lot of evil people in this Empire, besides Frey. And we must somehow seize power and drive them out. So, we cannot rush things.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± When Ferloche answered with a sullen expression on her face, Clana continued to speak, quietly looking at Frey behind her. ¡°Still, this doesn¡¯t mean that I will just stand there and do nothing.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°This incident has revealed that Frey is involved with the Demon King. Most likely, this news will soon be known to the public and his reputation will be smothered.¡± ¡°Still, if Frey uses another scheme...¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve been playing until now. I have already gathered some influence. So, the moment I get out of here, my three spies will spread rumors all over the Empire. That will be our first counterattack against Frey and the Empire¡¯s darkness .¡± At that, Ferloche opened her mouth and looked at Clana. ¡°This is just the beginning. I will gather my forces as quickly as possible to bring down Frey, and afterwards, I will purge all the corrupt nobles associated with him.¡± ¡°I see...¡± ¡°So, let¡¯s postpone killing him until later. Now is the time to revive the Empire and use him to defeat the Demon King.¡± When Clana finished her speech, Ferloche, who was nodding fiercely, immediately tilted her head and asked a question. ¡°Uh... By the way, why is Ms. Kania -?¡± But Clana hurriedly shut her mouth before she could finish her words, and Ferloche began fussing with an anxious look. ¡°...I¡¯ll personally let her know later.¡± Clana, meanwhile, answered while staring quietly at Kania, who was watching Frey with Serena and Isolet from afar. ¡°Um.... by the way..¡± To those two, Irina, who had been watching them quietly until then, spoke in a hesitant tone. ¡°Uh, yes?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Then, Ferloche and Clana naturally moved away from each other and tilted their heads when Irina, who was observing them for a while, asked a question in a hushed tone. ¡°...You two have memories of the future as well, right?¡± ¡°Uh, uh, how would we know?¡± Then Ferloche broke out a cold sweat and began to stutter. ¡°...Ferloche, did you forget that Irina is not a bad person?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right!¡± Clana, who drove sense into Ferloche, quietly looked at Irina and said. ¡°...Let¡¯s all talk in more detail later..¡± ¡°Is it going to be...another cat cafe?¡± ¡°No, there is a place set aside by my three spies.¡± After finishing her sentence, Clana quietly turned her gaze towards Frey. ¡°By the way, he must have taken a significant amount of damage.¡± ¡°...I guess so.¡± As Ferloche had a concerned face as it was the first time that she didn¡¯t treat a severely wounded person, Clana, who was quietly clenching her teeth, murmured. ¡°Although things would get quite difficult if he were to die now... but honestly, on the other hand, I want him to just die already.¡± Then Ferloche, who had a knack for healing, quietly opened her mouth. ¡°Seeing how the mana of his body is disorganized, I think he will stay unconscious for at least a week.¡± ¡°....How persistent.¡± Irina, who had been silently listening to their conversation, continued her trail of thoughts. ¡®Still, I can¡¯t believe that he tried to become the medium himself.¡¯ The ¡®Medium¡¯ used to shatter the sacrificial magic circle must have excellent mana cohesion. Not just a bit, but a lot. Of course, if it is a small magic circle, it could be replaced with artificial mana concentrators or magic stones, but if it is a large magic circle that assigns all the students of the commoner¡¯s dormitory as sacrifices, even if it is an unexpected emergency... There is only one medium that can be used. Which is a human being. After the spirits, who have been using mana since birth, humans are ranked second in terms of their familiarity with mana, and are able to freely manipulate the mana existing in nature as well as their body. Of course, to use the same amount of mana that was just used... the person needs to be strong. ¡°Yes, they are. Do you want me to introduce you?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± When the girl nodded, the female employee looked at her with delight, then grabbed her hand and entered the orphanage. ¡°¡±Hello, everybody!!¡±¡± Then, all the children playing inside bowed their heads all at once to greet the female staff, and the female staff began to look at them with delight. ¡°...The children are quite cheerful?¡± ¡°Yes, they are in that age group. My younger sibling was like that, too...¡± ¡°You have a sibling?¡± When the girl tilted her head and asked a question, the female employee answered with a slight smile. ¡°Yes, my cute sibling is at the Imperial Academy right now. He¡¯s my most precious kid.¡± ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m going to the academy next year too.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± While they were having a conversation about the academy for a while, someone suddenly approached the female employee and the girl. ¡°...Would you like candy?¡± A kid was handing candy to the girl with twinkling eyes. ¡°Thank you.¡± The girl who took the candy from the little boy smiled and patted his head, then the little boy¡¯s face turned red and he left the room. ¡°Does that kid live here as well?¡± ¡°No, he visits often because he has many friends here.¡± ¡°A-ha...¡± The girl, who had been staring at the little boy, at once asked a question in a serious tone. ¡°By the way, where are these children from?¡± ¡°Um... most of them are children begging in the alleys of the market.¡± ¡°Still, they are pretty ¡®healthy¡¯, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Yes, it seems like they also had some money for some reason... and there were signs that they had been well taken care of...¡± The female employee, who had her hand on her chin and tilted her head for a moment, carefully made a guess. ¡°Perhaps the children who were being managed by an orphanage were left on the streets as the orphanage collapsed?¡± ¡°...It¡¯s similar.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Oh, I think so too.¡± And from that point on, the girl¡¯s expression suddenly hardened while she was gazing into thin air. She then at once corrected her words and asked one more question to the female employee. ¡°This orphanage, will it continue to be maintained without failure?¡± ¡°Yes, for some reason... We are getting a fairly good budget. It¡¯s a good thing for us.¡± ¡°I see..¡± After hearing the answer, the girl looked around the orphanage in satisfaction, and the female employee, who was staring at her quietly, inquired. ¡°...By the way, will you really be fine?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I still think that you should get paid...¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± The girl, who once again cut off the female employee¡¯s words, answered with a smile ¡°As I have said already, I¡¯m not doing this for money.¡± Having said that, the girl nodded and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. I need... to care of business today.¡± ¡°All right, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow!¡± The female employee waved at the girl as she headed to the entrance of the orphanage. She then turned around and asked a question that she just remembered, ¡°Ah, there... What was your name?¡± Then the girl, who stopped walking and stood there for a moment, responded with a subtle smile. ¡°...Please call me Ruby.¡± Having said that, the girl opened the entrance door wide and left the orphanage. She then started walking down the street casually. ¡°Frey Raon Starlight...¡± Then, the girl stopped in her tracks and gazed up into the air like before, and muttered under her breath. ¡°...After all, you are the Hero.¡± A creepy smile lingered on the face of the girl who just said that. . . . . . ¡°Sister!! I have returned after handing out all the candy!!¡± Shortly after the girl left the orphanage, the kid who had handed her a candy approached another girl and reported with a bright smile. ¡°Yes... good job.¡± The girl who was stroking his hair suddenly made a perplexed expression and asked the person next to her a question. ¡°Master, is there any magic that makes letters and numbers float in the air?¡± ¡°...zzzzzzzzzz.¡± ¡°Master?¡± But the old lady next to her was in a deep slumber, and the girl began to shake her wildly. ¡°Master...! You said that when I have any questions, I should ask anytime...!¡± ¡°Huh...¡± Then the old lady, who was forced to wake up, rubbed her eyes and mumbled bluntly. ¡°Ah, these damn kids...I really hate whiny brats...¡± ¡°But I am also a kid, right?¡± ¡°You are an exception.¡± The old lady corrected herself right away upon hearing her sulky tone. The girl then asked once more. ¡°So, is there any magic that makes letters and numbers float in the air?¡± ¡°Of course there are. There are probably hundreds to thousands of them.¡± ¡°Ummm...¡± ¡°Is that all? Then I will go back to sleep. Next time you wake me up, please finish all your tasks here beforehand.¡± Then the girl fell into deep thought, and the old lady momentarily scratched her head and fell asleep again. ¡°It¡¯s strange... Apparently, it doesn¡¯t seem like other people can see it... Is it only visible to me? But then again, why can I see it?¡± When the old lady started snoring again, Glare, who had stopped by the orphanage for a while to see her friends... ¡°By the way...¡± She kept pondering over it for a while, and then tilted her head and muttered. ¡°What the hell is the [Path of Pretender]?¡± Chapter 44: Waking Up From the Slumber ? Waking Up From the Slumber ? The back alley at nightfall is one of the most glamorous yet scary places in the Empire. Why? As the sun disappears, the back alley glows bright enough to put other red-light districts to shame, while simultaneously becoming a hotspot for crime. Hence, there are only two ways you can die in the back alley: from pleasure, or from a hole through the chest. ¨C Click-clack. At this very moment, a woman covered in a robe was passing through the streets of such a back alley. Whether it be nobles or the homeless, men or women, the back alley was always brimming with people. This street, on the other hand, was exceptionally bleak. ¡°...Hm.¡± Nevertheless, after looking around her surroundings, the woman quietly walked into a bar. ¡°Who is it?¡± When she opened the old door, she was greeted by a man in a neat suit. ¡°Not sure who you are, but would you care for a drink?¡± ¡°No, thank you.¡± ¡°...Is that so? Then I guess I¡¯ll drink alone.¡± The man popped open the wine bottle on the table and quietly began pouring it into the glass in front of him. After staring at him for a moment, the woman opened her mouth. ¡°...Please give me the latest news about the Demon Army.¡± The man stared directly at her. He grinned, picked up his glass, and muttered. ¡°Was wondering who you were... the Demon King, is it?¡± ¡°Now you recognize me?¡± The woman¡¯s voice quickly changed to a more arrogant tone. He took a sip as he kept his eyes on her, then spoke. ¡°Then allow me to do a quick test.¡± Immediately, the space around the bar began changing all at once. The long road began folding on itself and soared into the skies. Eventually, all buildings, signs, trees, and decorations around them soared into the skies, as the area distorted. ¨C Craaaaack!!! With the entire area half-destroyed, the man swung his hand with all his might while being drenched in a cold sweat, and then the ¡®space¡¯ itself lay siege on the woman. ¡°...You dare.¡± Despite all this, her face remained expressionless. The woman simply lifted a finger. ¨C Spaaark!! Then, the space attacking her was purged in an instant. ¡°I-I kneel before Your Majesty, the Demon King!¡± After blankly watching it disappear, the man hurriedly knelt with his head on the ground and shouted. ¡°To dare test the Demon King, I accept any punishment you see fi¡ª¡± ¡°How does that deserve punishment?¡± The Demon King looked at him in confusion, then said with a grin. ¡°...It took only the effort of lifting a single finger. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°My Lord...¡± ¡°Speak casually. It¡¯s uncomfortable to listen.¡± The man sighed, still on his knees. He got up and settled down at the only desk left in this scorched area. ¡°My Demon King, before I tell you the news... May I ask some questions?¡± ¡°... I¡¯m not yet the Demon King, but a successor. Why are you demons always exaggerating?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it only a matter of time?¡± ¡°...Well, I don¡¯t feel like arguing over that. Call me whatever.¡± After Demon King¡¯s permission, the man took a sip once more and started asking questions. ¡°Isn¡¯t Your Majesty, the Demon King, not allowed to leave the Demon King Castle?¡± ¡°That is true.¡± ¡°But since you are here now, that would mean... it has finally begun?¡± The man asked with an anticipated look. The Demon King shook her head and answered. ¡°No. My body is in the Demon Castle. This is just my vessel.¡± ¡°...Then, how did you wield such power just now?¡± ¡°That is none of your business. We¡¯ll end this discussion here.¡± After the Demon King resolutely dismissed it, the man shook his head and asked the second question. ¡°Why are you hiding your identity?¡± The man asked the Demon King, who had been hiding her identity with an extensive amount of stealth magic until then. ¡°With the heir locked within the Demon Castle, no one can enter to know your identity, My Demon King. So why are you still hiding your identity so thoroughly here?¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°It is unnecessary to hide your face even in front of me, as I¡¯m the Deputy Commander of the Demon King¡¯s Army and will never betray you. Please, at least for the sake of boosting our morale...¡± ¡°No.¡± The Demon King resolutely shook her head. The man looked down and simply sighed. ¡°Then do we have no choice but to continue having uncomfortable meetings like this, or by chatting through letters?¡± ¡°There is none.¡± ¡°...Can¡¯t you tell me why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± The man sighed again from the lack of information from the Demon King, then looked at her for the last question. ¡°Third and final question, My Demon King. Is it true that it was you who sent the message: ¡®I found the Hero¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then please, reveal the information as soon as possible. We, the Demon King¡¯s Army, will make sure that the Hero does not become a hurdle...¡± ¡°...I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± The Demon King quietly stared at the skies and murmured. ¡°...It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to, but that I can¡¯t.¡± The man looked at her, slightly disappointed. He emptied his drink and got up. ¡°Well, if that is the word of the great Demon King. We will follow.¡± Having said that, the man shook his arms and began to restore the area that had been devastated moments before. ¡°Then, here¡¯s the report.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± The eyes of the Demon King glimmered like crimson ruby as she listened to the man¡¯s report. . . . . . ¡°...Pa-password?¡± ¡°Lady Ferloche, the password is not asked by the person trying to come in from the outside, but by the person inside.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Meanwhile, in another bar in the back alley, a bit far from where the Demon King was. ¡°Wh-Who are you guys!¡± ¡°That scar... would you like me to heal it?¡± Ferloche asked with a bright smile. But, Irina responded with a slight frown. ¡°This is a scar from a long time ago.¡± ¡°Hm... How did you get it? From a curse, perhaps?¡± Ferloche asked again, carefully looking at her wound. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. This was when I was young... uh... I mean...¡± ¡°...Ms. Irina?¡± ¡°A wolf... A wolf... Frey was...¡± Irina murmured as she anxiously stroked her scar. She shook her head, returning to her senses, and ended the conversation. ¡°Anyway, I have no intention of healing this scar.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°...Well, I don¡¯t know either.¡± Irina left the store, leaving Ferloche in bewilderment. As she walked out, she could not hide her confused expression. ¡°What was that...¡± After walking alone for a long time in the dark alley, Irina stopped and muttered. ¡°...This feeling, as if I was going to remember something but couldn¡¯t in the end?¡± . . . . . ¡°Frey... how did this happen...¡± Three months and a day after the end of the ¡®Raid on the Commoner¡¯s Dormitory¡¯ incident. ¡°Kania, you know the truth, don¡¯t you? What the hell happened? Tell me. Right now.¡± Serena sat next to Frey, watching his completely battered body after having not visited his dorm in a long time. She began to corner Kania, who was quietly standing next to him. ¡°...I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Tell me right now.¡± ¡°...I apologize.¡± But Kania continued to keep her mouth shut. Serena hung her head low and spoke in a grave tone. ¡°You know, there are a lot of strange things about his condition. So...¡± ¡°...I¡¯m not sure what you mean.¡± ¡°Sigh, really?¡± Serena snorted at Kania¡¯s words. She continued with a voice filled with anger. ¡°The Imperial Hospital has been in chaos for the last few months, with all the top doctors and mages trying to treat him. Yet they failed. You know that, right?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Even Saintess Ferloche failed to treat him. You know that as well?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°And you think there¡¯s nothing strange about that!?¡± Serena burst into so much anger that she emanated a significant amount of lunar mana and exclaimed. ¡°Forget the Imperial mages and doctors! But how does it make sense for Saintess Ferloche to fail!?¡± ¡°...That is.¡± ¡°When I first diagnosed him when he collapsed, he was supposed to wake up within a week!! Of course, that¡¯s still a big deal, but... now, for his body to get injured this badly!¡± ¡°...I apologize.¡± Kania bowed her head once more. Serena quieted down and stared at her. ¡°...Is this how you are going to be?¡± After staring at Kania for a while, Serena spoke as her expression gradually turned stone-cold. ¡°If so, I won¡¯t just stand st¨C¡± ¨C Knock knock ¡°...Housekeeping.¡± Serena¡¯s words were cut off as Irina knocked on the door. ¡°Do you really need to clean at a time like this?¡± Serena spoke with a hint of annoyance as Irina walked in. ¡°I made a ¡®death oath¡¯ with Lord Frey. If I don¡¯t do this slave work, I¡¯ll die.¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± Serena was stunned for a while from receiving a very reasonable response. She sighed deeply and muttered. ¡°Why did you make the death oath, Frey... That¡¯s pretty difficult to deal with if you¡¯re caught...¡± Irina stared at Serena for a while before speaking calmly. ¡°Anyway, I must clean since I don¡¯t want to die... Feel free to continue your discussion.¡± ¡°¡±........¡±¡± Kania and Serena looked at Irina for a moment before opening their mouths at the same time. ¡°I think it would be better to go out and continue our conversation.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go out. We¡¯ll continue there.¡± After staring at each other in silence, the two took a deep breath and walked out of the dorm room with a frown. ¡°...Tsk.¡± Irina was disappointed and hoped to overhear Kania and Serena¡¯s conversation while cleaning. She slowly turned around and then began inspecting the surroundings with sharp eyes. ¡°...Now that I think about it, I¡¯ve been feeling quite a bit of strange energy from there lately.¡± Her eyes locked onto Frey¡¯s bag, approaching it cautiously. ¡°Wait... I felt something around here?¡± Irina rummaged through his bag for a long time. In the end, all she got were a handful of books and dust. She was confused. ¡°...Hm?¡± Finding a strange space in the top compartment of the bag, she put her hand inside it without much thought... until... ¡°Cough!! Cough!!¡± ¡°Kyaaa!!¡± Frey abruptly sprung up on his bed and began coughing. In shock, Irina pulled her hand out of the bag and stared blankly at him. ¡°Wha-What¡¯s going on.... Young Master!?¡± ¡°Frey...!!!¡± Kania and Serena rushed over to Frey, hearing Irina¡¯s scream. ¡°...Damn, imagine waking up to be greeted by a penalty window.¡± Frey murmured as he stared blankly with a disappointed expression. ¡°Ar-Are you finally awake?¡± Meanwhile, Irina, who was looking at Frey with a panicked expression, held a small device with a date written on it. Guys, I made a mistake in the (lol). A critical one at that, I was copying the css from one of the s and forgot to change the ¡°False Evil¡± part. Ruby¡¯s system is ¡°Path of Pretender.¡± Apologizes for that. Although their respective Hangul are kinda synonymous to each other, but they just don¡¯t fit right in English translation. So TL;DR Frey¡¯s System: ¡°Path of False Evil¡± Ruby¡¯s System: ¡°Path of Pretender¡± You should check out the illustrations on our discord server You can rate this series here Chapter 45: Update ? Update ? [Penalty incurred!] As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw something I never wanted to see again: ¡ºThe Penalty Window¡». Permanent Debuff: The Fate of False Evil The user¡¯s lifespan and vitality will be massively reduced! I almost screamed without even realizing, but as soon as I looked at the window and saw what was written at the bottom, I lost even the energy to do so. Stack: 2 Special Stack: 1 ¡°What the hell is a special stack?¡± It seemed something had gone really wrong. ¡°I, I...¡± I was looking at the system window and heaved a deep sigh while Irina was mumbling next to me, drenched in cold sweat. ¡°...Get out of my room.¡± When I furiously said this to Irina, her eyes grew wide open, and she rushed out of the room. ¡°Frey!! How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Hoot?¡± ¡°...You stay out as well, Serena. Call the doctor later.¡± I ordered Serena, who barged into my room and asked about my well being along with the owl on her shoulder. The next moment, the white owl flew from her shoulder and perched on my head with a hoot. ¡°Hoooot!!¡± ¡°...This guy, he¡¯s still the same.¡± As I petted the owl that had suddenly perched on my head, I asked Kania, who was standing there with her head lowered, unable to look straight at me. ¡°So, who are the people that discovered my identity?¡± As soon as I asked her, she inquired with a serious look on her face. ¡°...What do you mean by people?¡± ¡°Well, according to the penalty window that appeared in front of me, it seems two people have discovered my identity.¡± Upon Hearing this, Kania began staring at me, speechless. ¡°It¡¯s all right... According to the prophecy, there¡¯s still a chance to clear the game even with 5 stacks.¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°Yes, of course, the difficulty would increase considerably. It just states that it¡¯s actually possible, but it does mention the fact that nobody has ever been able to achieve it. But I need to try. So...¡± ¡°But that is not the problem, is it?...¡± I tried to wrap things up as positively as I could to reassure Kania, but she settled down at the edge of the bed and held my hand as she began to speak. ¡°...Young Master, do you know how long you have been out?¡± ¡°Hmm... One month?¡± ¡°It has been three months.¡± ¡°Oh, god.¡± When I heard Kania¡¯s words, my head began to ache. ¡°...When are the final exams?¡± ¡°Tomorrow.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡± Of course, not just the final exams, there were a lot of other things piling up that I needed to resolve. So I ruminated how to deal with this situation, but soon gave up thinking about it because of my headache and decided to close my eyes for a while. ¡°...So, did you figure out who found out?¡± ¡°Well, you see...¡± Then Kania, who had been biting her lips tightly, replied with a trembling voice. ¡°I¡¯m not very sure.¡± ¡°...You¡¯re not sure?¡± When I inquired with a slight frown at that remark, Kania replied with a guilt-ridden look on her face. ¡°First of all, the first time the Young Master coughed up blood, was right after the ¡®Raid on the Commoner¡¯s Dormitory.¡¯¡± ¡°...I see.¡± ¡°Blood was gushing out from your eyes, nose, and even ears, Young Master. And you were in such a severe state that you were immediately admitted into the Imperial Hospital.¡± When I heard something that I couldn¡¯t remember at all, I felt disturbed because I was reminded of what I had experience in that strange dream. ¡°...However, Young Master, one month after you were hospitalized, something else happened.¡± ¡°Something else?¡± ¡°Yes, just as your condition began to stabilize, you vomited blood once again. At that moment, I just thought you were in a critical condition, but...¡± ¡°...In fact, someone must have noticed back then.¡± Silence lingered for a moment when I replied calmly. ¡°Anyway, since you are now awake, we should get the doctor to check up on you right away...¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°Get me a sandwich and coffee. I¡¯m hungry.¡± When I cut off Kania and asked her to bring me some food, she quietly left the room with a face riddled with guilt. ¡°...Phew.¡± As soon as she stepped out, I sighed and began examining the system window that had popped up in front of me. ¡ºRaid on the Commer¡¯s Dormitory Cleared!¡» ¡ºAwakening Progress of the Hero¡¯s Armament has increased!¡» ¡°...At least that¡¯s good.¡± The only good thing about this desperate situation was that the ¡®Awakening Progress of the ¡ºHero¡¯s Armament¡» had increased. This would help me fight the Demon King on equal footing. Thanks to this, the power contained in the Hero¡¯s Armament would have returned to some extent. This would include the effect of increasing my life force, but I gave up on carrying it around due to the risk of getting caught along with it. ¡ºSystem Update Completed!¡» While I was immersed in such thoughts, I swiped away the quest clearance window. However, this time ¡®System Update Completed¡¯ window appeared in front of me. The following features have been newly added: ¨C Cumulative False Evil Point system ¨C Assistance function The following things have changed: ¨C Due to the Cumulative False Evil Point system, points will be rewarded as a lump sum payment once a week. Accumulated Points: 5000pts ¡°...Why do I have so much?¡± I glanced at the great deal of information that had suddenly appeared in front of my eyes. I immediately grabbed my head and quietly reached out and pressed the question mark icon on the corner of the system window. ¡ºThis is the ¡®Path of False Evil¡¯ system assistant. Please feel free to ask if you have any queries.¡» At that moment, a clear voice resounded in my head. ¡°That¡¯s great. I¡¯ll benefit a lot from the False Evil System thanks to that.¡± ¡°...Is it really good?¡± As I was smiling, I soon came to my sense and fell into deep thought when I heard Kania asked a question with her brows furrowed. ¡®...That¡¯s right, I can¡¯t just blindly trust the system and the prophecy.¡¯ I felt I should be wary of everything from now on. Of course, if I don¡¯t use the system, there is no way for me to beat the Demon King, so I have no choice but to do whatever the system ask me to do for now... However, shouldn¡¯t I at least be wary of it? So from now on, I would have to be vigilant of the system but at the same time use it to its fullest. In addition, I would investigate more about the prophecy and system. ¡°...Kania, when does vacation start?¡± After organizing my thoughts as such, I asked Kania a question, recalling that the only place in the world related to the prophecy and the system were ruins of my ancestor. ¡°Vacation starts in a few weeks but... There is so much work you have to do that there won¡¯t be much time to rest.¡± ¡°...Sigh.¡± However, based on Kania¡¯s answer, it seems the trip to the Western Continent in order to seek the truth has to be postponed for a while. ¡°...Hmm?¡± As I kept eating my sandwich with a blank look on my face, suddenly lunar mana began to creep outside the door. ¡°Serena? What are you doing?¡± Sensing something off, I called out to Serena, who I had put on standby in the hallway, but for some reason there was no answer. ¡°...Come in.¡± Eventually, I told Kania, who was vulnerable to lunar mana, to step back, and called Serena into the room. ¡°Fre-Frey...¡± ¡°.....!¡± But she seemed to be in an awful state. ¡°So-Sor... Ugh!¡± ¡°...Lady Serena? Are you all right?¡± ¡°I-I am fi...!¡± In a cold sweat, she suddenly opened her fan and began blowing wind that spread the lunar mana. ¡°...Hah!¡± Confused, Kania cloaked me in dark mana, and thanks to that, the wind that was rushing at me collided with dark mana and scattered everywhere. ¡°Serena, stop!!¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± When I panicked and gave the order, she answered sullenly and lowered her head. ¨C Spaaark... And a red magic circle was shining on her body. ¡°...That damned Moonlight family.¡± Only then did I understand why Serena was acting in such a way. The Moonlight Family had a curse called ?Familial Subordination? that had been passed down from generation to generation. The curse, which had been passed down from the very moment the family was founded, allowed the Moonlight family to enjoy absolute power as a Ducal household while also having to carry an arduous duty. That arduous duty is the noble and dirty task of purging the elimination targets determined by the family¡¯s elders and its Lord, who is shrouded in secrecy. Such is the fate of the assassin household that guards the night of the Empire. Officially, Serena is the Lord and the real leader of the Moonlight family, but behind the scenes, she was being ordered around by the elders and the secret Lord of the Moonlight Ducal family. ¡°I-I apologize. It just hurt so much... And Ms. Kania was next to you...¡± Of course, instead of being able to move Serena from behind, they would get swayed by her. However, the Moonlight family¡¯s elders had Serena in their grasp with ?Familial Subordination?, so they could issue order to her. Considering the situation, it seems the family elders and the secret Lord have probably ordered her to kill me, and whenever she doesn¡¯t really try to kill me, the pain inflicted by that curse accumulates. Looking at her state right now, it was clear that she hadn¡¯t really try to kill me in three months. Otherwise, there was no other reason, for her to act like this. ¡®...As expected, that¡¯s the only way then.¡¯ But this would only work once or twice. Eventually, if she doesn¡¯t really try to kill me, the pain inflicted by her curse would grow stronger. Of course, dispelling the ?Familial Subordination? curse would be the best solution, but unfortunately, there was no way for me to do so. Even in the ¡®prophetic book¡¯, which although was fairly unreliable, still had a lot of useful information. Only the dangers and cruelty of the ?Familial Subordination? was explained there, but there wasn¡¯t any mention about how to lift the curse. It was stated that this was an ancient curse that existed in the family since the founding of the Moonlight Household, and so far nobody had been able to figure out a way to lift it. By the way, according to my ancestor, ¡®The code to undo it has been programmed, but no one has ever succeeded in lifting the curse. This is definitely a dog shit game.¡¯ He added this comment to that section. I didn¡¯t understand very well, but it seemed this curse was a puzzle that my ancestor hadn¡¯t been able to solve either. ¡°Frey... I¡¯m fine, so don¡¯t worry about me...¡± ¡°Be honest.¡± ¡°...I¡¯m not fine.¡± Serena definitely was in considerable pain. So, it seemed I had no choice but to use the method I had been thinking about for a while. Anyway, if it went according to the scenario, the Moonlight family¡¯s elders would be neutralized later. ¡°Serena, listen to what I say closely.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After having thought it through for a bit, I opened my mouth, glaring at Serena. ¡°...I cast ¡®Absolute Obedience Magic¡¯ on you.¡± ¡°.....!¡± Then Serena, who was still drenched in cold sweat, looked astonished with her mouth agape. ¨C Hooot!! ¡°Wha-What do you mean?¡± And then, suddenly, the owl that had been quietly being petted by me suddenly took flight and flew out of the window into the azure sky. I sneaked a quick glance, then continued speaking, slowly. ¡°Just as you heard. I used you.¡± Just like that owl, it¡¯s time for me to release Serena. . . . . . ¡°Hmm...¡± That moment, at the temporary commoner¡¯s dormitory. ¡°...This date? What does it mean?¡± Irina was fiddling with the little device she had just obtained in her room and muttered to herself. ¡°Is it a magic artifact used for good deeds?¡± You should check out the illustrations on our discord server You can rate this series here Chapter 46: As Planned ? As Planned ? ¡°You used me? What do you mean? And Absolute Obedience Magic... that¡¯s absurd...¡± ¡°..Lie down.¡± I coldly ordered Serena, who was rapidly spouting words with a bewildered expression on her face. ¡°Yes.¡± Then Serena naturally lay down and continued speaking. ¡°There is no way you can brainwash me. Even if it is you, who is actually smart but pretends to be dumb¡ª¡± ¡°...Stop.¡± As such, Serena froze mid-sentence. ¡°Kania, I¡¯m really sorry, but can I ask you for a favor?¡± ¡°...What favor?¡± In that situation, I began whispering to Kania, who was standing still beside me. ¡°What, WHAT!?¡± Then Kania looked startled and blushed as she exclaimed. ¡°Ah... Is that maybe a bit too much? I¡¯m sorry, then I need to find another way...¡± Seeing her reaction, I was thinking we couldn¡¯t use that method, so I started thinking about another way as soon as possible, but... ¡°...I will do it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± As Kania raised her face with a resolute expression, I asked with a slight frown. ¡°Kania, this is neither coercion nor an order. If you don¡¯t want to do it, I¡¯d like you to clearly express your will...¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying this is my will.¡± Kania, who was still blushing, said so with a determined expression. ¡°If it¡¯s for you, Young Master, I can do anything.¡± ¡°...Thank you, Kania.¡± As I thanked her and was about to turn to face Serena, Kania inquired with a worried look on her face. ¡°But... Will we be able to fool Miss Serena?¡± ¡°...We will.¡± After giving Kania a brief answer, I added a few more words to reassure her, as she had a puzzled expression on her face. ¡°...Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s possible.¡± Having said this, I again gave an order to Serena, who had been staring at us with a vacant gaze so far. ¡°...From this moment onward, stop instinctively following my orders.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then continue from where you left off.¡±possible...¡± As soon as I gave my order, she continued saying what she was talking about earlier but noticed that she was speaking while lying down. As such, her expression soon turned blank. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Didn¡¯t you say it was impossible?¡± ¡°Ho-How? How come...¡± I laughed at her for a while and said. ¡°You have been following my orders since you were young. Because I cast ¡®Absolute Obedience Magic¡¯ on you back then.¡± ¡°No... There is no way... There is no...¡± ¡°Do you want to know something even more shocking?¡± Soon after, Serena was presented with a conundrum. Meanwhile, I approached her, looked straight into her eyes, and whispered. ¡°...The reason you love me is because I ordered you to do so.¡± Serena¡¯s expression hardened when I finished saying this. ¡°Thanks to that, I¡¯ve enjoyed using you, Serena.¡± ¡°No... No... There¡¯s no way...¡± Serena shook her head vigorously, completely in denial, but I just ignored her desperation. I settled down on the bed and reached out to Kania. ¡°You two... What are... What are you doing right now?¡± Soon after, I pushed Kania down to lie on the bed and began looking at her endearingly. As I held her hands, Serena mumbled while looking at us with quivering eyes. ¡°St-Stop with your fake affair. You will never be able to fool m...¡± ¡°...chuu.¡± But Serena was at a loss when I kissed Kania after looking at her lovingly. ¡°Sto-Stop. Please stop...¡± ¡°Mmm...¡± ¡°Stop... I SAID STOP!!¡± Serena, who was watching us for a long time while mumbling with a soulless voice, ended up screaming at us, unable to suppress her rage. ¡°What, you¡¯re still here?¡± ¡°There is no way... you definitely weren¡¯t sincere till now, then how come?... Why did you...¡± Hearing those cries, I moved away from Kania and wiped the saliva from the interlocking of our lips with my sleeves. Meanwhile, Serena trembled and muttered. ¡°The-There is something wrong... You would never...¡± ¨C Slap!! Serena hurriedly came to me, but I slapped her across the cheek, then pointed to the door and said in a cold tone. ¡°...Go to your room and wait for the next command. Don¡¯t you dare do anything stupid.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Having said that, I looked at Kania lovingly and started kissing her again, and Serena, who was looking at me quietly, soon wiped the tears from her eyes and staggered out of the room. [Serena Lunar Moonlight¡¯s Current Emotions: Love / Sorrow / Dilemma / Confusion / Suspicion] ¡°...Damn it.¡± Moving slightly away from Kania, I used my ?Mind Reading? skill on her, then lowered my head and muttered as I saw what appeared on the system window. ¡°What the hell does she love about me?... How can she love me despite going through that...¡± She wasn¡¯t sure about anything, so I thought it would be less effective... but it still would be enough to hurt her. However, it seems that I was wrong. I had been able to get rid of the ¡®concern¡¯ emotion that she shouldn¡¯t have during the ¡®Ordeal of the System¡¯, but I hadn¡¯t been able to erase her ¡®love.¡¯ Serena Lunar Moonlight was still in love with me despite having seen me fooling around with another woman right in front of her eyes, and despite being verbally and physically abused. ¡°Y-Young Master...¡± ¡°Ah, I apologize... Kania.¡± Sighing from feeling such an insatiable sense of guilt, I got up from the bed as Kania, who was still being embraced by me, slowly turned away and muttered. ¡°...What was the result?¡± Then Kania, who tried hard to put on a stoic expression, still blushed and looked at me with a troubled expression. A moment later, she inquired cautiously. ¡°Her ¡®concern¡¯ is gone, but the love is still there...¡± As I heaved a deep sigh again while replying to her, Kania had a slightly complicated expression on her face. ¡°...Lady Serena is truly devoted.¡± When I heard that, I closed my eyes and fell into deep thought. ¡®...Well, at least we got over a hurdle.¡¯ The purpose of this operation was to make Serena turn her back on me completely. However, I still have to commit an act of False Evil on Irina today. Even if it upsets me, even if I don¡¯t want to go through with it, I have to do it. ¡°I have been sweeping and cleaning your room every single day, Master Frey. After all, I¡¯m your exclusive slave.¡± ¡°Really? It must have been hard. Then come here for a bit.¡± Seeing Irina speaking calmly, I looked at her with a sly expression and patted the side of my bed. ¡°...Yes, Master.¡± Then Irina realized what I was trying to do, closed her eyes, and slowly approached me. ¡°So... How is it? Can you feel your shoulders loosening up?¡± ¡°.......¡± I started gently massaging her shoulders. ¡°...This side feels stiff?¡± ¡°Is it?¡± ¡°Yes, so you know... I feel like this will probably help loosen them up.¡± Saying this, I hugged her gently. ¡°.......¡± ¡°...Hmm?¡± But something was weird. Irina, who would have usually twisted her body and avoided my touch, was still calmly letting me lay my hands on her. ¡°...Hey, what are you doing?¡± ¡°.........¡± No, she wasn¡¯t just accepting my touch, she was even cautiously touching my body. What¡¯s going on? ¡°At times like this... I told you to resist me, just resist...¡± Eventually, unable to withstand Irina¡¯s touch, I moved away from her and poked her cheek, desperately trying to hide my flustered expression. ¡°...I apologize.¡± At that moment she, having kept still so far, looked at me and said. ¡°I have been thinking about it for three months, and I think this behavior is more appropriate for a slave.¡± Looking at her like that, I fixed my expression, grabbed her by the chin, and started speaking in an icy voice. ¡°There are already plenty of obedient bitches around me. So I¡¯m starting to get sick of them.¡± ¡°Is that...so...?¡± ¡°So I want you to resist me... Only then would I be able to enjoy breaking you down.¡± ¡°...I understand.¡± As she said this, she kept staring at me. ¡°Sigh... This ruins everything. Forget it, today mop the...¡± Feeling something strange about Irina, I put on a stony expression and moved away from her, pointing to the floor, but¡ª ¡°Cough! Cough!¡± I suddenly felt my heart tighten and began coughing while pounding my chest. ¡°...Are you all right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, and just clean the room.¡± Upon hearing that, Irina frowned and approached me, and I furiously shook my hand. ¡°.......¡± But Irina looked at my mouth with a sharp expression. I put my hand to my mouth because of that, and some red blood stained my hand. ¡°...What are you doing? Hurry up and clean up.¡± I stared at my hand blankly for a few seconds, then hid my hand behind my back and ordered Irina. ¡°Master Frey, I have a question.¡± ¡°What?¡± But Irina didn¡¯t clean and instead began asking me questions. ¡°...When is your birthday?¡± ¡°Mine? In two weeks.¡± ¡°I see. Then would you...¡± ¡°Shut up and clean up.¡± I felt like I was being interrogated for some reason, so I cut her off and quietly started heading to the bathroom. ¡°Ah, I brought some seedlings to grow in the dormitory... Which one do you think would be best?¡± But Irina blocked me this time and held out some seedlings, so I pushed her aside and answered in an annoyed tone. ¡°...grow whichever one you want.¡± After answering, I locked myself in the bathroom and started letting out the coughs I had been resisting until now. ¡°Cough! Cough! Cough!!¡± It seems soon I would have to prepare a handkerchief with an automatic cleaning function. . . . . . Meanwhile, around that time, at the Imperial Magic Tower. ¡°...What the hell kind of sorcery is this?¡± ¡°I tried a bit and I guess it worked?¡± The Tower Master stared blankly at Glare, who was shattering various Magic Stones, Mithril, and Adamantium just by flicking her fingers. ¡°I already knew that your mana was a kind of mana that had never been seen before, but...¡± When the Tower Master saw her shatter the shield she had made with all her might with just a simple snap of a finger, she was filled with awe. She then opened her mouth with an amazed look. ¡°Your mana and skill... the only word to describe it would be ¡®Miracle.¡¯¡± ¨C Hoot!!! ¡°Oh my!!¡± While she was staring at the child, who was sure to shake up the world of magic that had existed for so long, the Tower Master grabbed her magic staff in astonishment when a white owl suddenly flew in through the window and began pecking her head. ¡°Hoot!!¡± Then, the quick-witted owl quickly threw up a letter through its beak and slipped out through the window again. ¡°Ugh...¡± Staring at the owl in vain, the Tower Master quickly opened the envelope covered in saliva. It¡¯s going according to the plan. That was the only thing written in the letter. ¡°Sigh...¡± The Tower Master stared at the terse letter with an irritated look, then threw the letter at Glare after tearing it into pieces. She then heaved a deep sigh before muttering under her breath. ¡°...That bitch.¡± You should check out the illustrations on our discord server You can rate this series here Chapter 47: The First Ordeal ? The First Ordeal ? ¡°Cough, cough!! Ugh...¡± ¡°...Master Frey, are you all right?¡± Having been coughing in the bathroom for a while, I answered in an irritated tone when Irina knocked on the door and called out to me. ¡°...Don¡¯t worry about me, just clean properly.¡± ¡°It is time to clean the bathroom.¡± But when Irina didn¡¯t back down and retaliated, I frowned and said. ¡°...Just do it later.¡± In front of me, the bathroom sink was covered in blood. ¡°I¡¯m done cleaning everything else. It is time to...¡± ¡°...I said shut up and wait!!¡± As she tried to open the door to come in, I began cleaning the bloody mess in the sink. ¡°...What¡¯s going on?¡± But no matter how much I wiped the sink, the blood stain wouldn¡¯t come off, rather it was spread out. ¡°Wh-What¡¯s this? What¡¯s happening?¡± Frustrated by this, I hurriedly began wiping off the sink, even using stellar mana, but the blood wouldn¡¯t come off and only spread more and more. Eventually, I turned on the faucet attached to the sink to wash off the blood, but... ¡°.....!¡± What flowed out of the faucet wasn¡¯t water, but blood. Unable to understand this situation, I stared at the faucet with my mouth wide open, and then the sink overflowed with blood and turned the bathroom floor red. ¡°...Am I hallucinating?¡± I was probably hallucinating at that moment. It had been a while since I last had a hallucination. I thought I had gotten over this in the previous timeline... Did it start after I heard my sister¡¯s auditory hallucinations back then? ¡°...This is a mess.¡± The blood that had pooled up on the floor crept up the walls and started dripping on me from the ceiling. I grabbed the doorknob to get out of the bathroom, feeling a bit uncomfortable, but for some reason, the doorknob wouldn¡¯t turn. After gripping onto the doorknob for a while, I considered breaking the door down, but I held back and went back to the sink and sighed. But this time my image in the mirror creepily smiled back at me. [Stats] Name: Frey Raon Starlight Strength: ??? Mana: ??? Intelligence: ??? Mental Strength: 9.3 Passive Status: Blessing of the Stars / Critical Condition / Depleted Life Force / Infirmity / Mental Disorder Disposition: Hero Goodness Stat: 100 I covered up my reflection by summoning the status window, and I muttered quietly as I saw my mental strength stat. ¡°...It¡¯s about time my mind became clear again.¡± And as soon as I said that, my head cleared up and the usual bathroom appeared in front of my eyes. ¡ºThe First Ordeal of the System has Begun!¡» And a red notification window popped up as well. ¡®...No wonder! I thought that something seemed to be wrong. So, it was this...¡¯ Only then did I realize that this hallucination was something the System was making me see. With the level of ¡ºMental Strength¡» I have right now, forget mental attacks or hallucinations affecting me, rather they shouldn¡¯t even be working on me in the first place. So... The only thing that could show me a hallucination that lasted this long would be the System, or, to be precise, the Ordeal of the System. The ¡®Ordeal of the System¡¯ was an arduous trial given to system users to test their abilities through different stages. And the first stage was the hallucination I had just seen. ¡®...These coming weeks are going to be a true pain in the ass.¡¯ The ¡®First Ordeal¡¯ of the System would last about a week. So I would continue seeing hallucinations from this moment onwards. However, this wouldn¡¯t be too big of a problem for me. Because I strengthened my ¡ºMental Strength¡» to a high degree throughout my previous life. Even if I saw or heard hallucinations like the one just now, all I need to do is endure them for a bit, and my mind would clear on its own, then return to its original state. I realized this when I heard a hallucination of my sister crying in the carriage last time. Of course, at that time I had so much in my mind that I panicked a bit, but, having rested for three months unintentionally, my current state of mind was very stable. And honestly... Considering that I went through countless more terrible experiences than these crude hallucinations, I won¡¯t be fazed by them. So I think I¡¯ll be able to overcome the ¡®First Ordeal¡¯ without much issue. ¡°Master... Frey...?¡± ¡°...Hmm?¡± Having organized my thoughts as such, I was about to leave the bathroom when I heard Irina¡¯s voice from beside me. I turned my gaze to the side, wondering what was wrong, and Irina, having opened the bathroom door, was standing right next to me and was looking at me in astonishment. ¡°Uh... What is that?¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± Her trembling hand was pointing at the sink, and when I looked down involuntarily, I discovered that a stream of blood mixed with water was overflowing... ¡°You... How did you get in?¡± ¡°Ma-Master Frey, it was you who opened the door.¡± ¡°Me?¡± I inquired coldly as I hurriedly closed the faucet, but Irina claimed that I opened the door for her. It seemed that the door had opened when I tried to turn the doorknob earlier. ¡°Are... Are you sure you are all right?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Frowning, as I was about to reply to her, I examined myself in the mirror and was at a loss for words. Blood was flowing from my lips, and my hands and clothes were covered in blood. ¡°...I guess my body hasn¡¯t recovered fully yet.¡± I just quickly washed my mouth and hands in the sink, took off my clothes, then handed them to her and left the bathroom, saying... ¡°Make sure you clean it properly. And wash these clothes.¡± ¡°I... this...¡± ¡°Answer.¡± ¡°...Yes Master.¡± As I finished speaking, I closed the bathroom door, then heaved a deep sigh as I lied down in the bed and muttered under my breath. ¡°...Do I have to give a bribe for the finals, after all?¡± Thinking about how much I should give the Dean this time around in order to avoid failing, I slowly closed my eyes as I gradually succumbed to the lingering drowsiness. Today, I want to dream about a pure kitten, not a nightmare or a story of the past. . . . Irina, who was speculating while piercingly glancing at his bare skin, came to the conclusion that this strange situation was caused by hiding a part of his body using some special medium. ¡®Then, what is he hiding...?¡¯ Having thought this much, Irina began to caress Frey¡¯s bare skin with her trembling hands to find out what he was hiding. ¨C Sweep As her hand touched Frey¡¯s bare skin, she began to feel a somewhat rough texture on his smooth skin, and as she was frowning, having felt this... ¡°...What are you doing?¡± Kania asked from behind, in an icy voice. ¡°Hmphhh!!¡± Irina, who almost screamed out in surprise, hurriedly closed her mouth, barely letting a sound come out, and glanced at Frey. ¡°Mmmmmm...¡± He was tumbling quite a bit, but he was still deep in his sleep. ¡°Miss Irina?¡± ¡°Well, you see...¡± Breathing a sigh of relief, as she saw him still sleeping, Irina hesitated for a bit before replying to Kania, who asked with a frown on her face. ¡°Mm... I was worried that he might have the imprint of the Demon King on his body... So... To investigate and...¡± ¡°I already did a complete check on his body for that. So, there is nothing more you need to check anymore.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. Then...¡± After having made up an excuse, Irina hurriedly got up from the bed and ran out of the room. ¡°...Young Master, Miss Irina is gone.¡± Kania, who had seen the scene quietly, began speaking to Frey in a hushed tone. ¡°I know you are awake. So please get up and share with me what Miss Irina did.¡± Frey would not normally fall asleep unless Kania was close to him because he was worried that the ¡®Main Heroines¡¯ might try to kill him in his sleep, so Kania quietly pulled out her notepad, ready to write down his words. ¡°...Young Master?¡± However, even as some time passed, Frey remained silent. ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°Young Master, are you all right?¡± Frey groaned slightly, and Kania approached him with a worried look on her face, and asked him, as she cast an awakening spell on him. ¡°Did you have a nightmare? It seems you are getting more and more nightmares lately.¡± ¡°.......¡± However, Frey remained silent. ¡°...It¡¯s the Ordeal.¡± Looking at him with a serious look on her face, Kania quietly approached him, noticing that this whole situation was being caused by the ¡®Ordeal¡¯ that he had warned her about the other time. ¡°Why is the world hell-bent on shattering you...¡± Kania began to caress his stiff face, which was still in a deep slumber, and quietly reached underneath his loose clothes. ¨C Rustle... Then the myriad of wounds that were concealed with her black magic was revealed, and Kania looked at the wounds, took out an ointment, and quietly added. ¡°...Even though you are such a kind person.¡± Having finished speaking, she carefully began to apply medicine on Frey¡¯s wounds. Frey finally woke back up when Kania had almost emptied the ointment bottle. . . . . . ¡°Th-This is scary...¡± Somewhere else, at that time. ¡°But still... I have to do something too...¡± Ever since three months ago, Ferloche had been trying to infiltrate the cellar of the Sun God Church in secret, where she felt a strange aura emanating. ¡°...Saintess, what are you doing there?¡± ¡°Eek!¡± Of course, it was only ¡®in secret¡¯ by her own standards, so she was discovered by the Pope just before entering the cellar. ¡°Ah, you see...¡± ¡°Did I not tell you? This is the place where we store and investigate the items that have been confiscated by the church.¡± ¡°Bu-but I¡¯m fine...¡± As the pope spoke with a stern look on his face, Ferloche answered timidly. ¡°...Even if you are fine, Saintess, the items are not. Your holy power is so strong that the items could be damaged.¡± ¡°Mm...¡± Despite his warnings, the Saintess glared at the Pope with a distrustful look. Upon seeing that he sighed and quietly opened the door to the cellar. ¡°...This is?¡± ¡°They are all confiscated items.¡± And what entered Ferloche¡¯s field of vision were different kinds of trinkets. ¡°I will show them to you if you are that curious, but...¡± ¡°Yes, then...¡± As the Pope said this calmly, the Saintess tried to enter while radiating holy power from her body, but¡ª ¡°However, if any of the investigation items are damaged due to your holy power... You will have to take responsibility.¡± ¡°Ack.¡± ¡°...Quite the heavy responsibility.¡± As the Pope spoke in a slightly furious tone, Ferloche bowed her head and began trudging back to the church building. ¡°Tsk, she has been getting more and more suspicious lately.¡± The Pope, who stared at her fading back coldly, quietly turned his gaze away and muttered as soon as he entered the cellar. ¡°For some reason, there are fewer children in the market these days. What should we do?¡± And at that moment, from the cellar, which only seemed to have trinkets, a creepy voice spoke out. ¡°...Find their whereabouts.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The pope groveled before the voice, as he answered, and then immediately followed with a question, careful in his tone. ¡°But... Would it not be best to change our location?¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°This is where the Sun God Church is located, so there may be problems that arise during the ceremony, and for some reason, the Saintess keeps on trying to...¡± ¨C ROAAAAR!! ¡°Hiiik!!¡± The Pope, who was talking while being drenched in a cold sweat, immediately prostrated himself on the floor upon hearing the roaring tremor from the cellar, and began to beg with both of his hands clasped together. ¡°I-I apologize...! Please show me mercy...!¡± ¡°...Proceed as planned.¡± ¡°Yes! I will do my best!¡± In front of the Pope, who had a servile look on his face as he answered back, instead of the trinkets that had been there earlier, dirty children tied up in ropes were trembling with frightened looks. Chapter 48: The False Evil ? The False Evil ? ¡°Young Master, are you awake?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± When I woke up, I found Kania applying ointment on my wounds with a worried look on her face. I smiled slightly at Kania and tried to get out of bed, but she grabbed on to me lightly and inquired cautiously. ¡°If the Ordeal is difficult, may I help you?¡± ¡°How?¡± I tilted my head as I asked, and she quietly grabbed my hand, then said. ¡°I shall enter your dreams, Young Master. In that place, I can...¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, I¡¯m fine.¡± However, as I immediately turned down her offer, Kania continued speaking with a concerned look. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what kind of hallucinations you suffer from exactly, but... If I¡¯m by your side it will...¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m saying I¡¯m fine because I really am. The Ordeal is really easy this time around. If it gets tougher, I¡¯ll ask you for help.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± I rejected her suggestion and smiled at Kania, who was still looking at me with a worried expression. I then quietly got lost in my thoughts. ¡®...I can¡¯t show Kania those horrible things.¡¯ What I saw in my dreams were scenes of the ¡°Main Heroines¡± dying in the previous timeline. On top of that, I saw Isolet¡¯s death and my father¡¯s last moments. Of course, watching such tragic scenes didn¡¯t affect me at all. Not only was my mental strength high enough, but they were scenes I had recalled countless times, and over time, those scenes became fuel to strengthen my resolve. However, it was still horrible to watch a scene where people, whom I care about die. So Kania, whose mental strength was much lower than mine, would definitely have trouble withstanding it. So, since the hallucinations would be over in a week anyway, it would be better for me to take care of them on my own. ¡°...Then, I shall return to my duties, Young Master.¡± ¡°All right.¡± After thinking about this for a while, I quietly watched Kania, who bowed to me before leaving the room, and then I quietly began looking at the system window that emerged in front of me. [Acquired Cumulative False Evil Points: 10000pts!] ¨C The intermediate store has been unlocked and integrated. ¨C The ¡ºHero¡¯s Armament Awakening Investment System¡» has been unlocked. ¨C Elementary mode has been terminated. ¡°...Elementary mode has been terminated, huh? That¡¯s a pity.¡± As the elementary mode has now been terminated, the system will start acting hostile in earnest. The permanent disappearance of the ?Emergency Protection? I had bought in the beginner¡¯s skill store, and the ?False Evil¡¯s Intuition? that informed me of a mortal danger once a day was also part of this change. However, the merits would also increase accordingly. Of course, the system has now become quite unreliable, and its usefulness has dropped to a certain extent, but won¡¯t I have to make the most of it anyway? So I will use what I can. [Store / Intermediate Level 1] ¨C Elixir of Potential LV2 (45000pts) Description: This mysterious elixir can draw out the potential of the person who drinks it. (Purchase Limit: 0/1) ¨C Life Force Recovery LV2 (50000pts) Description: Permanently slightly increases the life force recovery rate. (Total amount does not increase) ¨C Mind Reading LV2 (50000pts) . . . Thinking like this, I opened the store window, and after seeing the considerable increase in prices, I closed it in annoyance. ¡°...Well, the store function is worthless.¡± From now on, I would have to constantly put in all the points I accumulated into the ¡ºHero¡¯s Armament Awakening Investment System¡». Of course, in the case of the ?Life Recovery? skill, I could buy it if things turned out to become too difficult, but other than that, it would be better for my future self if I invested the points I earned into the ¡ºAwakening Investment System¡». [15000pts of investment completed!] As I thought about this, I invested all the points I had accumulated into the ¡ºAwakening Investment System¡», and then closed the system window and threw myself onto my bed. ¡°Cough! Cough!!¡± After momentarily pounding my chest and coughing for a while, I closed my eyes again, still feeling exhausted no matter how much I slept, but... ¨C Knock Knock Someone knocked on the door, so I exclaimed in annoyance with a deep frown. ¡°...Who is it!?¡± Then the door opened quietly, and someone slowly walked in. ¡°...Isolet?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare call me by my name so casually, Frey.¡± Isolet, who was looking at me with a basket in one hand, responded with a stony expression when I called her by her name, and then settled down on the chair next to my bed. ¡°Why did you...¡± ¡°I came to give you this.¡± When I asked with a confused look, she put the basket by my bedside and replied coldly. ¡°Your sister asked me to give you this.¡± I inspected the basket quietly after hearing this. There were snacks and fruits inside of it. ¡®...Aria.¡¯ And, when I saw this, I could not help but heave a deep sigh and grab my head. Isolet, Aria, and Serena were the most likely to get cursed in the final ordeal, and out of the three, I had already dealt with Isolet and Serena. Isolet had turned her back on me after the ¡®kidnapping in the middle of the duel¡¯ incident, and Serena could at least erase her worry for me, even though she still had love for me lingering on. However, looking at this basket... my sister Aria, it seems she was still worried about me. ¡°...Frey, let me ask you something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± As I was reminiscing about my cute sister, who would follow me around when we were younger and smile brightly at me whenever our gazes would meet, Isolet asked me a question. Upon hearing that, I replied curtly without even sparing her a glance. ¡°There are rumors going around that you are in cahoots with the Demon King.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°...Is that true?¡± Isolet began looking down at me calmly and inquired as such. ¡°Sigh, that¡¯s funny. If the Professor were to be a member of the Demon King¡¯s Army...would you have answered honestly if you were to be interrogated?¡± ¡°Look straight into my eyes and answer, Frey.¡± ¡°What if it¡¯s true?¡± When my lips slightly curled up and I answered as such, she responded by slightly gripping the hilt of the sword around her waist. ¡°...Was the rumor really true?¡± ¡°Are you going to kill me here? Sister, aren¡¯t you getting help from the Bywalker...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t address me as ¡®Sister,¡¯ Frey.¡± Her astute behavior overlapped with the image of her I had from the past, so I smirked and called her ¡®Sister¡¯ without realizing it, and as Isolet glared at me, with her eyes blazing with killing intent, I quietly glanced sideways and said. ¡°Even rumors originate from somewhere, right?¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying that you admit to being part of the Demon King¡¯s...¡± ¡°...But they are sometimes exaggerated.¡± As I said this, I covered myself with my blanket, and uttered to Isolet in a low voice. ¡°Now go back. I think we¡¯re done here.¡± ¡°...Sigh.¡± Then Isolet let out a sigh as she rose from her seat, and while she was heading to the door, she turned around and opened her mouth. ¡°Ah, your sister asked me to tell you this.¡± ¡°...Aria?¡± ¡°She said she was not sure if she had any love left for you, so if you¡¯re hiding anything, you should confess to her quickly.¡± As she was about to open and head out of the front door, she added in an icy voice. ¡°...Well, even if you¡¯re hiding something, I¡¯m sure she will feel disappointed after hearing it.¡± Having finished speaking, Isolet closed the door behind her violently, and for a moment, only the sound of her footsteps lingered in the hall. ¡°...Phew.¡± I felt her words ringing in my ears, so I quietly closed my eyes and let myself succumb to the sudden rush of fatigue. But for some reason, I couldn¡¯t fall asleep. ¡°.....?¡± Now that I thought about it, the drowsiness that had been bothering me so much had completely disappeared. ¡°...What¡¯s going on?¡± ¨C Knock Knock ¡°Th-Then... I¡¯ll get going.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Soon, Irina, who was drenched in a cold sweat, quickly tried to get out of the room, but Ferloche, who grabbed her by the arm, dragged her, then sat her down and said. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, and let¡¯s celebrate his birthday together, Miss Irina!¡± ¡°To-Together?¡± ¡°Yes! The more the merrier in a party like this!¡± When Ferloche said this in a cheerful tone, Clana and Serena began to cough. Meanwhile, Ferloche, who looked at the two of them blankly, tilted her head and asked. ¡°Is there something wrong? Do you feel unwell? If you are sick, I can use my healing...!¡± ¨C Creak... As Ferloche was about to use her holy power with a worried expression, the door opened again and someone entered slowly. ¡°Ah, Miss Kania is here as well!¡± Ferloche quickly grabbed Kania, who had been quietly staring at us, and sat her down, and then spoke to Clana and Serena, who were looking despondent. ¡°Then, let¡¯s get this party started!!¡± After a moment, the candles on the cat cake were lit up. ¡°Hmmhmm, happy birthday, Lord Frey.¡± ¡°Next time, make sure you talk to me first...¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure the Sun God must be happy as well, today!¡± ¡°...Congratulations.¡± As I looked at the candles, Clana, Serena, Ferloche, and Irina congratulated me, but I couldn¡¯t get myself to look at them. ¡®...System, you wretched thing.¡¯ Because I had finally figured out what this situation was about. Since I didn¡¯t react to the scenes, no matter how painful they were, the Ordeal of the System had decided to show me joyful scenes. Even more so, it had decided to show me my birthday event, which would have happened if I took the standard route. ¡°...........¡± ¡°Frey? Are you all right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re acting strange today.¡± ¡°Lord Frey? Are you ill?¡± ¡°...What¡¯s wrong?¡± When I lowered my head and remained silent, the Heroines began staring at me with a worried look and asked for my well being one by one. ¡®No... My decision was correct... If I had taken this route, I might have been happy right now... But in the end everybody would have died... So, my decision was definitely...¡¯ I was telling myself this inwardly, looking away from them and waiting for my mind to clear up again, then... ¡°Young Master, go ahead and blow the candles.¡± ¡°...Kania?¡± Before I knew it, Kania had arrived next to me and grabbed on to my shoulder, and as she spoke with a smile on her face, I asked her, with an expression filled with suspicion. ¡°Did you enter my dream?¡± ¡°You were moaning in a cold sweat until the dead of the night, so I decided to come to meet you, despite knowing this was rude.¡± ¡°...Sigh.¡± At those words, I looked at the cake with a ridiculous smile plastered on my face, and then Serena, who was sitting next to me, suddenly smiled and said. ¡°Hmm, I think I understand. What¡¯s this situation is all about?¡± ¡°...Serena?¡± ¡°Forget about it and blow the candles out. I¡¯m fine.¡± Saying this, she lightly grabbed my left shoulder. ¡°Y-You guys... It was me who brought the cake.¡± Then Clana, who was blushing, heaved a deep sigh and said so resentfully. ¡°I do not understand what is happening but... Frey, blow out the candles. I¡¯m not sure, but I think that is it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Even the Sun God... No, even I think so!¡± ¡°...What are you doing, not blowing the candles out?¡± Everyone who was sitting around me cheered me up. I stared at them for a moment, and then as I blew out the candles on the cake, I muttered to myself. ¡®...Definitely, I made the right choice.¡¯ ¨C Poof! The moment the candles went out, I found myself blankly staring at the ceiling of my dormitory. ¡°I will order one of the same design from the bakery in advance.¡± ¡°...Thank you.¡± After I answered Kania, who spoke to me quietly from beside me, I began to stare at the window. ¡°...This kind of hallucination isn¡¯t too bad.¡± The moonlit night seemed unusually bright. . . . . . ¡°Ah...¡± Meanwhile, Serena, who had the same dream as all the other Main Heroines, had woken up at the same time and was staring blankly at the window. ¡°...It was all a dream.¡± As the image of Frey, who was blowing out the candles with a brighter smile than she had ever seen before, kept lingering in front of her eyes, Serena, who was sure that she wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep anymore tonight, sighed and got out of her bed to read a book... ¡°Bitch you even wake up in a peculiar fashion, huh?¡± ¡°.....!¡± As the Tower Master suddenly spoke to her from beside her, Serena opened her eyes wide and took out her fan. ¨C Bang! ¡°Ouch!!¡± However, the Tower Master quickly hit her on the head with her staff, and spoke with a grin. ¡°Has your memory returned? Then tell your spies to stop spreading word about my weaknesses.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Serena, who grabbed onto her head as she stumbled for a while, soon muttered with a satisfied smile. ¡°Frey, I knew it would be like that... Perhaps.¡± ¡°...Can I ask you something?¡± The Tower Master, who looked at her in annoyance, hurriedly asked Serena a question while Serena was heading for her desk. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the hell you¡¯re trying to do... But how far have you planned this?¡± ¡°Just up to here. From this point onward, this is an unknown area I can¡¯t predict either.¡± Serena, after answering the question straightforwardly, wrote a telegram to her spies, and after that, continued speaking. ¡°...So, we will need to come up with a new plan.¡± Watching her with a slightly intrigued expression, the Tower Master approached her to check the contents of the telegram. ¡°Ah, later I want you to restore my memories to how it was before. That should be a piece of cake for you, right?¡± ¡°WHAT!?¡± ¡°And from now on, I want you to visit me at this time every day to return my memories.¡± ¡°Th-This rotten little...!¡± But as Serena calmly asked for this ridiculous favor, the Tower Master raised her staff in anger... ¡°...If this telegram doesn¡¯t reach my spies, sooner or later your secrets will all be revealed to the Empire.¡± ¡°Sigh...¡± When Serena handed the telegram to the owl, the Tower Master sank into a chair with a dejected look on her face. ¡°Why are you making me do such a crazy thing?¡± The Tower Master asked her with a resentful look, and Serena murmured softly in the moonlight. ¡°...If I want to screw over the Sun God, I have no choice but to act after nightfall.¡± ¡°Sigh...¡± The Tower Master shook her head and kept on sighing deeply when she heard this. Then she saw the telegram that was on her desk, and reached out to it, frowning but... ¡°...You should not look through other people¡¯s belongings.¡± The moment she approached it, the telegram was snatched off her hand by Serena who glared at her. She inquired with an expression which suggested that this wasn¡¯t fair. ¡°What¡¯s so important about that?¡± ¡°This?¡± Then Serena slightly frowned and answered. ¡°The only variable.¡± Then the surface of the envelope, which Serena began to slowly corrode with lunar mana, illuminated to reveal Clana¡¯s golden seal. You should check out the illustrations on our discord server You can rate this series here Chapter 49: The Second Quest ? The Second Quest ? ¡°Kania, did you do well on the exam?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± On my way back to the dormitory after finishing the final exam, I asked Kania, who was quietly walking beside me. ¡°As you know, I fully remember the previous timeline. So of course, there¡¯s no way I won¡¯t do well.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± She replied to me with a dumbfounded look, wondering what the hell I was on about. Then she quickly scanned the surroundings and began talking in a hushed tone. ¡°Also, I think it¡¯s not very smart to ask such a question when we are outside. Even now, the Young Master is having a hard time trying to walk...¡± ¡°...All right, sorry, sorry.¡± Interrupting her words, I leaned against the wall for a moment and heaved a deep sigh. ¡°It¡¯s just, it¡¯s one of the things I always wanted to say when I finally made some friends... so I tried it this time.¡± Upon hearing those words, Kania let out a sigh, and murmured. ¡°I apologize. But in your current state, if even one more person finds out, there will be no turning back......¡± ¡°You think of my well-being that much? Thank you, Kania.¡± As I hastened my steps after replying to her, I hurriedly pulled out a handkerchief from my pocket and started coughing. ¡°Cough!! Cough!!!¡± Then, in an instant, the handkerchief began turning red. ¡°Kania, get me a handkerchief with self-cleaning magic.¡± I put the handkerchief in my pocket while forcefully trying to make a composed expression on my face, and ordered Kania, who was watching me quietly, to bring me the thing I needed the most right now. ¡°I¡¯ll get you one of the finest quality ones.¡± Having said that, Kania opened the door to my dormitory, which she had just arrived at, and spoke in a serious tone. ¡°Oh, and there are two important reports.¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± Kania¡¯s expression was unusual, so my expression turned serious as I settled down on the bed and began listening to her report. ¡°First and foremost... I think I¡¯ve found a clue about the ¡®teleportation scroll¡¯.¡± ¡°...Really!?¡± Soon enough, good news came out of her mouth, so I inquired with a bright glint in my eyes. ¡°So, what kind of person swapped the scrolls?¡± Then Kania looked at Frey with a slightly troubled expression and shook her head in denial. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t find out who swapped the scrolls.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°I found the source of the scroll.¡± Hearing that, I felt a little disappointed, but when I thought about it again, the source of the scroll was a pretty important clue. ¡°Do you remember the last time the Young Master had asked me to track down the ¡®one behind the scrolls¡¯?¡± ¡°Why all of a sudden? Wait, maybe...¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard a rumor that a person who matches the description that the Young Master gave me is running a scroll business in the back alley.¡± As I frowned deeply upon hearing those words, Kania continued speaking in a serious tone. ¡°And almost all of those magic scrolls were scams, and most of those sham scrolls were teleportation scrolls.¡± ¡°...What is the level of craftsmanship?¡± ¡°They said that it would only be possible to identify them by performing a detailed analysis in the Magic Tower. They said it was also understandable why Ms. Arianne was deceived.¡± ¡°I feel like I¡¯m going to die...¡± My head is beginning to ache more and more. Obviously, the owner, who never ripped me off, is running some kind of scroll scam. In addition, the craftsmanship is enough to be recognized by the Magic Tower. I knew that the skill of the artisan was superior to that of any other artifact crafter, but... if even the Magic Tower acknowledges its quality, the story changes a lot. ¡®Somehow... Although they were basically robbed, I started to think that something was strange from the time they fought evenly with Isolet using the artifact they possessed...¡¯ Although Isolet is now an academy professor, she is definitely a person who possesses the qualities to become the next Sword Saint. Even though the owner was eventually defeated by her, he did compete with her to some extent ... After all, the owner is not an ordinary back alley trader. ¡°...Secure the owner. You can buy him with money, or even use force if that doesn¡¯t work.¡± ¡°All right.¡± I needed to know for what purpose the owner was using those scam scrolls, why they didn¡¯t scam me, and where their unusual skills came from. My head began to ache. ¡°The second report is about the punishment of the Young Master as decided by the Imperial family and the Church.¡± ¡°...Punishment?¡± I tilted my head and asked her as Kania replied with a slight frown. ¡°Yes, even though you were forced to do things with ¡®mind control¡¯... It is true that you took the side of the Demon King, and public opinion throughout the Empire is also horrible, so this is an unavoidable punishment.¡± ¡°...So what¡¯s the punishment?¡± I asked Kania, feeling a little anxious, and she sighed in reply. ¡°Forced volunteer work at the orphanage that we established.¡± ¡°It¡¯s crazy, really. This dogshit game.¡± After hearing her words and spitting out swear words, I hurriedly asked Kania a question. ¡°Is it true that the relationship between me, my family, and the orphanage is perfectly hidden?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s perfectly hidden. Unless the Young Master reveals the truth himself, it won¡¯t be discovered.¡± Fortunately, I wouldn¡¯t die by vomiting all the blood in my body. Then I suddenly frowned and asked a question. ¡°But why... why the Orphanage we built?¡± ¡°I think the specific punishment was decided because the orphanage that Young Master established is currently the largest orphanage in the Empire. In addition, the fact that it¡¯s located in the Imperial Capital, so the difficulty of the punishment was judged to be suitable.¡± ¡°...Right.¡± Fortunately, after listening to Kania, it seems that the truth about the orphanage¡¯s origins hasn¡¯t been leaked. Well, if the information had leaked out, I would have died even sooner. ¡°So, when does the volunteer work start?¡± ¡°From today.¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± I, who was sighing in relief initially, frowned, having heard Kania¡¯s words that I would have to do volunteer work from today, and then grabbed my throbbing head. ¡°My body feels like it will crumble at any moment... and I have to do volunteer work...¡± ¡°...By the way, Young Master. Would you face any problems by doing volunteer work?¡± I was already unhappy because it felt like my whole body was aching, but Kania inquired with a worried look on her face. ¡°In any case... if volunteer work is recognized as ¡®good work¡¯...¡± ¡°...Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± I made an expression that there would be no problem and opened the ¡®Inherent Skills Window¡¯ that I had never purposely opened since the freshman welcoming party. [Inherent Skills Window] When I and Ferloche entered, the female employee who was working inside greeted us with a cold sweat. Judging from the look on her face, it seems that she is under a lot of pressure. After all, from her point of view, suddenly two key figures of the Empire visited her place of work. ¡°Hello! My name is Ferloche! Are you the owner of this Orphanage?¡± ¡°Oh, I... that¡¯s...¡± ¡°Wow... It¡¯s a really spacious and comfortable place... It¡¯s several times bigger than the school operated by the Church...¡± After shaking hands vigorously with the girl, Ferloche began walking around the orphanage as her eyes twinkled. ¡°O-Over there... Lord Frey? I-I mean...¡± ¡°...What?¡± I, who was blankly watching her, heard a female employee next to her talking to me with a trembling voice, so I answered in an icy tone. ¡°Uh... you need to change their clothes...¡± ¡°No.¡± Upon hearing my answer, the female employee made a troubled expression as she bowed her head and said. ¡°Please. We also got a message from the Church yesterday, so it¡¯s embarrassing, but... If Young Master Frey doesn¡¯t do volunteer work properly, the budget may be cut down...¡± ¡°...What do you mean?¡± I inquired with my brows furrowed when I heard that the budget might be cut down. Hearing my question, the female employee lowered her head again and answered. ¡°Yes, yes... So, there are people who donate anonymously to our orphanage... The amount of support is quite large...¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°If you are a person who can offer that amount of support, they must be tied to the Imperial family or the Church... So it¡¯s a big deal if you act like a horrible person...¡± After listening to her for a while, I replied, thinking for an ordinary female employee she has quite the good head on her shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s not my job.¡± ¡°Yes, but... Then the kids in the orphanage could end up on the streets again!¡± Due to her restlessness and fear, she immediately closed her eyes tightly and exclaimed. ¡°You, what¡¯s your name?¡± I liked her quite a bit, so when I asked for her name, the female employee looked at me nervously and answered. ¡°...It¡¯s Ruby.¡± ¡°Ruby...¡± As I was memorizing her name, she suddenly knelt down and started crying. ¡°Please! Please... our orphanage...!¡± ¡°What are you doing!?¡± Eventually, she grabbed my leg and started begging, and all the attention of the people in the orphanage turned to me. ¡°You! What are you doing now!¡± In such a situation, as I was staring blankly at Ruby, who was crying, Ferloche, who had been looking around the orphanage, approached me with a furious expression on her face. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°To make such a kind-hearted employee cry...! She didn¡¯t do anything wrong...¡± Eventually, Ferloche, who came right up to my face began preaching to me in a furious tone, but... ¡°...Hmm?¡± She suddenly turned around and started searching around. ¡°...What¡¯s the matter?¡± She looked quite unsettled, so I inquired with a bit of concern. Upon hearing my question, Ferloche, who had been scanning the surrounding until then, suddenly frowned, grabbed my arm, and started heading somewhere. ¡°...What, what? Why?¡± Eventually, Ferloche entered the empty warehouse and opened her mouth, glaring at me. ¡°You, you¡¯re trying to use some kind of sinister power!¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Lord Sun God in heaven, watch over us and save us from the endless pit of evil...¡± Eventually, she chanted her spells and began to launch her powers, as she started pouring out all her holy power at once. ¡°I can¡¯t stand it any longer! Be prepared! Member of the Demon King¡¯s Army!¡± Ferloche, who had been launching her power for a while, began to look at me, exhaling a rough breath. ¡°...Why are you fine?¡± As I frowned, she approached me with a bewildered expression and began poking my body. ¡°It¡¯s strange ... I definitely felt a sinister aura ...¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± I was so annoyed by her that I tried to leave the room, but Ferloche grabbed onto my arm and started speaking in a demanding voice. ¡°You, from now on, answer my questions.¡± ¡°...All right.¡± My condition was so bad that I didn¡¯t have the confidence to fight her at all, so I resolved to go along with what she would say. ¡°What is the most dangerous strategy among the Demon King¡¯s recent plans?¡± But when I heard the words coming out of her mouth, I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Oi, don¡¯t laugh! You think I don¡¯t know that you belong to the Demon King¡¯s Army!¡± ¡°...I see.¡± ¡°Yes! I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re still fine even after being hit by my powers... Anyway, you¡¯re definitely a member!¡± Having said that, Ferloche began glaring daggers at me, emanating more holy power and shooting it at my whole body. ¡°That¡¯s enough, back to the volunteer work...¡± ¡°Then, answer me. What the hell is going on in the cellar of the Sun God¡¯s Church?¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Ferloche, who had been shooting every nook and cranny of my body with her powers, hurriedly asked a question when I picked up a broom from the warehouse. ¡°What do you mean¡ª¡± [Main Quest occurs!] As I was looking at Ferloche, who suddenly inquired about the Church¡¯s cellar with a mysterious expression, a quest window suddenly appeared in front of me. Main Quest: Secret of the Sun God¡¯s Church Quest Content: Uncover the secrets of the Sun God¡¯s Church and drive away the darkness. Reward: Increases the Awakening Progress of the Hero¡¯s Armament. Failure Penalty: Death of Ferloche Astellade. ¡°...If you make a deal with me, I¡¯ll help you.¡± After seeing the contents of the quest window, I quickly changed my approach and offered a suggestion. It seems like I¡¯ll never have time to rest. Chapter 50: The Dumb Saintess ? The Dumb Saintess ? ¡°...Yes, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯m satisfied with those conditions.¡± ¡°Yes, with this, the negotiations are done.¡± After a long discussion with the evil and wicked Frey, we made a truce with each other. The so-called ceasefire. By the way, since the ceasefire was what I wanted for peace in the previous timeline, I strongly insisted upon it in the name of a truce. ¡°...By the way, why did you do that before?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± After the negotiations, I was about to leave the dark warehouse, then suddenly Frey asked me a question. ¡°When you came up to me in a haste, suddenly your eyes narrowed as you kept looking around. Why did you do that?¡± He was inquiring about something that happened earlier, but I remained silent. I wonder if it was fine to share information with Frey, who is a member of the evil Demon King¡¯s Army, but currently, we are in a truce, so we decided to share certain information. ¡°It was only for a brief moment, but I felt quite the sinister aura.¡± ¡°Sinister aura?¡± ¡°Yes, it evoked quite the dark and suffocating feeling.¡± Definitely, when Frey called the female employee earlier, a terrifying aura surrounded me. So I thought that Frey was using black magic, so I hurriedly dragged him away and tried to channel holy power in his direction. But, for some reason, nothing happened to Frey. It¡¯s very suspicious, but it seems Frey wasn¡¯t the culprit behind the sinister aura. If so, who was the source of that aura? Could it be that the Demon King¡¯s servants have been hiding in this orphanage? Or was it a misunderstanding that occurred because of my heightened senses these days? I¡¯m not sure. But, if I don¡¯t know, then I need to find out. So from now on, I¡¯ll have to stay in this orphanage and find the source of that aura. ¡°Sinister aura... if it¡¯s sinister aura...¡± I glanced at Frey, who was muttering something next to me with a serious expression, and left the warehouse first. ¡°...Saintess Ferloche?¡± ¡°Oh yes! Hello!¡± When I left the warehouse, someone standing out in the front spoke to me. She seems to be a different person than the one I met earlier. Who could it be? ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Anna, the current manager and employee here.¡± ¡°Oh! Hello!¡± It was Anna who was in charge of this place! She seems like a pretty kind person! ¡°It is my honor to meet the revered Saintess.¡± ¡°Oh no! Don¡¯t get down on your knees! Don¡¯t do that!¡± When Anna was about to kneel down and greet me, I hurriedly pulled her up! ¡°Uh, s... I¡¯m sorry?¡± Then, Anna made a confused expression and apologized to me. It¡¯s not like I was trying to get an apology. ¡°I¡¯m just a representative of God...! So you don¡¯t have to kneel down like that!¡± So, when I hurriedly explained, Anna giggled bashfully and said. ¡°As expected, the Saintess is as kind as rumored.¡± ¡°T-Thank you...¡± ¡°...You will surely get along well with Ruby.¡± Then, Anna pointed to the employee who was crying earlier, then took my hand and started to lead me. ¡°That kid over there is Ruby, and she¡¯s been volunteering here for free for three months.¡± ¡°Really?¡± She has been volunteering for free for 3 months. She¡¯s really amazing. With a lot of interest, I headed in the direction Anna¡¯s finger pointed to, and saw a girl staring at me! ¡°Ruby, did you say hello? She¡¯s the Saintess of the Sun God Church.¡± ¡°Oh, ohh... Hello!¡± When Ms. Anna introduced me, Ruby made a terrified expression, and then continued to greet me. She¡¯s just like a frightened puppy. Something that makes you sympathize and pity it. ¡°The little Saintess of the orphanage must have been nervous when she met the Saintess of the Empire.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t call me by that nickname!¡± As Anna spoke with a mischievous expression, Ruby¡¯s face gradually turned red as she bowed her head. ¡°Wow! How pretentious!¡± ¡°Eh, Ehh!?¡± I smiled and offered these words to Ruby in jest, but then tilted my head upon noticing her flustered state. Was Ruby the type to be overburdened by such kind words? ¡°Uh... Saintess? Were those words...¡± ¡°Oh, I apologize!¡± As it turns out, Ruby must have been the type of person who, like me, was overburdened to receive such kind words. ¡°I¡¯ll refrain from using such language from now on! I¡¯m sorry!¡± Thanks to that, I apologized to Ruby with a slightly embarrassed expression on my face, and began heading towards Frey in the distance. From now on, I definitely have to keep an eye on him! . . . . . ¡°Ughhhhhhhhhhhhh...¡± ¡°........¡± I don¡¯t feel good right now. Because, in front of me, Frey is cleaning with a very exhausted breath. Of course, he deserves to suffer like that, since he¡¯s trash with no hope of redemption... Still, a part of me feels uncomfortable. After all, just sending a little bit of holy power¡ª ¡°Frey, can I lend you a hand for a bit?¡± ¡°... What?¡± Just as I was immersed in such thoughts, Ruby suddenly broke in next to Frey and grabbed a broomstick. ¡°You look so horrible...¡± ¡°Go away.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t do that... I¡¯ll help you...¡± ¡°FUCK OFF!¡± When Frey yelled and snatched the broom away, Ruby lost her balance and collapsed with a ¡®thud.¡¯ Thanks to that, Ruby¡¯s knee was scraped and blood was oozing out of the wound. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, are you all right?¡± ¡°...Oh, yes! No problem!¡± So I rushed to use holy power to fix her knee, but, Ruby got up quickly and bowed to Frey. ¡°Y-Young Master F-Frey. I apologize for disturbing you.¡± ¡°...Whatever, fuck off.¡± After those words, Ruby disappeared without even receiving any treatment. ¡°You, what do you think you are doing!? If you use violence while doing volunteer work as a punishment...!¡± I was quite enraged with this, so I tried to rebuke Frey, but... ¡®...Why is my heart breaking?¡¯ Frey¡¯s silver eyes made contact with my white ones. When the image of the innocent face of Frey, who had given me a potion with his silver eyes shining, came to mind, my heart began to ache. ¡°Ugh...!¡± ¡°What, what?¡± The white hair that symbolizes me as the Pure White Saintess fluttered and blended with Frey¡¯s silver hair. I always wondered why. It was probably because I got too close to Frey. Looking at the pool of blood formed in front of Frey, who had a distorted expression on his face, I thought over and over again with hazy eyes. Frey is the Empire¡¯s Greatest Villain. You must hate him. I must hate him. I must kill him. He tried to attack me. He will become the cause of the Empire¡¯s downfall in the future. I¡¯m stupid. I¡¯ve always been an idiot since I was little. I¡¯m horrible at writing too. My memorization skills are subpar. The only thing I¡¯ve ever been good at is being kind. So now the situation makes sense. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that. Everything is back to normal... ¡°No.¡± ¡°What?¡± There¡¯s definitely a problem with the fact that even if you put holy power into Frey¡¯s body, it doesn¡¯t increase his vitality. That¡¯s against the law of the world. Holy power is not a miracle, it is a law and a phenomenon. Miracles are different. It¡¯s definitely strange to violate such an immutable law. Even if I eliminate the fact that his life force is not being replenished, why are the wounds of his body not being healed? Therefore, something is very wrong right now. ¡°Ferloche?¡± And Frey is acting strange as well. He claims he¡¯s going to violate me, yet he keeps buying time while making all sorts of excuses. No, in the first place, everything he does is strange. Not only that, I¡¯m also... acting strange. What happened? Why am I here? Since when have I been like this? Frey is in danger. If it goes on like this, he won¡¯t even last a few years. So what should I do? Should I save you? Should I kill you? Is what I said earlier a good thing? What does the word ¡®pretentious¡¯ mean? Was that really a compliment? Did I really not know the meaning of that word? If what I believed in wasn¡¯t a miracle, what is the real ¡®miracle¡¯? Didn¡¯t I know that before? So, what are the laws and phenomena? Who is the Sun God? What do I believe in? It¡¯s fake. It¡¯s all fake. I have to find the truth. I don¡¯t know, but I feel an urge to scream. ¡°...Has she finally lost her mind?¡± Pretense and hypocrisy, light and darkness. The sun, the moon, and the stars. And¡ª . . . . . ¡°Demon...¡± ¡°Cough, cough! What the hell are you saying...¡± ¡°Demon.....¡± It¡¯s been a minute since Ferloche put her hand on Frey¡¯s body and started stroking it. Frey, annoyed by this, tried to get up, thinking she was fooling around again... ¡°...Demon.¡± ¡°.....?¡± Ferloche responded by tilting her head as she kept muttering words out of nowhere. ¡°What are you spouting all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Demon...God...¡± Frey, who looked at Ferloche with a bewildered expression, began listening to her in earnest as she was about to say something, but¡ª ¨C Screech... ¡°You two, what are you doing here?¡± As Ruby opened the door to the dark warehouse and entered, Ferloche stopped her speech and began to shake her head. ¡°...Ah? Are you all right?¡± Meanwhile, when the bright sunlight that permeated through the open door enveloped Frey and Ferloche while also illuminating the puddle of blood in front of Frey, Ruby, who had witnessed this, screamed in horror. ¡°...It¡¯s fine, fuck off.¡± ¡°Yes, yes... Please let me know if you need any help.¡± Then Frey, with an icy voice, drove Ruby out of the warehouse, and began to look at Ferloche in front of her. ¡°Everything, you¡¯ve become like this... you¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªgot what I deserve?¡± ¡°Yes! You got what you deserved! Her Highness Clana said it¡¯s an expression of the eastern continent used in times like this...¡± ¡°Shut up, get off of my body.¡± Before long, when Ferloche began babbling with a stern look on her face as usual, Frey heaved a deep sigh, then pushed her aside and muttered. ¡°...Should we stop here for today?¡± ¡°Um... Considering your physical condition... Today is especially...¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the Cathedral of the Sun God Church.¡± ¡°Eh? But, recently, only those who have received permission can enter the church...¡± ¡°...I have to pray with you after volunteer work, remember?.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± After leaving the warehouse, the two of them greeted Anna, who looked at them covered in blood with an appalled expression, and then left the orphanage in a hurry. ¡°You! How did you injure your body this badly? Have you ever been tortured by the Demon King¡¯s army? If you tell me about it, especially the Church...¡± ¡°...Why are there so many Church members around the orphanage? Do you know anything?¡± The two of them got on the carriage while asking different questions to each other and drifted away from the orphanage. As the warm sunlight was shining upon them. . . . . . Arriving at the cathedral, Frey admonished Ferloche for ten minutes, who strongly insisted that their prayers be offered first, and then headed where she guided him. ¡°...So, is this where you sensed a sinister aura?¡± There stood a crude iron gate. ¡°Yes! You guys must be doing something here...Uhmm!¡± ¡°...Shh.¡± Frey, who shut her mouth, spoke in a hushed tone. He then opened the iron grate and stepped inside. ¡°Fuha, how did you get away from the guard? I was caught every time I tried...¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t know, but for some odd reason, there are too few people in the cathedral. There are no guards. Something is strange.¡± Despite deliberately arriving several hours earlier than expected, and wearing a plain nun robe instead of her striking maiden robe, it was all futile. Frey, feeling disappointed, let out a sigh and began looking around the room. ¡°...The time has come for something to happen.¡± ¨C Ruuumble!!! And at that moment, the space inside the room turned upside down and a complex maze appeared. ¡°I knew it.¡± Frey, who looked at the scene with an anticipated look, slowly entered the maze along with Ferloche, who was staring at the scene in a daze with her mouth agape. ¡°What are they going to do?¡± And at that point. ¡°...Should I follow them?¡± Irina, who had been watching them from afar, dressed in identical clothing to that of Ferloche, quietly looked around before heading towards the cellar. Chapter 51: The Underground Labyrinth ? The Underground Labyrinth ? ¡°Uh... why did this place transform?¡± ¡°... Who knows?¡± ¡°What do you mean, who knows?! You¡¯re the one who said you knew the secrets of this place!¡± Ferloche, who took the lead after entering the basement of the church, or rather the labyrinth, is now trembling and screaming. Despite being the Saintess of the Sun God Church, and someone who must have surely experienced plenty of horrors in the previous timeline, she still seems to be afraid of the dark. Of course, I hate dark places as well. But I have no choice since Ferloche¡¯s life is at stake here. ¡°D-Do you know the way forward?¡± ¡°No, just hurry up and get a move on already.¡± Despite Ferloche¡¯s life being at risk, she still walks at the very front. While it is quite boring for me, I can¡¯t lead the way due to my body being in a battered state. Therefore, it would be better for Ferloche, who has the ¡®Blessing of the Sun God¡¯ to lead the way for our safety. ¡°Oh! The road splits in two here.¡± After walking for a long time, we came across a forked road. Judging from this, it seems this labyrinth has a very typical design. A cliche? fork of one correct path and either a wrong path or a trap. ¡°Fr-Frey! Which way should we go?¡± ¡°Hmmmm..¡± If only I had 1 stack, I would have secretly attempted both paths without Ferloche noticing, but currently it¡¯s too much for my body to handle. So, I guess I¡¯ll have to choose the next best thing. ¡°...You, get behind me.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Watch my back for a bit.¡± I dragged Ferloche behind me as she was still tiptoeing and trying to gauge what was ahead of the two paths. After confirming she was looking elsewhere astutely, I secretly began channeling stellar mana ¡°Ugh..¡± After I continued to channel stellar mana forwards, I could intuitively feel something was ¡®wrong¡¯ with the entrance on the left. ¡°...The right.¡± The feeling of incongruity was unusual, so I opened my eyes and pointed to the right, when suddenly a loud sound resounded from the passage to the left. Surprised, I quickly tried to grab Ferloche and go to the passage on the right, only to find that she was no longer there. Ferloche, who had been on the lookout, had suddenly vanished. ¡°Ferloche!?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Confused, I called out to her loudly, and to my surprise, her answer came back from the passage on the left. In a rush, I grabbed the sword from my waist and jumped into the passage on the left. There, I found Ferloche smiling triumphantly, covered in stone dust. ¡°A labyrinth like this, you just have to destroy everything!¡± ¡°....Sigh...¡± In front of her was a shattered boulder that must have been rolling at her at a breakneck speed. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡± Freed from the thought that I wasted stellar mana for nothing, I began to break through the maze at high speed with the siege weapon called ¡®Ferloche.¡¯ ¨C Crack! ¡°...By the way, how was this huge space created in the cellar of the church?¡± Around the time we broke through the 5th fork, Ferloche, who snapped the neck of an undead orc that appeared out of nowhere, asked me a question while holding the drooping corpse of the orc. ¡°Over time.¡± ¡°Right... After all, the corruption of the Church has been going on for quite some time.¡± Soon after hearing my answer, she nodded her head and began to purify the undead orcs by channeling her holy power. ¡®...Is this ¡°that¡± person¡¯s work?¡¯ Of course, what I told Ferloche was not the truth. Even in the Sun God Church, it would be unreasonable to create such a huge underground space, and the possibility of being caught is very high. So, magical ability must have been a factor, and if it is something that deserves a ¡®main quest¡¯ distinction, it is highly likely that the ¡®spatial manipulation magic¡¯ used by the ¡®Aide¡¯. ¡°...Ah, look at this!¡± While speculating as such, Ferloche, who was leading in front of me, stopped and began looking around curiously. I looked forward, wondering what was going on, and instead of the continuous, cracked cellar wall, white and bare marble was adorning the walls of all sides, and warm light was leaking through the attached sun-shaped ornaments. ¡°Is this....sunlight?¡± ¡°I also noticed the sunlight shining on my body. But why is the sunlight leaking out of those ornaments?¡± Hearing her words, I felt a little reluctant to touch the ornaments, so I tried to step away, remembering that touching a suspicious object in a place like this is like committing suicide... ¡°Woah.. that¡¯s amazing...¡± Unlike me, Ferloche had already taken off some of the ornaments and was messing around with them. ¡°Hey, Hey...!¡± ¨C Clank!! ¡°...Shit.¡± I tried to yell at her to return the ornaments to the original space in a hurry, but a strange mechanical sound resounded. ¡°Kyaaa!?¡± In a panic, I wrapped my arms around Ferloche and pulled out my sword, and began scanning the surroundings vigilantly, but nothing happened after a while. ¡°Y-You... What are you doing?¡± Then Ferloche, who was staring blankly at me, looked puzzled. ¡°Nothing, you just look especially beautiful today.¡± Upon hearing those words, I immediately changed my expression to a sinister look and began groping Ferloche. ¡°...Let me go.¡± Her expression turned cold, and she pushed me away. Despite the light push, her strength combined with the ?Blessing of the Sun God?, I would have been completely blown away if I hadn¡¯t braced myself. ¡°...Eugh.¡± I wasn¡¯t blown away completely, but was still pushed away quite far. I crashed against the wall hard and let out a groan. ¨C Screech... ¡°...Huh?¡± Then something completely unexpected happened. The door that had been hidden in the place where I hit the wall collapsed backwards. As I was staring blankly at the scene, Ferloche headed inside without hesitation. ¡°... I think I¡¯ve seen this somewhere.¡± ¡°What?¡± I, who was trying to stop her from entering in a hurry, stopped when she said that she seemed to have seen this place before. ¡°.....!!!¡± And, after a while, I had no choice but to freeze upon seeing the sight. ¨C In the beginning, there was the Sun God, the Moon God, and the Star God. ¡°Wh-Why is this here...?¡± This is because ¡®Hangul¡¯ characters were written on the cracked and faded slabs. ¡°This must have been a space created by the ¡®Aide¡¯...? However, why in the world is the language used by my ancestor written here?¡± I watched the phrases that were somehow familiar to me with a bewildered expression, and then looked around. ¡°Ah! That¡¯s right! I saw it when I went to the Western Continent!¡± ¡°...You went to the Western Continent?¡± When I inquired with my brows furrowed, Ferloche hesitated for a moment, then, after fidgeting with her fingers for a moment, she opened her mouth. ¡°Yes, when I went on a pilgrimage with the Church... The Western Continental Branch of the Sun God Church was managing a space quite similar to this one.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°I was curious, so I went to take a look... but I couldn¡¯t enter because I was told it was supposed to be a top secret. If it¡¯s a secret that even the Saintess can¡¯t know, it must be an important secret!¡± Saying that, I stared blankly at the Saintess whose eyes twinkled in excitement, then I turned my gaze to the slate and began to read the rest of the content. ¨C Under the protection of the three Gods, for a long time, the world was in peace and balance was maintained. However, a crisis came unexpectedly. e on, tell me the truth quickly! Frey!¡± Ferloche, who witnessed the scene, trembled as her complexion turned pale. ¡°I wonder...¡± ¡°Ah.....¡± Of course, I didn¡¯t know either. Ferloche frowned with a stiff expression on her face, and then clenched her teeth and clasped her hands. She then said. ¡°Aha! If I destroy it with my ¡®Sun God¡¯s Power like before...¡± ¡°Your power can only target one individual. And that magic circle is scattered everywhere just like in the ¡®Commoner¡¯s Dormitory Incident¡¯.¡± ¡°Of course, but...!¡± ¡°Besides, how do you plan to destroy the magic circle that is drawn so high up? It¡¯s impossible unless you can stretch your arms that far or shoot it.¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± Upon hearing this, Ferloche, who became disheartened, suddenly opened her eyes and began to look around. ¡°...What are you trying to do again?¡± ¡°Something¡¯s strange.¡± Then suddenly she started scanning the surrounding with a frown on her face and opened her mouth with a serious expression on her face. ¡°I can feel a sinister aura and holy power at the same time...¡± ¡°Where...?¡± ¡°...Below us.¡± Upon hearing her words, the moment she looked down involuntarily, the ground suddenly began to vibrate. ¨C Rumbleeeeeee!!! ¡°Fuck!¡± Due to the quake, she lost her balance and collapsed on her butt. While Ferloche was on the verge of crying, a white spear rose from the ground right in front of her. ¡°Heuuughhhh...¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°This is crazy...¡± Before long, countless undead began to emerge from the ground, fully armed. ¡°There are... too many... just like... back then...¡± As Ferloche¡¯s complexion turned pale in horror while watching this scene. The reason why Ferloche, who can unleash overwhelming force due to the ¡®Blessing of the Sun God,¡¯ is so terrified, is due to the fact that her blessing is vulnerable against ¡®multiple enemies.¡¯ The ?Blessing of the Sun God? is a 1:1 specialized technique that can show overwhelming force by designating only one enemy. However, it can be easily neutralized if several enemies attack in unison. That was the main reason why she was caught by the Demon King in the previous timeline. That being said... ¡°...Why are you acting like this?¡± ¡°This is a horrible situation!¡± ¡°Is it?¡± But you don¡¯t have to worry at all. Because they are ¡®undead¡¯. ¡°Shut up and use your holy power.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± The undead are incredibly vulnerable to ¡¸Holy Power¡¹ and ¡¸Fire¡¹. It is potent enough to make the undead incapacitated upon slight contact. ¡°Sun God in heaven, watch over us... no, watch over me and bestow your power...¡± ¨C Whooosh...! After Ferloche hurriedly cast her spell, scorching holy power was radiated in all directions. ¡°¡±Keeeeeeeeek!¡±¡± Then the countless undead who made contact with her holy power began to writhe in pain.. ¡°Ah! There¡¯s a way out over there!¡± While the undead were losing their minds from the pain, Ferloche, who found an exit far away, screamed and began running towards the exit with a cheerful expression, but.. ¨C Whoosh! ¡°...AH!¡± An arrow that flew at a ferocious speed pierced her leg, and she had no choice but to collapse on the ground again. ¡°...Damn, you can¡¯t even stop that.¡± Meanwhile, I drew my sword and struck the six arrows rushing towards her, and looked at the arrow stuck in her legs with a dissatisfied face. ¡°Uh, why...? Why did the undead not...?¡± ¡°These guys are the ¡®Paladins¡¯ who were buried in the church¡¯s cellar.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I don¡¯t know whose sinister scheme is this, but they resurrected paladins with holy attributes as undead. It¡¯s not that they just possessed holy power, but it¡¯s completely fused with the dark mana. Because of this, they didn¡¯t become incapacitated even after receiving Ferloche¡¯s holy power, but rather, they seem to have been strengthened. I don¡¯t know how this absurd situation happened, but there is one thing I must do right now. ¡°By the way, have you used enough holy power? Ferloche?¡± ¡°Ye-Yes...?¡± ¡°Is that the last of your remaining holy power? Now, you won¡¯t even have the strength to move now.¡± ¡°How did you...¡± Of course, I was guessing from the intensity of the holy power I felt when she had emanated her holy power back in the orphanage¡¯s warehouse. What I am going to say now to Ferloche, who is on the ground trembling with a desperate expression on her face, directly opposes her hopes. ¡°...What are you going to do? Since I was planning for this from the start.¡± ¡°.....!¡± Upon hearing that, Ferloche began to close her eyes tightly. I slowly approached her and raised the corners of my lips. ¡°The truce or whatever... You shouldn¡¯t have trusted me, a member of the Demon King¡¯s Army.¡± ¡°Y-You...¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it great that we¡¯re here? I purposely prepared this place to deal with you, who recovers her holy power from sunlight.¡± Hearing those words, Ferloche¡¯s expression gradually turned pale. Seeing her figure, I¡¯m quite worried about what to do next if I survive from here... but I have no choice but to save Ferloche from those undead who will soon be fully awakened. ¡°...Are you going to kill me?¡± ¡°Well... what should I do? Should I kill this poor little person with no one to hear her screams?¡± I arrived right in front of Ferloche, and whispered to her with a sinister smile. ¡°Or, you could stay here and embrace me...¡± ¡°Ugh!!¡± But at that moment, Ferloche pulled out the arrow from her own leg, threw it at me, and dashed towards the exit with all her might. ¡°Keugh!!¡± Thanks to her, I plopped down with a wound on my abdomen as she managed to make it to the exit and opened the door. I looked at her fading back for a moment, then muttered to myself. ¡°...The thing coming out of that ornament must have really been sunlight.¡± If she continues to recover because of the sunlight radiating from that ornament, Ferloche will be able to get out of here safely. With that in mind, I smiled gently and fiddled with my sword. I then turned my gaze towards the undead, who flinched when they laid their eyes upon me. I don¡¯t even know what the hell is the purpose of this wretched place; I don¡¯t even know who the large magic circle on the ceiling is targeting... But, I will buy as much time as possible by blocking the undead here. So Ferloche, who was exhausted from her lack of holy power, could escape safely. ¡°Screeeech!!!¡± ¡°Are there any more traps in front of her? Will Ferloche be able to escape?¡± I raised my sword while glaring at the undead paladins, who let out a war cry. I muttered under my breath as I swathed my body in stellar mana. ¡°...Now is not the time for me to worry about others.¡± Today, my heart seems to be throbbing several times more. Chapter 52: Explosive Situation ? Explosive Situation ? ¡°¡°Screeech!!¡±¡± Countless undead are glaring at me as they let out an outcry. Then, the dark mana of the undead and the holy power emanating from the white armor they were adorned in, blended together and began to devour me. ¡°Ugh... I feel sick...¡± I felt quite uncomfortable when I was surrounded by a hybrid aura that should never coexist. The reason I probably feel so terrible is because my situation is the same. I¡¯m a Hero destined to commit evil deeds. ¡®Can I win?¡¯ As I scanned the undead for a long time with an impassive expression and muttered to myself, I began to understand their power. Judging from their armor and structure of their physique, it seems that most of the undead were well-trained paladins. If so, is this the cemetery where the paladins of the Sun God Church are buried when they perish? ¡®...The cemetery must be on the surface.¡¯ However, now that I think about it, the cemetery of the Church that has maintained its title since a millennium is present in front of plain sight on the surface. So, why the hell does this place have so many corpses of the paladins? ¨C Swoosh! As I was ruminating about the situation, some undead fired arrows at me. ¡°Shriiiiiiieeek!!!¡± As I dodged while trying to preserve as much stamina as possible, the undead began howling at me. ¡®Fortunately, it seems that they don¡¯t possess much intelligence.¡¯ There are several types of undead. The first type is a kind that moves under direct command from the necromancer, and is characterized by being able to become stronger or weaker at the discretion of the necromancer. Of course, seeing that these guys have been acting arbitrarily since before, it seems that there is no such thing as a necromancer here. The second type is a kind that possesses high intelligence and makes efficient judgments on their own. In this case, it consumes a lot of materials, time, and mana to create, but one can summon quite the powerful undead. ¡°Time. I have to buy time...¡± Having finished assessing the opponent¡¯s strength, I slowly moved to the side and muttered to myself. My goal right now is not to destroy them, but to buy as much time as possible. Only then will Ferloche be able to get out of this place safely. When I used my stellar mana earlier to decipher the way forward, I found that if one opens that door and leave this room, they will find a passage that extends all the way to the surface. So, even if Ferloche has run out of holy power, she will still have enough to get out of this place if she recovers from the sunlight leaking out of the ornaments, and keeps proceeding forward. Of course I don¡¯t know what¡¯s outside of here... but if she goes outside, she¡¯ll be able to get even more sunlight, so she¡¯ll be fine. ¡°Screeeeech!!¡± Once I finished thinking as such, the undead paladins charged at me in unison. It was similar to watching a swarm of ants trying to devour its prey. With a slightly haggard expression, I tried to use the ?Stone of Domination? in my pocket just in case. But even if I pressed my finger until it hurts, the undead were still glaring at me and approaching me. As expected, the ?Stone of Domination? doesn¡¯t seem to have any effect on the undead. ¡°Heup!¡± Eventually, after taking my hand out of the pocket, I instantly grabbed the hilt of my sword, took a deep breath, and then swung the sword with all my might. ¨C Sparkle! As the beautiful stellar mana fused with the cold steel, the front line of the undead that was charging began collapsing after they were cleaved. ¡°Screeeeech!!¡± Of course, since they were undead, most of them were still squirming around, but knowing that they would survive, I aimed precisely at their legs so their movement was futile. ¨C Crack! Crack!! The undead, who collapsed on the floor with their legs cut off, were trampled upon by the undead charging at me from behind. In the aftermath of being smashed and trampled upon, they were incapacitated. ¡°Ugh... Damn it...¡± While I watching them with a cheerful expression, I plopped down in pain as if a blade had stabbed my heart. If I could repeat this a few more times, the numbers of the undead would have been reduced considerably. But then again, the influence of 2 penalty stacks and 1 special penalty stack seems to be too much. ¡°Gasp... gasp...¡± I momentarily settled down and gasped for breath, then soon I staggered up and grabbed my sword. ¡°Should I try hand-to-hand combat?¡± I recalled a certain myth of the first Sword Saint, the first Head of the Bywalker Ducal family. There was a legendary tale of him stopping armies numerous times all by himself using this method. I thought about fighting them using hand-to-hand combat against them for a while, but soon realized that it was a stupid idea. Wouldn¡¯t the result be obvious if I fought while being surrounded by paladins who must have been elite soldiers of the Sun God Church in a state where I¡¯m on the verge of death due to my horrible condition? Of course, because they are undead, their speed and reflexes are rather slow, but... there¡¯s no point in taking a risk like that. ¡°... Whatever, I can¡¯t do it.¡± After giving up trying to push for hand-to-hand combat, I took a deep breath and began concentrating the mana within my body. According to my calculations, although my body will be in more critical condition, I don¡¯t think it would be a massive problem if I dealt one more sword slash. ¨C Schwiiiing! I slashed the legs of countless undead once again by launching a massive sword slash at them, and immediately after that, I grabbed my chest and started rolling on the floor because of the agonizing pain I felt in my heart. ¡°Arghh...¡± While I was writhing in agony for a moment, dust flew in the air as I rolled on the floor. After spitting out the blood that I had accumulated in my mouth, I stabbed my sword into the ground and used it to support my battered body as I staggered up. ¡°They¡¯ve lost quite a few, haven¡¯t they?¡± Even though he only swung his sword twice, the number of undead was reduced enough to be counted with the naked eye. I desperately wanted to swing it a few more times, but now is the time to buy as much time as possible. I decided on this course of action and sneaked towards the door that Ferloche had left through. ¡®...Once I go to that narrow passage and cut down the undead that follow me up, I¡¯ll have to flee outside when I reach my limit.¡¯ Since there is a risk of being surrounded and attacked from all sides while confronting them with hand-to-hand combat in a wide space, it is, of course, right to give up on that approach. However, if the enemy¡¯s direction of attack is limited to only one and I only need to deal with a few enemies, the story will be different. If I take a vantage point for the passage right now, I¡¯ll be able to hold on for quite a long time just by cutting down the undead in front of me. Of course, if so many of these guys rush into the passage, no matter how many times I cut them down, eventually the accumulated corpses will begin to pour out, but in the current situation, I have no other choice. The exit on the other side is blocked by the relatively strong ones among the undead, and gradually more and more undead paladins are appearing out of the ground and minimizing the vacant space left inside the room. And since I¡¯m trying to buy time while also making sure that I don¡¯t lose my life, I have to fight with an escape route behind me. Of course, the number of undead paladins pouring out is a problem, but... Since there are a lot of monsters infiltrating the Capital recently, the Imperial Knights are constantly guarding the Imperial Capital. And, with the help of the elite soldiers of the Imperial family, no matter how much holy power these undead possess, they will easily subdue the undead paladins, who are going to be greatly weakened under sunlight. ¡°Screeeech!!!¡± ¡°...These creepy bastards.¡± While thinking as such, I opened the door that Ferloche had entered through, settled down at the center of the long hallway, and locked the door. Of course, I don¡¯t think that door will hold up for long, but it¡¯s still better than having it wide open ¨C Crash!! ¡°Screech!!¡± ¡°...She¡¯s smiling.¡± Whether it was because of the glistening mana, or the icy cavern, Irina, who had a calm expression on her face, said that the woman was smiling too happily for a person who had been decapitated. It was a look that she should never have if she had really been Frey¡¯s sex slave who was had been killed for trying to run away. In addition to the trail of dried bloodstains at the entrance of the cavern continued all the way till here, there were numerous bloodstains next to the corpse. Seeing that, Irina came to the conclusion that the one who brought her here and the one who took the life of this woman must be Liana..in other words, Frey, who tends to cough up blood after every attack. ¡°Student! You must not enter that forest!!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m fully prepared.¡± ¡°Last time, an entire village was burned down by monsters residing in that forest! Seeing that only the corpses were left in the village, all the living people would have been taken to a cave... Do you still want to go?¡± Irina recalled the unfortunate incident she had heard from a local native who tried to stop her with all his might and became certain of one fact. ¡®Frey didn¡¯t kill a sex slave ... he was avenging her.¡¯ After doing something bad to someone, Frey does good deeds in secret, behind everyone¡¯s back. That was Frey¡¯s secret that she had discovered after a month long investigation. ¡°Just before, he threatened Ferloche to flee on purpose, so he could block the horde of undead by himself... I¡¯m sure of that as well.¡± And that conviction was once again solidified by Frey showing the same behavior this time as well. ¡®But why is he doing this?¡¯ Irina was completely convinced of Frey¡¯s actions, but she couldn¡¯t quite figure out why he was doing it. Of course, if she asked Frey directly, she could know right away... But there must be some reason why he puts so much effort into hiding his good deeds. It¡¯s too dangerous to approach him without knowing whether a variable occurred during this regression and Frey changed, or whether he was like that from the beginning. Because he was such an evil person, there could even be some kind of malice hidden in that good deed, or there could be some other reason why the good deed should not be discovered by anyone. So, it¡¯s still not time yet... ¨C Crash!! ¡°Huh!?¡± Irina, who had been immersed in her thoughts for so long, opened her eyes wide upon hearing the sudden roar and the desperate scream. ¡°Stop it!¡± I looked up to see what the hell was going on, and Frey, with bloodshot eyes, emerged from the passage, bleeding from his mouth, chased by a horde of undead. He literally pushed the undead out of his way. However, in the aftermath, Frey was also stabbed and wounded by those undead, yet he still kept charging at the colossal undead without hesitation. ¡°Ahhhh!!!¡± As he wielded his sword with all his power, one of the two colossal undead that was manipulating something lost its leg. ¡°Roooooooooar!!¡± ¡°Ahhhhhhh!!¡± Frey, who trembled as blood dripped from his eyes, began stabbing the undead. Meanwhile, the undead started manipulating the thing even more hastily as Frey twisted the sword he stabbed in the undead with all his might. ¡°Wait, I think something is wrong...¡± Irina, who was staring blankly at the scene, hurriedly started concentrating flames in her hands. ¡°DIEEEE!!¡± Meanwhile, Frey, who was twisting the sword with all his might, cut off the legs of the undead and smashed the thing they were tinkering with. ¡°Damn it...¡± With an unbelievable explosive power, he defeated a horde of undead paladins and two colossal undead. However, he seemed to have reached his limit. Because, after pouring out all his strength, he fell to his knees and then collapsed helplessly. ¡°No... I can¡¯t fall here...¡± Realizing that he no longer had any strength in his body, he pulled something out of his inner pocket with a desperate expression on his face, while Irina, who sensed an ominous feeling from it decided to intervene in the situation and shot flames from her hands. ¨C Whoosh!! ¡°Screeeech!!¡± As Irina launched fire from her hands, the undead around Frey began to burn. ¡°Wh-Who is¡ª¡± Then Frey put the strange object back in his pocket and barely asked a question in a strained voice. However, when Irina held him, Frey, who intuitively realized that he was being protected in the back of his fading consciousness slowly closed his eyes. ¨C Whooosh! ¡°Screeech!¡± Then Irina, who was holding Frey and shooting flames at the same time, started heading for the exit Frey had opened up as she ran out of mana that she had been accumulating for over a week. ¡°Screeech!!¡± ¡°Fuck off!!¡± Irina, who shot her last fireball that she could use at an undead who was too close for comfort, took out the attack spell scroll she had kept in her pocket just in case something happened. As she opened the door... ¡°...Sigh.¡± Soon she was able to figure out why Frey had suddenly returned in a hurry. ¡°Evacuate all the children in the orphanage!! Right now!!!¡± ¡°Saint... Stop insisting. If you keep doing that...¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t evacuate immediately, I¡¯ll use the ¡ºBlessing of the Sun God¡» to destroy the orphanage myself!!!¡± ¡°Th-The Blessing of the Sun God...?¡± Ferloche, who was lying on the floor, panted with a pale face, was screaming at the Pope and paladins who were blocking her path. Especially because of the sight that lay in front of her. ¨C Crackle! Crackle!! ¨C Toot! Toot! It was because in front of her a massive party was being in the orphange of the Sun God Church where firecrackers were popped and trumpets were being blown. ¡®Maybe... the magic circle on the ceiling...¡¯ Irina, who froze for a moment, broke out in a cold sweat when she realized the tragedy that would have transpired if it had not been for Frey. She then sensed a presence behind and hurriedly turned around. ¡°Screeech!!¡± ¡°F-Fuck!¡± Then, seeing an undead approaching right behind her, Irina hurriedly tore the attack scroll in her hand. ¨C Riiiiiip! ¡°H-huh!?¡± She was soon engulfed in light along with Frey, as they both vanished into thin air, sensing a familiar feeling she had experienced before during the performance evaluation incident. And then there was a brief moment of silence. ¡°Screeeech!!¡± ¡°Wh-What the hell!?¡± ¡°Undead! An undead has appeared!!¡± This was the prelude to the ¡ºHoly Undead Knight Incident¡» that would turn both the Empire and Sun God Church upside down. Wanna read ahead ? Buy coins here. You can unlock chapters with coins or rather ¡°genesis orbs¡±. You can also support us by becoming an exclusive member here. We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for more Korean Translators, for more details please join our discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 53: Transformation ? Transformation ? The place where Irina and Frey arrived was in a lush forest illuminated by light from all directions. ¡°Ugh...!¡± Irina, who was panting for a while due to the side effects of teleportation, began to scan the surrounding with a sharp gaze. ¡°W-Where are we?¡± ¡°I-Is he dead?¡± In Irina¡¯s arms remained Frey¡¯s unconscious self as he tightly held on to her. Irina frowned slightly as she looked at him. She laid him carefully on the floor and then she quietly placed her ear to his chest. ¡°...For now, he¡¯s alive.¡± Although his body was in terrible shape, Frey¡¯s heart was still beating albeit faintly. Irina, who heaved a sigh of relief after putting her head to Frey¡¯s chest, noticed his attire, which was torn by the undead. ¡°Well...¡± Irina hesitated for a moment as she looked at it, but after momentarily glancing at Frey she carefully took off his top and muttered. ¡°I mean, his condition is kind of strange as well.¡± His body was supposed to be pretty normal except for the traces of burning mana circuits and the wounds he had just received from the horde of undead. However, there was dark mana emanating from every nook and cranny of his torso. ¨C Rustle... After briefly observing the phenomenon quietly, Irina started stroking Frey¡¯s bare body with her own hands. Then she noticed a place where there weren¡¯t any visual wounds, the part of his body which she was about to touch last time. Now she felt a rough, patchy sensation in her hand. Irina, who continued to caress Frey¡¯s body as she touched that part, opened her eyes wide for a moment. ¡°Hey, is this...?¡± It was because the sparkling mana that Frey emitted during the intense battle he previously engaged in blended with the dark mana present in his torso, dissipating it in the process. His true body was revealed when the layer of dark mana was dispelled. ¡°Oh my God...¡± The state of his body, which was soon revealed completely, was appalling. His shoulder blades were bruised to the point that it turned deep blue. His body was riddled with wounds and scars from blades. Some of his wounds opened up again as blood oozed out of them. There wasn¡¯t a single part of his body that didn¡¯t bear a wound. ¡®Most of them are wounds from monsters or demons... Besides...¡¯ Since she was hailed as the best battle mage on the continent, Irina realized at a glance that those wounds were inflicted by demons and monsters. More precisely, upon closer look, she identified wounds that were inflicted by the demonic monsters from the ¡®Ashen Forest.¡¯ ¡°Why...? Why the hell did he do all this?¡± Of course, she didn¡¯t receive an answer from Frey, who was unconscious. After seeing Frey¡¯s condition, Irina returned to her senses, heaved a deep sigh, then began to lift him up again. Because Irina was a mage, she lacked physical strength, but Frey was light enough for her to lift him up without much difficulty. She inspected the patch of grass that was trampled upon by their sudden appearance while she was exploring the unknown area. ¡®...How the hell did this happen?¡¯ The scroll she bought was clearly an ¡®Attack Scroll¡¯. Irina was poor since her birth, and even with all the money she collected, it was not enough to buy an official scroll, so she bought an ¡®illegal scroll¡¯ in the back alley. Of course, there were rumors that stated, ¡®Buying a scroll in the back alley is suicidal¡¯ as it was a place where scroll scams were frequent. But Irina was confident. This was because she was a peerless genius when it comes to magic, and was destined to become an Archmage, who would be hailed across the world in the future. So, although she couldn¡¯t use magic, her magical knowledge was still there, and she believed it was enough to confidently purchase a scroll based on that. So, from morning, she searched all the magic scroll stores in the back alley, and finally was able to purchase scrolls from a shabby street vendor in the evening. Because all the other stores sold only fake or nonworking scrolls, there was only one place left. The owner¡¯s face was covered in bandage, and he seemed rather old. He handed a scroll to her with a meaningful smile, but she was sure it was an ¡®attack scroll¡¯ that was working properly. However, why did the attack scroll become a ¡®teleportation¡¯ scroll? Did he really make a mistake? ¡®Come to think of it... this happened last time as well...¡¯ Irina, who was still immersed in her thoughts, soon shook her head and began to move. The strange magic scroll, the mysterious owner, and the relevance of the similarity between the current and last incidents. But for now, it was more important to identify the location they were teleported to. ¡°...What?¡± Irina held Frey carefully and left the woodland. However, soon her expression hardened and she muttered under her breath when she witnessed the scene unfolding before her eyes. ¡°This... is...?¡± The sight of the shabby secret base she had built with Frey when she was young stood in front of her eyes. . . . . . ¡°Sigh...¡± Lying on the worn-out bed of the secret base, Irina stared at Frey, who was grunting. She frowned and looked at the setting sun on the horizon. ¡°...This is problematic.¡± This was the place where Frey and Irina¡¯s childhood memories were melded together, the forest near the Starlight Duchy, where her face got scarred in her desperate attempt to save Frey from a wolf. When she first realized that, Irina grabbed her head and pondered for a moment as to why the magic scroll had sent both of them to such a place. However, soon she quietly lifted Frey and swiftly began heading down the mountain. It was very easy for her to descend from the mountain because of her familiarity with the route since she was young, and after going down for a long time, she finally managed to make it to the street with Frey. However... ¡°T-This is...¡± Seeing the Imperial newspapers scattered across the street forced her to become frozen stiff with Frey still in her arms. Meanwhile, it has been revealed that ¡®Fray Raon Starlight,¡¯ known to be the prime suspect in this case, is currently resting in his dormitory as a result of the aftereffects of the ¡®Raid on Commoner¡¯s Dormitory¡¯ incident. The newspaper reported that Frey, whom she was holding now, was identified as the prime suspect in the ¡®Holy Undead Knight Incident.¡¯ However, soon when he was found to be resting in the dormitory he was freed from all suspicion. ¡®...Did Kania or Serena do something?¡¯ Irina, puzzled for a moment by the contents, soon assumed that either Kania or Serena, who were apparently helping him secretly, had created an alibi, and continued to read the newspaper. The ¡®Sun God Church¡¯ is officially protesting against Saintess Ferloche and the Third Imperial Princess, who gave false testimony. However, the Saintess and the Third Imperial Princess also announced that they would expose the lies hidden in the depths of the Church, causing a big stir... ¡°...Ugh.¡± But when the political nonsense she hated the most came out, Irina, whose brows furrowed, covered her face with the newspaper, and fell into deep thought as she gazed at Frey, whom she held in her arms. ¡®After all... we can¡¯t afford to stand out right now...¡¯ Although she had not yet figured out why Frey did this or what his purpose was, it was undoubtedly true that he saved Ferloche¡¯s life and the lives of thousands of children today. So, for now, she was determined to hide him. Irina climbed the mountain again and returned to the most familiar place, the ¡®Secret Base¡¯. ¡°Ugh...¡± So, watching the setting sun, Irina cautiously approached him as Frey, who was lying on her bed, moaned. ¡°This... I need to treat him...¡± Convinced that his wounds and physical condition will become critical before long, she began rummaging through her backpack, which she had been carrying until then. ¡°...Sigh.¡± ¡°You should know why I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Eventually, blocked by the maid at the entrance, she uttered a sentence in a subdued voice with an ashamed look, and the maid, who was well aware of the rumors about the relationship between Frey and Irina, avoided her gaze and moved away from her. ¡®Does Frey not care about rumors concerning him?¡¯ Irina, who had been trying to get inside Frey¡¯s room, racked her brains rapidly over the questions that suddenly arose in her mind. ¡®He could have suppressed rumors with his influence.¡¯ Rumors of evil people are very common in the Empire, but in recent years, Frey has remained as the true public enemy. According to the information that arrived in the academy, although Frey¡¯s innocence was proven in this case, many still believe he was the culprit. ¡®Is he committing evil deeds on purpose so that such rumors kept circulating? But why? Why does he need to go that far?¡¯ Irina, who was immersed in such anguish thoughts, arrived in front of Frey¡¯s room. She then gently knocked on the door. ¡°This is Irina. I¡¯m here to serve you.¡± However, there was no sound from the room. ¡°Please open the door. You said that if I don¡¯t serve you today, you will kill me.¡± Irina frowned and tried to lie, but the door still wouldn¡¯t open, and after heaving a deep sigh she settled down in the hallway and began to sob loudly. ¡°You... what¡¯s going on?¡± Then the head maid, who was managing the aristocratic dormitory, hurriedly approached her and began to yell at her. ¡°What are you going to do if the nobles wake up?! Then both of us will die...¡± ¡°B-But...! If I don¡¯t serve Frey today, I¡¯ll be killed!¡± Irina, who shouted at her with an appalled expression, grabbed the maid¡¯s leg and began pleading. ¡°Please! Head maid...! I don¡¯t want to die!...I endured this terrible life...! It¡¯s just too unfair to die because I can¡¯t serve him...!¡± ¡°Sigh...¡± The head maid also heard of the rumors floating in the academy, so she began hesitating when she saw the desperate expression on Irina¡¯s face. Irina knew well that the head maid had died in the previous timeline while taking the lead in helping the commoners escape when the academy was invaded. Thus, she began to plead even more realistically. ¡°Please help... I¡¯m begging you... I want to live. I don¡¯t want to die like this. So please...¡± ¡°Let me check for a moment.¡± ¡°Ye-Yes?¡± Then the head maid started checking Irina¡¯s body. She quietly looked at her and said. ¡°There are no weapons.¡± ¡°Of course! If I did something like that...!¡± ¡°All right, come in. Your mana is also lacking, so I¡¯m making an exception for you.¡± Head maid said so, then carefully handed over the key and whispered. ¡°...Even if you¡¯re going to die soon anyway, don¡¯t bother killing yourself and ruin your life.¡± Having said, the head maid soon faded into the darkness. ¡°...Gulp.¡± Irina briefly watched her fading back, then she opened the door with the key and cautiously entered the room. ¡°You, wake up.¡± Irina muttered coldly to the person who was lying on the bed, pretending to be Frey. However, when he didn¡¯t get up, she began shaking him. ¡°I don¡¯t know who this is, but wake up. I want to know the truth.¡± ¡°Mhmm...¡± ¡°Wake up! Right now!! Get up!!¡± However, the fake Frey remained silent. ¡°Damn, what? Was it a doll and not a human?¡± Irina, who was expecting to find out the truth from the person disguised as Frey, was confused when the fake Frey did not move. ¨C Press ¨C Press ¡°It¡¯s strange. It feels similar to real skin... and it even has a heartbeat.¡± Irina, who was inspecting the body of the fake Frey by poking at him, unintentionally pressed down on his belly ... ¡°Mew... meow!¡± Suddenly, a strange sound came from somewhere. ¡°Wait, what? Is it coming from the cat doll?¡± Irina stepped back in horror. However, when she found the cat doll at his bedside, she picked it up and tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Meow, meow...!¡± ¡°Why is it meowing when I am poking a fake Frey?¡± Irina realized that when she pressed the fake Frey¡¯s belly, the cat doll was letting out a cry. ¡°Aha... it was like that...¡± ¡°Ah, ah, ah... meow!¡± Irina opened the cat doll¡¯s mouth and muttered with a smile, feeling pleased upon her discovery. ¡°...If I use this well, couldn¡¯t this work?¡± . . . . . ¡°Ugh...¡± When morning came, Frey, who had been unconscious for a while, groaned and tossed around before eventually opening his eyes. ¡°Young Master, are you awake?¡± ¡°Ka-Kania?¡± Then Kania, who was in front of him, bowed her head in greeting, and Frey, who was looking at her in a daze, immediately smiled broadly and began asking a barrage of questions. ¡°Were you the one who saved me?¡± Kania bowed her head and answered. ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡± ¡°Sigh... I¡¯m so glad... I thought I was really going to die.¡± Then, with a relieved expression on his face, Frey thanked Kania profusely. Kania looked at him calmly and muttered quietly to herself. ¡®...All right, I tricked him.¡¯ Wanna read ahead ? Buy coins here. You can unlock chapters with coins or rather ¡°genesis orbs¡±. You can also support us by becoming an exclusive member here. You should check out the illustrations on our dis?cord server We are Recruiting! ¡ºWe are looking for more Korean Translators, for more details please join our discord server¡ª¡» Chapter 54: The Truth and Delusion ? The Truth And Delusion ? ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Frey, who was looking at Kania with a cheerful expression on his face, suddenly covered his mouth and began coughing. ¡°A-Are you all right?¡± Before long, he threw up quite a lot of blood as Kania approached him cautiously with a bewildered look on her face. ¡°Why are you so surprised? It¡¯s always been this way.¡± Upon seeing her exaggerated reaction, Frey smiled and raised his hand to stop her from approaching. He then pulled something out of his pocket. ¡°That...¡± ¡°It seems that the duration of the self-cleaning magic spell has expired.¡± After wiping the blood from his lips, Frey frowned as the stain on his handkerchief couldn¡¯t be removed, and then held out the handkerchief to Kania and said. ¡°Kania, can you cast the self-cleaning magic spell on the handkerchief again?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s... I apologize, Young Master.¡± Then Kania momentarily flinched, then crouched down and said. ¡°I used up all my mana to secretly hide the Young Master. I¡¯m truly sorry.¡± ¡°No wonder... I couldn¡¯t sense any dark mana from you at all. But where is this place?¡± Upon hearing her words, Frey put the handkerchief back in his pocket with a flustered expression and immediately scanned his surroundings. He then asked a question with a perplexed expression. ¡°Ah... This is the hiding place I prepared for you in advance.¡± ¡°After all, you¡¯re the best aide.¡± Upon Hearing this, Frey smiled brightly and complimented Kania as she bowed her head in return, and said. ¡°Young Master, you must hide here for now.¡± ¡°...What do you mean?¡± ¡°Look at this.¡± Frey, who took the newspaper handed to him by Kania, began to read it attentively. He then smirked and muttered under his breath. ¡°Yes, Pope... He is trying to protect me by any means possible.¡± ¡°The Pope?¡± ¡°Yes, the Pope is actually in cahoots with the Demon King. Isn¡¯t that funny?¡± Upon Hearing that, Kania¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Oh, haven¡¯t I told you about this yet? Well... It¡¯s a fact that only I¡¯m aware of among those who have gone through the previous timeline...¡± ¡°Previous timeline... you mean?¡± ¡°Yes, only the highest-ranking officials and the Demon King knew that the Pope was on their side in the previous timeline. Of course, I knew it from the Prophecy.¡± Eventually, when the story of the ¡®Previous Timeline¡¯ and the ¡®Prophecy¡¯ came out, Kania glanced at Frey in confusion, and then she hurriedly fixed her expression back to normal. ¡°Are you all right, Kania? Are you sick?¡± Then Frey inquired about Kania¡¯s wellbeing with a concerned look on his face. ¡°... Are you worrying about me?¡± Upon hearing his words, Kania replied with an absurd expression as she heaved a deep sigh and took something out of her bag. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°...A medicinal herb.¡± While saying that, Kania, who had inadvertently almost put the herbs in her mouth, stopped midway and blushed. ¡°Chew it thoroughly. It will help your body.¡± ¡°Uh... Thank you?¡± Then she turned her gaze away and handed Frey the herb. He accepted it without a word, albeit a little surprised by her actions. ¡°Looking at the fact that you bought herbs instead of potions, I guess it must be a pretty effective herb?¡± ¡°Uh... yes.¡± ¡°Ummm... It¡¯s a bit bitter, but it¡¯s edible.¡± Frey, who had been chewing on herbs for a while, staggered and tried to get up. ¡°No, Young Master. You must rest.¡± Then Kania hurriedly ran and settled him down back on the bed. Meanwhile, Frey, who sat on the bed, let out a rough gasp and began scanning his surroundings. He then mumbled. ¡°It¡¯s strange... I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve seen this place before...¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Is there any furniture here? I feel like some furniture is missing...¡± ¡°There was no furniture here from the beginning. It was completely empty.¡± Then, as Frey frowned and began to inquire, Kania started staring at the exit with a nervous expression on her face. She then hurriedly cut off his words, and before Frey could even ask any further questions, she quickly changed the subject. ¡°By any chance, aren¡¯t you hungry? Young Master?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You have to eat to recover your health. So, I¡¯ll get you something to eat.¡± Having said that, Kania said so seriously. Seeing her serious expression, Frey smirked and opened his mouth. ¡°I guess you really are Kania, since you¡¯re nagging me to eat.¡± ¡°Ye-Yes.¡± ¡°Well, even if I refuse, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll just force feed me anyway... so I¡¯ll eat it with gratitude. Thank you.¡± ¡°Then please wait here for a while. And, since Young Master¡¯s current physical condition is the worst, don¡¯t move from your bed.¡± Upon hearing that, Frey nodded hard and smiled as Kania looked at him sullenly, then headed for the exit of the secret base. ¡°..Damn, I almost got caught. Since when the hell does he remember all that?¡± After she came out, she wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and grumbled. Meanwhile, the furnitures that had the memories of their secret place were stacked around her. . . . . . ¡°Uh... Kania? What¡¯s all this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s your meal, Young Master.¡± Frey muttered as he looked at the food that Kania had brought in a daze. ¡°Um... well, how should I put it? It¡¯s a rather humble meal, huh?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do, Young Master. There¡¯s a very high chance that I¡¯m also being watched, and because I can¡¯t use black magic to hide myself right now, I had no choice but to grab these foods...¡± Because she didn¡¯t have money, she began to spout all sorts of excuses while looking at Frey. Frey, who is notorious for his picky eating habits only feasts on high-end cuisine. That¡¯s why Irina was worried that he might be furious. ¡°Haha... It¡¯s fine! It reminds me of the past, so it¡¯s nice.¡± But as Frey continued to stare blankly at the food, she asked. ¡°...The past?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right... When I was young, Irina and I used to roam the mountains near her house and build a secret base like this. Back then Irina would bring these sort of food.¡± Frey, who was talking while looking at the food that Kania had brought with dim eyes, quickly smiled. ¡°The first time Irina brought these foods, I asked how on earth I was supposed to eat these things.¡± ¡°The pain you had to go through because of me should never be justified, even if my purpose was to save the world.¡± ¡°So, I sincerely hope you stop suffering from guilt.¡± ¡°But... you, no... the Young Master¡¯s lifespan...¡± ¡°It¡¯s still enough. The Academy invasion Incident will transpire within the time frame of two years and six months anyway...¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it...¡± Kania, who continued to stutter with a despondent expression, finally came to her senses and asked. ¡°What are the exact conditions for... ¡®getting discovered¡¯?¡± ¡°Um... the moment someone becomes ¡®certain¡¯ that I have falsely committed an ¡®evil¡¯ deed, the penalty is incurred.¡± ¡°Then, two months ago...¡± ¡°Yes, like you said, around that time, someone must have become ¡®certain¡¯ about my fallacies. That¡¯s why I coughed out a lot of blood.¡± Having said that, Frey coughed again. He then heaved a deep sigh and continued speaking. ¡°Anyway, because of those reasons... I don¡¯t know what to say, even if I find out who discovered my secret.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± ¡°Sigh... By the way, there¡¯s a problem. The ordeal will soon start again.¡± ¡°Ordeal?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s an accursed trial that even I don¡¯t know who the hell created. Fortunately, I don¡¯t have to go through it all at once, and instead can clear slowly one step at a time... Cough! Cough! Sorry. Let¡¯s continue this conversation later.¡± As Kania once again failed to control her expression, Frey quickly ended the discussion there and began to talk about the fish skewer in her hand. ¡°By the way, this is really delicious... I feel sorry for Irina, but it¡¯s several times better than the fish she used to cook back in the day.¡± ¡°...it¡¯s because of the experience.¡± ¡°Well, is it? You were good at cooking since the beginning...¡± ¡®I¡¯ve been living here alone for several years... and I¡¯ve been grilling these all by myself, so it¡¯s only natural that my skills improved.¡¯ She smiled brightly and muttered under her breath what she wanted to say to him. ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± ¡°Yes, isn¡¯t it the ¡®Ice Dragon Berry¡¯?¡± ¡°Ice Dragon...¡± ¡°Yes, Irina told me... A long time ago, there is a legend that the fish that ate this delicious berry became an Ice Dragon and ascended to heaven. That¡¯s why it¡¯s called ¡®Ice Dragon Berry¡¯. Isn¡¯t it funny?¡± Before long, Irina realized that Frey still believed the tale she came up on her own when she was a child. Looking at Frey speaking with an innocent face, she quickly closed her eyes and said. ¡°...I need to go to the bathroom for a moment.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Go, go.¡± As Frey nodded his head, Kania momentarily glanced at him seriously and then headed for the exit. ¡°Ugh...¡± Coming out of the secret base, Irina, who had been pretending to be Kania until then, plopped down as she leaned against the tree next to her and groaned. ¡°Ugh, it hurts...¡± It was because her stomach and chest had started to ache like they were being squeezed tight. ¡°...This must be the side effect of the transformation potion.¡± She concurred that the sudden anomaly must have something to do with the potion. She then began to sort out all the facts that Frey had told her. ¡°...Fuck.¡± Irina, who summarized everything he said in her head, his actions in both the present and past timelines, spat out a curse. ¡°What am I even supposed to do now...?¡± She began muttering in a daze. ¡°Yes... Frey¡¯s right... I don¡¯t have to feel guilty... It was painful for us too... Even if he claims it was all for the sake of the world... How can I just accept that....¡± She, who was hailed as the ¡®Second Coming of Hellfire¡¯ that burned everything, was judging the situation calmly as her heart turned cold due to numerous prolonged battles with the Demon King¡¯s army and the death of her comrades. Frey, whose time is slowly running out, has willingly chosen that path for himself. Because of his ¡®Special Ability,¡¯ he was forced to commit evil deeds. Nonetheless, it was still a grave sin that he could never justify. Even if the world was destroyed and the Demon King burned everything down, if he didn¡¯t commit those sins. What he did... ¡®...Can he justify it?¡¯ Irina, who was immersed in such thoughts, soon shook her head vigorously in order to shake off those thoughts. ¡°Ha... Ha... Ha...¡± Even though Irina managed to shake off her idle thoughts, her heart was still in turmoil. ¡°Because I noticed... his lifespan was cut in half? Half?¡± As Frey says, she isn¡¯t entitled to feel guilty, but for some reason her heart keeps aching, as if it will shatter. ¡°Then, did he take the ¡®Oath of Death¡¯... to give me mana?¡± When she collapsed in the dueling ground during the performance evaluation, the vivid scene of Frey¡¯s bewildered expression flashed through her mind. ¡°Even at the Freshmen welcome party for new students...?¡± Irina, who was slowly turning crazy because of her own thoughts, suddenly opened her eyes and mumbled in a serious tone. ¡°Wait, then... How did he survive the ?12 o¡¯clock Curse??¡± At first, she thought that the Demon King had intervened and protected Frey. However, according to the facts revealed today, he is fighting against the Demon King. If that¡¯s the case... how did he avoid the dreadful ?12 o¡¯clock Curse?? ¡®I hope... I hope...!¡¯ While Irina was pondering over this, she eventually realized that there was one terrifying possibility. The possibility that Frey must have used the most devastating purification methods of all, the only way to escape the most lethal curse, the ?12 o¡¯clock Curse?. ¡°No... It can¡¯t... It can¡¯t...¡± Of course, there were only a few people across the continent, including Irina, who knew how to do it, so she started to deny it. However, when she recalled the instance when knew trick about ¡®Sacrificial Magic Circle¡¯ that only she was aware of, Irina began deliberating his words again. ¡°Before... he clearly said it was an Ordeal...¡± Before long, as she recalled Frey¡¯s meaningful remarks, her face gradually turned pale. ¡°Don¡¯t have to go through it all at once... Slowly... One step at a time...¡± Irina, who was helplessly repeating those words, rushed to the secret base where Frey was. ¡°Y-Young Master! Is that ordeal...!¡± The moment she saw Frey, Irina tried to ask him about the so called ¡ºOrdeal¡» in a hurry. However¡ª ¡°M-Mother...!¡± ¡°.....!¡± Frey, who couldn¡¯t even get up from his bed earlier because of the agonizing pain, sprang up instantly while quivering. He then laughed out loud cheerfully and began spouting gibberish. Upon seeing this sight, Irina froze on the spot. ¡± Even though it¡¯s just a dream shown by the ordeal... It¡¯s nice to see you again like this... Haha...¡± ¡°N-No...¡± Having said that, Frey, who smiled brightly, clasped her hand. Meanwhile, Irina, who was staring at him, turned pale as she muttered in a despondent tone. ¡°Did... you really use that method?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing fine. Of course, I¡¯m getting along well with my younger sister as well. My father is a little sick, but I must...¡± However, in front of her, Frey only smiled beamingly as he clasped her hand. Wanna read ahead ? Buy coins here. You can unlock chapters with coins or rather ¡°genesis orbs¡±. You can also support us by becoming an exclusive member here. Chapter 55: Traces ? Traces ? ¡°F-Frey... wake up...¡± ¡°Oh, are you leaving already? Then... see you later.¡± Frey, who had been holding her hand for a long time while talking in a bizarre way, let go of her hand and began waving with a melancholic expression. ¡°...Huh?¡± After a moment of hesitation, Frey noticed ¡®Kania¡¯ standing in front of him and opened his mouth with an apologetic expression. ¡°Oh, Kania... I apologize. Because of the ordeal, you looked like my mother.¡± Frey smiled and talked as if it was no big deal, but ¡®Kania¡¯ just stared blankly at him. ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t have to worry? Rather, it was nice to see my mother after a long time. It seems that my mental health has recovered a bit. The first ordeal doesn¡¯t do any harm to me.¡± Frey, thinking that Kania was overly concerned about him like always, said in a calm voice to reassure her. ¡®He really...used that purification method...¡¯ However, Irina¡¯s complexion turned pale as she was thinking about the effects of the curse she had cast to kill Frey. ?12 o¡¯clock Curse?, which Irina cast on Frey in exchange for a year of mana exhaustion on the first day of her regression, is one of the most terrifying curses in the world. But that doesn¡¯t mean there isn¡¯t a way to lift the curse. The only way to do so is to endure all the pain inflicted by the curse for 24 hours and then destroy a clock one minute before its hour hand strikes ¡º12¡», announcing the beginning of the next day. Compared to other terrifying curses of similar strength, at first glance, the way of lifting it appears to be fair, although a bit frustrating. However, in reality, this isn¡¯t the case at all. First of all, the pain suffered for 24 hours due to the ?12 o¡¯clock Curse? curse is agonizing enough to cause death, so it¡¯s impossible to endure it for an entire day while holding on to your consciousness. The person who lasted the longest was recorded to have endured it for a mere six hours. It¡¯s all that needed to be said to describe how terrifying the method of purifying the curse is. And, even if you somehow manage to break the clock, it doesn¡¯t end there. Even after breaking the clock, you will keep suffering from that excruciating pain until you die. Of course, most people would rather choose death than constantly suffer in agony till their last breath... ¡°In just a few more days, the first ordeal will end. So don¡¯t worry...¡± However, for a person who has a reason not to die. A person who shoulders the destiny to protect the world from the Demon King. He will have no choice but to suffer for eternity. ¡°Kania, you¡¯re acting a little weird today. Are you really all right?¡± ¡°Oh, yes... I¡¯m fine.¡± Irina continued to think about the curse, which she had placed on him, and when Frey asked her a question with a worried look on his face, she finally came to her senses and answered. ¡°Come on, eat this.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because your face looks pale. If you faint here, the situation will become problematic.¡± Then Frey, who looked at her quietly, quietly held out a fish skewer to her. ¡°Anyway, it doesn¡¯t matter if I fall as long as I can kill the Demon King, so your health is more important, so don¡¯t hesitate to eat.¡± ¡°......Yes.¡± When Irina kept hesitating, Frey said that with a stern expression as he waved the fish skewer at her, and in the end Irina was forced to grab the skewer with her trembling hands. ¡°By the way, what about the future? According to the newspaper I read earlier... I¡¯m supposed to be in my dormitory at Sunrise Academy.¡± Eventually, when ¡®Kania¡¯ began to eat the fish slowly, Frey, who was looking at her cheerfully, heaved a sigh and muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll need your stealth skills to sneak back into the dormitory... When do you think your dark mana will recover?¡± ¡°Uh... I think it¡¯ll take another day or so.¡± ¡°Hmm, is that so? Well, I guess I¡¯ll just recuperate for one more day.¡± In response to Irina¡¯s words, Frey nodded his head and mumbled as such before lying down on the bed. ¡°By the way, Kania, what happened to the ¡®Scroll Merchant¡¯ that I ordered you to take care of last time?¡± ¡°Scroll... merchant?¡± When Irina reacted to the word ¡®scroll,¡¯ Frey spoke with a sharp look. ¡°Yes, the ¡®Mastermind¡¯ who was the real culprit behind the last ¡®Performance Evaluation Incident¡¯.¡± ¡°Oh, yes... I¡¯m investigating.¡± ¡°Be sure to catch him. Something¡¯s odd.¡± Having said that, Frey coughed slightly and lay on the bed. Meanwhile, Irina, who was staring at him, said in a hushed tone. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go outside for a while. Young Master, please wait here.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you, Kania.¡± So, having finished conversing with Frey, Irina trudged out of the secret base. ¡°Sigh...¡± Irina, who had been walking alone in the woods for a long time, plopped down when she reached the river. ¡°I... I...¡± Soon, Irina stared blankly at her feet as a fish passed her by, and began to mumble in a crestfallen voice. ¡°I just... just wanted to fix everything...¡± When she first regressed, she knew this was a mission given to her by the God. This is the mission that God gave her because they took pity on her for not being able to protect her friend, protect the Empire, and kill the Demon King. So, without hesitation, she cast the most dreadful curse she knew on Frey, who was as evil as the Demon King in her previous life. However, Frey was actually a Hero who did his best to protect everyone. And due to the curse that I cast on him, he will suffer from unforgettable and excruciating pain for the rest of life, on top of his lifespan being cut short because of me. ¡°Sigh...¡± Such thoughts kept haunting her mind and seemed to pierce her heart as she kept biting her nails. So, she clenched her teeth and plunged her face into the flowing river. ¡°...Puh.¡± It was an act she did intending to regain her composure by cooling her head in the cold river water. However, instead of cooling her head, it became even more complicated. Just like pouring water on a raging fire, it vaporizes instantly instead of cooling it down. Irina, who had suddenly become depressed, muttered as she felt the water dripping from her head. ¡®I used to come here... to play with Frey...¡¯ Irina¡¯s eyes, which had their light, memories of Frey glimmered. ¡°Irina... Why can¡¯t I catch anything?¡± ¡°You moron, you didn¡¯t use the bait.¡± ¡°Ugh...!¡± But it wasn¡¯t long before agonizing pain haunted her, as a result of attempting to generate mana by force. ¡®This is ... not a problem ... My mana circuits have been burned and cut off several times ... This amount of pain is...¡¯ Of course, it was Irina, who had frequently injured her mana circuits in the previous timeline, but squeezing her mana circuit forcefully was a formidable task even for her. Her eyes became bloodshot as blood began to drip from her lips. ¡°Huh... ha...¡± After squeezing out all the mana that remained in her body in her palm, she muttered and blew her mana in the shape of a sphere into the sky. ¡°Frey... Find Frey Raon Starlight... Find him.¡± Then the spinning mana sphere began emanating light and flew away. Watching the light move with a miniscule amount of mana would revolutionize magic in the future. This had always helped her to win when she used to play hide and seek with Frey as a child. Irina then began to run in full speed. ¡°Frey! Are you there!? Frey!!¡± Irina, who was chasing after the sphere while screaming desperately, muttered as her expression hardened at the sight that entered her field of vision. ¡®Is this... where I was before?¡¯ Realizing that she had arrived back at the place where she had discovered dark mana earlier, Irina noticed the sphere rapidly flying toward the place where she had felt the presence of dark mana. She then began running in that direction with an appalled look on her face. ¡°Oh no! No!!¡± Despite her earnest cry, the sphere continued to fly rapidly to the place where the dark mana lingered was emanating, as Irina could only watch in horror. Soon, she muttered. ¡®If... If Frey was attacked while I was away... or, if Frey, who was suffering from hallucinations, headed there on his own...!¡¯ The torrential downpour had messed her hair up and drenched her clothes, but she kept running. ¡°Ah!¡± Then Irina stumbled on her foot and rolled on the dirt floor. She grabbed her sprained foot and groaned for a moment before she getting up staggeringly while clenching her teeth. ¡°Frey!! Can you hear me!? Frey!!¡± Irina¡¯s gait staggered as she dragged her injured foot and continued to yell Frey¡¯s name. However, the moment she came out of the thicket, she momentarily stopped to catch her breath. ¡°Gasp, gasp...¡± Her arms and legs were all scraped and scarred, and her sprained feet throbbed in pain. The mana she barely mustered by squeezing out her mana circuits was only enough to launch two fireballs. However, despite such a desperate situation, Irina trudged on and began to head towards her sphere. ¡®...This is?¡¯ Dragging her sprained foot, she arrived at the entrance to a cavern hidden under a shade. ¨C Whoosh... Irina scanned at the entrance of the cavern vigilantly as it was permeating dark magic. She then noticed the sphere fly past her and enter the cave.. ¡°...Whoa.¡± After seeing that and making up her mind, Irina stretched her arms forward so that she could shoot her fireball at any time, and then she cautiously began to enter the cave. ¡®...It¡¯s definitely not Kania¡¯s mana.¡¯ As she moved deeper and deeper, Irina quietly fell into deep thoughts. Although she is a warlock, Kania, who has a good heart, could never emit such sinister mana. In other words, the existence that lies beyond is not Kania, but an evil being. Whether it¡¯s a warlock hiding here or a demon... If it emits such a sinister mana, it must be quite the powerful existence. ¡®Can I win?¡¯ Irina momentarily thought as such, but soon shook her head to shake off her doubt. She can¡¯t predict what will happen to Frey if she backs away now. So, she must do whatever it takes to get him out of here. That is the only thing she would focus on for now. ¨C Screech... As Irina moved carefully with that determination, she gulped upon noticing her flying sphere melt and disappear in front of a gate made of stone. Frey is in front of me. Maybe it¡¯s already too late, or maybe Frey is waiting eagerly for someone¡¯s help. Opening this door means I can¡¯t turn back. I will face Frey, whose state might not be normal. ¨C Creak... But if she didn¡¯t open this door, she had no idea what would happen to Frey, so she carefully opened the door while listening to her pounding heartbeat. ¡°...Young Master?¡± There Frey¡¯s figure, standing still with his back turned to her, came into her view. ¡°Yes, Kania.¡± And after a while, as Frey replied to her in a sane voice, ¡®Kania¡¯ approached him with a slightly relieved expression on her face. ¡°What the hell are you doing here...¡± ¡°Are you interfering in my hallucinations again? Because I told you not to.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Then, when Frey suddenly began spouting mysterious words, she inquired with a bewildered look. ¡°I came out of the secret base for a while because I was feeling frustrated... The forest that appeared in my dream last time, where I was chased by the Werewolf with Irina, became a reality.¡± ¡°I-Is that so...¡± Irina muttered as such while trying to comprehend his statement, but then she suddenly frowned and asked a question. ¡°By the way, why a werewolf?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know, but from what I saw in my dream back then, Irina and I were being chased by a pack of wolves and a werewolf. I don¡¯t know why there was a werewolf in such an ordinary forest...!¡± Then Frey, who was giving her an explanation, suddenly grabbed his head, lost his balance, and was about to collapse on the floor. ¡°Y-Young master?¡± ¡°Ugh... my memories, my memories...¡± Feeling confused, Irina flung her body in order to catch him. But Frey, who let out an aggrieved groan, soon lost consciousness and collapsed on the floor. ¡°Damn, what the hell is this...¡± ¨C Creak... Irina, who was feeling perplexed by this situation, suddenly stretched out her hand with a puzzled look when the stone gate behind them suddenly opened. ¡°K-Kania?¡± ¡°.....!¡± She soon froze after she saw the person behind the door. ¡°...Why are you here?¡± Frey¡¯s younger sister, Aria Raon Starlight, was staring blankly at her, who had become a physical wreck. Chapter 56: What I Wished Wouldn’t Happen ? What I Wished Wouldn¡¯t Happen ? ¡°B-Brother?¡± Aria, who was staring blankly at Irina in her disguise as Kania, found Frey in her arms and opened her mouth in surprise. ¡°Kania... What the hell happened?¡± Irina, who was looking at Aria in a daze, began to rack her brain, which froze as a result of the shock. ¡°Ah... That. I was hiding the Young Master here.¡± ¡°Hiding him...?¡± ¡°Yes, don¡¯t you know?. Because of the recent ¡ºHoly Undead Knight Incident¡».¡± Irina, who was forced to lie in order to protect Frey¡¯s life, turned her gaze away from Aria¡¯s twinkling eyes and said so. ¡°The Young Master had some kind of connection with that case. So, I hid us here in this mountain and when I accidentally discovered this cavern, I decided to go inside.¡± ¡°...Really?¡± After hearing those words, Aria looked at Irina doubtfully for a moment and inquired. ¡°By the way, why can¡¯t I feel any dark mana from you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s... because I used it all while trying to get Young Master out of the crime scene...¡± ¡°Then, was he really behind the incident?¡± As Irina continued to avoid her gaze and come up with an excuse, Aria, who was biting her lips tightly, murmured with a grim expression. ¡°Is my brother really behind the ¡ºHoly Undead Knight Incident¡» that caused an upheaval across the Empire?¡± ¡°I apologize. I can¡¯t tell you anything.¡± Of course, she knew the truth, but if she said it, Frey would only have a year and three months left to live, so she had no choice but to ignore Aria¡¯s question. ¨C Gnash... Then, glaring at Irina like that, Aria gnashed her teeth and said with a resolute look on her face. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Obviously, both you and my brother are lying. I can tell.¡± ¡°Uh... that¡¯s...¡± ¡°Like I said before, I¡¯ll have to figure out the truth somehow. Somehow...¡± At that moment, Irina became terrified of her and was contemplating whether she should add more details to her lie. Meanwhile, Aria lowered her head and muttered. ¡°...I have to find out, but I can¡¯t help but get tired¡ª¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°¡ªBelieving in you... trying to find the truth... I¡¯m getting tired of it all now.¡± Having said that, Aria crouched in front of Irina and begged her for answers. ¡°Kania, tell me the truth. Everything you know. I can bear the truth...¡± ¡°No.¡± Irina, who kept avoiding her gaze, cut off Aria mid-sentence and pushed her away. ¡°I¡¯m just the Young Master¡¯s tool.¡± Irina recalled Kania¡¯s words that she had told her in the previous timeline and imitated her as much as possible. Meanwhile, Aria kept staring at in silence. ¡°Ugh... my head...¡± Amidst that tense atmosphere that formed between the two of them, Frey, who was in Irina¡¯s arms, groaned and opened his eyes. ¡°...Mhmm.¡± And Frey, who was about to say something to Irina with a smile on his face, found Aria staring coldly at her and froze for a moment. ¨C Scribble, scribble. Worried that Frey might still regard the situation as a hallucination, Irina hurriedly began tracing the following words with her finger on his back: ¨C Reality When after a while Irina¡¯s fingers stopped, Frey took a deep breath, then staggered up and said sternly. ¡°So, why are you here? Aria?¡± ¡°That¡¯s... what I should be asking you.¡± Sparks lit up between Frey¡¯s and Aria¡¯s eyes. ¡°Why are you here? Frey?¡± ¡°Like I said before...¡± ¡°Stay quiet and watch, Kania.¡± When Aria frowned and asked, Irina hurriedly interrupted the conversation between the two. However, Aria shut her up and asked Frey once again. ¡°Tell me with your own mouth. Why the hell are you here?¡± Then, after grimacing for a brief moment, Frey, who had already taken everything into consideration, opened his mouth with a wintry smile. ¡°I ran away.¡± ¡°...From what?¡± ¡°Well? I wonder?¡± ¡°Stop trying to dodge the question and tell me now...¡± When Aria interrogated him furiously, Frey suddenly grabbed Irina, who was standing next to him and began choking her. ¡°Huh...!¡± ¡°By the way... Kania, did you just say ¡®Like I said before¡¯?¡± ¡°I-I a-apologize...!¡± ¡°I obviously told you not to tell anyone the truth... you useless bastard...¡± Then Aria, who was watching the scene, hurriedly grabbed Frey¡¯s arm and started screaming. ¡°Hey, stop it! Big sis Kania didn¡¯t say anything! I just tried to interrogate her...!¡± ¡°...What? ¡®Sis¡¯?¡± Frey, who heard Aria¡¯s cry, opened his mouth with an astonished look. ¡°Why is this lowlife your sister? You¡¯re a member of the noble Starlight family, not a loser wandering the streets.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t spout such disgusting words...¡± ¡°Well, looking at your behavior, it seems like a commoner has somehow gotten into our family? Later, I¡¯ll investigate your origins with magic...¡± ¡°I told you to stop!!¡± Aria, who eventually exploded when his remarks went too far, concentrated stellar mana in her palms and pushed Frey away. ¡°...Ugh!¡± Then Frey, who had been strangling Irina until then, slammed into the wall and let out a groan. ¡°Y-You can¡¯t be my brother! You¡¯re not my brother...!¡± Meanwhile, Aria, who had erupted from the stress and rage she had accumulated so far, concentrated stellar mana in her fists once more and began to approach him. ¡°Please wait! Young Lady Aria!¡± Seeing her like that, Irina, who, in fact, didn¡¯t feel any pain because Frey only pretended to strangle her, hastily started crying out at her. ¡°Please stop! At this rate...!¡± ¨C Slam!!! However, Aria gathered stellar mana and slammed her fist into Frey¡¯s face. In the aftermath, the resulting wind blew the dust and dirt that covered them both. Irina who stared at the scene of fight in a daze, began walking towards them in haste. ¡°Cough! Cough!!¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± A momentary silence lingered since Frey constantly began to cough and groan as Aria¡¯s clothes were stained red with his blood. ¡°How did this happen?¡± ¡°Uhhh... I-It¡¯s nothing. This is just... Cough!!¡± ¡°Brother!?¡±ViiSiit novelbi/n(.)c/(o)m for latest novels Frey, who struggled to utter an answer to Aria with a calm look, staggered up once again as blood trickled down his lips. Aria¡¯s expression turned grim at that horrific sight. She shook Frey and began asking him questions. ¡°Is it because I pushed you earlier? Where does it hurt? Or does it have something to do with the ¡ºHoly Undead Knight Incident¡»?¡± ¡°No... that¡¯s...¡± ¡°Answer me right now. Why the hell did you throw up this much blood...!¡± Aria, feeling something strange as Frey kept avoiding her gaze and fumbled on his words, pulled her fists out of the wall and pushed him away. ¨C Crash!! ¡°Seeing you breath a sigh of relief, you must have been a little worried for her, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s because I ran out of stellar mana. Since I can¡¯t feel dark mana or use my own stellar mana, if something unexpected happens, there will be serious problems.¡± In response to Irina¡¯s words, Frey heaved a deep sigh and began following Aria. However, just as Irina was about to follow Frey, she suddenly sensed something stranged and looked back. ¡®...Perhaps I¡¯m mistaken?¡¯ For some reason, she sensed dark mana behind her rather than in front. But it was only for a brief moment, so she thought that she was mistaken. She then began following Frey, who had already walked quite a long way ahead of her. ¡°Here. Dark mana is emanating from everywhere.¡± Frey and Irina, who had been walking for a while, came to a standstill upon hearing Aria¡¯s words and sneaked a peek ahead. ¡°Here... what the hell is this place for...?¡± In front of them, a huge gate stood still. ¡°...Kania, what¡¯s wrong?¡± When Irina muttered as such involuntarily while trembling anxiously, Frey looked at her with a worried expression and whispered. ¡°I can sense abominable dark mana in front of me. I¡¯ve never felt such an immense dark mana... besides once.¡± ¡°When is that?¡± ¡°In the previous timeline when K... Kania, no, when I lost control of my powers.¡± ¡°What...?¡± Frey, who couldn¡¯t feel dark mana properly because of his lack of stellar mana, said so in astonishment upon hearing Irina¡¯s assessment. ¡°That¡¯s absurd. If this much dark mana is gushing out... this mountain should have been corroded and crumbled already.¡± Hearing his words, Irina gulped and nodded her head. Meanwhile, Frey shouted as he rushed towards Aria, who had already reached out her hand to open the gate in front of her. ¡°Aria! Don¡¯t open that gate!!¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Aria involuntarily recalled the figure of her brother who would warn her in a similar tone whenever something dangerous was going to happen. She was always a smart child, so she quickly lifted her hand. But... ¨C Creeeeaaaaak... ¡°Eh, what!? I didn¡¯t touch it?¡± For some reason, the huge gate began to open slowly on its own, even though no one had touched it. Stunned by the sight, Frey put his hand to the sword on his waist, and Irina hurriedly stretched her arms forward and prepared to attack, but... ¡°...What? There¡¯s nothing here?¡± When the gate was fully opened, what appeared in front of their eyes was a large dimly lit room. ¡®What? Why does this place have so much dark mana when there is nothing here...¡¯ Irina entered the room with Frey and began investigating her surroundings with such doubts in her mind. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a place for black magic research?¡± ¡°That seems to be correct, given that there are a lot of artifacts and materials related to black magic.¡± Aria and Irina who eventually confirmed that this was a room where black magic research was going on. Suddenly blurted out the questions that crossed their minds. ¡°But something is strange. No matter how much black magic research was going on in this room... it¡¯s a bit unnatural to feel such a potent dark mana.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s too strong to be considered as residual dark mana.¡± After discussing about the room for such a long time, Irina raised another question. ¡°Wait, but why is there a light in this room?¡± ¡°Huh? You¡¯re right? This is a cavern, so there should be no sunlight.¡± After hearing Aria¡¯s words, the two of them were silent for a moment, then raised their heads at the same time and started looking up. ¡°...Hold on.¡± Aria gazed up at the ceiling that was so dark to the point that she couldn¡¯t even see the end. She shot some of her stellar magic towards the ceiling to check it in more detail... ¡°...What in the world?¡± ¡°No way.¡± Soon, the two of them fell into dismay. It was because the pitch-black ceiling was painted in dark mana with no end in sight. ¡°Is that much dark mana even possible?¡± Irina, who had been staring at it for a long time, suddenly felt strange and looked beside her. ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°Y-Young Master?¡± Then Irina found Frey sitting on the floor, grabbing his head. She rushed to him and asked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been here before...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Memories... Memories... I have to hide... Hide and seek...¡± Then Frey suddenly started speaking gibberish. ¡°Werewolf...my mother¡¯s death...¡± ¡°Frey?¡± ¡°Kania¡¯s...¡± Frey, who had been speaking gibberish for a long time, soon lost consciousness while trying to say something. ¡°Kyaa!?¡± ¡°...A-Aria?¡± Irina, who was trembling in panic, heard a scream from behind this time as she quickly looked behind her. ¨C Whooosh... ¡°That¡¯s c-crazy!!¡± The dark mana on the ceiling swept over Aria fiercely. ¡°Ugh, how much...!¡± Shocked, Aria began radiating stellar mana from her hand, but it was too much for her to drive away all the overwhelming dark mana, and eventually the constant stream of dark mana swallowed her up. She soon lost consciousness and collapsed on the floor. ¡°Who are you!¡± From that point on, Irina conjured flames in her hands and screamed. ¡°Come out now!!¡± ¡°...All right.¡± Irina screamed and tried to act tough. However, when she saw the person who opened the gate and entered the room, she dispelled her flames helplessly and muttered in a daze. ¡°Y-You...¡± ¡°Did you enjoy my performance?¡± And Kania, who was watching her calmly, began controlling the dark mana spread all around her. ¡°H-How are you her¡ª?¡± ¡°This is the place I have heard about once I found out the truth from the Young Master¡¯s subconscious. This place was originally managed by Lord Abraham, the head of the Starlight Ducal Family.¡± ¡°Wh-What...?¡± ¡°Of course, he was unconscious back then... after finding this place, I have been using detection magic to stop intruders.¡± Having said that, Kania, who carefully lifted Aria from the ground, looked at Irina, who still had a blank expression on her face, and said. ¡°Up until now, Lady Aria had always come alone... However, this time, I detected two more presence, so I went to see who they were, and I found you two.¡± ¡°Uh... what about the disguise in the dormitory?¡± ¡°I left that to the smartest person on the entire continent, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± Having said that, Irina, who was watching Kania sigh and place Frey and Aria side by side on the bed next to her, asked a question in a quivering tone. ¡°So... what the hell is this place?¡± Hearing those words, Kania sighed and answered. ¡°This is where my parents brutally murdered Young Master¡¯s mother and turned her into a werewolf.¡± ¡°...What!¡± And when Irina heard those words, she immediately grabbed her head like Frey before her, and began to mumble in a crestfallen voice. ¡°Wait, hold on... Then the wolf... no, was it a werewolf?¡± ¡°Sigh...¡± And Kania, who looked at her sorrowfully, quietly turned her gaze up at the ceiling, soaked in dark mana and muttered under her breath. ¡°...I now have one more comrade I wished I would never have.¡± Chapter 57: Awakening ? Awakening ? Irina, who was in a daze for a long time, muttered under her breath. ¡°T-This memory...? Why did I forget...¡± Kania, who was quietly staring at her, sighed and asked. ¡°Ms. Irina, you were the one who noticed the Young Master¡¯s false evil deed, weren¡¯t you?¡± Irina, who was in a befuddled state, slowly nodded her head and clenched fists when she heard her words. ¡°Then... Frey, while he was trying to protect me... his mother...¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to regain your memories this way. I had to infiltrate Young Master¡¯s subconscious to learn about my true memories.¡± ¡°Ahhh...¡± ¡°Is it because your memory was manipulated in a different way than mine and the Young Master¡¯s? Even when I entered this room, I couldn¡¯t remember anything.¡± As Kania spoke calmly, Irina plopped down with a crestfallen look. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to know the truth...¡± ¡°Me neither. Even now, I feel so guilty. I want to confess everything to Young Master and beg for forgiveness.¡± Seeing her like that, Kania, who sat across from her and began speaking in a hushed tone. ¡°However, this shouldn¡¯t be known to Young Master until everything is over.¡± ¡°Uh, that¡¯s...¡± ¡°Young Master always says he¡¯s fine, but... from my perspective, his mind seemed to have reached its limit. Since you¡¯ve been with him for a day, you also know that.¡± Upon hearing her words, Irina¡¯s expression darkened when she recalled Frey¡¯s face. Kania heaved a deep sigh as if she knew this was the case. ¡°Besides, there are still many ordeals that he will face in the future. Only the first ordeal is coming to an end... I¡¯m honestly afraid of what will come next.¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± Eventually, when Kania mentioned the term ¡®Ordeal¡¯, Irina lowered her and trembled. ¡°... Ms Irina, can you listen to my request?¡± ¡°What...¡± Kania, who was staring at her as if ashamed to make this request, pleaded in a hushed tone. Upon hearing her request, Irina replied in a despondent voice. ¡°Please don¡¯t resent Young Master too much.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Kania pleaded as such with a sorrowful expression on her face. She sighed deeply and continued speaking. ¡°There is no one as pitiful as him in the entire world. So, please don¡¯t resent him too much.¡± ¡°...Hah.¡± In a situation where begging for help wouldn¡¯t seem out of place, watching Kania pleading for her to not resent Frey too much, Irina realized how lonely and long their battle truly is ¡°Tell me everything you know.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± And that¡¯s why she finally replied as such. ¡°I want to know everything. The entire truth.¡± Only time will tell if she will turn her back on them after learning the truth, or accept it and become their strength. ¡°It¡¯s not going to be an easy road. Every moment will be painful, and sometimes there will be impulsive thoughts.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°Really? Are you ready to fight with us?¡± Looking at her, Kania asked her over and over again. Since she knew quite well how much pain she would feel after learning about the solitary path that Frey desperately walked on till now. The path that no one knew about. She implicitly expressed a sense of sympathy and compassion. But Kania already knew. ¡°Tell me.¡± Irina, who has a determined look in her eyes, will never change her mind. ¡°Sigh...¡± Hearing Irina¡¯s confirmation, Kania heaved a sigh blended in both relief and resignation, then looked straight at Irina, whose visage overlapped with her own when she discovered the truth, and began speaking. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s get started.¡± . . . . . ¡°Ha... What else is it this time?¡± After following Aria, I lost consciousness as I grabbed my throbbing head in the room. When I woke up I found myself in a dark enclosed space that I truly despise. ¡°Uh... I don¡¯t like it, I don¡¯t like it.¡± I laid down on the floor, and soon let out a laugh and muttered while smirking. ¡°Still, it¡¯s good for mental training.¡± In the past, when I would enter such a space, my hands would tremble and had trouble breathing properly. However, over time I was able to train my mind by watching other horrific scenes, like the scene from my birthday, the scene where I met my mother. Looking at it that way, the purpose of this ordeal given the system is to make me stronger... ¡°F-Frey...¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± I was trying to compliment the system, but before my eyes, the figure of my mortally wounded mother appeared. The system is definitely a piece of trash. Thanks to that, I felt a little uncomfortable, but the system can¡¯t affect my psyche just by merely showing me this scene. First of all, isn¡¯t it just an illusion? ¡°Help me... Frey...¡± ¡°My mother never asked for help, you idiot of a system.¡± Having said that, I pushed away the illusion that trying to reach out to me. I then sighed and fell into deep thoughts. ¡°By the way... I need to find out who the hell noticed...¡± I still haven¡¯t figured out who discovered my secret, so I¡¯m starting to get a bit nervous. At least, I found out that Irina and Clana were ¡®suspicious¡¯ of me with my ?Mind Reading? skill, but that¡¯s not even close to enough. ¡°Sigh... Should I buy the ?Mind Reading Skill Lv2?? No, the ?Life Force Recovery? skill is much more important than that.¡± Even if I push the points I have earned into the investment system, it will be quite a serious loss to buy a skill that is worth tens of thousands of points. There are indeed pros and cons, so I¡¯ll have to think a little about this part as well... ¨C Spark!! ¡°Ah, great.¡± While I was engrossed in such thoughts, I started hearing a noise in front of me. ¡°Ugh...¡± When I wondered what kind of hallucination, the system would show me this time, I saw my mother running through the forest holding something. ¡°...Now it¡¯s even making up stories.¡± The system, which thought I would tremble due to the trauma of my mother¡¯s corpse, seemed to have prepared something else when I handled that situation calmly. ¡°Ugh.¡± My mother, who was running with wounds all over her body, hurriedly radiated stellar mana and flung herself aside when dark mana was shot at her from behind. ¡°Ugh...¡± My mother, who barely dodged the dark mana, continued to run. ¡°I can¡¯t... as long as it¡¯s like this...¡± My mother, who had been running for such a long time, suddenly looked down at something she was holding in her embrace and said ¡°Ummm... Mom?¡± ¡°...Shh.¡± Only when I heard the voice of a child, I realized what she was holding in her embrace while running. ¡°My dear Frey, would you like to play hide and seek with your mother?¡± ¡°Yes! I want to play hide and seek!¡± When my younger self answered brightly, my mother said with a subtle smile. ¡°All right, then, Mom will be the seeker.¡± ¡°But I want to be the seeker?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already done it once before.¡± Upon hearing that, my younger self looked disappointed. Seeing him like that, my mother smiled and said. ¡°Instead, I¡¯ll let you be the seeker as much as you want from now on.¡± ¡°Argh...ugh... ugh...¡± ¡°Are you all right, Ms. Irina?¡± After a long time had passed, a black aura began rising from Irina as Kania cautiously inquired. ¡°This is... nothing.¡± Then, the mana circuits all over her body slowly turned black and became visibly prominent like veins. Irina exhaled a rough breath and answered. ¡°...A perfect success.¡± Then Kania sighed and settled down on her seat. She wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and replied. ¡°Now then, the Young Master and the Young Lady...¡± The two of them held their breath for a while, then turned to the bed where both Aria and I were lying, but... ¨C Whoosh... ¡°...What?¡± I started to panic when the dark mana that appeared from somewhere began to seep into both myself, who was still lying in bed, and Aria, who was sleeping soundly. ¡°Wh-Why can¡¯t I control it?¡± Confused at that sight, Kania hurriedly stretched out her hand, but for some reason when she couldn¡¯t control the dark mana, she began to panic and rushed to the bed. ¨C Whoosh!! ¡°...Ha!¡± However, Aria suddenly got up and began radiating stellar mana from her hands. Kania who saw that scene came to a standstill and asked in a tense voice. ¡°Young Lady? Why are you acting like that?¡± Then Aria, who briefly stared at her, raised the corners of her mouth as if to form a lopsided smile and... ¨C Swoosh, whoosh!! ¡°Ugh!!¡± Soon after, she began emanating flashes of stellar mana and shot it towards Kania indiscriminately ¡°Wh-What¡¯s going on?¡± And at that moment, everything froze in its place as I looked around in confusion. ¡°Lingering will.¡± ¡°What?¡± Then the being who was standing quietly next to me until then, spoke. ¡°The lingering will of the two people who died in an accident while exploring a foolish truth were blended with the dark mana, and the moment the dark mana finally disappeared, they bared their fangs.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s...¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s their lingering will, it seems that their greed hasn¡¯t disappeared yet. And now they¡¯re eyeing you and your sister as hosts.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Having roughly grasped the situation at the words, I said with a sigh. Having understood the situation roughly upon hearing those words, I sighed and said. ¡°Then am I dead?¡± ¡°No, now you¡¯re just losing control of your body.¡± ¡°I see.¡± As I silently nodded and stared blankly ahead, the existence next to me asked a question. ¡°Do you want to give up?¡± When I heard her question, I frowned and looked to the side, as the existence began speaking gently. ¡°From now on, it¡¯s your choice.¡± ¡°My choice?¡± ¡°Yes, everything will change depending on your choice.¡± Saying so, the existence came right before me as I inquired with a composed look. ¡°What will happen if I give up here?¡± ¡°Eternal rest. It might even feel pretty good.¡± ¡°I see.¡± As I nodded quietly, the existence continued speaking gently. ¡°No one will blame you. You did your best, and you earned that right...¡± ¡°What if I keep moving forward?¡± But when I cut her off and asked another question, the existence answered in a grave tone. ¡°It will be a path riddled with hardships and adversities.¡± When I heard that, I closed my eyes as the existence urgently added a few more words. ¡°You may end up in an even more absurd and worse situation than now... You may meet your end without being able to make such a choice again. Still...¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. Just give me a hug.¡± I cut the existence off mid-sentence and said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be the seeker.¡± Then the light that flashed in front of me spread out in all directions and illuminated the entire room. ¡°...How did you know?¡± And soon, with a twinkling light emanating from her, a woman emerged in front of me. She tilted her head and asked me that question as I slowly approached her and answered. ¡°The ceiling is completely painted with dark mana, and the light slightly illuminating the room means that there is something more powerful than that dark mana...¡± I hugged my mother, who appeared in front of me in her complete form, and ended the conversation with a bright smile. ¡°More than anything else, you loved me so much, how can I not recognize you?¡± ¡°You grew up just fine.¡± After holding my mother for a long time, I muttered quietly as I felt the warmth of the light radiating from her seeping into my body. ¡°I will definitely survive.¡± Then my mother, who slowly turned into a fragment of light, penetrated my body and replied with a benign smile. ¡°Of course. Whose son would you be if you didn¡¯t?¡± After saying that, my mother completely permeated my body with the mana of the stars that had filled the ceiling, and immediately after that, a system window appeared in front of me. The ¡ºFirst Ordeal¡» has ended! ¡ºAn alternative condition has been met¡ª¡» ¡°Shut up.¡± Having swiped away the system window that popped up in front of my eyes, I muttered under my breath as I felt the scene gradually changing in front of my eyes. ¡°...Don¡¯t you dare try to take credit for this...¡± . . . . . ¡°Young Master! Young Lady!¡± When I returned to my senses, a rather gruesome scene was unfolding before my eyes. ¡°Argh...¡± ¡°Calm down! Please!¡± It was because Kania and Irina were lying on the floor of the half-destroyed room, and Aria was approaching them while wielding a mass of dark mana. Meanwhile, my body was swathed in sparkling stellar mana. ¡°Please...! Please...!¡± ¡°Kania.¡± Kania looked desperate as she tried to stop me and Aria. At that moment, I called out to her in a serious tone. ¡°Did you know?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± When I, who had been relentlessly attacking her till now, suddenly asked her calmly, Kania panicked as a myriad of expressions flashed across her face. ¡°I...¡± As I stared at her, I stretched my hand and finished speaking with a smirk. ¡°...I¡¯ve always wanted to try magic once.¡± And the next moment, the scintillating sparks of light radiating from my hand engulfed everything besides Kania and Irina in its wake. ¨C Whoosh... As the dark mana spread throughout the room was purified in an instant, and Aria, who had been approaching Kania and Irina, lost consciousness and collapsed on the floor. ¨C Schwiiing! Then, a dark sphere flew out of Aria¡¯s body and began flying towards me as fast as a bullet. I swathed my sword in stellar mana and simply slashed it in half and finally said. ¡°Still, I prefer the sword.¡± Chapter 58: A Puppys Love ? Puppy¡¯s Love ? ¡°Young Master... how did this happen...?¡± ¡°F-Frey...?¡± As soon as I cleansed the dark mana, Kania and Irina, who were lying on the floor, stared at me blankly. ¡°Are you guys fine?¡± As I approached and inquired as such, Kania answered with an absurd expression on her face. ¡°...Since you¡¯re saying something like that, you must be the real Young Master.¡± ¡°You¡¯re severely wounded.¡± I glossed over Kania¡¯s words and found a wound on her stomach, then muttered to myself, not knowing what to do. I looked around to find something to wrap around Kania¡¯s wounds, but when I saw the scars on Irina¡¯s body and her blackened mana circuits, I placed my hand on my forehead and said. ¡°This is insane.¡± Irina, who was looking at me blankly, immediately lowered her head and muttered. ¡°S-Sorry... Frey... I...¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine... it¡¯s really fine.¡± I didn¡¯t want to shake her emotional state, so I urgently cut off her words. I looked around and said. ¡°First of all, let¡¯s talk when we get out of here. This place is kind of... unnerving.¡± When I said that, Kania and Irina¡¯s expressions hardened. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, here...¡± As I was about to head for the entrance after forcing them to stand up, I suddenly saw Aria lying on the floor, unconscious, and sighed. ¡°...That¡¯s right, Aria is here too.¡± To be honest, I don¡¯t know how to deal with Aria, who is quick-witted and continues to worry about me. Even if I intentionally treat her badly, she will be suspicious, and if I treat her kindly, even more problems will arise. ¡°Kania, cast a sleep spell on Aria. Make sure she doesn¡¯t wake up for a while.¡± ¡°All right.¡± After saying that, Kania approached Aria and gently stroked her hair, and her breathing rate became more calm. ¡°Then let¡¯s get out of here. I don¡¯t want to be here anymore.¡± Lifting Aria up, I, along with Kania and Irina, began to head out the cavern. ¡°...Young Master.¡± ¡°What?¡± Just as I was about to reach the exit, Kania, who had been following me quietly, asked me a question in a hushed tone. ¡°Was that... really magic?¡± ¡°Yes, it was magic.¡± Saying so, I spread the twinkling flashes of light everywhere, and added with a smile. ¡°The same magic my mother used.¡± ¡°...Beautiful.¡± Kania watched the scene in awe as the flashes of light suspended in mid-air began to crystallize. However, soon her expression turned grim, and she began speaking again. ¡°Young Master, the room in there is...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk about that a little later.¡± Kania¡¯s expression was about to turn even more grim, so I cut her off and spoke firmly. ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s best to delay such things, Kania.¡± ¡°...I understand, Young Master.¡± Eventually Kania nodded her head quietly seeing my resolute stance on this matter and silently began heading towards the entrance of the cavern. ¡°So, what now?¡± As I came out of the cavern and took a look around outside, I noticed that the rain had stopped. I asked Kania and Irina who were looking at me blankly. ¡°F-For now... so...¡± Irina, who had been unable to meet my gaze till now, hesitated and started stuttering. ¡°I think we have to deal with Lady Aria¡¯s problem first.¡± Then Kania, who had been keeping her mouth shut until then, intervened and started talking. ¡°Even though I cast a sleep spell, I couldn¡¯t cast it properly because I almost ran out of mana due to the unexpected battle. So, she might wake up soon.¡± ¡°Then...¡± ¡°Considering her condition and other factors... going to the nearby Starlight Duke¡¯s mansion would be the best option. If she wakes up now, it will be problematic for us.¡± Hearing these words, I quietly nodded my head in agreement, and Kania walked over to Aria, who was in my arms, and continued speaking. ¡°So, I¡¯ll take Young Lady Aria to the Duke¡¯s mansion myself.¡± ¡°Will you be fine? If you show up with those wounds, Kadia might worry...¡± ¡°Even if that¡¯s the case, Young Master and Irina can¡¯t do this.¡± Saying so, Kania took Aria, and looked at me and Irina alternately, then let out a sigh and said, ¡°And... I think you¡¯ll have to stay here until tomorrow.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± When I asked her with a bewildered look, Kania frowned and said. ¡°As I said before, I ran out of dark mana due to the unexpected battle, so it¡¯s quite difficult to use stealth magic.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s not possible to use it today?¡± ¡°Yes, my dark mana will be replenished by tomorrow... I have to go see Serena, who will be at the academy, after explaining the situation to Aria at the Duke¡¯s mansion. So, if you stay here for a day, I¡¯ll come back tomorrow morning and pick you up.¡± When I nodded at that, Irina, who had been hesitating for a long time, opened her mouth. ¡°I-I will stay here...¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Hearing her words, Kania showed great displeasure. ¡°Miss Irina, there is no need for you to stay here.¡± ¡°Um... Leaving Frey alone is dangerous. There are wild beasts, and they are all...¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the Young Master defuse the situation in an instant with his stellar mana?¡± As Irina continued to stick to her opinion, Kania, who looked at her with displeasure, shook her head and said, ¡°I can¡¯t do anything, since you aren¡¯t going to change your mind. Then, please take care of the Young Master until tomorrow.¡± ¡°U-Uh... I-I¡¯ll do my best...¡± As Kania looked at her fiercely, Irina flinched for a moment, then she stuttered slightly and answered. ¡°Young Master, I¡¯ll go now.¡± Kania, who was looking at Irina with a dissatisfied expression, put Aria on her back and bid me farewell. ¡°Yes, then, please take care of Aria...¡± ¡°...mmmm.¡± I smiled at Kania and was about to see her off, but Aria on her back started moving around. ¡°Brother... Thank you...¡± ¡°Gasp!¡± Every single word I said imitated Irina¡¯s words from the past, and in the end, she smiled once more and nodded her head. ¡°Fine, then you¡¯re going to have to get the fish out with the branch. I¡¯ll focus on killing the fish with the laser.¡± Saying that, I handed her the long branch I was holding, and began to shoot lasers at the fishes swimming in the river. ¡°...Hah.¡± For some reason, it seemed that Irina was looking at me closely, but I decided to ignore it for now. . . . . . ¡°How is it?¡± As the sun was setting and the sky slowly turned darker, I held out a fish skewer to Irina with an anxious look on my face. ¡°Ummm...¡± Then Irina, who had been watching the fish skewers for a while, carefully took a bite of the fish. ¡°...it¡¯s pretty good.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± When she opened her eyes and praised it, I let out an expression of delight, then picked up the fish skewer next to her, and began eating it. ¡°Today I won the fire, I won the fishing, and I won the grilling, right?¡± After eating the fish, I said to her with a sly smile on my face. ¡°You¡¯re right, congratulations.¡± ¡°Not just congratulations... You have to keep the promise you made a long time ago.¡± ¡°A promise I made a long time ago?¡± As she answered blankly, I put a stern expression on my face and reminded her of the promise she made back when we were kids. ¡°You told me that if I beat you in all three, you¡¯ll reveal a secret.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Then, maybe after remembering, she heaved a brief sigh, and then she started looking at me with a blank expression. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about glossing over this matter, say it quickly.¡± Ever since the promise was made, I had wanted to find out a secret like crazy, so I continued to urge her. ¡°Actually...¡± Irina, who hesitated then, turned her gaze to the side and spoke in a low voice. ¡°...I made up the name ¡®Ice Dragon Berry¡¯.¡± ¡°What!?¡± My eyes shot wide open at those words, and bewildered, I began to stutter. ¡°U-Unbelievable... I¡¯ve always believed those words until now... I¡¯ve told the other kids the same... Wait, then, did you trick me in the ashen forest back then...¡± I wasn¡¯t all that shocked when I was going through the ¡®First Ordeal¡¯ of the system, but I was really shocked after hearing her words. ¡°Then... What¡¯s the real name of the berry?¡± When I asked with a slightly bewildered expression, Irina lowered her head and mumbled. ¡°¡®Puppy¡¯s Love¡¯ berry.¡± ¡°Pfff.¡± I burst into laughter without even realizing because it had a cute name that was completely different from the ¡®Ice Dragon¡¯ she had told me previously. Irina blushed profusely with her head still lowered. ¡°What kind of name is that? Did a puppy pick up the fruit and fall in love with it?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it... oh, the fish is done.¡± As I smiled and said so, Irina, who was about to say something, sighed and shut her mouth. ¡°¡±.........¡±¡± There was silence between the two of us for a long time. ¡°Frey, I have something I want to tell you.¡± ¡°Go ahead, tell me.¡± Irina smiled shyly and slowly opened her mouth, then made a shocking remark. ¡°I want to drop out of the academy.¡± ¡°What!?¡± As I looked at her in astonishment, Irina murmured silently as she gazed up at the night sky. ¡°...Instead, I¡¯ll work as your maid.¡± It seems there was something wrong with the fish I just served to Irina. . . . . Meanwhile, at the back alley after nightfall. ¡°Hello! This is a scroll store right?¡± A girl in a purple robe entered through the door of a shabby stall. She snooped around and asked a question. ¡°Hmmmm~? Hmm~?¡± ¡°Are you the owner here?¡± Then, suddenly from the empty counter, the sound of the storekeeper¡¯s singing could be heard, and the girl who heard the sound frowned and pushed her head over the counter. ¡°... Have you ever thought that the world revolves randomly...?¡± ¡°More importantly, you¡¯re open right now, right? Please sell this to me.¡± Soon, the girl found the shopkeeper, who was fiddling with a wine bottle in his hand. She ignored his gibberish and gave him the scroll she was holding. ¡°That¡¯s 1500 gold... If you can afford it, pay up.¡± The owner, who looked intently at the scroll, teased her with giggles, but ... ¨C Snap! ¡°...Is this enough?¡± She flicked her finger and asked with an impassive look on her face. ¡°Exactly 1500 gold. Fine, take it.¡± Then, the corners of the girl¡¯s lips rose slightly to form a lopsided smile. She turned around and bid him farewell. ¡°Then... Goodbye.¡± Her ruby-colored eyes shone through the glass door of the store as she headed towards the exit. ¡°...Pfffff. Hahaha.¡± Meanwhile, the owner was laughing out loud mysteriously behind the counter. Wanna read ahead? Buy coins here. You can unlock chapters with coins or rather ¡°genesis orbs¡±. You can support us by reading the chapter on Genesis wbesite. You can also support us by becoming an exclusive member here. Chapter 59: A Special Exam ? A Special Exam ? ¡°Young Master? Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Oh, Kania.¡± The next day, after returning safely from the forest to the academy, I woke up feeling quite refreshed. ¡°I slept really well today.¡± Instead of waking up and having to look at the old ceiling of the secret base or the sky radiating sunlight, waking up and looking at the ceiling of the dormitory made me feel quite secure. ¡°Are you really sure you slept well this time?¡± ¡°Yes. Thanks to the ordeal ending early, I was able to sleep peacefully without getting haunted by nightmares.¡± As Kania continued to ask, I answered with a subtle smile. However, upon hearing my reply, she frowned and asked again. ¡°Then, were you lying when you told me that you¡¯ve been sleeping well all along?¡± ¡°Uhhh...¡± At that sharp question, I gently avoided her gaze as my voice was muffled. Kania sighed and settled down on my bed. ¡°Young Master, there¡¯s no need to hide anything from me. I¡¯m the only one who Young Master¡ª¡± ¨C Creak... Then, just as Kania held my hand and began to speak, the door to the dormitory slowly opened and someone walked in. ¡°Oh, hello?¡± When Irina entered my room and saw Kania holding my hand, she greeted us with a slight blush on her face as silence descended upon the room. ¡°...I¡¯m no longer the only one who understands Young Master, but I¡¯m your devoted aide, aren¡¯t I?¡± Kania, who finally broke the silence, glared at Irina, and finished speaking. ¡°Um... I¡¯ve finished all the procedures. So, from now on, I¡¯m your maid.¡± Just as Irina said, starting today, she¡¯ll officially become my maid. At first, Irina insisted on dropping out of the academy and instead wanted to join me as my exclusive maid, but I stopped her from doing so. Leaving the academy will not only hinder her progress to becoming an Archmage, but it will also have a negative impact on the scenario. After I convinced her, she decided to become my temporary servant and insisted on living in the same dormitory as me, but this time, Kania desperately tried to stop her. By the way, I don¡¯t know the details of the conversation between the two of them after that. All I know is that hours later, Kania, who came out of the room first, had a cold smile on her face while Irina looked defeated. As a result of not able to become either my exclusive maid, nor my temporary servant, she started to work as a maid for the aristocratic dormitory. It was against the rules for a commoner like Irina to work as a maid in an aristocratic dormitory, but that was easily circumvented by giving Dean Lionel a small bribe. So she began to live in an empty room right next to me and became a dedicated maid who came to me whenever I called. ¡°By the way... this is a bit awkward. No matter how unavoidable it is...¡± ¡°So, Ms Irina. Why the hell did you insist on such a choice?¡± Kania¡¯s sharp question interrupted Irina, who was awkwardly checking her maid outfit, which she wore for the first time in her life. ¡°In regards to that, there¡¯s something you guys need to know.¡± Irina sat back in her chair, took a deep breath, and uttered surprising words from her mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll start with the conclusion. Kania, you are currently under suspicion, and Frey, you might be assassinated soon.¡± As both of us looked at her in astonishment, Irina sighed and finished her words. ¡°So I became a double spy in order to improve our situation somehow.¡± Even after Irina had finished speaking, it took a while for both of us to fully comprehend her words. We then looked at each other and said. ¡°It makes sense that I¡¯m under suspicion. The information that has been coming to me lately has been too sparse.¡± ¡°I was wondering why an assassin wasn¡¯t sent yet. It¡¯ll be even more difficult for us from now on.¡± After saying that, we both looked dejected. On the other hand, Irina looked at us and started talking again. ¡°Firstly Kania, you are being suspected by the Imperial Princess.¡± ¡°By Her Highness Princess Clana?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not sure yet... but the Princess thinks there is a high chance you might betray us, and is trying to gather evidence.¡± Upon hearing those words, Kania stated with a firm expression. ¡°Well, no matter how many vague secret documents I slipped to her... If the information keeps repeating, there¡¯s no way Her Highness Clana won¡¯t notice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯ve often seen the Princess muttering that the documents you gave her are rather strange.¡± As Irina responded to her words, Kania took her fountain pen out and began twirling it around her fingers, completely immersed in her thoughts. ¡°And, the Princess is also preparing to assassinate Frey.¡± ¡°Her Highness Clana is plotting to assassinate Young Master?¡± Then, when Irina started talking again, Kania stopped spinning her fountain pen and interrupted her as her brows furrowed. ¡°Wasn¡¯t Princess Clana planning to completely ruin Young Master and then kill him?¡± ¡°Yes, she was.¡± Irina looked at me and continued speaking. Looking at the two women casually talking about such a terrifying subject made me think that maybe it was fortunate that they found out about me. ¡°But the Princess¡¯ thoughts changed because of the ¡ºRaid on the Commoner¡¯s Dormitory¡» and the ¡ºHoly Undead Knight Incident¡».¡± ¡°...How much.. How much did her thoughts change?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s possible to pull it off secretly, the Princess decided to kill you as quickly as possible.¡± Upon hearing that, my expression hardened, but then I answered with a smirk. ¡°It¡¯s fine. There¡¯s no problem with that. No matter how fast Clana expands her influence... it¡¯ll be hard for her to gather enough strength to threaten me within a year. So it depends on the level of the assassin¡ª¡± ¡°The Princess has joined hands with the elders of the ¡®Moonlight Family¡¯.¡± I flinched when I heard those words as my heart pounded. I had the confidence to overcome the assassination plot that Clana devised. However, the moment she teamed up with the Moonlight family¡¯s elders, the story became quite different. This is because it meant that the Moonlight family¡¯s elder council, who had been working as assassins since their household¡¯s founding, were about to start their efforts in earnest. Of course, they had already ordered Serena to kill me, but the fact that they were trying to kill me by inviting other factions to join them meant that their plan wasn¡¯t proceeding well. This is because it¡¯s quite unusual for the Moonlight family, who is the shadow of the empire, to join forces with other powers, even if it¡¯s Princess Clana. ¡°They¡¯ll try to aim for your birthday party next week. To stop that, I tried to convince the Princess that I¡¯d risk myself and go spy on you, but I¡¯m not sure if that worked.¡± ¡°Hmmm...¡± While I was thinking, Irina, who had passed on more information, looked at me sullenly and said in a low voice. ¡°So be careful. Don¡¯t die for nothing.¡± Having said that, Irina slowly turned her gaze to the side, as I laughed out loud, finding it rather funny. ¡°By the way, how the hell do you know such information? I don¡¯t think Clana would share all of that.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s...¡± Irina, who heard my question, answered as if it was nothing special. ¡°...It¡¯s true that Clana didn¡¯t share the assassination plan with me, but I discovered the alliance with the Moonlight family myself.¡± Upon hearing this, both my and the noble students¡¯ faces turned white. ¡°What on earth are you saying!?¡± ¡°The results of the last final exam... Weren¡¯t all the removed students picked from the commoners?¡± ¡°This is an abuse of power! No matter how famous the professor is, this kind of behavior is¡ª!¡± Eventually, the noble students got up like a swarm of bees and started protesting. ¡°...It¡¯s an order from the Imperial Family.¡± When the nobles shut their mouths at those words, Isolet grinned and said. ¡°Thanks to those who lobbied and paid bribes to get their points... The Imperial Family was understandably upset when some talented people failed.¡± ¡°T-That...¡± ¡°The Imperial Family chose to retest instead of investigating deeply. Therefore, I¡¯m just following the words of the Imperial Family. Do you have any objections?¡± Of course, no one objected to that statement. Because the moment you raised such an objection, you would be objecting to the authority of the Imperial Family. Amidst such a chilling silence, I rolled my eyes and fell into deep thoughts. ¡®Something strange is happening though...? Was the Imperial Family this virtuous?¡¯ The present Imperial Family is a breeding ground for corruption and bureaucracy. In fact, most of the corruption occurring in the Empire is managed and controlled by the Imperial Family. Therefore, the large-scale corruption case that occurred in this final exam should have also been ignored by the Imperial Family. But why did the Imperial Family make such a decision? ¡®Is Clana behind this?¡¯ I glanced at Clana, but she also had a confused expression on her face. Even Clana, who was quickly gathering power and influence, would not have the authority to disrupt such corruption. And Clana, as well as the majority of her followers, wouldn¡¯t have the ability to go against the authority of the existing Imperial Family. ¡®...The Empress? The Crown Prince? The First Imperial Princess?¡¯ So I began thinking about the people who had the authority to do such a thing with a snap of their finger. However, no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn¡¯t think of any reason they would do this. ¡°Hmmm...¡± After that, I tried to guess what happened for a while longer, but as my head began aching because of this, I gave up speculating about this and asked Isolet a question. ¡°So, what are the contents of the exam?¡± Isolet then began explaining, without even looking at me. ¡°The special exam we¡¯re going to take today will be a team battle.¡± When the children heard the words ¡®team battle¡¯, they began to murmur. However, when Isolet emanated a cold aura, the students became quiet as she continued explaining. ¡°The teams, as always, will be divided into a team of aristocrats, and a team of commoners, and each team will appoint a commander.¡± With that said, Isolet put the ballot box at the front of her desk. ¡°The commander will be decided by vote. So nobles and commoners will both vote for their respective commanders.¡± Saying that, Isolet handed out the voting slips, and most of the nobles began to sneak glances at me. ¡®...Well, they don¡¯t want me to be the commander either.¡¯ Right now, I¡¯m hated by everyone due to the rumors about my close ties with the Demon King. So, even aristocrats who pretend to like me will probably never vote for me. If they are smart, wouldn¡¯t they choose Clana? The current ¡®Rising Sun¡¯ as their commander? ¡°Then, let¡¯s start the count.¡± I was so engrossed in my thoughts, I barely noticed Isolet suddenly tapping the ballot box and declaring the count of the votes. ¨C Scritch! Then, the chalk on the blackboard moved automatically and started writing down the voting results automatically. ¨C Nobles¡¯ side: Frey Raon Starlight ¨C Commoners¡¯ side: Clana Solar Sunrise ¡°...Eh?¡± And the result, quite simply, exceeded my expectations. ¡®The nobles are more stupid than I thought... and the commoners are smarter than I gave them credit for.¡¯ I fell in despair due to the fact that I had to take on the role of commander, when I still had so many others things to take care of. ¡°Fine. From today onwards, I appoint Frey Raon Starlight as the commander of the commoners and Clana Solar Sunrise as the commander of the nobles.¡± After she declared as such, silence lingered for a while. ¡°Professor? What does that...¡± ¡°There are no mistakes. In the special exam that will take place during the holidays, Frey will be the commander of the commoners and Clana will be the commander of the nobles.¡± When she finished speaking, everyone became silent again. Perhaps they were also in such a shock that they did not even think about making a fuss. ¡°Then, now that the commanders have been decided, let¡¯s reveal the details of this special exam.¡± Isolet, who looked at the students calmly, raised the corners of her mouth and said. ¡°From now on until the end of vacation, if you protect your commanders, you win.¡± Everyone was confused by that, and Isolet quietly added a word. ¡°The commander of the winning team will be given the authority to select some of the people who will be removed from Class A.¡± . . . . . Meanwhile, somewhere in the back alley... ¡°So, what does the Demon King intend to do?¡± ¡°Anyway, the Demon King hasn¡¯t revealed his identity until now, I¡¯m going to die of frustration... Isn¡¯t this too much?¡± ¡°This is unacceptable. How can someone who is neither demon nor monster...¡± The beings gathered in a dark room, who had their faces covered with robes, were all voicing out their complaints. ¡°Silence!!!¡± Everyone stopped complaining and shut their mouths when the man sitting at the head of the table slammed his desk in disgust. ¡°This is an order from the great Demon King...¡± The ¡®second-in-command¡¯ of the Demon King¡¯s army, who was staring at them coldly, looked down at the same photo everyone was holding and declared in a serious tone. ¡°...From today onwards, this man is to become one of the top Executives of the Demon King¡¯s Army.¡± Afterword: Man Cyberpunk Edgerunners is depressing af, but it did teach us a valuable lesson. There are no happy endings in life, only moments of joy, so cherish those moments. Chapter 60: Always Watch Your Mouth ? Always Watch Your Mouth ? ¡°From now on, I will put a special mark on everyone.¡± Isolet, who was looking at us while we were still trying to recover from the earlier shock, tore a magic scroll in half. ¨C Whoosh... The ashen mana emanating from the torn scroll penetrated everyone¡¯s body and vanished. ¡°This mark can only be damaged by special weapons that will be distributed after class. If you take more than a certain amount of damage, the mark will disappear and immediately be reported to me.¡± When I heard her words, I examined my body with stellar mana, and really could feel a mark on my body. ¡°Those whose mark disappears can no longer continue the exam, and the team will lose when their respective commander¡¯s mark disappears. Does everyone understand up to this point?¡± When everyone quietly nodded, Isolet continued speaking in a serious tone. ¡°Then I¡¯ll explain the rules for elimination.¡± The rules she explained were quite simple. Most of the winning team¡¯s members would be exempted from being demoted to class B, while most of the losing team¡¯s members would be relegated to class B. However, according to Isolet¡¯s rules, the commander of each team had virtually unlimited powers. First, the commander of the winning team was given the right to select some of the people who would be removed from Class A. Because the people who could be chosen included members of both the opposing and their own teams, those who failed to contribute or those who interfered could be forcefully demoted to Class B. And the commander of the defeated team could choose one member from their team to remain in Class A. In other words, in theory, one should never defy a commander with such enormous authority... ¡°I¡¯m not going to protect you, Frey.¡± But I guess I was wrong. Someone had already stepped forth and was trying to challenge my authority. ¡°Instead of protecting you... I¡¯d rather get demoted to Class B.¡± Ferloche was glaring daggers at me in the midst of the crowd of commoners. She could have entered the academy as an aristocrat at any time, but she stated that a Saintess is merely an agent of God, not a noble. It hurt my heart to see her glare at me with that kind of expression. ¡°Pipe down, will you? If you get demoted to Class B, won¡¯t the Sun God Church be in chaos?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± I tried to continue speaking with a smirk, but Ferloche spoke to me coldly, with a resentful look on her face. ¡°If you keep acting like this... it can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°What can¡¯t be helped?¡± In the end, I had no choice but to use the last resort I had planned in case things went wrong within the first 10 minutes of the special exam. ¡°I¡¯m going to surrender to Clana now.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Ferloche became dumbfounded when she heard my words. ¡°Wait, hold on! Lord Frey!¡± ¡°Uhhh... please wait...¡± The commoners, however, who realized the meaning of my words, began clinging to me desperately. ¡°U-Uh... Why is everyone doing that?¡± Seeing this, Ferloche asked with a bewildered expression, and I replied with a wink. ¡°If I surrender to Clana now... a good portion of the people here will be forcefully demoted to Class B.¡± ¡°Th-That...¡± ¡°And, as far as I know, most of the commoners in Class A are barely attending the academy through a special scholarship, aren¡¯t they?¡± When I said that with a sly smile on my face, the commoners who had been clinging to me bowed their heads and tightly bit their lips. ¡°Hold on a second! But... if that happens, Her Highness Clana will ensure you also get demoted to Class B? So calm down and¡ª¡± Ferloche hastily warned me. ¡°So what if I get demoted to Class B. Do you think I care about that stuff?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the Provisional Lord of the Starlight Ducal Family that wields the most power among the Three Ducal Households in the Empire. Do you think anything will change even if I get demoted to Class B?¡± ¡°Well then... Are you really going to surrender!?¡± I smiled as I looked at the screaming Ferloche, then started walking towards the exit of the classroom. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Ferloche. I¡¯m not interested in demoting you to Class B. I need to focus on kicking as many of these lowlifes out of here as possible.¡± ¡°Hey, uh...¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll surrender to Clana. See ya.¡± As soon as I said that and opened the door to the exit, Ferloche hastily grabbed my arm. ¡°I was wrong. Please forgive me.¡± Ferloche immediately knelt in front of me, her voice quivering, and the commoners who were watching the scene quietly turned their heads away and clenched their fists. ¡®...Phew, that¡¯s a relief.¡¯ I sat down, heaving a sigh of relief on the inside and spoke with a condescending look on my face. ¡°So, where are we going to set up our base?¡± As Isolet mentioned, both teams had to decide on a base to live in during the special exam. Due to the frequent incidents nowadays, students were only permitted to leave the academy in order to gain real world experience. ¡°Uh... Since it¡¯s a test that will continue throughout vacation... Why don¡¯t we just hide Lord Frey somewhere?¡± Eventually, a female student raised her hand and voiced her opinion, and following her lead, other commoner students also began to chime in. ¡°...Yes, that¡¯s a good idea. So, where should I hide?¡± When I asked them nonchalantly, I noticed that the girl who had initially suggested that idea was staring at me as she cautiously put forth another suggestion. ¡°Uh... how about hiding in the woods...¡± ¡°Rejected.¡± My brows furrowed because I didn¡¯t want to go near the woods for a while due to the recent adversities I had to face back in the Ashen Forest and the woods near my home. Meanwhile, the female student took a step back with a frightened expression on her face. ¡°Our house...¡± ¡°Rejected.¡± ¡°The inn we run...¡± ¡°Rejected.¡± As I kept refusing their opinions for a long time, everyone eventually stopped talking and instead began staring at me coldly. ¡°...So, how long are you all just going to keep staring at me?¡± ¡°¡±........¡±¡± I couldn¡¯t stand the long silence anymore, so I provoked them to speak. However, they only kept staring at me. ¡°Well, then there¡¯s nothing else I can do...¡± Their expressions made me recall the scene from my past life when I was surrounded by an angry mob. As such, I closed my eyes and spoke calmly. ¡°Hey, Irina! What the hell happened to you!?¡± ¡°........¡± Arianne, upon seeing her, grabbed her and began shaking her violently, but Irina avoided Arianne¡¯s gaze and pretended to be confused. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but...¡± After watching the scene for a moment, I grabbed Irina from Arianne and wrapped my arms around her waist. ¡°... Now that I have Irina, I have no intention of adding more slaves to my collection.¡± Having said that, I left the classroom with Irina, leaving Arianne behind in a daze. ¡°What are you all looking at? Why aren¡¯t you all leaving?¡± Eventually, I chased away the commoners who had been watching us and started walking down the hallway with Irina. ¡°...I think you can take your hands off of her now, Young Master.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Then, as Kania spoke to me with a cold expression on her face, I got startled and let Irina go while opening my mouth, feeling slightly embarrassed. ¡°Uh... Kania. I think the Duke¡¯s mansion will be a little noisy for a while. Is that alright?¡± ¡°Sigh...¡± After hearing that, Kania sighed for a moment, then answered impassively. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Kania looked a little pitiful, so considered buying her a fatigue recovery potion, but suddenly Ferloche appeared behind me. I was scared she had overheard our conversation, but her annoyed expression made me sigh inwardly in relief. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What did you do to Irina?¡± Upon hearing her words, I sighed, realizing that it would be a long conversation. I guess I should stock up on fatigue recovery potions as well. . . . . . ¡°Young Master, how are you going to complete the ¡®Main Quest¡¯ if you bring so many students to the mansion?¡± ¡°Main Quest?¡± As I was heading to the Duke¡¯s mansion, which had suddenly become our base, Kania asked me a question. ¡°Yes, because it¡¯s such a big event... I think you¡¯ll have to prepare in advance, but if you have to complete the quest by the end of the vacation...¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. If everything goes according to my plan, I¡¯ll launch a raid when I¡¯m almost done with the exam, so I still have some time to spare.¡± After answering her with a relaxed expression, I leaned back on the seat of the carriage and muttered. ¡°Alright... everything is perfect. Everything is going well for once.¡± Up until now, everything has been a series of new variables and accidents. On the first day of my regression, the Main Heroines suddenly regained their memories... A new system... and memories that I myself didn¡¯t even know existed in the first place. But for now, everything was within the range of my calculations. I had already thought of a way to lead the commoners to victory while earning false evil points, and I had already meticulously planned for the next Main Quest, ¡ºLiberation of the Slave Market¡» since the previous regression. Of course, as always, I couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility that a new variable or unexpected situation would arise, but at least, this time around, I was confident that I could adapt to any unexpected situations... ¡°...Frey, are you really alright?¡± ¡°What?¡± While I was immersed in such thoughts, Irina asked about my well-being with a worried expression on her face. ¡°Can you really handle Arianne?¡± Hearing that, I heaved a deep sigh and answered. ¡°...Well.¡± Arianne was obviously a good person, but I didn¡¯t know what she would do when she goes crazy. If she was proficient in offensive magic instead of defensive magic, I probably wouldn¡¯t have the means to deal with her. When I left the room with Irina earlier, I sensed an immense killing intent. ¡°Sigh... Well, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. As long as it¡¯s still within¡ª¡± ¨C Rumble! ¡°...What?¡± I sighed upon hearing a ruckus outside. A roar echoed from the front of the carriage as it began to slow down. ¡°...What¡¯s going on?¡± As a result, I frowned and carefully looked out the window, where I noticed a man blocking our carriage¡¯s path. ¡°Get the hell out of the way! Do you know who the person traveling inside is!?¡± When the coachman began to swear at the man, the man in front replied in a serious tone. ¡°I¡¯m here to see Duke Frey Raon Starlight. Please forgive my rudeness, but it was urgent.¡± ¡°¡±.......!!!¡±¡± Upon hearing that voice, Kania, Irina, and I, all of us, froze at the same time. Because the owner of that voice... was the closest aide of the Demon King in the previous timeline. ¡°...Stay here, I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°Y-Young Master!¡± ¡°Frey!¡± In fear that Kania or Irina would try to follow me, I hurriedly exited the carriage and approached the man in a suit standing in front of the carriage with a composed expression on his face. I then asked him a question. ¡°So, what business do you have?¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± He then answered with a smile. ¡°...I think Lord Frey should follow me right now.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Upon hearing his answer, I quietly grabbed the hilt of my sword and firmed my grip. ¡°Because if Lord Frey doesn¡¯t come, we can¡¯t start the Executive meeting.¡± ¡°What?¡± I started to doubt my ears upon hearing the words that came out of his mouth. ¡°...Congratulations on becoming the Chief Executive of the Demon King¡¯s Army, Lord Frey.¡± I guess for the time being, I would have to watch what came out of my mouth. Chapter 61: Creating Variables ? Creating Variables ? ¡°Uh... what do you mean?¡± ¡°As I said. Duke Frey Raon Starlight, starting today, you have been appointed as the Chief Executive of the Demon King¡¯s Army¡ª¡± It was a statement so absurd that I asked him again without even realizing, and the ¡®Second-in-Command¡¯ of the Demon King¡¯s Army replied as a thin smile flickered across the corners of his mouth. ¡°Wait, wait, wait!¡± I, who had been silently listening to his words, hurriedly cut him off. ¡°Oh, in case you¡¯re worried, I¡¯ve used spatial magic to block the sound of our conversation.¡± Because he seemed confident that there was nothing to be concerned about, I had no choice but to nod my head, feeling a myriad of emotions. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go. Everyone is waiting for you, Lord Frey.¡± ¡°W-Wait a second. Let me go to that carriage first.¡± As he grabbed my arm and tried to cast a spell, I hurriedly backed away from him, and started running to the wagon. ¡°Young Master, what the hell is going on?¡± ¡°F-Frey! Are you alright?¡± Kania and Irina¡¯s faces were pale as I opened the carriage door. They seemed to have recalled their terrifying experiences while dealing with him from the previous timeline. ¡°Guys, I¡¯ll be back in a bit.¡± I didn¡¯t want to worry them anymore, so I tried to gloss over it quickly, but Kania hurriedly grabbed my arm and said. ¡°Tell me what¡¯s going on. Otherwise, I won¡¯t let you go.¡± ¡°Uh... M-Me too.¡± Then Irina, who was next to me, timidly grabbed my arm as well. I heaved a deep sigh and muttered. ¡°...I¡¯ve become the Chief Executive Officer of the Demon King¡¯s Army.¡± Having said that, I left Kania, who had a blank expression on her face, and Irina, who was also staring at me in shock, in the carriage, then returned to the Demon King¡¯s aide. ¡°Are they your acquaintances?¡± Eventually, as the departing carriage rattled and disappeared into the distance, the aide in front of me tilted his head and asked a question. ¡°Uh, well sir... you can say that.¡± ¡°Lord Frey, you don¡¯t have to speak formally to me. Lord Frey is now the highest ranking officer of the Demon King¡¯s Army.¡± My brows furrowed as I spoke with a dumbfounded expression on my face. ¡°Uh... But that...¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. You¡¯re the Chief Executive by the Demon King themself. If you simply take your position in the Demon King¡¯s Army into account, you already have same rank as me. You are welcome to converse with me informally.¡± However, hearing the words coming out of the aide¡¯s mouth, I was unable to continue my train of thought and muttered with a blank expression on my face. ¡°Sir, I have... the same rank as you?¡± ¡°It seems like you¡¯re more comfortable with formal speech than informal. Then, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. Of course, you can use informal speech if you wish.¡± ¡°I understand that, but why do I, a mere servant of the Demon King, have a similar standing as you in the Demon King¡¯s Army? Is there some kind of misunderstanding?¡± I sincerely hoped for the possibility that such a ridiculous thing happened due to a massive misunderstanding within the ranks of the Demon King¡¯s Army. However, the aide looked at me and spoke in a composed tone. ¡°You¡¯re quite humble.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°But, too much humility is detrimental.¡± While saying that, the aide¡¯s expression hardened, as I finally heaved a deep sigh and muttered. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll think about what happened later... Now I have work to do...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Soon after, the aide stopped me again, then snapped his fingers, and in the next moment I found myself in a back alley corner. ¡®... This is driving me crazy.¡¯ Obviously, I believed that I could control the situation even if any variables or unexpected circumstances did arise, but wasn¡¯t this too much? To become the Chief Executive of the Demon King¡¯s Army in one day, not to mention the fact that the Hero had the same rank as the Second-in-Command of the Demon King¡¯s Army... ¡®Is it a trap...?¡¯ I thought that this might be the Demon King¡¯s trap, who may have noticed that I was the Hero, but no matter how much I thought about it, that idea seemed unlikely. If she wanted to kill me, she just had to send out orders to her subordinates. Why would she send her closest aide and instruct him to treat me with the utmost respect? Of course, she could have been trying to kill me cautiously. However, the decisive evidence appeared before my eyes in a system window. [Dmir Khan¡¯s Current Emotions: Tense / Respect / Recognition / Camaraderie / Reassurance] If this was indeed some kind of plot, of course, the Demon King¡¯s closest aide who came himself to pick me up couldn¡¯t be ignorant of it. From his amiable way of treating me... what the aide had told me was very likely to be true. If so, why did the Demon King make such a crazy decision? ¡®I don¡¯t know what the Demon King is doing, but something strange is definitely going on.¡¯ ¡°We¡¯re here, Lord Frey.¡± ¡°Ah yes.¡± I was immersed in thought for a long time, but upon hearing the aide¡¯s call, I quickly moved and asked a question. ¡°By the way... where is this place?¡± ¡°This is a room created by my spatial ability. It¡¯s located in the back alley, but you can¡¯t enter inside by ordinary means.¡± Hearing those words, I started walking down the alley quietly, my mouth agape as he explained his overpowered ability. ¡°Come inside.¡± ¡°Is this... a tavern?¡± Eventually, we arrived at a shabby tavern. I frowned, wondering if it was some kind of test, but the aide just smiled and said. ¡°Do you still see this place as a tavern?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, a huge underground passage appeared in front of me. ¡°... It¡¯s an isolated space anyway, so why are you being so cautious?¡± ¡°The more thorough the defense, the better. It will be disastrous if the Hero manages to get past the spatial barrier.¡± Looking at the underground passage, I asked the aide a question out of curiosity, and he answered with a serious expression. ¡°The Hero...?¡± ¡°Yes. The Hero has appeared.¡± When I heard his answer, I became nervous and asked a question without even realizing as the aid replied to me once again with a serious look on his face. ¡°The battle from 1000 years ago is about to start again. Of course, this time, the outcome will be different.¡± ¡°Uh... will it?¡± ¡°Yes, the Demon King who appeared again in the world after a millennium... is the strongest.¡± ¡°The strongest? It¡¯s difficult to picture their strength just from words.¡± When he mentioned the Demon King¡¯s strength, I began to ask questions with a curious expression. ¡°How strong is the Demon King?¡± ¡°Are you talking about the Demon King¡¯s current strength?¡± Khan, who thought for a while, mumbled in a low voice. ¡°They erased my attack with a flick of her finger. That¡¯s how great of a personage they are.¡± ¡°The future of the Demon King¡¯s Army is quite bright.¡± Upon hearing his words, even though I praised the army¡¯s good fortune, I was spitting out curses on the inside. The rank of the Second-in-Command in the Demon King¡¯s Army is decided based on strength. In other words, the man next to me right now is literally the second strongest person in the Demon King¡¯s Army. But to neutralize such a man¡¯s attack with the flick of a finger... I began to wonder what the Demon King had been eating lately to achieve such power. ¡°Let¡¯s finish our chat for now and go inside. All the Executives are waiting for you, Lord Frey.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°Well, isn¡¯t it a good opportunity? There were many executives who were dissatisfied with the Demon King¡¯s decision. So... take this opportunity to show your skills and clear up any protests.¡± After Dmir Khan had finished saying those words, he clapped his hands, as the space of the conference room distorted and expanded in an instant. ¡°We¡¯re in a meeting, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Can we even have a meeting in such a situation?¡± I tried to avoid the battle somehow, but after hearing Dmir Khan¡¯s words, I looked around and saw that the executives were watching my every move with intrigue. ¡°... Is the Demon King army always like this?¡± ¡°Always.¡± I wondered if these were really the people who wreaked havoc across the world, so I asked with a puzzled look, but Dmir Khan answered with an expression that indicated that there was nothing out of the ordinary. ¡°You will get used to it too.¡± ¡°No, but this is...¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s go meet the challenger.¡± I was dragged helplessly by Dmir Khan as he grabbed my arm. I heaved a sigh, thinking that I should hold back a little and conserve my strength... ¡°Oh, and if you don¡¯t give it your all, your next opponent will be me.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Dmir Khan, who had brought me in front of the orc, had a stony expression on his face as he coldly stated that. I flinched upon hearing his statement. ¡°... Now that you are of equal rank to me, if you hold back, challengers will continue to come forth. If that happens... the meeting may not start for a week.¡± My facial expression was distorted in astonishment when I was told that the meeting might not start even after a week. ¡°Thanks to holding back, I kept getting challenges for a month.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m speaking from experience.¡± After saying that, Dmir Khan patted my shoulder and went back to his seat. ¡°Are you ready? Weak human?¡± ¡°Hahaha...¡± Facing this perpetual dilemma, I eventually burst into a hysterical fit of laughter as if I was liberated. ¡°Hahahaha... haha...¡± Everything was annoying. Why the hell did the damn Demon King designate me as the Chief Executive... Did she find out who I was? Why was the prophecy wrong, why were my memories all over the place, and why did the system keep annoying me... No matter how meticulously and thoroughly I prepared, everything just kept going wrong. Thanks to that, the stress just kept piling up, driving me insane. I¡¯d rather... ¡°...Sigh.¡± ¡°....?¡± Suddenly, I opened my eyes, as the orc in front of me tilted his head in bewilderment. Ignoring the orc, I pondered over one particular question that flashed through my mind just as I was about to completely lose it. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you one thing.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Is it true that the Demon King has not revealed their identity to anyone?¡± As I finished organizing my thoughts, I asked that question to the stupid-looking orc standing in front of me. ¡®I¡¯m tired of living under the influence of variables.¡¯ ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve never seen the Demon King before.¡± ¡°Thank you for your answer.¡± I was tired of living under the influence of uncontrollable variables and swayed by the system while taking irreversible losses. So... ¡°Well then, let¡¯s get started.¡± ¡°Hey, why are you being so arrogant? If you recognize your mistake and back down, I¡¯ll....¡± ¡°Shut the hell up and fight.¡± As I said that to the orc in front of me, I mustered up the power from within my body. ¡°Uh, hold on...¡± ¡°What are you doing... hurry up and come at me.¡± I activated the stellar mana hidden within my body and raised the output of the ?Hero¡¯s Power? to the maximum. Each of my muscles became tense, and as I exhaled, they spread throughout my body. ¡°That¡¯s...¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re just standing still, I¡¯ll come at you.¡± I began approaching the Orc, who shuddered in fear, as I radiated a chilling aura across the room that had turned into an arena. ¡°I surrender! I surrender!¡± Then, the guy in front of me hurriedly knelt down on his knees and began to beg. After all, there was no way a servant at the lowest end of the combat spectrum could be a match for me. Likely, even before the fight, he must have already figured out that he was going to lose. ¡°Are there any other challengers?¡± I looked down at the orc who had lost the will to fight and asked the executives who were staring blankly at the scene. ¡°¡±........¡±¡± Of course, no one responded. The combat executives must have already pictured the outcome of the battle in their minds when I mustered up all my powers. Infinitely strong against the weak, infinitely weak against the strong. That was the way of the Demon King¡¯s Army. They always showed that parasitic survival mindset. ¡°Well done, Lord Frey.¡± When the situation was settled, Dmir Khan started speaking with a satisfied smile on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone will question Lord Frey¡¯s qualifications now, right?¡± As the executives responded with a heavy silence, Dmir Khan began speaking gently to me, who was quietly standing in the arena. ¡°It seems that you have already adapted well to the Demon King¡¯s Army, Lord Frey. Well, now that we have to start the meeting soon, let¡¯s return to our seats...¡± ¡°I can still exercise my rights, can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± I aimed at him with my sword and began to speak. ¡°I challenge you, Dmir Khan.¡± And immediately after my speech ended, an icy breeze began to blow in the conference hall. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit inconvenient to have two people with the same rank of Second-in-Command in the Demon King¡¯s Army, isn¡¯t it...?¡± When I calmly replied to Dmir Khan, who had asked curiously, he quietly got up from his seat. ¡°Oh dear, it seems you¡¯ve adapted too well.¡± A thin smile flashed across the corners of my lips as I looked at him, and I muttered the thought that had crossed my mind earlier. ¡°... There is no reason why I can¡¯t try.¡± Now it¡¯s my turn to become the variable, not the system, or the Demon King. Trans?ator¡¯s N?te: Alright, guys, we tried to do the art for Frey for this scene and the letter scene from chapter 15. We gave it our best shot. Although not perfect, I think it improves the immersion. Let me know down below in the comments if we should keep doing these arts and recreate certain scenes, but the art styles might vary, so that¡¯s also kinda problematic. Chapter 62: An Incredible Misunderstanding ? An Incredible Misunderstanding ? It was an unprecedented event. Frey, the Hero¡¯s descendant, had challenged Dmir Khan, the long-standing Second-in-Command of the Demon King¡¯s Army. ¡°You guys... Who do you think will win?¡± While everyone was reeling from the shock and excitement of a major event that would go down in history, one of the combat executives of the Demon King¡¯s Army muttered a question to his colleagues. ¡°Well... I don¡¯t know.¡± The snake-headed man, sitting to the left, replied in a low voice. ¡°They haven¡¯t shown anything yet... So how would you know the outcome?¡± Saying so, the man stuck out his tongue as the sheep-horned woman next to him sighed and said. ¡°Aren¡¯t you stupid? Of course, that human boy will win.¡± ¡°Huh? How can you be so sure?¡± Then, a woman with cute eyes next to her interrupted the conversation as she drooled while gawking at Frey. ¡°He¡¯s handsome.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right... It¡¯s a common cliche? that such frail, handsome boys usually hide their power... Definitely...¡± Before long, even the rabbit-eared woman standing opposite to her chimed in while blushing profusely. Seeing this scene, the snake-headed man heaved a sigh and muttered. ¡°...Brainless bitches.¡± As the nonsensical chatter continued, the man at the edge of the desk quietly opened his mouth. ¡°If I fight that boy, the duel will be decided within a minute.¡± At that remark, the combat executives, who had been chatting for a while, all turned their gazes towards the man. ¡°Commander... is that true?¡± ¡°Really? Reaaally? The Captain will win?¡± ¡°What... Then he¡¯s weaker than I thought...¡± ¡°He¡¯s still cute, so if he loses, should I raise him?¡± ¡°I want to gobble him up.¡± Eventually, the other combat executives realized that the owner of the voice was the Commander of the combat executives and their direct superior, so they began to glare at Frey and murmured amongst each other... ¡°I will lose.¡± When the man bearing numerous scars briefly uttered those words, everyone began looking at him blankly. ¡°... Then should I ask him to raise me?¡± ¡°... I guess he will be the one gobbling me up.¡± Soon, the rabbit-eared woman and the woman with charming eyes, with a blank look on their faces, broke the silence and mumbled. ¡°Uh... Commander, have you ever challenged Dmir Khan?¡± ¡°I did.¡± The orc, who had surrendered to Frey earlier and returned to his seat, timidly inquired. The Commander nodded his head. ¡°Then... the duel with Dmir Khan...¡± The orc then tried to ask curiously, but the women who were murmuring stopped him from speaking. ¡°Do you want to get pummelled to death? Not even your bones will be left.¡± ¡°You¡¯re brazen because you¡¯re a rookie... and it¡¯s good to have that kind of ambition, but shouldn¡¯t you know your place?¡± ¡°I-I apologize...!¡± When the two women began to radiate killing intent, the orc quickly lowered his head. He then quickly began apologizing. When the Commander noticed this, he opened his mouth again. ¡°I was defeated in less than a second.¡± Everyone began looking at the Commander with their mouth agape when they heard those words. ¡°H-How¡¯s that possible? You¡¯re so strong...¡± ¡°Did you let your guard down? Or were you in poor condition? Or¡ª¡± ¡°The duel was decided by just one punch.¡± The Commander eventually opened his eyes and stopped the women who were asking questions. Simultaneously, he looked at Frey, who had unsheathed his sword and muttered solemnly. ¡°...That boy, we¡¯ll see how long that boy will last.¡± . . . . . ¡°I never imagined that you would challenge me.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t imagine being promoted to Chief Executive of the Demon King¡¯s Army either.¡± I stared at Dmir Khan, the Second-in-Command of the Demon King¡¯s Army, who was standing at the center of the arena. ¡°Well, as you said, having two people with the rank of Second-in-Command is quite problematic for multiple reasons... such as the possibility of orders getting mixed up, and different values.¡± He was warming up with a relaxed expression on his face, even though I was emanating my mana in full force. ¡°By the way... I¡¯ve been paying attention to the management side of the Demon King¡¯s Army, so I haven¡¯t fought any battles lately.¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± I asked, confusedly tilting my head, and he replied, his eyes turning cold. ¡°I apologize, but I think it might be a little difficult to control my power.¡± Immediately after he said those words, the space distorted and the room began to expand rapidly. ¡°...Will our duel take place in this isolated space?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I could already guess his intentions by watching him distort the space. Meanwhile, Dmir Khan nodded and started to smile. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s what I wanted as well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that we are in agreement.¡± I also responded with a smile and used my ?Inspect? skill while looking at Dmir Khan, who had a composed look on his face. [Stats] Name: Dmir Khan Strength: 7 Mana: 9.8 Intelligence: 8 Mental Strength: 9.1 Passive Status: None Disposition: Second-in-Command of the Demon King¡¯s Army Goodness Stat: -90 ¡®... As expected, his stats are heavily focused on magic.¡¯ In reality, Dmir Khan¡¯s strength was at an insignificant level. Of course, a strength value of 7 was quite high in normal circumstances, but people with high strength stats were numerous in the Demon King¡¯s Army. However, the reason why he was the second most powerful demon and most powerful figure in the Demon King¡¯s Army was because of his overwhelming magical abilities. His spatial magic ¡®ruled¡¯ the designated space itself rather than controlling it. It¡¯s the pinnacle of magic... that slaughtered countless brave heroes. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°...Cough!¡± In the end, Dmir Khan fell to his knees, pierced by radiant flashes of light, giving birth to a chilly silence that soon descended upon the hall. ¡°Cough... Cough... I have a question.¡± Soon Dmir Khan, who was staring blankly at me with blood dripping down from the corners of his lips, broke the silence that lingered for a while. ¡°How did you destroy my space with just a slash of your sword?¡± He inquired as such, with a pale, haggard face, as I replied to him nonchalantly. ¡°I swung my sword really hard.¡± Then the executives in the back began to murmur. ¡®...Well, I¡¯m not lying.¡¯ The reason my sword slash was able to break past his spatial magic was because of the ?Hero¡¯s Power? that I inherited from the First Hero. In exchange for life force, it¡¯s possible for me to draw out transcendental power. Power strong enough to cut through his space. Of course, I was about to die because I used up almost all the life force I had left in order to use the ?Hero¡¯s Power?. I coughed up blood dozens of times as a result, but I swallowed it all and endured the severe pain by depending on my mental strength. Should I have to suffer that much even if the impact was powerful enough to cut through space? ¡°Let¡¯s say that part makes sense... Then, what was that flash of light?¡± As I kept swallowing the blood that I was about to cough up, Dmir Khan asked a question with a trembling voice. ¡°I infused mana in my sword slash.¡± It seemed that blood would ooze out of my mouth if I talked for too long, so I gave another brief answer as the executives who were buzzing behind me went silent. ¡°That¡¯s... impossible.¡± Meanwhile, upon hearing that, Dmir Khan looked astonished. ¡®...Well, it¡¯s pretty surprising.¡¯ With the skill I previously got from the forest near the Duke¡¯s residence, I was able to cast ¡®stellar magic¡¯. That alone was remarkable, but combining magic with a sword slash was unheard of on the continent. That was because, until now, no one had ever been able to combine ¡®sword¡¯s aura¡¯ and ¡®mana¡¯. In other words, I was the sole ¡®Magic Swordsman¡¯ in the world. My sword art made use of ?Hero¡¯s Power?, and the magic I wielded was the ?Stellar Mana? which was formerly used by my mother, the strongest star mage in history. So in conclusion, according to the term my ancestor preferred to use, I¡¯m now a ¡®fucking cheater.¡¯ ¡°From now on, I¡¯m the Second-in-Command of the Demon King¡¯s Army. Those who are dissatisfied, feel free to step forth and fight me.¡± Thinking like that, I gulped down the blood that gathered in my mouth. And as soon as I calmed down, I spoked coldly to the executives behind me. ¡®Please don¡¯t come out... Please...¡¯ Of course, I inwardly prayed that no one would come out. In my half-dead state, anyone here could easily defeat me. For example, if the orc guy who confronted me earlier decided to challenge me again, he would easily knock me out and take the position of Second-in-Command. ¡°¡±........¡±¡± But fortunately, they all averted their gazes, trying not to make eye contact with me and remained silent. ¡°Alright then...¡± When I saw them behaving like such, I heaved a sigh of relief and attempted to go calmly to my seat... ¡°One more question... just one more question.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Dmir Khan, who was gasping for breath, asked another question with a frown on his face. ¡°You... you...¡± Dmir Khan continued to speak in a quivering tone. Apparently, having never been hit by an attack, his body seemed pretty weak... ¡°... Are you the Demon King?¡± ¡°What?¡± He spouted something insane out of his mouth as I heard people quickly take a deep breath from behind me. ¡°Um... that...¡± Thinking about the meaning of those words, I froze without realizing. ¡°...Well?¡± Only silence lingered in the conference hall. . . . . . ¡°Um... Kania. Frey will be fine...¡± ¡°The Young Master will be fine. So don¡¯t worry about anything.¡± ¡°No... that¡¯s not it. I was just trying to comfort you... sigh...¡± Irina tried to comfort Kania, who seemed anxious as she kept opening and closing the lid of her pen while chewing her nails. She looked out the window upon hearing Kania kept mumbling that Frey would be fine in a trembling voice. ¡°Kania...¡± ¡°As I¡¯ve said over and over again, the Young Master will be fine. So...¡± ¡°...We¡¯ve arrived.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Realizing that the carriage had already arrived in front of the Duke¡¯s mansion, Irina informed Kania, who was completely zoned out, and got off the carriage. She then asked her a question. ¡°Uh... Do you remember what Frey ordered us to do?¡± ¡°The Young Master will be safe. So stop...¡± ¡°No, do you remember what Frey asked for earlier? You idiot ¡®Young Master¡¯ stammerer!¡± Eventually, when Irina screamed at her, Kania snapped out of her daze, and quickly changed her expression to one befitting of a Duke¡¯s butler, and stepped out of the carriage. ¡°... I remember it perfectly.¡± After that statement, she headed towards the main gate of the Starlight mansion. When she entered the Duke¡¯s residence along with the commoners who were hesitating in front of the gate. ¡°All servants, please gather in front of me.¡± After a while, Kania, who had called all the servants in a line, declared with a cold expression on her face. ¡°As of today, all of you are fired.¡± Kania, who looked around carefully, added a few more words in a hushed tone while the servants reeled in shock at those words. ¡°... until the vacation is over.¡± Then, the servants became confused, trying to understand the meaning of her words. Meanwhile, the commoners, who were looking at the scene in bewilderment, realized that Kania was now staring at them. ¡°From today onwards, you are the servants of the Starlight family.¡± After hearing Kania¡¯s words, the students began to doubt their ears. ¡°All women will wear maid clothes, and all men will work as servants, cooks, and gardeners.¡± Kania, who once again reminded the commoners of their situation, declared with a calm expression on her face. ¡°This is the Young Master¡¯s command.¡± Chapter 63: Unprecedented ? Unprecedented ? A chilly atmosphere lingered in the conference room. ¡°... Let¡¯s start the meeting then.¡± In that atmosphere, I declared the start of the Demon King¡¯s Army meeting in a stern tone. ¡°Of course, since I just joined the Demon King¡¯s Army, I don¡¯t know the agenda of our meeting. So, I¡¯ll have to ask Dmir Khan to direct today¡¯s meeting.¡± When I finished speaking, Dmir Khan, who had been watching me for a while, quietly opened his mouth. ¡°Yes, please leave everything to me.¡± Unlike before, his attitude had become quite polite. ¡°¡±........¡±¡± Not only that, but most of the executives were hesitating and staring at me. Thanks to their gazes, I struggled to maintain a calm expression. ¡®For now, everything is going well.¡¯ Earlier, when Dmir Khan asked me if I was the Demon King, I avoided his questioning and refused to give a concrete answer. Because of this, the executives couldn¡¯t ascertain my true identity, and couldn¡¯t determine whether I was the Demon King, or just another strong individual. If they served me as the Demon King when I was not, that would be disrespectful to the real Demon King. However, it would also be problematic if they treated me disrespectfully in the event that I actually turned out to be the Demon King. Of course, that¡¯s exactly what I wanted. Since Dmir Khan mistook me for the Demon King, I wanted to adopt that role and use it to weaken the Demon King¡¯s Army, but he had a way to contact the Demon King. So, if I openly pretended to be the Demon King, I would soon be exposed. However, if I dropped slight hints while not really confirming anything, they would come up with that scenario on their own. Of course, because they couldn¡¯t confirm anything, they would go crazy trying to verify it, but that was not my concern. ¡°Then, for the first topic on our agenda...¡± While I was engrossed in such thoughts, Dmir Khan cleared his throat and announced the first topic of the meeting. ¡°The whereabouts of the Hero, who has recently appeared in the world again, is still unknown. Have any of you executives found anything in regards to this?¡± The executives started looking at each other. ¡°It seems that no one knows. Then... I will ask those who have currently infiltrated the Church and the Imperial Family. How is the investigation going?¡± Dmir Khan asked while frowning slightly. Then a woman with the name tag of ¡®Intelligence Executive¡¯ stood up and began reporting her findings. ¡°The Church of the Sun God is as incompetent as always. The paladins and priests go around the Capital and provinces every day to ask around, but instead of trying to find the Hero, they only take money.¡± ¡°Well, in the first place, the Pope is on our side, so they have no choice but to be incompetent.¡± The Pope seemed to already be a member of the Demon King¡¯s Army at that point in time, based on what Dmir Khan muttered. The future of the Empire seemed quite bright, seeing that the leader of the largest denomination, which exerted influence not only in the Sunrise Empire but also on several other continents, supported the Demon King. ¡°However, there is a variable, the Saintess. What does she think of the Hero?¡± Dmir Khan, who was grinning earlier, asked a question in a serious tone. The same question that I was pondering over as well. As expected, the existence of the ¡®Saintess¡¯ remained a great trauma to the Demon King¡¯s Army, thanks to the legend of the First Saintess from a millennium back. ¡°The Saintess said that she would go on a journey to find the Hero herself. Of course, it¡¯s quite doubtful whether the ¡®Pure-White Saintess¡¯ will make a difference in the search alone, but she¡¯s definitely trying.¡± ¡°It seems like she¡¯s in quite a bit of a rush.¡± With those last few words, the woman concluded her report and sat down. The man seated next to her then got up. ¡°The Imperial Family is struggling quite a bit. They spent a third of the Imperial Knight¡¯s funds on the search quest for the Hero, and they promised a huge bounty to those who would manage to find him. They are also in contact with several guilds from the Underworld.¡± Upon hearing that, Dmir Khan asked with a mocking expression on his face. ¡°Well, aren¡¯t they in a hurry?¡± ¡°Well, if the Demon King appears, and the Empire collapses, the absolute power they¡¯ve enjoyed till now will become meaningless. The Imperial Family does their best... when it comes to matters that threaten their authority.¡± I truly agreed with the man¡¯s word that I was nodding my head involuntarily. Then Dmir Khan asked one more question sternly, ¡°Then what are the chances of them finding the Hero first?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that high. The Imperial Family is more active than the Church, but they are mostly incompetent. However, we have to be vigilant against the ¡®Imperial Knights¡¯ and the ¡®Third Imperial Princess¡¯.¡± After the report was finished, the man sat down as Dmir Khan turned his gaze towards me. He then cautiously asked. ¡°Uh... Do you have any advice for us, Lord Frey?¡± ¡°... Advice?¡± Dmir Khan, who had suddenly asked me for advice, shook his head and began to explain further. ¡°Isn¡¯t your family the ¡®Descendants of the Hero¡¯?¡± After saying that, Dmir Khan and the other executives all turned to look at me with a slightly expectant expression on their faces. ¡°Well... I don¡¯t really know...¡±ViiSiit novelbi/n(.)c/(o)m for latest novels However, I couldn¡¯t reveal the truth here, so I tried to change the subject, but suddenly, a good idea crossed my mind. Of course, I wasn¡¯t sure whether this would work, nonetheless, I decided to give it a try. And after a pause, I started speaking with a serious expression on my face. ¡°... Oh, come to think of it, there¡¯s a phrase that¡¯s been passed down from generation to generation to each Head of the Starlight Family.¡± ¡°A phrase passed down from generation to generation?¡± When Dmir Khan heard that, his eyes gleamed as I began adding some details to the story, thinking that if I made it realistic, I could easily deceive them. ¡°Yes, I just found out about it a few months ago, as soon as I became the Provisional Lord of the Family.¡± ¡°So, what the hell is that phrase?¡± Just as Dmir Khan began to urge me, I gave an order to the man sitting at the edge of the table with a stern expression on my face. ¡°You there. Go bring me a pen and paper.¡± Instantly, an icy breeze began to blow in the conference room. ¡°Co-Commander. Don¡¯t get angry.¡± ¡°Yes, if you get mad here, you¡¯re going to die.¡± Eventually, when the executives sitting beside him implored him to stop, I started to feel strange and asked Dmir Khan a question. ¡°...Who is he?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the Commander of the Combat Executives. Not only is he one of the top executives in the Demon King¡¯s Army, but he also used to be our Third-in-Command.¡± Thanks to this, I thought about apologizing for a moment, but if the Second-in-Command of the Demon King¡¯s Army decided to apologize to the now Fourth-in-Command, it might appear as a sign of weakness. Thus, I decided to double down instead. ¡°Can¡¯t you hear me? Didn¡¯t I tell you to bring a pen and paper?¡± With my status now only being below the Demon King, I commanded him in an arrogant tone. Upon hearing that, the man riddled with scars clenched his fists. ¡°Understood.¡± After a while, the man answered in a trembling voice, then slowly got up from his seat. After grabbing a piece of paper and a pen, he approached me. ¡°It¡¯s a cheap quill. Prepare something better next time.¡± I took the quill and paper from him, and without even sparing him a glance, I beckoned him to return to his seat and ordered Dmir Khan. ¡°...Huff.¡± The Commander of the Combat Executives, who had been grinding his teeth for a while, returned to his seat, as he exhaled a hideous breath. ¡°Have you ever seen this text?¡± ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t this...!¡± Ignoring the Fourth-in-Command¡¯s antics, I wrote a few letters on the paper and showed it to Dmir Khan. The moment he saw that letter, his eyes widened in astonishment as he muttered. ¡°Aren¡¯t those the letters used by the Hero from 1000 years ago...?¡± ¡°Yes, this text has been passed down through our family from generation to generation.¡± ¡°Then do you know the meaning of this sentence?¡± As I spoke seriously, Dmir Khan asked me a question with an extremely anticipated look on his face. ¡°Of course, I know. Only a little of it, though.¡± After I finished my preparations to deceive him, I coughed and started talking. ¡°What do you mean?¡± After hearing my words, Lemerno frowned slightly and asked. Perhaps she already instinctively sensed that her plan to instill suspicion in the executives was going awry. Of course, even if they felt it, nothing would change. ¡°Dmir Khan, tell everyone what the evidence is.¡± With that in mind, I gave an order to Dmir Khan, who quietly bowed his head next to me. He was a cunning and opportunistic person, but at the same time, he showed blind loyalty to the ¡®Demon King¡¯, so he should have already understood what I meant by ¡®evidence¡¯. ¡°... The fact that we are still alive is proof enough.¡± When Dmir Khan spoke, everyone present in the conference room froze at the same time. Then I gave them a beaming smile and questioned the man who handed me a pen and paper earlier. ¡°There, you, what¡¯s your rank?¡± ¡°... I¡¯m one of the top executives and the Combat Executives¡¯ Commander of the Demon King¡¯s Army.¡± ¡°Alright, so if you fight me... how long do you think you¡¯ll last?¡± Hearing those words, the man pondered for a moment and then responded in a low voice. ¡°At first, I was expecting to last 3 to 5 minutes... but after witnessing your duel, I doubt that I can withstand a single strike.¡± As I watched the executives¡¯ faces turn pale in shock, I blurted out a statement nonchalantly, acting as if it were nothing special. ¡°I can decapitate all of you with one swing of my sword now.¡± Of course, it was a lie. Before I could swing my sword and kill them all, my life force would run out. ¡°Do you want that to happen?¡± The executives, who obviously didn¡¯t want that to happen, began to look frightened. Of course, they must have noticed that I was already fiddling with my sword as I swathed it with stellar mana. ¡°I¡¯m well aware that you are suspicious of me. In one day, a human became the Second-in-Command of the Demon King¡¯s Army... not to mention, he is the descendant of the First Hero.¡± Seeing them murmuring, I started talking in an even deeper voice. ¡°Perhaps you may even suspect that I am the Hero.¡± Of course, they must have suspected me as a spy rather than a hero. However, for those who lost their ability to judge the situation due to their fear, what I say now will be engraved as the truth. ¡°But if I were the real hero, I would have already killed you by swinging my sword once... Why would I bother becoming the Second-in-Command of the Demon King¡¯s Army?¡± Having said that, I looked at everyone as the executives began avoiding my gaze. ¡°So curb your unnecessary doubts. If you continue to argue even after this, then I¡¯ll consider it as a challenge to my rank.¡± When I concluded my declaration in a cold tone, all the executives bowed their heads in front of me. ¡°.......Ugh.¡± Now, among the executives, Lemerno alone held a cold expression on her face. Most of the executives were suppressed by fear, but Lemerno seemed to be unhappy with me yet again. ¡®Well, she¡¯s still useful, so I¡¯ll use her until she becomes too big a hindrance... If she keeps getting in the way, I¡¯ll kill her.¡¯ After making up my mind, I smiled proudly and muttered the thoughts that suddenly flashed through my mind. ¡®...For some reason, working in the Demon King¡¯s Army is quite suitable for me, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ While I was engrossed in such absurd thoughts, Dmir Khan, who was next to me, faked a cough and continued with the meeting. ¡°Then, the next topic.¡± Seeing the image that Dmir Khan showed to everyone, I started smiling quietly. ¡°In the slave market that will be opened soon, we will secure slaves for the Demon King¡¯s Army.¡± ¡®... Like I would let that happen.¡¯ I still didn¡¯t know what the Demon King¡¯s intentions were to make the Chief Executive, but I had no intention of ever being swayed by the system, variables, or the Demon King. So, from now on, I would disrupt the Demon King Army¡¯s plans as much as possible. It was a good thing to do, and it also relieved some of my stress. . . . . . Shortly after the meeting, most of the executives left the hall. ¡°... Sir Dmir Khan. Can you spare me a moment of your time?¡± Lemerno, who remained in the conference room until the end, spoke to Dmir Khan, who had also stayed behind. ¡°I know what you want to say.¡± Dmir Khan, who was looking down at the desk with a piercing gaze, answered in an icy voice. ¡°I can¡¯t trust Frey. He¡¯s hiding so much¡ª¡± ¡°What if he¡¯s our Demon King? Then what will you do?¡± Lemerno tried to persuade him urgently, but Dmir Khan interrupted her and began speaking. ¡°The Demon King I have met so far has always been hiding their identity. Their appearance, status, and even their own voice.¡± Lemerno couldn¡¯t say anything because no one except Dmir Khan had ever met the Demon King in person. So, she stopped speaking for a moment and began listening to his words. ¡°All I know is that person has the same height and build as Frey... and uses the same arrogant tone as him.¡± Lemerno, who frowned at those words, said with an absurd expression on her face. ¡°Are you trying to convince yourself with such weak circumstantial evidence? From the beginning, such things could easily be¡ª¡± ¡°Frey is the first ¡®Magic Swordsman¡¯ to appear in history.¡± But upon hearing his following words, Lemerno quietly shut her mouth. ¡°Both his sword skill and magical prowess are simultaneously at the pinnacle.¡± ¡°But, last time, you said the Demon King erased your attack with just a flick of a finger.¡± After hearing Dmir Khan¡¯s statement, Lemerno shook her head and tried to refute him. ¡°While Frey¡¯s battle today was literally mythical, it took more than lifting a finger to erase your attack. So¡ª¡± ¡°I have something to tell you about that.¡± However, after cutting her words off once again, Dmir Khan started speaking with a serious expression on his face. ¡°The Demon King has a ¡®restriction¡¯.¡± ¡°A restriction?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of restriction it is... Seeing how the Demon King continues to hide their identity, the fact that they don¡¯t share the Hero¡¯s identity, and various other actions, it is clear that an unknown force is putting some kind of ¡®restriction¡¯ on the Demon King¡¯s actions. ¡° Having said that, Dmir Khan finished his speech with a confident tone. ¡°And... It¡¯s the same with Lord Frey.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you feel it too? When Frey talked about the Hero¡¯s identity earlier, he intentionally avoided the topic.¡± ¡°... Ummm.¡± Hearing those words, Lemerno looked back on her memories and fell into deep thought. ¡°Well, it¡¯s too early to be certain... But if my guess is correct...¡± Looking at Lemerno, Dmir Khan smiled and whispered gently. ¡°...Finally, the Demon King has reappeared in the world.¡± Truly, it was the moment when an unprecedented misunderstanding was born. Chapter 64: The Moonlight on the Stars ? The Moonlight On The Stars ? ¡®In the past, I couldn¡¯t even imagine becoming the Second-in-Command of the Demon King¡¯s Army.¡¯ I arrived in front of the Duke¡¯s mansion in an instant due to Dmir Khan¡¯s ability to control space, and took a deep breath before walking towards the gate. ¡°¡±We-Welcome.¡±¡± When the gate opened, the commoners of Class A were all lined up with ashamed looks on their faces. They bowed their heads and greeted me. The boys in uniforms and work clothes were fine, but the girls in maid clothes... If anyone saw me, they would definitely hurl curses at me. ¡°I¡¯ll come in then.¡± Of course, I entered the Duke¡¯s mansion with an evil smile. ¡°¡±........¡±¡± Seeing as the girls were glaring at me with such undisguised disgust, I think I made the right choice. ¡°...Brother, what the hell are you doing?¡± I entered the mansion, while looking at the commoners as if they were insects. But soon, Aria stopped me. ¡°Ah, Aria. Take Kadia and get out of here.¡± ¡°What!?¡± As I spoke to Aria calmly, she growled and said. ¡°Brother, stop doing these ridiculous things and apologize to those children...¡± ¡°Stay out of my house until this vacation is over.¡± I cut her off coldly, but Aria only sighed and began to approach the commoners behind me. ¡°I apologize.¡± When she bowed deeply and apologized, the commoner students widened their eyes and began to panic. Did they think she was also a villainess just because she was the younger sister of a notorious ¡®evil¡¯ man of the Empire? I felt sorry for Aria. ¡°My brother caused trouble. I¡¯ll take care of it, so you can just leave¡ªAh!¡± But as she tried to send the commoners back home, I forcibly grabbed her arm and started dragging her up the stairs. ¡°Ah! Brother, what do you think you¡¯re doing? Let me go! LET GO!!¡± ¡°Shut up and follow me.¡± As she continued to struggle, Aria soon began to channel stellar mana, but she glanced at the commoners watching us from below, and then spoke hastily. ¡°Do you want to fight with stellar mana in front of your classmates? If you don¡¯t let go, I¡¯ll attack you in front of¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up before I expel you from the family.¡± I was in a frail state because of the life force I had to use in order to beat Dmir Khan, so if Aria hit me with stellar mana, she would indeed kill me and become a murderer. So I harshly cut her off once more before she used magic on me, as she began muttering with a shocked expression on her face. ¡°You mean... you¡¯re serious, Brother?¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°... Yes.¡± When I answered with an annoyed look on my face, she opened her mouth again while glaring at me. ¡°Brother, from now on... kyaa!¡° However, I pushed Aria into Kadia¡¯s room, where she was already waiting. ¡°Young Master Frey...?¡± Kania¡¯s sister, who was playing with a doll, looked at me with her eyes wide open. ¡°Pack your bags right now and leave our house, and don¡¯t return until the vacation ends. If you don¡¯t leave now, Aria, you will be expelled from the family, and Kadia, you will be kicked out onto the streets.¡± ¡°U-Uh, what about my sister...?¡± Hearing those words, Kadia began to tear up and asked a question. Seeing her like that, I raised the corners of my lips and answered. ¡°Of course I¡¯ll keep your sister. She¡¯s mine after all.¡± ¡°Wa-Wahh...¡± Upon hearing those words, Kadia was driven to the verge of tears, and Aria, who was clenching her teeth next to her, screamed at me. ¡°Why?! Why the hell are you doing this, you bastard!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see that I brought those commoners?¡± I gave her a sly smile and started telling her the reason, which I planned beforehand. ¡°There¡¯s going to be a crazy party. Alcohol, drugs, and¡ªheuk.¡± ¡°... That¡¯s enough.¡± However, I was punched in the stomach by Aria without being able to finish my sentence. ¡°Kadia, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Ye-Yes? But...¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if we come back when the vacation is over, right? I¡¯ll leave by tonight. Have a nice vacation.¡± Having said that, Aria grabbed Kadia¡¯s arm, and glanced at me with a disgusted expression, then left the room along with her. ¡°... Cough.¡± I leaned against the wall as I wiped the blood dripping from the corner of my mouth. It was because I got punched by my younger sister, who had a strength stat of 4. ¡®I have to secretly hire mercenaries to protect their residence.¡¯ The reason I kicked them out was simple. If the two of them stayed in this mansion for the entire vacation, they would surely be in danger. Currently, I was the target of an assassination by both Clana and the Moonlight Family. And the unprecedented exam was probably a trap orchestrated by Clana. So, eventually, when Clana¡¯s team invades the Duke¡¯s mansion, there would be a high chance that either an assassin, a wiretapping device, or a bomb would be brought in. Therefore, it was necessary to evacuate Aria and Kadia at least until the end of the exam. Of course, I would like to have commoners take refuge somewhere, but... I couldn¡¯t help them due to the rules of the exam. And for various reasons, I wanted to do good things for those who suffer from poverty, so this time... ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. About the last incident... Huh?¡± While I was engrossed in such thoughts, Aria suddenly burst open the door and asked me a question before freezing to the spot. I wondered what was going on, so I stared at Aria in a daze, then touched my lips, and noticed that my finger got drenched in blood dripping from my lips. ¡°Uh, so this is...!¡± ¡°B-Brother. Why? Where are you hurt?¡± I tried to stagger up while wiping the blood off, but my legs trembled because I had used too much energy, and I fell back down. Aria, who was staring blankly at me, began to clench her teeth. ¡°Hey, what have you been doing?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know.¡± ¡°Yes, I knew you would say that. I¡¯m really getting sick of this now.¡± Saying so, Aria took something out of her pocket, threw it at her own feet, and began trampling it. ¡°I won¡¯t even talk to you from now on.¡± After saying that, Aria left the room with a cold expression on her face. ¡°... What is this?¡± When I saw that she had left her room, I wanted to check what she had been stepping on, so I craned my head and looked down at the floor. ¡®A key... made from light magic?¡¯ I looked down at the dented key for a moment, then quietly covered the key with my palm and closed my eyes. ¡°... It¡¯s done.¡± Eventually, as I cast light magic, I conjured up a twinkling light on my hand, and smiled when I saw the key gradually returning to its original state. ¨C Shine... ¡°... Ohh.¡± However, the key that I held in my hand suddenly disintegrated into sparkling particles and scattered in the air. ¡®Damn, it¡¯s because I used too much stellar mana.¡¯ Eventually, I found a small keyhole in the box, and I knew that it was the space for the key that Aria had trampled on earlier. ¡°I¡¯m sorry... Aria.¡± I was about to open the box by force, but with a gloomy expression on my face, I put the box down on the desk next to the bed and began to close my eyes. For some reason, today, I missed the cat dream I used to have. . . . . . ¡°Young Master? Young Master!!¡± ¡°Ummm... Kania?¡± I had a dream that a giant owl was weighing me down instead of a cat, and I woke up drenched in cold sweat upon hearing Kania¡¯s call. ¡°You¡¯re safe!¡± Kania started hugging me with a bright smile that she had never shown before. ¡°Because it was the Young Master, I believed you would return safely. Really.¡± ¡°K-Kania... I can¡¯t breathe.¡± As I was having trouble breathing because she was hugging me so tightly, I spoke quickly, and Kania, who quickly backed away from me, managed her expression as if nothing had occurred. ¡°Irina? Why do you look like that?¡± Seeing Kania like that, I smiled bitterly, but I noticed that Irina had a haggard expression on her face, and I tilted my head in confusion. ¡°Kania... all day...¡± ¡°By the way, Young Master, Lady Aria misses you.¡± As Irina started answering with a dazed expression, Kania quickly cut her off and began speaking. ¡°...Why?¡± I asked in a gloomy tone because I was slightly sullen that she had brought a suspicious box to my room and trampled on the key to open it. Kania then shrugged her shoulders and said. ¡°She says she has something to tell you before she leaves.¡± After hearing those words, I fell into silence. Kania asked with a slightly worried expression. ¡°... Lady Aria isn¡¯t worried about the Young Master, is she?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I think this time around, she has lost the last bit of sympathy she had for me... I only need one more incident to happen.¡± As I said so, Kania¡¯s and Irina¡¯s expressions hardened at the same time. ¡°If I don¡¯t speak with her today, I won¡¯t be able to see her all summer...I should see her. What time is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s one in the morning.¡± I calmly asked and got up from my bed before walking towards the door. ¡°Kania and Irina. You guys take Aria and Kadia to a safe place. Please.¡± ¡°Just leave it to us.¡± ¡°... We¡¯ll be back tomorrow morning, so rest up.¡± Having spoken with the two of them, I began to head towards the main gate of the Duke¡¯s mansion. ¡°... Brother.¡± Eventually, I found Aria standing in front of the gate, so I sighed and started talking to her. ¡°If you intend to speak nonsense again...¡± ¡°... That last incident. You were the one who saved me, weren¡¯t you?¡± But after hearing Aria¡¯s words, I stood still and stiffened. ¡°¡±..... Heup.¡±¡± And it was the same for Kania and Irina, too, as they both gasped and looked at me without even realizing it. ¡°I¡¯ll believe so. Even if it¡¯s just a dream... I will still believe in that dream.¡± However, fortunately, the penalty window did not appear. [Aria Raon Starlight¡¯s Current Emotions: Disappointment/Exhaustion/Resignation/Hate/Worry] ¡°So please... don¡¯t let me down anymore...¡± Eventually, looking into Aria¡¯s emotions, I realized that she wasn¡¯t aware of the truth, but instead she was denying reality. ¡°If I¡¯m even a little more disappointed, I can¡¯t...¡± Aria, who struggled to carry on her words, finally gave up and lowered her head, and held out her hand to me. ¡°... This?¡± I reached out my hand involuntarily to receive what she held out, and I found the key she had trampled on previously. ¡°Farewell.¡± Immediately after Aria gave me the key, she turned around and left the mansion. ¡®Is this another hallucination?¡¯ I heard a sob from somewhere, but I tried to ignore it because I thought it might be the hallucination I experienced last time. ¡°... Aria is crying, Young Master Frey.¡± Kadia¡¯s words, who had been staring at me while carrying her own luggage, clearly revealed the truth I was trying to avoid. ¡°I just thought I should tell you.¡± After leaving those words, Kadia left the mansion with Kania, who was quietly biting her lips, and Irina, who was looking at her pitifully. ¡°... So, what did she give me that made her behave like that?¡± After standing there silently for a long time, I began to go to my room while humming in a pleasant tune. ¡°... Oh, it fits.¡± When I finally arrived at my room, I put the key made of stellar into the keyhole of the box I had kept on the desk and turned it clockwise. ¨C Click! ¡°This is?¡± And what was inside the open box was quite unexpected. ¨C Don¡¯t keep coughing blood. It¡¯s filthy. ¡°...Hahaha.¡± Inside the box, a handkerchief embroidered with a silver cat was neatly folded. ¡°It¡¯s even enchanted with self-cleaning magic.¡± After looking at the handkerchief for a while, I smiled softly and tried to fold the handkerchief firmly and put it in my pocket... ¡°... Don¡¯t move.¡± At that moment, I felt an icy touch on my nape, and heard a mysterious, murky voice. ¡®Judging from the tone of her voice... it must be a woman. How did she get behind me? How did she get in here? There should still be a defensive magic cast? So is it Clana¡¯s assassin? Or is it the Moonlight Family¡¯s assassin? If not... Maybe the Demon King?¡¯ From that instant, I started racking my brains, and hurriedly began channelling stellar mana to subdue the opponent, but... ¡°It won¡¯t be fun if you resist.¡± At that moment, the unidentified person behind me put more pressure on the weapon pointed at my nape, so I had no choice but to stop moving. ¡°... What do you want?¡± If I had known this would happen, I would not have used my life force earlier. However, I kept calm and asked the other person a question. ¡°If you think about anything stupid, I¡¯ll kill you right away.¡± After listening to the other person¡¯s words, I felt that she was someone who wouldn¡¯t listen to anything I said, and so I closed my eyes tightly and began to think about my last resort. ¡°... Perhaps?¡± Until I heard the word she added briefly at the end. ¡°... Serena?¡± When I asked with a hopeful expression on my face, the person behind me released the vocal modifier and whispered softly in my ear. ¡°Tonight is going to be a long one, Frey.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°... So be prepared.¡± It seems that the dream I had earlier was indeed foreshadowing something. Chapter 65: Secret Meeting ? Secret Meeting ? ¡°Serena? What are you doing?¡± ¡°... Follow me.¡± I was so startled that I answered while being drenched in a cold sweat, but Serena just grabbed my arm and headed somewhere. ¡°Why the window?¡± ¡°When you were little, you always snuck out through the window, don¡¯t you remember?¡± Serena eventually arrived at the window, then sat on the windowsill and reached her hand out to me. ¡°Take my hand.¡± ¡°No, what¡¯s going...¡± ¡°Hurry.¡± Saying so, Serena urged me to follow her, but I hesitated for a moment, so she sighed and took my hand. It was an unavoidable choice, as lunar mana, which was emitting a poison that would put me in a coma for at least a week, was filling the room up. ¨C Slip! The moment I grabbed Serena¡¯s hand, she jumped. I was startled by this, but I remembered that this was one of Serena¡¯s frequent pranks, so I casually closed my eyes and entrusted my body to her. ¡°Did you have fun?¡± ¡°No.¡± Landing atop a cloud of soft lunar mana, which Serena probably had laid out on the grass beforehand, I bluntly answered Serena, who was suffocating me with her body, and then quickly pushed her away. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hang out with you right now, so...¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t stay with me, I¡¯ll get you eliminated from the exam.¡± But when she looked at me with a piercing gaze and said that, I looked at her closely and thought for a moment. ¡®... Why is she acting differently?¡¯ In order to get rid of the love Serena has for me, I publicly had affairs with Kania whenever I had the chance. So, I¡¯ve had a very awkward relationship with Serena recently... However, her attitude now seems to have returned to how it was in the past. ¡°Well, go ahead. I have nothing to lose even if I¡¯m eliminated.¡± Of course, she couldn¡¯t control me that easily, so I responded bluntly to her, but Serena just looked at me with a soft smile on her face. ¡°... Touch the back of your neck.¡± Serena, who had been staring at me for a long time, said in a calm voice. ¡°Ow, that stings!¡± When I thoughtlessly touched the nape, my finger was stabbed and blood began to drip from my wound. ¡°You¡¯ve been poisoned.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t drink the antidote by morning... you will die.¡± Serena smiled brightly as she said that, and only then did I figure out what she had done to my nape earlier.ViiSiit novelbi/n(.)c/(o)m for latest novels ¡°... What do I have to do?¡± Of course, she had the ¡®Absolute Obedience Magic¡¯ cast on her, so all I had to do is order her to give me the antidote. But I was curious as to why she was suddenly acting like this, so I decided to go along with her antics. ¡°Tonight, go on a date with me.¡± ¡°What?¡± But after hearing Serena¡¯s words, I broke out in a cold sweat and began to think about whether I should just order her to give me the antidote and walk away. Apparently, tonight really would be long. . . . . . ¡°Do you know where this is?¡± ¡°This is...¡± Serena dragged me to a black carriage, which arrived at her regular dessert cafe?. ¡°You used to eat cakes here every day with me and got cavities, remember?¡± Of course, I remember it quite well. Thanks to that incident, I didn¡¯t even look at anything sweet for a while. However, thanks to Serena crying and apologizing, we came back here again, and I got cavities again... ¡°You aren¡¯t holding it against me, are you?¡± I frowned slightly as I reminisced about those memories, and Serena started looking at me with a slightly worried expression on her face. ¡°... Let¡¯s go.¡± Of course, I wasn¡¯t holding it against her. I only just vividly recalled the pain I felt in my teeth back then, but I deliberately treated her coldly and entered the shop. ¡°Welcome!¡± It had been a long time since I¡¯ve been to this store, but it was mostly the same as in my memories. The decorations and colors that gave off a needlessly loving atmosphere, the small furniture, the smiling employees, and the fact that it was open 24 hours a day. ¡°Uh... no pets are allowed!¡± With that thought in mind, as I was about to move, a voice rang out from behind. I glanced at her and noticed Serena¡¯s owl perched on her shoulder as one staff was blocking her way. In fact, since Serena was a regular and big spender at this store, her pet owls have been allowed to enter without issue... ¡°This is a doll.¡± ¡°A doll?¡± ¡°Yes, touch it.¡± Hearing this, the staff began to poke the owl in the face, but the owl remained immobile and rested on Serena¡¯s shoulder without blinking an eye. ¡°Oh, it really is a doll. I apologize.¡± After poking at the owl for so long, the staff then bowed her head and apologized to Serena, who then stood next to me with a smirk. ¡°Please praise me.¡± ¡°Why, all of a sudden?¡± Because Serena uttered something absurd out of a sudden with twinkling eyes, I made a disgusted expression and asked why was she doing this, but she replied with a gloomy look on her face. ¡°Back in the day, you always complimented me whenever I used my brains, right? So, please compliment me.¡± ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Unable to comprehend what she meant, I asked with an annoyed expression on my face, and Serena answered with a slightly sad smile on her face. ¡°... Because I want to fix everything?¡± ¡°What does that...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go in and talk.¡± Having said that, Serena entered the room that had been prepared in advance, as I looked at her and let out a deep sigh. After a moment, I reluctantly followed her. ¡°Wow, this room hasn¡¯t changed.¡± I opened my mouth with that thought in mind, but Serena, who smiled and observed my expression, handed over her fan without bothering to listen to my answer. ¡°To continue... Do you really like Kania more than me?¡± Second Question: How many years do you have left? Judging from her actions, she must¡¯ve figured out the answer to her question just by examining my facial expression. I replied by carefully forming ¡®2¡¯ with my hand. ¡°Not just Kania. There are many women better than you.¡± ¡°... Ugh.¡± Serena clasped my hand as our palms got intertwined and began clenching her teeth. ¡°... Frey.¡± Serena began to look quite sad. However, her melancholic expression soon turned into anger to deceive the watchers outside, and after a while, even doubt began seeping in as a result of my previous order. As I observed her silently, I wanted to cancel my order to not be ¡®sure¡¯ about my actions, but it was for Serena, who had worked hard to set this up. That¡¯s why I chose not to do so. Third Question: Who are your current allies? ¡°Give me an example. Who is better than me? Not just women, but if there are any men...¡± With a calm expression on her face, Serena unfolded her fan once more and asked a question. ¡°You¡¯ve already seen Kania and Irina hanging around me these days. So, why don¡¯t you accept reality?¡± When I answered in an icy voice, she glared at me with a look that implied she had already predicted my answer. ¡°Okay, is there a reason why you¡¯re so nice to them? Since when did you fall for them?¡± ¡°Kania for about three months, Irina recently. And, I¡¯m not falling for them, I¡¯m just playing around with them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re insufferable.¡± Having roughly shared the information with her this way, I nodded my head. But then again, under the influence of my orders, Serena looked away from me and discarded her suspicious gaze. ¡®It looks delicious.¡¯ Then, the delicious cake in front of her came into my sight. Because of Serena, I took a liking to sweet stuff since I was young, and I unconsciously was about to pick up the spoon... Danger! After reading the words on the last part of Serena¡¯s hastily unfolded fan, I stopped moving. ¡®... Shit.¡¯ As I glanced out the window, cursing the damn assassins who dared poison the delicious cake, I turned my attention towards the sound of the flapping fan. Fourth Question: Is there any particular feeling that I or others can¡¯t have for you? ¡°Do you really hate me that much? Frey?¡± As I was about to answer her question, Serena hurriedly unfolded her fan once more. Is it love? If that¡¯s the case, the memory trick I¡¯m using right now will be meaningless. Because the love I have for you can never be erased. ¡°Answer me. Do you hate me that much?¡± Seeing Serena trembling in fear like that, I replied to her, as I felt that she looked really cute. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. If I get tired of the toys I¡¯m playing with, I¡¯ll come back to you again.¡± Upon hearing those words, Serena sighed and answered. ¡°... I¡¯m glad.¡± Having said that, Serena flapped her fan with a gradually fading dubious expression as a result of my order. Last Question: Is there any way for you to get revived? ¡°Are you really not going to abandon me?¡± I was about to respond with a smile, but I hesitated to answer her because of the thoughts that flashed through my mind. Continuous errors in the prophecy, strange memories, unknown behavior of the system, and the unnatural ¡®early completion¡¯ of the recent ordeal... Things that I had considered right or taken for granted were going wrong one by one. If that¡¯s the case, the wish that was supposed to be granted to me by the Sun God at the end... was that even true? No, in the first place, can I even trust the Sun God? The unidentified man, who appeared in my subconscious mind and ¡®the split sun¡¯, the phrase that I saw when I invaded the cellar of the church with Ferloche, the ¡®Demon God¡¯ that Ferloche spoke of... And, according to what Serena said before... She was working while avoiding the watchful gaze of the Sun God. If so, the Sun God was... ¡°Fr-Frey?¡± While I was immersed in such thoughts, I heard Serena¡¯s voice, then quickly came back to my senses and stared at her. ¡°Y-You won¡¯t abandon me...? Right...?¡± ¡°Huh? U-Uh... I won¡¯t abandon you. I won¡¯t.¡± After all, it was true that according to the prophecy, there was a way to get revived, so I tried to calm her down by giving her hints that there was hope for revival, but... ¡°Waiiit, you... No way... There really is no way for you to surv¡ª¡± ¡°N-No. There¡¯s a way.¡± Serena, who has already noticed my turbulent mind, seems to have misunderstood. ¡°Serena, calm down. I¡¯m not going to abandon you, and there¡¯s definitely a way.¡± Belatedly, I grabbed Serena¡¯s hands and tried to rectify the situation, but her expression only grew paler. ¡°Alright? I¡¯ll tell you the way later. So, calm down for now...¡± ¡°One by the right window, two by the left door, two from the ceiling, one from the floor, and one is watching.¡± ¡°What?¡± At that moment, while I was trying to spout out anything to calm her down, Serena, whose face had turned pale, frowned and said. ¡°Prepare yourself.¡± Saying so, she began emanating lunar mana from her body. ¡°... Shit.¡± Before long, I sensed six people rushing into our room, so I swathed my body in stellar mana, tensed my muscles, and muttered to myself. ¡®These damned Moonlight family boomers.¡¯ It seems that eventually, I would have to repay the Moonlight Family elders for this surprise. . . . . . Meanwhile, at the same time, in the palace of a small Kingdom on the Western Continent. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°As I said, Princess. The ship that the Crown Prince, the 2nd Prince and the Princesses were on onboard of has vanished.¡± ¡°W-What do you mean by that?!¡± The Princess of the Kingdom, who was excited about entering the Sunrise Academy next year, began trembling after hearing the shocking news from the servant. ¡°Now, the Princess is the only heir to the throne and the hope of our Kingdom.¡± Upon hearing that, the Princess plopped down with a panicked expression on her face. The prelude to the main quest ¡ºLiberation of the Slave Market¡» was looming on the horizon. Chapter 66: The Dark Side of the Moon ? The Dark Side Of The Moon ? ¡°Frey, get under the table.¡± ¡°Serena, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m actually...¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re strong, but please listen to me.¡± Hearing Serena¡¯s resolute voice, Frey began hesitating. Serena, who looked at Frey, grabbed his arm and pushed him under the table. ¡°You¡¯re in a half-dead state now. No matter how strong you are, you¡¯ll definitely get hurt.¡± ¡°No, but...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll protect you. So stay there.¡± Still, as Frey didn¡¯t release his sword from his hand, Serena raised her eyes and struck his hand with her fan. ¡°Ouch.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already calculated everything.¡± Hearing those words, Frey crossed his arms and lowered his head with a sullen expression. Serena smirked because Frey¡¯s current figure reminded her of his younger self whenever she pranked him. ¡°Hoot!!¡± Then, as her owl, who was perched on her shoulder, hooted and flew out of the slightly open window, Serena, who had been watching it, closed her eyes slowly and fell into thought. ¡®... In 5 seconds, the window will be shattered and a man will break in. The weapon will be a dagger, and it will target my left shoulder.¡¯ And the next moment, the window on the right was shattered and a masked man broke into the room. ¡°Ha!!¡± Realizing that Serena was staring at him, the man immediately finished his assessment and began to aim at Serena¡¯s left shoulder. It was a cold and terrifying prediction that could only come true because the Moonlight Family had trained her to be a killing machine for her entire life by the Moonlight family. ¡°It¡¯s within my prediction.¡± Serena blocked the strike with her fan, then quickly turned and began to observe the door to the left of the room. ¡®Sensing the flow of air coming in from outside the door... there is one person on each side of the door. Looking at the body shape, height, and posture, both are within distance to strike.¡¯ Serena knew all the strategies and tactics they used, as she had already seen them numerous times since she was young and in the previous timeline. So Serena could easily predict what the assassins would do if she thought logically. It was as if she were predicting the future. ¡®So as soon as the door opens, the two men standing on the edge will jump in the right and left directions, respectively, after attacking me. Then...¡¯ After completing her assessment, Serena kicked the bewildered man¡¯s shin, then grabbed him by the neck and pulled him up in front of her. ¨C Boom!! And at that moment, the door crashed open and the two assassins who broke in attacked Serena and retreated to opposite ends of the room. ¡°Keuugh!!¡± However, their daggers pierced the man Serena had used as a shield. ¡®Next, two people will come down from the ceiling at the same time and try to stab me with a sword. At the same time, the guys on opposite ends of the room will prepare a follow-up attack.¡¯ With that thought in mind, Serena twisted the stiff neck of the man, who had been stabbed, and kicked the chair to her right. She then grabbed onto the limp man, and started running to the left. ¨C Crumble!! And at that moment, the ceiling collapsed, and the two assassins landed on the floor. The two of them were trying to stab Serena, but suddenly, they found Serena far away and started infusing aura into their swords. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°What, what?¡± However, one of the assassins who was infusing aura suddenly collapsed after his head was pierced with a dagger. This was because the chair Serena had kicked earlier hit the man who was throwing the dagger from the far right. As a result of that, the dagger changed its trajectory. ¡°... Shit!¡± At the same time, the woman who was about to throw a spear from her left gave up on ranged attacks because of Serena¡¯s human shield, and instead pulled out her dagger and began preparing for hand-to-hand combat. ¡®Isn¡¯t the guy below going to be aiming for my feet? He always liked to intervene and take the glory for himself at crucial moments.¡¯ After finishing her assessment, Serena dropped the limp corpse and climbed onto it. ¡®The woman in front of me is not good at close combat. So maybe she¡¯ll just attack with what she¡¯s learned, and not with something that stems from experience.¡¯ Eventually, after remembering her fighting style, Serena smiled and started swinging her fan. Serena, who had blocked the escape path with lunar mana, twisted her body and narrowed the attacking possibilities of the woman in front of her. She then momentarily thought. ¡®Then the only attack she can do with her dagger is a stab.¡¯ ¡°Hahhhh!!¡± Unsurprisingly, the woman looked at the lunar mana surrounding her in bewilderment, and immediately closed her eyes and tried to stab Serena with her dagger, using all her strength. Serena then grabbed her arm and used strength against her as she dragged her towards herself. ¨C Spark And at that moment, the man vigorously launched a sword slash. ¡°Heup!¡± Serena then kicked the woman she had been pulling towards the path of the sword slash, and swung her fan in a wide motion. ¡°Aaaarghh!¡± The woman who was shoved in the path of the sword slash was killed instantly, and when half of the assassins died, a momentary silence descended upon the room. ¨C Schluuk!! Eventually, what broke the silence was the spear that pierced through the flesh of the man Serena was standing on. ¨C Tremor But Serena, who had read the subtle vibrations she felt from the man she was stepping on, had already predicted the spot where the spear would emerge from. She then quickly lifted her foot to dodge the spear, and then she hastily kicked the tip of the spear. ¡°Keugh!¡± Then the tip of the poisoned spear broke off and flew towards the man with the sword, who was looking at the scene. He dodged aside with a terrified expression. ¨C Stab! However, as a result, the marksman, who was defenseless behind him, fell to the floor with a poisoned spear tip stuck in his eye. ¡°Cough! Cough!¡± And at the same time, the assassin, who was aiming for a chance at the bottom of the floor, suddenly ingested the lunar mana that seeped through the floor, and fell to his knees while vomiting blood. ¡°... Shit!¡± The man with the dagger, who watched this scene with a stunned expression, began screaming and running towards the window. ¡°Hooot!!¡± ¡°Kuk!¡± But as he approached just in front of the window, Serena¡¯s owl suddenly popped out and scratched his eyes fiercely with its claws. ¡°L-Lady Se-Serena! Please help me!¡± As a result, the assassin, who lost his sight, began panicking. He hurriedly knelt down and started begging for his life. ¡°That¡¯s why you should have given up on your mission when I gave you a chance.¡± ¡°P-Please! Please...¡± ¡°Did you really want to kill my husband so much?¡± But Serena, who was staring at the assassin coldly, relentlessly broke his neck and headed for the window. ¡®The moment I close the window, an assassin watching the situation will fire a poison stinger. If I dodge it and throw the fan towards his location that I remember...¡¯ Serena, who was about to carry out the last action that she had calculated, collapsed, screaming at the pain that suddenly coursed through her body. ¡°Aaargh...!¡± A complex magic circle floated on her body. I nodded my head and immediately asked a question with a curious expression on my face. ¡°By the way, how the hell did you find out about all this? And how did you avoid the penalty in the first place?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± Then she began to use her old habit of speaking to annoy me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But I can¡¯t tell you right now.¡± When I looked annoyed because I remembered the past when I had to deal with Serena¡¯s antics, she opened her mouth with a smile. ¡°When everything is clear, I¡¯ll tell you then. There are still so many things I¡¯m still not sure about.¡± Hearing those words, I began to stare at Serena for a moment. ¡°Why? Are you pissed off?¡± ¡°No, because you look pretty today.¡± As I gave her compliments to repay her for doing her best tonight, Serena suddenly looked mischievous. ¡°More than Kania?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Is Kania more precious? Or am I more precious to you?¡± After hearing her words, a myriad of thoughts flooded my mind in an instant. It was probably the only moment my brain caught up with Serena¡¯s computational speed. ¡°Kania is precious as my maid, while you are precious as my fiance?e.¡± However, that wasn¡¯t the case. Instead of catching up to her, she ended up reading my thoughts. ¡°Look, you¡¯re still in the palm of my hand.¡± ¡°... Haha.¡± Serena, who copied my tone, said so with a wintry smile. Seeing her like that, I smiled and began looking at the sky again. ¡°I have one question.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± But Serena suddenly frowned at me and asked a question. ¡°... Who gave you the handkerchief you were holding earlier?¡± Hearing those words, I took out the handkerchief from my pocket and said. ¡°My sister gave it to me.¡± Serena listened to my words, and she immediately looked me in the eye and said with a smile. ¡°Are you telling the truth?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m crazy enough to lie to you?¡± Saying so, as I was about to put her handkerchief back into my pocket, Serena suddenly took the handkerchief from me. ¡°There you go.¡± ¡°This...¡± A small moon was engraved on the handkerchief in my hand. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s almost dawn.¡± I quietly stroked the handkerchief, feeling a gentle mana that wasn¡¯t poisonous like lunar mana. Meanwhile, Serena spoke with a gloomy look. ¡°I have to go now.¡± Saying that, Serena, who was about to get up from her seat, looked at me as if she had suddenly remembered something, and started talking. ¡°Princess Clana designed this test in collaboration with the Moonlight family.¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± ¡°However, things went wrong due to Professor Isolet¡¯s decision.¡± ¡°What?¡± When I heard that, I frowned, and Serena whispered in a low voice. ¡°Professor Isolet¡¯s decision to swap the commanders of each team forced the plan to go awry. Do you understand what I mean?¡± ¡°... There are assassins among the commoner students.¡± ¡°Be careful, Frey.¡± Serena nodded her head quietly at my words, and while speaking, she looked at me with a worried expression. ¡°If there is more information I find out in the future, I¡¯ll share it through my owl.¡± ¡°Wait, don¡¯t go yet. Serena.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Serena tilted her head after hearing my words, so I whispered to her quietly. ¡°If I don¡¯t drink the antidote before morning, I¡¯ll die, won¡¯t I? Don¡¯t you need to give me the antidote?¡± ¡°Ah...¡± When Serena heard those words, she quietly pulled out a vial from her pocket. ¡°Are you talking about this?¡± ¡°What, it was real?¡± I asked just in case, but when she really took out an antidote, I was so shocked that I quickly reached out to the medicine bottle she was holding, but... ¨C Slurp Slurp. She took off the cap of the vial and began drinking the antidote as I looked at the scene in a daze. ¡°What are you doing...!¡± I was about to shout at her with a bewildered expression on my face, but suddenly Serena grabbed me and pinned me to the floor, knocking the wind out of me. ¡°... Yew want to dwink?¡± As I gazed at her in confusion, Serena¡¯s eyes smiled as if to form a crescent moon pattern, while her mouth was full of antidote. ¡°... Yes.¡± I couldn¡¯t die like this, so there was nothing I could do about it. . . . . . After a long time, Frey headed back to the Duke¡¯s mansion. ¡°Hoot!¡± Her owl, who she left alone for a brief time, returned to Serena¡¯s shoulder, and began to stare at her shyly. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Hoot!¡± Then Serena, who gently stroked her owl perched atop her shoulder, began to mutter in a grim look that was completely different from her earlier expression. ¡°That was really true. What was written there was true. Th-Then, you really...¡± Her owl looked at her in concern and patted her with her wings. ¡°I was wrong, Frey. I... I was wrong... So...¡± Serena started muttering in a trembling voice, even shedding her tears. ¡°... Please don¡¯t ever leave me again.¡± Soon, the sun began to peek through the dark sky. Chapter 67: Lack of Affection ? Lack of Affection ? ¡°Young Master, where have you been?¡± Of course, I was on a date with Serena all night long and felt a little tired. But that date also helped relieve my stress and clear my mind. Thanks to that, I was naturally able to talk with a relaxed expression. ¡°Morning walk.¡± ¡°I see, then...¡± At that, Kania, who was nodding her head and about to let me in, stopped abruptly. As I tilted my head in confusion, she began to approach me with a stern expression on her face. ¡°Did you really go for a morning walk?¡± ¡°Yes, I heard that morning walks are good for my body. After all, I need to start taking care of my health.¡± For some reason, seeing her approaching me like that, I broke out in a cold sweat. So, without even realizing, I began spouting nonsense as Kania started reaching out to me. ¡°Did you stumble while taking a walk?¡± Kania had a blank look on her face, as if she didn¡¯t understand my statement. Instead, after saying that, she started stroking my back. ¡°Uh...I just lost my footing.¡± It was then that I realized that I didn¡¯t shake off all the grass and dirt from my clothes. Thanks to that, I began making excuses with a bashful expression, but Kania pulled something off of my clothes. ¡°I see, but what¡¯s this?¡± In her palm remained a strand of Serena¡¯s pale purple hair. ¡°And what¡¯s this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the handkerchief my sister gave me...¡± ¡°But why is lunar mana engraved onto it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Please forgive me.¡± In the face of Kania¡¯s continued interrogation, I finally bowed my head and started to apologize. Of course, I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, but somehow I felt like I did. ¡°... The silver cat on the handkerchief looks lonely.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± While I was contemplating how to relieve Kania¡¯s ire, Kania looked at the handkerchief and muttered. As I tilted my head to see what she was talking about, Kania began to infuse dark mana into the handkerchief. ¡°Take it, Young Master.¡± ¡°... This?¡± The handkerchief she now held out had a black cat next to the original silver one. ¡°I made a friend for the cat.¡± Kania, who had a satisfied expression, left those words behind and went inside the Duke¡¯s mansion. ¡°It¡¯s a handkerchief like no other in the world.¡± A silver cat drawn with Aria¡¯s stellar mana, a black cat drawn with Kania¡¯s dark mana, and a moon drawn with Serena¡¯s lunar mana. When I looked down at the handkerchief that radiated all different kinds of mana, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Um, hello.¡± After I folded the handkerchief and put it in my pocket, I walked into the Duke¡¯s mansion, but I turned around upon hearing a sudden timid voice. There, I saw a student in a maid uniform with her head bowed. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Uh, yesterday, Master Frey, y-you told me to become your personal maid...¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± It was Lulu, who I had ordered to become my personal maid yesterday. ¡°W-What should I do?¡± As if my gaze had put her under pressure, she timidly lowered her head, while fidgeting with her fingers. After staring at her for a moment, I started walking and replied. ¡°From now on, you¡¯ll follow me around and do everything I tell you.¡± ¡°Oh, I see! I¡¯ll do my best!¡± Lulu, who was standing next to me with a stupid look on her face, closed her eyes tightly, and cried out. Soon, she began following me. As I glanced back at her, I began recalling memories of her from the previous timeline. ¡®Yes, she was Lulu...¡¯ According to the prophecy, in the ¡ºDark Tale Fantasy Series¡», a game with numerous choices and high degree of freedom, there were various sub-heroines in addition to the main heroines. And even among them, Lulu, who was following me right now, was considered to be quite an unusual heroine. This was because she was a Heroine that was almost impossible to utilize in ¡ºDark Tale Fantasy 2¡». Of course, that didn¡¯t really matter to me, as I was walking on a thorny path to save the world. However, after knowing the reason why it was almost impossible to utilize her, everyone felt awkward. ¡®... Can I really save her?¡¯ She committed suicide on almost every route. And the reason wasn¡¯t even mentioned in the prophetic book. ¨C ...Even though it will be challenging, there is definitely a way to save the other Heroines. Unlike Serena¡¯s ¡ºCurse of Familial Subordination¡», which only exists as ¡®dummy code¡¯ within the program and can be bypassed through gameplay, not one person had ever succeeded in saving Lulu, who kept killing herself over and over again. In order to save Lulu, many Heroes from my ancestor¡¯s world attempted the ¡®challenge¡¯ of stopping her from committing suicides, but none of them succeeded. ¨C ...That child was the only Heroine I couldn¡¯t save. Even in a game with a high degree of freedom, there was a wall that couldn¡¯t be overcome due to the restrictive nature of the game systems. However, if this game becomes reality itself, can¡¯t I save her in that world then? As my ancestor said, there was a possibility for me now. ¨C Of course, if things get really difficult, you don¡¯t have to take care of her. And I will say it again, but you don¡¯t have to follow everything I say. It will be you who will suffer in the future, not me. My purpose has always been giving this wretched world a ¡®Happy Ending.¡¯ So wouldn¡¯t it be too cruel for Lulu to die without seeing such an ending? ¨C So, assess the situation objectively, and make the decision to save her by yourself. ¡®Now that things are already this messed up... what¡¯s the difference if it becomes a bit more messy.¡¯ The Starlight Family was the star that shined upon those devoid of light. So, I was going to save that girl somehow. ¨C Crash!! ¡°...W-Whoa!¡± While I was immersed in such thoughts, I suddenly heard a loud noise behind me. When I turned around with a surprised look on my face, I saw that one of the high-quality vases was broken. ¡°U-Uh, how much is it?¡± ¡°150 gold.¡± ¡°...... Ah.¡± When I inadvertently told Lulu the price of the vase, the light in her eyes dimmed. Unfortunately, I had just given her a suicide motive without meaning to. . . . . . When I entered the kitchen with Lulu, I saw Kania and Irina were busy cooking. ¡°Kania? Irina? What are you doing here?¡± ¡°We¡¯re preparing breakfast.¡± When I inquired as such, Kania answered as if it were her usual job. After hearing that, I hurriedly opened my mouth while looking at Lulu, who had dead eyes. ¡°Go outside and wait.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere. Stay right next to the door.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± So, after sending Lulu out of the kitchen, I looked at Kania and Irina and opened my mouth. ¡°Are you going to prepare the meals of that many people all by yourselves?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine because we only need to make simple things for breakfast.¡± Even the commoners out in the yard started whispering to one another while looking at me and Lulu. Perhaps, they are under the impression that I made her cry. [Stats] Name: Lulu Strength: 1 Mana: ??? Intelligence: 5 Mental Strength: 1 Passive Status: Depression / Lack of Affection / Stigma of Misfortune Disposition: Menhera Goodness Stat: 75 ¡®... Holy shit.¡¯ With that in mind, I opened her status window, and I was overcome with shock ¡®... This is why it¡¯s so difficult to help her.¡¯ She had the most horrible status window I had ever seen. I couldn¡¯t even breathe because I was in so much shock. Meanwhile, Lulu whose complexion turned pale grabbed my arm and started screaming. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry...! I¡¯m really sorry! I¡¯m really sorry... I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°... I get it, so stop.¡± I urged Lulu to stop, but the light in her eyes dimmed again. ¡°... Alright.¡± When she finally answered in a crestfallen voice, I quickly changed my words. ¡°If you understand, go and clean my room.¡± ¡°... Huh?¡± ¡°Go and clean my room. If you¡¯re my personal maid, that¡¯s the basics.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Then she hurriedly shook her head and started running to my room. ¡°... That might be good.¡± I desperately wanted to use my ?Mind Reading? skill, but I had already used it on Aria at dawn, so I couldn¡¯t look into her thoughts today. ¡°You guys, come here.¡± ¡°Y-Yes?¡± Reluctantly, I called the guys who were talking from afar, and decided to ask about Lulu. ¡°Tell me everything you know about that girl who just ran away.¡± ¡°Uh, she...¡± The commoners whom I asked that question looked at each other and started shaking their heads. ¡°... Sorry! We really are! We don¡¯t know!¡± When I frowned at those words, they hurriedly started making excuses. ¡°We aren¡¯t close friends with her in the first place? So, it¡¯s the same no matter who you ask.¡± ¡°... Is it bullying?¡± ¡°Uh... That¡¯s a little complicated. There is bullying, but in her case it¡¯s more like voluntary bullying.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± As I was tilting my head at those words, I heard someone calling me from afar. ¡°F-Frey! What are you doing there with these innocent commoners!¡± ¡°Ferloche, come here for a second. The rest of you, scram.¡± At the same time, the person I wanted to meet the most walked up to me on her, so I asked Ferloche a question after kicking out the lingering commoners. ¡°Do you know anything about Lulu?¡± ¡°W-Why are you asking about her?¡± Then, with a wary look, Ferloche asked me a question in return. Seriously, despite how many times I¡¯ve betrayed her... it¡¯s time to teach her a lesson. ¡°As the commander, I need to know all of the students. I¡¯m running out of time, so talk.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s... it?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll just surrender to Clana. Say it quickly. I¡¯m busy too.¡± ¡°Ummm...¡± So, when I compelled her with a bit more force than usual, Ferloche, who had been staring at me for a while, pensively opened her mouth. ¡°No way. You always use me. If I tell you about Lulu, you will definitely use it for evil deeds...¡± ¡°She gets bullied, right? Can the Saintess leave the victim of bullying alone?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not it!¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®that¡¯s not it¡¯?¡± After realizing that her vigilance had reached its peak, I changed my strategy, and Ferloche, who took the bait, began to speak after heaving a deep sigh. ¡°Lulu isn¡¯t getting close to others on her own.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°She just pushes everyone away... even if kind-hearted commoners approach Lulu... no, even when I approach her, since I can¡¯t see her suffering.¡± Hearing that, I frowned and fell into deep thought. ¡®A lack of affection and a tendency to push others away?¡¯ I was tilting my head at her behavior because it contradicted the information in the status window, but Ferloche continued speaking as she seemed to have suddenly remembered something. ¡°Oh, come to think of it... Every time she pushed us away, there¡¯s something she always said.¡± ¡°... What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to make everyone miserable, so please don¡¯t come near me.¡± Having said that, Ferloche crossed her arms and began to mutter. ¡°By the way... there¡¯s no curse on her. I¡¯ve even tried purification, but nothing has changed...¡± Hearing those words, I was able to understand roughly what the ¡ºStigma of Misfortune¡» in the information window was. ¡°Anyway, you! Don¡¯t even think of flirting with Lulu! I¡¯ll somehow treat her...!¡± ¡®It¡¯s not a curse, it¡¯s a ¡ºStigma¡»... that¡¯s interesting.¡¯ I guess I would have to take her with me for a while and watch over her. . . . . . Meanwhile, in a room inside the Starlight Mansion. ¡°Alright... I wrote it all down.¡± Alice, the representative of the commoners, put her pen down on the desk and began to carefully fold the letter. ¡°The Princess said it would definitely come around this time...¡± Then, with a cautious gait, she headed towards the window. She then scanned her surrounding vigilantly and muttered in an anxious tone. ¨C Flutter! ¡°Ah, here it is!¡± After standing around the window for a while, she began to smile brightly when she heard the sound of flapping wings outside her window. ¨C Hoot! A white owl was flying by the window. Menhara: Female characters who exhibit unstable emotionality, obsessive love, and stereotypical self-injurious behaviors such as wrist cutting Chapter 68: The Rat ? The Rat ? ¡°Young Master, it¡¯s time for breakfast.¡± ¡°...Are you done with cooking already?¡± ¡°Yes, I was able to finish quickly because the others are skilled as well.¡± While I was sitting alone on the patio ruminating about Lulu, Kania announced that breakfast was ready. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go to my room then...¡± ¡°Did you know, Young Master?¡± I nodded my head and was about to enter the mansion, but Kania grabbed my arm and said. ¡°Right now, the Young Master is half-dead. If I wanted to, I could use restraining magic to keep you here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re good at joking.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking. If you want to recover, you need to eat a hearty breakfast. So...¡± Seeing Kania¡¯s constant nagging, I suddenly burst out into laughter. People say nagging is quite irritating to hear, but I don¡¯t quite understand that. After all, nagging is something you do because you¡¯re worried about the other person. Anyone who gets nagged at should instead feel lucky that there is someone who cares deeply about them. In that sense, I guess I liked to get nagged at. Of course, doing something that deserves an earful of nagging is inappropriate behavior, but there is also a good side to it. ¡°Young Master? Are you listening to me?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah. I heard you.¡± However, I became so preoccupied with these thoughts that I lost track of Kania¡¯s pestering. Because of that, I started to sweat, but I just gave her a rough nod and replied. ¡°...I wasn¡¯t even speaking just now.¡± However, when she uttered those words while staring at me, I momentarily scratched the back of my head and opened my mouth before heading inside the mansion. ¡°Sorry, I have something to think about for a while. Anyway, I¡¯ll eat, so send the meal to my room.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you eating in the dining room?¡± ¡°If I eat in the dining room, the others will notice.¡± Upon hearing those words, Kania quietly nodded her head and said. ¡°Alright. I have to do the dishes, so I¡¯ll send a student upstairs.¡± ¡°Ah, Kania. Do you know what day it is?¡± ¡°...?¡± As Kania tilted her head, I replied to her with a smirk. ¡°I need to infuse life force into you. You haven¡¯t received any for a while, so I have to do it today.¡± ¡°Does it have to be today? The Young Master is...¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll get better after a few days of rest. Don¡¯t be like that.¡± After leaving those words, I quickly headed up the stairs before Kania could refute my words. ¡°Sob, Sob...¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± After heading upstairs, while I was walking down the hallway leading to my room, I heard a sobbing sound from somewhere. There are no ghosts roaming the noble and sacred Starlight Family mansion. So, is this another hallucination? ¡°...Why are you crying again?¡± However, it wasn¡¯t the case. As I got closer to my room, the sobbing grew louder; it seemed that Lulu had started crying again. ¡°I told you to clean, but why...¡± I opened the door to my room with a slightly annoyed expression, but my jaw dropped upon seeing the situation unfolding in the room. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡± Blood flowed freely from her hand. Clutched in her hands were the fragments of the vase she had broken earlier. ¡°I tried to reconnect them... but it didn¡¯t work... I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m really sorry.¡± ¡°...Sigh.¡± When I found the half-restored vase on the desk, I turned to her with an impassive look on my face. ¡°S-Sorry!¡± ¨C Clank!! When I arrived right next to her, I picked up the vase she had painstakingly tried to stick together and threw it hard against the wall. ¡°I brought your breakfast...¡± At that moment, Alice, who came in through the open door, witnessed the scene and froze. ¡°Did you think placing the fragments back together would fix things? Disgusting woman.¡± Of course, without even looking at Alice, I began to coldly stare down at Lulu. ¡°Once these high-quality ornaments are damaged, their value will be severely reduced. No matter how perfect the recovery magic one used to restore them, nothing will change.¡± ¡°Ahhh...¡± ¡°Why? Did you think everything would be over if you just put it back together? You lowlife...¡± ¡°Lord Frey, I brought your breakfast.¡± Lulu was prostrating herself in front of me as the light in her eyes began to fade again, while Alice, who was watching the scene, closed her eyes tightly and cut me off mid-sentence. ¡°...Leave it there and go.¡± ¡°Lord Frey, may I please say something?¡± ¡°No. Piss off.¡± After a while, Alice tried to say something with rage in her eyes, but I gave her an absolute order. Then, after looking at me with a cold expression, Alice quietly put down the meal and left the room. ¡°Kill me.¡± ¡°What?¡± And at that moment, Lulu, who was looking at me with sunken eyes, spoke to me in an exhausted voice. ¡°I don¡¯t have the ability to pay back 150 gold. I don¡¯t have the ability to live in the future. So just...¡± ¡°...You have your body, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Before she could even finish speaking, I looked at her covetously and said. ¡°Pay back the 150 gold with your body.¡± The moment I said so, various expressions began to appear on Lulu¡¯s face. Disgust, relief, anxiety, happiness, fear, comfort. Lulu, who had a strange expression created by the blend of various conflicting emotions, quietly asked me a question. ¡°I... Do you need me? Do you want me? If that¡¯s the case, then I¡ª¡± ¡°I need a pet.¡± ¡°A pet... an animal?¡± But as soon as I raised the corners of my lips to speak, she inquired with a blank expression on her face. ¡°Yes, these days, I¡¯ve been trying to get a pet... Dogs and cats are too common, while raising wild beasts is dangerous, and beasts don¡¯t really fit well.¡± Looking at her, I started talking in a calm voice. ¡°Then I suddenly thought, how about raising a person? Isn¡¯t it a pretty good idea when you think about it?¡± ¡°Ah... that¡¯s...¡± ¡°Anyway, I needed someone to be my pet. You¡¯re mine from now on.¡± Having said that, I watched Lulu lower her head. ¡®Obviously she lacks affection, but she also pushes others away? So... how would she react in this situation?¡¯ I was watching Lulu quietly while trying to predict the outcome, and after bowing her head for a long time, she slowly opened her mouth. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Do dogs speak?¡± ¡°Woof woof.¡± As I looked at her lying on the floor while barking, I gulped and fell into deep thought. ¡®...Why doesn¡¯t she push me away?¡¯ Judging from her expression, she is obviously disgusted with me. Then why won¡¯t she push me away? After a moment, I took a deep breath and reached out to Kania, who was lying down with her pale white back exposed. ¡°If you have any abnormal symptoms, please take your hand off immediately. Don¡¯t do the same thing as you did in the past. Young Master has had his life force cut in half by three times now...¡± ¡°...Alright. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± In response to Kania¡¯s worried voice, I immediately placed my hand on her back, right over her heart, and began infusing life force into her. ¡°...Hnngh!¡± Then, suddenly, Kania began to moan. ¡°What¡¯s wrong Kania?¡± ¡°Oh, it hurts...¡± ¡°It hurts?¡± I tilted my head in confusion as she spoke in a trembling voice, then realized that stellar mana was hovering around my hand. ¡°It seems that the stellar mana that I absorbed in the cave is difficult to control while injecting life force.¡± Originally, when I shared my life force, I also passed on stellar mana. Of course, it was poisonous to Kania, so I purposely controlled it, but it seems that I¡¯m currently overflowing with stellar mana due to what happened last time, and that¡¯s the root of the problem. ¡°Then there is no choice. We should stop...¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll infuse as slowly as possible... I¡¯ll filter it.¡± Of course, having dealt with stellar mana all my life, I immediately found a solution and started injecting life force again. ¡°...It¡¯s hot.¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s not painful, right?¡± ¡°...It¡¯s not.¡± Kania complained because of the heat, but she didn¡¯t feel any more pain, so I decided to proceed with the infusion of my life force more quickly. ¡°...Ugh.¡± As I continued to inject life force, I began sweating hard. The mana control required to infuse life force is a quite delicate and complex task, so a lot of energy is spent during this procedure. ¡°I-It¡¯s hot... Young Master.¡± Kania took off the rest of her clothes she was wearing and continued with the infusion procedure while only wearing her shirt, but her body began to sweat as well. Although I filtered the stellar mana in my body as much as possible, it seems like an anomaly was caused by the residual mana. ¡°Hold on a minute... it¡¯ll be over soon...¡± I decided to try and finish the infusion quickly because I was almost done, so I began to put more strength in my hand. ¡°J-Just a little more... just a little...¡± ¡°Young Master?¡± But something was strange. I suddenly had no strength left in my hands. No, not just my hands, but my whole body seemed to have no strength left. ¡°Damn... damn it.¡± Realizing how much my vitality had decreased, I spat out swears and tried to remove my hand from her back, but for some reason my hands felt so heavy. ¡°Ahhh...¡± I continued to infuse life force, and eventually, my consciousness began to fade. From now on, I will never overdo it. . . . . . Frey lost his balance and stumbled forward after losing his consciousness. ¨C Splat! Before long, Frey fell on Kania¡¯s back. His shirt, which was drenched in sweat and her back, which was equally sweaty, produced a splatter upon contact. ¡°Ah!?¡± Kania, who screamed in surprise at the sudden foreign sensation, began to tremble upon realizing that Frey was clinging to her. ¨C Knock, knock! ¡°Kania! What¡¯s going on!!¡± ¡°....Ah!¡± For a moment, Kania was at a loss as to what to do, but when Irina rushed to their room upon hearing her scream and started knocking on the door, she froze. ¡°Oh, nothing! I¡¯m fine!¡± ¡°Oh yeah? That¡¯s good. I thought we were being attacked again.¡± Kania, who hurriedly yelled out to Irina, was greeted with a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯ll leave then? If something happens, make sure to call me.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± In response to Irina¡¯s words, Kania began to whisper to Frey, who had been lying on her back until then. ¡°... Young Master, wake up.¡± ¡°uhhh...¡± ¡°I told you to take your hands off as soon as you felt something strange... Ugh.¡± Still, there was no sign of Frey waking up, so Kania turned away from him, but the unconscious Frey wouldn¡¯t let go. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t do this...¡± It took a long time for Kania to separate him from herself. . . . . . ¡°Ummm...¡± When I opened my eyes, I felt a familiar touch. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen the cat doll.¡± A black cat doll was twitching inside my clothes. ¡°Meow...¡± Gently touching its chin and staring blankly at the ceiling, I got up and started looking around. ¡°It must¡¯ve been hard for Kania.¡± I don¡¯t remember anything that happened the moment I was done sharing my life force with Kania. And now I suddenly find myself lying on my bed, while Kania is sleeping on the spare bed beside me. Seeing that Kania had even changed my clothes, it seems that she worked hard. ¡°I have to treat Kania better...¡± I had a sullen look on my face as I thought I hadn¡¯t been doing enough for her. Before long, I noticed that the cat doll had grabbed onto my clothes and climbed up to my face. It then stuck its head out and began licking me. ¡°Hey, that tickles!¡± I smiled and started reaching out to the cat doll, but something abrupt happened. ¡°Hoot!¡± ¡°Meow!!¡± Suddenly, something flew right in front of me and started pecking at the cat doll¡¯s head, and only then did I realize it was a white owl sent by Serena. ¡°Meow! Meow!!¡± ¡°Hoooooot!¡± Serena¡¯s owl grabbed the doll with its claws and started pecking the doll¡¯s head in full force. Then the cat doll also brandished its claws and started to struggle, while I was trying to stop them, I suddenly noticed that there was a letter in front of me. ¡°This is...?¡± I carefully opened the envelope and checked the contents. Soon I raised the corners of my lips and muttered coldly. ¡°...Would you look at this?¡± It seems that I have found the identity of the rat hiding in my house. Chapter 69: Diary ? Diary ? 00/04/XX Hello! This is Ferloche. Today is the second day since I came to the Starlight Family mansion and the first day I decided to write a diary! By the way, this diary is a gift from Her Highness Clana, and it has a grammar correction magic cast on it. So I can write down the contents without any worries. Anyway, the reason I¡¯m writing this diary... is that Frey¡¯s atrocities have gone too far! To never forget Frey¡¯s evil deeds! And to leave a memoir of his atrocities for future generations! That¡¯s why I am writing this diary. Anyway, today, Frey did something terrible to Ms. Lulu! How do I know? It¡¯s because I overheard the conversation coming from Frey¡¯s room! ¡°Lick. Lick it with your tongue and clean it.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± In anger, I opened the door and tried to argue with Frey, but the surrounding commoner students stopped me. So I was trembling with anger, but after a while, Frey came out of the room with a sad expression on his face, so I glanced around and quickly went into the room! ¡°Hey, are you...¡± ¡°D-Don¡¯t come near me!!¡± ¡°Lulu...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t come!! Don¡¯t come!! No matter how much of a Saint you are, only misfortune will befall on you!!¡± But again, Lulu pushed me away with a vague statement. It¡¯s a little bit disheartening... but I won¡¯t give up. I will definitely save Lulu from Frey and befriend her! Oh! Something strange happened tonight as well. Around dawn, I heard a scream, so I rushed out to the hallway, and noticed someone standing there! I thought it was a ghost for a moment, so I tried to chant a purification spell, but soon I discovered that it was Ms. Irina. ¡°Ms. Irina? What are you doing there?¡± With a thumping heart, I approached Ms. Irina and tried to ask what the hell she was doing in the hallway at dawn. ¡°Are they... Are they... No way...¡± But Ms. Irina muttered something strange as if she couldn¡¯t hear me, and was instead looking at something. ¡°Ms. Irina! What¡¯s going on!¡± Eventually, I found out that Ms. Irina was glancing in the direction of the room where Kania was staying, so I hurriedly approached her and asked. If something is happening to Kania, we need to help her since she is our comrade! ¡°Hbh!¡± But the moment Ms. Irina heard my question, she shut my mouth with her hand. She then slowly turned her head and began staring at me! ¡°Is it something serious? I have to help...¡± ¡°Oh no! It¡¯s nothing! So just go back!¡± Ms. Irina and Ms. Kania must surely be in trouble; I was so worried that I clenched my fists and headed for the door, but Ms. Irina blocked my path while blushing profusely. ¡°But, just now...¡± ¡°...This is something a Saint shouldn¡¯t know. Go back.¡± For some reason, it seemed a strange noise was coming from inside the room, so I got anxious, but Ms. Irina, who had been squinting at me for a while, desperately blocked my way. Thus, I had no choice but to turn around. What the hell was that? 00/05/XX Alas, there¡¯s no one more selfish than a shameless person. Frey, who has abused Ms. Lulu, harassed the female students, and even attacked Ms. Alice for bringing him meals, is one such guy. ¡°Alice! Are you okay?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Ms. Alice, who had left Frey¡¯s room looking exhausted yesterday morning, answered my question in a crestfallen tone and headed down to the first floor. With her whole body covered in food, her hair tousled, and handprints on her cheeks, she must have been beaten up badly by Frey. ¡°Frey! What did you do this time!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± So, in the end, I resisted the common people¡¯s disapproval and went into Frey¡¯s room and started arguing! ¡°What the hell did Alice do for you to make her look like that!¡± ¡°She keeps trying to lecture me despite being a commoner.¡± Frey¡¯s words were truly disgusting. ¡°So I tried to push her onto the bed and show her where she belongs, but she resisted. So I just poured the food on her and only then did she calm down.¡± ¡°You... are you even human...¡± The expression on his face and his brazen reply was so horrible that I mumbled out loud without realizing it, but Frey came up to me and whispered in a low voice. ¡°Human? I¡¯m human. But the one who just left my room isn¡¯t a human.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Alice, and the commoners who are peeking secretly through the cracks in the door right now, are just toys that I can enjoy or break whenever I want.¡± Having said, Frey clapped his hands, and Lulu, who was trembling in the corner of the room, started crawling towards Frey. ¡°I need to play with my pet. Can you please leave?¡± Yes, this was by far the most repulsive thing Frey has done today. After this, he did a lot more disgusting things, but I won¡¯t write them down because it ¡®s a hassle. 00/06/XX Finally... Now I really don¡¯t care. I can¡¯t wait for the dog Frey to die soon. 00/07/XX Demonic curse.. did someone such a curse on me? I ended up writing profanity in my diary, profanity that is strictly forbidden by the Church. However, there was no way to resolve my anger if I didn¡¯t express at least that much. What happened yesterday? It¡¯s such a terrible memory that I don¡¯t want to recall those scenes again, but I can¡¯t run away... I¡¯ll write it down while I still have patience. It started yesterday evening, when for some reason, Frey, who had been staying in his room all day, suddenly appeared in the dining hall. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s a party today! I¡¯ll give food to you lowlives, so savor it with gratitude.¡± Having said that, Frey clapped his hands, and an endless stream of dishes started pouring in. Of course, I was guessing that the evil, filthy Frey must have done something to the food. But when I came to my senses, I was frantically devouring the delicious party dishes that was in front of me! The evil Frey must have used magic to boost my appetite! However, the other commoners were also slowly eating, and nothing special happened, so I decided to just keep eating. I finished eating, but suddenly my eyes drooped. Why? I thought I was tired from eating and got up to wash my face, but all the other students collapsed with their heads lying down on the table. ¡®...I-It¡¯s a trap!¡¯ Then, when I saw Frey, who was sitting, smile, I became certain it was a trap. Hearing those words, I realized that at this point in time, I was being treated as a nefarious villain wanted dead by everyone. ¡°Perhaps she¡¯s been pushed to the limit by the persistent misfortune, so she¡¯s thinking of purifying her stigma by using you and your twisted attention and affection.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m a villain who deserves to be swept away by her misfortune?¡± ¡°Yeah... wait no. You¡¯re not a villain.¡± Hearing that, I smiled and asked the next question. ¡°Alright, then that¡¯s all cleared... Next question. Why does the effect of the stigma conflict with the purification method?¡± Hearing those words, Irina didn¡¯t answer right away and started to rummage through the documents. I looked at her and inquired once more. ¡°You said that her stigma is for retribution. Not to mention, the ¡ºStigma of Misfortune¡» in some ways is worse than a curse?¡± ¡°...Someone abused the stigma.¡± ¡°Abused the stigma?¡± I frowned upon hearing Irina¡¯s answer, so in response, she sighed and asked a question. ¡°Do you know how I came up with such detailed information about the ¡®Stigma¡¯?¡± ¡°Um... because you¡¯re a genius mage?¡± I couldn¡¯t think of a proper answer, so I complimented her, and she answered with a blush on her face. ¡°No, of course, that¡¯s part of it, but... there¡¯s a bigger reason.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve checked the symptoms of the ¡®Stigma¡¯ I had noticed several times in the previous timeline.¡± ¡°Huh!?¡± When I opened my eyes wide, Irina opened her mouth with a grim look. ¡°Honestly, when I first heard about it, I was skeptical... But as I researched it, I confirmed the symptoms based on my memories of the previous timeline. That¡¯s why I was able to find it so quickly and in such detail.¡± ¡°Do you remember where you saw it?¡± I inquired carefully. Irina then gulped and answered in a hushed tone. ¡°When we invaded the Demon Castle, we found it on the slaves of the demons and the criminals in prison.¡± After those words, there was an awkward silence lingered between us for a moment. ¡°...Anyway, if I want to cure her, I just need to keep showering Lulu with affection and attention, right?¡± After breaking the silence, when I asked calmly, Irina quietly nodded her head. ¡°Sigh, I already have my fair share of misfortune... so I¡¯ll be fine even if a bit more misfortune befalls me.¡± I sighed as I had already embarked on the only path that could save Lulu. Irina stared at me and said in consoling tone. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. According to the ancient scriptures, the ¡ºStigma of Misfortune¡» has no effect on people more unfortunate than those who bear the stigma. So you... uh...¡± ¡°...Will it not work?¡± Hearing that, I laughed and muttered. ¡°Haha... Should I be happy about this... or should I be sad...¡± ¡°Frey...¡± ¡°Indeed, I should be happy. Now I can save Lulu without any burden.¡± I got up from my seat with a grin and started to speak to Irina, who was getting ready to leave. ¡°Today, Kania will be staying overnight with Kadia and Aria. She¡¯s going to do a safety check and get some treatment from Kadia. And I¡¯ll be away from the house for a while.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve recently made some interesting friends. I¡¯m going to have a chat with them for a bit.¡± Having said that, I started preparing to head outside, but Irina grabbed my arm. ¡°Frey, I have a favor to ask.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± As I stared at Irina, who had a fairly serious expression on her face, she asked a question in a trembling voice. ¡°Please tell me what the second ordeal is.¡± ¡°That again? The second ordeal really isn¡¯t a big deal. So don¡¯t worry too much...¡± ¡°Please... Frey...¡± ¡°Ummm...¡± I tried to laugh the question off as usual, but Irina wept and kept asking, so I sighed and opened my mouth. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Irina then nodded her head with a slightly pale face, and I began to explain the second ordeal, giving her the most gentle explanation possible. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be back. Look after the house while I¡¯m away, Irina.¡± After finishing my explanation, I gently tapped her on the shoulder and left the room. ¡®...Why was Irina making that face?¡¯ When I last looked at her, her face appeared to be pure white, as if all her blood had drained from her face. . . . . . ¡°Then, let¡¯s finish today¡¯s meeting.¡± ¡°¡±Thank you, Lord Frey.¡±¡± After leaving the mansion and leading the Demon King¡¯s Army meeting until late at night, I ended the conference and started to head out. ¡°Hey... Help me with my training.¡± ¡°Oh! Me too! I want to practice too!¡± ¡°...Later.¡± I passed by the woman with charming eyes and the rabbit-eared woman who would always ask me for a fight. I then asked Dmir Khan, who was waiting at the entrance, to use his teleportation magic. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to help them with their training?¡± ¡°They¡¯re combat executives. They¡¯ll take care of themselves.¡± After hearing my words, Dmir Khan leaned back slightly and smiled. He then whispered to me. ¡°Do you want to destroy the moon?¡± ¡°...All except the brightest.¡± ¡°I understand. Farewell, hope of the Demon King¡¯s Army.¡± The next moment, the Starlight Dukedom appeared in front of my eyes. ¡°...Have you really mistaken me for the Demon King?¡± I pondered for a long time, but snapped out of it once I realized that the front of the mansion was in chaos. As I approached the mansion cautiously, I noticed some students were staggering in the mansion¡¯s yard and vomiting. ¡°...Oh no.¡± After noticing that poison gas infused with lunar mana was leaking out of the mansion, my complexion turned pale as I rushed to the gate. It seems that the Elders of the Moonlight Family have finally sent their assassins. Chapter 70: Remember ? Remember ? ¡°Professor Isolet, what the hell are you doing?¡± Around the time the assassination squad broke into the mansion, Clana quietly stared at Isolet in a dark room and asked a question. ¡°...I¡¯m just supervising the exam.¡± Isolet responded to Clana with a calm expression and remained still. ¡°Fine, I understand. But why only our team?¡± ¡°It is entirely up to the professor to decide which team to focus on during the exam.¡± ¡°Then, can you give me some insight on why you decided to exercise such discretion?¡± ¡°Is that a question as a student, or is it a command given as the Third Imperial Princess?¡± Clana, who was tired of Isolet dodging her every question, finally closed her eyes and said so. ¡°Let¡¯s say both.¡± Isolet¡¯s expression instantly turned cold as she looked down at Clana before she started speaking. ¡°In conclusion, I¡¯m suspecting Your Highness.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m suspicious of your ¡®intent¡¯ during this special exam.¡± Hearing those words, Clana picked up the cup of tea from her desk without answering. Isolet, who kept observing her, continued speaking. ¡°Even though there¡¯s a lot of corruption surrounding this final exam, the decision of the Imperial Family is very unusual. The Princess must be well aware of that, right?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°I was curious about the origin of such an unusual order, so I did some research... and found some pretty interesting results.¡± Isolet pointed to the moon that was floating in the sky outside the window. ¡°You mean the Moonlight Family is behind it?¡± ¡°Princess, do you know how the moon is able to shine?¡± When Clana responded with a clueless look, Isolet smirked and asked a question in return. ¡°...The moon shines because it reflects the light of the sun.¡± When Clana didn¡¯t answer the question, Isolet uttered the answer herself as she settled down across Clana before muttering in a low voice. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since the Moonlight Family has received light from the Imperial Family, but considering the circumstances¡ª¡± ¡°So, what are you trying to say?¡± Clana stared at Isolet in silence before eventually cutting her off mid-sentence. Isolet, who was tapping the desk with her finger, asked a question in a calm voice. ¡°...What are you trying to do to Frey?¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± Hearing that, Clana responded with a mocking laugh. ¡°Is that the reason for all the risky background investigation of the Imperial Family¡¯s decision, the changing of commanders, and the fact that you¡¯re monitoring me under the guise of supervising the exam?¡± ¡°...What do you mean?¡± As Isolet shrugged her shoulders with a puzzled look on her face, Clana asked another question in an icy voice. ¡°He¡¯s terrible, evil, cruel, and vile... Are you doing all this to protect Frey, the cancer of the Empire?¡± ¡°Who knows...¡± In response to Clana¡¯s fury, Isolet responded in a calm tone. ¡°...Because he¡¯s also my student.¡± ¡°Ridiculous.¡± Clana looked at Isolet as if she was an idiot before speaking again with a frown on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t you hate him?¡± ¡°I would like to kill him.¡± ¡°Then why!¡± But as Isolet answered once again with a serene expression, Clana jumped up from her seat and began to yell. ¡°Why are you stopping me!?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± But after hearing Isolet¡¯s reply, Clana was stupefied. ¡°What...?¡± Looking at Clana quietly, Isolet asked a question in a low voice. ¡°Do you know why I chose the Sunrise Academy over the Imperial Knights?¡± ¡°...Isn¡¯t it because you were sick of the corrupted Imperial Family?¡± When Clana answered tentatively, Isolet quietly shook her head and answered. ¡°It was because the happiest and most enjoyable experience of my life was when I taught my first student, a boy with beautiful silver hair.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°So, I don¡¯t know what to do with the boy who taught me the joy of teaching. How can I fix him? And do I have the right to do that in the first place?¡± After saying that, Isolet heaved a deep sigh and immediately got up from her seat and said. ¡°But, there is one thing I¡¯m certain of.¡± ¡°...And what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Your methods are wrong.¡± After finishing her words, Isolet crossed her arms and started observing Clana again. ¡°Siiigh...¡± Clana stared blankly at Isolet, then lowered her head as she let out a deep sigh. But suddenly, an owl flew through the window, startling her. ¡°Hoot!¡± ¡°W-Why did you come here now! I¡¯m sure...¡± ¡°Hoooot!!¡± ¡°Ouch, ouch!¡± Clana, who was panicking while trying to send the owl back, had her forehead pecked constantly and was forced to accept the letter, glancing at Isolet all the while. ¡°.....!!!¡± Clana had a sullen look as she opened the letter, but soon blood drained from her face as she hurriedly started heading towards the exit of the room. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Get out of the way! I don¡¯t have time!!¡± Clana pushed a confused-looking Isolet to the side and began sprinting with a pale face. Cracks began to form in her plan that she thought was perfect.. . . . . . ¨C Whoosh... ¡°Cough! Cough!!¡± When I opened the door, lunar mana began to spill out. As such, I was forced to take a step back as I broke out coughing. ¡°Shit...¡± Fortunately, the mana wasn¡¯t life-threatening. However, most people can¡¯t last long and will faint after enough exposure. Seeing that the students in the yard had already passed out, I moved as quickly as possible.ViiSiit novelbi/n(.)c/(o)m for latest novels ¡°Ugh...!¡± I took a deep breath and began to concentrate stellar mana in my body. The fact that I was straining my body didn¡¯t really matter. The important thing was that the mana creates a state where I could endure the lunar poison for an extended period of time. ¡°Fuha... ha ha...¡± After concentrating stellar mana for a while, I realized that I was running out of time and quickly took a step forward. ¨C Spark, Spark! Then the lunar mana, which had engulfed the mansion, began to penetrate my body. ¡°Ugh!¡± However, as I radiated the stellar mana that I had accumulated in my body in all directions, the lunar mana that was attacking me began to slowly be pushed back. ¡°They¡¯re all over the place.¡± The bodies of the collapsed commoners who had lost consciousness were everywhere. ¨C Spark! ¡°Ugh!!¡± Of course, assassins searching the mansion also appeared everywhere. ¡®...I¡¯m glad they didn¡¯t touch the students.¡¯ Pulling out my sword, I quickly slaughtered the assassins who found me and approached the commoners. After checking their condition, I breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I can¡¯t see the target! What should we do?¡± ¡°He¡¯s here somewhere. Today, we will destroy the darkest star of the Empire.¡± After concentrating stellar mana on my ears, I overheard the conversation from upstairs, and I muttered with a frown on my face. ¡°...Damn it, our plan was leaked.¡± For the past six days, I had been trying to discover the identity of the spy hiding in my house. ¡°...Let¡¯s follow him, Irina.¡± ¡°Huh? But shouldn¡¯t we save the students first?¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Due to her incredible mana sensitivity, Irina noticed the stellar mana I was radiating and quickly took Arianne to another place; I sighed and started looking around. ¡®There are wounded people... but no fatalities. Most of the commoners escaped. Now I only have to rescue some of the commoners who are on the second floor.¡¯ Having made that decision, I carefully started heading upstairs. ¡°I definitely saw it right! He massacred our comrades who were wearing the same outfits¡ªAH!¡± Eventually, I climbed up to the second floor, and took out the assassin who was urgently trying to warn his colleagues about me, and then I started heading to the place where I detected a presence of life. ¡°For me, for me... Because of me...!¡± ¡°... um excuse me.¡± ¡°Heuk...! I made a mistake! I¡¯ll never be loved by anyone again! Forgive me!¡± ¡°Sigh...¡± Soon after smacking the panic stricken Lulu¡¯s back of the head, I began to walk down the hallway while carrying her. ¡°Y-You! Who are you!¡± However, Arianne suddenly appeared and stopped me. ¡°Behind you!!¡± ¡°....Eh!¡± At the same time I heard her voice, I warned her about an assassin lurking behind her. However, I expected her to be a little late in deploying her barrier, so I quickly wrapped my arms around her and tackled her out of the way. ¨C Spaark! After that, I had no choice but to use stellar mana to shoot at the assassin. I then held Lulu¡¯s unconscious self out to Arianne, who had a blank expression on her face. ¡°...Get her out of here.¡± ¡°B-But there¡¯s still someone left... And you, the blood...¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to bring out the two people in the next room. So, hurry and get out.¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t know who you are, but thank you.¡± After hesitating for a moment, Arianne nodded as if to thank me before grabbing Lulu and walking out of the mansion. ¡°You are our savior.¡± Having heard that, I felt a bitter pain as I headed to the next room. ¡°This...¡± ¡°Sp-Spare me! I¡¯m sorry!¡± A commoner girl in the room screamed as a look of terror flickered across her face. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but please, can you spare my life? Please.¡± I was about to knock her out and take her outside, but Alice, who was next to her, hurriedly jumped in front of her. ¡°Kill me. I¡¯m a useless person. It¡¯s better if I die.¡± ¡°Sigh...¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to kill me, you can use me as you please. So please, just let this child go.¡± After finishing her words, Alice prostrated herself on the floor. ¡°...Please.¡± I briefly looked at Alice, and then heaved a sigh and lifted her up. I then opened my mouth. ¡°I¡¯m here to save you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this. Let¡¯s get out of here quickly.¡± Having said that, I grabbed Alice and the other schoolgirl by the arms and quickly went outside. ¡°Cough! Cough!!¡± ¡°...Hold your breath. We¡¯re almost at the entrance.¡± I was running towards the entrance, pushing away the poisonous gas with stellar mana, when suddenly a dagger flew at me from the side. ¡°AH!?¡± ¡°Run. Don¡¯t you dare look back.¡± After realizing that the guy who threw the dagger was the captain of the assassins, I pushed the girls forward and blocked the hallway. ¡°Is it you...? The one who ruined the mission?¡± ¡°... Who¡¯s the one behind this?¡± I asked the captain a question in return as he approached me with an enraged look. He then replied coldly. ¡°I¡¯m just following orders.¡± ¡°...A shame.¡± Feeling the lunar mana getting more and more intense, I charged at him while suppressing the pain. At least for today, I earnestly pray that the Demon King¡¯s Army will win. . . . . ¡°Gasp... huh...¡± I took a deep breath and leaned against the wall. ¡°Cough! Cough!¡± I had used too much power. In the end, all the remaining assassins rushed in, so I had to overexert myself. ¡°Ugh... you damn assassins.¡± I sighed and looked down at my marred body. ¡°...Frey!! Frey!!¡± ¡°Irina.¡± I didn¡¯t want to see any more blood, so I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. Irina, who suddenly appeared next to me, hugged me and began shaking me. ¡°Don¡¯t die! Frey!! I¡¯m sorry, so please!¡± ¡°...I¡¯m not gonna die, you idiot.¡± Despite hearing the truth of my ordeal and me constantly pushing her away, Irina still ran to support me in such a dangerous moment. I staggered up while feeling deeply grateful to her for coming to get me. ¡°Frey... I¡¯ll support you. Come on...¡± ¡°...Wait for a moment.¡± Something was strange. I thought I had rescued all the children, but I could sense another presence of life. ¡°Who¡¯s in the cellar?¡± ¡°The cellar?¡± Having said that, I staggered towards the cellar, as Irina supported me with a guilty look on her face. ¡°Frey, is there any way I can give you life force?¡± ¡°There is no such way. Besides, as a Hero, I will never dream of doing such a thing.¡± ¡°Then... my organs...¡± ¡°Irina, I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re doing this... You know it¡¯s soon going to be pointless anyway.¡± I smiled bitterly and said that to Irina, who was overly concerned about me, but she only shook her head helplessly. ¡°Fine... some smart students must have been hiding here.¡± While stroking her head, I opened the door to the basement and discovered an unexpected person lying there on the floor. ¡°...Ferloche?¡± The Saintess was lying on the cellar floor. I rushed to her in panic, but found that she was only unconscious. ¡°There are quite a few other students here, too. Did Ferloche hide them all?¡± ¡°It seems so...¡± While looking at the considerable number of children by her side, I suddenly picked up the diary that was lying next to Ferloche. ¡°...Sigh, it¡¯s typical of Ferloche to keep something like this.¡± After looking through the contents of the diary for a moment, I burst into laughter and was about to put the diary down, but... Remember, remember, remember, remember, remember, remember, remember, remember, remember, remember, remember, remember, remember, remember, remember, remember ¡°...Huh?¡± Soon after seeing numerous repeated words written on the last page of the diary, I began inspecting the contents with a strange look on my face. First word of first sentence of each diary entry. ¡°...What¡¯s this?¡± After reading the contents written at the end of the diary, I carefully checked the first sentence of each diary entry... ¡°Hello, this is Ferloche ¡ª Alas, there¡¯s no one more selfish than a shameless person ¡ª Finally.. I really don¡¯t care....¡± I was soon horrified. ¡°Demonic curse... did someone put a curse on me... God, why are you giving me this ordeal...¡± I think I need to have a chat with Ferloche. Chapter 71: The Second Ordeal ? The Second Ordeal ? ¡°Ferloche! Wake up!¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°Ferloche!¡± I¡¯d been shaking her for a while, but there was no sign of her waking up. Because of that, I began sweating nervously, but hearing the rough breathing of the other children lying close by, I muttered with a worried expression. ¡°Um... Should I move the students first?¡± ¡°You stay still! I¡¯ll move them myself!¡± Irina, who was next to me, hurriedly settled me down against the wall and started lifting the fainted children. ¡°...Talk to me, Ferloche. What the hell is going on?¡± After staring at her for a moment, I turned my gaze to Ferloche again and asked a question in a hushed voice. However, what came back was not a response, but simply the sound of her breathing. ¡°It¡¯s strange... it looks like she¡¯s asleep...¡± I checked with the ?Hero¡¯s Power? to see if she was lacking life force, but that wasn¡¯t the case. So why was Ferloche in such a deep slumber? ¡®By the way, I¡¯m certain that there¡¯s something strange about her.¡¯ Unable to make any further judgments due to my lack of medical knowledge, I redirected my thoughts to the message she had left. Looking at the words ¡®remember¡¯ written on the last page of the diary, it¡¯s clear that she intentionally left the message ¡®Half¡ªDemon God¡¯. If so, how on earth was Ferloche able to leave such a message? ¡®It¡¯s strange. I don¡¯t know about the past, but she¡¯s... a total idiot right now, isn¡¯t she?¡¯ For a while, I assumed that all of her actions were fabricated, but there were too many natural elements associated with her actions, so I assumed she wasn¡¯t pretending and moved on. ¡®Besides, with my experience of having to put on a persona for so long, there¡¯s no way that I wouldn¡¯t see through other people¡¯s acting. So, surely there must be other reasons.¡¯ While I was ruminating over and over again, suddenly, a similar situation to the current one crossed my mind. ¡®Come to think of it... At the orphanage, Ferloche once mentioned the ¡®Demon God.¡¯ At this point, it seems certain. Ferloche certainly knows something about the ¡®Demon God¡¯. However, she only reveals it unconsciously. Since there¡¯s not much information yet, I can only infer this much, but I feel like I might have stumbled upon a clue leading to the secrets of this world. ¡°...Heup.¡± After rummaging through the diary left by Ferloche for a bit, I got up after realizing that I had nothing more to find. ¡°Frey. I thought I told you to stay still.¡± Then Irina, who had already taken several of the children outside, returned to the basement and began scolding me. ¡°You¡¯re hurt too, Irina.¡± I replied briefly and left the basement while holding Ferloche. ¡°...Ugh.¡± As I trudged out of the mansion while emitting stellar mana, I heard a faint moan near my feet. ¡°What, did they not die?¡± I looked around to see if there were any students who had not yet been rescued, but only the captain of the assassination squad was lying on the floor, groaning. ¡°You... who the hell are you...¡± As I looked down at him, I asked a question in a haggard voice. ¡°Tell me who gave you the orders.¡± ¡°Hrrkk...!¡± As I trampled on his finger and interrogated him in response, he started to gurgle and choke, as if his blood were boiling. ¡°...Suicide, huh?¡± The assassin suddenly started spewing blood and then dropped dead. Judging from that, it looked like he had bitten the poison pill that he concealed in his mouth. ¡°Foolish bastards.¡± The assassins of the Moonlight Family only follow ¡®orders¡¯, neither their sense of justice nor their own sense of duty. So, when they go on a mission, they become more violent and cruel than anyone else. ¡®I don¡¯t know what the backup plan was... but if it had been implemented, it would have been a disaster.¡¯ Those who know the true face of the Moonlight Family, who have been killing for millennia, are limited to a few noble households: the Marquisates, the Three Ducal Families, and the Imperial Family. Of course, there are other reasons they have ensured control over information, but the main reason is probably due to the Moonlight Family¡¯s own rule of leaving no witnesses behind to spread the word about the assassinations. They are a terrifyingly heartless family. However, surprisingly, until recently, they used to be quite righteous. Over the years, they had trained to minimize unnecessary slaughter, and kill only those who are corrupt or a threat to the Empire. Therefore, their rule of ¡®witness annihilation¡¯ hadn¡¯t been active for a long time. This is because the target was eliminated with overwhelming skill before any witnesses even appeared, and even if they were found out, they used their influence to deceive the public. However, when the Imperial Family became corrupted, the entire organization became twisted. This was because the Imperial Family¡¯s support in concealing and retrieving information on behalf of the Moonlight Family was cut off, so there was a limit to the information the Moonlight Family could manipulate on their own. Nevertheless, it was when the Moonlight Family was weathering the storm alone, the current ¡®Secret Lord¡¯ took control and started to enforce the ¡®witness annihilation rule¡¯, and eventually the assassins started running rampant. All those who fought for their ideals and for justice were purged, and the assassins who worked for the success of the mission were also eliminated. In the end, the current Moonlight Family became a private strike force of the ¡®Secret Lord¡¯, and all the assassins who were left either wanted to become bloodthirsty executives, or simply psychopaths only loyal to ¡®orders¡¯. And the biggest problem is that this fanatical organization will mobilize for the self-interest and power of the ¡®Secret Lord¡¯. However, at this point in time, there is a ¡®Council of Elders¡¯, which still holds some power, and they target corrupt people... for example, people like me. However, in a few years, the Secret Lord, who would have taken control of even the elders by then, will use the family¡¯s assassins to seize power for his dreams. ¡®But that ends today.¡¯ Serena¡¯s direct entourage and the assassins she selected... as well as some of the remaining people with conscience are now fleeing with her. So, if the operation given to the Demon King¡¯s Army today succeeds... ¡°They¡¯re here!¡± ¡°Lady Ferloche!!¡± As I left the gate while thinking about the Moonlight Family¡¯s future, the children started running towards me urgently. ¡°...Ugh.¡± I quickly put Ferloche on the floor, and hurriedly stepped back into the smoke so my identity wouldn¡¯t be revealed. ¡°Hey... who is that guy?¡± ¡°That black outfit, isn¡¯t that what the people who attacked us were wearing?¡± Suddenly, I heard murmurs from all around me. Thus, I concentrated stellar mana in my ears and listened to their conversation, and was able to hear quite the interesting exchange. ¡°No, he¡¯s the one who saved us. We were hiding under the table earlier.¡± ¡°Yes... we were being chased by two assassins, and he stopped them and sent us to the exit.¡± ¡°He¡¯s coughing up blood... he wasn¡¯t doing that before... Is he fine?¡± After confirming that no one had noticed my identity, I sighed in relief and walked back inside. ¡°Huh... heh heh...¡± ¡°...Irina, are you alright?¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m still fine... if it¡¯s only this much...¡± ¡°Honestly, I was too afraid to tell you. So... I haven¡¯t been able to talk to you properly until now.¡± ¡°...Really?¡± ¡°Yes. But after listening to my confession, you might despise me.¡± After hearing her words, I was confused and tried to think of what Irina had done to me. ¡°Uh... Irina? Whatever you did to me, it must have been the right thing to do from your standpoint. Back then, I was truly a person who deserved to die. So there¡¯s no need to feel guilty.¡± ¡°B-But Frey...¡± Despite my words, Irina, who was biting her lower lip, said something with a pale, helpless face. ¡°...I¡¯m the one who put the 12 o¡¯clock curse on you.¡± After finishing her words, Irina slipped away from my embrace and fearfully glanced into my eyes. ¡°Pffft!¡± ¡°F-Frey?¡± She was so cute that I burst into laughter unknowingly. Then Irina, who was watching me, began to look even more confused. ¡°I already know that. You thought I didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°W-What¡¯s that supposed to mean...!?¡± After hearing my words, Irina inquired again as her voice trembled with her bottled up emotions. ¡°You cursed me during the freshman welcoming party..¡± ¡°Ahhh...¡± Then, as a joke, I frowned slightly. Upon seeing my expression, Irina began to shake. ¡°F-Frey... I... that¡¯s...¡± ¡°So, is that all you have to confess?¡± ¡°...uh?¡± As I stopped her with a calm expression while she continued to stutter. She looked dazed. ¡°On an average day, my life is constantly being threatened by numerous assassination attempts. Your curse is a single additional contribution to that count.¡± ¡°But! That curse is...!¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a curse with a 100% fatality rate. But I successfully stopped that curse, and thanks to you I¡¯m still alive... ah!¡± While I was pounding my chest, I let out a brief groan as I accidentally touched my wound. ¡°Y-You knew that I cast it...¡± ¡°Ahem, anyway... I¡¯m still alive and well, and you¡¯re in a mana exhausted state from the recoil, so let¡¯s call it even.¡± ¡°But Frey...¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s stop talking about it. Don¡¯t feel guilty because of that anymore.¡± As I continued to comfort Irina, I saw a familiar creature flying from afar. I then resolutely ended the conversation and stretched out my hand. ¡°Hoot!¡± The white owl landed naturally on my hand. It then tilted its head and began staring at Irina, who was next to me. ¡°Oh, ouch! Ouch!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see... What kind of letter it is this time...¡± I glanced at the white owl that started hunting Irina, then quietly turned my attention to the letter he brought me. Please reply if you are alive. Please. ¡°...You must have been quite worried.¡± It¡¯s uncharacteristic for Serena to have such sloppy handwriting, and it¡¯s even more clear that she was worried based on the fact that the letter isn¡¯t even in an envelope. ¡°...Hey, give me a pen.¡± ¡°Hoooot!¡± ¡°Stop bullying her and give me a pen.¡± After looking at the letter with a subtle smile for a moment, I grabbed the owl, who had been constantly pecking Irina, and pulled the pen off its leg. I¡¯m safe. I escaped safely. I wrote a reply on the back of the letter Serena had sent, and after thinking for a while, I scribbled a brief addition. I love you. After writing that, I smiled briefly. I then handed the letter to the owl, who was sitting on my head while staring intently at the letter. ¡°Hoot!¡± Then, with a satisfied expression on its face, the owl patted my head with its wings as if it could read the contents, then picked up the letter and flew away into the sky. ¡ºThe Second Ordeal of the system has begun!¡» ¡°...This.¡± At that moment, a system window appeared in front of my eyes. Apparently, the letter I had just written was the trigger that ended this stage. ¡°Frey? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°...It seems like the second ordeal is going to start.¡± ¡°.....!¡± Hearing my words, Irina began to look terrified. I patted her shoulder and said gently. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ve been saying this over and over... It¡¯s not reality anyway. We¡¯ve already succeeded in preventing it, but it¡¯s just a brief vision of what could have happened. A ¡®what-if¡¯ situation.¡± ¡°Frey! I¡¯ll come too...!¡± Irina hurriedly shouted and stretched out her hand to me, as if she was intent on ignoring my words from the start... ¡°...It has begun.¡± Irina withdrew her outstretched hand, as her open mouth slowly closed. ¨C Whoosh... And from that moment on, everything began to rewind. The owl that had flown far into the sky turned back, sat on my head, and attacked Irina again. After a while, Irina, who was biting her lips, got up from her seat and walked backwards. And, suddenly, I also got up and started to walk backwards towards the mansion in the distance. As I kept walking backwards, coughing and staggering all the way, I experienced the bizarre feeling of the blood that I had coughed up earlier returning to my body again. All of a sudden, I was back in the yard of the mansion. ¡°Did the rewinding process become faster?¡± And from that moment on, everything started spinning. I could see students bowing to me, but before I could see anything more, I was already back in the cellar. As I was looking at the unconscious Ferloche, the leader of the assassination squad that I killed earlier suddenly appeared. As I kept going back to the past, I realized that the images that had been continuously rewinding finally stopped. ¨C Therefore, this operation is canceled. And, from now on, the backup plan will be initiated. ¡°Is this where the second ordeal starts?¡± Eventually, as the voice on the radio, which had been cut off in the original timeline, spoke without interruption, I hardened my expression and scanned my surroundings. ¨C From now on, we will set this mansion on fire. Then, when I heard the voice again from the radio, I frowned and clicked my tongue. ¡®I did the right thing, killing them all.¡¯ This time I¡¯ve returned to witness the bad ending of the world. Chapter 72: The Bad Ending ? Bad Ending ? ¨C Set the mansion on fire as planned, then evacuate. Once again, after setting the mansion on fire, evacuate as soon as possible. As I listened to the commands from the radio, I couldn¡¯t help but curse at the order. ¡°Oh no! Not on my watch!¡± I started running with an urgent expression on my face. ¡®Are they lacking free will?¡¯ I was concerned about how I should behave according to the situation, but was relieved that I didn¡¯t have to disguise my actions if they were being controlled by the system. ¨C Schwiing! ¡°Stop! Stop right now!!¡± As I charged forward with that thought in mind, I drew my sword and began to slash the numerous assassins in front of me. ¡°...Ughh!¡± After slashing the assassins for such a long time, I was eventually ambushed by an assassin who was approaching me quietly from behind as he stabbed my side. ¡°Aaarghhh!!¡± ¡®Thank god. It doesn¡¯t hurt at all.¡¯ The situation was an illusion created by the ordeal, so fortunately, I didn¡¯t feel any pain at all. However, my body still reacted and howled in agony when I was stabbed in the side. ¡°Oh, no...¡± As I screamed and staggered back, the assassin who had successfully stabbed me took something out and threw it on the floor. In the next moment, it exploded, giving birth to a raging flame. ¨C Whoosh! The flames began to devour every corner of the mansion. As I was in despair watching that situation, the assassin cautiously began approaching me. ¨C Spark! ¡°...Everyone, I have to save everyone.¡± After shooting a silver laser at the assassin, I muttered that under my breath while increasing the pace of my steps. ¡®What? Why are there still commoners everywhere?¡¯ Originally, most of the commoners had escaped, so only a few students had been trapped on the second floor and in the cellar. However, during this ordeal, many students were still lying unconscious on the floor of the mansion. ¡®It was literally the worst-case scenario.¡¯ ¡°Cough! Cough!! Ugh...¡± Having re-evaluated the level of the ordeal to ¡®hell¡¯ difficulty, I suddenly realized that I was coughing. ¡°I... I can still endure... I¡¯ve been through worse things...¡± I glanced at the blood on my hands before lifting the students in front of me and carrying them towards the exit. And then, the tragedy began. . . . . . ¡°Cough! Cough!! Ugh...¡± The entire area was covered in a blanket of smoke. ¡°Gasp... gasp...¡± Poisonous mist made from lunar mana and smoke from the fire covered the Starlight mansion that had stood tall for a millennium. A girl was desperately crawling on the floor of the mansion, which had been painted vividly with a yellowish shade thanks to the raging flames. ¡°Not that way.¡± ¡°...Gasp!¡± The girl was crawling in tears, desperately looking for an exit, in order to somehow survive so that her miserable life wouldn¡¯t end in such a meaningless way. When someone spoke in a low voice, she took a breath in surprise. ¡°Cough...! Cough... Cough...¡± But at that moment, she inhaled a mixture of poisonous lunar mana and black smoke. The girl tried holding her breath as much as possible, but began struggling with the pain. ¡°Please... spare me. Please.¡± The girl, who was suffering from the pain, noticed that the man who had spoken to her was standing right in front of her, and with a tearful face, she began to beg for her life. ¡°I¡¯m dying... help... please...¡± ¡°Sigh...¡± The pace she was talking in slowed as she inhaled more of the toxic smoke, but she wanted to survive somehow and desperately begged the man in front of her for help. ¡°Stay still. If you struggle, it¡¯ll be difficult for me to carry you.¡± I watched the girl struggle before heaving a sigh of relief and stretched out my hand carefully. ¨C Crack! ¡°.....!¡± But just then, an eerie sound resounded from the chandelier right above the girl as it fell towards her. ¡°Ahhh...¡± When the man who was watching the scene froze, the girl intuitively felt her end was near. Thus, she quietly closed her eyes in acceptance. In the end, everything she had done was meaningless. The days when she ran around the market with her one and only older sister and begged for things like crazy. The day she bought her first book with the money she had saved up in her spare time. And when she found out that her sister had actually paid for most of the book¡¯s cost, she hugged her sister and wept. She had studied hard ever since, and when she was admitted to Sunrise Academy, she again hugged her sister and shed tears of joy. The precious memories of her life flashed before her eyes. However, all the blissful memories she shared were all in vain now. In the end, she would meet a miserable end here. She would die after being despised and ridiculed by both bystanders on the streets and by the aristocrats after entering the academy. ¡®Sister... I¡¯m sorry...¡¯ The last memory that flashed through her mind was her job at the new orphanage in the capital, and her beloved older sister. As she watched the chandelier nearing her face, she muttered to herself. ¡®I couldn¡¯t keep our promise...¡¯ ¡°Get down!!¡± ¡°Huh!?¡± Surprised at the man¡¯s shout, the girl turned her crestfallen eyes towards him, only to see him rushing towards her and eventually tackle her. ¨C Crash! ¡°Aargh...!¡± At the next moment, the horrific sound of the chandelier shattering and the man¡¯s agonizing screams mingled together to create a dreadful cacophony. ¡°...Huh?¡± The girl, who was staring blankly at the scene she couldn¡¯t fathom, suddenly realized that the man, whose arms were wrapped around her, was trembling. ¡°Hey... are you alright... huh?¡± The kind-hearted girl put her hand on the quivering man and inquired, but immediately she was taken aback. It was because her tongue, which had been frozen due to the poison, was now free. ¡°Who are you? And how...¡± When the girl realized that the mana glistening from his body was surrounding her, she looked at him with a puzzled gaze and asked more questions. ¡°...Get out of here. Go.¡± But her question was ignored by the man as he answered in an icy voice. ¡°B-But... the smoke... and what about you?¡± ¡°...Don¡¯t make me repeat myself.¡± Then the man grabbed her hand and forced her up. The girl then began looking around her with a bewildered expression on her face. It was because the poison of the smoke, which had been strangling her until now, had disappeared, and a refreshing feeling circulated within her body. ¡°T-Thank you¡ªHeup!¡± The girl was about to express her gratitude to her savior, but she was shocked to see the man staggering away. ¡°Uhhh...¡± Blood streamed down from countless different wounds etched on his mangled body. The clothes he was wearing were tattered and had lost their purpose a long time ago. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°I, uh! I...¡± ¡°Say it.¡± After saying that, the masked man also lifted the girl who was lying next to her and was about to leave the room. After hesitating for a moment, Alice sighed and opened her mouth. ¡°...I¡¯m a secret spy of the Moonlight family.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± When the masked man clicked his tongue at those words, Alice sighed and said. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not an assassin, just an informant.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but seeing that you are saving people... Just saying this is enough to give you a rough idea how horrible a person I am. So, just leave me here...¡± ¡°...Well, I guess I¡¯ll have to listen a little more to decide whether to leave you or not.¡± As the masked man said that and continued walking down the hallway to escape the flames, Alice sighed and continued speaking in a trembling voice. ¡°I was planning to assassinate Frey while continuing to pass information to Her Highness, the Imperial Princess. But the captain of the assassin squad must have been unsatisfied with me.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± When the masked man asked, Alice answered with a trembling voice. ¡°For some reason, he thought I was leaking information. So, he secretly ordered Frey to be killed.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°It failed because Frey had been throwing away his food for the past few days. So today, while I was forced to prepare to kill him with my own hands, the enraged secret Lord of the Moonlight Family, dispatched an assassination squad.¡± ¡°...Then, that¡¯s the secret Lord¡¯s fault. Not yours.¡± When the masked man who was listening to that said in an absurd voice, Alice responded with tears in her eyes. ¡°No... it¡¯s my fault. Because of my immaturity, provoking the secret Lord of the Moonlight Family, and repeatedly failing to assassinate him... everyone is at risk...¡± ¡°Strange. How did they even notice that the information is being leaked? Serena¡¯s work should have been perfect...¡± ¡°...Look, so please drop me now. I don¡¯t deserve to get out of here.¡± After hearing her words, the masked man muttered to himself for a moment. However, when Alice spoke with a determined look on her face, he replied with a smirk. ¡°Fine, if you manage to get out of here, you must confess. That¡¯s how you will pay for your sins.¡± ¡°N, no... Then the Moonlight family... Ah.¡± When Alice, who was replying to the man with a grim look on her face, saw the situation unfolding in front of her, she began to spit out curses. ¡°Fuck.¡± And it was the same with the masked man. This was because the entrance, which had been intact until now, was now blocked by collapsed trees and pillars. ¡°Heuup!!¡± ¨C Schwiiing! The man, who was silently watching the scene, soon closed his eyes and drew his sword. He then swung it with all his might. ¡°W-What!?¡± Then, the sparkling mana slashed through the poisonous fog and cleaved past the obstacles. Alice, who witnessed that scene, slowly turned her head and looked at the man. ¡°You... who are you?¡± ¡°...You don¡¯t need to know.¡± The masked man replied briefly and began to slowly move forward. ¡°Damn... I¡¯m running out of life force now... I don¡¯t think there are any more people inside...¡± Eventually, the masked man who came out of the exit laid down the rescued women in the yard and took a deep breath. ¡°Wait, where is the Saintess? Where is the Saintess?¡± ¡°...Lady Ferloche! Are you there!?¡± But at that moment, urgent voices that were looking for Ferloche resounded from behind. Upon hearing those voices, the masked man stood up with a shocked expression on his face. ¡°You guys! What¡¯re you talking about!?¡± ¡°So... We were lying low in the cellar, and we escaped thanks to Lady Ferloche...¡± ¡°But now, I can¡¯t find Lady Ferloche! She said she would follow us soon and told us to go ahead...¡± ¡°Fuck!!¡± Hearing that, the masked man hurriedly began to look around. ¡°Arianne! Where¡¯s Arianne!¡± ¡°She was hit by a burning pillar when she came out earlier... she survived because of her defensive magic, but she lost consciousness after inhaling too much smoke...¡± ¡°...No, she mustn¡¯t die. If she dies, it¡¯s game over. No no no.¡± The masked man, who was muttering in panic upon hearing those words, immediately muttered to the student next to him with a resolute expression. ¡°My will is in a secret pocket inside my bag.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you just in case...¡± And the next moment, the masked man jumped into the mansion that had turned into hell. ¡°H-Hey!!¡± ¨C Ruuuumble!! ¡°...Ah.¡± Then the next moment, the Starlight mansion began to collapse. It was the moment when the historically significant monument that had been passed down for a thousand years ceased to exist. . . . . . The next morning, ¡°Lady Ferloche!!¡± Someone was frantically searching through the Starlight family mansion, which was no longer plagued by the poisonous fog. ¡°Lady Ferloche! Where are you!! Lady Ferloche!!¡± ¡°Princess.¡± ¡°Lady Ferloche!!!¡± ¡°...Please stop denying reality already.¡± Despite the protests of the investigative team, knights dispatched from the Imperial family, and the students who were involved in the incident, Clana still searched through the remains of the building until her hands bled. She then heard Isolet¡¯s icy voice from the side and froze on the spot. ¡°Lady Ferloche is dead. Thanks to your cunning antics.¡± ¡°Ahhh...¡± Clana, who had a blank expression on her face after hearing that, plopped on the rubble and burst into tears. ¡°I, I... I just...¡± ¡°...There¡¯s a sign of life here!¡± ¡°...!¡± However, when the mage dispatched from the Magic Tower urgently shouted, Clana rushed to the place and began digging through the wreckage. ¡°It¡¯s the cellar! If it¡¯s here, definitely!!¡± Eventually, she found the entrance to the cellar, and with a hopeful look, she smashed the door with solar mana and walked inside. ¡°La-Lady Fe-Ferloche....!! You¡¯re alive...¡± Clana, who found Ferloche alive inside, ran to her with tears in her eyes, but ... ¡°...Uh?¡± ¡°Why... Why the hell are you not coming back to life... Why...¡± Soon after, she found Ferloche holding someone in tears, frozen on the spot. ¡°T-This... how did this happen?¡± ¡°Wake up... Get up...¡± Before long, Clana inquired in a trembling voice, but Ferloche ignored her and continued muttering with tears in her eyes. ¡°I was wrong... Please... Frey...¡± In her arms remained Frey Raon Starlight¡¯s cold corpse. Chapter 73: The Beginning of Hell ? The Beginning of Hell ? ¡°Ugh... Damn it.¡± As soon as Frey stepped inside, the mansion began crumbling. Frey then uttered a brief swear and started dodging the falling rubble. ¡°No... I won¡¯t last even a minute if I go on like this.¡± The entrance he came from had already collapsed, and the places that were still intact had already begun crumbling rapidly. In such a terrifying situation, Frey shut his eyes and spread his stellar mana in all directions. ¡°Cough...!¡± Soon after, he exhausted almost all of his mana and collapsed while coughing up blood. ¡°She¡¯s in front... She¡¯s right in front.¡± But thankfully, whether he was lucky or unlucky, the person he was looking for was right in front of him. So even though he lacked mana, Frey was able to find her. ¡°W-Who are you...¡± Frey endured the agonizing pain with his sheer will as he discovered Ferloche lying on the floor in front of him. ¡°Ferloche! Get up! You have to get out!¡± Frey tried to lift the collapsed Ferloche, but she realized that her body had no strength left and cried out in a desperate voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are... but get out of here. You can¡¯t save me.¡± She could only reply in a feeble tone because she had already exhausted her holy power while searching for injured students and the children, who were in critical condition after inhaling the poisonous smoke. ¡°No, I can never give up. Never.¡± Of course, there was no way Frey could give up on Ferloche. Her death was one of the system¡¯s ¡ºGame Over¡» conditions, and it was also something Frey could never let happen. ¡°Don¡¯t do this... Leave me and go...¡± ¡°Stay still.¡± Then Frey lifted Ferloche¡¯s fallen figure. In fact, he didn¡¯t even have the strength left to leave this place, nor the strength to lift Ferloche. But Frey¡¯s resolve to save her, no matter what, was enough to keep him going. ¨C Rumble! ¡°...Damn.¡± However, God didn¡¯t seem to grace the tale of the Hero and the Saintess. Because as soon as Frey lifted Ferloche and turned around, the mansion began collapsing completely. ¡°The cellar, we have to go to the cellar...¡± In such a desperate situation, Frey staggered while holding Ferloche in his arms and started heading somewhere. Sometimes he inhaled the poisonous gas and coughed up blood. Sometimes he suffered deep wounds from the collapsing rubble. And other times, additional burn scars were engraved all over his body. Yet, he didn¡¯t stop walking forward. ¡°I¡¯ve arrived... now...¡± After walking for a long time, Frey managed to reach the entrance to the cellar. ¨C Screech... Frey opened the entrance to the cellar that had been enchanted with a protection magic circle, carefully pushed Ferloche inside, and sighed. ¨C Spark! ¡°...Hah.¡± However, he soon realized that the protection magic circle cast on the cellar¡¯s door had been shattered. ¡°Crazy bastard.¡± When Frey noticed the charred corpse of the Assassination squad captain right next to him, he was able to figure out that he had destroyed the protective magic circle surrounding the cellar, and in turn, died from the magical backlash. Of course, in the desperate situation, such a discovery wasn¡¯t helpful at all. ¡°Hey... why aren¡¯t you coming in? Hey...!¡± ¡°Hmmm...¡± Frey was deep in thought, but upon hearing Ferloche¡¯s weak voice from the cellar, he muttered with a determined look. ¡°If it¡¯s going to be a bad ending either way... It would be better for Ferloche to survive than myself, who will be completely useless because of the ¡ºGame Over¡» penalty.¡± After that, Frey violently shut the cellar door and began pouring his last vestiges of stellar mana into the shattered protective magic circle. Of course, the amount itself wasn¡¯t enough to restore the magic circle. However, the stellar mana, inherited by the Starlight family, generates explosive power when the members of the Starlight family sacrifice themselves to save others. ¨C Spark... ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± Having restored the magic circle with that miraculous power, Frey quietly closed his eyes and whispered. ¡°...I couldn¡¯t survive.¡± The last person he thought of was none other than his mother. . . . . . ¡°Hey! Why aren¡¯t you coming in!? Hey!¡± In the pitch-black cellar, Ferloche clung to the door and shouted desperately. Because the man who saved her hadn¡¯t entered the cellar yet. ¡°Ugh...!¡± After crying out for a long time, Ferloche started crawling towards the doorway with all her remaining strength. ¡°Ughh!¡± Eventually, when she arrived at the door with the protection magic circle, she desperately tried to open the door. ¨C Thud ¡°...Huh?¡± After struggling with the door for a long time, she finally managed to open it. However, someone fell on top of her as soon as the door opened, and she stumbled back to the floor alongside him. ¡°Cough! Cough!! Ugh...¡± Ferloche, who was momentarily shocked, began to cough as a result of the smoke that leaked through the open door. She pushed the person who had fallen on top of her aside and started heading towards the door again. ¡°H-Hey! Are you alright!?¡± Ferloche closed the door with the last of her strength, and grabbed the person who was lying next to her, then began to shake him. ¡°P-Please don¡¯t die! Hey!¡± But when the man lying next to her didn¡¯t move, Ferloche cried out and began concentrating holy power in her hands. She had already used most of her holy power reserves to save the other children, but she nevertheless pushed her remaining power to the limit. ¡°Still, I still have a little bit of holy power left... So... if I give him just a little bit of strength...¡± Because as long as there were still signs of life left in the limp man, she had the potential to save him... His life, on the verge of being extinguished, was like a candle in the wind. If even a little bit of her holy power was infused, he might be able to hold on until he was rescued. With such hope, Ferloche eagerly began to imbue him with her holy power. ¡°...Uh?¡± ¡°Because you went through so much... you¡¯re even hallucinating...¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not... it¡¯s the truth, it¡¯s the truth!¡± ¡°This is bad. You need to go and get treated right away...¡± However, when Ferloche continued to weep and shout, Clana shook her head and grabbed her hand and tried to move her... ¡°...What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Isolet, who was looking at Frey with a blank expression on her face, asked Ferloche a question. ¡°Frey... saved you?¡± ¡°Yes... Frey emerged from the flames... and carried me here...¡± The story that Ferloche told was quite unbelievable for Clana. ¡°Frey, who was wearing a black mask, came all the way here while carrying you down here?¡± ¡°Yes... And, after he pushed me in here, he did something outside!¡± Having said that, Ferloche pointed to the door with a trembling hand. Clana then replied with a bitter smile. ¡°Lady Ferloche. Frey wouldn¡¯t do that. You must have hallucinated.¡± ¡°N-No...! Definitely... definitely...!¡± ¡°Everyone, please take Lady Ferloche out.¡± Still, when Ferloche continued to speak in a trembling voice, Clana ordered the investigators, who had just arrived. ¡°N-No! NO!¡± Ferloche, who had been caught and dragged away by the investigation squad, suddenly began to scream urgently. ¡°Don¡¯t drag me out of here! Let me go! Let me go!!¡± ¡°Saintess, you need to be treated quickly. We have to move.¡± ¡°Princess Clana! I understand what the Prophecy meant! What we were doing was completely wrong from the very beginning!¡± ¡°...Please take her out quickly.¡± However, Clana, who thought that Ferloche was having a seizure, urged the investigation squad in a serious voice. ¡°No... don¡¯t open the door... don¡¯t open the door...¡± Ferloche, who had been struggling for such a long time, soon lost consciousness and collapsed as soon as she went outside. ¡°Please take Professor Isolet out as well.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Clana stared at the scene bitterly, ordered the investigation squad to take Isolet outside as well, who had been looking at Frey with a blank expression. She then turned her gaze towards Frey. ¡°Still, we can¡¯t be sure.¡± Then suddenly, she muttered with an icy expression and began to approach Frey while gathering golden solar mana in her hand. ¡°You¡¯re going to be resurrected soon anyway, right? Because you¡¯re the Demon King¡¯s aide.¡± In the previous timeline, the Demon King revived their dead subordinates several times. Of course, reviving the dead is quite difficult even for the Demon King, so it¡¯s not a magic that anyone can use... Recently, Frey¡¯s actions were quite akin to what the Demon King¡¯s closest aides would do. So, if we consider the memories of the previous timeline... The probability of the Demon King reviving Frey is quite high. ¡®And, in the first place, he might be disguising his death with magic.¡¯ If he was disguising his death, all of this would only help Frey. It was a great opportunity to fake his death and enter the ranks of the Demon King¡¯s Army. ¨C Spark... After she organized her thoughts as such, Clana pointed her finger at Frey where a radiant golden mana had gathered and said. ¡°This is for Lady Serena.¡± Soon after, a golden beam of light pierced Frey¡¯s skull, but Clana wasn¡¯t satisfied yet as she continued to conjure up more arrows. ¡°This is for Ms. Irina and Lady Ferloche.¡± ¨C Pew!! Pew!! Numerous golden arrows pierced Frey¡¯s body. Soon Frey¡¯s body became a mangled mess akin to Irina and Ferloche¡¯s corpses from the previous timeline. ¡°This is for Ms. Kania.¡± On top of that, Clana manifested a golden dagger, this time piercing Frey¡¯s throat. ¡°Finally... this is for myself.¡± Having said that, Clana pulled out the dagger that pierced Frey¡¯s throat and subsequently pierced his heart, where Frey had stabbed her in the previous timeline. ¡°...Sigh.¡± At the end of that, Clana, who had completely confirmed Frey¡¯s death, heaved a deep sigh and muttered to herself. ¡°As expected, I... don¡¯t have the qualifications to be the Imperial Princess.¡± She allied herself with evil, and as a result wounded several innocent people. That fact continued to torment her with guilt. It was a miracle that everyone besides Frey survived, but she couldn¡¯t imagine how terrible it would have been if there was even one casualty. ¡°...When it¡¯s all over, I¡¯ll turn myself in.¡± Moreover, even if there were no casualties, it was a situation in which everyone could have died. So, she must bear the responsibility. ¨C Spark... With that thought in mind, Clana began to concentrate a vast amount of solar mana. Frey, who helped the Demon King awaken his power in the previous timeline, was dead, so there was still time. She would hold on until she found the Hero mentioned in the Prophecy, until the corruption of the Imperial Family has ended and the rotten aristocrats purged. After that, she wouldn¡¯t mind even if the entire world judged her. ¡°Anyway... I can¡¯t even bear to see your body at the funeral.¡± Clana created a spherical ball of solar mana in the room, muttered quietly and walked out of the cellar. ¡°...Huh?¡± A protective magic circle entered her field of vision when the basement cellar closed. ¡°What¡¯s this...¡± Traces of the magic circle being shattered and reactivated still lingered. ¡°...No way.¡± Clana suddenly remembered Ferloche¡¯s words, but she soon shook her head and began to move forward quickly. ¡°Princess! Was there a masked man there?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± However, she was soon interrupted by a girl. ¡°Because he saved us all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, and in the end, he charged inside the mansion on the verge of collapse to save Lady Ferloche...¡± ¡°Is he alive? If he is alive, I have to repay him...¡± Upon hearing their words, Clana had a dazed expression on her face until Irina, who had just regained consciousness, screamed forlornly. ¡°Frey!! Where are you!? Frey!!!¡± ¡°...Ms. Irina?¡± ¡°Frey... No!!!¡± Clana¡¯s hell seemed to have just begun. Chapter 74: An Unfulfilled Promise ? An Unfulfilled Promise ? ¡°Ms...Irina.?¡± Clana looked at Irina, who was panic-stricken, and inquired in a trembling voice. ¡°Why... Why are you calling Frey¡¯s name with that expression?¡± ¡°Frey! Where is Frey! Frey!!¡± However, Irina shoved Clana aside and began frantically digging through the debris. ¡°Please... please! Please please please...¡± ¡°Irina... Why are you...?¡± Irina then approached her friend Arianne and asked a question in a quivering voice. ¡°A-Arianne... Do you know where the man in the black hood is?¡± Then Irina, who finally came to her senses, hurriedly changed the name she was calling out and asked a question. ¡°As far as I can remember...¡± Then Arianne frowned and tried to recall her memories. ¡°I was getting Lulu out of there, but I fainted when I was struck by a burning pillar. That was my last memory and the last time I saw him.¡± When she had finished her words, Irina got up hurriedly and called all the students out loud. ¡°You guys!! Do you know what happened to the man in the black hood!?¡± ¡°¡±........¡±¡± Unlike her usual self, desperation and sorrow lingered in Irina¡¯s voice, but the students couldn¡¯t answer her. Because they already knew the bitter truth. ¡°...He rushed back into the crumbling mansion to rescue Lady Ferloche.¡± It seemed that no one was going to come forward, but suddenly a girl stepped forward and said. ¡°And... he hasn¡¯t returned yet.¡± ¡°W...hat?¡± Upon hearing those words, Irina plopped down with a crestfallen expression, while the students next to the girl began to murmur with a grim look on their faces. ¡°I don¡¯t know who he was, but he was quite brave...¡± ¡°Yes, if he hadn¡¯t carried me out the window, I¡¯d have suffocated to death...¡± ¡°The assassin almost stabbed me with his sword... The man in that hood shielded me and got stabbed instead. Thanks to him, I¡¯m alive... but he suffered a major wound on his back...¡± ¡°Wait, Lady Ferloche is alive? So... maybe he¡¯s alive in the cellar too?¡± As one of those students spoke in a hopeful voice, the faces of the students around them lit up. ¡°That¡¯s right! He went to save Lady Ferloche? So if Lady Ferloche is alive... He must be alive too!¡± ¡°Princess! Did you not see anyone else in the basement earlier?¡± ¡°I hope he is alive...¡± Eventually, as each of the students uttered hopeful words, prayed, or asked questions to Clana, Clana¡¯s expression turned more and more pale as she looked at them. ¡°...Uh, uhh.¡± Clana, who was staring blankly at the expectant students with a pale face, quickly dashed back to the cellar. ¨C Stomp... Clana, who had hastily absorbed the ever-expanding orb back into her own body, examining Frey with her trembling look on her face. ¡°A hood...¡± There remained a black hood that someone had taken off next to his face. ¡°You, you? Did you save them?¡± At that moment, Clana realized that what Ferloche had said was indeed the truth, and at the same time, pale and tired, she began to mutter with a mysterious expression on her face. ¡°Wh-Why? Why did you save Ferloche... and all the students?¡± Clana, who continued muttering, quietly began to approach Frey. ¡°You... you¡¯re a villain. I still remember the feeling when you stabbed my heart. I had managed to survive until then.¡± Clana settled down next to Frey¡¯s mangled corpse and muttered again with a blank expression. ¡°Y-You were laughing sinisterly even when you stabbed my heart, weren¡¯t you? As if you were excited to activate the magic circle that would destroy the Empire... truly evil, Huh?¡± Clana, who had been muttering for a while in a daze, soon realized that someone was patting her shoulder. ¡°Princess, you did something incredible, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...AH!¡± Clana, who was taken aback by the voice she heard, and slumped forward upon realizing that the head of the investigation squad was staring at her. ¡°Damaging the corpse... Destruction of the crime scene... Even if it¡¯s Your Highness, the Third Imperial Princess, I can¡¯t simply ignore this.¡± The leader of the investigation squad rebuked Clana in a stern tone, then raised the corners of his mouth. He then finished speaking and formed a circle with his index finger and thumb. ¡°...However, if Your Highness shows me a little bit of generosity, I can close my eyes.¡± Having said that, the leader winked and spoke to the investigators beside him. ¡°Carry the body and take it out. Don¡¯t drop it like last time.¡± ¡°¡±Yes!!¡±¡±ViiSiit novelbi/n(.)c/(o)m for latest novels Then, the investigators loaded Frey¡¯s mangled corpse on a stretcher and began to slowly leave the cellar. ¡°I¡¯ll send you an invoice by mail soon! If possible, give it in cash... If Your Highness can¡¯t afford it, even jewels... Princess? Are you listening?¡± Meanwhile, Clana left the chattering leader behind her as she slowly began following the other investigators. She didn¡¯t realize yet, but she intuitively felt that something was wrong. ¡°...He¡¯s here!¡± ¡°He survived! I¡¯m so glad!¡± ¡°Well... he looked really strong. There¡¯s no way he¡¯d die that easily.¡± When Frey¡¯s ragged corpse emerged, the commoners flocked to it one by one with bright faces. ¡°P-Please tell me your name! Even if I only have a part-time job, I will definitely repay you...¡± Among them, the younger sister of the orphanage worker who had been saved by Frey while she was on the verge of death had the brightest expression amongst all. She spoke in a merry tone. ¡°...Heup!¡± However, upon discovering Frey¡¯s cold and mangled body, she stumbled backwards, with a pale face. ¡°F, Frey? Why is Frey...?¡± Eventually, the girl muttered with a crestfallen face, while the gathered students all looked at Frey¡¯s face and muttered dazedly. ¡°What? Why is Frey...?¡± ¡°He went somewhere in the morning? Why did he end up like this...¡± ¡°Wait a minute, but this outfit and the hood... Perhaps...?¡± As the students slowly began racking their brains, Arianne, who was quietly looking at Frey, muttered with a shocked expression on her face. ¡°The one who saved everyone... Was it really Frey?¡± When those words were spoken, all the surrounding students froze on the spot. In fact, they hypothesized as such as well, but their brains, which couldn¡¯t accept such a conclusion, were forced to let the truth sink in upon hearing Arianne¡¯s statement. ¡°It was... Frey. Who saved me?¡± ¡°Unbelievable... Why did Frey...?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand... You mocked me up until yesterday. But you took a knife for me?¡± While all the students were muttering in panic, someone slowly began to approach from afar. ¡°Frey... it can¡¯t be. Frey. Open your eyes. Frey...¡± Irina approached his body with a bitter smile. ¡°Stop kidding around and wake up, Frey. Why are you pulling the pranks you used to do when we were little?¡± Although she was smiling, her expression was overshadowed by her inner grim look. Meanwhile, the students moved away one by one from Frey¡¯s side. Irina settled down next to Frey and opened her mouth. ¡°Fine, I lost, so stop it. Let¡¯s go eat some fish. Hmm? Frey?¡± ¡°Ms. Irina...¡± ¡°Frey, I was wrong, so stop it. I¡¯ll be better in the future. I haven¡¯t even apologized to you yet. So please...¡± ¡°...Lord Frey is dead.¡± Having said that, Isolet pointed to the commoners surrounding Frey¡¯s corpse and said. ¡°These are all the children Frey saved. He saved every single one of them.¡± ¡°M-My brother...? You mean my brother really did that?¡± When Aria inquired with a quivering gaze, a girl next to Isolet further confirmed Isolet¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s right, and when the fire broke out... He threw all our belongings out of the commoners¡¯ dormitory. I told him not to do that and take care of himself... But he replied that... for commoners, this is all they have...¡± ¡°Br-Brother...¡± When Aria heard her words, tears welled up in her eyes. Meanwhile, Isolet, who was watching her bitterly, quietly closed her eyes and finished speaking. ¡°After saving everyone ... he rushed back into the crumbling mansion to save Lady Ferloche, who was left behind all alone... and eventually managed to save her...¡± ¡°Ahhh...¡± ¡°He poured all of his mana to restore the protective magic circle outside of the cellar in order to save her... and eventually died when he exhausted his last vestiges of mana...¡± ¡°BROTHERRRRRRRRR!!!¡± Aria, who couldn¡¯t bear to hear Isolet¡¯s words any longer, finally burst into tears, and hugged the Frey¡¯s mangled corpse and lashed out. ¡°Why... Why the hell did you do that!! Why did you do something you wouldn¡¯t normally do... Why did you do it!! Why the hell...¡± ¡°...Lady.¡± ¡°Kania! Y-You know the truth? You know!!¡± When Kania spoke in a trembling tone, Aria grabbed Kania by the collar and began to plead. ¡°Please! Please tell me the truth!! Please...!¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°It¡¯s all over now!! My brother is dead! The mansion is destroyed! So... please tell me the truth now!!¡± While Aria was pleading with tears dripping down her face, Kania remained silent. She too was greatly shocked to see Frey¡¯s cold corpse, and didn¡¯t want to believe in the death of her master. Her master, who was her age, who she had begun to admire, who she had begun to... ¡°...Kania, do you know something?¡± As Kania kept her silence, Isolet, who was standing next to her, opened her mouth. ¡°If you know anything, please tell me the truth. Please.¡± Isolet spoke sincerely and knelt down in front of Kania in order to plead. ¡°I... must know the truth.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Please...! Please Kania... You can¡¯t hide everything like this!!¡± Then, even Aria began pleading once again. ¡°U-Um...¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Tears welled up in Kania¡¯s eyes as she looked at them. The just as she was about to open her mouth, she heard someone¡¯s voice next to her. ¡°Ka-Kania... I...¡± Kania turned her gaze towards the familiar voice, and she discovered Clana, who was overhearing their conversation until then, was trying to say something to her with a pale and haggard look on her face. Kania expression turned cold, and she soon began walking towards her. ¡°...So, how does it feel? How does it feel?¡± ¡°I-I...¡± When Kania asked her with a stony expression on her face, Clana recalled Irina¡¯s reaction earlier and spoke in a trembling voice as her body shuddered. ¡°I... I want to know the truth...¡± ¡°Hey... I think everyone should take a look at this.¡± Just as Kania, who was glaring coldly at Clana, was about to say something, a student stepped forward and held out a mailbag. ¡°...What¡¯s that?¡± Isolet, who received the mailbag from the student with a wary expression, immediately froze. ¡ºThe Will of Frey Raon Starlight- Open only if I fall before killing the Demon King.¡» ¡°This... is...¡± ¡°Uh...before Lord Frey entered the crumbling mansion, he told me there is a will stored in the secret compartment of his bag...¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Lord Frey¡¯s bag was kept alongside other students¡¯ luggage...¡± Isolet, who was listening to the student in a daze, opened the envelope with her trembling hands. ¨C Rustle... Inside the mailbag, several envelopes of letters, and documents were present. ¡°T-This is...¡± Isolet carefully sorted several envelopes, then, with a look of disbelief, picked up one of the letters. Dear Sister Isolet Because in one of the letters, she found her name written in a familiar font. ¡°Frey...¡± Isolet tore the envelope with trembling hands and tried to read the contents inside. However, the moment she read it, she immediately plopped down to the ground. ¡°Frey...¡± She soon began to sob bitterly. ¡°...Sob.¡± Clana, who was looking at her in bewilderment, found a letter that had fallen in front of her, and cried out. ¡°W-What this... all about...¡± Before long, Clana, who was muttering in panic, began to slowly reach out to the envelope. ¨C Whoosh... ¡°...Huh!?¡± However, her eyes were soon painted with the shade of horror, the moment she noticed a wave of dark mana rushing towards her. ¡°You... you killed Young Master...¡± ¡°...Ms. Kania?¡± ¡°You... because of you...¡± In front of her stood Kania, who began to run rampant with a despairing look on her face as she read the letter that had been sent to her. ¡°...No, it¡¯s my fault. No. It¡¯s my fault.¡± ¡°Ugh... gag.. gag...¡± ¡°If I had stayed back at the mansion today... If I had received treatment a little later... I, I...¡± Clana tried to activate her solar mana, faced with Kania¡¯s onslaught of black magic. However, the dark mana, filled with utter despair, was too dense and strong. It was the moment when Kania¡¯s black magic, which had the potential to devour the entire continent, fully awakened. ¡°Wa-Wait! Kania!¡± ¡°Ms. Kania...!¡± Clana, who was being choked to death by Kania¡¯s black magic, was able to escape thanks to Isolet and Ferloche, rushing to assist her. ¡°...Ah?¡± Clana stared blankly at Kania, who kept howling at her while being suppressed by Isolet and Ferloche. The next moment, she noticed a letter had suddenly popped out of the envelope in front of her. To Clana The letter was the will Frey had left for her. ¡°Cough! Cough!!¡± Clana picked up the letter with trembling hands as she constantly coughed because of the residual dark mana that and carefully tore the envelope. I¡¯m sorry that I couldn¡¯t keep the promise I made when I was young, Princess. ¡°Ahhh...¡± Tears welled up in Clana¡¯s eyes as she carefully read the first verse of the letter. I truly wanted to make you Empress with my own hands. ¡°No.........¡± In a cruel twist of ironic fate, the tears she shed gleamed in the sunlight. Footnotes: 1Covering the sky with the palm of your hand: A proverb sarcastic about the shallow knowledge of people along with ¡®a frog in a well¡¯ in claiming that ¡®the sky is this small¡¯ by saying ¡®covering the sky with one¡¯s palm.¡¯ Also, it is mainly used to mean ¡® even if you try to hide the truth, you can¡¯t hide it ¡® in the sense that covering the sky with your palm does not completely cover the sky. Chapter 75: The Moon to the Stars ? The Moon To The Stars ? ¡°Lady Serena, we have arrived.¡± ¡°...Thank you.¡± We¡¯ve finally arrived. To a place I never wanted to go. A place where I will finally find out the truth. ¡°Don¡¯t follow me. I¡¯ll go alone.¡± ¡°Then, your luggage...¡± ¡°No. Leave the luggage.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The maid, who had faithfully followed me both in the previous timeline and in this life, tilted her head. Well, I think I would have acted similarly if someone told me to just leave their luggage in the carriage. However, right now, these things are meaningless to me. ¡°S-Smoke...¡± ¡°......¡± The maid, who was looking at me strangely, pointed to the rising smoke in the distance and spoke. I left her behind and started trudging forward with heavy steps. ¡®... This place has always been nostalgic.¡¯ After walking towards the Starlight Mansion, I stopped for a moment and gazed upon the surrounding scenery. ¡®Originally, I would come here to calm my mind...¡¯ This was the only place where I made fond memories, which helped me survive my childhood filled with horrific abuse and training. Me and Frey used to play hide-and-seek all the time around this trail to the mansion. ¡°Serena... where did you go...?¡± ¡°Fufu... who knows?¡± While reminiscing, I momentarily closed my eyes. Then when I opened my eyes again, I discovered the young version of myself and Frey playing hide-and-seek. ¡°I can¡¯t find you... come out...¡± After a long time, while I was hiding on top of a tree, when little Frey couldn¡¯t find me, he began whining. ¡°I don¡¯t like men who give up quickly.¡± Then the young me smiled and spoke in a friendly way. I couldn¡¯t even see him, so why was I smiling? Looks like I was quite childish back then too. ¡°...Ugh.¡± However, young Frey was taken aback by my words and opened his mouth. His trembling eyes suggested he was quite anxious. ¡°I-I¡¯ll definitely find you, so stay there, alright?¡± ¡°Yes, please find me. If you fail to find me today, I¡¯ll disappear forever.¡± Oh dear, it was too much fun. ¡°You can¡¯t... Please don¡¯t disappear... sob...¡± Look, you made Frey cry for real. You should have jested in moderation... ¡°...Lady Serena? Aren¡¯t you going to leave?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The moment I heard the maid¡¯s voice from behind, the young version of myself and Frey, who were playing in front of me, vanished into thin air. ¡°...Sigh.¡± It¡¯s quite difficult to reproduce a memory. If you let your concentration slip for even a moment, the illusion shatters. ¡®That tree is still there.¡¯ Still, I was able to recall some fond memories. At that time, Frey couldn¡¯t find me until nightfall. Thanks to that, Frey was scolded heavily by his mother. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry, Frey.¡± I still felt guilty about that. But back then, I really couldn¡¯t help it. Of course, I also wanted to tease Frey and see his reaction, but I didn¡¯t want to be discovered by him for as long as possible. Because, the moment Frey finds me, the game would be over... and I would have to return home again. Thus, repeating my terrible daily life. ¡°Hoooot...¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± While I was shivering from recalling those terrible memories, my owl flew toward me. ¡°You also found me. By any chance, do you have a letter...¡± ¡°Hooot..!¡± ¡°...Ouch.¡± I smiled and reached out to my friend, who had been with me since I was little, but suddenly he started pecking at me. ¡°Don¡¯t do that. It hurts.¡± A child who has never disobeyed my orders, let alone rebelled, is pecking at me desperately. Because of him, my hand that was covering my face began to bleed. ¡°Hoot...¡± Soon he lay on the ground as I hardened my expression and walked forward. ¡°...Go to the carriage and stay there.¡± I looked at the owl sternly, then stepped over it and said so. ¡°...Phew.¡± I couldn¡¯t hear any more hoots, so it seemed like it returned to the carriage. Or was it still lying on the ground? I could look back and see what he was up to, but I won¡¯t. If I looked back, I would definitely feel weak. ¡°The entrance... It¡¯s the same as it used to be.¡± Continuing to silently walk forward, I arrived at the gate of the Starlight mansion. ¡°...This is where I first met Frey.¡± I still vividly remember my first visit to this place, guided by my father, the secret Lord of the Moonlight Family, and the former head of the family. Perhaps Frey was hiding behind his mother while peeking out curiously because he was shy to see his fiance?e for the first time. Back then, I didn¡¯t expect much from you. Unlike you, who was innocent, I was immersed in the dark side of the Empire, and I knew the real purpose behind the engagement. ¡°Serena! Let¡¯s play!¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t know how to play.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that! We can just play how you normally do!¡± ¡°Is that... so?¡± At first, it was just pure jealousy. Unlike me, who was submerged in darkness, I just despised Frey, who was pure and was blessed with happiness. ¡°W-What¡¯s this...?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the paperwork of our duchy. I play while organizing this.¡± ¡°And this...?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an in-depth formula for a protective magic circle. I feel the most fun playing when I¡¯m studying this.¡± So, I hurt your innocent self. God, what kid would ever play with something like that? ¡°Serena! Look! I¡¯m done!¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± But after a few months of meeting you, you started adapting to the bullying disguised in the facade of ¡®playing house.¡¯ No, you didn¡¯t adapt, rather you overcame it. You weren¡¯t at my level, but you certainly did well. At that time, I thought you were a genius, just like me. And at the same time, I thought you were the only one who could understand me. ¡°W... What¡¯s all this?¡± ¡°Ah, I got caught. Hehe...¡± But one day, I stumbled upon an endless pile of papers when I happened to walk into your study room. I knew I wasn¡¯t completely right. ¡°You... just why...¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t know this... I can¡¯t play with you, right?¡± On the papers piled up, traces of practicing the difficult tasks I had given him were written and rewritten in abundance. You memorized all that knowledge for months to play with me. ¡°... Back then, I should¡¯ve distanced myself from you.¡± While lost in such thoughts, I almost reached the mansion. However, the closer I got, the closer I could feel the end approaching. No matter how many letters I sent, your reply never arrived. The owl desperately trying to stop me. The sorrowful end I could picture in front of my eyes... just by looking at the rising smoke. ¡°...Ah.¡± As I entered the yard of the Starlight mansion, various people came into view. Half of the people had ashen faces, the other half were crying. I stared at that scene for a moment, then stepped onto the yard where I played with Frey. ¡°La-Lady Se-Serena...¡± As soon as I entered the yard, someone with a pale expression noticed me and opened her mouth. ¡°I-I... I um...¡± I wondered who it was for a moment, but turns out it was Alice. She was the spy of the secret Lord. Seeing her with a pale blank face, I don¡¯t think she fully understands the gravity of the situation yet. In fact, it would be difficult for anyone to fully grasp the situation. Ah, I see one person over there who has grasped the situation completely. She was trying to scratch her arms with the sharper edge of a stone. ¡°It¡¯s because of me... Because of me... Because of me...¡± Upon closer inspection, it turns out that this is the person Frey spoke about in the letter, Lulu. He said that she is a poor soul who bears the stigma of misfortune. And I could clearly see she seemed to think that all this happened because of her. Seeing the blood dripping from her arm, she must have been feeling quite guilty. ¡°¡±........¡±¡± The commoners all have ashen faces and their heads bowed. Perhaps, if Frey had seen this, he would have been terrified and told them not to do it. I could picture it clearly in my mind. Oh my, the more I think about Frey, the more I feel depressed. I guess I should step up my speed. ¡°Princess Clana. Calm down, Princess Clana.¡± I shook Clana for a bit, but the Princess kept smiling with faint tears in her eyes. Well, it seems she¡¯s broken. ¡°¡±........¡±¡± And it was the same for the people behind me. They were already in a mentally unstable state, but were completely shattered when their minds were overwhelmed by Frey¡¯s memories. ¡°Princess Clana.¡± After watching the scene quietly for a while, I heaved a sigh and settled down next to the Princesss. I then opened my mouth. The last thing I have to do to end everything. ¡°Look at Professor Isolet over there. She¡¯s gently stroking her sword.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°The person who had been in a daze until now is smiling creepily while stroking the sword that Frey gave her as a gift. Do you know what this means?¡± As I spoke coldly, Clana, who had been broken, began to tremble. ¡°...Soon, she¡¯s going to end her life with that same sword.¡± ¡°Ahhhh...¡± Then, when I relentlessly spoke, fear rekindled in Clana¡¯s dead eyes. Apparently, this shock therapy was working well on her. ¡°Look at Kania over there. Her dark mana is about to swallow her up. Next to her is Ferloche, who is scratching the floor until her nails are all gone, and Irina, who has gone completely mad. ¡° ¡°S- Stop...¡± ¡°After Aria recalled the truth about her mother¡¯s death, the light in her eyes seemed to have faded. Not only that, but her mana flow has reversed. If you leave her like that, it won¡¯t be long...¡± ¡°Stop... please...¡± But I continued to torture her with guilt. ¡°In a situation like this, what must Your Highness, Clana, need to do?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know...¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you know? You¡¯re the leader who leads everyone, the Imperial Princess of this Empire. If you don¡¯t know, who is supposed to know?¡± ¡°I... I¡¯m not qualified to be a leader...¡± Then, Clana began to mutter with dimmed eyes. ¡°I just... I want to die. I want to die like this and disappear. So, so...¡± ¡°No.¡± To Clana... and to all those around her, I declared solemnly. ¡°If you all fall here, my plan is useless. So... get back up.¡± ¡°A-A plan...?¡± Having said that, I took a vial out of my pocket and started talking. ¡°There is still hope. Hear the details from Lady Aria. She will make the decision.¡± ¡°Serena...?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell you my final strategy.¡± After saying that, I opened the cap of the vial I was holding and poured the liquid inside my mouth. ¡°¡±.........¡±¡± And as such, silence lingered for a while. ¡®Frey, I¡¯m sorry...¡¯ In that silence, I quietly closed my eyes and fell into deep thought. ¡®...But no matter how much I think about it, this is the only way.¡¯ Recently, while reading a confidential document of the Moonlight family that I obtained secretly... a shocking memory came to my mind. Only then did I understand why I fell in love with you so deeply. Why I was blindly in love with you. And why I couldn¡¯t give up on you until the end. I owe you a debt that I could never repay even if I dedicated my entire life to you. You must have naturally thought you only had 10 years of lifespan left when you entered the academy. But how does that make sense? How did he know that it was ¡®exactly 10 years¡¯ in the first place, while he continued to share his life force with Kania? The answer lies in his fabricated memory. Yes, what you remember as your ¡®first evil¡¯... a memory related to my curse of ¡ºFamilial Subordination¡». ¡°Cough!!¡± ¡°Se, Serena!?¡± Ah, it seems to be working slowly. Have you always been coughing up blood like this? Oh dear, that must have been quite awful. ¡°Serena...? What did you... do?¡± ¡°Ha... ha ha...¡± ¡°...what is that magic circle that appeared on your body?¡± After I settled down for a moment, Clana began looking at me in confusion. ¡°I drank poison. The magic circle is my curse.¡± ¡°.......What?¡± ¡°Frey, who was blocking my curse, died, and so my weakened curse has activated again. In a few minutes, I¡¯ll become the puppet of the ¡®Secret Lord.¡¯ So, I¡¯m committing suicide.¡± When I gave a quick explanation to Clana, her dazed expression till now distorted. ¡°Wh-What do you mean... Frey was blocking your curse? The Secret Lord? You... you¡¯re going to commit suicide?¡± ¡°Yes...in order for my last strategy to succeed... I have no choice but to do this.¡± ¡°That... what does that mean!!¡± Then Clana ran up to me with tears in her eyes. ¡°Do-Don¡¯t die... Don¡¯t die...¡± ¡°Cough.. Ugh...¡± ¡°Are you going to die because of me too? Frey...died because of me ... Now you too... because of me...¡± ¡°...Clana, and everyone else. Listen to me from now on.¡± I stopped talking to panic-stricken Clana and began talking while barely holding on to my fading consciousness. ¡°Don¡¯t let Frey¡¯s death... and my sacrifice be in vain...¡± ¡°Oh no... Noo... Noooo...!¡± ¡°Remember us... engrave this memory in your heart... and keep moving forward. Don¡¯t give up. No matter what.¡± ¡°Noooo!¡± There were a lot of things I wanted to say, but I don¡¯t think I could go any further. It¡¯s too hard. ¡°...Just one question, one last question.¡± Oh god, a black cat asked me a question. Well, it can¡¯t help it. After all, I did quite a few bad things to her. ¡°Why... why would you do that? What the hell is this hopeless world... even good for?¡± She asked a pretty cute question. Because of that I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°...It¡¯s the world that Frey wanted to protect.¡± Ah, I think that would be my last words. Oh no, what should I do? The last thing I wanted to ask... was to be buried next to Frey... . . . . . ¡°Se-Serena?¡± Soon Serena, who had been coughing blood in Clana¡¯s arms, became limp. Meanwhile, Clana, who had no idea what to do, began to spout out gibberish. ¡°It¡¯s a lie, right? This... It has to be a ruse? Right...?¡± Those who were silently watching Clana realized the depth of Serena¡¯s last words. ¡°Serena... Serena... Uh...¡± Clana, who had been speaking gibberish for a long time, soon buried her face in Serena¡¯s bosom and began to mutter. ¡°I-I... I... I... killed Serena... and Frey... uh...¡± ¡°Your Highness, Princess Clana!! This is urgent news!! Time is of the essence!!¡± ¡°...Ah?¡± Clana, who had been hugging Serena for a long time while shedding tears, suddenly trembled in astonishment when she heard her messenger in Frey¡¯s yard. ¡°Y-You¡¯re alright... I¡¯m glad... H-Huh?¡± Seeing her safe, the messenger breathed a sigh of relief, but after belatedly realizing the situation unfolding before his own eyes, he expression stiffened. ¡°...Uh, I don¡¯t know what happened... but first and foremost, let me tell you the urgent news.¡± The messenger, who had been staring blankly for a long time, soon remembered that it was an emergency and began delivering the urgent news in haste. ¡°His Majesty, the Emperor and Her Highness, the Empress, as well as the Crown Prince, First and Second Princesses have all passed away.¡± ¡°.......Pardon?¡± When Clana inquired with her eyes wide open, the messenger responded with a firm expression on his face. ¡°Now, you are the Empress of this land.¡± ¡°.......Ah.¡± Everyone, including Clana, were taken aback by the shocking news, but the messenger continued speaking with an even grimmer expression on his face. ¡°And, the Demon King has declared war.¡± ¡°........!!!¡± Hearing those words, Clana and everyone froze. And from that moment on, time suddenly began to accelerate. The sun kept rising and setting as the moon came and went by. All the while, people were passing by at a fast pace. ¡°Sigh.....¡± And in the midst of it all, Frey, who had a somber expression on his face, mumbled in a melancholic tone. ¡°...it¡¯s really the worst.¡± The Ordeal was slowly coming to an end. TL NOTE: We¡¯ve made another illustration for this chapter using AI Chapter 76: The Fading Sun ? The Fading Sun ? ¡°Hah...¡± Waking down a snow-covered street, a girl let out a deep breath, releasing a white a mist into the air.., As she watched the mist spread with a sullen expression, the girl suddenly raised her head and gazed up at the night sky. ¡°...It¡¯s dark.¡± Just a few months ago, you could see the twinkling stars and the moon brightly shining in the night sky, but now only a deep darkness lingered. ¡°Where did it all go wrong?¡± Muttering coldly to herself after observing the current state of the night sky, she kept on moving with heavy footsteps. ¨C Whoosh... ¡°...Ugh.¡± Despite her wishes, the icy winter wind had blocked the girl from taking another step forward. Letting out a brief sigh after slowing down her steps, the girl entered the bar she had found nearby in an attempt to shield herself from the fierce winds. ¡°Come on in...¡± In the past, the bartender would have immediately kicked the shabby-looking girl out the door, but now he just had a lost expression as he mumbled his greetings. ¨C Flutter Thanks to that, after resting for a while, the girl took the newspaper fluttering next to her and began reading the articles written on it. The Empire is on the verge of collapsing after facing a series of defeats!. Could this be the will of the ¡®Majestic Sun¡¯? ¡°Ugh...¡± However, the moment the girl laid her eyes on the headlines written on the newspaper, she quietly closed her eyes and muttered to herself. ¡°Even somebody like me... I¡¯m doing the best I can...¡± Of course, not a soul remained within this empty bar that could answer the girl¡¯s words, including the bartender. ¡°Hey, you there, little one.¡± ¡°...yes?¡± Just when the girl, already acutely aware of that fact, clenched her teeth and was about to leave, the bartender began to mumble in a hoarse voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know why it¡¯s on starless nights like this that people keep on coming in and leaving this city... but I think it¡¯d be better to hurry up and leave this place sooner rather than later.¡± ¡°I know that.. that¡¯s why I¡¯m leaving the city right now.¡± ¡°No, not just this city... I¡¯m talking about this Empire.¡± When she heard the sincere words of the bartender, the girl gave him a helpless shrug and murmured in response. ¡°Well, the Imperial Family is still holding out right now. So maybe there¡¯s still hope left...¡± ¡°Bullshit. If they really are holding up that well... Then why are there no customers hanging around in my bar?¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± ¡°Only a few years ago it was full of people, but now look at it!¡± Faced with the harsh truth, the girl quietly lowered her head, as the man fell on top of the table once again and began mumbling underneath his breath. ¡°Oh, whatever... What¡¯s the point in blaming a little kid like you? I¡¯ll just have another drink.¡± ¡°...why don¡¯t you just run away?¡± ¡°Run away?¡± At the words of the girl who was just about to leave, the bartender simply grinned and muttered in response. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter where I try to escape to, a rotten old drunkard like myself would end up just the same.¡± Finished with the conversation, the bartender immediately shut his eyes and began to snore. ¡°...nngh.¡± Grinding her teeth, the girl finally left the bar and went back to the icy winter winds outside. ¨C Whoosh... ¡°...Sigh.¡± The girl looked down at her frostbitten hands after weathering through the wintry breeze for a while. ¡°Ah, ah... AHHH...!¡± Suddenly the girl began exerting force ¡°Come... Come out...!¡± Then, a faint light appeared from her hand, but that was all. The radiant light that once melted everything that stood in her way couldn¡¯t even melt the snow falling from the sky. She could do nothing but shine light. ¡°Please... come back...¡± The girl who saw her faint and weak light, began to sob and mutter. It was a statement with many meanings, but none of those statements could occur in reality. The person she wants is dead, and the light she longs for has long since faded. ¡°.....Ah.¡± The girl who had been crying didn¡¯t get up until the warm tears that ran down her cheeks fell on her hands. ¡°I... don¡¯t deserve to be sad.¡± The girl, who murmured in a cold voice, forced her frozen body to take a step over and over again. The girl continued to advance through the bitter cold that turned into pain, until eventually even that pain disappeared. ¡°I¡¯m here guys.¡± She arrived in a place quite familiar. A place where she had been visiting every weekend for several years as an act of repentance, a place where the footsteps of others have long since faded. ¡ºBirthplace of Frey Raon Starlight¡» ¡°...I¡¯m sorry for coming.¡± Every time she came here, she apologized. Because if she thoughtlessly showed up her here, she wondered if they would be angry while he resting in their graves. However, she never missed a single day of apology. ¡°...Sigh.¡± However, the added guilt each time she apologized often surpassed her sense of reality. Just because she apologized to those who have died because of her actions doesn¡¯t mean they will ever come back. ¨C Creeaaak... ¡°Oh dear... I need to fix this...¡± The girl who opened the gate leading to the courtyard of what once was a quaint mansion, mumbled as the door creaked and stopped. ¡°...That¡¯s right. Today will be the last day, right?¡± The girl sighed as she spoke and then went into the courtyard with her head bowed as if to symbolize her grave sin.. The place where Frey Raon Starlight was born. As soon as she arrived, she headed towards where the incident took place, bowed her head for a moment and began to mutter her prayers. She did this because she wondered if this would relieve Frey¡¯s soul, who was sleeping in the mansion¡¯s cellar. ¡°...Hello.¡± The girl who came out of the mansion where only traces of its glory remained approached the gray tombstone in the distance and nodded her head in greeting. ¡ºThe Silent Hero, rests here¡» ¡°I¡¯m really sorry I haven¡¯t been able to come lately. I¡¯ve had some trouble...¡± The girl, who was stroking Frey¡¯s tombstone, said so and took off her robe. Thus, revealing her appearance.. She had a bob hair as she cut her long, lush golden hair. Numerous scars were engraved in her formerly unscathed body. She was Clana Solar Sunrise, who would probably be the last Empress of the Empire. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry. It was quite humiliating.¡± ¡°I see.¡± As such, silence lingered for a while. ¨C Gulp gulp. Clana stared blankly at the bottle in front of her, then suddenly picked it up and began chugging down her throat. ¡°...Hah.¡± Clana usually didn¡¯t enjoy drinking much. However, she made that choice in order to forget her fear of the final battle tomorrow, her guilt towards Frey and Serena, and her many other regrets... ¡°It¡¯s all... It¡¯s all my fault...¡± However, that was another one of her many poor judgments. The strong, bitter wine only helped to bring more of her emotions that she had been internally struggling with. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for me... everything would have worked out if it wasn¡¯t for me...¡± Having said that, Clana slammed her fist down the table. ¡°No, no... I don¡¯t want to remember... I don¡¯t want to...!¡± It¡¯s been quite some time since she had been unable to use the solar mana, but the feeling of tearing up Frey¡¯s body that day was still vivid in her hands. The moment the solar beam from her own fingers pierced Frey¡¯s head, the moment the dagger she had summoned pierced his heart, the vibrations that she could feel even now. ¡°...Stop it.¡± Clana, who had been screaming incoherently and slamming her hand down onto the table, came to her senses and looked at her own hand only when the man sitting at the table next to her muttered softly to her. ¡°Hah... uh...¡± Her hand was completely mangled. ¡°Frey... I¡¯m sorry... I was wrong...¡± However, when she couldn¡¯t get rid of the feelings in her hand, the terrible touch that had tormented her for years, Clana fell on the table and wept. ¡°If I... hadn¡¯t done that back then...¡± While speaking, she took out a letter with its edges worn out because she had opened it so many times. I¡¯m sorry that I couldn¡¯t keep the promise I made when I was young, Princess. I truly wanted to make you Empress with my own hands. He never forgot the promise he made when he was young. Even though he was going through so much pain and suffering. Do you remember the first day we met? The tea party that was held in your honor, the first day you debuted in the social world. The tea party held at her debut still remained as an unforgettable memory for Clana. Of course, the meaning of that memory has changed since then. At a table where no one else was sitting besides us, you pretended not to be hurt while sipping tea... Oh, I¡¯m sorry. Did I make you upset? The tea party was a trap the Empress had set up for. She didn¡¯t allow any Dukes or Duchesses to participate in the tea party of the Third Imperial Princess. Thus, effectively ruining Clana¡¯s debut, and at the same time, announcing her political positions to the surrounding audience. Back then, you told me to piss off if I was going to act sympathetic. I did. I had been tired of seeing hypocritical people with friendly faces on the outside and disgusting thoughts on the inside throughout my Imperial life. I assumed that Frey, who attended and introduced himself with a smile in the tea party back then, which no one could attend because of the Empress, was doing so after calculating the risk. Did you know? I was starving back then. So I went to a place with a lot of food and it turned out to be your tea party. It was just a fortunate coincidence that it turned out to be your debut. Clana, who had read the letter up to that point, began to vaguely recall the conversation between herself and Frey at that time. ¡°Would you like to be my friend?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to act sympathetic, then piss off.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I hate fake people like you... so piss off.¡± ¡°Bu-But... I want to be friends with you...¡± There was a young girl that I had never seen before, so I wanted to be friends with her. So I tried talking to her, but I was cursed at in return. ¡°If you want to be friends with me, bring me some stellar primroses.¡± ¡°...A stellar primrose?¡± ¡°Yes, it is a precious flower that grows on the mountain over there. If you give it to me...¡± ¡°I will be back!!¡± Then Clana used a cruel trick to get rid of Frey. She requested a stellar primrose, something that the First and Second Imperial Princesses had received as a gift from the Empress and had boasted to her about. Of course, Clana assumed that Frey, who had approached her with an agenda, wouldn¡¯t be able to find it. Perhaps he would rummage through the woods for a while and give up, she thought so. It was natural for the unfortunate Princess. who had always been used only by others except her mother since she was born, had the doors to her heart closed shut tight after losing the only person that cared for her. I never thought it would take me three days to find it. But because of Frey, her debut ball was turned upside down to a different meaning from what the Empress wanted. Anyway, in the end... ¡°Hey, I can¡¯t bear to look at this anymore.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Each time she remembered more of her trauma, she continued reading Frey¡¯s letter, but the person next to her shook his head and spoke. ¡°Could you please stop slamming that hand down?¡± ¡°Ah... sorry...¡± It was then that Clana realized that while reading the letter she kept slamming her fist down onto the table. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I haven¡¯t...¡± Clana looked down at her own hand, which had become more wounded than before, and she immediately bowed her head and began to apologize to the man sitting next to her. ¡°If you act like this, there was no point in me writing a will.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± However, the man sitting next to her started saying bizarre things. ¡°Damn, I didn¡¯t know it was going to be this serious... Was this the reason the system made it so I would see her last?¡± ¡°Y-You...!¡± Clana, who momentarily stared at him in a daze, got up with her eyes wide open upon hearing the man speak in his natural voice once he stopped altering it. ¡°Hello there, Princess.¡± ¡°Fr-Frey!!!!!!!¡± Then, as the man took off his black robe, revealing his silver hair and eyes, Clana exclaimed with a look of astonishment. ¡°...The same reaction again.¡± ¡°Frey! You were alive? You were alive!! Right?¡± Then Clana quickly became elated and rushed to Frey.. ¡°You!! This is not the time to be acting like this! The Demon King is near the Imperial Capital!! Hurry up and get out of this place with me....¡± ¡°...Ha.¡± However, as she rushed to Frey with tears of joy, she smashed her face against the wall in front of her. A wall that surrounded Frey, who had a grim expression on his face. ¡°H-Huh? How did this happen? Surely Frey is here... Why...¡± Clana, who was bewildered for a moment, began to shake while her hands trembled. ¡°......Of course.¡± Clana, who had been unable to touch Frey¡¯s bod, began to inquire with a desperate look on her face. ¡°So, what¡¯s this? A mere fantasy? Or a ghost that came for revenge? Personally, I would prefer the latter. That way I can at least pay for my sins...¡± ¡°At first I wondered why this was an ordeal...¡± And Frey, who looked bitterly at Clana, muttered in a low voice. ¡°...I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything more suitable than this that could be labeled as a world ordeal.¡± And as such, a system window with only the number 1 written on it was floating in front of him. Chapter 77: Sunrise Primrose ? Sunrise Primrose ? ¡°Clana.¡± ¡°Even in my dreams, I wanted to ask you to forgive me, but you never appeared. So I thought I would never be forgiven or even get the chance to apologize...¡± ¡°Clana, just calm down.¡± I frantically tried to calm Clana down, who began to mumble nonsensically with a crestfallen expression. Luckily enough, when she noticed that I was trying to speak to her she immediately shut her mouth. ¡°Sigh... Well, whatever. This is only an ordeal anyway, and once it¡¯s over, everything should go back to normal already...¡± I began to feel depressed at the sight of Clana, who used to always wear a majestic aura, now looking so broken as a result of the trauma induced by my passing. In an attempt to calm her down, I ended up mumbling something unnecessary underneath my breath. ¡°H-huh? What did you just say?¡± I got scared for a second that she overheard my mumbling, but it seems like the system put a restriction on what I¡¯m allowed to say within the ordeal. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. By the way...¡± Despite my worries, I decided to ignore that anomaly for now and instead focus on trying to prevent Clana from causing herself any more harm. ¡°...How did your hand become like that?¡± ¡°Ahhh...¡± It seems that my question caused her trauma to resurface as she slipped into another breakdown. ¡°T-The... the time when I desecrated your corpse... when I stabbed your heart with that knife... the feeling of Serena slowly losing her warmth as she died in my arms... it just won¡¯t go away...¡± ¡°...I see.¡± ¡°Hiii, hiii! I was wrong... I was wrong.¡± I tried to reach out to Clana in an attempt to calm her down, it actually worsened her condition as she interpreted it as a sign of contempt and curled into a fetal position. ¡°Sob... I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so sorry...¡± As Clana lowered her head towards me over and over, begging for my forgiveness, a crack started to form in my heart. I quickly took this opportunity to grasp her hands, preventing her from mutilating them any further. ¡°Huh!?¡± Clana suddenly flinched in shock when she noticed my warm touch clasped onto her hands. Once she finally regained at least some composure, I began to try explaining what I could to her. ¡°Well, even though I still can¡¯t touch you directly... my stellar mana still works somehow, so I can still offer you at least this much.¡± ¡°Y-You...¡± ¡°So, have you finally calmed down a bit? Princess?¡± ¡°You really are... Frey...¡± It wasn¡¯t until Clana realized that she could feel his stellar mana, something that only Aria should be able to use, that she was finally able to recognize the figure in front of her as the real Frey, rather than a pain-induced hallucination. ¡°Uh, how did you come back...? Did you get resurrected...? Was it some form of ancient magic...? Or are you a ghost...?¡± ¡°...I can¡¯t tell you that. Believe me, I really want to tell you, but I can¡¯t.¡± I dodged Clana¡¯s question that was impossible for me to answer, and then quickly moved on to my main point. My serious expression must have convinced her, since she quickly began listening intently to what I had to say. ¡°However, it is certain that I am the real Frey Raon Starlight... and I can only be here for a limited amount of time.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Clana couldn¡¯t say anything in response when she heard how little time she had left with him... ¡°Recently, some of the others have been saying the same thing... that you appeared in their imagination or dream for a short time...¡± ¡°I explained it that way to most of them, but I thought that lying to a guilt ridden person like you would have a bad effect.¡± ¡°Ahhh...¡± Her suspicions now confirmed, Clana¡¯s eyes began to tremble. ¡°You mean... you¡¯re going to disappear again soon?¡± ¡°........¡± She asked him desperately, but Frey just continued to silently stare at her. ¡°Frey... I... I...¡± Even though she asked that, Clana already knew the answer to her own question. ¡°I¡¯m sorry....¡± Clana was finally able to give Frey the apology that she had always longed and dreamed for, however... ¡°Ugh...¡± Whenever she tried to speak, only the sound of her grieved moans lingered. She has no idea how or why this happened in the first place, but all that she cared about was that this was her last and only chance to apologize to the real Frey, not the hallucination she always dreamt of in her nightmares. ...On top of that, it was her last chance to ever receive his ¡°forgiveness¡±. Did she even have the right to apologize after what she had done? The intense guilt that she felt after having caused the apocalypse as well as everything else she did to Frey was preventing her from doing so. ¡°S... sorry...!¡± Despite her guilty conscience, if she doesn¡¯t take the opportunity to apologize to him right now, she¡¯ll never get that chance again. Even if she were to wait for the afterlife, there was no way she, who believed herself to be a sinner, would ever be able to meet Frey in heaven. So in the end Clana forced herself to apologize to Frey with tears running down her cheeks, but...... ¡°...it¡¯s not your fault.¡± His kind words, warmer than his stellar mana around her hands, enveloped her. ¡°That¡¯s what you told me back when you found me lost and in tears in the middle of the woods, and that¡¯s what I wrote to you in my will.¡± ¡°Ahhh...¡± ¡°But looking at what you¡¯re doing now, it seems that you¡¯ve long forgotten those words.¡± As he said that, Frey raised the output of his stellar mana and calmed Clana¡¯s hand down, which had already begun to twitch again. ¡°No... Frey...¡± Clana, wearing a blank expression on her face for a moment at Frey¡¯s declaration, denied what he said and shook her head. ¡°This is my fault, not anyone else¡¯s... It¡¯s all my fault... I was the one who killed you... Serena also ended up dying because of me. ¡° ¡°Princess, from this point forward, listen carefully to what I have to say to you, alright?¡± As Clana began panicking once again, Frey cut her off and began speaking in a gentle tone. ¡°It was me who had killed you in the previous timeline, it was me who had destroyed the world back then, and it was me who had deceived you in this life as well.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that you are a sinner, this world is just that unreasonable.. That¡¯s why...¡± ¡°...When you died, a lot happened.¡± When Clana interrupted my speech and started saying something, I stopped speaking and began to listen to what she wanted to tell me. Based on my experiences so far, I knew that the best thing to do in this situation is to just listen quietly. ¡°The Demon King¡¯s ridicule and declaration of war were broadcasted across the entire Empire through loudspeaker magic. As a result, only a few days later, all of the people of the Empire learned the truth.¡± According to what she told me, the entire Empire was in shock for a while. It was because they realized that the villainous Frey, whom they always hated so much, was actually the Hero meant to protect the world, and that he was sacrificing himself from the shadows the entire time. The Demon King, who had just been heartlessly mocking Frey as an idiotic fool, had even given the Empire a month to prepare as some form of humiliation. However, the Sunrise Empire was actually grateful for that kind of humiliation. It was much more of an opportunity for them because of the three remaining people that still had their memories from the previous timeline, so they believed that if they could prepare enough, they might actually be able to win. Additionally, all of the corrupt leading members of the royal family who had been deceived by the Demon King had already died the moment her power was fully awakened, making it much easier for Clana, the new Empress, to prepare for war. However, in reality things weren¡¯t that easy. ¡°We were able to get a few victories in the beginning...... Of course that was only because of how Kania, Irina, and I had already experienced the Demon King¡¯s tactics before regressing..¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°But... once the sun suddenly disappeared out of the sky, everything started to turn for the worse.¡± Whether it was behind her back or not, Clana had already gotten used to all of the cold and resentful gazes everybody sent her way. That¡¯s why she couldn¡¯t understand why Frey, the person she had wronged the most, was treating her with so much warmth and kindness. ¡°Stop talking nonsense and just focus on following me. We¡¯re almost there.¡± Frey didn¡¯t stop moving as he smiled at Clana, pulling her alongside him. ¡°...Uh?¡± At that moment, Clana finally realized where he had been leading her and opened her mouth with a trembling gaze. ¡°Here... this is...¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the woods where I got lost while searching for the Starlight primroses you asked for when we were kids.¡± Frey smiled as he softly reaffirmed Clana¡¯s suspicions, leading her deeper into the woods. ¡°Hey, did you know? This is the place where my ancestor, the Hero from a millennium ago, swore an oath alongside that era¡¯s Princess and the daughter of the Moonlight family.¡± ¡°An o-oath...¡± ¡°Yes, the covenant that has bound the three families together for the past thousand years.¡± As Frey continued speaking, he created a small sphere in his hand with stellar mana. ¡°And from that day on, special flowers began blooming once every year within this woods.¡± A moment later, a sphere made up of twinkling Starlight Primrose from his palm, and Frey lightly blew into it with a smile, making it float away from him. ¡°You already know what kind of flowers I¡¯m talking about.¡± ¡°The Moonlight Primrose... the Starlight Primrose... and...¡± ¡°...The Sunrise Primrose.¡± The spot that the sphere of starlight had landed began to shine, revealing a Sunrise Primrose blooming through the thick snow. ¡°H-How is that...¡± ¡°It¡¯s a present. A gift for you, the one who gave me the Starlight Primrose and gave Serena the Moonlight Primrose.¡± ¡°Ahh...¡± It didn¡¯t matter how they had somehow arrived in the woods only a few minutes after leaving the bar. It didn¡¯t matter how it was possible that the primrose flower, which is said to only be able to bloom after seeing the bright sun, had bloomed through the thick snow. Clana just continued to shed tears as she observed the beauty of the Sunrise Primrose that had miraculously bloomed right before her eyes. ¡°Legends state that these flowers that were created under the influence of the oath made by the three legendary families possess special powers.¡± Frey stared directly into her eyes as he began leading Clana towards the flower while continuing to speak softly on the way. ¡°So many people have searched for these flowers, but there was a reason why not a single one was able to use their power.¡± At that point, Frey stopped his footsteps while Clana subconsciously began to reach out towards the Sunrise Primrose with a blank expression. ¡°That reason being that these flowers are the insurance that our ancestors left for us, their successors.¡± ¡°Ah...!¡± Suddenly, the moment her hand came in contact with the primrose flower, she became surrounded with a dazzling light. It was the same sunlight that Clana had been longing for this entire time. ¨C Shine...! ¡°Uh.. ugh...¡± Clana began to put strength into her hand with overwhelming intensity, and then burst into tears without even realizing it as the solar mana began overflowing from her hand once more. ¡°The effects will only last for about a day, but even that will be helpful when you¡¯re fighting against the Demon King.¡± ¡°T-Thank you... Thank you... sob...¡± Clana could no longer think rationally. It was the result of all of the sorrow, anguish, guilt and despair she had buried deep within her heart over the past few years mixed together and burst out all at once. ¡°Thank you... Really, really thank you... Thank you...¡± She didn¡¯t care if she looked unsightly. She didn¡¯t even try to calm her mind. All of the emotions that she had been hiding for years continued flowing out in wave after wave, speaking to Frey with everything laid bare. ¡°I need you... Frey... I-I... I need you so much...¡± ¡°Princess.¡± ¡°It was only when you disappeared... That I finally realized that what the Empire needed was you and Serena, not someone as useless as me!¡± Clana began to mourn while bursting into more tears than she had ever shed before. ¡°Is there really no way... to bring you back to life...? Please... I¡¯ll give my life... I¡¯ll even sell my soul to the devil if I have to... I¡¯d be content being tormented in hell for the rest of my life if it means that you could come back, so if such a method exists, please tell me how I can do it... ¡°.........¡± However, even with all that, all Frey could do is just continue to stare at Clana silently. ¡°......Thank you, Frey.¡± It was only after crying for a while longer that Clana could finally stop her tears and begin speaking again. ¡°For giving me the gift that I needed more than anything else at a time like this.¡± At this point, she must have realized... ¡°With this power you have given me, I swear that I will dedicate myself to saving as many lives as I can, even if it¡¯s only one more person.¡± ...That the time for farewell has come. ¡°So........¡± ¨C Vanish... Clana continued while staring at the disappearing form of Frey, who even now wore a happy smile on his face. ¡°......Farewell, my first subject.¡± As soon as she uttered those final words, Frey¡¯s visage scattered away in myriad fragments of star. ¡°...........Ah?¡± Clana, who had instinctively reached out to touch a fragment of a star that he had left behind at the spot where he had been smiling at her this whole time... ¡°Here...?¡± ...However, soon she realized that she was lying in bed. ¡°F-Frey...! Where¡¯s Frey?¡± Then, after realizing that the warm sunlight she thought no longer existed was shining through the window next to her, Clana began urgently screaming Frey¡¯s name. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Frey...! Frey is...!¡± Clana, who had just woken up in her pajamas with a pale, tired face, tried saying something to the bewildered attendant... ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°Your Highness?¡± ¡°Ummm... that¡¯s...¡± Seeing the attendant¡¯s clear confusion, Clana blankly tilted her head. ¡°Did you have a nightmare?¡± ¡°Huh... I think so.¡± As she answered the question of the anxious servant while quietly nodding her head, Clana questioned herself in her mind... ¡®...Did I just have a nightmare about Frey?¡¯ The warm light of the morning sun was shining upon her. Chapter 78: End Of The Ordeal ? The End of the Ordeal ? ¡°...Phew.¡± A few days before Clana¡¯s venture to Frey¡¯s tombstone, a lone girl wrapped in a thick coat could be seen making her way down a street covered in a blanket of snow. ¡°I feel cold.¡± The girl instinctively tensed her body and frowned at the bitter winds that would later torment Clana in a similar fashion. ¡°...Oh, that¡¯s right... it¡¯s all gone now.¡± Nothing happened. When the Hero perished, the miraculous flashes of light that always used to accompany her suddenly faded away as if it were all a lie. ¨C Whoosh... Hit once again by the frosty winds, the girl clenched her teeth and continued marching forward. ¡°Hey... is anyone here?¡± After walking nonstop for a while, the girl could soon see a light shining in the distance and peeked her head inside once she had arrived. ¡°Oh, a little girl?¡± ¡°...Hello.¡± Hearing the voice of a little girl, a woman came looking outside of the tavern and found the child staring back at her with a grim expression. ¡°...What are you doing over there?¡± Following the lady inside the dilapidated tavern, the girl began looking over the menu board while fiddling with the last of the gold coins remaining within her pocket that the Hero had given to her several years ago. However, the girl got distracted when she noticed the lady barkeep doing something behind the counter in a hurry in the corner of her eye. ¡°What does it look like I¡¯m doing? I¡¯m in the middle of packing up my things.¡± ¡°You¡¯re abandoning this country as well?¡± After hearing the small girl¡¯s complicated question, the bartender heaved a deep sigh. ¡°Of course I¡¯m abandoning it. Not only is the hero dead, the Demon King¡¯s army is on the way... If you want to stay here despite that, you¡¯ll end up dying an early death.¡± ¡°.......Fair enough.¡± After quietly nodding her head at the bitter truth, the girl began staring at a broken photo behind the counter. ¡°Could you be curious about that photo, perhaps?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s...¡± ¡°It¡¯s a family photo.¡± Staring sadly at the ruined picture, the woman quietly began explaining its story. ¡°...It was only a year ago when the owner received word that her husband and son had died. In a fit of despair, she ended up hurling their precious family album at the wall and cracked it..¡± ¡°Ah...¡± The girl quietly lowered her head when she saw the woman being so calm despite telling such a depressing story. ¡°...You¡¯re a kind one, to sincerely grieve for someone you¡¯ve just met.¡± After stroking the little girl¡¯s hair to show her gratitude, the woman quickly picked up her luggage and stopped for a moment to speak before she left. ¡°If you need anything from the store, you don¡¯t have to worry about taking it if you want to.¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°I¡¯m already leaving the Empire today either way, so it¡¯s fine.¡± Having finished what she wanted to say, the woman finally opened the door and began to leave, but was interrupted by the girl pointing at the picture. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to take that with you?¡± The woman flinched for a moment, then looked down and replied with a bitter smile. ¡°When I leave the Empire today, I don¡¯t want to bring those sorrowful memories along with me.¡± With that, the woman left the tavern and began slowly trudging along the snowy path all alone. ¡°........¡± After watching her back shrink in the distance for a while, the girl carefully took a piece of bread from the shelf and tried to take a bite. ¡°Bleh...¡± The bread had been frozen solid. ¡°Ugh...¡± Thanks to that, she cradled her aching jaw for a while and tried to warm herself up in the bar, but she quickly left as soon as she began to feel some warmth return to her body. ¨C Scrunch, scrunchDiiscover new stories at novelhall.com Thus, after trudging along in silence for a while she had finally arrived at her destination: Frey¡¯s birthplace. ¡°That day, you clearly told me...¡± ¡°... That soon, the whole world would be praising the Hero.¡± Yet, the world never did such a thing. It only ever sympathized with his noble deeds and felt pity for his terrible fate, soon forgetting all about him once it was engulfed in sorrow. ¡°........¡± The girl, after motionlessly staring at Frey¡¯s tombstone for what felt like an eternity, quietly took the golden ring from her left ring finger and whispered into the cold air. ¡°...Rest in peace, my Hero.¡± After placing the sparkling ring under the hero¡¯s tombstone with a final farewell, Glare quickly ran away with a single tear dripping down her face. It was the moment when an unknown variable that had the possibility to change everything, a variable that even Frey was unable to see because even the system was unaware of its existence, had completely vanished for good. . . . . . ¡°...Sigh, it¡¯s finally over.¡± As Clana disappeared, darkness soon engulfed me. At the same time, the number floating in front of me changed to a 0. ¡ºYou have cleared the Second Ordeal!¡» ¡°...Ehh.¡± I frowned and tried to close the system window, but it refused to get closed. ¡®Damn this useless system.¡¯ After shaking my head in frustration and swearing at the system that refused to leave me alone, I sighed and laid down on the ground. ¡°I wish I had my cat doll with me right now...¡± Whenever I became mentally exhausted, I always had the cat doll that used to lick me by my side. At first, it was a cat doll with an arrogant expression on its face and refused to even let me touch its stomach, but things changed after we got to know each other. When I wake up feeling stressed, it would be right next to me, carefully licking my face and meowing. If I ever happened to have a nightmare, it would give me a soft kitty punch to wake me up. Sometimes it would even bury itself into my clothes with a meow, stretch, and then go to sleep. If I looked depressed, it would lie down on its belly and give me a look of anticipation. It greatly helped my mental recovery, so now the kitty and I have an inseparable relationship. All of the Main Heroines, including myself, wouldn¡¯t be able to win even if we attacked together in our perfect condition, so there¡¯s no way she would have broken the seal and just stayed still. ¡®...By the way, the moment I died, the Demon King declared war.¡¯ But, based on all the available evidence... She seems to have escaped. Because otherwise, there would be no way that she, who should be imprisoned in the Demon King¡¯s Castle, would immediately notice my death and declare war. ¡®Damn... My head hurts already.¡¯ I questioned why the scene where the Demon King ended the world was shown to me as a reward , I guess that¡¯s why. Because it taught me quite a lot of new facts about the Demon King. ¡®Not only that...¡¯ When I was in a soul state, there were times when I could see the world from a third person point of view. From Kania to Irina, and from Aria to Isolet. It was quite messy, for a bit, but my point of view moving back and forth regularly was focused on Serena for a long time after she appeared. And, even more surprising than that... Every time the viewpoint changed, I was able to feel the person¡¯s thoughts and feelings to some extent. Of course, the thoughts and feelings important to anyone were all crushed together and could not be felt well. However... there was one line that could be understood clearly from among those crushed thoughts and feelings. ...Demon God, ...The Demon God will soon awaken. ¡®... No matter how much I think about it, what Ferloche said at that time was [The Demon God will soon awaken], right?¡¯ The system seems to hate giving me helpful information, but thanks to the ¡®Half¨CDemon God¡¯ password that Ferloche left in her diary, I was able to gain some insight from this ordeal. Thanks to this, I feel like I¡¯ve gotten the better of the system for a change, which felt quite refreshing. ¡ºEnd of the Second Ordeal.¡» ¡°...Damn.¡± As I was thinking about it, the system displayed a brief message with a beep. It¡¯s not just been a day or two that the system has been useless, but I think this may have crossed the line. Even though it was just the ¡®first¡¯ reward, it was such a short conversation. Seriously, just like the First Hero said, the system is a joke... ¡°...Huh?¡± At the same time, something started to shine in the arms of the Demon King. ¡°Demon King? What is that?¡± ¡°This is... a scroll I bought a long time ago.¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± While Dmir Khan looked confused, the Demon King seemed to wear an intrigued expression. ¡°Why did you hold onto such a thing?¡± ¡°It was the first scroll I couldn¡¯t understand, so I was intrigued.¡± ¡°Y-You just couldn¡¯t understand that old piece of junk?¡± While Dmir Khan frowned at those words and inquired, the Demon King began to speak in an excited tone. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s finally making sense. No matter how much I tried to make it work for the past few years, it wouldn¡¯t.¡± And from that point, I started to feel off. ¡®...Why isn¡¯t the ordeal ending?¡¯ Clearly, the system declared that the Second Ordeal is ending. But why is the ordeal still not over? ¡ºFatal Error Occurred! Updating the system [...]¡» ¡°...Eh?¡± While I was immersed in such thoughts, a red system window suddenly appeared in front of my eyes. ¨C Spark! Crash! ¡°...What?¡± And only then, I was able to notice that I couldn¡¯t see the Demon King anymore for some reason. ¡®Why didn¡¯t I notice this?¡¯ Come to think of it, when I met the Demon King in the previous timeline, and even when I did her bidding like a dog, I couldn¡¯t recognize the Demon King¡¯s appearance. I¡¯m not sure, but maybe there was some kind of cognitive impairment magic on her appearance? If so, why did I suddenly realize now? ¨C Spark!! Shine!! As I was thinking, suddenly, a twinkling flash of light began to emanate from the scroll. ¡°......Ah?¡± And at that moment, I saw. The ruby-colored eyes of the demon king that were looking down at the scroll with an intrigued expression. ¡ºComplete System Error Correction! Ending the Ordeal.¡» But in the next moment, a red system window appeared in front of my eyes and as everything in my field of vision faded to black. ¡°...What is that?¡± The last thing I saw before I lost consciousness was a blackened sun. . . . . ¡°Ummm...¡± As I slowly opened my eyes, I saw a familiar ceiling. ¡®...Long time no see.¡¯ Apparently, I was lying in my room in the Starlight Mansion ¡°So...¡± I looked at my clean room with no toxic gas or fire, and then I felt a sense of awe and looked to the side with a stern expression on my face. ¨C Pop! Pop!! ¡°...Heugh!!¡± And at that moment, something exploded. I was trembling in surprise when someone offered me a cake. ¡°...What are you guys doing?¡± I was staring blankly at a cake decorated with a cat pattern, and when I saw Kania and Irina holding firecrackers while wearing birthday hats, I inquired with a puzzled expression on my face. ¡°To-Today is...¡± ¡°Today is Young Master¡¯s birthday.¡± ¡°What?¡± Then Irina looked me in the eye and stuttered, while Kania spoke with a subtle smile. ¡°Happy birthday, Young Master.¡± The day the¡ºSecond Ordeal¡»ended was a week after the attack on the Starlight Mansion. Chapter 79: Cleaning up ? Cleaning Up ? ¡°I¡¯ve been unconscious for a week?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± I thought the Ordeal of the System would last for months, when in reality, it lasted no more than a week. Still, I¡¯m glad that in the real world time didn¡¯t flow at the same rate as within the Ordeal. ¡°But... how did you know I¡¯d wake up?¡± ¡°Young Master¡¯s comatose state dissipated at dawn, so I was prepared in advance.¡± ¡°Ohh...¡± When I woke up, I was curious about the secret of the birthday party and questioned Kania about it, yet she responded as if it were insignificant. As expected, Kania is as capable as always ¡°By the way, this cake is...¡± ¡°It is the cake I specifically pre-ordered. Do you like it?¡± ¡°...I really like it.¡± A pleasant feeling materialized in my heart as I stared at the silver and black-haired cats romping on the cake. It would have been ideal if we all gathered and had the birthday party together just like in that dream, but it was close to impossible so I had to be content with just Kania and Irina keeping me company. ¡°Uh... Young Master, would you like to blow out the candle?¡± ¡°Huh, a magic candle?¡± I was thinking of such an item, but before I knew it Kania placed the candle on the cake and lit it. Noticing the subtle feel of aura from the candle, it seemed to be an advanced item with a scent that calms the mind and body if you blew it out. ¡°...Hoo-.¡± As I inhaled the subtle scent emitted by the blown out candle, a scene of leisurely laying down in a vast meadow materialized in my head. ¡°Thank you, the two of you.¡± While I closed my eyes with that image in my mind, I gave my sincere thanks to Kania and Irina. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you guys it would have been difficult for me. If you two weren¡¯t present, I would be eating the cake all alone now.¡± Having said that, I picked up the knife placed on my side and swiftly sliced the cake into bite-sized pieces. ¡°...Thank you, Young Master.¡± ¡°Tha...Thanks.¡± Soon after, as I distributed servings of cake, Kania expressed her poised thanks while Irina thanked me with a flushed face. ¡®...I¡¯m glad that wasn¡¯t the case.¡¯ As I watched the two women eat, I couldn¡¯t help but reminisce about meeting them in the Ordeal. Was it the moment when Kania was consumed by guilt for failing to save me every time and her desire to destroy the world, where she would burst into tears as soon as she saw me. Or was it Irina, who had been deranged to the extent that Arianne could not recognize her anymore, where at the moment she saw me her eyes would become clear and she would shed tears. ¡°Young Master? What is wrong?¡± ¡°Frey, are you okay?¡± Thinking of such images inevitably made me frown. Thanks to that, Kania and Irina questioned me with an evident look of concern on their faces. ¡°N..No. It is just... I remembered some things from the Ordeal.¡± I tried to say it as if it was nothing, yet Irina¡¯s face paled again in response. ¡°Fr-Frey... How was the Ordeal? Was it really difficult for you?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t difficult at all. It¡¯s just...¡± ¡°...The way you were talking in your sleep was quite a sight to behold.¡± I spoke with a soft voice to calm Irina down, but Kania, who stood by the side with an expressionless face interrupted me. ¡°Young Master, what happened?¡± ¡°Ah... That...¡± ¡°Of course, if you don¡¯t want to recall, you don¡¯t need to talk about it. It¡¯s just...¡± Kania briefly stared at Irina before sighing and replying. ¡°Then what is the reason you keep saying you want to get out of here, it¡¯s the worst, please don¡¯t be like that... all those grim statements you uttered as you slept?¡± ¡°That...¡± ¡°The Ordeal... turns out it was something so dreadful. I didn¡¯t even know that... I¡¯m...¡± I was wondering how I¡¯d respond to Irina who was muttering something while on the verge of tears. Thankfully, Kania who was silently observing this situation intervened. ¡°Irina, let¡¯s stop there.¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°I understand your concern. But today is Young Master¡¯s birthday. So let¡¯s talk about this bleak story later.¡± Irina nodded silently after hearing those words, she soon took my hand and spoke. ¡°... It¡¯s been hard for you, Frey.¡± ¡°Ye...Yes.¡± For some reason, Kania coldly stared at me, so I answered with a mumble. I bit a piece of cake that had been cut into several slices in front of me. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s sweet. As expected, sweet things are the tastiest. Serena was right...¡± ¡°Young Master, your birthday party will be held in a few days.¡± As I enjoyed the cake so sweet, capable of even charming Serena, Kania declared a shocking piece of news. ¡°Cough, cough...¡± ¡°Young Master, are you alright?¡± Thanks to that, I choked with the cake stuck in my throat. Kania handed me the glass of water beside me. ¡°Kania, didn¡¯t you say to stop talking about the bleak story?¡± ¡°Ah? Didn¡¯t the Young Master always like birthday parties?¡± Kania asked with a perplexed look after the water had soothed my cough. ¡°So you don¡¯t know. I very much despise birthday parties.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°There is no one there who sincerely congratulates you, a party full of people who despise me or want to use me, who could enjoy like that?¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Kania bowed her head quietly when she heard his reasoning. Well indeed, at the previous iteration I¡¯ve always habitually smiled happily and acted debauched at every birthday party... anyone would have believe that I liked birthday parties. ¨C Knock Knock. ¡°I came to clean...¡± I was reminiscing about the past when someone came and knocked on the door. ¡°He...Hello..¡± ¡°Lulu?¡± ¡°...Hiikk¡± After calling her name, Lulu, who opened the door in her maid uniform, turned pale and began to tremble at the sight of my conscious body.e back later.¡± ¡°...........¡± Silence prevailed in the first-floor lobby. ¡°Didn¡¯t I advise you to know your place?¡± ¡°...I apologize.¡± Kania, with her face red with my handprint plastered on it, quietly bowed her head and apologized. The commoner students who witnessed that sight glared at me scornfully. On the surface, they seemed to be maintaining their facial expressions. Yet, since I¡¯m used to receiving immense attention, it is clear to me what lurks in the depths of their hearts. ¡°Contract or whatever it is are unnecessary. Leave my house at once.¡± ¡°But Young Master, the regulations created by Lord Abraham are under the jurisdiction of Imperial Law and are subject to magical constraint.¡± ¡°And you are going to keep them? My birthday party is coming soon.¡± I dumbfoundedly uttered those words to Kania who stood there awkwardly. I attempted to ignore the scornful gazes aimed at me as I spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t know if the special exam is currently in progress, but now that the exam is canceled, I will hold my birthday party at my house. Managing a mansion¡¯s servants who can neither cook nor clean, what do you think will become of my public image?¡± ¡°But the Young Master¡¯s birthday party won¡¯t be held at this mansion, it will be held at a separate venue...¡± ¡°You should also know that every year I hold a separate birthday party with those secret friends of mine in this mansion.¡± The commoners looked stiff when they heard the information. Well, that was because they have only heard about me having secret friends from rumors and not from my own lips. Of course, I intentionally emphasized that so they could spread the rumors regarding it. ¡°But Young Master, if you kick them out now... Heugh...!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care, everyone will leave today. I won¡¯t pay any compensation or remuneration... instead take this and scram!¡± The commoners began to tremble in rage as I kicked Kania in the belly while glaring frigidly at them. It appears that many were enraged by my evil deed. ¡°Kania! Are you alright?¡± Sure enough, Ferloche, who had been clenching her teeth, suddenly rushed out to Kania. She began to wholeheartedly pour her holy power into Kania¡¯s body. ¡°I will heal you...¡± ¡°I¡¯m... I¡¯m alright! Saintess!¡± ¡°Ah... Ah yes, yes I got it!¡± Ferloche, who witnessed Kania¡¯s flustered face, belatedly remembers her identity as a Warlock who is vulnerable to holy power. She hurriedly distanced herself from Kania and shifted her sight towards me. ¡°Frey! Stop doing these evil-deeds!¡± ¡°Evil-deeds?¡± ¡°Yes! We worked so hard! How can you kick us out without paying us! I can¡¯t forgive this unfair deal...¡± ¡°...Let¡¯s just leave, Ferloche.¡± ¡°H-Huh?¡± I was contemplating how to stop the oblivious Ferloche who started to interfere with my plan to give a huge compensation to the commoners when Irina, who was next to Ferloche, began to whisper to her in a hushed tone. ¡°Irina! But...¡± ¡°Kania has a plan. So... let¡¯s just get out of here.¡± ¡°Ye...Yes.¡± In the end, Ferloche, who was contemplating Irina¡¯s words, stepped back slowly while glaring at me. ¡°So Young Master, you are ¡®dismissing¡¯ everyone here?¡± And at that moment questioned me in a meaningful voice. ¡°Yes, I dismissed those people.¡± ¡°I see. Then I will handle it just as you requested.¡± Kania responded with a composed expression on her face and calmly bowed her head, she then looked at those children and spoke. ¡°Yes, and with that... all of you are dismissed as of this moment in time. For further information please refer to this contract.¡± ¡°Just hurry, send them out.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t check it, Young Master? The regulations here...¡± ¡°I said no. I have not an ounce of interest in any of the policies created by my old-fashioned father.¡± ¡°...I understand. Then I will announce it to the commoners.¡± After replying to me, Kania proceeded to leave the mansion with the commoners. I raised the corner of my lips and grabbed Lulu¡¯s shoulder, who stood beside me. ¡°Wait... you shall stay.¡± ¡°Heugh! Ye-Yes?¡± ¡°Your contract will be continued. Come to think of it, it would be very fun if I used you as a toy while playing with my shadow friends.¡± Lulu¡¯s expression paled in response to my words while the commoner students began to display their disgusted expressions. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Eventually, Kania muttered those words in a low voice. The commoner students then retracted their gazes from me one by one and departed the mansion. ¡°Wa-Wait... those words...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be late and come clean my room.¡± ¡°He, Heugh...¡± Upon sending her upstairs, the image of Lulu sobbing bitterly at my side materialized in my head as I was engrossed in my thoughts. . ¡°...Damn it. What do I do?¡¯ To be honest, claiming Lulu today wasn¡¯t part of the plan. I also have a lot of matters to take care of. After the commoners who had been unfairly dismissed by me were properly compensated, I thought of doing a thorough background check with Kania¡¯s aid. ¡ºLulu¡¯s current emotions: Suicidal Urge/Guilt/Self-loath¡» ¡°Sigh...¡± Yet after using the ?Mind Reading skill ?, I couldn¡¯t set my mind on letting her leave. ¡°It increased again. I need to pay closer attention.¡± The feeling of [Suicidal urge] shouldn¡¯t appear before that incident. I don¡¯t know why it appeared so suddenly. Anyway, I will have to keep a close eye on her from now on. ¡°Huft...¡± With that in mind, I inspected the lobby where I played the Slapstick act with Kania. I soon began to secretly smile while I thought of how the commoner students will receive a large compensation. ¡°Is Frey Raon Starlight present?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Someone knocked on the gate and called me. I walked forward with a frown on my face. ¡°...What¡¯s the matter?¡± I opened the gate and asked with an irritated expression. ¡°It is the Imperial Edict.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Standing in front of the gate, I couldn¡¯t help but gape in response to what the royal aide said ¡°It has been decided that Lord Frey¡¯s birthday party will be hosted by the Imperial Family.¡± ¡°.........!¡± ¡°It is within the Emperor¡¯s consideration for you to spend some quality time with Her Highness, Third Imperial Princess.¡± It seems that I do have a shit fate. Chapter 80: The Letter ? The Letter ? ¡°What to do... I just believed the contract...¡± ¡°Should I look for a part-time job now...¡± Coming out from the Starlight mansion, every commoner student muttered with a grim look on their faces. That is because, they naively believed the contract presented to them when they first arrived at the mansion. Yet, they ended up being excommunicated without any compensation. They are all outstanding individuals who could proudly enter the esteemed Class A of Sunrise Academy. Yet they were entrapped in this predicament, they had no other options. It was a time when an unwritten rule of students must first graduate from the Academy before they could work in high-paying jobs or guilds was prevalent in the Empire. Therefore, despite them being students of Class A, all they could do was acquire short-term part-time jobs or hunt evil creatures. Of course, with their fairly remarkable skill, they could earn money to some extent from those jobs. However, the fact that most of them are the heads of their households couldn¡¯t be neglected. After allocating their hard-earned money for their family members and paying the ridiculous amount of tax under the Imperial taxation laws, what remained wasn¡¯t even sufficient to feed the chicken. Yet, they somehow managed to survive over the years by various odd jobs. But now that they had spent a considerable amount of time at the Starlight family with no compensation, they encountered a fatal financial predicament. ¡°...Hey you guys. We still have hope!¡± Among the children engulfed by the grim atmosphere, a female student stepped forward and spoke. ¡°According to this contract, if an employee is unilaterally fired before finishing the work duration stated in the contract, they will be compensated.¡± ¡°Hey, we all know about that though?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± But a male student who had a crestfallen look on his face for a while interjected with a sigh. ¡°That contract is worthless. From the start, the people involved with creating the contract are the aristocrats.¡± ¡°Bu-But..¡± ¡°So you wanted to go to Frey and argue with him again? I would gladly follow suit if I didn¡¯t risk getting caught and turned into a toy just like Lulu.¡± ¡°N-No.....¡± Only after hearing the assertion did reality dawn on the female student. She then plopped down on the ground and began to shed tears. ¡°If I can¡¯t purchase the medicine for this month... my younger brother¡¯s life will be in danger...¡± It was a bleak and pitiful situation for a student to be unable to purchase medicine for their younger sibling because they lacked the capital to spend indiscriminately like nobles do on any given day. Yet the students who watched the scene unfold averted their gazes. No matter how kind-hearted they were, they were also in a predicament with either a sick family member or no money to eat. They are so impoverished that they combine their efforts so that they can gather sufficient funds to purchase a single textbook to be shared amongst them. They couldn¡¯t aid the crying student in front of them. ¡°...Guys... I have decided.¡± The female student who had been crying for what seemed to be an eternity while receiving inevitable ignorance from the people around eventually spoke with a determined expression on her face. ¡°I... will return to the Starlight mansion.¡± ¡°...What?¡± The male student who reminded her of reality responded with a bewildered expression. ¡°Is there any use in returning? Frey will annul the contract regardless. Even if he provides you with compensation, you will be reduced to a plaything..¡± ¡°If becoming a plaything will save my brother, I¡¯m willing to become one.¡± The look of determination in that student¡¯s eyes isn¡¯t something a girl her age should have. ¡°Wa-Wait! You can¡¯t do that!¡± Among the commoners who were observing her, Ferloche suddenly rushed forth. ¡°I will help you! I will be able to cure him with holy power! Let¡¯s go now! If we go now..¡± ¡°But your treatment is expensive.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± Ferloche looked lost after she heard those words, then with a dark expression, the girl brought up her story. ¡°If you want to receive a blessing or treatment from the Saintess, you need to pay some charge to the church. It is a known fact to everyone here.¡± After stating the obvious, she scanned her vicinity, and the students all nodded their heads silently. ¡°Ho-How is that possible? I have always provided treatment for free?¡± For Ferloche who had never received any compensation and always treated people for free while she gained a sense of accomplishment, such responses weren¡¯t within her range of expectations. ¡°By any chance, is there an impostor going around impersonating me?!¡± And so, she came up with the most logical reason she could think of. For Ferloche, who ordinarily would only tilt her head with a questioning look on her face in this kind of situation, this is already a huge improvement. ¡°¡±........¡±¡± But those commoner students only stared wordlessly at Ferloche. If that remark was made by Frey or any other nobles, they would probably scorn or laugh inwardly. However, they are all well aware of Ferloche¡¯s usual attitudes toward them and what her personality is like. Therefore, even though the commoners knew what the truth was, none of them dared to speak up. Because in case things go awry and the church retaliates, then their hard-pressed life would be over. ¡°Right. It must be an impostor roaming about.¡± ¡°Yes, that must be it! Then, do you know who it is?¡± Someone stepped forward to converse with Ferloche. ¡°If you tell me who the impostor is,the church and I will immediately...¡± ¡°It is the church.¡± Among the gazes full of anxious and worried looks from the students directed to him, Alice, the commoner representative, began to explain the truth to Ferloche. ¡°To be exact, it is not an impostor. It should be described as daylight robbery.¡± Hearing those words, Ferloche displayed a confused expression. On the other hand some of the students silently nodded their heads. Because they recalled awful memories they had experienced and would like to avoid experiencing them again. ¡°If you provide treatment or a blessing to someone for free, then a few days later a debtee from the church will find them.¡± ¡°A debtee?¡± ¡°Yes, they receive the payment from your treatment and blessing.¡± Ferloche who heard that then began to mumble nonsense. ¡°Oh my God, I can¡¯t believe they have been doing it even as early as now... as expected, the church is...¡± ¡°Ferloche?¡± ¡°No-Nothing! Anyway! I understand what you are talking about! I will settle it with the church today!¡± As Ferloche huffed and puffed while she tried to head toward the church, Aris shook his head from side to side and spoke. ¡°Even with the Saint coming forward, it will only be quiet for a while.If anything they will only do it more secretly and demand even greater compensation. And I will probably get kidnapped for the crime of telling you the truth.¡± ¡°.......Ugh.¡± In response to those words, Ferloche only groaned, unable to reply. ¡°Hehe, thank you for your concern.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± That female student then hugged Ferloche and shortly thereafter spoke in a trembling voice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Whatever Frey is going to do... He won¡¯t possibly kill me right?¡± Her declaration was accompanied by fear due to the rumors about the horse carriage that traveled back and forth from the Starlight mansion carrying bodies. ¡°It¡¯s enough with just me alone. I have been serving Young Master since I was little...¡± ¡°But you, why are you continuing to stroke your belly? You can stop acting now, right?¡± After hearing Irina¡¯s childish inquiries, Kania blushed and shut her mouth. That is because she was reluctant to tell the truth that because she often turned into a cat lately, her belly became sensitive and got stimulated because of Frey¡¯s kick before. ¡°Anyway, to conclude...¡± ¡°Wh...what is she doing?¡± Irina interjected before Kania could finish her thought. Her expression stiffened as she gazed back at the Starlight mansion that Irina was pointing at with her facing growing pale. ¡°.......!¡± At that moment Kania doubted her eyes. That¡¯s because, in the window of Frey¡¯s room, Lulu was sitting in a daze. ¡°Stop, stop her! We need to stop her!¡± ¡°Calm down. That¡¯s the second floor, even if she falls it won¡¯t kill her.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right.¡± Kania quietly reprimanded Irina who was trembling and making a fuss. She then proceeded back towards the mansion, leaving behind Irina who was now scratching her head in confusion. But then... -Sruugh ¡°........!¡± Suddenly Lulu drew a small knife from her chest pocket and directed it at her arm. This time, both Kania¡¯s and Irina¡¯s expressions become one of fright. ¡°We really need to stop her.¡± ¡°I know.¡± In that moment, Kania prepared to cast black magic and the bewildered Irina attempted to produce a barrier using wind magic. , ¡°Ah, that was close.¡± Frey appeared behind the window and knocked Lulu unconscious by hitting the back of her neck. ¡°...We are lucky the Young Master was present.¡± ¡°Right.¡± The two who were watching the scene nervously began to mutter in a relieved voice as they saw the limp Lulu being dragged back inside the room. ¡°So what should we do with her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Should we tie her up?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you brainwash her with black magic?¡± ¡°It is the magic that could only be performed by corrupt black warlocks.¡± The two girls whose looks suddenly became cold, unknowingly began to think about how to deal with the nuisance who was dragged back into the room. Putting aside the fact that they were only able to have a civil conversation for the time being, the exchange continued for a great deal of time. . . . . . . . . ¡°Phew... That was close.¡± Without Lulu¡¯s knowledge, I entered the room to see what she was doing. I immediately knocked her unconscious once I saw her directing a knife towards her arm. . Perhaps, once Kania returns, we will need to perform an examination on Lulu¡¯s body. ¡ºPlease quickly check the second reward!!!!¡» ¡°...Phew.¡± I was thinking of such matters when the system window materialized in front of my eyes. Did it feel bad because I ignored it for a long time? The content of the message was quite urgent. -Srrrkk I can¡¯t just ignore the system forever, so I capitulated and checked the reward, but then a strange-looking jade pendant fell into my hand. ¡ºIf you show this jade pendant to the legendary blacksmith, Rosinante, you can make one request to him!¡» ¡°Right, it should have been this much.¡± Rosinante, the creator of the ornamental box I got from the auction house in the past. According to the prophetic book, he is a craftsman so skilled his name was etched in the Empire¡¯s history books. And just like most of those masters, he is very difficult to please. Therefore, it is said that requesting something from him is as challenging as picking a star in the sky. Thankfully, if you show him this jade pendant, he could probably invent a star-picking machine for you. ¡°...Hm?¡± With that thought in mind, I carefully placed the jade pendant in my desk drawer. My lips curled up into a smile when I noticed a white bird flying outside my window. ¡°Gugu?¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Yet, I quickly realized that the bird that came to sit on the windowsill wasn¡¯t the white bird I had been anticipating, but a homing pigeon. ¡°Gugugu!¡± ¡°What kind of letter...¡± For a moment, I stared at the pigeon with doubts in my mind. After a short period of time, I noticed the royal seal on the letter and urgently grabbed it. ¨C Clana Solar Sunrise ¡°Clana sent me a letter?¡± I was taken aback when I found Clana¡¯s name engraved on the envelope. I opened the letter with a slight tremble in my heart. This is an official letter for the three Dukes. We received a request for assistance from the Cloud Kingdom of the western continent. ¡°Ah, is that all?¡± I expected all myriad of situations, yet I instantly muttered with a dispirited expression upon realizing the contents of the letter. Because it is an extremely confidential situation, at Frey¡¯s birthday party this year, a secret meeting will be held. In that regard, I ask for your understanding. ¡°...I also need to secretly pay attention to the attack of the slave market.¡± The confidential situation in Clana¡¯s words is the attack on the slave market. Well, one of the Princesses of the Cloud Kingdom who was planning to enroll at Sunrise academy in the following year will end up being captured in this slave market... It is understandable that the security is so thorough. ¡°All I have to do is free the slaves while earning the disdain of the Princess. It is nothing.¡± It is unfortunate that I¡¯ll have to garner hatred from her, a sub-heroine, but I have no choice. It is all for the end goal of clearing the main quest. ¡°Huh?¡± While thinking of such things, I tried to put the letter in the drawer. I froze up as I noticed a very small note written at the very bottom of the letter. P.S. What have you done to me? Frey? ¡°And what is it this time...¡± As expected, nothing in the world seems to go as planned. Chapter 81: Sunset ? Sunset ? ¡°Now then, I will rest for a moment. You two help me keep an eye on Lulu.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already morning, are you going to sleep again?¡± Irina, who arrived on the second floor after speaking to Kania for a long period of time, tilted her head as she questioned Frey¡¯s words. ¡°Sorry, I have been waking up exhausted lately. I will only rest for an hour.¡± The dark circles under Frey¡¯s eyes were a testament to his exhaustion. For someone who had slept for a week he looked far too weary. ¡°All right then... rest well.¡± ¡°Thanks. Inform Kania once she arrives.¡± After uttering those words, Frey plopped down on his bed and quickly fell asleep. ¡°Frey... are you asleep?¡± Staring at the sleeping Frey, Irina approached him. ¡°...So you did fall asleep.¡± Frey was in such deep slumber he wouldn¡¯t even know if someone were to carry him on their backs. The sight of the sleeping Frey evoked Irina¡¯s memories of the past week she had spent nursing Frey. ¡°How difficult was the Ordeal for you to be this tired even after sleeping for a week?¡± Due to the ordeal, Frey fell into a deep slumber. As the one who carried him to the secret hideout in the woods near the mansion and nursed him all day, Irina had a rough understanding of the severity of the ordeal Frey experienced. ¡°Leave, I want to leave.¡± ¡°Frey! Are you awake?¡± ¡°Here... It¡¯s the worst here.¡± That was because Frey muttered those words several times in his slumber while lying on the bed at the secret hideout. ¡°Irina...¡± ¡°F-Frey?¡± Irina thought Frey had finally overcome the ordeal and would wake up from his slumber when he called her name. ¡°Why... Why did you end up in this state...¡± But that wasn¡¯t the case. Rather, it was a cry of despair for Irina that he saw within the ordeal. ¡°Huu.....¡± Nursing Frey during that period was unbearable for Irina, simply maintaining her sanity while staying by his side took all of her willpower. Frey was being tortured at every moment as a result of the ordeal that began as a result of her actions. ¡°Eu, uuuuuu...¡± ¡°Fr-Frey!¡± One day, Irina¡¯s guilt reached a breaking-point when she witnessed Frey spasming with his face becoming pale. ¡°Wh-What should I do? What would be the right thing to do!¡± ¡°Irina. Calm yourself fi...¡± ¡°Kania. Please, send me inside Frey¡¯s dream!¡± Frey was clearly experiencing something unbearable. In one way or another, Irina wanted to assist him, so she pleaded with Kania who had been struggling to infiltrate Frey¡¯s ordeal. ¡°An unknown force is blocking me. I apologize.¡± Kania could only shake her head as she articulated those words. ¡°Frey, you can sleep comfortably now, right?¡± As she stopped reminiscing, Irina stroked Frey¡¯s hair. The expression on his face was indicative of his comfort. She carefully questioned him. . Of course, with how deep Frey was in slumber, she wouldn¡¯t get a response. Yet, only by enquiring did she come to feel at ease. At the very least, Frey didn¡¯t speak with a pained expression as he slept. ¡°...Irina? What are you doing?¡± ¡°Hiiii.¡± Irina, who had been carefully stroking Frey¡¯s hair, flinched and turned her head when she heard Kania¡¯s voice from behind her. ¡°That... ah, please take care of Lulu over there.¡± ¡°You mean you want me to take care of her?¡± Kania frowned as Irina slurred her words while pointing at the limp Lulu who rested beside Frey. ¡°Yes, Frey requested for you to take care of her.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I... will clean the room.¡± Irina responded while avoiding Kania¡¯s gaze. She picked up the broom in the corner of the room and began to sweep. ¡°...Hu.¡± Witnessing the scene unfold with great displeasure, Kania sighed and approached the limp Lulu who tossed and turned on the floor.. ¡°Please clean the room spotlessly.¡± Kania left the room while carrying Lulu on her back. Irina, who was calmly sweeping the floor, ceased her cleaning and began to stare at Frey again. ¡°...This.¡± Irina carefully approached Frey. She then quietly lowered her head as she noticed a wound on Frey¡¯s shoulder. ¡®That... isn¡¯t that the wound he got when he tried to protect me from Fenrir¡¯s bite in the Ashen Forest?¡¯ Irina recalled how Frey desperately tried to protect her while she was unable to cast any magic. Her hands trembled as she lifted Frey¡¯s clothes. She recalled the time when she violently fired fireballs at him during performance evaluation. ¡°.....!¡± There is a vivid burnt mark engraved on his body by Irina. ¡®Weird... all the wounds formed a scar.¡¯ Not only that, but the wounds Frey has received thus far have all remained as scars. Irina stroked the scars with a stunned expression on her face. ¡°...Indeed. I should find that person.¡± Irina stroked Frey¡¯s scars for some time before making a firm decision. Even though she believes she¡¯ll never find that woman. For Frey, who received countless permanent scars and almost died while facing the ordeal. He did all this on her behalf, and still forgave her for all the troubles she¡¯s caused him. She had to find her. And if she found that woman, she would do whatever it took to prolong Frey¡¯s lifespan, even if it cost her own lifespan. ¡°That is the only atonement I can provide you.¡± Irina muttered those words, hesitated for a moment, then carefully planted a kiss on Frey¡¯s cheek. ¡°I... I have to clean the room.¡± Irina uttered those words out loud without anyone in her vicinity to hear. Shortly thereafter, she began to sweep the room again while blushing. . If her past self, the prideful Archmage, were to see this, she would probably lose all the strength in her body and pass out. . . . . . . ¡°So, you said you have been taking care of Lulu until now?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. It was the Young Master¡¯s order...¡± Frey summoned Kania once he woke up from his one hour long slumber. . She immediately ran from the room next door where she was taking care of Lulu to meet him. ¡°What about Irina?¡± ¡°I heard that the Young Master ordered her to clean.¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± Because he said it while he was half asleep, Frey couldn¡¯t quite recall what he had requested. Unbothered by whether Lulu was safe or if the room was clean, he stood up. ¡°Young Master? Where are you going?¡± As Frey stood up and prepared to head outside, Kania curiously questioned him. ¡°Ah, you see, I have to stealthily prepare for the ¡®slave market attack¡¯. I¡¯m heading to the intelligence guild to gather some information.¡± ¡°Kania, you wait here.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Once the carriage stopped at a secluded alley, Frey stepped outside with a sigh. He stopped Kania who tried to follow him from behind and spoke. ¡°It won¡¯t be long. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°Ah, Young Master. Your collar got disheveled.¡± Holding onto Frey, Kania, with her eyes wide open, then began to straighten his collar. ¡°Huh? I clearly straightened it well previously...¡± ¡°Leave it. It is perfect now.¡± When Frey tilted his head at her actions, Kania smiled and pulled away from him. ¡°Then, stay safe Young Master.¡± Frey looked suspiciously at Kania. Soon after, he scratched his head and entered the intelligence guild. ¡°Welcome, gues- ugh.¡± The woman at the counter, who was uttering her greeting with a smile on her face, froze as she saw Frey. ¡°You know me right? Take me to the VIP room. Tell Rosewyn to come meet me.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Asserting those words to the nervous clerk, Frey then followed the clerk into the cellar. ¡°How has Rosewyn been doing lately?¡± ¡°Ah... I¡¯m no more than a clerk, I don¡¯t really know...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you still roughly know something?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I really don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Tch, useless.¡± Frey gave the clerk a pretentious look. He sighed and imposingly stopped walking upon arriving at the room¡¯s entrance. ¡°You can enter first. I will call Ms. Ros...¡± -Screech. Without paying attention to what that woman was saying, Frey nonchalantly entered the room. He muttered while sighing. ¡°It¡¯s been quite a long time since I¡¯ve been here...¡± The moment Frey uttered those words while examining his vicinity, the door opened and someone slowly entered the room. ¡°Ah, Rosewyn!¡± At that moment, Frey¡¯s expression transformed, his smile changing into that of an insolent fool. He placed his hand under his chin and began speaking. ¡°Have you been well? Is there anything bothering you lately?¡± ¡°Hoho, it seems like you missed me quite a bit?¡± The girl who had been watching Frey with a smile in her eyes plopped down in the seat across from him. ¡°So... what kind of request do you have this time?¡± ¡°Do you know something about the ¡®slave market¡¯ case?¡± ¡°Oh! That case?¡± Frey cautiously enquired and the girl replied with a smile. ¡°The price is one thousand gold, since you are a regul-¡° ¡°Only one thousand? I¡¯ll give you two thousand.¡± Upon blurting out these words, Frey extracted a bag of gold coins from his chest pocket. The girl widened and covered her mouth with her hand. ¡°That¡¯s too much! You don¡¯t need to give me this much..¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Rosewyn. Don¡¯t you know I have a lot of money?¡± Frey shrugged his shoulders while he said that. The girl called Rosewyn wore a worried expression and responded. ¡°But... recently I¡¯ve heard of a rumor about assailants who broke into the Starlight mansion and stole all the assets.¡± ¡°Huh? Where did you hear such bullshit?¡± ¡°That¡¯s really not the truth?¡± ¡°Yeah. If that were the case, I couldn¡¯t possibly provide you this money. Haha.¡± Frey replied with his bright and stupid expression. Rosewyn nodded, her expression turned sharp at that moment. ¡°Yes... is that so? I understand. Then, I will tell you all the information no..¡± ¡°Ah, I will add a thousand gold beside that amount. So tell me about the additional information from your inquiries too.¡± ¡°...ugh.¡± As Frey took out another bag of gold coins from his chest pocket, Rosewyn began to part her lips . ¡°Will this really be okay? You provide me with this much...¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Everything¡¯s perfectly fine.¡± Frey waved his hand at Rosewyn¡¯s continuous concern. Then, he blushed and took something out of his chest pocket. ¡°Ah right. This is a gift I prepared while thinking about you.¡± ¡°Woah...¡± In Frey¡¯s hand, there was a bouquet of colorful roses in full bloom. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve received such a gift...¡± ¡°About that, Rosewyn. Do you have time on the weekend...¡± Rosewyn¡¯s gaze transformed from a moved look as she stared at the flower bouquet, to a regrettable one upon hearing the question Frey gently asked her. ¡°Ah what to do? I already have an appointment this weekend.¡± ¡°Then this week...¡± ¡°I already have a full schedule this week... I apologize...¡± ¡°Then, sometime this month...¡± Rosewyn clapped her hands together abruptly and spoke to put an end to Frey¡¯s persistence. ¡°Ah, come to think of it. I do have new information about the ¡®slave market¡¯!¡± ¡°Ah, re-really?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll bring it, so wait a moment!¡± ¡°Ye-Yes.¡± As Frey nodded his head in response to Rosewyn¡¯s words after being interrupted, Rosewyn, who had been observing Frey, quickly smiled and spoke. ¡°Ah right. Thank you so much for this bouquet! I will treasure it well!¡± Leaving behind those words, Rosewyn flashed a smile at the bashful Frey before stepping out of the room. ¡°Ah, I fucking hate it.¡± Upon leaving the room, Rosewyn tossed the bouquet to the clerk beside her and coldly spoke. ¡°Burn that.¡± ¡°Can-can I keep it? It¡¯s an expensive bouquet...¡± ¡°Do as you see fit. I hate even looking at it.¡± As soon as Rosewyn began walking through the hallway, the clerk next to her quickly asked a question with a confused expression. ¡°Why do you detest that person so much? He is handsome with a lot of money, and he did everything you asked him to...¡± ¡°The Empire¡¯s number one scoundrel who said he can buy people with money, a douchebag bastard who only cares about someone¡¯s face, you think that kind of person likes me?¡± Rosewyn sarcastically responded before continuing to speak after a sigh. ¡°I hate those kinds of bastards the most in the world. If only he wasn¡¯t a VIP guest, I would have driven him away!¡± ¡°Then, what is your type Ms. Rosewyn?¡± ¡°What...?¡± Rosewyn, who had been contemplating over the clerk¡¯s question, soon responded with her cheeks red. ¡°...a hero who will soon appear in this world.¡± ¡°A hero?¡± The clerk frowned in response to those words and inquired again. Rosewyn replied again as she brimmed with excitement just from her thoughts. ¡°It is my dream and destiny to assist that person.¡± Chapter 82: The Conspiracy ? The Conspiracy ? Frey, who had been waiting for Roswyn, frowned when she didn¡¯t return after some time. He questioned the attendant who was beside him. ¡°Hey, where¡¯s Roswyn?¡± ¡°...Ah, Lady Roswyn has gone to the secret warehouse to gather intel.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Frey nodded his head in response to those words and leaned back on his chair. The attendant questioned him in a hushed voice while simultaneously wearing a piercing glare on her face. ¡°Um... Would you like to rest in the reception room instead of here?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. The reception room is further away than this room we are currently in. I can¡¯t trouble her with the extra distance.¡± ¡°Ah... I see.¡± When Frey replied with a sly smile, the attendant¡¯s cheeks became red, and she vacated the room in a hurry. ¡°...Lady Roswyn! What are you doing here? You have to go back inside!¡± Before long, the attendant located Roswyn in the waiting room sipping orange juice. ¡°Why? Is Frey mad or something?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not...¡± ¡°Then what?¡± As the attendant slowly recounted their previous conversation with Roswyn, she smirked and muttered as she drank the orange juice. ¡°Bastard.¡± ¡°Lady Roswyn!¡± ¡°Ahhh... fuck. Glancing at that bastard¡¯s face makes me feel like my lifespan is being shortened by ten years.¡± ¡°...Looking at that handsome face shortens your lifespan?¡± Frey is a bastard that everyone in the Empire detested, yet no one could discredit his attractive appearance. The attendant coughed and continued to speak, thinking that Roswyn seemed pitiful, since she hated seeing Frey¡¯s face so much that she felt like her lifespan was decreasing. ¡°Ahem, no matter how you feel, he¡¯s still a VIP. You have to treat him properly. ¡°Phew... that¡¯s annoying.¡± Roswyn drank all the remaining orange juice and slowly got up from her seat to stretch. ¡°Ah, But I don¡¯t feel like it. Just tell him to come meet me here.¡± ¡°...Lady Roswyn!¡± But as Roswyn plopped back down onto the sofa without taking a single step forward, her attendant, who had been watching her, began to berate her again. ¡°It¡¯s fine. That bastard is obsessed with me. If you tell him I asked him to come here, he won¡¯t complain.¡± ¡°Phew...¡± When Roswyn replied in a sullen voice, her employee stared at her momentarily and sighed. She returned to the room Frey was resting in. ¡°Oh, Roswyn! Are you finally back?¡± ¡°My apologies, Lord Frey. Ms. Roswyn is currently in the waiting room.¡± ¡°Really? Then we should visit the waiting room. Truthfully, it¡¯s too dark here, someone like her doesn¡¯t belong in a place like this¡± Based on the usual rumors surrounding Frey, he should¡¯ve flipped over a desk by now in response to this rude request. Instead, he stood up with a grin. ¡°Uh... Then I¡¯ll guide...¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. I know where the waiting room is, I¡¯ll head there myself.¡± The sympathetic attendant attempted to guide Frey to the waiting room, but Frey waved his hand in refusal and quickly left. ¡°Oh, Lord Frey! My apologies, did I neglect our VIP too much?¡± ¡°No, no, no, not a problem. Even as a VIP, I have to do at least this much to obtain valuable information.¡± When Roswyn suddenly assumed a rather dignified posture and questioned Frey with a gloomy expression, Frey shook his head, indicating he was in no rush. ¡°Thank you. As expected, Lord Frey is our guild¡¯s most prized guest.¡± Roswyn responded with a smile and parted her lip as soon as she scattered all the accumulated documents on the desk. ¡°I brought all the information about the ¡®Slave Market¡¯ that our guild has. So...¡± ¡°I have a favor to ask of you, Roswyn.¡± In response to Frey¡¯s words, Roswyn tilted her head with a questioning look on her face. Seeing her change in expression, Frey spoke with a foolish grin on his face. ¡°Can¡¯t you read it for me?¡± ¡°...Me?¡± ¡°Yes, I want to hear you read the information with your beautiful voice.¡± Roswyn failed to maintain her composure upon hearing Frey¡¯s words. Roswyn had dealt with countless individuals and countless guests over numerous years. Her experiences increased her proficiency in concealing her emotions immensely. Frey¡¯s self-centered request was the type that she hated the most in the world, yet it was also Frey¡¯s method to protect her from unexpected occurrences. ¡°........¡± ¡°Ro-Roswyn?¡± For a fleeting moment, Roswyn showed all her emotions of disgust, distaste, and loathing on her face. ¡°What happened all of a sudden, are you hurt somewhere?¡± ¡°Oh, my apologies. I¡¯ve been having frequent headaches recently...¡± Roswyn¡¯s expression reverted to her usual amicable facial expression and made excuses once Frey questioned the sudden transformation. ¡°Ah, anyway, you said you wanted me to read the documents? As expected, Lord Frey is very thoughtful. It¡¯s good to see and learn with your own eyes, but listening to what other people say is useful for gathering information...¡± ¡°Huh? But I just wanted to hear your voice.¡± ¡°...Well then, let¡¯s begin reading!¡± Roswyn, who nearly lost her composure for the second time, displayed transcendent patience, composure, and managed to maintain her expression before speaking. ¡°First of all, this slave market will be held in a pocket dimension, the entrance of which can be found in the back alley.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a pocket dimension... is it perhaps...¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the ¡®otherworld¡¯, the entrance that only opens once a year. Apparently, the slave traders are very well prepared this time.¡± In response to this information, Frey¡¯s expression turned serious. Roswyn stared at him with curious eyes before asking a question. ¡°By the way, why are you asking me for this? Do you want to participate in the slave market? Or do you have any other information that you¡¯d like to verify?¡± ¡°No, no. Keep reading it to me.¡± ¡°Ah, fine.¡± As Frey replied with a stern expression on his face, Roswyn muttered under her breath, then smiled and resumed the conversation. ¡°Anyway, the scale of the upcoming slave market is set to be the largest ever in the past century.¡± ¡°Hmm... I see. Do you have any information on when it will begin?¡± Roswyn shook her head in response to Frey¡¯s curiosity. ¡°We don¡¯t have that information yet. But don¡¯t worry. You will be remunerated for the additional information, so if we receive the information, you¡¯ll be the first client we inform.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± When she stated ¡®you¡¯ll be the first client we inform¡¯, it indicates that I would have the right to sell the results of the investigation for compensation to different parties. But as Frey simply smiled and nodded, Roswyn laughed at him inwardly and retrieved another document that was scattered on the desk. ¡°As a result of our investigation, we discovered that the investigators, the imperial knights, and the Sun God Church were already bribed by the slave traders.¡± ¡°That means...¡± ¡°Yes, on the surface, the slave trade is banned in the Empire... but this information is indication that the slave market is actually legal.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even observe him because of the shock I felt... and that bastard touched my hand... Haa.¡± Roswyn, who had been wiping her hands for a long time, sighed and spoke to the attendant outside the bathroom. ¡°Hurry up and bring the ventilation magic scroll and cleaning magic scroll to the waiting room.¡± ¡°Lady Roswyn... Please fix your mysophobia. This month¡¯s magic scroll cost...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t nag me, just bring them.¡± ¡°...Yes My Lady.¡± As Roswyn rejected her coldly, the attendant sighed and muttered as she pulled a magic scroll from her arms. ¡°When will the Hero appear? Hurry up and appear, and rid me of that bastard...¡± As the attendant entered the waiting room and muttered under her breath to activate the magic scroll, she gave Roswyn a curious expression and questioned her. ¡°Lady Roswyn. What will you do if the Hero is a filthy male?¡± ¡°Then I should probably fix my mysophobia? I have a destiny to take care of the Hero, after all.¡± ¡°...Phew.¡± The attendant left the waiting room after receiving a reply she had expected. She hurried upstairs when the bell rang at the counter upstairs. ¡°Yes! I¡¯m on my way!¡± The attendant arrived at the counter a few minutes after the bell rang and smiled brightly at her guest as she spoke. ¡°How can I help you? Guest?¡± ¡°...I want to see Roswyn.¡± But when the robed guest spoke in a low voice, the attendant frowned slightly. ¡°I apologize... Lady Roswyn is taking a break...¡± ¡°...Tell her that the dawn has come.¡± ¡°The dawn?¡± In response to those words, the attendant asked with a puzzled expression on her face, yet the guest remained silent after uttering those words. ¡°...Uh, I understand. Don¡¯t expect too much thought, alright?¡± The attendant felt a mysterious feeling of intimidation from the guest. She slowly descended the stairs to search for Roswyn. ¡°Lady Roswyn! A guest has arrived!¡± ¡°Send another agent. I want to take a break now.¡± ¡°They said they came to see you?¡± ¡°...What do they look like?¡± The attendant spoke with a troubled expression on her face. ¡°Uh... I mean... they were wearing a robe, so I couldn¡¯t discern their features.¡± Roswyn waved her hand and reached for the orange juice on the desk next to her. ¡°...Oh, come to think of it, they asked me to relay something to you.¡± ¡°Relay something to me?¡± ¡°Yes... something about... the dawn has come?¡± Roswyn¡¯s eyes widened in response to those words. ¡°Is that so...?¡± ¡°Yes, but somehow... I felt a little intimidated? Anyway, what should we do? As expected, I should just kick them out...¡± ¡°Bring them inside.¡± Having commanded the attendant, Roswyn spoke again as she entered the VIP room adjacent to her. ¡°Guide them here, then go upstairs for the time being.¡± The guide couldn¡¯t help but become very nervous after hearing those words. So far, people from all walks of life have come to visit, yet Miss Roswyn had never given anyone this kind of treatment. ¡°Then, I¡¯m off.¡± Roswyn watched as the attendant nervously ascended the stairs while donning a reserved expression on her face. She sighed and leaned back on her chair. ¡°So...¡± Moments later, the attendant returned with the robed guest and escorted them to the VIP room before swiftly departing. Roswyn wore an interested look and questioned the guest before her. ¡°...Why has the sun come to visit the twilight?¡± As soon as she finished speaking, the guest in front of her took off their robe. ¡°It¡¯s about the letter I sent back then... you advised me to come here if we were going to discuss it in detail...¡± It was Clana Solar Sunrise, the 3rd Princess of the Empire, who spoke with a nervous expression on her face. ¡°I was quite shocked to receive that letter. We are an information guild, not an errand center.¡± Roswyn sighed as Clana¡¯s expression remained unchanged in the face of her joke and mischievous expression. ¡°So, the letter was really sent by you? No one altered or faked the contents of the letter?¡± ¡°No...¡± ¡°So, do you really want me to seduce Frey at his birthday celebration party?¡± Clana flinched in response to those words and spoke again. ¡°Y-Yes... That way, Frey¡¯s proposal to me will be nullified. If you show such an unsightly appearance in front of the Emperor, then...¡± ¡°Then why do you seem hesitant?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s... so...¡± Roswyn hit the nail on the head as she watched Clana sweat and stutter. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know. Thinking about Frey lately makes my cheeks turn rosy or ... I feel like crying. Sometimes, my hands just tremble...¡± ¡°...Pfft.¡± When Roswyn burst into laughter at those words, Clana clenched her fists and spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll provide you with money, so please investigate this phenomenon. I believe Frey has done something to me.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I understand.¡± Roswyn did her best to contain her laughter as she attempted to note something. She smiled and spoke again. ¡°Yes, then... I¡¯ll seduce Frey and make him mine. Is that alright with you?¡± ¡°Oh, no. Wait... Wait...¡± ¡°Hmm? Are you going to annul our contract?¡± As Roswyn tilted her head, Clana, who had a confused look in her eyes, replied quietly while shaking her head. ¡°No, just fulfill the contract. Seduce Frey... and uh...¡± As she spoke, her hands began to tremble again. Clana began to lament, fatigued due to the constant physical phenomenon. ¡®...Oh dear, she doesn¡¯t even realize her own feelings?¡¯ Meanwhile, Roswyn stared at Clana and contemplated for a moment. ¡®Well, I wouldn¡¯t be in a losing situation either way.¡¯ Roswyn did not think highly of the Imperial Family, but the compensation was sufficient, and she thought it would be fun to steal Frey from Clana, who wasn¡¯t aware of her own feelings. Roswyn offered a contract to Clana, who still wore a confused look on her face as her thoughts raced ceaselessly in her mind. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll spend time with Frey and accept the payment from Clana, and if Frey really is serious about me...¡± She quickly finished her thoughts as the corners of her lips curled up into a slight smile. ¡°...I¡¯ll just use him before eventually discarding him.¡± In Roswyn¡¯s hand, a miniscule dark sphere that had formed when she had touched Frey¡¯s collar began to glow. Chapter 83: Infiltration ? Infiltration ? ¡°Young Master, did the meeting go well?¡± When Frey emerged from the dark cellar and left the information guild, Kania was waiting in the carriage. ¡°Yes. I completed all the tasks I had to do.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Frey climbed onto the carriage and uttered a brief reply as Kania quietly nodded her head in response. After staring at her silently, he frowned faintly and questioned her. ¡°Kania, what did you do to my collar?¡± Kania slowly averted her gaze in response to those words. ¡°...Kania?¡± She averted her gaze even further and furrowed her brows, then she began to stare blankly at me. ¡°Tell me quickly, what did you do?¡± ¡°I just cast a simple spell to thwart anyone¡¯s plans of harming the Young Master.¡± ¡°But why did I feel black magic when it activated?¡± ¡°It must have been because of your mood.¡± Her gaze shifted towards the window again as she spoke. I clasped her face and pivoted her face towards me. I glared daggers at her and received a smirk in response. ¡°Everything I do is to benefit the Young Master, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°...I believe you.¡± I was slightly skeptical, but decided to trust Kania due to our bond. I started the carriage and spoke. ¡°Well then... Please give me the report that has been delayed for this past week.¡± ¡°Alright. First of all, we should talk about the Moonlight family and the Young Master¡¯s... friends.¡± Kania cast her black magic to apply soundproofing magic within the carriage. She retrieved a notebook from her pocket. ¡°In conclusion, the Elder¡¯s Council has collapsed and the Secret Head has fled.¡± ¡°Damn, I guess I couldn¡¯t get him.¡± ¡°Yes. But with this, Young Lady Serena has risen from a puppet to the real head of the family, so I believe the outcome is somewhat favorable.¡± Despite hearing those words, I sighed, and then spoke with a grim expression on my face. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good and all... but Serena¡¯s ¡®Curse of Familial Subordination¡¯ is the issue.¡± In response to those words, Kania¡¯s expression darkened as she spoke. ¡°Is there really no method for breaking the ¡®Curse of Familial Subordination¡¯?¡° ¡°Even my ancestor, who knew everything about this ¡®game¡¯, was incapable of finding a solution to this curse and one other issue in particular.¡± ¡°What is that other issue?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s my...¡± I was about to reply to Kania, but I quickly came to my senses and shut my mouth firmly. ¡°Young Master? Why did you stop speaking?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. The other issue isn¡¯t even mentioned in the prophecy.¡± I closed my eyes and began to recall the contents of the prophecy. After failing for the 756th time, I started looking for ways to increase lifespan and life force. Otherwise, I thought I would never be able to break free from this endless cycle. However, even after spending several months, I couldn¡¯t find a solution. My ancestor¡¯s complaints, which continued for what seemed like eternity, ended with these words. So, as a last resort, I tampered with the game¡¯s code. There existed a dummy code that increases lifespan and life force similar to the ¡®Curse of Familial Subordination¡¯, but there was no way for me to execute that code. It¡¯s a real shame. I¡¯ve never experienced his world firsthand, so I can¡¯t understand it completely, but I can roughly grasp his meaning. In short, there is no way for me to increase my lifespan and life force currently. Well, I¡¯m unsure why, but lately there have been numerous errors in the prophetic book, so maybe there might be some hope... ¡°Young Master, what are you thinking about?¡± ¡°...N-nothing.¡± I had been contemplating for some time. Only after noticing Kania¡¯s worried expression did I come to my senses. I think it would be better to focus on the current situation rather than having vague hopes for something that was built on ideas with no particular foundation. ¡°Next report, about tracking the scroll merchant...¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t locate him, correct?¡± ¡°...Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t.¡± Kania lowered her head in shame. I sighed and spoke again to reassure her. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not trying to rebuke you.¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°In the first place, he might not be someone we can locate.¡± If the person we are looking for is the one who sold the scroll to the Demon King in the finale of the second ordeal... maybe this was a hopeless investigation from the beginning. I made Kania search for an anonymous person who was even able to deceive the Demon King all by himself. ¡°Then... would you like for me to abandon the search?¡± ¡°No, let¡¯s increase our efforts, even if the expenditure and risk increases.¡± Still, we can¡¯t just concede. After all, lazy folks were never graced by victory. ¡°Alright, now, for the final report.¡± Kania cleared her throat and began to report again after her inquiry. ¡°The Church recently withdrew the requirements for volunteer work at the orphanage.¡± ¡°Huh? Why... Ah.¡± My expression became puzzled in response to those words. I then recalled that I had ordered Dmir Khan, the Second-in-Command of the Demon King¡¯s army, to pressurize the Pope. ¡°It was a result of my actions. To be honest, volunteering was fun... but the chances of getting caught were far too high.¡± ¡°It was the correct decision. The orphanage is full of staff anyway, so it won¡¯t result in any issues if the Young Master doesn¡¯t volunteer.¡± With a smile on my face, I briefly glanced at Kania before speaking. ¡°Let¡¯s create a charity later.¡± ¡°...A charity?¡± As Kania frowned in response to those words, I spoke in a cold sweat. ¡°No, that¡¯s... Originally the plan was only to donate to the orphanage, but whenever I went to perform volunteer work, it felt so pleasing to see the smiling faces of the children. There are also other reasons...¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah, so, if the circumstances allow for it, a charity...¡± ¡°...Do we have any capital?¡± I replied with a confident expression on my face. ¡°There is still a large sum of secret funds that my father has provided me. If it¡¯s insufficient, I¡¯ll acquire the rest by robbing the Demon King¡¯s treasury.¡± ¡°...the Demon King¡¯s army won¡¯t do anything?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m receiving funds from various different sources. It¡¯s obviously dirty money, so I¡¯m a little reluctant, but I wondered if I could use it for a good cause...¡± ¡°Sigh...¡± In response to my words, Kania heaved a sigh and spoke. ¡°I understand what you are saying. However, unlike an orphanage, a charitable foundation requires several times greater time and manpower.¡± ¡°I understand that if we rush setting it up, the setup could go awry. I¡¯d like to set up the foundation slowly over time...¡± ¡°Alright.¡± As Kania replied and wrote in her notebook, I spoke with a worried expression. ¡°If it¡¯s too difficult, don¡¯t overdo it. I can assist with the charitable foundation so if you just focus on the orphanage...¡± ¡°If I entrusted such a thing to an idiot who said that creating a charity foundation would heal him rather than spending money for his own needs, we¡¯re sure to run into problems. So, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Kania smiled as she uttered those words. ¡°Thank you, Kania. I¡¯ll do my best to deal with the cleanup and administration.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me. I¡¯m your aide.¡± As Kania bowed and spoke, she immediately inquired with a sharp gaze. ¡°By the way, what is that ¡®other issue¡¯?¡± ¡°...Oh, that?¡± I flinched briefly in response to those words. I averted my gaze and spoke. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter, so...¡± ¡°Tell me, Young Master. I need to know everything to assist you.¡± ¡°...If we set up a foundation, the main scenario in the future will become much easier.¡± In response, Kania inquired with a puzzled expression. ¡°No, I¡¯m not afraid...¡± ¡°You¡¯re a villain. You deserve to die. So, there¡¯s nothing wrong with using you. Rather, it¡¯s for the benefit of society.¡± ¡°Hey, Lulu? Can you hear me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not guilty. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong... uh...¡± Lulu didn¡¯t seem to care even as I waved my hand in her face. She spoke to herself when suddenly, a panicked expression materialized on her face. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything...? I did do something.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°M-My misfortune enveloped all the students... This attack was because of my curse... because of my misfortune, everyone almost died...¡± A deep wound began to form on Lulu¡¯s body once those words were uttered. ¡°It¡¯s my fault... It¡¯s because of me... I should just die. I¡¯m trash. Because of me, innocent children...¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. I¡¯ll explain why, so listen to me for a moment...¡± ¡°It¡¯s all my fault!!!¡± I tried to converse with her somehow, but she wouldn¡¯t talk to me at all. ¡°Lulu, please listen... GAH!¡± ¨C Crunch... Crunch... ¡°All... it¡¯s all my fault... hehe...¡± The moment I spoke to her with a glimmer of hope in me, an unknown grip began to pressure me. ¡°I must die... Yes, if I don¡¯t die, the world will be in danger... So, one day, soon...¡± ¨C Clank!!! The chains that Kania had summoned enclosed Lulu after an unknown force lifted me into the air. ¡°...Pooh!¡± The unknown force released me from the grip and dropped me to the floor once Lulu was chained and lifted into the air. ¡°Young Master! Are you alright?¡± ¨C Schluk! Schluk! ¡°It hurts, it hurts, it hurts... It hurts...¡± I stood with the support of Kania who had sprinted towards me with a pale face. I noticed Lulu being shackled and raised in the air, her body visibly being torn apart by invisible knives as her blood percolated from her newly produced orifices. ¨C Whoosh... ¡°...Oh my god.¡± In the next moment, all the weapons in the subconscious space materialized in the air and pointed at me and Kania. ¡°Because I have to endure this insurmountable pain... I just desire death.¡± ¡°Young Master, brace yourself.¡± When an ominous noise was emitted from between Lulu¡¯s lips, Kania, who had been observing the situation anxiously until then, whispered to me. ¡°I think we need to make an emergency escape.¡± ¨C Whoosh!! As Kania uttered those words, the weapons in the air began gravitating towards us all at once. ¨C Craaack!! In response, Kania released black mana from her body and distorted the space around us. ¡°Ahhhh...¡± ¡°Hold on a little longer, Young Master.¡± Kania whispered to me in a soft voice as I was grinding my teeth while enduring the excruciating pain. ¨C Crack! Crack! Kania held me in her arms. I gazed in Lulu¡¯s direction before slowly losing my consciousness. ¡°I have to die... but...¡± The weapons Lulu had summoned with the intent of eviscerating her and us came to a halt before shredding her body. ¡°Gasp... Gasp...¡± I opened my eyes to the floor of the mansion, heavily gasping for air. ¡°Young Master! Are you alright!?¡± ¡°...Just barely.¡± Normally, I would have attempted to reassure Kania by stating there was nothing to worry about, but this was one instance in which I couldn¡¯t. It felt as if my body was being torn apart by the unfathomable pain while I was being squeezed by an immense grip. ¡°Kania, are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± Due to the immense pain paralyzing me momentarily, I belatedly inquired about Kania¡¯s safety. She stared at me with a worried expression and spoke. ¡°In truth, the emergency evacuation was designed for only one person to escape... If the Young Master escapes with me, it is natural for problems to occur.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± I nodded my head blankly in response, then glanced at Lulu lying unconscious on the bed and fell deep in thought. ¡°So, what are you planning to do?¡± After contemplating for what felt like eternity, Kania quietly inquired. ¡°Using her subconscious as confirmation, we can affirm that Lulu is currently in a poor mental state, is that correct?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°And, the reason is because of the ¡®stigma of misfortune¡¯ enveloping her. You agree with this statement, right?¡± ¡°Yes, but why do you keep asking questions like that...¡± I watched as Kania tilted her head as she inquired. I quickly signed and replied to her inquiry. ¡°...Well, there¡¯s only one solution.¡± Kania frowned deeply and spoke. ¡°T-Then the Young Master will be penalized...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to regulate the amount.¡± I responded calmly and added in a low voice as her face began to configure an expression of bewilderment in regards to my absurd idea. ¡°...It¡¯ll be alright.¡± . . . . . ¡°Ugh...¡± Lulu, who was lying flat on the bed, struggled to open her eyes. ¡°I want to die...¡± She muttered the usual words she uttered everytime she woke up and began to groan as she tried to get up. ¡°Are you finally awake?¡± ¡°...Huh!?¡± She scrambled back with a startled expression on her face upon noticing me beside her. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t move. You¡¯ll get injured again.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± She questioned me while wearing a bewildered expression on her face when I spoke to her in a soft voice in contrast to my customary cursing. ¡°Is your arm alright? It was injured, so I took it upon myself to treat it.¡± ¡°Uh...¡± In response to those words, Lulu gazed down at her arm and found a luxurious bandage covering her arm. She inquired with a trembling voice. ¡°W-why are you being nice to me...?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Hearing that, I... ¡°What are you saying...¡± responded while stroking Lulu¡¯s head with an expression suggesting that it was only natural for me to do so. ¡°...If my pet gets hurt, her value will decrease.¡± The time has come to save her. Chapter 84: Stockholm Syndrome ? Stockholm Syndrome ? ¡°M-My value...?¡± ¡°Yes, your value.¡± Frey glanced at Lulu with a soft smile. She replied with a blank expression, inducing Frey to smile subsequently and speak. ¡°You are my possession, my precious asset. If you were to get injured, the value of my assets will decrease. Therefore, I have to treat you well to maintain your pristine condition.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Frey grabbed Lulu¡¯s left arm, inducing a loud cry. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Does it hurt?¡± ¡°Oh, that... that...¡± ¡°Oh dear, your left arm is a mess too.¡± Frey retrieved a bandage that was lying on the bed and used it to envelope Lulu¡¯s arm. ¡°This bandage is a high-quality product, so just using it to cover your wound will cease the bleeding and heal your wound. A minor injury such as yours will heal rapidly.¡± ¡°Oh... t-thank you...¡± ¡°Now then, don¡¯t try to injure yourself.¡± As Lulu expressed gratitude towards Frey with an awkward expression, Frey patted her hair and whispered faintly. ¡°If you keep doing things to hurt yourself and your value as a product decreases, I¡¯d have no choice but to throw you away.¡± ¡°N-No...!¡± Lulu hurriedly parted her lips in response to those words. ¡°P-Please don¡¯t discard me... Please, please...¡± ¡°Why? Are you afraid of being abandoned?¡± Lulu responded with an expression of terror as Frey inquired with a grin on his face. ¡°I-I don¡¯t want to be thrown away...¡± ¡°Well, our Lulu has been abandoned numerous times now, hasn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Y-Yes?¡± Frey spoke with a cold expression plastered on his face as Lulu widened her eyes in response to his words. ¡°You¡¯re a child who brought disaster to her parents. You were abandoned as a result. Your friends are always suffering and a kind nun who attempted to assist you is now in a coma, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Ahhh...¡± As Frey began to recite painful memories from her past, Lulu¡¯s expression transformed into one of despair. ¡°I-I¡¯ll do anything... If you just take me in, please...¡± ¡°Beg.¡± ¡°Please raise me... Please.¡± Lulu immediately bowed her head. Strange emotions once again emerged as Frey stroked her hair. ¡°Anyways, do you know why I said these things?¡± Frey suddenly paused as he was stroking Lulu¡¯s hair and whispered in her ear in a low voice. ¡°If even I discard you, you¡¯re finished. You understand that too, correct?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Being presented with an irrefutable fact, Lulu nodded her head obediently despite being well aware that she could be discarded at any given moment. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re not a human, you¡¯re a pet. You¡¯re my pet.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Even if I¡¯m the greatest moron in the Empire, even if I¡¯m scum and a villain, you¡¯re going to love me as I raise you as my pet, right?¡± ¡°...Ye-Yes.¡± Lulu stuttered slightly in response to Frey¡¯s words, inciting him to raise his hand. ¡°Hiiii...!¡± ¡°Huh? Did you think I was going to beat you?¡± Lulu blankly stared at Frey as he gently placed a hand on her shoulder instead of assaulting her. ¡°As I stated before, you are my property, so I won¡¯t treat you poorly.¡± ¡°Ah.....¡± ¡°But, if you don¡¯t want to be that, then...¡± Lulu gulped her saliva in agitation as Frey¡¯s expression became chilly. ¡°Why did you just stutter, Lulu?¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s... so...¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to be my pet?¡± ¡°No, no that¡¯s...¡± ¡°I see... Do you want to be abandoned again?¡± Lulu shouted with a pale, exhausted face, in response to those words. ¡°I-I¡¯ll do it! I¡¯ll be your pet! Please...!?¡± As Frey¡¯s hand approached the buttons on her clothes, she stared at him with anxiety written on her face. ¡°Pets don¡¯t rebel against their owners. That¡¯s common sense.¡± ¡°Uhhhhhh...¡± Lulu bowed her head and emitted a strange moan as Frey unbuttoned her clothes gradually. -Rustle... Frey continued to unbutton Lulu¡¯s clothes. He laid her on her bed slowly and stood over her upon finishing. ¡°Chu.¡± ¡°...Umm.¡± Frey stared down at her silently before inserting his tongue in between her lips. ¡°Umm...¡± Lulu laid under Frey while blushing. She could feel his hand as they slowly crawled lower and lower. She unwittingly attempted to halt his advance with her own hand. ¡®...If you want to survive, you have to submit.¡¯ She held back her tears and released the strength in her hands. ¡°Pwha...¡± In response, Frey shifted away from her. ¡°Good. It looks like you¡¯re completely submissive to me. You didn¡¯t even attempt stop my hand.¡± ¡°Ye-Yes...¡± Lulu could barely hear her own response over the thunderous beating of her own heart. Frey buttoned her clothes and whispered in a faint voice. ¡°If you resisted, I planned to break every limb in your body and dispose of you in the back alley... it¡¯s a relief you submitted.¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± If it was any other person who uttered those words, it could be considered a joke. However, the person in question was Frey, those words sounded realistic when uttered by him. Lulu turned pale as she quietly contemplated what would have happened to her if she had stopped Frey¡¯s hand. ¡°Hmm... But what is with these clothes?¡± ¡°Y-yes?¡± Frey had been staring at Lulu as if she were some cute pet. His expression suddenly turned into a frown and he inquired. ¡°The clothes you¡¯re wearing now are far too shabby for my precious pet.¡± Frey clapped his hands and Kania, who had been waiting outside in advance, entered the room. ¡°Kania, bring the most fashionable women¡¯s clothes in our mansion.¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡± ¡°Oh, and jewels and accessories as well.¡± In response to those words, Kania nodded and swiftly exited the room. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Eat what you want to eat, and if you don¡¯t like it or can¡¯t eat anymore, just discard it.¡± Lulu stared at Frey with a puzzled expression in response to his words. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, do you not like the food? I was wondering how the chefs I hired in a hurry today would perform, but they must be terrible at their jobs.¡± Noticing her hesitance, Frey frowned and stood up. Lulu hurriedly grasped onto him and spoke. ¡°N-No! I¡¯m happy! It¡¯s great!¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s a relief. Now I won¡¯t have to deal with the chefs.¡± Frey smiled and sat beside Lulu. ¡°Come on, say ¡°ah¡±.¡± ¡°Y-Yes?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Isn¡¯t it normal for masters to feed their pets?¡± When Frey inquired with a puzzled expression, Lulu quickly nodded her head and parted her lips. ¡°Ahh...¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, good girl.¡± Frey slid in a slice of steak in Lulu¡¯s mouth with a pleased smile on his face. He gently stroked Lulu¡¯s head as she chewed the steak and questioned her. ¡°How is it, does it taste good?¡± ¡°Yes... it¡¯s delicious.¡± Lulu replied sincerely for the very first time as she responded to Frey¡¯s question. She had been abandoned by her parents when she was a child and lacked even a single friend. Food as luxurious as this was a completely new experience for her, she had never tasted a delicacy as exquisite in her life. ¡°Okay then, next.¡± ¡°Ahhh...¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯ve adapted well.¡± Lulu, who initially submitted to Frey¡¯s demands out of fear, fell in love with the mountain of delicacies that slowly melted in her mouth. ¡°Oh, you got something on your cheek.¡± ¡°...uhm.¡± Frey wiped Lulu¡¯s mouth with his hand and smiled. ¡°Now you know how to eat a meal, right?¡± ¡°Y-Yes...¡± ¡°Yes, then eat well.¡± Lulu questioned Frey with a bewildered expression on her face as Frey stood up. ¡°Uh, where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m already full. Eat as much of the food as you want, and leave what remains as leftovers.¡± ¡°W-wait a minute!¡± Lulu hurriedly called out to Frey as he tried to ascend the stairs. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Lulu?¡± ¡°Uh... So... If I don¡¯t eat all this food, you¡¯ll just throw them away... Isn¡¯t that too much of a waste?¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°So... for our next meal... I thought we could use magic to send the leftover food to an orphanage...¡± Frey flinched and his expression became frigid in response to Lulu¡¯s suggestion. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m... sorry...¡± ¡°Lulu, there¡¯s one thing you should keep in mind.¡± Frey arrived before her and gazed down at her with frigid eyes. ¡°It¡¯s quite presumptuous for a pet to suggest something to its owner.¡± ¡°Uh, uh...¡± ¡°A pet¡¯s only goal is to be blissful as it receives affection and attention from its owner.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Lulu shriveled and struggled to muster a brief reply. Frey patted her chin for a brief moment before stepping back and speaking. ¡°After you finish eating, head to the bathroom on the second floor. There is hot water there for you to wash yourself.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Frey spoke as he ascended the stairs to the upper floor. Lulu tilted her head in response to the words he uttered. ¡°Keeping oneself clean is a basic task pets should perform, so ensure you are keeping yourself clean in the future.¡± Frey opened the door to his room and went inside. ¡°........¡± Lulu was left alone in the quiet dining room, carefully cutting the steak in front of her with a knife and fork. ¡°...Tasty.¡± Lulu left the dining hall after spending a great deal of time there. . . . . . ¡°Wow...¡± As Lulu entered the bathroom, her mouth was agape in response to the sight visible before her eyes. She was under the assumption that it¡¯d be a normal bathroom. Instead, the bathroom was several times larger than those within the huts and tents she previously resided in. Jewels adorned the walls and various components of the bathroom. ¨C Bubble Bubble... Lulu¡¯s mouth hung agape for some time. She glanced down at the bubbles surfacing from within the depths of the water and instantaneously lost her train of thought. ¡°Oh my god...¡± The bathtub full of bubbles was filled with high-quality potions. -Riiiiple... ¡°...¡± Following her momentary hesitation, Lulu entered the bathtub and fell deep into thought as she watched as all the scars and markings on her body that were byproducts of her self-harm vanished in an instant. ¡®Don¡¯t be fooled... he¡¯s a villain. It¡¯s not that he really loves me, he¡¯s just taking care of his property...¡¯ Before arriving here, she had witnessed a chef staggering out of the mansion. When she asked Kania what was going on, she received a reply coupled with an indifferent expression. ¡°When Lulu was being fed by Young Master Frey, didn¡¯t you frown because the fish was too greasy? ¡°Ho-How did you...¡± ¡°The chef who prepared it was beaten and kicked out of the mansion. Perhaps the rumors will spread and he won¡¯t be able to work as a chef anymore.¡± ¡°That¡¯s...!¡± Lulu responded with a bewildered expression. Kania whispered to her in a faint voice. ¡°Get used to it. It¡¯s like this everyday.¡± Lulu muttered with a determined expression on her face as she recalled Kania¡¯s words. ¡°Yes, Frey is just a villain. I just need to use him to get rid of this curse.¡± Lulu glanced down at her own body that had been cleansed as her expression slowly changed. ¡°I just have to do that...¡± Although in a different form, Lulu received affection for the first time since being abandoned by her parents. She questioned herself with a trembling voice. ¡°...But why do I feel like this?¡± The bubbling bath water embraced her warmly. Chapter 85: An Invitation ? An Invitation ? ¡°Are you done taking a bath?¡± ¡°Hiik!¡± Lulu emerged from the bathroom after having immersed herself in the warm bathwater mixed with high quality potions. Frey glanced at her as he strolled through the hallway and inquired. ¡°It looks like your wounds haven¡¯t fully healed yet, you should stay in there longer.¡± ¡°I...that...that¡¯s...¡± Lulu, who was only wearing a towel, blushed heavily as Frey approached her. ¡°Come here. I¡¯ll wrap your arm with the bandage again.¡± ¡°M-My clothes...¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s nothing.¡± It was impossible to discern whether or not Frey noticed Lulu¡¯s embarrassment as he wore a nonchalant expression. He suddenly took out a bandage and reached out to Lulu¡¯s arm. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you had too many injuries, but not even the high quality potions were sufficient in healing your arm.¡± Frey caressed Lulu¡¯s scarred arm gently as he spoke. It was a stark contrast to Frey¡¯s usual demeanor. He was often found cursing at people on a regular basis and brutally assaulting Kania. ¡°Ow.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, does it hurt?¡± Frey gently caressed her arm for some time before she released a pained groan as he touched his arm. He questioned her with worry embedded in his voice. ¡°I-It¡¯s nothing. This much pain is...¡± ¡°Kania, bring some medicine here.¡± Lulu¡¯s firm desire was to quickly go change as she was wrapped in only a bath towel. However, Frey persisted in grasping her arm and provided Kania with a command. ¡°I knew you would ask for it, so I already brought over some medicine in advance...¡± Kania, who had been on standby in the hallway, appeared with a bottle of medicine. She froze when she noticed the nearly naked Lulu. ¡°Kania. The medicine.¡± ¡°Y-Yes I understand.¡± Kania quickly handed the vial to Frey after overcoming her shock. Her actions hastened due to Frey¡¯s frigid glare and she quickly descended the stairs afterwards. ¡°Master Frey, your concern is appreciated, but please let me wear some cloth...heut!¡± Lulu¡¯s trembling words were cut off when she felt Frey applying ointment to her arm. The cold feeling of the ointment induced a shiver in her body. ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll be the one to apply medicine to your arm.¡± Frey smiled gently and spoke as he applied the ointment to Lulu¡¯s arm. ¡°.....I understand.¡± Lulu decided to agree to all of Frey¡¯s demands upon seeing his benign smile. After all, having her wounds be treated was advantageous for herself as well. ¡°So, from now on, don¡¯t hurt yourself. Alright?¡± Frey spoke with a worried expression on his face as he finished applying the ointment and started wrapping a bandage around Lulu¡¯s slender arm. ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°Oh, my apologies. It¡¯s cold right? Let me take you to your room.¡± As Lulu continued to tremble at the mysterious sensation induced by the medicine and the bandage brought, Frey spoke swiftly and grasped onto her hand. He dragged her towards the hallway and began walking. ¡°Master Frey, this isn¡¯t the way to my room.¡± However, the direction Frey began walking towards, was in the complete opposite direction of where Lulu¡¯s room was. ¡°Just a while ago, you would¡¯ve been correct, but not anymore.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lulu tilted her head in confusion in response to the eerie reply. ¡°From now on, this is the room you¡¯ll be staying in.¡± ¡°Haa....¡± Lulu could only understand the meaning of his words once Frey came to a halt and opened the door to a room. ¡°How is it? Do you like it?¡± The room was several times larger than the dormitory she had been living in, and was decorated luxuriously. ¡°Then...from now on, will I be living with the other servants?¡± Lulu scanned the room in shock and noticed all her belongings had been brought here. ¡°No, this is a room just for you.¡± ¡°What!?¡± Lulu¡¯s eyes widened in shock as Frey responded with a calm expression on his face. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± ¡°Wa-Wait...¡± Lulu could only watch as Frey left the room before she could even speak. Soon silence descended upon the room. ¡°W-What¡¯s going on?¡± The only words that resonated in the room was Lulu¡¯s dumbfounded murmuring. . . . . Time passed and the sun was beginning to set. ¡°Phew...¡± Lulu laid on her new bed and recollected all the events of the past day. The corner of Frey¡¯s lips lifted into a smile and he added a frigid statement. ¡°And for ¡®that¡¯ role, Kania, Irina, and the people in the cellar are enough.¡± In response to his chilling statement, Lulu stared at him with a terrified expression. Frey only glanced at her with curious eyes and spoke in a soft voice. ¡°Anyway, the attitude you displayed was very good. I¡¯ll compliment you for that.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± ¡°Lulu, what should you do if you receive a compliment?¡± ¡°Uh, say... thank you?¡± Lulu looked into Frey¡¯s eyes as she responded unconfidently. Frey glanced back with satisfaction in his eyes and spoke. ¡°Good girl. Even if I don¡¯t give you a command, you¡¯ll behave well, right?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Good girl.¡± Lulu questioned him in a quiet voice as Frey smiled again. ¡°But... why are you here then?¡± ¡°I just came to say good night before going to bed.¡± Frey gently laid Lulu on the bed, kissed her on the lips, and whispered alluringly. ¡°Good night, Lulu.¡± Having said so with a smile, Frey turned around and began to leave the room. ¡®Wait... Then, what¡¯s the next misfortune?¡¯ Lulu began to panic in confusion. She expected herself to be sadistically tortured and cruelly harassed, but nothing like that occurred. Now, she was awaiting a misfortune to occur that she could not foresee. ¡®What... what... what¡¯s going on...¡¯ Despite experiencing the greatest bliss in her life, Lulu began to panic again. ¨C Crunch, crunch. She attempted to draw her knife out of habit, but remembered that Frey had removed any sharp objects on her person. She resorted to biting her nails instead. ¡°Cough! Cough! Ugh...¡± ¡°...Ahh.¡± Frey, who had yet to step outside of her room, suddenly stopped walking and coughed. Lulu stopped biting her nails and stared at him blankly. ¡°...Ughh.¡± Frey flinched for a brief moment at the sight of his own hand after his spasm of coughing came to a conclusion. He silently retrieved a handkerchief from his pocket. ¨C Creaak... Frey wiped his hands off with his handkerchief and quietly opened the door before walking out. Lulu¡¯s blank expression transformed into one of horror as she fell deep into thought. ¡°...It can¡¯t be, right?¡± Her eyes trembled as she spoke. . . . . . ¡°Whew...¡± Frey was exhausted from a day filled with acting. He teamed up with Kania and Irina to set up a performance. He even gave one of the chefs he hired some money to play along and also showered Lulu with love. It was quite difficult to keep up the act, but if doing so could save that poor child, it¡¯s definitely something he had to do. ¨C Creaak.. ¡°Now, I have to contemplate what to do for my birthday...¡± I opened the door to my room and laid on my bed exhausted. I tried to fall asleep as I organized my thoughts. However... ¡°Hooot!!¡± ¡°Hiss!!¡± ¡°...What is this nonsense...¡± When I came to the realization that my room had transformed into a battlefield, I stared blankly for some time. ¡°Meow...! Meow...!¡± The cat doll, who was constantly being pecked by Serena¡¯s white owl, cried out and grasped my leg. ¡°If you keep doing this it won¡¯t... Huh?¡± I attempted to reason with the owl who was assaulting the cat doll but noticed a letter on my desk. I hastened my steps towards my desk with widened eyes. ¡®What could be written here? New information? A new plan? Or...¡¯ I finally grabbed the letter and tore open the envelope as my thoughts raced ceaselessly. ¡°...Eh?¡± Disappointment grew on his face when he noticed that there was only a since there was only a single miniscule note in the envelope. ¡®Well, Serena is also very busy these days.¡¯ I knew exactly how busy Serena was currently. She has to determine the location of the runaway Secret Head, work on the foundations to completely acquire the Moonlight Family, and also worry about the contents of the letter from Clana. Therefore, a note of this size wasn¡¯t out of the ordinary. ¡°Huh...?¡± I immediately froze as I tried to calm myself down and read the contents of the note. My parents aren¡¯t home. Clearly, I have to go out tonight. Chapter 86: The Moons Gift ? The Moon¡¯s Gift ? ¡°Hooot!¡± ¡°Hiiis!¡± Serena¡¯s white owl began to rapidly descend upon the cat doll who grasped my leg while trembling. Despite the disadvantage, the cat doll did not surrender. It attempted to throw kitty punches at the owl but since it was just a cat doll and not a real cat, the attempts to harm the owl were irrelevant. ¡°Meooooooow...¡± The cat doll¡¯s meaningless resistance did not stop it from being captured by the owl. The owl¡¯s claws grabbed the cat doll and carried it into the air. An audible cry of despair reverberated throughout the room. ¡°Hmmm... my hair keeps sticking on end.¡± Ignoring the bloody battle occurring in the background, I fiddled with my hair while glancing at the mirror. I muttered and smiled to myself. ¡°What should I get for Serena?¡± Serena is someone who has devoted herself to me. Not bringing her a gift would be disrespectful. ¡°Kitty, what should I bring her?¡± After sitting down and contemplating for some time, I questioned the cat doll who I had rescued from the clutches of Serena¡¯s owl. ¡°Yes, that¡¯ll do... uhh.¡± As I smiled and spoke after a great idea came to mind, my mouth was covered by the paw of the cat doll. ¡°Meow.¡± With a sullen expression on its face, the doll turned its head and slipped out of my grasp. ¡°....Huh?¡± In the next moment, it suddenly vanished. I definitely saw the doll leaving my grasp, so where had it gone? ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll play with you again next time.¡± I assumed that the cat doll had hidden somewhere since it liked to hide in dark places such as nooks and crannies. This included hiding somewhere in my clothes. ¡°Hoot!¡± ¡°...Yes, let¡¯s go.¡± The owl then perched on my shoulder. It settled down and began to rub its cheeks against my face. It was strange to see such a violent owl suddenly attempt to show affection. This was however, still preferred over being pecked at, so I ignored the change in temperament. ¡°Frey? Where...?¡± I was lost in my thoughts as I left the room. I noticed Irina passing by in the hallway when she called out to me with a confused expression on her face. ¡°I have some business to attend to.¡± ¡°...¡± Irina¡¯s expression turned pale in response to my words. She was clearly traumatized by what happened the last time I had stated something similar and went to visit the Demon King¡¯s Army. ¡°I¡¯ll return some time tomorrow morning, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Irina quietly nodded while swallowing her saliva nervously. Her eyes widened as she suddenly noticed the owl perched on my shoulder. ¡°Hey, that owl...¡± ¡°Hoot!¡± Irina¡¯s approach came to a halt as the owl glared fiercely at Irina. It began to rapidly peck at my face, necessitating an increase in the pace I had been walking. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll leave the rest to you. Especially Lulu, make sure she doesn¡¯t do anything rash.¡± ¡°...Alright.¡± Irina¡¯s face darkened as I left her with those words and headed towards the exit to the mansion. ¡°...Why do I sense traces of dark mana?¡± I paid no heed to the words that Irina seemed to be muttering since I was in a hurry to leave. . . . . . ¡°...Hehe.¡± In her room in the Moonlight family mansion, Serena grinned as she held the letter. I¡¯m safe. I escaped safely. It was a letter Frey had sent her a week ago. I love you. ¡°Me too...¡± Serena repeated the words that Frey had written and smiled dazedly. She suddenly sensed a presence in the yard and sprinted towards the window. ¡°He¡¯s here...!¡± She noticed Frey getting off of the carriage. ¡°...Hehe.¡± Serena began to prepare a minor prank as she watched Frey enter the mansion with a slightly awkward expression on his face. ¨C Spark... ¡°Alright, let¡¯s try it.¡± Ever since childhood, she often played pranks on Frey. One of her favorite pranks was to pretend to stab Frey with a fake poisoned stinger. She, of course, had no intention of hurting Frey, so she devised a magic that made Frey feel a minute sting. Thanks to the magic, the younger Frey would ask her desperately for an antidote with a pale face. Of course, after his change in demeanor, I couldn¡¯t play those kinds of pranks on him anymore. But now, perhaps I may be able to see his cute side once more. Because last time was an emergency situation, I had to provide the ¡®antidote¡¯ immediately. Things would be different this time however. ¨C Knock, Knock Serena smiled at Frey and questioned him as she held the cat by its stomach. ¡°Can I have this?¡± ¡°Sorry... that¡¯s a precious doll to me.¡± ¡°...I see, that¡¯s unfortunate.¡± As Frey shook his head with an apologetic expression, Serena mumbled and began to stare into the cat doll¡¯s eyes. ¡°Regardless, I have a present for you.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Serena followed the cat doll¡¯s eyes as it eagerly averted its gaze. When Frey spoke in a hushed voice, she redirected her gaze towards him with a blank expression. ¡°H-How is it?¡± ¡°This...¡± Frey blushed faintly as he held out a star-shaped crystal glistening in silver. ¡°It was made by gathering my stellar mana. I used my stellar magic that awakened recently.¡± ¡°Ah.......¡± ¡°Was I too rude? Sorry, you called so suddenly, so I didn¡¯t have time to prepare a gift...¡± As Serena stared at it with a blank expression on her face, Frey broke into a cold sweat and began making excuses. ¡°...It¡¯s the best gift ever.¡± Serena¡¯s face glowed crimson as she spoke quickly while embracing the twinkling star-shaped crystal. ¡°MEOWWW...¡± ¡°...So, what did you call me for?¡± Frey and Serena remained silently blushing for a long time afterwards. The pitiful sound produced by the cat doll broke the silence and elicited their continued conversation. ¡°Didn¡¯t it become your birthday a couple hours ago?¡± ¡°Yeah, why?¡± ¡°I called you here because I wanted to give you a birthday present.¡± Frey questioned her with a mysterious expression upon hearing Serena¡¯s words. ¡°But, my birthday party hosted by the imperial family will be held soon, right? You could just give it to me then...¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± As she uttered those words, Serena placed the cat doll she held onto a high shelf. She grasped Frey¡¯s hand and began to lead him into her room. ¡°What are you trying to give me...?¡± Frey, who was suddenly being dragged along by her, froze as he realized where they were headed. ¡°...Ow!¡± ¡°...Me.¡± After verbalizing that sound, Serena grabbed the blanket beside her and spread it about, enveloping both herself and Frey. ¡°...Meow.¡± According to the cat doll who observed them, they didn¡¯t emerge from under the blanket for a long time. . . . . . ¡°Frey, I can feel your heartbeat.¡± ¡°...I can feel yours too.¡± Serena embraced me under the duvet. Thanks to the close proximity, I could hear her breathing and the rhythmic beating of her heart. Her curvaceous body came in contact with mine, allowing me to feel her shape. ¡°Then, let¡¯s begin...¡± ¡°Uh, uh...¡± Serena spoke shyly as she stared at me. I swallowed my saliva and reached out to her. ¡°...Preparing to give you the real birthday present you¡¯ll need.¡± ¡°What?¡± As she held my hand, her expression suddenly morphed into a serious one as she began to speak. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Do you feel cramped? But, we have to be thorough.¡± ¡°What the hell...¡± ¡°...Of course, I was contemplating making fun of the naughty cat.¡± I stared at Serena who continued to grapple me and emit distinct, incomprehensible sounds. I immediately began to urge her to hurry up by poking her sides. ¡°So, what are you trying to tell me?¡± ¡°H-hii!¡± Serena involuntarily released a moan when I poked her side. It was her only weakness since childhood. She whispered with a rosy cheek. ¡°T-the reason I knew the truth about you... and what you need to know.¡± I had a nervous expression on my face when I heard her words, but when I heard Serena¡¯s subsequent words, my mouth shot open. ¡°Do you have a ¡®prophecy¡¯?¡± ¡°How do you... how do you know uhh..?¡± Serena clasped my mouth shut to prevent my raised voice from saying anything further. She whispered to me with a cautious voice. ¡°I have it too.¡± ¡°What?¡± When I questioned her in disbelief, Serena spoke to me again in a clear tone. ¡°I also have the prophecy for this regression.¡± Chapter 87: The Promise ? Promise ? ¡°How do you know about that?¡± Hearing Serena¡¯s remarks in shock, I questioned her while her hand still covered my mouth.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com ¡°...Who knows?¡± She responded the same way she would since childhood. ¡°Try guessing... hnngh!!¡± I poked Serena¡¯s sides as she continued to tease me. Her triumphant face vanished as she began to moan again. ¡°...Didn¡¯t you say we had to be quiet?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let out these kinds of noises as loud as I want.¡± As I questioned her with uncertainty, she responded with words that I could not discern the meaning of. ¡°Here¡¯s a hint, he¡¯s the person you admire the most in the world.¡± Thanks to the way she was acting, I began to pout slightly. In response, Serena ceased her teasing and began to speak seriously. ¡°...Did my father give it to you?¡± Serena silently nodded her head as I responded quickly to the clear hint she had provided me. ¡°That¡¯s right. But, he didn¡¯t give it to me directly.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°To understand that, we need to travel back in time a bit.¡± Serena cleared her throat and began to speak again. ¡°It was when I first got my memory back.¡± ¡°When you got your memories back...¡± ¡°Yeah, it was right before I went on a trip abroad.¡± As I listened to her, I felt a chill up my spine as I recalled the penalty that occurred on the first day I regressed. That was one of the most excruciating experiences I¡¯ve ever experienced. ¡°As soon as my memory returned, I was certain. There¡¯s something I hadn¡¯t figured out about you.¡± Serena¡¯s face darkened slightly as she spoke. ¡°So, before I left, I contacted the spy I planted in your mansion.¡± ¡°Wait, there was a spy?¡± Serena responded with a gentle smile when I questioned her with a surprised expression. ¡°She often rode on the carriage...She¡¯s the child who defended the Starlight Mansion until the very end during the previous timeline... Do you remember?¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± In response to her words, I recalled a maid I had spoken to when I had heard Aria¡¯s screams while at the mansion a few months prior. ¡°Well, she was unusually competent.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look so betrayed. You did a lot of terrible things in the previous timeline, so I had to figure out your actions in advance and help resolve them afterwards.¡± When I displayed a timid expression in response to those words, she continued her speech immediately with a serious expression. ¡°Anyways, I contacted her with a communication crystal and asked if anything had occurred at the Starlight mansion.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°She informed me that the head of the household, Abraham, had unexpectedly fallen into coma.¡± Serena uttered those words with a sharp glint in her eyes. ¡°And... she informed me there was a large amount of papers left beneath the fireplace.¡± Only then did I fully understand the situation. The moment I returned, my father had his memories erased by the system. During that grace period provided by the system, my father wrote a letter that made me emotional. Perhaps the reason my father passed out at that time was due to the memory overwrite, and what he burned in the fireplace was the information regarding the bank account that he had left for. ¡°She stole the papers from the fireplace and sent them to me.¡± ¡°Then... did you figure out the password to the bank account? ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, I deciphered it in 5 minutes as a means of relaxing as I travelled.¡± Serena¡¯s expression immediately hardened as she continued to speak. ¡°In the rolls of paper your father tried to burn, there was a prophecy written.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°It was very difficult to decipher since it was burned in several places and written in the characters left by the Hero from millennium ago. However, since I decided that there was some hidden meaning, I searched through the ruins of the western continent and slowly deciphered the prophecy.¡± ¡°Is that... possible?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t impossible.¡± While I stared blankly at Serena who shrugged, Serena turned serious again and began to organise her narrative. ¡°Anyways, the Hero, the system, the penalty, your fate as a false evil... After seeing these words, I was almost certain of your identity. And after that, you know the rest.¡± I muttered in confusion in response to those words. ¡°Then, what prophetic book do I have? Is my prophecy also enchanted? And... why did my father have it... why did he try to destroy it...¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ll find out when the restoration is done.¡± ¡°Restoration?¡± ¡°Yes, some of the contents were lost when the prophecy was burned, and the sealing magics became more complicated. So I am slowly restoring it every night.¡± Serena spoke quietly while grasping my hand firmly. ¡°Of course, you must have determined the reason why I am only able to do it at night, correct?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± In response to her words, my expression became hollow, and Serena burst out in laughter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but because of the curse of ¡®Familial Subordination¡¯, I can¡¯t help it.¡± ¡°Curse of Familial Subordination?¡± Serena spoke with sadness when I seriously inquired. ¡°Yes, the curse of subordination is designed to make people into weapons without emotions. So, originally, ¡®love¡¯ cannot be expressed at all.¡± ¡°But... why...¡± ¡°Why can I love you? It¡¯s... For some reason the curse of Familial Subordination is weakening for me.¡± Serena¡¯s eyes trembled momentarily as she replied. It seemed that Serena¡¯s subconscious feelings that she experienced during the second ordeal were real. ¡°Anyways, that¡¯s why I can love... but I can¡¯t do ¡°that¡±.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± I debated whether I should ask about the ¡®memory¡¯ that surfaced in Serena¡¯s mind. I was swiftly disappointed upon hearing the words that she spoke. ¡°So, I promise you one thing.¡± Serena raised the corners of her lips gently as she read my expression... ¡°The moment you succeed in killing the secret head or breaking my curse...¡± And whispered with a tickling voice near my ear. ¡°...I¡¯ll do it until you¡¯re satisfied.¡± I stared at her blankly for a moment upon hearing her words, then responded quietly. ¡°I¡¯ll mobilise the Demon King¡¯s army beginning tomorrow.¡± Serena grinned in response to my words, then she hugged me tightly and muttered. ¡°Let¡¯s sleep like this.¡± ¡°...Alright.¡± For some reason, I think I will be dreaming about an owl tonight. . . . . . ¡°Ugh...¡± Meanwhile, at the Imperial Palace at the same time. ¡°What... should I write?¡± Clana sat in her own room and groaned as she held her quill in her hand. Frey, why didn¡¯t you reply to the letter I sent you last time? ¡°...No, he would only be able to reply regarding the slave market case.¡± After contemplating for what felt like an eternity, Clana incinerated the letter that she had barely written on with solar mana, before retrieving a new sheet of paper. Frey, tell me what you did to me. ¡°Wait, this is displaying my ignorance. No.¡± Clana sighed after she had begun writing with a great deal of effort. She incinerated this new sheet of paper as well. Frey, I know what you¡¯ve done. Confess. ¡°...If I write something like this, what if he questions me back?¡± After a repeated cycle of writing and burning the letters, Clana realised that she was subconsciously writing something. ¡°W-What is this...¡± Clana gazed down at the letter with a mystifying gaze. Her expression became bewildered when it finally dawned on her what she had written. ¡°W-Why are my hands trembling again...¡± Her hands began to tremble again. Clana bowed and murmured to herself in response to the constant occurrence of anomalies. ¨C Knock! Knock ¡°AH!¡± She hastily spewed out solar mana to burn the letters when she heard the knock on the door. ¡°My hands are trembling again...¡± However, for some unknown reason, only a faint light radiated from her hand. It was a symptom that occurred immediately after a nightmare, and made Clana tremble with anxiety. ¡°Lady Clana, I¡¯m here to clean up.¡± ¡°Yes... I¡¯m going to take a bath for some time, so please take care of my room for me.¡± Clana eventually burned the letter with a candle in her room instead of using her solar mana. She spoke in a calm manner to the maid who had entered her room as she clasped her trembling hand in an attempt to stop the tremors. She stood up as she hid her hands behind her. ¡°Hoh.¡± The maid gazed in Clana¡¯s direction as she left the room, to ensure that Clana was gone. She quickly approached the trash can where Clana¡¯s gaze had been prior. ¨C Rustle... ¡°This...¡± Moments later, the maid found a charred letter in the trash can. She unexpectedly used recovery magic to restore the letter to its original state and raised the corners of her lips and as she muttered to herself. ¡°...I should report this to the 1st Princess.¡± In the letter she held, the following words were written: You won¡¯t leave my mind, Frey. Chapter 88: The Cat’s Hidden Thoughts ? The Cat¡¯s Hidden Thoughts ? ¡°Frey, wake up.¡± ¡°Ummm...?¡± I opened my eyes while feeling minor frustration. I saw Serena shaking me in an attempt to wake me up. ¡°You have to leave now.¡± ¡°...Already?¡± When I heard that unexpected remark, I lifted the blanket and glanced at my watch. It was just half past five in the morning. ¡°You have to leave before the sun rises.¡± ¡°Oh right.¡± I was going to protest having to leave so early, but I quickly got up. I remembered that Serena¡¯s memories would change after sunrise. ¡°Hoot.¡± As I hurriedly wore the coat that had been lying on the floor, I found the white owl with something tucked in its claws. ¡°...Oh dear.¡± I approached the owl cautiously, then retrieved the droopy cat doll and muttered to myself. ¡°Are you going to be pouting for a while?¡± How could I fix the mood of a cat doll? I wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°Serena, I had a good time last night. I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± ¡°Hold on. I have something to give you.¡± I was about to depart while deep in my thoughts when Serena suddenly put on her clothes and got up. ¡°Come here. Take it.¡± I stared at her puzzlingly as Serena offered me something. ¡°This...¡± ¡°I made it while you were asleep.¡± Moon-shaped crystals glittered in the palm of Serena¡¯s hand. ¡°Um... is it too dull?¡± ¡°...No, it¡¯s a hundred times better than the gifts I¡¯ll receive from those pretentious nobles tomorrow.¡± I quickly received the crystal from her hand as I uttered those words. Serena smiled brightly and spoke again. ¡°I¡¯ll guide you outside. I still have enough time for that.¡± ¡°Alright, thanks.¡± I replied with a soft voice and held her hand as we left the room and descended the stairs. ¡®Somehow, I felt calm...¡¯ I wasn¡¯t quite sure why exactly, but it felt like fiddling with the moon crystal that Serena had given me soothed my heart. Or perhaps it¡¯s because Serena and I were holding hands. ¡°Huh...?¡± I descended the stairs and opened the front door. As I fiddled with the moon shaped crystal, a familiar carriage caught my attention. ¡°Isn¡¯t that our family¡¯s carriage...?¡± Since I had to move quickly and in secret, I rode a public carriage found passing by on the streets rather than one of my family¡¯s carriages. But, why was our family¡¯s carriage there? ¡°...Kania?¡± The answer came to me immediately once the door of the carriage opened. ¡°Hello, Young Master.¡± I was unsure why, but Kania was sitting inside the carriage. ¡°It¡¯s time to return to the mansion.¡± After staring blankly at me for some time, Kania broke the silence with a faint voice. ¡°Oh, right.¡± Of course, she wasn¡¯t wrong. I nodded and attempted to climb into the carriage but was abruptly stopped by Serena who blocked my path and spoke with a smile. ¡°Please wait just a moment.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something us women need to discuss.¡± Serena then shut the carriage door, leaving her and a stone faced Kania inside. .... ¡°What was that all about?¡± Out of curiosity, I tried to eavesdrop by focusing stellar mana in my ears. Unfortunately, there was a barrier erected with lunar mana and black magic to ensure my eavesdropping attempts failed. What could they possibly be discussing? . . . . . ¡°Ms. Kania seems to be very loyal indeed. You even came to find him at this early hour.¡± ¡°Thank you for the compliment.¡± Even though they were sharing kind words, an uneasy chill engulfed the wagon. ¡°Oh, I heard Frey recently found a new pet¡± When that pressure began to overwhelm the inside of the carriage, Serena suddenly raised the corners of her lips and questioned Kania. ¡°Are you referring to Lulu?¡± ¡°Yes, that poor girl. How is she doing?¡± ¡°I checked up on her before I came here, and she was sleeping soundly. Of course, there were still some scars remaining from where she tore her own nails.¡± And... ¡®If I recall his reaction at that time properly, he probably already knew.¡¯ When he discovered what was hidden in the forest near the mansion, the Young Master himself stated that he had already guessed the truth. The horrifying truth about the relationship between my parents and the Young Master¡¯s mother. And yet, the Young Master¡¯s affection for me never wavered. ¡°Look at yourself. From the look on your face right now, you must be tired... It¡¯s all because you don¡¯t have sufficient life force. Therefore...¡± ¡°...Excuse me for just a moment, Young Master.¡± As my thoughts raced ceaselessly, I stood from my seat and moved beside the Young Master who was still speaking with a worried expression on his face. ¡°...Kania?¡± ¡°Apologies, Young Master.¡± As I sat beside the Young Master, I clung to him and fell deep into thought. ¡®I believed that it was a sin to even have these feelings...¡¯ My mind was overwhelmed with the feeling of guilt. That¡¯s why I decided to confess everything to him and join him just before everything came to an end. I believed I had no right to stand by his side, that I just needed to help him silently. ¡®I guess there¡¯s nothing I can do about my heart.¡¯ Yet, no matter how hard I try to suppress these feelings, they continue to rise to the surface. It¡¯s so sinful and profane, but now that my mind is trying to overcome that guilt. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? It¡¯s embarrassing.¡± As I stared at the Young Master with such thoughts in my mind, he smiled at me with an awkward expression. It was something I had never witnessed in the previous timeline. It was a pure, innocent, and beautiful smile. ¡°Can I count on you for the time being, Young Master?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The Young Master gladly accepted what I said without realising the underlying intentions of my words. After a brief moment of hesitation, I leaned my head gently on the Young Master¡¯s broad shoulder. I silently thanked him and came to a conclusion. ¡°Thank you, Young Master.¡± ¡®You have every right to despise me, yet you care for someone who deserves nothing but misery...¡¯ ¡®I think I¡¯ve fallen in love with you.¡¯ . . . . . ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± ¡°Um...¡± The coachman cheerfully announced the arrival of the carriage at the Starlight Mansion. Kania, who had fallen asleep while leaning on Frey¡¯s shoulder, slowly opened her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Young Master!¡± ¡°No, no, no. It can¡¯t be helped since you were exhausted.¡± Shortly after, Kania noticed her drool marks on Frey¡¯s shoulders. She swiftly bowed her head as she blushed in shame. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to receive life force as soon as possible?¡± ¡°N-No!¡± When Frey questioned the anxious Kania, she responded and swiftly waved her hand in denial. ¡°I¡¯m unsure why, but my mind suddenly became clear. I think it is fine to skip treatment for this week.¡± ¡°Um... really?¡± ¡°I promise you, Young Master.¡± Frey stared at Kania with a face riddled with suspicion. He muttered to himself with a smile of satisfaction as he quickly departed the carriage. ¡®I knew you would act like this, so I infused life force while you were sleeping.¡¯ Frey was very familiar with providing lifeforce to Kania while she was asleep. He was able to stably infuse the necessary life force, only coughing up a minor amount of blood as a result. ¡°Ugh.¡± As Frey got off the carriage however, he was suddenly plagued by an unexpected dizziness. He was still not free from the influence of the two penalties and one special penalty. ¡°This... I have no choice but to prepare for tomorrow.¡± As Frey stood holding the carriage door while reading Kania¡¯s face, the system window materialised before him. Life Force Recovery LV2 (50000pts) Description: Permanently slightly increases the life force recovery rate. (Total amount does not increase) [Accumulated Points: 85000pts] ¡°...I didn¡¯t want to buy it, but I guess I have no choice.¡± Frey muttered under his breath while gazing at the window in front of him. He purchased the skill and suddenly, he felt his heart become rejuvenated. ¡°...Ugh.¡± ¡°Young master?¡± Frey grasped his heart and fell to his knees. Kania, who stood beside him, supported him as he wore an expression of embarrassment. ¡°Oh, this is a reaction that occurs when I buy the increased life force recovery speed. So you don¡¯t have to be concerned.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you it¡¯s true. Look, I didn¡¯t even cough up any blood.¡± He spoke words to relieve Kania of her concerns as her gaze became increasingly suspicious. Frey began to walk into the mansion with a relaxed expression on his face. ¡°No way... Did...¡± Meanwhile, Lulu sat quietly while gazing out the window. ¡°...Did you end up like that because of me?¡± She muttered to herself in a trembling voice as she witnessed the scene. Chapter 89: Birthday Party ? Birthday Party ? ¡°Young Master, are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A day had passed since I parted ways with Serena, and it was now the day of my birthday party. I disliked birthday parties to the point I didn¡¯t want to attend them if I didn¡¯t have to, but what choice did I have when it was being hosted by the Imperial family? ¡°The carriage is waiting outside and will be able to leave at a moment¡¯s notice.¡± ¡°Got it. Thanks for always taking care of everything.¡± At the very least, it was a relief that I had a few companions who were aware of my situation this time around. With Serena and Kania by my side, I felt like I¡¯d be able to somewhat endure the dreadful event full of nauseating fallacy. ¡°Frey, are you heading off to your birthday party?¡± ¡°Ah, Irina.¡± As I left the room while preoccupied with such thoughts, Irina, who was waiting for me, greeted me. ¡°Yes, I am the star of the party after all.¡± ¡°Would you like me to accompany you? There could be more assassins, right?¡± Seems like Irina is quite concerned for my well-being. Then again, I guess it can¡¯t be helped, considering the events that transpired ever since she discovered the truth about me. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry so much. Kania will be accompanying me, and I also acquired a skill that recovers my life-force more quickly.¡± ¡°Still...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine so just get some rest while checking up on Lulu occasionally.¡± Irina silently nodded. A thought crossed my mind, so I asked Irina. ¡°Oh right. Didn¡¯t you say you were going to go somewhere as well?¡± ¡°...Yes, something important came up. I¡¯ll probably be gone for a while.¡± Judging from how she looked grim as she nodded, it must be quite important to her. ¡°Alright. I don¡¯t know what it is, but I hope it goes well for you.¡± I patted her shoulders in encouragement, then headed downstairs with Kania. ¡°Oh, Lulu. Were you waiting for us all this time?¡± ¡°Y-Yes...¡± When we reached the lobby, I noticed Lulu was timidly waiting for me. ¡°You¡¯re aware you¡¯ll officially be attending the party as my ¡®servant,¡¯ correct? ¡°Yes...¡± ¡°But of course... the real reason for your attendance is to show you off to my ¡®shadow friends.¡¯¡± A look of fright emerged on Lulu¡¯s face. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so scared. They already own pets like yourself.¡± ¡°T-That means...¡± ¡°Keeping humans as pets has become a trend amongst the aristocrats. My friends in particular, are especially fond of such a practice.¡± Seeing how she¡¯s glaring at me coldly, I think I¡¯m successfully cultivating her antipathy towards me. ¡®Damn bastards... Why are they holding a secret meeting at my birthday party.¡¯ A sigh escaped my mouth as I left my house while lost in such thoughts. Originally, I was going to invite my ¡®shadow friends¡¯ to my mansion separately and carry out my plans in secret. Yet, they got so excited at the news that I finally got a pet that they all notified me they were going to bring their own servants they¡¯re keeping as ¡®pets.¡¯ This whole ordeal was causing me a great deal of stress. ¡®Still... it seems like I¡¯ll be able to finish them all off in one fell swoop.¡¯ At least it¡¯s fortunate they¡¯re all planning to meet up with me of their own volition. It saves me the trouble of scheduling their visits individually. Therefore, I¡¯ll definitely have to successfully carry out my plan during the party. ¡°Um... excuse me Lord Frey, I have a question.¡± ¡°A question?¡± My train of thought was interrupted when Lulu inquired about my health while glancing in my direction with trembling eyes.Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com ¡°By any chance... are you feeling unwell?¡± ¡°What?¡± I tilted my head, unable to comprehend the reason for her question. Lulu hurriedly explained. ¡°J-just... you look a little worn-out.¡± I gently patted her head with a smile. ¡°Already worrying about your owner... seems like you¡¯ve become accustomed to being a pet?¡± ¡°Y-yes? Ah, yes...¡± ¡°Good, just continue like this. Also, I¡¯m healthy so stop worrying.¡± Having stated that, I carefully got on the carriage. ¡®It¡¯s risky... but it¡¯s doable.¡¯ Considering how there hadn¡¯t been any unfortunate accidents around Lulu recently, the stigma seemed to have weakened considerably. However, this peace had resulted in an increase in Lulu¡¯s anxiety. To think she would even ask me about my well-being. She seemed to be unaware that her stigma was getting weaker since she had never received so much affection before, but she would probably become accustomed to it eventually. ¡°We¡¯ll now be departing!¡± The coachman announced our departure. ¡°Come here, Lulu.¡± ¡°Y-yes...¡± Once I got tired of watching the passing scenery, I called Lulu, who was sitting across from me. ¡°Aren¡¯t you sleepy? Take a nap.¡± ¡°Aht? Ah-ahh...¡± ¡°U-Uugh...¡± Lulu stiffened on the spot with a pale face when she noticed the girls. They all seemed to have been physically abused, sitting besides those bastards with lifeless eyes. An ordinary person wouldn¡¯t have been able to see through their ruse due to the exorbitant sums of money used to apply illusion magic to hide the girls¡¯ conditions. However, I was able to see through the magic by gathering stella mana in my eyes. ¡°J-Just... what in the...¡± And Lulu was able to see through the illusions as well. After all, the only reason a frail and talentless girl like Lulu was able to join Class A is because she was born with ¡®Magic Eyes.¡¯ ¡°All of us spent a significant amount of money to disguise our pets as servants and snuck them in for you. After all, we shouldn¡¯t exclude our pets from the party.¡± ¡°...Indeed.¡± When they saw me observing the girls, the trash standing next to me began speaking in a cunning voice. Anger flared within me, but I held back as I glanced at each girl in succession. ¡®...This is severe.¡¯ These guys call them ¡®pets,¡¯ but they sure aren¡¯t holding back with their atrocious abuse. The girls¡¯ bodies, especially their faces, were badly bruised and full of injuries. Their eyes were lifeless and their clothes looked like rags that would fall apart at any moment. What angered me the most however, is the fact that they were all young girls that were the same age as Lulu. ¡°...Phew. Lord Frey, just where were you able to obtain such a high-quality product?¡± While I was silently glancing at the girls with clenched fists, someone asked a question while approaching Lulu. ¡°Higeuk!¡± Lulu backed away with abhorrent eyes. ¡°Tsk. My pet is inexperienced with situations such as these.¡± I gently patted Lulu¡¯s head and spoke in a deep voice. ¡°Speaking of which, I want to let my pet play with yours for a while.¡± Every one of them looked confused. ¡°So can all of you leave?¡± They were all taken aback as I told them to leave. ¡°Leave your pets behind.¡± I continued with an indifferent expression as I took in their reactions. ¡°It¡¯s been a while so I should make the most of it and enjoy myself.¡± For some reason, I feel like there would be another rumor added to the many that were already floating around about me. . . . . . ¡°Happy birthday, Lord Frey.¡± The injured girls congratulated me together as they prostrated themselves on the floor. ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± I gazed down at them arrogantly as I settled down on an armchair with a glass of wine in my hand. ¡°Hm... It¡¯s no fun like this.¡± I spoke again with a smile as Lulu continued waiting on me. ¡°I want to see your damaged bodies... so I¡¯m going to temporarily remove the illusion magic cast on you.¡± The girls began looking panicked when I expressed my intentions while taking a sip of my wine. ¨C Shwick! Ignoring their reactions, I stood up and tore up the scroll that was shining brightly in the middle of the room. ¨C Knock, knock, knock! Suddenly, someone began knocking on the door. ¡°Just stay there.¡± The girls, whose abused bodies were revealed, tried to get up from their spots in shock. I immediately intimidatingly ordered them to stay put. ¡°Come in.¡± The door slowly opened and the First Imperial Princess entered the room. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Frey...¡± She greeted me with a smile and began scanning the room. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness, the First Imperial Princess. What business do you have with me?¡± I took a sip of my wine as I crossed my legs and leisurely inquired. ¡°Ah, I have something to share with both you and Clana...¡± The First Imperial Princess replied with her cheeks flushed red. After entering the room, Clana also emerged behind her. ¡°Oh my god...¡± The spectacle that Clana bore witness to, startled her, eliciting her to approach me with a disgusted glare. ¡°Frey, you really...¡± I was getting ready to reply sarcastically, but Clana suddenly froze in place. ¡°Huh?¡± The event that transpired afterwards took me completely by surprise since it wasn¡¯t part of the perfect plan I had made for today. ¡°Ah...¡± Clana began trembling while staring at me in a daze, and a streak of tears streamed down her face. Huh? Chapter 90: A Regrettable Choice ? A Regrettable Choice ? ¡°...Haaaa.¡± Upon noticing Frey, tears cascaded down her cheeks as she stared at him blankly. Only after scrunching her tear-ridden face was she able to collect herself. ¡°S-So... t-this is...¡± Clana swiftly wiped the flowing tears with her hands as she tried to come up with excuses, but she couldn¡¯t conceive any words for the inexplicable situation she found herself in. ¡°Huk.¡± Soon, her hands began trembling as if her body had a mind of its own. ¡°...It¡¯s nothing.¡± Clana couldn¡¯t focus on anything for the past few days due to unknown symptoms and a burning sensation developing in her heart. She weakly muttered as she plopped down onto the sofa. ¡°Heung... So that was the truth.¡± As the First Imperial Princess murmured as she stared at Clana¡¯s meek figure, Frey inquired with a disinterested expression. ¡°So, what was it that you came to say? I¡¯m quite busy right now so I¡¯d appreciate it if you¡¯d quickly get this matter over with.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it seems our conversation may be long.¡± The First Imperial Princess, who managed to respond to Frey in a leisurely manner, glanced at Clana¡¯s panicked figure before continuing. ¡°Though it looks like it¡¯s not me, but Clana, who has many things to talk about.¡± ¡°Hah... Then it can¡¯t be helped.¡± Frey sighed in response to the First Imperial Princess¡¯ words and instructed the girls to leave in front of him. ¡°Take Lulu and go play in the room next door. Know that whoever fights won¡¯t get any food.¡± Frey¡¯s tone was one that didn¡¯t seem to consider them as humans, yet the girls simply nodded with lifeless eyes. ¡°Lulu, let¡¯s see each other later alright?¡± ¡°Haeugh... y-yes...¡± Frey gently smiled at Lulu who tailed the other girls out while donning a pale face. After watching the girls leave, Frey¡¯s expression hardened as he questioned the First Imperial Princess. ¡°Now, what were you trying to say?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. Regarding the request for assistance from the Cloud Kingdom, you¡¯re aware of the secret meeting that took place at today¡¯s birthday party, correct?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Well, I came to inform you of the meeting venue.¡± The First Imperial Princess explained her motives and stared at Clana who slowly raised her hand and flicked her fingers. ¡°Ah, p-please wait a moment.¡± However, when nothing but a faint flicker of light materialised, Clana repeatedly flicked her fingers in embarrassment. ¡°Chirp!¡± ¡°...This is?¡± After numerous flicks, Clana managed to summon a canary which flew over to Frey and perched on his shoulder. Clana tried to maintain a calm expression as if she never struggled to summon the bird as she spoke. ¡°T-that bird will lead you to the venue of the secret meeting.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You simply have to follow the bird to the meeting. Now that I¡¯ve informed you of everything I had in mind, I¡¯ll be taking my leave.¡± ¡°You¡¯re leaving already?¡± Frey asked with a puzzled expression as he watched the First Imperial Princess stand up to leave. The corners of her lips curled up from observing Clana. ¡°Ah. There was another topic I wanted to discuss... but it doesn¡¯t seem necessary anymore.¡± The First Imperial Princess then added one final comment with a wink. ¡°Please continue to do as you¡¯ve currently been doing so, Frey.¡± ¡°Huh? What do you me¨C...¡± Confused by what she said, Frey attempted to question her, but the First Imperial Princess left the room with a wave of her hand. ¡°¡±........¡±¡± A long silence ensued in the room in which only Frey and Clana remained. . . . . . ¡°...Have you been well?¡± ¡°No.¡± Frey tried to put on a calm expression and break the long silence by asking me how I was. I immediately responded negatively. Frey sighed and asked another question. ¡°So, what did you want to talk to me about?¡± ¡°First, I¡¯d like an explanation for the girls who left earlier.¡± When Frey calmly asked me what business I had with him, I demanded an explanation for the previous spectacle. Frey responded to my inquiry brazenly. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? They¡¯re my slaves.¡± ¡°S-Slaves...?¡± Hearing his shameless response, I began to question him coldly. ¡°There¡¯s going to be a meeting regarding the slave market soon, yet here you are, treating girls our age worse than slaves.¡± ¡°And? What about it? Are you going to try to kill me or something?¡± As soon as I heard Frey¡¯s sarcastic remark, I felt a burning sensation in my chest. This had become a common occurrence in the past few days every time I thought of his voice. ¡®I-It¡¯s starting again.¡¯ My hand hidden beneath the table began trembling again. No matter what methods I used to stop the trembling, it just wouldn¡¯t stop. ¡°It¡¯s just a joke. Why are you overreacting?¡± ¡°...I¡¯m not in the mood for jokes.¡± Frey seemed to be teasing me so I raised my voice to retort. ¡°You! What did you to m-...¡± ¡°Oh right. I have a gift for you.¡± Roswyn winked and continued whispering. ¡°Then, let¡¯s begin the operation right away.¡± ¡°Right now? ¡°Of course we have to do it now. Heartbroken men fall easily to temptation.¡± With that, Roswyn started heading towards Frey¡¯s room with a radiant smile on her face. ¡°W-Wait!¡± ¡°Hm? What¡¯s wrong?¡± I suddenly stopped her when I saw her walking. Why am I acting like this? ¡°N-no, it¡¯s nothing... no, wait. So...¡± ¡°Huhu, don¡¯t worry.¡± Noticing my indecisiveness, Roswyn lifted the corners of her lips and reassured me. ¡°I¡¯ll perfectly erase Frey from your life.¡± Roswyn opened the door and naturally entered Frey¡¯s room. . . . . . ¡°Eugh...¡± Watching the door close with a thud, Clana started to nervously linger near the door. ¡°Why am I acting like this... Just why...¡± She tried meditating with closed eyes, took deep breaths, and even bit her nails, but her anxiety persisted. ¡°...Eugh!¡± Unable to get rid herself of her anxiety, Clana began walking elsewhere. ¡°It¡¯s for Roswyn¡¯s safety... Just in case Frey crosses the line.¡± Clana arrived at Frey¡¯s veranda and began resonating with the canary that previously perched on his shoulder. She had never shown Frey her ability to summon the canary before. She had first summoned the bird back in the past when she was lonely and wanted someone to converse with. Convincing herself that she wouldn¡¯t get caught, Clana connected her senses with the canary and began observing what was occurring in the room. ¡°Frey, why do you look like you¡¯re about to break down and cry?¡± ¡°Just... something unfortunate happened.¡± A slight frown emerged on Clana¡¯s face as she watched Roswyn ask while stroking Frey¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Did you perhaps get dumped by Clana?¡± ¡°No... it¡¯s not that. I was just trying to make up with her...¡± ¡°Is this the gift you tried to give her to reconcile with her?¡± Roswyn tilted her head in puzzlement as Frey spoke with a sullen expression. ¡°Roswyn, would you like to have it instead?¡± ¡°I¡¯d be glad to. I¡¯m happy to receive any gifts.¡± ¡°...Even if you have to date me if you receive that gift?¡± As Roswyn was talking about gifts with sparkling eyes, Frey grinned and looked at her. ¡°So? Do you still want it?¡± ¡°...........¡± ¡°It¡¯s a joke. I¡¯ll get you a better gift the next time I visit the Intelligence Guild so...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡± ¡°What?¡± Frey shook the box in front of Roswyn before sullenly trying to put it away. He became flustered however, when she snatched the box from his grasp. ¡°W-Wait. Why are you taking the gift?¡± ¡°Heung... The gift wrap is quite luxurious. It must have been difficult to acquire.¡± After interrupting the dumbfounded Frey to compliment the gift wrap, Roswyn scanned their vicinity awkwardly. ¡®T-That gift wrap is...¡¯ Clana murmured with a pale face as soon she watched Roswyn snatch the box. ¡®That could be dangerous...!¡¯ Clana clearly felt dark mana emanating from the box. Roswyn would be in danger if she unwrapped the gift. ¡°I-If you open that...¡± Clana hurriedly tried to take control of the canary as the thought of Roswyn being in danger emerged in her mind. Unfortunately, she could only turn away with a pale face when solar mana refused to materialize in her trembling hand. ¡°Oh my, what¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Uh... It¡¯s...¡± Clana bit her fingernails in anxiety as she was about to barge into the room. She unknowingly but down violently as she watched Roswyn reach into the box. ¡°This... Did you prepare this for Clana?¡± ¡°No, just... it was on display in front of the flower shop... and how are you able to touch...¡± ¡°Are you lying in front of me? How adorable.¡± What came out of the gift box was not a clump of dark mana, a spell scroll, nor a cursed necklace. ¡°Just from the fact it¡¯s a Canaria flower... and a yellow one at that, it¡¯s obvious you purchased this specifically for Clana.¡± It merely contained a yellow Canaria flower. ¡°...Huh?¡± Clana watched them through the canary¡¯s eyes and muttered in a trembling voice. ¡°That, that can¡¯t be...?¡± This was the moment Clana felt something was amiss. Chapter 91: The Stolen Flower ? The Stolen Flower ? ¡°...Haaaa.¡± ¡°Huh? Why is it...¡± ¡°Did you know? If you inject solar mana into a Canaria, it¡¯ll radiate a golden light.¡± Frey¡¯s expression became flabbergasted in response. Roswyn ignored him and proceeded to inject solar mana. Coming from a collateral family, Roswyn didn¡¯t possess as much solar mana as Clana. She had however, trained diligently whenever she had the time for it. Her mana was sufficient to light the flower. ¨C Shing... ¡°...Ha.¡± As Roswyn continued to inject solar mana into the Canaria, Frey began to look dejected when a faint black smoke seeped out of the flower. ¡°Hm... Though it did get a little brighter, it¡¯s not shining as brilliantly as the rumors suggest.¡± Roswyn, who had been focused solely on the flower, finally gently placed the flower down beside her. ¡°...You liked Canarias all this time?¡± ¡°Yes, I like them a lot. Do you know why?¡± ¡°Hm... I wonder?¡± Frey frowned as if he found the whole situation unpleasant, but Roswyn continued speaking. ¡°Just as the glow of the sunset envies the light of sunrise, I too, like yellow more than red. ¡°...You do?¡± ¡°Yes. So truthfully, I was quite sad whenever you brought me red roses.¡± Frey nodded his head with a frown as he watched Roswyn smile sorrowfully. ¡°...I¡¯ll bring you yellow flowers from now on, so...¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t you already give me one?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about this yellow Canaria.¡± Frey silently stared at Roswyn as she gently tapped the Canaria. ¡°...Weird, is it really Roswyn?¡± ¡°Why are you staring at me like that?¡± ¡°N-No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± When Roswyn tilted her head and questioned him, Frey dismissed his statement with an awkward smile. ¡°It... really was a gift for me?¡± Clana quietly muttered with a trembling voice as she observed the scene through the eyes of the canary. . . . . ¡°But... But I definitely sensed dark mana...?¡± I stubbornly assumed Frey¡¯s gift was a trap. However, nothing happened to Roswyn when she opened the gift box. All it contained was a canaria. Considering who gave me the nickname ¡®Canaria,¡¯ this couldn¡¯t be a coincidence. ¡®R-right. Didn¡¯t a black smoke emerge from the flower?¡¯ Amidst my confusion, I recalled a black smoke was expelled from the flower as Roswyn injected her solar mana. With that thought in mind, I concluded that the gift was a malicious trap that Frey created with the use of our childhood memories. ¡®But wait, if that really was a trap... how come Roswyn is unaffected?¡¯ Confusion struck again as I suddenly had another matter to take into consideration. Roswyn definitely grasped the flower with her bare hands. It¡¯s strange that nothing happened despite coming into direct contact with it. ¡®Wait, could it be...¡¯ I broke out into a cold sweat when I recalled what Frey had mentioned regarding the black magic. ¡®Could it really just be that a little dark mana got mixed in when Kania went to purchase the flower?¡¯ I did notice that Kania unknowingly released a large amount of dark mana while I stared at Frey¡¯s room prior to entering. For some reason, her dark mana seemed tens of times more powerful than in the previous timeline. Then... if Kania¡¯s dark mana did slightly seep into the flower for some unknown reason... ¡®That Canaria really was a gift meant for reconciliation...¡¯ ¡°Frey, can you pin the flower into my hair?¡± Roswyn¡¯s joyous voice pierced through me, interrupting my train of thoughts and forcing me to come back to my senses. ¡°Fufu, thank you.¡± Roswyn thanked Frey after he placed the flower into her hair with a faint frown. She proceeded to question him afterwards. ¡°So, why did you use the covenant for Clana?¡± ¡°...Roswyn, are you trying to acquire information from me right now?¡± ¡°Not at all. I simply asked out of curiosity.¡± I subconsciously gasped at the mention of the covenant and focused my attention on what Frey was about to say. ¡°I just wanted to play with her before throwing her away.¡± ¡°...Really?¡± ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t like how conceited she was, even since childhood.¡± I nodded as if I expected the response that he would provide. ¡°I-I knew it. Frey just wanted to play around with me...¡± ¡°I see... I suppose my guess was off the mark?¡± Before I could completely organize my thoughts, Roswyn narrowed her eyes and began whispering. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Like, for instance, I thought you did it to protect her?¡± Hearing that, I froze on the spot and Frey also frowned. ¡°What kind of bullshit are you spouting, Roswyn? ¡°Didn¡¯t you make the proposal when those despicable, lustful low-lives were about to become Clana¡¯s fiance??¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I did it so I wouldn¡¯t be suspected by other attendants.¡± As I watched the spectacle unfold in a daze, I quickly severed my visual connection with the canary and slumped down on the floor. ¡°Aeugh.... eugh...¡± It definitely went according to plan, and I shouldn¡¯t be concerned with who he becomes intimate with. But why are tears falling from my eyes? . . . . . ¡°Heup... eup!¡± Even after Clana stopped watching, Roswyn and Frey¡¯s tongues intertwined for a long time. ¡°Puah, w-wait...¡± Roswyn eventually mustered up all her strength to push Frey off of her. ¨C Seuk... She was about to speak, but stopped and tensed up when Frey reached for her bottom. ¡°...Ha.¡± After a brief moment, Frey¡¯s hand came in contact with her bottom, as a satisfied expression flickered across his face. ¨C Psst At that instant, a black spot on her hand started to light up. ¡°Euuk!¡± ¡°R-Roswyn?¡± Then, Roswyn suddenly started to vomit. ¡°G-Get off.¡± Roswyn shoved Frey away with a glare and hurriedly headed for the door. ¡°D-Disgusting... Eugh...¡± Roswyn, who left Frey¡¯s room in a rush, ran to the veranda where Clana was waiting and began puking. ¡°Uek...! Euk...¡± After throwing up with tears welling up in her eyes, Roswyn spoke after noticing Clana staring dazedly at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it was too nauseating.¡± ¡°W-What was...¡± ¡°I went for a round of drinks with Frey, but I had to escape the middle cause I felt like I was going to vomit.¡± Clana¡¯s face paled in response while Roswyn glared repulsively in the direction of Frey¡¯s room. ¡°As expected... I can¡¯t stand Frey, even if it¡¯s a commission.¡± Clana bit down on her lips in response to Roswyn¡¯s disgusted comment. Roswym clapped her hands and brought something out. ¡°Ah, I completely forgot to hand you this. Here.¡± ¡°T-this is?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the hidden magic device I used to record Frey sexually assaulting me. Use it for your plan later.¡± Clana inadvertently accepted the device with trembling hands. ¡°Ugh...¡± Roswyn, who still felt nauseous, took out the Canaria flower with her fingertips as if it was filthy before tossing it onto the floor. ¡°...I¡¯m still getting goosebumps.¡± ¡°N-No!¡± Right as Roswyn stomped on the flower, Clana cried out in distress. ¡°Hm? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°U-uh...so... That¡¯s...¡± Clana could only stammer in a quivering voice when Roswyn tilted her head and questioned her. ¡°...Are you going to throw that away?¡± When Clana finally asked after much hesitation, Roswyn released a sigh and picked the flower back up. ¡°I almost ruined the commission due to my useless emotions. Thank you for helping me return to my senses.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s not it...¡± ¡°Honestly, I feel sick just holding onto it, but what can I do when it¡¯s so beneficial to keep it?¡± Roswyn pinned the flower back into her hair as Clana stood there watching. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll return to Frey¡¯s room.¡± ¡°I-isn¡¯t it dangerous? Frey might be mad so I¡¯ll go inst...¡± Clana, who stared long and hard at the Canaria tucked into Roswyn¡¯s hair, hurriedly spoke out. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Roswyn replied to Clana with a bright smile. ¡°That bastard¡¯s so obsessed with me, he¡¯ll come crawling back to me, even if I kick him aside.¡± ¡°T-Then, you don¡¯t need that flower, right?¡± When Clana heard Roswyn¡¯s confident statement, she asked with a feigned composure. ¡°Seems like you like the flower quite a lot?¡± Roswyn asked while pulling out the flower with upturned lips. ¡°Y-Yes. Not to that extent, but...¡± Clana held out her hand expectantly while doing her best to maintain a calm tone of speech. ¨C Tuk! ¡°...Uh?¡± Clana looked on dumbfoundedly as Roswyn plucked out the smallest petal and placed it into the palm of her hands. ¡°Please be content with that, Your Highness, the Third Imperial Princess.¡± Roswyn tapped her on the shoulder and left the veranda before Clana could respond. ¡°Ah.......¡± Clana stood there blankly for some time, helplessly mumbling with her head lowered. ¡°J-Just this... with just... heuk.¡± And it didn¡¯t take long for tears to cascade. Chapter 92: Cleaning Up Trash ? Cleaning Up Trash ? ¡°Uek...¡± I watched Roswyn hurriedly exit the room while covering her mouth as I stood up and fixed my confused expression. ¡°...Crazy.¡± I was already feeling somewhat perturbed due to Clana¡¯s abnormal reaction, but I was really about to lose my mind with Roswyn acting like this. She previously rejected all my gifts and advances, yet now, she accepted all of it and even claimed she would take care of it. Her face used to cramp up in disgust at least once every minute whenever I was in her vicinity. Yet now, she was trying to drunkenly seduce me. She also came in contact with the flower cursed by Kania without any repercussions. ¡®As usual, none of my plans ever go as intended...¡¯ I was going to commit an evil deed and gift Clana with a flower imbued with a weak curse. It would have provided her with both the evidence and justification to break off our engagement within a year¡¯s timespan. But the plan was ruined when she noticed the curse. Kania put her heart and soul into it and even I was unable to detect the dark mana emanating from the flower. So just how did Clana manage to sense it? Not to mention, Roswyn was completely unaffected even after coming in direct contact with it. The curse was supposed to activate the moment it was touched, so I wonder why? ¨C Creak... I was in the middle of my thoughts when the door opened and Roswyn entered. ¡°R-Roswyn... Where did you go...?¡± I sighed inwardly as I swiftly assumed a confused expression and muttered. ¡®Since it¡¯s already come to this, I can only try to manipulate this situation.¡¯ I noticed something when I went along with Roswyn¡¯s plan and acted as if I was in heat from the aphrodisiac she had spiked my drink with. Unfortunately for her though, my high mental strength left me unaffected by the drug. I also noticed the magic device on her body that was recording the events within the room. I was also aware of the faint source of solar mana from the veranda behind the room. Taking all these factors into consideration, this was likely a trap either Roswyn or Clana designed to falsely accuse me. Therefore, even though my plans for today resulted in failure, I went along with their trap. ¡°Uek...¡± ¡°...Roswyn?¡± Roswyn began stumbling around as I was deep in thought. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Ah, yes... I¡¯m fine.¡± When I inquired with a worried face, Roswyn struggled to reply with a smile. ¡°Uh, then... I should probably apologize for what happened just now...¡± ¡°Heuguk...!¡± ¡°.....?¡± I tried to apologize with a hesitant look, but Roswyn suddenly broke out in a cold sweat. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry... Frey. My condition suddenly worsened... s-so I¡¯ll see you... at another time.¡± ¡°I-I see. I¡¯ll see you later then.¡± Roswyn left the room in a hurry after explaining with a trembling voice. ¡°...Whew.¡± Unexpected situations like these have become commonplace, so I downed the drugged cocktail and called out with narrowed eyes. ¡°Kania, was it you?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Kania peeked her head out from behind the wide open doorway that Roswyn didn¡¯t close on her way out. ¡°Since when have you been there?¡± ¡°Since a while back.¡± ¡°...Then, were you watching everything that unfolded in this room?¡± When I questioned her with a frown, Kania averted her gaze. ¡°Kania... Earlier, Roswyn grabbed the flower, but the curse didn¡¯t activate. Don¡¯t you think there¡¯s something wrong?¡± ¡°...I think I may have made a mistake which caused the curse to fail. My apologies.¡± ¡°What if a curse had already been placed on her hand?¡± Kania replied with her head lowered when I continued to question her. ¡°Now that I think about it, I remember Roswyn received a jolt of electric shock through her finger when she previously attempted to fix my collar...¡± Kania averted her gaze even more so upon hearing my words. ¡°Kania, just what did you do for Roswyn to run off like that?¡± When I questioned her after feeling she had done something, Kania replied with a low voice. ¡°It won¡¯t kill her so please don¡¯t worry.¡± I felt chills down my spine when I heard Kania reply with a chilling frown. Perhaps, if Kania hadn¡¯t discovered my true identity, every day might have been a living nightmare. ¡°Young Master, I have something to report.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s regarding Princess Clana¡¯s current condition.¡± While I was cowering in such thoughts, Kania retrieved her notepad and began explaining. ¡°Apparently, her condition isn¡¯t looking good.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°Psychologically.¡± I frowned upon hearing news of Clana¡¯s deteriorating mental state, but Kania wasn¡¯t finished. ¡°They say in addition to becoming very listless, she also seems to be very anxious.¡± ¡°Clana is listless? I guess the sun¡¯s rising from the west tomorrow.¡± ¡°Even the court physicians don¡¯t understand the reasons for it. Of course, the political foundation she painstakingly raised to increase her authority won¡¯t be so easily shaken. If her current condition persists however, I believe it may become detrimental to her current standing. ¡° When I discovered the reason why they were all on the brink of fainting prior, I stood with a frown on my face. ¡°P-Please don¡¯t kill me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, please forgive me.¡± ¡°Be quiet. I¡¯m going out for a moment, so play with Lulu.¡± After frigidly ordering the girls who were begging in fear again, I left the room with a sigh. ¡°Sigh, they¡¯re carelessly partying while drinking again.¡± I mumbled with a scowl when I entered the adjacent room and noticed the bastards I had kicked out earlier casually drinking and playing. ¡°Everyone, stop and pay attention.¡± I stopped scowling and donned an arrogant look on my face as I slammed my hands on the desk. ¡°Mm... Lord Frey? Did you finish your date with the Imperial Princesses?¡± ¡°Who was better? According to the rumors, the First Imperial Princess is said to be very...¡± ¡°Puhup... Lord Frey probably performed the best.¡± The drunken bastards started spewing bullshit when I demanded their attention. ¡°It¡¯ll only be all of you who have anything to lose if you don¡¯t get your shit together and listen to me.¡± After warning them with a smirk, they all ceased their joking and focused on my words. ¡°I¡¯ll be direct. Sell me all of your pets.¡± ¡°¡°...What!?¡±¡± After hearing my shocking demand, the greedy bastards began speaking again with a troubled expression. ¡°W-What do you mean... suddenly demanding us to sell our pets?¡± ¡°They¡¯re of the highest quality, lacking any families or thoughts on disobeying us... It would take several years to get our hands on them again.¡± ¡°Silence.¡± After ending their complaints with my hand, I lifted the corners of my lips and offered them a deal that they wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse. ¡°In exchange, I¡¯ll provide you information on the Demon King¡¯s Army.¡± When I stated my offer, the bastards all froze before stammering. ¡°D-Do... Do you mean that, Lord Frey?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m serious. It¡¯s also why I came to meet you guys today.¡± Their eyes sparkled as they glanced at one another after I affirmed my offer. ¡®How laughable.¡¯ I sighed inwardly while watching these fools. These names were all on the list of nobles who¡¯ve requested to secretly meet with the Demon King¡¯s Army at the previous meeting with the Demon King¡¯s Executives. It was clear they were planning on selling out their families and defecting to the Demon King¡¯s Army. I simply provided some bait and as expected, they took the bait immediately. ¡°I¡¯ll also offer the sex slaves in my basement as service. How about it? Isn¡¯t this quite the good deal?¡± I crossed my legs and offered more bait, and the aristocrats began to look dumbfounded. ¡°Uh... Lord Frey, aren¡¯t these conditions a bit too much in our favor... in exchange for mere pets?¡± Seeing as how everyone started staring at the man who seemed to question me carefully, they must be worried I might retract my offer. ¡°Relax, it¡¯s fine. I wasn¡¯t trying to make a profit from this.¡± I continued with a smile as they tilted their heads. ¡°It¡¯s just, I wanted to say we¡¯re now on the same boat.¡± When I raised my glass after expressing my intent, these bastards raised theirs in a toast and began noisily chattering away. ¡®Though... it¡¯s a sinking boat.¡¯ The sex slaves they¡¯re receiving from me are, in fact, succubi from the Demon King¡¯s army. In a few month¡¯s time, all their energy will have been drained and the role of master and slave will be reversed. When that time arrives, I¡¯ll use these bastards that have completely surrendered themselves to the succubi as planned. I¡¯ll have them face the consequences for all the heinous deeds they have performed. In other words, their fates have been sealed with this deal. ¡°Lord Frey! Please receive a glass!¡± ¡°Please accept a drink from me first!¡± ¡°Nono, start with the penalty shot!¡± As I observed the drunken aristocrat teeter his way over to pour me a drink, I thought about the other corrupted force. ¡®After this main scenario, I should also steadily bring down the Church.¡¯ There are still many things to do in order to cleanse this rotten empire. . . . . . ¡°Uuu... Why am I suddenly like this...¡± While Frey was receiving drinks from the aristocrats with a content smile, Roswyn staggered out of the restroom with an exhausted face. ¡°I swear... nothing good ever comes from getting involved with that loser of a bastard... Aeuugh...¡± The pain in her stomach reignited for no reason right as she swore at Frey. Although she tried to return to the restroom with a tear ridden face... ¡°Guuul!!¡± ¡°Hiek!¡± An owl appeared out of nowhere and began assaulting her head with its wings. She dropped to the ground while in a state of shock. ¡°Stop it! I said sto... huh?¡± As Roswyn tried to defend herself from the owl unsuccessfully, she noticed someone approaching her from the distance. ¡°Y-You... why are you already he...¡± ¡°Oh my, Roswyn...¡± Roswyn¡¯s face became deathly pale as the person spoke. ¡°...Seems like you grew up a lot?¡± When the approaching girl eventually closed the distance between them nonchalantly and whispered in a chilling voice, Roswyn choked up in fear and began hiccupping. ¡°.......Hic.¡± Serena, the person Roswyn despised the most in the world, was looking down at her with an icy gaze while chuckling. Chapter 93: The Disciple ? The Disciple ? ¡°........¡± Although a long time had passed since Frey left the room the girls were in, only a heavy silence lingered in the room. ¡°Girls... I have something to say.¡± The girl who previously offered themselves as tribute to Frey broke the silence with a grave expression. ¡°I¡¯m going to attack Frey when he returns.¡± All the girls froze on the spot when they heard her declaration. ¡°E-excuse me! What are you saying!¡± Lulu hurriedly approached the girl and spoke out as all the other girls remained frozen stiff in terror. ¡°I-If you do that... Lord Frey will...!¡± ¡°...He¡¯ll kill me? He has a terrible temper and he is also the biggest scum amongst the trash of the Empire, he¡¯ll definitely kill me out of rage.¡± The girl wore a rueful smile, and Lulu started muttering with a pale face. ¡°By any chance... are you...¡± ¡°Yes, I no longer have the will to live.¡± The girl continued with a trembling voice as she expressed her intent to die. ¡°I can¡¯t harm myself, much less commit suicide due to the curse placed on me. No matter how much trouble I caused my owner, they had always spared my life.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°Except, I was punished in ways far worse than death every single day.¡± The girl¡¯s grievances greatly shocked Lulu. ¡®To think that she couldn¡¯t commit suicide or perform self-harm of her own free will...¡¯ Lulu, who has ¡®Magic Eyes¡¯ and the ¡®Stigma of Misfortune,¡¯ is immune to curses and brainwashing. Thus, she was greatly shaken when she learned that the freedom to die can also be taken away. ¡°S-So you will... Lord Frey...¡± ¡°I no longer want to continue to live this way. I just want to be at peace now... I¡¯m sorry Ms. Lulu.¡± Lulu quickly raised her hands to stop the girl when she began apologizing. ¡°W-Why are you apologizing! No, rather than that, doing such a thing...¡± ¡°Cause if Frey gets mad over this incident, he¡¯s going to take it out on you.¡± Lulu scanned the room and noticed all the other girls silently nodding their heads. She could only remain silent as she lost her train of thought. Unlike herself, the girls were all too familiar with being the outlet of their owner¡¯s rage. ¡°Sorry... I¡¯m really sorry... no matter how much I resist and fight back against the other aristocrats... they would only sneer and ridicule me...¡± ¡°Please wait, please hear me out...¡± ¡°But if it¡¯s Frey, I¡¯ll definitely be killed or be given the death penalty. Therefore, if I want to die, it has to be now, while my body is momentarily free...¡± ¨C Creak... Lulu, who desperately attempted to convince the girl otherwise. She turned pale when Frey entered the room. ¡°Hm? Why are you staring at me like that?¡± When Frey, whose face turned red from drinking and inquired with a frown, the girl beside Lulu began to slowly approach him. ¡°What? You?¡± ¡°W-Wait!!¡± Right as Frey tilted his head and Lulu screamed with a pale face- ¡°Uahhhhhhhhh!!!¡± The girl took out a hidden knife and attacked Frey. ¡°...Haeuk.¡±Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com ¡°Ha?¡± Unfortunately, she ended up rolling across the room as Frey snatched the knife and kicked her away with ease. ¡°Oh my, is this a rebellion?¡± Frey glanced at the girls as if he found the whole situation amusing. ¡°P-Please kill me...¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t in my right mind and did something I can never be forgiven for. I¡¯ll pay for this mistake with my life, so please...¡± Frey roughly understood the situation from listening to the girl beg for death with a pale face. He walked towards her. ¡°Ah, ah...¡± The girl silently closed her eyes as she sensed her impending death. ¡°...Lulu, how should we deal with her?¡± ¡°Y-Yes?¡± But Frey simply looked down at her and questioned Lulu. ¡°W-Why are you asking me that...¡± ¡°Cause, all the girls in this room are now yours.¡± ¡°W-What?¡± Lulu¡¯s face displayed bewilderment as she glanced around at the girls in the room. ¡°I just bought all the girls here.¡± ¡°W-What do you me...¡± ¡°I thought about it, and I disliked that you, my pet, are classified the same as them.¡± Frey curved his lips into a smile and continued. ¡°And... it wouldn¡¯t be good if my pet didn¡¯t have personal servants to take care of her needs, correct?¡± Having stated as such, Frey pet Lulu as the girls started staring absent-mindedly. ¡°You all heard, right? Lulu is your owner from now on. In other words, you¡¯re the pets of my pet.¡± ¡°L-Lord Frey...?¡± ¡°Lulu... you can manage them properly, correct?¡± Lulu opened her mouth to utter something but instead just ended up nodding in a daze as Frey gently stroked her hair with a smile. ¡°Good. Then you¡¯ll be the one to order them from now. You¡¯ll also be the one who decides their punishments, starting with the bitch who attacked me earlier.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°Of course, as this is a gift to you, I won¡¯t concern myself with how you go about punishing her.¡± Before anyone could respond, Frey, who spoke to Lulu with a smile, had already left the room. ¡°Ah......¡± It seems like I might have to listen to Serena¡¯s drunk mumbling for the entirety of my birthday party. ¡°Hey, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Y-Yes?¡± As I broke out in cold sweat from that foreboding thought, Serena began grilling Roswyn with a glare. ¡°Why are you there?¡± ¡°Y-you told me to kneel over here...¡± ¡°So why are you staring at Frey?¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s... he suddenly entered...¡± ¡°Get out.¡± Despite being told to leave, Roswyn hesitated. Serena silently reached for the wine bottle on top of the table. ¡°I-I¡¯ll leave!¡± Frightened, Roswyn quickly escaped from the room. ¡°Hehe... Frey...¡± After influencing Roswyn to leave with the use of intimidation, Serena turned her gaze towards me and spread her arms out with a cute smile. ¡°...How disgraceful. It¡¯s no wonder I dislike you.¡± Since I believed she hadn¡¯t regained her memories, I hurled hurtful words while looking down at her. ¡°My memory has returned.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± However, Serena suddenly made a sullen expression as she stated that her memories had returned. ¡°Hearing such things from you while the sun¡¯s up is more than enough.¡± ¡°H-How did you...?¡± Serena whined with an upset voice, so I questioned her, and she replied with a smile. ¡°At first, I requested my collaborator to come visit me every time I wanted to erase and retrieve my memories. However, they went on strike after stating that it was too tedious.¡± ¡°Collaborator...?¡± ¡°Yes. So I asked them to make it so I would regain my memories when the sun sets and forget all about them after sunrise. It makes me a little uneasy, but it can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°Then, what about the alcohol?¡± ¡°Just an act. If I were actually drunk, the room would probably be in a total mess wouldn¡¯t it?¡± It was just as she stated. When I scanned the room, it was too tidy. If she really had been drunk, there probably wouldn¡¯t be any furniture nor any individuals in the vicinity. ¡°So... what was the purpose of this act?¡± ¡°Well, I had to scold a certain vixen first...¡± Serena wore a triumphant smile as she explained while tapping the desk with her fingers. ¡°Secondly, I needed a private space where no one would interrupt us.¡± Upon hearing her second reason, my face reddened and I swallowed my saliva. In response to my reaction, Serena laughed and began to tease me. ¡°What are you thinking of? I told you last time that we can¡¯t do it for now.¡± ¡°T-Then?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the Prophecy.¡± When I stared at her dumbfoundedly, Serena lowered her voice to a whisper and I began to listen seriously. ¡°I found something interesting in the prophecy you sent me through my owl.¡± ¡°What do you mean interesting?¡± Serena¡¯s eyes shone when I questioned her as I tilted my head. ¡°There¡¯s an additional portion to it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°When I compared it with the prophecy I have, I noticed that there was a difference.¡± ¡°W-Which part!?¡± I quickly approached her in shock, and Serena embraced me before whispering into my ear. ¡°The final part of the prophecy.¡± . . . . . ¡°Hu...¡± Inside the Magic Tower at the same time. ¡°...I finally managed to rid myself of that shrewd bitch.¡± The Tower Master silently drank wine as she recalled how she had to teleport to Serena every night to return her memories. ¡°...Lord Tower Master, a guest came to see you.¡± ¡°Tell them to screw off.¡± The Tower Master, who was fully enjoying her long sought-after comfy evening, frowned upon hearing an apprentice wizard knock on her door. ¡°We tried to see them off, but the guest was being stubborn...¡± ¡°Then just beat them till they leave.¡± ¡°We tried, but we failed.¡± ¡°Failed?¡± The Tower Master¡¯s expression hardened as the apprentice wizard spoke with sweat pouring down their face. ¡°The tower wizards are currently fighting them, but the visitor seems to be quite skilled...¡± ¡°Did that bastard say anything?¡± ¡°T-That...¡± The Tower Master laughed as if the situation was ridiculous when the apprentice wizard answered after briefly hesitating. ¡°That your disciple has returned...¡± ¡°Sigh...!¡± After laughing for some time, the Tower Master departed her room silently and descended the stairs. On the way down, she retrieved a worn out photo and mumbled to herself. ¡°The shrewd bitch who left in the past now shows up to get a beating.¡± A scowling Irina could be seen in the photo. Chapter 94: Surrender ? Surrender ? ¨C Creak... ¡°To-Tower master, my sincerest apologies!¡± As soon as the antiquated door of the Magic Tower opened and the Tower Master stepped in, a mage who was diligently firing magic, frantically bowed their head. ¡°All of you, hold.¡± The Tower Master glanced at the mage pitifully before commanding the rest of the mages to cease firing. At her command, the rest of the mages defending the tower stopped altogether and directed their gaze to her. ¡°Tsk...¡± However, the Tower Master didn¡¯t so much as spare them a glance and simply clicked her tongue while redirecting her gaze towards the intruder. ¡°For what reason did you return after claiming you never wanted to see me again?¡± When the Tower Master inquired with a conflicted expression, the robed person spoke out as she slowly approached the Tower Master. ¡°I have something to discuss with ya.¡± ¡°You rotten girl, addressing your teacher so rudely1 The visitor uses ¡®??????¡¯ to address her former teacher, the Tower Master. ¡®??????¡¯ is one of the direct way of saying ¡®you.¡¯ Korean has formal/casual styles and directly referring to someone as ¡®you¡¯ is often considered rude unless close.. It seems you¡¯re still as impertinent as ever.¡± ¡°Considering I¡¯m no longer your disciple, I don¡¯t believe there¡¯s an issue with how I address you.¡± The rest of the mages held their breaths and froze on the spot as they listened to the heated conversation between the two. To them, being rude to the Tower Master, who was as exalted as the heavens, was something they couldn¡¯t even imagine doing. ¡°I was willing to sit down and chat with you... but if you¡¯re going to be this impolite, I don¡¯t think I will.¡± The Tower Master raised her lengthy cane and spoke out angrily at the girl in front of her. ¡°And if you¡¯re going to continue acting up, you¡¯ll have to face m...¡± ¡°I completed the magic you so fervently desired.¡± ¡°...What did you say!?¡± But as the unidentified woman took out and shook the sheet of paper inscribed with a magic circle, the Tower Master lowered her cane with wide eyes. ¡°A-Are you saying?¡± ¡°It¡¯s what you¡¯ve wanted for so long... nice try.¡± The Tower Master discretely tried to use magic on the sheet of paper, but the unidentified woman blocked the magic as if she predicted her actions. Then, the Tower Master began to stammer nervously. ¡°W-...Why don¡¯t we sit down and have a chat?¡± ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to?¡± ¡°You punk! That was before you mentioned anything about that magic. It¡¯s a different story if you really did manage to finish it.¡± The woman silently stared at the Tower Master before approaching her and uttered softly. ¡°I want to speak with you in private. Tell the others to leave.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I was thinking the same thing.¡± With a wave of her hand, the mages who stood there blankly quickly parted. ¡°Follow me.¡±Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com The Tower Master spoke out and entered the tower with as much composure as she could muster. The unidentified woman quietly accompanied her inside. ¡°...What is all this?¡± The two finally arrived at the tower¡¯s lobby after ascending the stairs for a long while. After scanning the room, the nameless woman questioned the Tower Master regarding various items laying around in piles. ¡°They¡¯re items prepared for my new disciple.¡± The Tower Master simply answered in an indifferent voice. ¡°...New disciple!?¡± The unidentified woman, shocked, stopped in her tracks and the Tower Master replied incredulously. ¡°What? I can¡¯t accept a new disciple?¡± ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be... In the previous timeline, you definitely...¡± ¡°Stop speaking nonsense and follow me. We don¡¯t have time to waste.¡± When the unidentified woman murmured in a daze, the Tower Master interjected and pulled the woman¡¯s arm with a frustrated expression. ¡°So, what are they going to be used for?¡± ¡°They¡¯re items to be destroyed.¡± ¡°What?¡± The unidentified woman, who was being dragged along, was taken-aback again after hearing the Tower Master¡¯s response. ¡°Those are all... minerals like mithril, orichalcum, adamantium, and diamonds...it should be difficult to even leave a scratch, much less break them.¡± ¡°My disciple can shatter those with a flick of her fingers.¡± ¡°...You¡¯re joking, right?¡± The Tower Master broke out in laughter as she replied. ¡°I would have thought the same several months ago, but there hasn¡¯t been a single thing that child wasn¡¯t able to break.¡± ¡°Are they here right now?¡± When the woman asked about the disciple¡¯s whereabouts, the Tower Master replied in rage. ¡°She went to the orphanage to play, so enough about her! Stop trying to change the topic.¡± The Tower Master opened the antiquated door and entered. ¡°Now, why don¡¯t you take off that stuffy robe... and show me that magic?¡± ¡°...Fine.¡± Irina flung off her robe and slowly took out the paper inscribed with the magic before handing it over. ¡°Hoh... this... did you just create a new magic system?¡± ¡°...Yeah.¡± ¡°Not only that, it seems like there¡¯s also magic that hasn¡¯t been proven or confirmed to exist integrated within. Looking at this...¡± The Tower Master voiced her thoughts in a daze as she scanned the document ecstatically. ¡°...It¡¯s as if this magic came from the future.¡± Irina looked as if her conscience had been pricked when she heard the Tower Master nearly guess the truth, but she swiftly restored her original expression. ¡°So, why did you bring me this when you despise me so much?¡± ¡°I wanted to consult with you on the probability of the magic activating properly.¡± ¡°You want my opinion?¡± Hearing the Tower Master¡¯s question, Irina scowled before speaking. ¡°I don¡¯t want to admit it... but you¡¯re the only one who can understand this magic right now.¡± ¡°Puha! Even though you¡¯ve always called me senile, in the end, I guess you do acknowledge me a bit?¡± ¡°...Not sure what it is, but it doesn¡¯t seem negative.¡± Serena spoke with a bright smile as I returned the part of the Prophecy back to her. ¡°It¡¯ll be restored shortly, so I¡¯ll contact you again when it¡¯s completed.¡± ¡°Alright, thanks for everything, Serena.¡± Serena began blushing when I thanked her with a smile. ¡°So, when are you going to catch the Secret Head?¡± ¡°Ah, about that...¡± ¡°I really want to do ¡®that¡¯ with you.¡± I began seriously considering just abandoning the birthday party to go search for the Secret Head. Serena curved her eyes and whispered when she saw the state I was in. ¡°We can still kiss.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Seeing her extend her arms, I began approaching her with a beet-red face. Finally, I sat on her lap and met her lips. ¡°...Chu.¡± Serena began licking my lips before slowly penetrating my lips with her tongue. ¡°Puah...¡± After entwining our tongues for a long time, I briefly pulled back and stared at her in disbelief. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t drink?¡± ¡°...I only had a glass to make my acting seem more realistic.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if it was the alcohol or some other reason, but Serena¡¯s face was beet red. ¡°Where are you touching?¡± ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m feeling drunk, so I¡¯m not quite sure.¡± ¡°You said you only had a single glass, though?¡± Serena smiled as she slid her hands underneath my clothes. ¡°You know I don¡¯t have much alcohol tolerance.¡± ¡°.............¡± ¡°...Serena, does your curse allow bodily contact?¡± ¡°You were already touching me before you even asked.¡± I smiled and pushed her down. ¡°Hahng...¡± I should give her a thorough massage for all her struggles. . . . . . ¡°Lord Frey! How is Lady Serena!?¡± The imperial maid inquired regarding Serena¡¯s condition as I left the room with a slight blush. ¡°She¡¯s conscious again, she said she¡¯ll be out after a brief rest.¡± ¡°Phew...¡± Seems like Serena¡¯s act was quite realistic seeing how the imperial maid heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Lord Frey, I have something to tell you...¡± ¡°Hm?¡± I began heading off to catch some rest before the birthday party began, but the imperial maid quickly called out to me. ¡°I think Her Highness Clana is searching for you.¡± ¡°Clana is?¡± I questioned her, confused. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. She was muttering your name on the veranda a while back...¡± ¡°Hm...¡± I nodded to the maid and headed towards the door. ¡°...........¡± ¡°...Clana?¡± She really was there. ¡°What are you doing over there?¡± She was seated on the veranda with her head down. ¡°Frey...?¡± I was staring at her perplexed but flinched when she lifted her head. Her eyes were overflowing and her face was stained with tears. ¡°Clana? What happened...¡± ¡°It¡¯s my loss...¡± When I began to raise her up with a disconcerted expression, she slowly began speaking. ¡°I¡¯m saying I lost to your dirty trick...¡± ¡°No, wait. Just what...¡± ¡°I surrender. I¡¯ll surrender so...¡± Clana spoke with a quivering hand covered with injuries as she stared at me with sorrow in her eyes. ¡°...Please just hold my hand.¡± ¡°Ha...¡± I didn¡¯t want to admit it... but it seemed like Clana was slowly remembering the events from the Ordeal. ¡°...This is driving me insane.¡± I could already see myself throwing up blood. Footnotes: 1 The visitor uses ¡®??????¡¯ to address her former teacher, the Tower Master. ¡®??????¡¯ is one of the direct way of saying ¡®you.¡¯ Korean has formal/casual styles and directly referring to someone as ¡®you¡¯ is often considered rude unless close. Chapter 95: Sentence ? Sentence ? ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± ¡°Pl-Please, I¡¯m begging you... Just once... Please just hold my hand this one time.¡± Clana desperately extended her hand out to me. Her current figure seemed to overlap with how she was during my Ordeal. I recalled her hand that had become disfigured after she had repeatedly slammed it against the table. Upon further inspection, her hand was in quite a mess right now as well. Judging from the bloodstains smeared across the floor and the handrails, she must have smashed her hand somewhere. ¡°What¡¯s this? Are you trying to act like a child right now?¡± ¡°Yes... I¡¯ll behave like a child... so please...¡± My heart wavered as I saw Clana desperately beg me with her shivering body, but I resolutely clenched my teeth and tried to give her the cold shoulder. There had only been one other instance where I had felt myself falter so much, and it was at the beginning of the previous timeline. I suppose witnessing Clana¡¯s broken stature in the Ordeal had indeed affected me significantly. ¡°Oh my, what are you two doing out here by yourselves?¡± As I was hesitating, I heard someone¡¯s voice mixed with a tinge of laughter, calling out to us. ¡°Imperial Princess?¡± When I turned around in surprise at the voice, I saw the First Imperial Princess standing there with a smile on her face. ¡°Let¡¯s chat for a moment?¡± ¡°...Sure.¡± After accepting her invitation for a private conversation, I turned around to see Clana hurriedly trying to get back on her feet. ¡°Wait here.¡± ¡°Heut.¡± Clana momentarily stopped moving and then just plopped back down onto the ground as she heard my cold command. ¡°...Pfft¡± The First Imperial Princess let out a soft chuckle as if she couldn¡¯t hold back her laughter any longer and then proceeded to walk out the door with light-hearted steps. ¡°What¡¯s this all of a sudden now? Didn¡¯t you already finish your business with me when we met in the room before?¡± ¡°Oh... I just felt like praising you once more after I heard that girl surrender.¡± We eventually arrived at a secluded hallway, and I looked on calmly as the First Imperial Princess turned around to face me again. ¡°Frey... Truth be told, I really didn¡¯t expect much from you. I thought that even you would find it difficult to break down that strong-willed girl.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°I would¡¯ve been content even if you had only hindered her from the side, but... pfft!¡± The First Imperial Princess seemed as though she was enjoying herself as she let out another peal of laughter. She then put a hand on my shoulder and whispered. ¡°I never thought you¡¯d be able to completely subdue that unruly girl who¡¯s constantly been a thorn on my side.¡± The corners of her lips lifted to form a smile. ¡°She persistently used to glare at me venomously without knowing her own place time and time again. Yet, to think that I would see that same girl tremble at your orders like an obedient dog... it was truly exhilarating to watch.¡± ¡°...Thank you for the praise.¡± ¡°So, I will ask you this Frey... What do you think about becoming mine?¡± ¡°Yes, I wi... What did you just say?¡± I had been absentmindedly answering her questions while letting her words in through one ear and out the other, but I had to do a double check when I heard something ridiculous come out of her mouth. The First Imperial Princess placed her other hand on my shoulder and repeated herself in a soft voice. ¡°I mean exactly what I said. Become mine, Frey.¡± ¡°What...¡± ¡°I want you to support me so I can become the Empress.¡± The First Imperial Princess leaned in closer. ¡°Clana had been gathering forces under her and emerging as a new faction to threaten our older brother¡¯s authority, but recently, her influence has been waning with her mental instability.¡± ¡°Is that so...?¡± ¡°Yes. Unfortunately, we still can¡¯t disregard her completely since she¡¯s built a sturdy foundation until now... But with you by my side, wouldn¡¯t I be able to take her position for myself?¡± ¡°Just for something like that...¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®just?¡¯ Have you forgotten your own position?¡± The First Imperial Princess tapped the star-shaped emblem on my chest in emphasis. ¡°If I can get you on my side, I¡¯ll not just have the Starlight Duchy, but the Moonlight Duchy as well to support me. After all, Serena is head over heels in love with you.¡± ¡°That might not always be the case...¡± ¡°So, with the entirety of Clana¡¯s forces and the support of the two Dukes, I should be able to wholly contend with my brother. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± As expected of the First Imperial Princess. She¡¯s quite good at coming up with petty schemes. She had been laying low under the Crown Prince¡¯s presence all this time, but look at her getting ready to strike as soon as an opportunity presented itself. Unfortunately, her Goodness stat was¡®-90,¡¯ and she had already sold her soul to the Demon King. If it weren¡¯t for these two factors, her proposal would have been actually worth considering. ¡°Then... what can the First Imperial Princess do for me?¡± ¡°Hm...¡± She narrowed her eyes and whispered. ¡°What do you think about the title of ¡®Prince Consort?¡¯¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the highest position someone who isn¡¯t a part of the Imperial family can attain.¡± My face must have betrayed how flustered I was because the First Imperial Princess stepped away from me. ¡°Seems like you¡¯re feeling a bit better.¡± Of course, the canary that was in Frey¡¯s hands was only capable of letting out bird sounds. ¡°Do you want to eat this?¡± Maybe it was because he had pitied the canary shivering in his hands, but Frey broke off a piece of cracker that had been on his desk and brought it close to the bird with a subtle smile. Clana briefly hesitated when she saw this side of him, but she still carefully started eating the cracker crumbs. ¡°You¡¯re pretty cute.¡± Clana slightly blushed before she continued to eat the crackers off Frey¡¯s hand. ¡°Your Highness Clana.¡± ¡°Kya!?¡± She jumped up from her spot in surprise when the maid who had come to retrieve her came up from behind her and whispered her name. ¡°W-What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Uh... Lord Frey is looking for you...¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°He¡¯s waiting for you in the room over there...¡± ¡°Ha...¡± The maid looked at her pitifully as Clana let out a groan and started shaking. It was quite unfortunate since Frey had coincidentally gently patted Clana at that exact moment.. ¡°All right, thank you for letting me know.¡± Clana quickly fixed up her expression and thanked the maid before heading towards the room with a vacant look on her face. ¨CKnock Knock Knock ¡°...Frey. I¡¯m here.¡± Clana, who was constantly wobbling around from the sensation of being wrapped in Frey¡¯s warm fingers, finally reached the room and knocked. ¨CCreak... As the door opened, she felt the warmth that she had felt earlier cease to exist. ¡°Frey, I¡¯m sorry...¡± ¡°Be quiet and come in.¡± Hearing Frey coldly dismissing her apology, Clana¡¯s head drooped as she quietly entered the room. ¡°Frey... about what happened just a little while ago.¡± ¡°A little while ago?¡± ¡°Yes, about your offer to make up with me.¡± As Frey silently looked at her chillingly, Clana continued with a ghastly face. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it, and I want to take you up on...¡± ¡°You¡¯re too late.¡± Clana closed her eyes shut and put her head down. ¡°That was the last opportunity. I don¡¯t have the slightest intention of fixing our broken relationship anymore.¡± ¡°Ah......¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you hate me? I won¡¯t love you either. Then it¡¯s all good, right?¡± As soon as Clana heard Frey¡¯s declaration, her eyes lost their shine. ¡°Instead.¡± Frey looked down at Clana and continued. ¡°I¡¯ll make you the Empress.¡± ¡°...What?¡± It seemed as though the moon and the stars had risen to the sky in a flash as Clana¡¯s golden eyes met his silver gaze. . . . . . Meanwhile, at the same time. ¡°........Is this really my power now?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you tell? It¡¯s certainly incomparable to your mana from before.¡± Staring at the purple aura rising from his hand, the man stood in a daze as he faced the girl in front of him. ¡°Thank you... Really, thank you so much...¡± ¡°So. When are you going to start?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking of starting... in a few hours...¡± The girl stared at the man with her ruby eyes in interest and whispered as she straightened out her robe. ¡°Then, go and play to your heart¡¯s content.¡± ¡°Thank you very much.....¡± The man bowed towards the girl, and in the blink of an eye, the girl vanished. Then he slowly stood up. ¡°I will drag you all down... tonight.¡± The scene of the ballroom where a certain party was in full swing reflected in the man¡¯s eyes. Chapter 96: Pandemonium ? Pandemonium ? ¡°You¡¯ll... make me the Empress?¡± Frey just nodded indifferently as Clana inquired with a shocked look. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ll make you the Empress.¡± ¡°W-why?¡± As he saw Clana looking at him in bewilderment, Frey replied with a smile, ¡°Think about it. What possible reason could I have to make you the Empress?¡± ¡°Uh.....¡± Clana racked her brains for a while trying to come up with an answer, but she soon gave up. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know. Why would you...?¡± ¡°It¡¯s obviously so that I can manipulate you for my own convenience.¡± Clana looked baffled upon hearing those words. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be the one who is most aware of the recent abnormalities that are plaguing your body? Do you know why your body has become like this all of a sudden?¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s...¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯ve put a curse on you. To imagine you couldn¡¯t even think of something simple like that. How utterly incompetent.¡± Clana shamefully lowered her head as Frey rested his legs on the desk in front of him. ¡°From this moment on, you¡¯re going to gradually lose your mind in my absence. You¡¯ll eventually end up going insane, and the citizens will probably shave your head and send away the crazy Empress to some convent.¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°So you have no choice but to obey me. Do you understand?¡± Frey lifted up Clana¡¯s chin causing her to meekly nod in fear. ¡°Ha... You should¡¯ve just been submissive from the beginning. It¡¯s no wonder no one likes you since you¡¯re always being pretentious and acting noble.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry...¡± ¡°Shut up. Don¡¯t cry in front of me.¡± Without waiting for Clana to stop crying, Frey ignored her and carried on; as if he wasn¡¯t willing to deal with her anymore. ¡°Now that you cannot disobey me anymore, your existence will simply be a means for me to maintain my authority...¡± ¡°Why did you refuse my sister?¡± ¡°What?¡± Frey stood up to leave the room but came to a halt when he heard Clana¡¯s words. Seeing him come to an abrupt halt, Clana reached out her hand to try to grasp what had now become her last ray of hope. ¡°I saw it. You received a proposal from my sister.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible. No one else was...¡± Frey started calmly rebutting her but stopped as the realization dawned on him. He raised the canary he was carefully holding between his hands and stared at it. ¡°She promised... that she would make you her Prince Consort.¡± As the light of hope grew brighter within her, she incessantly pushed on. ¡°So why did you turn her down? Why are you trying to make me the Empress instead?¡± Clana stared at him with clenched fists, but Frey, who was gazing at her in a daze, simply let out a sigh. ¡°Because you¡¯re harmless.¡± ¡°Harm...less?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Rather than a venomous snake, it¡¯s more convenient to use someone who can¡¯t even survive without me.¡± Frey brutally crushed the last vestiges of Clana¡¯s hopes and suddenly grabbed her shoulders while she was still in a daze. ¡°Instead of supporting the First Imperial Princess, who might plot to kill me in the future, it would be better to make someone like you, who¡¯s no different than a harmless doll, into the Em...¡± ¡°Stop!!¡± Unable to endure the words that were tearing her apart with every passing moment, Clana cut Frey off and grabbed his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s forgive each other and make up.¡± ¡°I already told you I don¡¯t want to. That was the last opportunity that you had.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like how we are right now. Let¡¯s just make up Frey.¡± Clana erratically started pushing Frey for a reconciliation in their relationship¨CHer eyes, full of unbridled chaos. ¡°C-Clana?¡± ¡°Frey?? You¡¯re not going to reconcile with me?¡± Golden mana suddenly erupted from Clana¡¯s body. Frey slowly backed away in shock. ¡°...What¡¯s going on now?¡± Something abnormal was happening. . . . . . ¡°Frey... let¡¯s make up. Frey...¡± ¡°Calm down! Clana!¡± Clana had lost her mind. I initially thought that she was merely acting out after I had treated her so cruelly, but checking her status window proved otherwise. [Name: Clana Solar Sunrise] ¡°Hik?¡± Even in such an absurd situation, I was able to throw myself to the side with Clana. I carefully started gathering stellar mana on my fingertip without delay. ¨C Kaching! The maid turned around and swung her blade at me again, but I managed to intercept her dagger with the stellar mana I had condensed on my fingertip. Yet, she simply looked at me coldly and took out an aikuchi as well. ¡®...A combat maid.¡¯ I was wondering how she was so proficient at combat, but seeing how she¡¯s been taking out hidden weapons one after the other, she must be a combat maid who was hiding amongst the other maids. ¡°Ora ora ora!!¡± Her combat skills were quite high. There was nothing good to be gained from engaging in a prolonged fight with an expert, so the moment her dagger missed, I kicked her to the wall. ¨C Kwang!! There was a resounding bang as her body crashed into the wall. ¡°Ugh...¡± Although I had put a lot of strength into that kick, it merely caused the combat maid to stagger a little. ¡°Ah? Wah...¡± ¡°Clana, listen well now.¡± Clana let out incomprehensible sounds as she still seemed to be in a daze. It was clear that she was incapable of processing the current situation she was in. I briefly glanced at the maid before holding Clana¡¯s shoulder as I tried to gently reassure her. ¡°This isn¡¯t reality.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°This is a dream.¡± Clana looked at me in confusion, clearly puzzled by my words. ¡°The curse is trapping you inside this shitty dream. Do you understand?¡± ¡°W-What are you... Frey... I...¡± ¡°I¡¯m not Frey. I¡¯m just an entity your subconscious mind created to protect you.¡± I locked my gaze with hers and continued to lie through my teeth. Before long, Clana¡¯s eyes started to tremble. ¡°Would the real Frey protect you? This is just a dream. So, get a hold of yourself.¡± ¡°Ah... you¡¯re right. Huhu...¡± We were running out of time. I shook her shoulders, but Clana just let out a laugh with a dazed look on her face. It was some bullshit excuse that normally wouldn¡¯t have convinced her, or anyone for that matter. But thankfully, it seemed to have worked out due to her unusual condition. ¡°From this moment on, you¡¯re going to have to escape from this dream with me. Otherwise, you¡¯re going to be stuck here forever.¡± I shook her again. ¡°So, get a grip... We have to get out of here, alright?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I want to stay here forever with you.¡± ¡°Stop with the nonsense and...¡± I was about to rebuke her but I came to a halt. Clana had suddenly started saying some bizarre things. ¡°Just now... I¡¯m starting to remember it now. But, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it anymore... So, at the very least... I¡¯ll stay here with you...¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°You... You gave me the Stellar Primrose... and the Solar Primrose...¡± Clana stopped abruptly and looked up at me with quivering eyes. ¡°Could it be... You... Huk.¡± Before she could finish, I struck the back of her neck, making her go limp instantly. Sensing the maid swiftly approaching us, I turned around and pointed my sword at her. ¡°...This is seriously driving me crazy.¡± ¡°Kugh!¡± Since I didn¡¯t have to worry about Clana watching me anymore, I knocked out the combat maid in a single hit using all my strength. ¡°Now then, what should I do?¡± A sigh escaped my lips as I looked at the scene in front of me where the maid had broken down the door. ¡°¡°Ugh.......¡±¡± Through the door, I saw the aristocrats tottering around the ballroom with lifeless eyes and dazed faces. Unfortunately, they seemed to have already noticed me and were slowly making their way towards me while exuding ominous auras. They were surely coming to kill me. . . . . . At the same time. ¡°He said he would make his move in a few hours, but did he start already ?¡± The girl who had granted purple aura to the man, moved her fingers through the air as she looked into the ballroom. ¡°Good. Then...¡± The space in front of her split apart as she moved her fingers. The girl then reached into the space, took out a few items shining with a bright silver light, and equipped them on her body. ¡°...I guess it¡¯s finally time to take the stage as the Hero.¡± Frey¡¯s flustered face was reflected in the girl¡¯s ruby eyes. Chapter 97: The Sun And Stars’ Past ? The Sun And Stars¡¯ Past ? ¡°Ughh...¡± ¡°...It¡¯s like a march of the undead.¡± Although these nobles were all so morally corrupt that it would be hard for me to distinguish them from rotten corpses, the sight of them approaching me like zombies instilled a peculiar feeling within me. ¨C Kwachik!! I kicked down the door still in the midst of my thoughts, and rushed out the room with Clana in tow. ¡°...Should I just beat them all up?¡± I touched my sword, contemplating whether or not I should just cut my way through as I saw the horde of nobles swarm towards me like ants. But in the end, I just let out a sigh and shook my head. Even if the majority of them were corrupted trash, it would prove troublesome for me if I did something like that. Although they were in the minority, there were a few good nobles among the crowd in front of me. Apart from them, there were other nobles that could still be of some value after I fixed them up. But I decided it was better to leave them be at the moment considering all the chaos that would ensue if they all suddenly died. ¡°Hm...¡± I slowly let go of my sword and started racking my brain as the nobles continued to fill up the premises. ¡®I¡¯m unaffected?¡¯ It was truly a relief that I had my stellar mana, the Hero¡¯s Power, and a Mental Strength of 9.3. Thanks to all of these, I was able to freely move despite the scene in front of me resembling a mental attack. ¡°Frey...¡± ¡°...H-at.¡± Clana quietly called out to me. ¡°Is this really a dream?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Look at those nobles over there... it¡¯s like a march of the undead.¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°Am I wrong? I mean... I can¡¯t think of a reason why you would help me either... so, this has got to be a dream, right?¡± Clana¡¯s face was awash in sorrow. ¡°Wait, you... that memory from before... the Stellar primrose... Huk!¡± ¡°...Sorry, Clana.¡± I gazed at Clana sadly and apologized. I knocked her out once again and hurried over to the room overflowing with black mana. ¡°...First things first. I need to take care of the most pressing issue.¡± Right now, I needed to do something about Clana. . . . . . It was dark all around. Clana, who woke up to the darkness, briefly looked around to assess her situation, and then became lost in thought as she tried to remember what had happened. ¡°F-Frey was... Huh?¡± However, her memories were completely blank as if they didn¡¯t exist.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.comething was biting at her ankle. Startled, Clana looked down and saw a black cat. After getting her attention,, the cat bit her ankle once again and started dragging her somewhere. ¡°Ha... seriously. This is absurd.¡± After being dragged off for a while, Clana spotted a young girl jotting something down as she mumbled incomprehensibly. ¡°E-Excuse me...¡± Clana carefully approached the young girl and called out to her, but there was no response. ¡°What the?¡± Sensing that something was off, Clana reached out and tried to touch the girl, but just as she had anticipated, her hand went through the girl. ¡°...Ack.¡± Perplexed, Clana peered in to see what the girl was writing. After a while, Clana roughly understood the situation. ¡®This is... the memory of back then...¡¯ Clana slowly began reading her diary of when she first met Frey. ============== 3rd day of ¡ð¡ð Month As expected, the ball for my debut was a nightmare. Everyone who approached me either looked at me lustfully or had other ulterior motives behind their actions. Someone even outright asked for my hand in marriage. It was repulsive to consider that a 50-year-old would propose to me when I¡¯m not even 10 years old.... However, the most revolting moment by far was when the tea party started. No one came to have a tea party with me... not a single child. But I didn¡¯t really care. After all, I¡¯m used to being alone. I did feel slightly sad about it, though. Very slightly. I was comforting myself with the food since the cake and tea were absolutely delicious.. In such circumstances, that boy came up to me. Had he said his name was Frey? As the first son of the Starlight Duchy, he had a high position ¨C several times better than a mere puppet like me. Regardless, it was obvious that everything he showed me, from his demeanor to his words, were all fake. He clearly pitied me and just wanted to manipulate me for his own benefit. That¡¯s why I told him that he would have to bring me the Stellar Primrose from the dangerous woods nearby if he wanted to befriend me. It was a form of retaliation for attempting to approach me with ulterior motives. It was most likely that he would give up after searching for a few hours or even before attempting to do so. He might even cuss me out. ¡°Y-You! What are you doing!¡± The mysterious energy surrounding the young Clana shifted over to the young Frey. ¡°Stop! This is my gift to you! This whole thing becomes meaningless if you do it as well!!¡± ¡°But where is there a friend who only receives one-sidedly?¡± The girl¡¯s face contorted in anger as she tried to release herself from the boy¡¯s grasp. But the boy held on firmly. ¡°Gifts are meant to be given and received in return.¡± The girl could only stare in disbelief as the boy started reciting the covenant. ¡°I, Frey Raon Starlight, will make my friend standing before me, the Empress.¡± ¡°You...!¡± ¡°And if I break this promise...¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s impossible! It¡¯s impossible for me to become the Empress!!¡± Shocked by his declaration, the young Clana desperately tried to dissuade him. ¡°Now that it¡¯s come to this, make the penalty something trivial! Something like having to give me a cracker or even a coin!¡± ¡°I will give you my everything.¡± ¡°Ah......¡± The covenant was made and the girl let out a stupefied sound. ¡°So that¡¯s what happened... That¡¯s why Frey is...¡± In the next moment, the surroundings began to fade. ¡°R-Right. That¡¯s what happened...¡± Clana came to a realization as she found herself in the dark space once again. ¡°Frey... because of that promise...¡± However, Clana, who was murmuring to herself, had a look of doubt on her face, as if something was still missing. ¡°But, I feel like I¡¯m forgetting something...?¡± . . . . . ¡°Hah...¡± ¡°Kania! How did it go?¡± Frey nervously asked Kania as she took her hand off Clana with a deep breath. ¡°It succeeded for now... but we need to wait for her to wake up to see if it¡¯s effective.¡± ¡°...Euk.¡± Seeing Frey so anxious, Kania tried to explain with a worried face. ¡°I covered her memories from the Ordeal with the only other memory that was capable of suppressing it... but as expected, it¡¯s another risky memory.¡± ¡°Damn it. I don¡¯t even remember making a covenant with her... Just when did that happen.¡± ¡°It¡¯s most likely to be another one of our memories that have been purposefully erased... a memory that can only be retrieved from our subconsciousness.¡± Kania frowned and quietly continued. ¡°I¡¯m saying this again, but black mana isn¡¯t omnipotent. There¡¯s a high chance of failure in altering her subconsciousness... and even if succeeds, there¡¯s a good chance for her memories of the Ordeal to resurface with the smallest trigger.¡± ¡°As long as we¡¯re careful...¡± ¡°No. Her memories will resurface naturally in due course. What I did is merely a stopgap.¡± ¡°Around how long... will it last?¡± ¡°A minimum of a few weeks and at best, a few months.¡± Frey tightly clenched his fists as he watched Kania rise from her spot. ¡°That¡¯s why... unless we find a permanent solution for it, it¡¯s pretty much guaranteed at this point that you¡¯re going to suffer another penalty. ¡°Fuck.¡± Frey muttered profanities and paced around the room in frustration. After a short while, he heaved a sigh and opened his mouth. ¡°Kania, if I die by any chance, take the will from my secret pocket... Kania?¡± However, he stopped and tilted his head. ¡°Kania, what¡¯s going on?¡± He was confused because he saw Kania, who had been trying to get up, completely stiff as though she had become petrified. ¡°Why, why are you like that?¡± At that moment, Serena¡¯s owl, that had been perched on Frey¡¯s shoulder after flying in from the other room, helplessly fell off. After rushing to catch the owl, Frey looked at Clana¡¯s motionless body in horror. ¡°...........¡± Clana, who had been moving around until a moment ago, had also become frozen stiff. ¡°Just... what...¡± Frey peered out of the window to take a look at the crazy nobles. As if to confirm his suspicions, they were also unmoving. Cold sweat ran down his body as he tried to leave the room. ¡°Hello, Frey.¡± ¡°........!!!¡± Someone suddenly opened the door and stepped into the room. Frey fell on his butt in horror. ¡°We finally meet.¡± Her crimson eyes were sparkling like rubies as she gazed at him from above. Chapter 98: A Starry Night ? A Starry Night ? ¡°...Who are you?¡± Frey cautiously asked the girl for her identity. ¡°Hm, I wonder. Who could I possibly be?¡± With a smile plastered across her face, the girl continued to tease him as she looked down at him from above. ¡°.........¡± Silence filled the air as they locked eyes. Unable to get a read on her, Frey slightly tilted his head. ¡°The Demon King.¡± ¡°What!?¡± The girl just laughed mockingly and broke the silence in the air. ¡°I said I¡¯m the Demon King.¡± ¡°Haaaaaat!!¡± As soon as she had finished, Frey tried to cut her down. ¡°...Huh?¡± Frey was bewildered. For some reason, he wasn¡¯t able to move his body at all. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to attack me.¡± ¡°W-Why...¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way I would tell you that, right?¡± The Demon King slowly walked into the room, and with each step that she took, Frey¡¯s body became drenched in cold sweat. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a choice.¡± ¡°Choice...?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. But it might be quite cruel for you.¡± The Demon King casually waved her arm and continued speaking. ¡°You can either kill everyone in this room and surrender to me, or you can just die. Choose one. You have no other options.¡± ¡°Just what...¡± ¡°If you choose the former... I¡¯ll let you keep your current position as the Second-in-Command of the Demonarmy. How does that sound?¡± Frey was briefly stunned by her offer, but quickly raised the sword in his hand. ¡°Haaaa!!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already said that you won¡¯t be able to attack me.¡± Frey imbued his sword in stellar mana and swung it at the Demon King. But he could only look on, stupefied, as his sword came to a halt. ¡°How... are you...¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re the Hero.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I also know what you¡¯re truly like under your Hero¡¯s facade.¡± The Demon King approached the bed and picked up Clana, who was lying limp, before tossing her towards Frey. ¡°Now, why don¡¯t you show me your true colors.¡± Startled, Frey quickly rushed to catch Clana, and then glared at the Demon King. ¡°What... nonsense are you spouting right now?¡± ¡°I told you to quickly kill her.¡± The Demon King waved her hands as if she were telling him to hurry up. Frey bit his lips in indignation. ¡°I don¡¯t want to?¡± ¡°What?¡± The Demon King¡¯s eyes widened in surprise before she sneered. ¡°Stop being so defiant. If you talk back to me one more time, your head will be sent flying.¡± ¡°Fuck off.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Frey spat out profanities through his clenched teeth, causing the Demon King to be taken aback. She hadn¡¯t expected such a reaction and began to walk towards him. ¡°You¡¯re really choosing death over serving me?¡± ¡°Kill me... and let them go.¡± ¡°Hah?¡± Frey tightly shut his eyes in anticipation. The Demon King shortly arrived in front of him with her brows furrowed. ¡°Say that one more time.¡± ¡°You know it as well. After I¡¯m gone, there won¡¯t be anyone capable of winning against you.¡± ¡°That is true.¡± ¡°So, just spare them and kill me. The world will be yours anyways once you kill me.¡± The Demon King sighed at Frey¡¯s earnest plea. She then suddenly pushed him down and straddled him. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve decided. I¡¯ll let you embrace me... as long as you surrender to me¡± ¡°.....What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying that I¡¯ll make you mine. Wouldn¡¯t you agree that it would be the greatest honor for someone like you, a mere human loser? ¡° The Demon King¡¯s eyes curved into crescents as Frey quietly stared at her. He sneered. ¡°What bullshit.¡± Frey tried to kick her off as he swore. However, much like his previous attempts, his attack suddenly lost strength, and his face began to show the hopelessness he was feeling inside. ¡°Are you still unable to grasp the situation that you are in?... Your defeat became no different than a foregone conclusion the moment I stepped out of my castle.¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°That means I can take you by force whenever I feel inclined to do so.¡± The Demon King began to brush over Frey¡¯s chest with her finger. ¡°This is your last chance. Do you want to die after getting dominated by force, or will you embrace me of your own will and become mine?¡± Frey quietly closed his eyes, and upon seeing that, the Demon King smiled and then leaned in to whisper something in his ears. ¡°If you pick the latter, it won¡¯t be a bad experien...¡± ¡°Kill me.¡± The Demon King scowled at Frey¡¯s unyielding will. ¡°Why? Why are you rejecting me to such an extent?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± Glaring at her viciously, Frey spoke his mind.. ¡°First of all, the very thought of becoming one with you, who might as well be the root of all evil in this world, makes me sick...¡± The Demon King¡¯s face crumpled with each passing word. Frey smirked at her visage and continued. ¡°Secondly... you can¡¯t attack me either, right?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Gyaaaaaaa!!!¡± The victor of the battle had finally been determined. ¡°Holy shit... by some brat we don¡¯t know...¡± The mysterious person I had called a brat cut off the Secret Lord¡¯s right arm with a single stroke of the sword. The Secret Lord almost let out a cry of pain as his stump started spraying blood in all directions. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just surrender!!¡± ¡°...Hm?¡± The unknown figure held the Secret Lord at the tip of their sword, and I tilted my head as I unwittingly felt a sense of de?ja? vu from their voice. ¡°Aaarghhh!!¡± However, before I had a chance to dwell on it, the Secret Lord started to struggle desperately. ¡°Just disappear!!!¡± ¨C Bzzzzzzzzzzzzt!! The Secret Lord condensed his purple aura and shaped it into a massive blade before firing it towards me and the mysterious figure. ¨C Clank!! The mysterious figure effortlessly blocked the attack, easily dispersing the purple aura. ¡°Where are you running off to!¡± They then started chasing after the Secret Lord who was tottering away in escape. ¡°Damn it.¡± The remaining purple aura continued to shoot towards us. ¡°Ah, heup...¡± As Kania and I were unable to reveal our abilities, Serena quickly poured lunar mana into her fan. However, it was insufficient to block the purple aura that had gained momentum after being deflected by the mysterious figure. ¡°Frey! No!!¡± ¡°...Withdraw your mana. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± Seeing the eyes of the people gradually shifting towards us, I spoke to Serena in a hurry. ¡°If it¡¯s now, as long as I make it look as natural as possible...¡± ¨C Shaaa...! ¡°...Huh?¡± I was nervously preparing myself for the incoming aura when a blinding light suddenly flew in from behind. ¨C Boooom!!! An enormous golden bird clashed with the purple blade, causing a massive explosion. I stared dumbstruck before slowly looking back. ¡°Hm...¡± Clana walked out of the room, radiating a light brighter than ever before. Her noble and regal expression, which had been absent for the past few days, adorned her face again as she exuded an aura of a ruler. ¡°Clana.....¡± I inadvertently swallowed back my saliva as I stared at her in a daze. I felt as though I would throw up blood and collapse at any moment. ¡°¡°.............¡±¡± Kania, who had personally manipulated her memories, and Serena, who had tensed up after deducing the situation, also shared the same reaction. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± A long period of tense silence ensued.. ¡°I had no choice but to save you due to our binding covenant. I didn¡¯t do it because I like you.¡± ¡°Phew.....¡± Clana broke the silence, looking at me with the same icy gaze she had several months ago. Seeing that, all three of us sighed in relief. ¡°Move aside. I must settle the situation.¡± Clana¡¯s words were cold, and she gave us a strange look before brushing past. I smiled as I watched her go, but Kania whispered quietly to me. ¡°Nothing has been resolved yet. Her memories will return anytime between a few weeks to a few months, so we needto find a solution by then.¡± ¡°...I know.¡± I collected myself and helped lift Serena, who was struggling to stand. ¡°Serena, if we chase down the Secret Lord...¡± ¡°It¡¯s too late. Seeing how the Curse of Familial Subordination has weakened, he must have suffered a significant injury, but I think he safely escaped.¡± ¡°Damn it...¡± I tightly clenched my fists in frustration as I saw her say those words with a hardened expression. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I have my ways.¡± ¡°...Really?¡± ¡°Yes, of course. Probably?¡± Serena winked as she assured me, and seeing that, I found myself more at ease. ¡°Then let¡¯s first get out of here. There are too many watchful eyes.¡± Thinking I had taken care of everything I had to, I tried to quickly leave the place before attracting any more unnecessary attention. ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°W-What is it?¡± Clana, who had previously moved past me, briefly hesitated before turning back towards me. Scared out of my wits, I took a step back. ¡°There¡¯s a dessert cafe? nearby that¡¯s still open. Head there.¡± ¡°W-Why all of a sudden?¡± I felt flustered, but Clana firmly held onto my arms and began dragging me along, maintaining her unsympathetic expression. ¡°Are you asking because you don¡¯t know? It¡¯s your birthday party that happens only once every year. We can¡¯t let it end just like this.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°In place of the Imperial Family, I¡¯ll be responsible for you. So, just follow me.¡± I stared at her in confusion, and Clana, who used to look at me as if I was insignificant, frowned. ¡°I already said I¡¯m not doing this because I like you, but because the covenant leaves me with no other choice. Do you think I¡¯m doing this because I want to?¡± ¡°N-No... Didn¡¯t you say you were going to try and fix the situation here...¡± ¡°The covenant takes precedence over that. Now, be quiet and just follow me.¡± For some reason, her Monarch¡¯s Aura seemed to have gotten considerably stronger. I folded under her pressure and meekly followed behind her with a sour face. ¡°...Anyways, happy birthday.¡± Clana wished me a happy birthday under her breath, but it was so faint that I doubted whether she said it at all. ¡°Kania, what do you think is going on with them?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either...¡± As I struggled to understand the bizarre turn of events with Clana, Serena and Kania exchanged concerned whispers. ¡®Well, since we were able to buy a few weeks to a few months of time...¡¯ Amidst this chaotic situation, I made a new resolution. Although Clana had returned to harboring her previous disdain for me and had become somewhat of a ticking time bomb, I decided to do my best to treat her kindly. The stars tonight were shining particularly brightly. Chapter 99: Decrypting ? Decrypting ? ¡°Clana, wait...¡± ¡°Hurry, they¡¯re going to close soon.¡± Despite my best efforts, I was unable to stop as Clana urged me forward with palpable frustration Although I initially thought to simply go along with her whims,I didn¡¯t know that the dessert cafe? would have such a romantic atmosphere to it. ¡°Clana, there¡¯s this other place I know instead...¡± ¡°Are you saying we should go somewhere else after coming all the way here? I¡¯m not wasting that much of my time for you.¡± I expressed my reluctance and tried to avoid entering the cafe?, but Clana obstinately persisted. How could a person have changed so much after recalling a single covenant? ¡°Welco¡ª¡± Clana grabbed my hand and dragged me into the store. The clerk initially welcomed us with a cheerful expression but stiffened on the spot when she recognized us. Indeed, it was quite reasonable to be shocked in such a situation. After all, the Empire¡¯s Third Imperial Princess and the firstborn son of a Duchy had stormed into their establishment in the middle of the night. ¡°Take us to your best seats and bring the most expensive items on the menu.¡± ¡°Y-Ye-Yes!¡± The clerk stood there with her mouth open, staring at us in disbelief,, but swiftly regained her composure and left to prepare Clana¡¯s order. ¡°Seeing how shocked she was, it doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯ve been here before.¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± I had merely asked her out of pure curiosity, but only a brusque response came back. ¡°...I have visited a few times, a long time ago.¡± She eventually ended up answering my question. ¡®Long ago... is she talking about the previous timeline?¡¯ I quietly entered the room when I noticed some bitterness in her words. ¡°You, come over for a moment.¡± ¡°Huh? Ah... yes.¡± The room was intimately designed with an abundance of romantic decorations that just a glimpse of it could bring a blush to one¡¯s face. As I gawked at the room, Clana summoned a waitress and whispered something into her ears. ¡°Understood. Then I¡¯ll get it ready with that in mind...¡± ¡°Please and thank you.¡± After expressing her gratitude and sending the waitress away, Clana turned to look at me. ¡°By any chance, were you connected to tonight¡¯s incident as well?¡± ¡°Mm...¡± I pondered for a while at her sudden question before snickering. ¡°And if I was?¡± ¡°Ha...¡± I responded with a question to gauge her reaction, and Clana heaved a heavy sigh. ¡°Are you going to continue being so uncooperative even though we made a covenant with each other? ¡°A covenant you say...¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. By constantly betraying me like this... you¡¯re only providing me with a reason to turn my back on you. Clana harshly scolded me, her voice tinged with noticeable irritation as she continued. ¡°And didn¡¯t you swear that if you couldn¡¯t make me into the Empress...¡± ¡°That I¡¯d give you my everything?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Clana nodded as I recited the line that I heard in her subconsciousness along with Kania. ¡°If you keep interfering with my ascension to the throne...¡± ¡°Then I guess I¡¯ll just have to offer myself up to you.¡± Her face flushed red when I said that with a smile. ¡°Enough with your jokes.¡± ¡°Joke?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way you would just offer yourself to me. You wouldn¡¯t have even bothered to cooperate with me if it weren¡¯t for the covenant.¡± Clana looked away as she retorted, and I asked her in a low voice. ¡°What if I¡¯m not joking?¡± ¡°...Stop it.¡± Clana gave me a cold glare as she released her solar mana. I guess it was time I stopped teasing her. ¡°Hey, how much do you remember regarding what happened today?¡± ¡°Yes? Well, obviously...¡± She appeared ready to reply immediately, but then she began hesitating. ¡°Huh? Uh? Hm...¡± ¡°Oh, the dessert¡¯s here.¡± ¡°...Oh.¡± I was able to get a rough grasp of her condition from her reactions. I quickly pointed and directed her attention to the dessert and she took a slice, still appearing troubled.. ¡°Hm.....?¡± However, the cake seemed familiar as if I had seen it many times before. ¡°A silver cat?¡± It was identical to the one from my dreams and the custom order cake Kania had brought. Now that I think about it, even in my dreams, it was always Clana who prepared the cake. What a coincidence. ¡°Oh my, what are you two doing here?¡± ¡°...It¡¯s you?¡± A familiar voice suddenly echoed from behind Clana. ¡°Why did you suddenly have a change of heart?¡± Serena clearly remembered how Clana had consulted her for Frey¡¯s assassination. Clana solemnly closed her eyes. ¡°...It¡¯s nothing you need to know.¡± ¡°Hm...¡± Having already heard the truth from Kania, Serena looked at Clana with a mysterious glint in her eyes before turning to Ferloche. ¡°Lady Ferloche, what about...¡± ¡°This tastes so good...!¡± ¡°...I see.¡± Ferloche was like hamster, stuffing both her cheeks with the cake... Serena let out a sigh and averted her gaze. ¡°Serena, what have you been looking at so attentively?¡± Clana tilted her head in confusion. She found it odd that Serena, who was typically infatuated with sweets, didn¡¯t even glance at her cake, and was instead, staring at something else. ¡°I¡¯m trying to solve a riddle.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a riddle that not even you can solve?¡± Serena¡¯s serious answer piqued Clana¡¯s curiosity. Despite her earlier dislike for Serena, Clana was surprised to find that there was a riddle that Serena could not solve. ¡°It could be that there¡¯s not enough information... or maybe I¡¯m just overanalyzing it... It appears that I still have much to learn.¡± Serena smiled bitterly. At that moment, Ferloche, who had been wolfing down the cake, opened her mouth. ¡°That riddle! I¡¯ll solve it!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m confident in solving riddles!¡± Serena looked bemused as she gazed upon Ferloche¡¯s sparkling eyes. She soon smiled and responded. ¡°Well, just like how there¡¯s the proverb ¡®Two heads are better than one,¡¯ in the Eastern continent... Perhaps a fresh, unique perspective different from mine will help.¡± ¡°W-What does that mean?¡± ¡°...I¡¯ll share the riddle with you, so mull over it. Of course, I¡¯d greatly appreciate Miss Clana¡¯s help as well.¡± Ferloche¡¯s face lit up in excitement while Clana nodded skeptically. ¡°¡®One coincidence¡¯, ¡®Five enlightenments.¡¯ And a... ¡®Boomerang that passes between the half moon and the crescent moon.¡¯¡± ¡°¡°......?¡±¡± Both Clana and Ferloche wore puzzled expressions as soon as they heard the riddle. ¡°I think I roughly understand the first two... but I don¡¯t have a clue for the last one.¡± ¡°What kind of...¡± ¡°Something feels off even when I compare it to a solar eclipse... and no related legends come to my mind either... Maybe it¡¯s a metaphor? No. No matter how I look at it, I think I¡¯m overthinking it...¡± ¡°Serena?¡± ¡°I even cross-checked with Frey by pretending that I couldn¡¯t read it. I suspected there might have been a magic symbol that was only visible to the Starlight family, but he saw the same thing I did. So why...¡± Clana scowled as Serena became lost in her thoughts while in the midst of her explanation. ¡°Hello? You should at least give us more information. What are we supposed to do if you only give us the riddle without the context...¡± ¡°We need to uncover the cryptic message behind the riddle. Solving it will reveal a new path.¡± ¡°...Hm.¡± As soon as Serena finished explaining, a long silence ensued. ¡°A half-moon and crescent moon... Wouldn¡¯t it be related to the moon¡¯s cycle? Or it could represent a solar eclipse...¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already considered these possibilities.¡± ¡°Then it might be a metaphor.¡± ¡°...It might be.¡± Ferloche, who had previously been confident, was now quiet. Instead, Clana was the one to break the silence as she curiously started exchanging ideas with Serena. ¡°Isn¡¯t a boomerang... something that comes back? Maybe the boomerang passing through a half-moon and crescent moon represents something...¡± ¡°Hm...¡± ¡°Is there a term for the phase between a half-moon and a crescent moon? If it¡¯s referring to that...¡± ¡°...There¡¯s no such thing.¡± Clana, who had been diligently offering her thoughts, slightly frowned at Serena¡¯s quick rebuttal. ¡°As expected, I dislike the moon.¡± ¡°............¡± Serena briefly glared at Clana. At that moment... ¡°Please get me a pen and paper!¡± ¡°¡°What!?¡±¡± Ferloche looked proud of herself. ¡°If the text is insufficient, we can just try drawing it!¡± . . . . . At the same time. ¡°...Alright, this should be good enough.¡± The Demon King had been running around for a while under the guise of a hero. After finally distancing herself from places that were crowded by people, the Demon King¡¯s lips lifted to form a smile. ¡°Now, it¡¯ll finally start in full swing.¡± ¡°Start...?¡± A girl clad in a black robe was following closely behind the Demon King. ¡°...What exactly will be starting?¡± The girl¡¯s left ring finger was shining bright. Chapter 100: Hope ? Hope ? ¡°Here¡¯s the pen and the paper.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Ferloche eagerly began to sketch on the paper that Serena had given her. ¡°Firstly, I¡¯ll draw the first word from the riddle: the half moon!¡± After scribbling on the paper for a short while, she showed her finished drawing to both Serena and Clana. ¡°...Ferloche, a half moon is traditionally drawn vertically, not horizontally.¡± ¡°Ah....¡± However, Clana pointed at the drawing of the moon with a sigh. Ferloche, who had been spacing out, frowned and said. ¡°Well, then should I draw it on the right side or the left side?¡± ¡°Do it on the right side. In the Sunrise Empire, the half-moon should always be drawn on the right.¡± ¡°Oh, How come?¡± Ferloche asked with a bewildered look, still holding on to her pen. Serena tapped the table with her fingers as she answered Ferloche¡¯s question. ¡°It¡¯s a legend associated with the Moon God. It¡¯ll take too much time to explain, so let¡¯s just move on for now.¡± ¡°Sure, then I will draw it on the right side...¡± Ferloche began to draw the moon following Serena¡¯s advice and with renewed confidence, she said. ¡°Mmm, right. Next, I should draw the crescent moon on the right side...¡± ¡°...The Sunrise empire is on the Southern continent, so you should draw the crescent moon on the left side.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Since she didn¡¯t know the direction of the crescent moon, Ferloche paused her drawing momentarily. But with Clana¡¯s guidance, she resumed without hesitation once again. ¡°Nice! With this, the riddle for the half-moon and the crescent moon is complete!¡± ¡°Good. What¡¯s next?¡± Initially, Serena had been looking at Ferloche with a bored look. But she soon became curious and asked the excited Ferloche. ¡°Next, we should draw a boomerang passing between the half-moon and the crescent moon!¡± Having said that, Ferloche cheerfully added a drawing of a boomerang. ¡°Did you consider the direction of the boomerang?¡± ¡°Ack!¡± Upon hearing Clana¡¯s words, Ferloche¡¯s hand stopped again. ¡°Oh, oh... then let¡¯s draw it from all angles!¡± ¡°Lady Ferloche, wait.¡± With her success just around the corner, Ferloche turned anxious. Ferloche tried to reach for the paper but Serena calmly caught her hand. ¡°You don¡¯t have to draw it from all angles. Just draw it in all four directions.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Yes, because there¡¯s something I want to point out. If the letters appear here... that would be enough.¡± ¡°Fi-First... I¡¯ll draw it first!¡± As Serena said that, Ferloche eagerly began drawing the boomerang with her eyes wide open. ¡°First, to start...¡± ¡°This...¡± ¡°Serena? Ferloche became puzzled because Serena had already reacted when she had only drawn the first boomerang but. ¡°...Even so, I need to go back to the Western continent.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ferloche and Clana were taken aback as Serena stood up with a determined look. ¡°Why the Western continent all of a sudden? ¡°You can¡¯t, Serena! You¡¯re still in a precarious situation.¡± Serena¡¯s face turned stiff, remembering the possibility of being attacked by the Secret Lord at any moment, causing her to slink back into her seat. ¡°That shape... I saw that pattern clearly at the historic site in the Western continent....¡± ¡°Th-Then! Did we solve the riddle?¡± ¡°...Of course, Lady Ferloche. You solved it.¡± ¡°Woah!¡± Serena had a smile on her face, as she gently patted Ferloche¡¯s hair. But her expression soon turned solemn as she added,. ¡°However, there is still something suspicious about it.¡± ¡°Something suspicious?¡± ¡°Yes. The first one is, why did the person who left this riddle leave no solution to it at all?¡± ¡°Would there be anyone in the world who would leave a riddle and also provide the solution?¡± Clana spoke with her arms crossed. Shaking her head, Serena answered softly. ¡°No. In truth, a person who leaves a riddle with no solution makes no sense. In fact, they shouldn¡¯t have left it as a riddle at all.¡± She couldn¡¯t help but recall the First Hero, who was the one who had left the prophecy. ¡°But the fact that he left it as a riddle... he must have been in some kind of a predicament that left him no choice but to do it this way, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about, but congratulations!¡± ¡°And the second reason is... Lady Ferloche you¡¯re the one who said it.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± Serena stared at Ferloche, who had just congratulated her, with a subtle look. Tapping her fan with her hand, she continued. ¡°Ferloche, by any chance, was it not because of luck, but of your own volition...¡± ¡°Serena, don¡¯t you need to secretly go now?¡± ¡°Then, work hard!¡± ¡°Th-The change...!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have the money to give me the change anyway. Just take it.¡± She then gently stroked the girl¡¯s hair, as the people around them looked on in admiration. ¡°Then, I¡¯m going.¡± ¡°Good-Goodbye....¡± Ruby indifferently accepted such gazes. Bidding her farewell, Ruby started to walk down the street again, leaving behind the boy, whose face had now turned red. ¡°...Hooo.¡± Ruby abruptly stopped walking and looked up to the sky. Placing her hand in front of her eyes, she instinctively pushed aside something in her vision. Her dynamic visual ability had been developed to match the speed of light, allowing her to instantly read all the information in front of her.Then, with a motion as natural as the flow of water, she pushed something aside again. This behavior, that had formed out of habit, was now a part of the evil woman¡¯s physical skill. ¨C Thud! After walking for a long time, Ruby arrived at a worn-out inn. She tossed the carrot into her sub-space and began knocking on the door. ¡°Oh my, Ruby! You came today as well?¡± ¡°Yes! I want to eat my breakfast here!¡± ¡°Oh my... you¡¯re so kind. But you really don¡¯t need to come here every day.¡± ¡°No! Of course, I do it because I like it.¡± When Ruby said those words, the innkeeper¡¯s eyes reddened with gratitude. ¡°One bowl of leek potato soup and a wholemeal bread please!¡± ¡°...Right away.¡± Ruby cheerfully ordered her food. She then leaned back on her chair and closed her eyes for a moment. ¡°...So what was the penalty again?¡± Soon after, Ruby muttered in a low voice, and an information window floated in front of her. ¡ºPenalty: All of your stats will be drastically reduced for a month¡» ¡°Even so, I can still shred them all apart.¡± ¡ºIt will take effect starting from now¡» Indifferent to Ruby¡¯s uninterested reply, the System started to apply the punishment. With an inquisitive gaze, Ruby said. ¡°I clearly feel weakened. As expected, it really is novel.¡± Having said that, Ruby tapped the system window in front of her. Shortly after, she voiced absurdly, ¡°But... is that all you got? In the end, a loser like you can only interfere with me this much.¡± Ruby shoved the system window forward, and she continued to talk with a condescending gaze as the system window slowly approached her. ¡°I know you can hear me even in that state. So why don¡¯t you answer me? Huh?¡± Ruby kept on knocking on the system window in front of her as she tried to talk to the system. Soon, with a displeased look, she yawned and muttered. ¡°What a petty fellow.¡± She looked around with a bored expression, but seeing the innkeeper bringing her food made her cry out with a smile. ¡°Thank you for the food!¡± Ruby took a big spoonful of the soup, but her expression soon changed to one of confusion. ¡°...What¡¯s this?¡± The potato soup was red. By any chance, did the innkeeper make a mistake while preparing it? ¡°Excuse me, why is this soup re... heugh!¡± As she pondered this, Ruby took another bite, but suddenly bent over as she experienced some unknown sensation completely foreign to her. ¡°Ru, Ruby? What happened?¡± ¡°Ah... Hhh... Ugh.... Heugh!¡± Is this blood? The thing that is continuously coming out of my mouth, is it really blood? With her mind filled with such thoughts, Ruby felt pain in her body... it was something that she had never experienced before. ¡ºPermanent debuff activated. (you need to follow your fate as a Pretender)¡» ¡ºYour lifespan and life force have are sharply decreased permanently¡» ¡ºStack: 1¡» ¡°...What?¡± In such an incomprehensible situation, Ruby tried hard to keep her consciousness from fading away. Looking at the system window floating in front of her eyes, she gritted her teeth and muttered ¡°Who... who the fuck... huh?¡± She was soon covered in blood. She crazily looked around and caught a glimpse of a suspicious figure outside the window. She hurriedly used her Search Magic. ¡°Ruby!! Are you alright? Ruby!!¡± ¡°Quickly call a doctor! Quick!!¡± ¡°Is that a chronic disease? Ruby is usually healthy...¡± ¡°Mo-Move...¡± At that moment, because the people who came to help her flocked together, she lost sight of that suspicious person. ¡°He-Heugh....¡± In order to get a better look of that suspicious person, Ruby tried to push those people away. But she soon reached her limit and passed out. ¡°I don¡¯t know what suddenly happened but...¡± From outside the window, Glare watched everything unfold. ¡°...This makes it clear.¡± She concluded her observation by adding some notes to her already packed journal.. ¡°You are the Hero¡¯s enemy.¡± In front of Glare¡¯s eyes, there was a floating quest window with the phrase [Fallen Hero] etched on it. T/N: 100 Chapters in!! If you like the novel don¡¯t forget to rate/leave a review here. Chapter 101: Secret Store ? Secret Store ? ¡°Young Master, it¡¯s morning already.¡± ¡°Ugh... so soon?¡± Time went by after the chaotic birthday party and in the blink of an eye, The first day of the academy¡¯s new term had arrived. And so, I felt it was best to prepare thoroughly before I returned to the academy. ¡°Kania, give me a report.¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡± I rubbed my eyes and sat up in bed with such thoughts going through my mind. Kania took out a notebook from her chest before she started talking. ¡°First, regarding the Welfare Foundation you mentioned before... We are making steady progress .¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡±In a timeframe between a few weeks to a few months, it will be ready to launch. Of course, any connection to you and the Starlight Duchy will be kept confidential.¡± Kania responded to my question with a slightly tired look on her face. It seemed as though leading the establishment of the Welfare Foundation had been quite burdensome for her. ¡°If you had told me earlier, I could have offered some help...¡± ¡±It¡¯s for the best if I bear this responsibility alone. If you got involved, it could leave a trace¡± ¡°...but isn¡¯t it very troublesome?¡± I felt proud of Kania, but at the same time, I felt sorry for her as well. I worriedly asked her. ¡°Would you like me to give you a massage? I learned a special technique that could help relieve your fatigue.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine...¡± Kania, who had been mechanically answering me until then, stopped and started contemplating my offer. ¡°Please do so then.¡± After hesitating for quite some time, Kania finally answered with a meek voice. ¡°Fine, sit here and I¡¯ll start with your shoulders.¡± I smiled cheekily and patted the space beside me on the bed. Kania, with her head bowed, timidly sat next to me. ¡°Th-Then... the second report... uh... Heuh...!¡± I started to softly massage Kania¡¯s shoulder. As she was about to make her second report, she flinched and let out a deflating sound. ¡°Ah, sorry Kania. I used my stellar mana by accident...¡± I felt embarrassed for a while because of my oversight. I expressed my apologies immediately upon realizing my mistake of unwittingly utilizing my Stellar mana on her, a warlock. ¡°...It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°It must have hurt, right? I¡¯m sorry. Originally, this massage is supposed to be performed by infusing stellar mana into the person¡¯s muscles, relaxing them in the process. Of course, it can¡¯t be used on you...¡± ¡°Just do it, please.¡± Kania cut off my words and replied in a low voice as she looked at me.. ¡°I don¡¯t mind if it¡¯s a small amount.¡± ¡°What? But...¡± ¡±I¡¯m really fine. It only felt like a light poke. On the contrary, it will instead increase the massage¡¯s effect as well.¡± ¡±Well... okay. If you say so.¡± Upon hearing her answer, I immediately nodded. I spread a small amount of the stellar mana onto my hand and began to massage her shoulder again carefully. ¡°Then... the second report.¡± Kania, who was trembling from my touch, looked down at her notebook and calmly resumed her report. ¡°Yesterday the payment for the contract cancellation was paid to the commoner students in class A.¡± ¡°Hoo.¡± From Kania¡¯s words, I could almost imagine their emotional faces as they received the money. ¡°Thanks to you, students with a sick parent or sibling were able to take them to the hospital, and those who couldn¡¯t afford food can now have full stomachs for a while.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s truly a relief.¡± ¡°And, more than anything, they can now buy their own books and don¡¯t need to take turns in using them anymore. It¡¯s all because of the Young Master¡¯s... ahh...¡± Kania let out another moan as I continued massaging her neck. ¡°Is there any way to help the students from other classes too?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ve tried to search for a way but... there is definitely a limit, isn¡¯t there?¡± I muttered in a regretful voice as I glanced at Kania. When her body stopped trembling, she responded softly. ¡°Indeed, I don¡¯t know what exactly the limit is, but if we help them regularly, it could have negative consequences.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. So for the time being...¡± ¡°But what if there is a solution to that?¡± Kania frowned as she saw me smiling while saying so. ¡°Is there really a way?¡± ¡°Conduct a survey on the commoner students for me, focusing on the unfortunate things they have faced such as unfair treatment, poverty, and violence.¡± I stretched Kania¡¯s back as I instructed her and then added. ¡°We can¡¯t be certain if there really is a way. You don¡¯t need to worry too much.¡± ¡°...Please be careful.¡± Kania let out a sigh as I straightened her back. It was stiff due to her relentless service to me. After answering me, she flipped through the pages of her notebook. ¡°Then... the last report...¡± ¡°What have you written so much about in that notebook?¡± ¡°...Hyaa!¡± Frey frowned as he saw Kania¡¯s intense reaction to his touch on her stomach. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I think the symptoms are similar to a twisted mana circuit...¡± ¡°Yo-Young Master... your hand, please...¡± ¡°Then, the solution must be the same, right?¡± After he said that, Frey started to carefully stroke Kania¡¯s stomach. ¡°...Heugh!!!¡± Even though Frey attempted to touch Kania¡¯s stomach as softly as possible, the sensation still made her jump in fear. The chill that overtook her was not of a comforting touch, but instead, a bone-chilling one. ¡°Hm... as I suspected, there is a problem with your mana circuit. Maybe because you were under a lot of pressure recently.¡± ¡°Th-Thank you for the diagnosis. So now... Aaahh...¡± ¡°Hold on a little longer. If we leave it like this, it will only get worse.¡± Kania tried to stop him, as she felt herself becoming dizzy. But Frey, deeply concerned for her well-being, only increased the pressure of his touch on her stomach. ¡°I... I don¡¯t know anymore...¡± A dreadful chill took over her, and in her fading thoughts, she began to recall what had happened a few weeks prior. ¡®Is that... the reason?¡¯ At the birthday party held a few weeks ago, she had scolded Rosewyn for trying to seduce her young master and had gone to grab a drink to quench her thirst.. ¡®At that time, I only thought it was a drink left by the Young Master... Only then did she realize the cause of the abnormality. But it was already too late. With the thought of seducing Frey, Rosewyn had put an aphrodisiac into the drink in an attempt to seduce Frey. But with her Warlock ability that turned any poison or drug into black mana, coupled with Kania¡¯s already disturbed state of mind, the result was nothing short of disastrous. . . . . . ¡°...it has been a while since the last time I came here.¡± After rubbing Kania¡¯s belly for a while, I soon came to the conclusion that it wasn¡¯t something that could be solved in a day. So, I informed her that I would continue to provide her with treatment from now on and then left the mansion, as planned, and headed for the back alley. ¡°That... Isn¡¯t that Frey?¡± ¡°Shh! Do you want to get yourself killed?¡± ¡°He got some nerve... to still be walking around despite all the rumors about him.¡± People started whispering as they saw me, so I gathered the stellar mana in my ears to listen in on their conversations. It was no surprise that they were gossiping about me. ¡°...His face is kind of cute though.¡± ¡°Right, what a shame.¡± ¡°Even if his power is weak...¡± I had no chance to bask in the glory of being shunned by the beggars and corrupt nobles in the back alley this time. Instead, the voices of young ladies who had gathered far away from me, evaluating my appearance, dug into my ears. ¡®...It should be here somewhere.¡¯ Withdrawing the stellar mana I had gathered in my ears, I searched the corner of the back alley. ¡°Is this it?¡± I finally found a dilapidated wall covered in graffiti and cautiously infused my stellar mana between the cracks. Not long after, the surroundings began to shake. The dilapidated wall started to soften and eventually turned into a pudding-like consistency. I stirred it a few times with my hands, then took a deep breath and quickly jumped inside after having a look around. ¡°...Hoo.¡± The scene that I had anticipated instantly came into view. Scrolls could be found hanging here and there, along with colorful potions and weapons that looked powerful even from the outside. All sorts of magic tools were also visible. Right. This was one of the hidden places in the game, ¡®Dark Tale Fantasy 2¡¯, or more specifically, the secret store. In the first part of the game, it was said that this item shop owner was the legendary craftsman Rosinante, whose name was widely renowned even to this day. Even I had no idea how a person from a thousand years ago could still be alive. ¡°Well, it is none of my business.¡± I came here today because I wanted to either repair or upgrade the ¡®Mask of Deception¡¯ that was shattered in the ¡®Ashen Forest¡¯ a long time ago. This was something I definitely needed in the future. In addition, my body had been itching for a while to do some good deeds. I also want to heal myself by doing some good things. ¡°Is anyone there?¡± I approached the old-fashioned counter and took out an ¡°ornamental box¡± from my chest pocket, calling for the shop owner. I had heard a prophecy from my ancestor that if I returned this stolen box, which I had acquired at an auction a few months ago, to Rosinante, an ¡°Easter Egg¡± would appear. It was something I was definitely looking forward to.¡°Hoam...¡± ¡°....?¡± As I waited expectantly, I heard a yawn from somewhere. ¡°Eum... who are you?¡± ¡°Ah, that...¡± After searching for a while for the source of the sound, I heard something again under the counter and leaned over to introduce myself. ¡°Yo-You...¡± Seeing the person perked up with his disheveled look, I froze as I laid my eyes upon him. ¡°You finally came...¡± The scroll store¡¯s owner, who I was diligently searching for, stared at me for a while with a subtle gaze. ¡°....Hic.¡± He was hiccuping.... This man was completely drunk. Chapter 102: Karma ? Karma ? ¡°You are...¡± ¡°Oh? That box...?¡± I blankly looked at the owner. The owner, who appeared drunk, hiccuped and reached out his hand with a gleam in his eye.. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Ekkk....¡± I looked at him warily and hid the box behind me. The owner then lost his balance, he fell on the counter with his stretched hand. ¡°This bastard. I¡¯m the owner of that box you are holding.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the owner?¡± I frowned as I looked at him. After hearing what he said, I let out a surprised reply. This drunken old man in front of me, was he really Rosinante, the legendary master who owned the item store in the first version of the game? ¡°You look a lot like Hanbyeol... but of course, your hair color is different.¡± ¡°What?¡± I got pulled back from my thoughts when I heard a dunce-like voice of an elderly. ¡°What do you mean...¡± ¡°Forget it. Tell me, what do you want from me? Of course, you should know that the things that I make come with their own cost...¡± Tilting my head in confusion, I tried to ask him what his words had meant. Yet, he just waved it off and started to talk with an annoyed voice. ¡°Here, a jade pendant.¡± ¡°Crap. I don¡¯t like doing unprofitable trades.¡± I offered him the jade pendant that I received as a reward from the Second Ordeal. He accepted the jade pendant reluctantly and started to grumble. ¡°So, what do you want to make?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here to ask you to make anything. I need your help in repairing and upgrading something.¡± Saying so, I took out the ¡®Mask of Deception¡¯ that was cracked in half. The owner made an expression of disbelief and started to complain once again. ¡°What kind of shitty work is this?¡± ¡°Is it really that bad?¡± ¡°Yeah, if I was the one who made something like this, I would have died out of shame.¡± He frowned deeply as he said that. Soon, he shattered the mask on the counter into pieces with a hammer. ¡°Did you have to destroy it?¡± ¡°It was a magic trick at best. I tried to recycle it, you punk.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it was shitty work?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a craftsman, not a magician. Of course I can¡¯t make a magic tool without the necessary materials.¡± He had a curt expression on his face, but he still kindly answered my question. His features and personality matched the prophecy written by my ancestor, and it became clear to me that he was indeed Rosinante. ¡°You, How are you still alive?¡± ¡°What concern is that of yours? The fact whether I¡¯m alive or not has nothing to do with you.¡± ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± ¡°Well, what I know is that you are my customer.¡± I eventually asked him a serious question, but he only gave me a brief answer and tried to steer the conversation away from the topic. ¡°Freaking annoying.¡± ¡°You¡¯re free to leave if you don¡¯t like it. Didn¡¯t you come here of your own accord?¡± I frowned as he said that. His curt attitude was beginning to frustrate me. I was already tired of all his cryptic words and details. ¡°But, are you going to give me back my stolen box?¡± ¡°...Here.¡± ¡°Nice. I¡¯ll start working now.¡± After I handed him the ornamental box, the owner beamed a smile and walked towards the back of the counter. ¡°It¡¯ll be ready soon. Just wait here for a bit. I¡¯ll turn that mask of yours into something truly extraordinary.¡± ¡°Wait, I just wanted to have it repaired...¡± ¡°I will make you something way more amazing than that mask, so don¡¯t worry!¡± Hearing his excited voice, I could only sigh quietly. Soon after, Iasked him a question. ¡°Would you consider becoming my exclusive craftsman?¡± ¡°Even if I wanted to, I can¡¯t do that.¡± The owner, who had been observing me with a sly grin, replied with a smile. Then, he disappeared behind the counter. ¡°...Kania, do you hear me?¡± I gazed at the spot where the owner had gone for a moment before stepping outside the shop. ¨C Yes, Young Master. I can hear you. Hearing Kania¡¯s response through the communication magic tool I held in my hand, I smiled in satisfaction and ordered. ¡°Come to me at once. I¡¯ve found the owner.¡± ¨C I¡¯m coming right away I smiled upon hearing Kania¡¯s calm answer. Then, I cut off the connection between us and fell into deep thought. ¡®If the owner really is Rosinante... I can¡¯t let him go.¡¯ According to the prophecy of the previous Hero, I must do everything in my power to secure the services of a master craftsman who can enhance the items given by the system. The fact that my ancestor even mentioned the owner only heightened his importance and required my utmost attention Therefore, it is imperative that we secure Rosinante, even if it is only in theory. I cannot do it, but you can. I¡¯m not quite sure why my ancestor seems to attach great significance to Rosinante, perhaps it¡¯s just a gut feeling. ¡°Well, he will inevitably be defeated by Isolet. So, I¡¯ll just have to apply some pressure, right??¡± Of course, physically assaulting an elderly man was a morally questionable act. But when the time is right, and with Kania by my side, we would blackmail him. ¡°...Right, let¡¯s have a look at the information board.¡± I sat idly on the chair waiting for the owner, but soon I became curious about the contents of the information board and proceeded to the counter. ¡°Oi, boss. Let me take a look at it.¡± ¡°.....¡± ¡°Boss?¡± After a moment of silence, I called out to the owner, but when I received no response, I crossed over the counter. ¡°...Kania, don¡¯t come.¡± ¨C Pardon? I entered the room and with a defeated look, I muttered to Kania through my communication device. ¡°It¡¯s too late for you to come now.¡± Inside the room, only a pendant and a note were left behind. Your order has been received. It will be delivered to your mansion soon. ¡°...Hoo.¡± I shed tears upon reading the note, but quickly regained my composure and smiled. ¡®It seems like you won¡¯t steal it after all.¡¯ Although the plan to repair the mask and do good things with it seemed to be out of the question now, something that was made from an item that had been given by the system definitely wouldn¡¯t be something ordinary. In addition, the owner had repeatedly said that he would make it into something that was even more amazing. Even though he was a little bad tempered, he was someone with real skill. His creations were something worth looking forward to. Suddenly, an alcohol bottle flew out of nowhere and struck the bald head of the gangster. ¡°Which crazy fucker...!!!¡± The impact from the bottle caused the gangster to stumble back, clutching his head in pain. He scoured the area with a menacing gaze, trying to locate the source of the bottle. ¡°Hahaha... you, did you just curse at me?¡± ¡°...Heup!¡± As soon as the gangster discovered the culprit, he froze up in shock. ¡°He-Hello! Lord Frey!!¡± ¡°Ah... my head.¡± His comrade, who was also bald, quickly came to his aid, slamming his head to the floor and offered a greeting. Frey, who was heavily intoxicated, looked irritated as he spoke. ¡°Why are you blocking the road... someone is trying to pass by.?¡± ¡°We-Well... I¡¯m just doing some ¡®work¡¯ here. Hehe.¡± ¡°Work?¡± ¡°Ye-Yes... don¡¯t you know it, Lord Frey? This is Count Justiano¡¯s territory..¡± ¡°Aha... that back alleys emperor...¡± Frey quietly nodded as the gangster spoke, sweating profusely. Frey then picked up the fallen contract and quickly scanned its contents. ¡°...Come to think of it, that punk Justiano has his claws in the new back alley market as well.¡± Frey eventually muttered to himself, with a cold look on his face, before his expression lightened up. ¡°I got it, then...¡± ¡°Yes! Please take a look at it!¡± ¡°...Fuck off.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I said fuck off.¡± The gangsters were stunned by Frey¡¯s words. Frey picked up the bottle once more and bellowed, ¡°I said fuck offff! You bastards!¡± ¡°Ye-Yes! We will go!¡± Everyone in the Empire was aware of Frey¡¯s drinking habits, so the frightened gangsters quickly scurried away, muttering to each other, ¡°Huhu. I almost received an extra commission from those children.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we just abduct them? This is so freaking annoying.¡± ¡°Somehow, they seem to sell better when they come of their own accord, rather than when they¡¯re kidnapped or forced.¡± Those gangsters muttered and they soon walked out of sight. With a cold gaze, Frey watched them go, then he approached the girl who was gazing at him fearfully.. ¡°Th-Thank you...¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± In an instant, Frey then arrived in front of the girl, cutting her off, and grabbed her arm abruptly. ¡°You are quite pretty.¡± ¡°Ye-Yes?¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± Frey attempted to take the girl with him, but the boy on the ground blocked him, shouting, ¡°Le-Let go of my sister!¡± ¡°...Why should I?¡± ¡°I, I will give you this! So please...!¡± Saying that, the boy offered Frey the only gold coin he had ever owned, the same one Ruby had given them a few days prior. ¡°What can this do... huh?¡± Frey took the coin with disdain and sneered, and he tried to throw it to the ground. ¡°What¡¯s this..¡± Then with a stiff expression, he began to mumble. ¡°Pl-Please... Please... Cough! Cough!¡± Frey, who had been scrutinizing the gold coin for a while, spoke in a low voice as the boy tugged on his trouser and pleaded. ¡°Then, you follow me too.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You too. Follow me.¡± He then dragged the girl by her arm to a quiet alley. Frey infused his hand with stellar mana and whispered, ¡°...Who did such a thing?¡± As the stellar mana from his hand met the gold coin in his hand, it emitted a ruby-colored smoke. . . . . . ¡°Haa...¡± At the same time, in another part of town. ¡°Ruby! Are you okay? Are you going to start coughing blood again?¡± ¡°What are we going to do? Ruby looks to be in so much pain. This must be a severe illness.¡± ¡°Sister Ruby... you can¡¯t die.¡± Laying in the bed surrounded by people, Ruby became a little awkward. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m really fine...¡± ¡°Bear with it a little longer!! We will slowly gather some money and we will call the Saintess from the church! Maybe she can come in a few days!¡± ¡°Th-There is no need for that!!¡± Ruby put on a strained smile, but when the people mentioned the Saintess from the church with concern, her expression became truly distressed and she shook her head. ¡°Look at her, she¡¯s still worrying about us.¡± ¡°Oh the Sun God! How can you put such a kind child through so much hardship...¡± ¡°Sister Ruby was so kind that she tried to hide it....¡± However, no one listened to her words. Ruby whispered quietly, ¡°...What have you done?¡± But when nothing happened, she spoke coldly, ¡°There¡¯s a help function... doesn¡¯t that mean you are obligated to answer me?¡± Soon after, a system window appeared in front of her. ¡ºA sharp decrease of ability has been issued as a penalty for failing the last quest, as well as a decrease in ¡®luck¡¯¡» ¡°...Ha.¡± ¡ºAnd even if it wasn¡¯t the case, consider this your retribution.¡» After checking the content, Ruby burst into laughter with an incredulous expression. ¡°.......¡± From a far distance, Glare was quietly staring at her. Chapter 103: Rich Hero ? Rich Hero ? ¡°...Time passed by so quickly.¡± The extended break had come to a close and the new semester was starting the next day. ¡°Kania, what¡¯s for lunch?¡± I was handling some business at the mansion¡¯s office room pondering over these thoughts, when hunger suddenly struck. So, I just asked Kania the question. ¡°Today¡¯s lunch is barbeque.¡± ¡°I see, sounds delici¡ª huh?¡± I instinctively answered with a compliment, but then realized the voice didn¡¯t belong to Kania. I turned my head and asked, ¡°Irina?¡± ¡°I will be handling lunch and dinner today. Kania needs some rest too.¡± ¡°Okay, I see.¡± I nodded quietly at Irina¡¯s words. She had returned to the mansion yesterday. Soon, I asked her with a puzzled look, ¡°Where have you been, Irina?¡± ¡°Just training a bit.¡± ¡°You were training? Couldn¡¯t you have done that here...¡± ¡°I¡¯m training to use my black mana.¡± Saying that, she stretched out her hand and emitted black mana. Irina was truly a prodigy for being able to effortlessly use black magic just by having some black mana within her. As I watched her, I thought to myself, ¡°Irina has something she wants to ask me.¡± At that moment, Irina opened her mouth with a serious expression and said, ¡°If you encounter something dangerous in the future... Please use this scroll.¡± ¡°Something dangerous?¡± ¡°Yeah, like when... your identity is discovered.¡± Saying that, she produced a scroll adorned with various magic circles and handed it to me.. ¡°If you use this scroll when that time comes, it can protect you.¡± ¡°Irina? This...¡± Irina¡¯s face looked determined. She left the room before I could even say anything. ¡°What is this?¡± I was left staring at the scroll in my hand, unsure of its purpose. I put it in my chest pocket, thinking, ¡®Well, since it is something from Irina, it wouldn¡¯t be anything dangerous.¡¯ Soon after, with my mind still on that scroll, I took a sip of the coffee on the desk. I pushed all the documents aside and got up from my seat. ¨C Creak... ¡°Hiiik!¡± With the cup of coffee in my hand, I went to open the door. As I opened the door, I heard a frightened scream from below. ¡°He-Hello...¡± I had to lower my gaze considerably to find out who it was. It turned out to be one of the children that I had rescued from the street market. ¡°What are you doing here? I gave you to Lulu.¡± ¡°Ah, Th, That... I wanted to notify Ms. Lulu to have lunch...¡± ¡°Yes, go then.¡± It seemed like she was still afraid of me, since she broke out in cold sweat in the middle of our conversation. I gave her an indifferent reply and walked past her. The girl had a complete blank look on her face. As I descended the stairs, the girl tried to talk to me once again, ¡°Lo-Lord Frey, thank you for treating my younger broth...¡± ¡°Treating your younger brother? I know nothing about that.¡± The girl tried to give me her thanks. In an instant, I coldly cut off her words. This caused her face to scrunch up in confusion. ¡°Bu-But... My brother was admitted to the hospital today...¡± ¡°I have no knowledge of that. You are nothing more than pets that belong to Lulu. I have no interest in you.¡± I continued to speak to her in a cold voice. But as I descended the stairs, I quietly added some words. ¡°That¡¯s why you should thank Lulu for wishing those dirty things like you two can become something cute.¡± Although I said that, I couldn¡¯t stop myself from making a smile. It was me who had sent the seriously ill boy for treatment on the account of Lulu¡¯s request. I talk about it often, but doing a good deed is indeed quite enjoyable. . . . . ¡°Hello...¡± Lulu and her maid greeted Frey, who was already seated at the dining table with a look of arrogance. ¡°Lulu, come sit by my lap.¡± ¡°Ye-Yes.¡± Frey, who was staring at them, beckoned her in a gentle voice. ¡°Di-Dig in.¡± Blushing, Lulu obeyed and took a seat on Frey¡¯s lap. The maids hesitantly reached out to grab some food with their hands, but Lulu quickly added, ¡°You can use a knife and fork.¡± However, this mistake caused the maids¡¯ faces to pale and they repeatedly bowed their heads in fear. ¡°We-we were wrong! Please have mercy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry... I¡¯m very sorry.¡± The maids, who were referred to as ¡°pets¡± by their owners, were used to being locked up in dark storage rooms or prisons and fed only inedible waste. Using utensils was a luxury they were not accustomed to. They had subconsciously tried to pick up the food using their bare hands. ¡°Please just once, please forgive us just for this once...¡± Realizing their mistake, the maids looked at Frey and begged him for forgiveness with fear visible in their eyes. They were so afraid they would receive the same violence they often suffered over the years. After the end of their continuous education, it is basically the first time they dined with Frey, yet they already made a mistake. ¡°Lulu, try this. It¡¯s hard to come by.¡± It would be reasonable for Frey to whip them and throw punches at them. But instead of doing any of that, Frey was busy feeding food to Lulu, who was sitting on his lap. ¡°Aaa...¡± ¡°Good. What a good girl.¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy to make scars, but bruises are a bit more difficult.¡± ¡°Then if this situation occurs again, should I leave the bruises myself??¡± ¡°...Yes, I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s the case.¡± Kania looked as if her conscience had been pricked as she confirmed that. She quietly averted her gaze and then noticed an object on Frey¡¯s desk and asked,. ¡°Young Master this....?¡± ¡°Right, it was something made by that damned codger.¡± Kania picked it up, curious, and read the attached note: Robe of Deception EX If you use this robe, you can perfectly hide your identity. Your physical abilities and mana will be greatly reduced. After she read the note attached to the black robe, Kania asked Frey a question with a frown on her face. ¡°How weak do you become if you wear this robe?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wield a sword properly and can only create a small light using my stellar magic.¡± ¡°Then, even with its good concealing ability, it¡¯s not very useful, right?¡± Kania said with a disappointed look. But Frey just got up from his seat with a grin. ¡°Kania, among all the things I have right now, what do you think is the most powerful?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it your stellar mana?¡± But Frey shook his head. After some time in agonizing thought, Kania asked once again, ¡°Then, by any chance, is it your appearance?¡± Frey frowned at the suggestion and Kania quickly apologized, ¡°My apologies, I don¡¯t know.¡± Frey took back the robe from Kania and put it on, and then pulled out a white mask from his chest pocket. Putting it on, he answered, ¡°...It¡¯s money.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Kania asked once again, looking at Frey intently. But he was now blurry in her vision. He was playing with a gold coin that glowed with red mana and said, ¡°A Hero or a Demon King... with enough money you can be anything.¡± . . . . . That night, at a market in a secluded alley somewhere. ¡°Given that you are familiar with this place, I don¡¯t think you should be so nervous.¡± Those were words spoken by Count Justiano, the Emperor and ruler of the back alley. ¡°By the way, how long are you going to hide yourself?¡± He spoke in a low voice to the figure sitting confidently on the couch. The figure was draped in a black robe and wore a white mask. ¡°You¡¯ve been having quite a few problems because of this gold coin, right?¡± ¡°....That.¡± The figure responded by taking out a gold coin emitting crimson smoke from the pocket of their robe. The sight of the coin caused Count Justiano to involuntarily clench his fist and struggle to keep his usual composure. ¡°This fake gold coin, which carries a curse and brings misfortune, has been circulating in your area, correct?¡± ¡°Ye-Yes...¡± ¡°Even if they turned a blind eye to other things, fake gold coins cannot escape the notice of the Imperial Family. It will be intriguing to see what happens if they find out¡± The Count raised his hand, signaling his men to stand ready, as the figure began to provoke him. ¡°You would be wise not to do anything foolish. I have already sent a letter to the Imperial Family, you know? If I¡¯m not able to take it back, you will lbe finished.¡± ¡°...Who are you?¡± Hearing that person speak in such a calm voice, Count Justiano could only grit his teeth and ask him a question. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know. I came here to give you a suggestion.¡± The figure¡¯s arrogance was evident in their voice as they brushed off Count Justiano¡¯s question. ¡°Ha.¡± The Count studied the figure with a scrutinizing gaze. He quickly withdrew the signal he had given to his men. He had understood that it would be too dangerous to confront someone as powerful as this figure. The figure was capable of neutralizing even the most advanced identity verification magic and illusion removal magic. Moreover, despite having the upper hand, this person had come to offer a suggestion rather than to threaten the Count. His instincts also told him that this person wielded wealth and influence. ¡°Allow me to be straightforward. Sell me complete ownership of the alley market in the Imperial Capital..¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Hearing those words, the count couldn¡¯t help but frown again. ¡°Do you have enough money for that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you have the luxury to be picky.¡± ¡°Are you asking me to sell the goose that lays the golden eggs for free? That would arouse too much suspicion, and neither of us would be safe.¡± ¡°It seems that the Emperor of the back alley is quite timid.¡± ¡°Being an emperor or a ruler is a coveted position. In my case, the number of people who wanted it was quite high.¡± The Count stroked his beard calmly and continued. ¡°You should be aware that I have men and authority in every corner of the market alley. Without my support, even if you were to possess the ownership, it would be of no use.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°I will sell it at the original price. I have already given up so much.¡± The masked individual sighed and placed a magic contract on the desk. ¡°Place your hand on it and have a look.¡± The count put his hand on the contract with a dubious expression, but soon, a grin formed on his face and he asked, ¡°You punk. Seriously, who are you?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know.¡± ¡°Will we not be working together again in the future?¡± After seeing the abundant number of gold coins in front of his eyes, the Count¡¯s attitude was now more agreeable.. At his question, the masked individual quietly smiled and said. ¡°I will pay you in a lump sum.¡± The next morning, with the transaction complete, the ownership of the alley market in the imperial capital was transferred to an unknown individual. It was the start of Frey¡¯s shadowy identity, soon to be known as the ¡°Hero of Money¡± among the people. Chapter 104: The Pure White Saintess ? The Pure White Saintess ? ¡°Ferloche, wake up.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± This is quite unfortunate. I was talking with the Sun God in my dream before I was woken up. Thanks to that, as I was complaining to the Sun God, whom I hadn¡¯t seen for a long time, I saw the nun who frequently woke me up, standing over me. I rubbed my eyes and asked her a question. ¡°What time is it?¡± ¡°It is 5 AM.¡± ¡°Oh no!¡± Oh my goodness! It¡¯s already 5 AM! I overslept! I was supposed to wake up at 4:30 AM. This is a result of my growing laziness. I must reflect on my habits. ¡°I¡¯m sorry... I was treating patients in the alley market until late last night.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Saintess. It¡¯s part of your duty, after all.¡± I was relieved that the nun in charge of me was so understanding.! As expected, she was a good person! ¡°While we¡¯re on the topic, Saintess. It will be best to limit yourself from doing too much of that.¡± ¡°Whaat?¡± I was in the middle of folding my blanket when the nun started talking to me with a troubled expression on her face! What the hell does she want me to limit myself from? ¡°You can¡¯t use your power carelessly. If you keep doing it, then your position...¡± ¡°But if people don¡¯t receive my treatment, won¡¯t there be even more beggars whose life will be in danger?¡± I cut off the nun¡¯s words and asked her a question as I tilted my head. I couldn¡¯t understand why treating people who would die if they didn¡¯t receive immediate treatment would become a problem. ¡°That is to say, um... you need to treat the people assigned to you by the Church so that you can live up to your status as the Saintess.¡± ¡°Hm...?¡± ¡°So, be more careful next time, Saintess.¡± But the nun continued to talk in a weird manner until the end. What exactly am I supposed to be careful about? ¡®...It¡¯s sickening.¡¯ Despite tilting my head in confusion, I forced a smile and followed the nun. It was time to pray to the Sun God! ¡°Hello, Saintess!¡± ¡°Hello~!¡± When I arrived at the prayer room, the nuns and priests greeted me. To wake up so early to pray, they were all very diligent people, as expected! ¡°You came on time today as well.¡± I waved my hand as I greeted them. I was about to go join them but then I saw the Bishops exiting the prayer room. ¡°N-No. I overslept and was 5 minutes late!¡± ¡°Haha, you are not late at all.¡± ¡°It is nice to see you consistently offer your prayers, Saintess.¡± The berry-bellied Bishops patted my shoulder and encouraged me. That¡¯s right, I am receiving so much support so I can¡¯t be discouraged, right? ¡®You all look like the scums of the Church.¡¯ I smiled brightly, waved my hand at the Bishops, and then I headed into the prayer room. ¡°Uhh, it¡¯s so scary...¡± ¡°Even you are afraid, Saintess? What is so scary about the Holy Church¡¯s prayer room that makes you tremble like this every time?¡± ¡°It-It¡¯s dark in there!¡± I knew that the prayer room was located inside the church. I also knew that it was a holy place... but I couldn¡¯t help but be scared! It¡¯s so dark in there! ¡®I need to go inside that dark place. Quickly!¡¯ However, it was my duty to go there. Since I¡¯m the Saintess after all! ¡°I show my gratitude to the magnanimous Sun God. I will begin today¡¯s prayer...¡± As I entered the prayer room, the sight of the nuns praying came into my view. ¡°The creator of the world and the sky, the maker of the continent, the Sun God, with your benevolence, please bestow your blessing upon the Empire today as well...¡± I also caught sight of a bronze statue of a benevolent and beautiful-looking woman. But I wasn¡¯t surprised The woman was the one and only God of the Empire, the Sun God! ¡®No, the Sun God is not the only God.¡¯ Looking at the benevolent Sun God, I started to pray zealously. ¡°The merciful Sun God, please also give me the strength to kill Frey today! I¡¯m begging you!¡± ¡®No, please give me the strength to protect him.¡¯ I prayed for a while before finally stopping when it was sunrise. I see you... Now I can start my day in full swing! I will work hard as a Saintess today as well! . . . . . ¡°Heum... Is there someone who needs my help here?¡± ¡°Of course, Saintess.¡± I treated people adorned in precious jewelry, calling me ¡®Saintess,¡¯ and arrived at a worn-down hospital. It had been a while since I had seen such a place. ¡°Hello~!¡± As I entered the hospital, I was greeted by a sea of patients in dire need of treatment. ¡°Saintess, this way.¡± ¡°Ah, yes...¡± I couldn¡¯t help but approach someone in pain, but the nun quickly guided me in another direction. I couldn¡¯t perform my treatment if it were like this... ¡°Wait! I need to go to the restroom!¡± ¡°Sa-Saintess!¡± Now that the situation has become like this, I need to make use of my usual tactics! ¡°Ugh... It... It hurts...¡± ¡°Sister, your body feels quite hot...¡± I shook off the nuns and quickly headed to where the patients were, and I secretly distributed my holy powers to them. ¡°A little more...¡± ¡°Saintess?¡± ¡°Ah, Aah.¡± I infused my holy power into her for a while. Only when the nun stopped me did I come back to my senses. Hm, it was a little less... but she should be fine now, right? ¡°Eugh!¡± Right! Ruby must be rather pleased since her body is trembling in joy! ¡°Then, if there is a chance, let¡¯s meet again Ruby!¡± I smiled at her and wished her well before leaving the room. I wanted to talk to her about her recent activities and her volunteering, but I had other patients to attend to. ¡°Ex-excuse me.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Just in case, are you...¡± As I was walking down the hallway, a child blocked me. What was it this time? ¡°Do you know Ruby¡¯s identity?¡± ¡°Ruby¡¯s identity?¡± The child had a shining ring on her left hand. She asked me that question with a serious look. ¡°Of course I know it!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, isn¡¯t she a very very nice person?¡± I personally told her about Ruby¡¯s identity, but suddenly the child¡¯s expression turned into a disappointed one. What was wrong with her? ¡°...The Saintess wouldn¡¯t believe it anyway. Other people obviously wouldn¡¯t, and even my teacher... no one would believe it.¡± Hearing the girl mutter something depressingly, I subconsciously started to move towards her. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is about, but cheer up! Don¡¯t ever give up!¡± ¡°Ah, yes...¡± ¡°...Please.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± With a smile on my face, I left the hallway with the nun. For some reason, I couldn¡¯t get rid of the smile on my face! . . . . . ¡°Huaaa...¡± It was night again. ¡®I have to go back to the academy tomorrow, right?¡¯ It was a shame that the time I had to treat people would become less, but I had no choice but to return to the academy. But I wouldn¡¯t be able to meet Frey then? ¡°Gugu!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± I was thinking of such a thing when I heard the sound of a pigeon from the window. ¡°Gugu, it¡¯s you! Hello?¡± ¡°Gugu?¡± It was my pet Gugu! He was the church¡¯s homing pigeon. But seeing it knocking on my window at this odd hour made me wonder if there was a letter to be delivered to me. ¡°Ah, you really came?¡± ¡®Ah, it really came! Who had sent it?¡¯ Professor Isolet from the Academy Well, it was a letter from Professor Isolet. I looked at the letter for a moment and carefully opened the envelope. This is a notice for Student Ferloche Astellade: You are selected to be the partner of Frey Raon Starlight for this semester. ¡°Eeek.¡± Ah, this was such good and annoying news at the same time. Partnering with Frey... if it had been any other person except me, they probably would¡¯ve been clinging to the professor and crying bitterly. ¡°Huft...¡± I put the letter on the desk with such thoughts on my mind. I glanced around for a second and then quietly opened my diary. 12 July XXXX I will treat all the sick and homeless people someday! I have to! No matter what! I will do my best to create a world where everyone can be happy! Soon, I started to write about everything that had happened today. Since Clana gave me this diary as a gift, organizing my day and writing in it had become an important daily routine and a source of joy in my life! It was because I enjoyed writing a diary! While writing, I could look back on my day. In the end, it became one of my favorite things to do besides praying! Also, in Clana¡¯s diary, automatic grammar correction magic was cast onto it! It¡¯s really amazing! I liked watching the text I had written wriggle like worms and get immediately corrected. And. And... And also. . . . . . ¡®...If I don¡¯t write it down like this, I might forget about it.¡¯ Excitedly, Ferloche wrote in her diary. Soon after, she frowned and edited the first sentence, 12 July XXXX Even if my legs and arms hurt, it doesn¡¯t matter. I will treat all the sick homeless people anytime! No matter what! I will always do my best to create a world where everyone can be happy! ¡°Haa..¡± After revising her diary, Ferloche turned to the very last page and opened her lips. ¡°It is slowly reaching the end... I need to remember it somehow...¡± Remember On the page filled with the word ¡°Remember,¡± Ferloche added another one. She sighed, closed the diary, and muttered. ¡°There is still hope.¡± There was a dim star shining upon her. Chapter 105: Huh? Am I getting pissed? ? Huh? Am I getting pissed? ? After the end of the long holiday, the day that marks the start of the academy¡¯s new semester had finally arrived. ¡°This... It feels quite different.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Leaning on the horse carriage that was taking me to the academy, I muttered to myself while Kania sat beside me, looking confused. ¡°Didn¡¯t we ride the same carriage to the academy a few months ago?¡± ¡°Now that I think about it, you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°But at that time you looked like you wanted to kill me.¡± I said with a smile. Kania quietly bit her lips and quickly apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only ¡°It was a joke. Anyway, how are those kids doing?¡± ¡°Are you talking about Lulu¡¯s companions?¡± Kania looked back at a smaller, luxurious horse carriage that was following behind us. I extended my gaze in that direction as well. ¡°As of now, they still seem anxious.¡± ¡°Indeed. They are people who had fallen into the pits of despair and spent years inside there. It would be hard to recover from such an ordeal overnight.¡± I sullenly responded to Kania¡¯s answer, but she just continued with a smile, ¡°But there is also something that changed.¡± ¡°Something that changed?¡± ¡°Yes, it isn¡¯t much, but it¡¯s a sign of hope.¡± I felt relieved to hear that. That¡¯s good. Even a little bit of hope can make a big difference. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah, in order to survive, it is important to have at least a little hope. That is what experience has taught me.¡± I said that with a satisfied smile on my face. Kania looked fixedly at me and asked a question. ¡°Those people would never know of your plan before everything ends and will continue to hate you until then. Despite everything, you still smile like that. Are you really happy?¡± ¡°Of course. I gave hope to those who were in despair, and in the future, I will make their hopes a reality¡± ¡°You are really amazing.¡± Soon after, Kania pouted her mouth and began to grumble unhappily. It was still the same Kania, who, until just a few months ago, would keep her emotions locked away even when I asked about them. However, lately she¡¯s been displaying much cuter expressions like this one. Of course, I much prefer her this way. I appreciate her as a butler, but I also cherish her as a friend. ¡°But Young Master, is it really true that you bought the alley market while in disguise?¡± ¡°Yes, I believe that if I take the first step confidently, it will make things easier in the future¡± ¡°But... Can you handle it?¡± When I nodded my head, Kania just showed an anxious expression. ¡°Don¡¯t you already know what it means to rule the market alley?¡± ¡°Yes, ruling the alley market means... you will have a significant impact on the back alley. Those two alleys are intertwined after all.¡± Hearing my explanation, Kania let out a sigh and said, ¡°I will help you.¡± ¡°No. I will do this by myself.¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°If you were to help with this as well, you would end up overworking yourself.¡± Saying that I touched the dark circles under her eyes with a concerned look. Kania¡¯s expression turned lighthearted. ¡°There are already so many tasks you are handling. I will do this by myself, so you don¡¯t need to worry about helping me for now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Young Master¡¯s aide...¡± ¡°And while handling this work by myself, I want to get some time to relax. That¡¯s the reason.¡± ¡°...Time to relax?¡± ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t keep living committing evil deeds all the time.¡± Hearing my words, Kania, who had a bewildered expression on her face until then, soon answered with a sigh. ¡°I understand.¡± For a while, only silence filled the carriage. ¡°Ah, it seems like we have arrived. I can see the Academy.¡± In that silence, I gazed outside of the window while scratching my head. Soon after, I could vaguely see the silhouette of the Sunrise Academy in the distance. ¡°Then, please take care of me this semester as well...¡± ¡°Young Master, the operation we planned beforehand has to be carried out now.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± I had been smiling and shaking my hand with Kania, but she instead mentioned the operation with a serious expression. ¡°Is it really okay? It will be quite painful...¡± ¡°In order to hide your identity, a little pain means nothing to me.¡± Feeling guilty, I stretched my hand out to her. Kania quietly took off her suit and the operation finally started. ¡°Then, I ask for your cooperation today as well...Heugh!¡± ¡°...Hold on for a while, Kania.¡± As expected, Kania was someone who had unwavering loyalty towards me. Just for my sake, she endured the pain as I left my handprints on her body. ¡°Haaaa.....¡± I really should be nice to Kania. . . . . . ¡°Hey, your complexion looks so much better!¡± ¡°Yeah... I received some treatment during the holidays.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s great!¡± The commoner students in class A were cheerfully exchanging news with each other inside the classroom. ¡°After taking care of my mother and sister¡¯s treatments, only a little was left for living expenses.¡± ¡°Still, that is better than nothing. I spent it all paying off my debts.¡± ¡°Ugh.... Uugh......¡± However, Isolet just sat there gritting her teeth while suppressing her anger. ¡°If you have nothing to say, then I suppose I will leave¡± Frey was about to leave when Isolet suddenly grabbed his arm. Thud ¡±What are you doing...¡± Frey visibly showed his disapproval upon seeing Isolet¡¯s sudden movement. However, Isolet kneeled on the floor with a flustered look and said, ¡°I beg you. Please, be the sponsor for the children.¡± ¡°What?¡± Isolet earnestly begged him, ¡°If those people really become sponsors for the children... don¡¯t you also know what will happen?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure...¡± ¡°The women will be forced to give out sexual favors, and the men will become slaves.¡± Hearing those words, Frey asked a question with a frown. ¡°How can you be so sure of that? Although they don¡¯t seem to give you a good impression, they were carefully selected by the Church and the Imperial Family, after all.¡± ¡°The students of class A have been dragged into a power struggle between the Imperial Family and the Church.¡± Isolet continued her words with a distressed look. ¡°When the Demon King¡¯s existence was revealed to the public, the Imperial Family and the Church became hell-bent on securing more talents for themselves. This is a fact that you know very well. ¡°And?¡± ¡°So, the two forces locked their eyes on the Sunrise Academy. Regardless of how much the Academy was losing its past glory, this is a place where talented people gather.. Forget class A. Even class C has the ability to overwhelm ordinary soldiers.¡± Isolet clenched her fists in anger as she continued. ¡°Of course, rather than compromising each other, both sides have instead been trying to recruit more students to their own side. So, they sent their own people to the Academy and made them sponsors.¡± ¡°So it is only for that reason?¡± ¡°It is also a way to keep Dean Lionel in check. He¡¯s been abusing his power as a Dean lately, so the Imperial Family and the Church view him as a problem¡± Frey frowned at the mention of the Dean, and he soon calmly inquired. ¡°And what about the evidence that the kids will be treated horribly?¡± ¡°Do you really not know? The nature of the aristocrats who can influence the Imperial Family and the Church is such that they sponsored the imperial knights, which alone constitutes more than tens to hundreds of knights.¡± ¡°Even so, they are all talented people known throughout the empire, right?¡± ¡°Though they are talented individuals in the Empire, if you don¡¯t side with them, you won¡¯t cross the knights. But I believe because of the groundless conviction the students will eventually comply with their demands is not sound.¡± Finished with her talk, Isolet began to beg Frey with a trembling voice once again. ¡°However, the problem is that such groundless conviction could actually occur. Innocent young sprouts are about to be trampled upon after being caught up in this power struggle of adults. I can¡¯t bear to watch that happen before my eyes.¡± ¡°So what does all that have to do with me?¡± ¡°Please be the sponsor for the kids.¡± When Frey replied coldly at the words, Isolet replied in a trembling voice. ¡°I will give you everything you wanted.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°So Frey, I ask you once again... For old times¡¯ sake.¡± Saying so, Isolet laid down on her belly in front of Frey. ¡°Professor Isolet? Come with us for a second.¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± Suddenly, a servant of the Imperial family and a priest dispatched from the Church interrupted their conversation. Gritting her teeth in anger, she listened to the words of the priest, ¡°The aristocrats have raised a lot of objections regarding your position. It seems like we need to have a long discussion.¡± ¡°In short, it is just a personnel evaluation. Well, you should already know the result after all.¡± They said so with a smile on their mouth. Isolet pitifully left the office with her head hung low. ¡°.......¡± Then just like that, the office fell into silence. ¡°Huh?¡± That was until Frey, who had still been staring at Isolet¡¯s drooping figure, muttered in a low voice, ¡°Am I getting pissed?¡± . . . . . ¡°Hmm... alright. Let¡¯s end our discussion here. Are you satisfied?¡± ¡®...Dirty.¡¯ During lunch, the representative of the commoner students, Alice, and a few other students were chatting with an aristocrat with a slimy voice at a restaurant near the Academy. ¡°By the way, your hands are so stiff, aren¡¯t they?¡± The aristocrat, who had just finished discussing sponsorship with the students, suddenly took Alice¡¯s hand and started playing with it. ¡°Ugh.¡± Taken aback by the greasy touch, quickly pulled his hand away. The aristocrat then got up from his seat and said. ¡°Don¡¯t act like that...¡± ¡°...You will soon get used to it after all.¡± That Aristocrat then left the table, and there was a long silence. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Ugh... I¡¯m so sick of it. Whatever they want from us can¡¯t be good if this is how they act. We won¡¯t be paid anyways. I¡¯m seriously considering leaving the academy.¡± Just then, someone approached them. A student who was fed up with the ongoing lewd behavior of the nobles stood up from his seat. ¡°You should at least hear them out, right?¡± ¡°Leave it. There is no need...¡± The person in front of her grabbed her hand. The student was about to reject him with a cold tone. ¡°...Ugh.¡± But as she gazed at the immense gold coin that he threw onto the table, she froze in her seat. ¡°It is only the deposit... Can we talk now?¡± The person in the black robe spoke kindly, and the girl hesitated for a moment before sitting down again. It was too much money to refuse. Chapter 106: Partner ? Partner ? ¡°What do I do? Should I just really accept the sponsorship?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Do you really want to sleep with those pot-bellied aristocrats?¡± At a cafe? near the academy, all the students of Class A were huddled together and were conversing with one another. ¡°Eh, I¡¯m not sure about the Imperial Family, but the ones chosen by the Church can¡¯t be...¡± ¡°Stupid. The people chosen by the Church are even worse. They¡¯re the kind of people who will absolve your sins for a price... ... Ah Saintess. I¡¯m not talking about the Saintess.¡± The students, who were discussing the sponsors, gave Ferloche a sympathetic smile as she listened to their conversation with fear etched on her face. ¡°Is-Is that so!¡± Then Ferloche, who had been silent until then, straightened her back with an eased expression. ¡°Then... what do we do now?¡± ¡°That is what I¡¯m saying. If this continues, we¡¯ll have no choice but to leave the Academy.¡± The commoners patted Ferloche on the back, treating her as their mascot. They soon sighed and began discussing their next course of action. ¡°Or should we rob a bank? The money will be divided equally...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say something crazy.¡± One student attempted to crack a joke, but another student in a somber mood put an end to it with a stern voice, causing the atmosphere to become even more glum. ¡°Should we try to ask the Imperial Princess for help?¡± ¡°Even if we do that, she doesn¡¯t have much money to spare. She already compensated us for the attack on the Starlight mansion last time. Of course, most of us have already spent that money.¡± ¡°Then, what about Professor Isolet?¡± ¡°She wants to help as well, but this is not an amount that can be covered by a professor¡¯s salary.¡± ¡°Then maybe the Saintess...¡± ¡°....Shht.¡± As all the children¡¯s eyes focused on her, Ferloche bowed her head and cried out. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I have no money!¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± ¡°Bu-But, I¡¯ll find a way to get the money for you guys, even if I have to fight against the church!¡± Ferloche had declared that with determination, but the commoners only shook their heads. They doubted Ferloche¡¯s ability to extort money from the Church, and even if she succeeded and they got the money, the Church would likely not let it be. ¡°Irina, could you try reaching out to your old teacher...¡± ¡°That old woman went senile. I haven¡¯t heard from her since I tried to contact her last time.¡± Even Arianne, who had asked Irina with a bit of hope, dropped her head in disappointment as she heard Irina¡¯s reply. The atmosphere was gradually starting to become solemn. ¡°There is only one solution.¡± When Kania spoke with a low voice in that atmosphere, the eyes of everyone there started to shine. It was because it was Kania who had spoken. She had suffered terrible torture from Frey during the holiday for their sake, and her face still bore the bruises. ¡°Look.. at this.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It is a contract suggested by Frey.¡± The mention of Frey caused all the students to freeze. ¡°If you sign that contract, Frey would become your sponsor.¡± ¡°So you want us to become Frey¡¯s slaves?¡± ¡°It offers more favorable conditions than what you have now.¡± Saying that she continued to speak with a quivering voice. ¡°Just swear your allegiance, don¡¯t rebel, and... once in a month ¡®meet¡¯ with him.¡± ¡°...So your Young Master is trying to buy the right to hold us once a month?¡± One of the students, shaken by Kania¡¯s words, asked with a shuddering tone. Kania responded quietly. ¡°The meetings Frey suggested have the least number of conditions compared to the other offers you have received. The others stated ¡®when needed¡¯ as a requirement, correct?¡± ¡°It¡¯s sickening.¡± ¡°I apologize, but it¡¯s the best solution I can offer. I am truly sorry.¡± Even Kania, whom they trusted, spoke with a bowed head. One by one, the female students began to fall into despair. ¡°Do I have to choose between signing a contract with Frey or leaving the Academy?¡± ¡°Wh-What kind of solution is this...¡± ¡°So, basically, if we don¡¯t want to be kicked out onto the streets as beggars, we have to sell our bodies to Frey?¡± A student let out a scoff and reached for the contract with her hands. The other students just stared at her. ¡°When I received the compensation money from Frey, I could buy meat and bring it home for the first time in my life.¡± The girl who eventually held the contract continued speaking with a trembling voice. ¡°The only family I have is my little brother. Do you know what he said as he ate that meat?¡± ¡°.....¡± ¡°He said, ¡®Sister is the best in the world.¡¯¡± With gritted teeth, she continued speaking. ¡°I promised. I promised my brother I would succeed and become the best.¡± Among the solemn kids, she grabbed a pen and finished her words. ¡°I will do anything for my family.¡± Saying so, the girl tightly closed her eyes. With a trembling hand, she tried to write her name on the contract that had been drawn with magic spells. ¡°I heard your speech.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Suddenly somebody came up from behind and took away her contract. She turned back with a flustered look on her face. ¡°Wh-Who? You... Huh?¡± Eventually, she cautiously stared at the person, who appeared blurry to her eyes. When she saw Alice standing quietly behind that person, she tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Guys, this person wants to offer a contract to all of you.¡± Alice said while looking at the girl and the other students sitting at the desk. The female students frowned in unison. ¡°Hoaam...¡± When Isolet left the room, the man in the black robe sat in front of the two people, raised his legs on the desk, and started to yawn. ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll get away unscathed after doing all of this?¡± The Marquis frowned and asked. The man, however, burst out laughing and then answered. ¡°The one who will get hurt is not me but all of you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If the Imperial Family and the Church find out that the talent they were going to secure was taken by someone of unknown origin even after dispatching a marquis and a priest... Do you think they¡¯ll be pleased?¡± The Marquis let out a scornful laugh and said, ¡°Do you think you cannot be tracked? I guarantee that in a few days you¡¯ll be caught. If you can still keep your cool then...¡± ¡°Even the Emperor of the Back Alley, Count Justiano, handed over the alley market to me willingly. Do you really think someone like you can stop me?¡± However, when the man in the black robe answered the marquis¡¯s threat calmly, the faces of the two people began to crack. ¡°So the culprit of the news that shocked the Empire this morning, was you?¡± ¡°Correct. Would you be more convinced if I showed you this?¡± Saying that, the man in the black robe took out a certificate signed by Count Justiano from his chest pocket and brandished it in front of them. Their faces became increasingly horrified as they saw that.. ¡°Ah, right. It seems like you have been using discernment and distinction magic for a while now?¡± Pazzzzzzz... ¡°It is all useless. Be it the Magic Tower Master or the Pope, none of them will discover my true identity.¡± The man in black then produced the highest-grade distinction scroll from his chest and activated it, causing the two men¡¯s faces to turn blue with fear. ¡°In other words, you are all damned.¡± The man in black laughed mockingly as he cornered them. He spoke in a low voice to the two men, who were now shaking with fear. ¡°Because if you go back like this, it will be the end of you.¡± ¡°It-It won¡¯t be. I...¡± ¡°Stop making excuses. Do you think someone like me wouldn¡¯t know your personal information? You two planned and carried out the entire operation this time, so you must accept responsibility for this failure.¡± The two men couldn¡¯t argue with the man¡¯s words and finally bowed their heads in defeat. ¡°So, starting from now...¡± Frey, wearing the black robe, smiled with satisfaction as he saw the both of them like that. ¡°...It will be a competition to see who impresses me more.¡± ¡°What?¡± He put down his legs from the table, rested his chin on his hand, and whispered quietly. ¡°It¡¯s simple. In front of your eyes, there is a person who holds all the coins in the form of student of class A, right?¡± ¡°Th-Those words...¡± ¡°Right, if one of you can win me over. I will save your life.¡± Saying so, Frey rubbed his hands and finished speaking. ¡°Um, where can I find a kind person to donate to my Charity Foundation?¡± The two men had a foreboding feeling as they watched him. Even if you must step on shit, you need to step on it properly. . . . . . ¡°Phew...¡± It seems like today was really a satisfying day. The Heavens were finally rewarding me for my hard work with unexpected luck, causing the commoner students to cry. Isolet thanked me with a bright smile that she sometimes gave me in the past. Even the Marquis and Priest tried to put up a good front in front of me by promising to make a large donation to my charity foundation. Of course, I plan to continue using these two bastards to drain resources from the Imperial Family and the Church. From now on, it was imperative that I targeted the Imperial Family and Church for resources. In addition to that, I also told them to provide me with the intel of all the sponsors, including the trashy bastard who had touched that female student¡¯s hand earlier. These bastards¡¯ generosity should be highly appreciated, and when I meet them as Frey, I would make sure to give them a succubus as a gift. ¡°Frey!¡± ¡°...Hm?¡± I was walking down the school¡¯s hallway, lost in thought when I heard someone calling me from behind. I turned my head to see who it was. ¡°What? It¡¯s Ferloche.¡± Ferloche was walking towards me with her signature blank expression. I tilted my head and asked, ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°There is something I need to tell you!¡± Then soon, folding her arms and speaking with a serious look on her face, she said. ¡°From today, we are partners!¡± ¡°Oh, is that so? I get... what?¡± I was ready to dismiss her statement with a quick reply, but I was so taken aback by her words that I doubted my own ears and asked for clarification. ¡°I said we will be partners during the second semester!¡± Hearing her words again, I was left puzzled by Ferloche¡¯s mysterious announcement. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know the rights that come with being each other¡¯s partners!¡± ¡®....No way.¡± The concept of ¡®Partners¡¯ was a unique system in Dark Tale Fantasy 2. If chosen, various interactions would occur during the second semester. It was a very important aspect of the game. But according to prophecy, Ferloche and I could not be partners due to the game¡¯s structure. ...Is it a bug? Chapter 107: The Cabinet ? The Cabinet ? ¡°Frey! Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± ¡°...Sigh.¡± Since yesterday¡¯s declaration, Ferloche had been following me around all day. If I were in her shoes, I would have been exhausted by now, but Ferloche persisted with a ravenous expression on her face, resembling a dog chasing a chicken. At this rate, it seemed like I would tire out first. ¡°Aha! What are you taking out of your bag?¡± ¡°A notebook.¡± ¡°Why are you taking out your notebook?¡± ¡°To study.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie!¡± We had been going back and forth like this all day long. ¡°Ferloche, shouldn¡¯t you be praying right now?¡± ¡°I can pray when I¡¯m next to you!¡± ¡°...Hah.¡± Regardless of what I tried to do, she never took her eyes off me. Thanks to her, I was really going crazy. ¡®...I¡¯m going to have to sneak into the slave market soon.¡¯ My plan was to infiltrate the market today to gather information about the biggest event of the second semester, the ¡®Liberation of the Slave Market.¡¯ I had prepared rigorously for this main quest since the previous regression, and I was confident in my abilities. However, I couldn¡¯t let my guard down. There had always been an unexpected situation or variable in everything that I had planned for. Therefore, I needed perfect preparation so there would be no problems even if an unexpected situation occurred. A preliminary investigation was essential for this purpose. But... ¡°Frey!¡± ¡°What is it this time?¡± ¡°What are you thinking so hard about? Are you planning to commit more evil deeds?¡± Thanks to Ferloche, my plan to infiltrate the slave market was in jeopardy. I had made it to the cafe near the entrance, but Ferloche¡¯s constant interruptions made it impossible for me to find the right moment to enter. ¡®What should I do about her?¡¯ ¡°What should I do to satisfy you?¡± ¡°Hmmm... then, please die! Then I¡¯ll be content!¡± Seeing Ferloche¡¯s clenched fists, I realized there was probably no way to satisfy her. I couldn¡¯t exactly kick her out, either. Maintaining a good relationship with my partner was essential for receiving various bonuses through the system. [Stats] Name: Frey Raon Starlight Strength: ?? Mana: ?? Intelligence: ?? Mental Strength: 9.5 (+0.2) Passive Status: Blessing of the Stars/Time Limit/Partner¡¯s Blessing Disposition: Hero Goodness Stat: 100 The Partner¡¯s Blessing was a fraudulent buff that raised my stats by 0.2 each. Therefore, I had to maintain a good relationship with Ferloche for the course of the second semester. ¡°Oh! Frey! Look over there! Something is flying in!¡± Despite my previous worries, Ferloche suddenly became excited as she pointed outside the window with anticipation. ¡°...Is that?¡± As I looked outside, a surprising sight unfolded before my eyes. ¡°Hoooot!¡± ¡°Gugugu!!!¡± Serena¡¯s white owl and an unfamiliar white pigeon were engaged in a heated fight mid-air as they flew toward the window. It wasn¡¯t even a one-sided assault, but rather a ¡®fight¡¯ with that owl. This was a big event that I had never seen, even in the previous timeline. ¡°Ah! Don¡¯t fight! Don¡¯t fight!¡± ¡°...Do you know that pigeon?¡± ¡°Yes! His name is Gugu!¡±¡±Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only When I urgently opened the window and questioned Ferloche about the pigeon that was now in her hands, an unnatural name popped up. ¡°Why is his name Gugu?¡± ¡°Well, I asked him what name he wanted to have... And he said, ¡®Gu-gu!¡¯ That¡¯s why I named him that!¡± Ferloche stroked the pigeon as she answered me and smiled widely upon reading what she had received. ¡°Wow! I got a letter from the Church!¡± ¡°I see.¡± Soon after, I peeled my eyes away from t Ferloche, who was tearing up her letter, and naturally began reading the letter Serene¡¯s owl had spat out. ¡°I¡¯d rather hide inside a stall...¡± ¡°It¡¯s filthy there!¡± Then Ferloche pushed open the old cabinet doors and tried to force me inside. ¡°Wa-Wait!¡± ¨C Skid Confused by her behavior, I struggled, but Ferloche was relentless, even using her blessing of the Sun God to push me inside. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who needs to go in! Only you!¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± As I found myself trapped inside the cabinet, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a sudden twinge of empathy for those I had bullied in the past. And Ferloche, who had finally succeeded in pushing me into the cabinet, glared at me victoriously. ¨C Squeak... At that moment, the bathroom door creaked open... ¡°...Hiiik!¡° Ferloche, who screamed unconsciously, quickly squeezed herself into the cabinet and slammed the door shut. Then, there was a moment of silence. . . . . . ¡°...Senior, did you hear a woman¡¯s voice just now?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything.¡± Moments after Frey and Ferloche hid in the cabinet, the two men entered the bathroom and began to talk amongst themselves. ¡°Do you think a slave hid here?¡± ¡°What nonsense is that? If a slave really had escaped, he¡¯d have run away through the back alley. Why would they crawl into a men¡¯s bathroom?¡± ¡°But... I really heard a woman scream.¡± Hearing the words of his junior, the man who had been called ¡®senior¡¯ before, sighed and replied, ¡°You¡¯ve been hearing a lot of slaves screaming lately, so you¡¯ve probably started hearing things. I was like that too in the beginning.¡± The man continued to do his business with an unconcerned look, but the other man still frowned, headed towards the stalls, and started to kick open the stall doors one by one. ¡°What are you going to do if you use all of your strength here? I¡¯m already exhausted dealing with the new batch.¡± ¡°Still, if I catch a runaway slave, wouldn¡¯t the reward be huge? Since I¡¯m still a newbie, my salary sucks.¡± The man soon spotted something on the floor and began to smile with satisfaction. ¡°Senior... look at this.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I think I found something.¡± The floor he pointed to was littered with footsteps leading to the old cabinet. ¡°No way... for real?¡± ¡°What did I say? I told you I definitely heard a woman¡¯s voice!¡± With an excited expression, he took a rope out of his pocket and slowly began to head towards the cabinet. ¡°If you come out now, I won¡¯t hit you.¡± Soon after, he arrived in front of the cabinet and began knocking on the door with a slightly nervous look on his face. ¡°Come on out. I already know you¡¯re in there.¡± ¡°Hey, move.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The senior, who had been looking at him disapprovingly, pushed him away and grabbed the handle of the cabinet. ¡°You rats.¡± Having said that, he pulled the cabinet open forcefully. ¡°...What?¡± However, the sight in front of them only caused embarrassment to the two men. ¡°Hey, I thought you said they were in here¡±. ¡°Bu-but! They were here for sure!¡± The old cabinet was empty. . . . . . While the men were puzzled by the empty cabinet... ¡°Remember, remember, remember, remember, remember.¡± Frey was looking around the dark underground with a perplexed expression, and Ferloche was standing behind him, biting her nails while muttering to herself. ¡°...That I have to protect him no matter what.¡± She continued murmuring until Frey¡¯s eyes turned towards her again. Chapter 108: I Dont Know Anything ? I Don¡¯t Know Anything ? ¡°...I¡¯m going crazy.¡± As Ferloche clung to me and shut the cabinet door, darkness enveloped us. ¡°I¡¯m scared!¡± I waited anxiously for the bathroom to clear out, but Ferloche continued to tremble in my embrace. ¡°I¡¯m scared... I¡¯m scared... I¡¯m scared.¡± ¡°Calm down.¡± Pant, pant... At first, I assumed she was overreacting like she usually did, but upon closer inspection, I realized that she was genuinely frightened. Her face was pale, and she was sweating profusely. It was as if she was on the verge of a panic attack. I had seen this sight often in the previous regression, so I knew that was the case. ¡®...That¡¯s right. Ferloche is afraid of the dark, isn¡¯t she?¡¯ Ferloche hated dark, enclosed spaces. Although I too disliked the darkness, I could push myself to tolerate it. But Ferloche, even with her strong mental fortitude, was struggling. ¡°First of all, calm down...¡± As I extended my arm with a concerned expression, I suddenly froze and bit my lip in silence. Ferloche was still unaware of my true identity. So, I couldn¡¯t afford to be kind to her. ¡°Don¡¯t be a baby, get a hold of yourself... huh?¡± I tried to whisper coldly, but Ferloche closed in on me. ¡°Please hug me...¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared, so hug me...¡±¡± Ferloche buried her head in my chest and embraced me strongly. Crunch ¡®What if she managed to crush me with that dreadful power?¡¯ ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry...¡± ¡°Be quiet.¡± Hearing me groan, Ferloche stopped hugging me, and looked at me with her characteristic stupid expression as I put my finger over her mouth. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°.....?¡± Ferloche¡¯s gaze turned blank all of a sudden. Of course, this was not unusual for her during class or while listening to Clana¡¯s speeches. But what¡¯s causing this now? ¡°Mhhm, aaa.¡± ¡°...What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°No-Nothing.¡± When I tilted my head and asked her that question, Ferloche just answered with a smile. ¡°But! Frey!¡± ¡°...Keep your voice down.¡± ¡°But, Frey...¡± I quickly hushed her and placed a finger over her lips. She had started whispering again with her face peeking out. ¡°I¡¯ve been feeling something on my stomach for a while.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°What do you have in your pocket?¡± As Ferloche reached down, I grabbed her hand urgently. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°...Wait a minute.¡± Sweating, I tried to pull myself back, but the cabinet was so narrow that my actions just got me even more entangled with Ferloche. Because I couldn¡¯t do anything, Ferloche approached me with a pure smile on her face and whispered, . ¡°Woah, it¡¯s moving!¡± ¡°...Shh!!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fascinating, what is this?¡± for new novels I felt guilty as I looked at Ferloche who had her head tilted in confusion. That was when I noticed something strange. ¡®The air is different from before.¡¯ The cool, fresh air that was seeping into the cabinet was a stark contrast to the stuffy, unpleasant air of the bathroom. Perplexed at the abnormal phenomenon, I hesitated before finally reaching for the handle. ¡°Oh? What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Huh? What...Ugh.¡± Ferloche put her hand on my shoulder while attempting to stand up, causing her to waver before she froze in place.. ¨C Rub, rub. ¡°Stop tickling my tummy, Frey! You can¡¯t do that!¡± ¡°N-No this is a misund...¡± ¨C Whoosh Before I could say anything else, Ferloche began to exude holy power from her hands. ¡°Wh-What are you doing?¡± ¡°Look at this! There¡¯s graffiti here!¡± ¡°...Graffiti?¡± I quickly blocked the cabinet¡¯s entrance, afraid of any light escaping, but Ferloche pointed to the ceiling and whispered, forcing me to raise my head. Guards ¨C 15, Warlock ¨C 2, Swordsmen ¨C 3. The key is in the gap under the cabinet. ¡°Who would dare order me around?¡± The guard captain brandished his spear at the unknown man, but began to frown when the man spoke to him unabashedly. ¡°Don¡¯t you know who I am?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The greatest thug in the Empire.¡± The guard captain puzzledly looked at the man¡¯s face as he heard the words that popped out of his mouth. ¡°What is that supposed to...¡± ¡°Bring me someone in charge.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I asked you to bring me the person in charge.¡± When Frey spoke to the guard with an arrogant voice, he just stood there and opened his mouth with a troubled look on his face. ¡°I can¡¯t leave a suspicious person behind...¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe this.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Then Frey began to talk to him with an annoyed look on his face. ¡°Top customers like me can look at slaves in advance before the market opens. Surely you¡¯re aware of that, being of high rank yourself?¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware, but you¡¯ve never been granted access...¡± ¡°Really?¡± Frey tossed a gold coin to the captain of the guards. He looked at it blankly for a moment and then coughed and started speaking. ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s... I do recall hearing something about it...¡± ¡°I¡¯m certain you heard it from the guards at the entrance.¡± ¡°Oh, come to think of it, I do remember something. What did they say? Hmm...¡± ¡°Please allow Frey Raon Starlight to confirm the condition of the slaves?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right!¡± Frey continued to slip the captain gold coins as he spoke, eliciting quick and eager responses. ¡°However, time is of the essence, and I must educate the newly captured slaves.¡± ¡°Can you please introduce me to a guide? I will reward you generously upon my return.¡± ¡°Of course, Young Master! I will personally take care of your access.¡± The captain of the guard, who finished speaking and even saluted, was about to turn around with an excited expression, but soon frowned and asked Frey a question. ¡°Who¡¯s that next to you, Young Master?¡± ¡°...he is my colleague.¡± ¡°I see. But we have to verify their identity...¡± When the captain of the guard reached out to the person, Frey quickly interjected and whispered to the captain, preventing him from touching them. ¡°He¡¯s wearing that because he doesn¡¯t want to be identified. So, don¡¯t touch him.¡± ¡°I understand, but no matter how sure Young Master Frey is, it is expected...¡± ¡°Do you now understand?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll inform the guide as well!¡± Continuing to pass gold coins to the guard captain, Frey asked him quietly with a smile, ¡°What are you going to do with those?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to save them for now since I¡¯m busy educating these slaves!¡± ¡°Yes, saving is a good habit. Save them well.¡± After hearing Frey¡¯s words of blessing, the captain of the guard disappeared with a big smile on his face. ¡°...So you can get what you deserve.¡± Looking at his retreating figure, Frey smiled with satisfaction. The money I had given to the captain of the guards were the fake gold coins that had the curse of misfortune cast onto them. Frey¡¯s target had always been the captain of the guards, whom he had known was a serious miser due to his thorough investigation in the previous timeline. ¡°Phew...¡± Frey breathed a sigh of relief as the guard captain went out of sight and turned to look at Ferloche. ¡®This will work.¡¯ He was pleased that his plan to disguise Ferloche with his robe had worked. As a guide approached, Frey whispered to Ferloche, ¡°Don¡¯t say a word from now on and stay quiet. Don¡¯t complicate things unnecessarily. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± ¡°Okay, then... Huh?¡± When Ferloche calmly answered, Frey sighed and turned around, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Soon however, he frowned and asked Ferloche a question. ¡°...Why are you crying all of a sudden?¡± ¡°What?¡± Ferloche was taken aback by his words and replied with a cheerful smile, ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m smiling.¡± ¡°.........¡± She replied with a silly smile, but Frey couldn¡¯t bear to acknowledge it. ¡°What the hell...¡± It was because her eyes that were shining brilliantly in the dark, weren¡¯t smiling at all. ¡°...what are you hiding?¡± In Ferloche¡¯s hands, there was a torn letter. You know about the DLC, don¡¯t you? It was a letter from Serena, delivered by the pigeon, which Ferloche had clearly claimed was sent from the church. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything!¡± Ferloche Astellade, knows nothing. Chapter 109: Able to Protect ? Able to Protect ? ¡°Welcome, Young Master Frey. Thank you for visiting our market.¡± ¡°...It¡¯s my pleasure.¡± As the guard captain beckoned a guide over, his friendly voice greeted me warmly. However, I just replied with an icy tone. ¡°But the person next to you...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll vouch for them.¡± ¡°...I understand.¡± As the guide bowed slightly and started slowly walking forward, I, along with Ferloche quietly followed him. ¡®...Ferloche is hiding something.¡¯ Amidst that silence, my thoughts drifted towards Ferloche. ¡®Something very important.¡¯ The fact that she knew about the ¡®Demon God,¡¯ her strange behavior, and... even her memories of the past. She may be an important ¡®key¡¯. It was to an extent that I wanted Kania to sneak into her consciousness while she was sleeping, but her saintly nature made her impervious to such black magic. When Serena returns to the academy, I¡¯ll have to talk to her about Ferloche. ¡°To begin with, these are the various breeds hailing from the Western continent.¡± ¡°...Hmm.¡± As we strolled along, the guide directed my attention to a cage on the right and proceeded to speak. ¡°Unlike the Southern Continent, home to the Sunrise Empire, the Western Continent is inhabited by diverse ¡®breeds¡¯ such as Elves, Beast kin, and even Dragons that appear only in mythology.¡± ¡°So, this is where you keep these tribes in captivity?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. However, owning such noble creatures from mythological tales is considered a luxury, hence their high price¡± When the guide flicked his hand, the dark cage began to shine. ¡°This is the section for elves! Would you like to buy one? For VIPs like Young Master Frey, we usually prepare them in advance, but...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡± When I quickly expressed my refusal, the guide looked disappointed and smacked his lips. ¡°Hmm... I¡¯m very worried that the popularity of elf slaves has suddenly dropped these days. I wonder if there are any negative rumors circulating among the public.¡± ¡°Nevertheless, let us move on to the next section,¡± Before being found out, I should observe as many areas as possible to see if anything has changed from the previous timeline. Thus, I urged the guide forward. The guide let out a brief sigh and directed my attention towards the left. ¡°Over there are the Beast people ¨C rabbit, feline, and fox people, among others. They¡¯re quite popular since they bear a close resemblance to humans, save for their distinctive ears¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Gazing towards the direction he pointed, my eyes fell upon a group of Beast kin dressed in tattered clothing, their eyes devoid of any emotion. Looking at the numerous injuries covering their bodies, it appeared that the captives were being subjected to harsh treatment. ¡°They¡¯re all women, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°There are also male prisoners. However, I¡¯m just showing slaves that would best fit your gender.¡± ¡°By the way, is it okay to treat your products so harshly?¡± My expression darkened as I witnessed a mother and daughter, who seemed to be Feline people, embracing each other while nursing severe injuries. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. I hit them with a magical whip, so the marks will disappear in a few days. The pain is what they¡¯ll remember¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± While I had a displeased expression on my face, the guide pushed me forward while speaking. ¡°And here... these are the Dragons! They were really hard to get!¡± ¡°They¡¯re all babies, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Yes. Otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t be able to enslave them because of how terrifyingly strong they are.¡± ¡°Did you force them to polymorph?¡± ¡°As expected, you are an expert in this field. The magic shackles and necklaces they are wearing have a spell cast on them. It will last until they are fully grown.¡± The guide then guided me and Ferloche forward and then continued. ¡°That¡¯s it for our most prized possessions... This cellar houses both hybrids and regular individuals. Would you like to take a look?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m going to look through everything today.¡± ¡°I see. Then...¡± ¡°I-Is there anything you can do?¡± I followed the cheerful guide downstairs, who seemed to have sensed a potential sale in my enthusiastic response. Suddenly, a high-pitched voice could be heard coming from somewhere. ¡°We can¡¯t have you act like this¡±. ¡°Please! Please!¡± I think I should check what¡¯s going on. . . . . . ¡°We only followed the rules.¡± ¡°Rules?¡± ¡°Yes, the rule is that those who pay more will reserve the rights to the slave for the auction.¡± In the dark hallway, someone in a sky-blue robe was talking to the staff in a trembling voice. ¡°If you don¡¯t buy these slaves at a higher price than the current offer, I can¡¯t give them to you.¡± ¡°Ho-how much is their best offer? I¡¯ll buy them at a higher price!¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± ¡°Th-Thank you...¡± ¡°Thank you for what?¡± ¡°Fo-For saving the Royal Family of our kingdom...¡± As Aishi spoke with a shaken expression on her face, Frey began to speak with a brazen tone. ¡°That¡¯s enough of that, shall we hear what the Cloud Kingdom can do for me now?¡± ¡°...Yo-You wouldn¡¯t!?¡± Upon seeing Aishi¡¯s doubtful expression, Frey responded with a smile on his face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? We¡¯re both serving the Demon King together anyway.¡± ¡°We never served him! We were just threatened!¡± ¡°I see, but will such an excuse work even if the public came to know the true identity of the Royal Family of the Cloud Kingdom?¡± Saying so, Frey pointed to the memo written on the cage. Demons ¡°...The royals of the Cloud Kingdoms are half human and half demon.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure how they were captured without their transformations activated, but... what¡¯s important is that I know their true identities and that I hold your and your family¡¯s fate in my hands.¡± Frey, who finished speaking, tapped Aishi on the shoulder and spoke once more. ¡°So, let¡¯s see each other often in the future. Princess.¡± ¡°Gnash..¡± Aishi, who ground her teeth together while looking at Frey, couldn¡¯t bear to continue talking and quietly lowered her head. ¡°Young Master Frey, I will guide you from now on.¡± ¡°A girl? Hmmm... I like you. Do you have any time after work?¡± Without a single glance towards Aishi, Frey strode away, directing his attention to the new female guide who had just arrived. ¡°Look at that. What did I tell you? You can¡¯t trust the Empire.¡± ¡°...Shut up.¡± Aishi, who had been bowing her head, cursed nervously when a ruby-colored aura emanated from her body, accompanied by an eerie voice. ¡°Aishi. Just give in and you¡¯ll receive strength. With that power, saving your family won¡¯t even be a problem.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your strength. I¡¯ve already made an escape plan.¡± ¡°The cabinet where you can only come in and not go out?¡± ¡°With a little more effort, we can make it an exit.¡± Aishi, unfazed by the eerie voice, placed her hand on her chest and began to conjure something. ¡°...A freezing heart, a condition where your heart will slowly freeze to death. It¡¯s also the curse I put on you.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°Have you finally thought of transferring it to someone? Well, you¡¯d better hurry or you¡¯ll be dead within a few years.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just moving it to blackmail someone. I¡¯ll take it back if it works.¡± Saying that, Aishi soon began to slowly conjure a bird made of ice out of her chest. ¡°This is a curse that I can take back whenever I want.¡± ¡°The curse will never accept you again once you move it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nonsense.¡± Aisi, who was about to let the bird fly, spoke to her inner voice in an icy tone. ¡°Everything you¡¯ve told me since I was a kid was a lie. I¡¯ve regretted everything that I¡¯ve done while trusting you...¡± ¡°This time, I¡¯m really..¡±. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re a real devil, an evil spirit, or just my delusion, but... I won¡¯t believe in you anymore.¡± Finishing her sentence, Aishi let the bird in her hand fly with a cold smile. ¡®Frey Raon Starlight, as rumored, turns out to be a villain.¡¯ Inside her, there was a constant peal of laughter. . . . . . ¨C Crunch ¡°Hmm?¡± Frey, who was walking down the hallway with the guide and Ferloche, turned his head sharply at the sound of something falling behind him. ¡°...Huh?¡± However, there was nothing behind him. ¡°.....?¡± He found nothing behind him except Ferloche, who was reaching out to him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I have a cramp in my arm! Help me!¡± ¡°...Sigh.¡± Frey walked past Ferloche, ignoring her plea for help with a sigh. He continued down the hallway, not looking back at Ferloche who remained seated and trembling behind him. ¡°Help me, Frey! We¡¯re partners! Please massage my arm!¡± Ferloche, who was shouting urgently at Frey, smiled and slowly opened her hand as he moved away. ¨C Shine... Soon, she looked down at her hand and murmured, a warm smile spreading across her face, unlike her usual foolish grin. ¡°...I was able to protect him.¡± In her hand, the ice bird, which had been shattered by the Blessing of the Sun God, was slowly melting. Chapter 110: Request for a Date ? Request for a Date ? ¡°Did you enjoy the tour today?¡± ¡°Well, I did manage to find a few collections to add to my basement¡± ¡°I see, then have a good day.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± As I left the slave market, accompanied by a female guide, I gazed at the sky and let out a deep sigh. ¡°The sun has already set.¡± Before I knew it, the sun was setting and darkness had begun to set in. It had already been quite late even before the start of the slave market, so it was logical that the sun would be setting now. ¡°Take it off now.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± As I quietly watched the Sun that I hated set and the Moon that I loved rose, I ripped off the robe that was covering Ferloche. ¡°Frey!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said I have a cramp!¡± And as I walked down the street with her, Ferloche kept screaming from behind me. ¡°You¡¯re walking just fine. What do you mean you have a cramp?¡± ¡°Ahhhhhh! It hurts!¡± Although I continued to walk forward ignoring Ferloche, I eventually turned my head, frowning at her whining. ¡°What do you want me to do about it?¡± ¡°Please give me a massage!¡± ¡°...I just need to massage your arm, right?¡± I think I¡¯ll have to do as she says to keep her mouth shut. It¡¯s a quiet alley with few people, so it¡¯ll probably be okay. ¡°Mhhm...hmm...¡± As I massaged her arm with that thought in mind, Ferloche began to smile, forming dimples with her cheeks. This caused me to have an urge to poke my finger into her cheek without realizing it, but I decided to hold it in. ¡°You¡¯re alright now, right? Then let¡¯s...¡± ¡°Please massage me in other places too!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t massage me on time earlier, so the cramp has already spread all over my body!¡± ¡°Sigh...¡± With a scowl on my face, I tightly grasped Ferloche¡¯s arm, which I had been previously massaging, and started walking forward. ¡°Ow, it hurts! Let go!¡± ¡°Follow me, I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°Something to tell me?¡± Ferloche tilted her head at my cold voice. I would normally ignore her silly antics, but even that was awkward now. ¡°I, I get it. Don¡¯t pull my hand! I¡¯ll come on my own! Please!¡± ¡°...Hmm.¡± As I was walking forward with that thought in mind, I stared at Ferloche, who was being dragged by me, her face contorted in tears. [Stats] Name: Ferloche Astellade Strength: 1 Holy Power: 8.3 Intelligence: 2.3 Mental Strength: 8 Passive Status: Blessing of the Sun God Disposition: Saintess Goodness Stat: 100 ¡°...It¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± I pulled up her system window just in case, but nothing had changed. [Ferloche Astellade¡¯s Current Emotions: Hatred/Rage] Her feelings were true. Nothing had changed about Ferloche as far as the system was concerned. Then, why on earth was she acting so abnormally, with her condition growing worse? ¡°Frey! Where are you going now?¡± ¡°Dormitory.¡± ¡°Perfect! I was about to go to the dorm too! Let¡¯s go together!¡± I tried to think about it deeper, but I couldn¡¯t find a clear answer, so I sighed and moved my feet along. ¡°Please give me a massage when we arrive!¡± ¡°...Phew.¡± At this rate, my life, which already had a time limit, might end even sooner. ¡°You¡¯ll do it, right?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± However, it couldn¡¯t be helped. In order to maintain the fraudulent buff that caused all my stats to rise by 0.2, it was necessary to maintain a good relationship with her. If the partnership was broken, not only would it be impossible to fix it, the ¡®Partner¡¯s Blessing¡¯ buff would also disappear. So, it would be a total disaster if Ferloche became upset and put an end to it for some reason. But there was a way. I wondered whether I should do the thing she hated the most in the world while giving her a massage. I had to crush all of her hopes in me, even though she was someone who had been worried about me till the end despite my actions in my past life. Dodging Clana¡¯s question, Kania slowly walked away. ¡°Frey, I have something to say...¡± Clana, who had been looking at Kania with a puzzled expression, walked to the door of Frey¡¯s dorm and opened her mouth. ¡°Frey, I have something to tell...¡± ¡°Moan...¡± But when Clana heard a moan from behind the door, she froze. ¡°Have I been studying too hard lately?¡± Clana paused in disbelief, momentarily frozen as she doubted her own ears. She reached out to the doorknob, thinking she had imagined the noise because she had been overworking. ¡°Eugngh¡±. ¡°.....!¡± Once again, she froze when a familiar voice came from behind the door. ¡°...Th-That¡¯s Ferloche¡¯s voice.¡± The moans of one of her few friends in this life, Ferloche, were echoing from Frey¡¯s room. ¡®...No.¡¯ As soon as she recognized it, Clana pounded on Frey¡¯s door and shouted. ¡°Frey! Come out! I have something to say!¡± It was obvious that Ferloche, who was pure and gullible, had been deceived by Frey¡¯s tricks and was currently being exploited. As her friend, I had to save her. ¡°Frey! Open the door!¡± With that in mind, Clana kept knocking on the door, and a few minutes later the door slowly opened. ¡°What the hell do you think...¡± ¡°Hello, Princess Clana!¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Clana quickly tried to yell at Frey, but it was Ferloche, rather than Frey, who had appeared in front of her. ¨C Slam! ¡°Ferloche, tell me what happened... no, tell me everything that happened today.¡± Clana, who stared blankly at Ferloche for a second, quickly closed the door and began to question her. ¡°Well... I¡¯ve been following Frey all day today!¡± ¡°Frey?¡± ¡°Yes! I studied with him and then we went to a cafe!¡± Ferloche began to talk with a bright look on her face. ¡°We went to the bathroom together, and then we went inside a cabinet with each other, and tickled each other...¡± ¡°What?¡± When Clana opened her mouth in shock at Ferloche¡¯s words, she added additional details with a smile. ¡°And I just got a massage from Frey! As expected, there still seems to be hope for Frey, because when I asked him to massage my whole body, he really did it!¡± ¡°Ho-How did you feel during the massage?¡± After hearing that, Clana began to ask questions urgently. ¡°If by any chance, you felt offended or humiliated by Frey¡¯s touch, I¡¯ll make sure to...!¡± ¡°I felt really good.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It was to the extent where I want to get another massage... I felt really happy.¡± Seeing Ferloche blush as she spoke, Clana had a blank expression on her face. ¡°By the way, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s... I have to talk to Frey about something...¡± ¡°I see, then I¡¯ll be on my way!¡± As soon as she responded to Clana¡¯s question, Ferloche hurriedly bid her farewell and vanished down the hallway. Clana could only stare blankly, feeling perplexed, before eventually making her way into Frey¡¯s room. ¡°...What¡¯s going on?¡± Frey, who looked quite embarrassed, quickly donned a cold expression when he saw Clana entering. ¡°I-It¡¯s about the letter you sent me last time.¡± Clana began to speak to Frey in a trembling voice. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been thinking about it...¡± ¡°Are you talking about partnering up?¡± ¡°Ye-Yes. I accept your offer...¡± ¡°You¡¯re too late.¡± Clana¡¯s face turned pale when Frey said she was too late. ¡°Ferloche and I already agreed to be partners.¡± ¡°Wh-What!? What are you talking about?! And after hearing Frey¡¯s words, Clana began to speak in a trembling voice. ¡°But you wrote me a letter...¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t reply. I assumed you refused because I didn¡¯t get a reply.¡± ¡°......Ah.¡± Upon hearing that, Clana quietly lowered her head. ¡°C-Clana?¡± ¡°Frey.¡± Clana, who had been bowing her head, soon opened her mouth quietly. ¡°Can you spare some time tonight?¡± ¡°What?¡± When Frey responded with an embarrassed look on his face, Clana looked at him nonchalantly and spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s take a night walk together, shall we? It was the first date request Clana had made in her life. Chapter 111: Youre Welcome ? You¡¯re Welcome ? ¡°Young Master? Where are you going?¡± ¡°...For a walk.¡± The request was sudden, but I think I have to go on a walk with Clana. Ideally, I would have liked to end my tiring day with a nice rest, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. Because Clana¡¯s hands were shaking while she made that request. It was just like a few weeks ago. ¡°Kania, how long do you think we have before Clana¡¯s memory returns completely?¡± ¡°In the state she¡¯s currently in, her memories could come back at any moment.¡± Kania¡¯s face was ashen as she replied to my question. After staring at her for a while, I immediately sighed and answered. ¡°I¡¯m nervous because the quest ¡®Liberation of the Slave Market¡¯ might overlap with her memory recovery. If all those slaves were to end up like how they did in the previous regression...¡± ¡°Young Master, are you planning on getting caught?¡± ¡°...sigh.¡± I tried to deny Kania¡¯s words, but I could only sigh in reply. I had been considering temporary measures to prevent Clana¡¯s memory from returning, but nothing seemed game-changing. ¡°Just prepare for now, Kania. I refuse to make mistakes that could be prevented.¡± ¡°I.....understand.¡± In the end, Kania, who was biting on her lips, answered with difficulty. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be back...¡± ¡°I have a question.¡± As I tapped Kania on her shoulder and prepared to leave, she grabbed onto me and asked a question. ¡°...Isn¡¯t it about time for the Third Ordeal?¡± ¡°How did you know about that?¡± ¡°I could tell just by looking at the Young Master¡¯s face.¡± Kania looked at me sorrowfully. ¡°What on earth is this ordeal? Irina is feeling anxious again. To prevent her from losing her mind from stress you should...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t know?¡± As I answered calmly, Kania asked back with a panicked look on her face. ¡°I really don¡¯t know what will happen.¡± However, in this case, I couldn¡¯t help it. Because the Third Ordeal would change depending on the partner selected. Therefore, I was trying hard to target a certain person, but things went wrong when I ended up with Ferloche. ¡°Then... are you saying that you have no idea what will happen during this ordeal?¡± ¡°...Unfortunately.¡± Kania began to pace the room with a nervous look on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The Third Ordeal is still a test of mental strength. At the very least, I¡¯m confident in that...¡± ¡°We¡¯ve received the results from when you wore ¡®The Robe of Deception¡¯ and received a pre diagnosis.¡± I tried to reassure her, but Kania sat down in a chair, opened a notebook, and started mumbling. ¡°To begin with, there is definitely something wrong with your mental state.¡± ¡°Me? No way. Do you know what my mental strength level is?¡± Currently, my mental strength figure was at 9.5 while under the partner buff. This meant that Kania would be hard pressed to find someone stronger than me mentally in the entire world. And she was saying that there¡¯s something wrong with my mind? I couldn¡¯t understand her at all. ¡°You have this obsession that you are always feeling alright.¡± As I was about to voice my thoughts Kania started speaking to me in a serious voice. ¡°I thought about that too but... it¡¯s not an obsession, it¡¯s just true. If I wait a little bit, my mind will clear up again. I¡¯ve been through most things, so I don¡¯t feel much emotion...¡± ¡°That¡¯s not normal. It¡¯s just that your high level of mental strength is forcing your mind to recover and clear any negative emotions.¡± ¡°But...¡± As I tried to answer, the dormitory door suddenly opened. ¡°...Irina, you said you¡¯d only listen.¡± ¡°I just can¡¯t stand it. I¡¯m sorry, Kania.¡± Soon after, Irina entered my room and started talking as she approached me. ¡°What would happen if I tape or glue back any pottery that I broke earlier? Eventually, water will leak out little by little.¡± When I heard Irina begin to speak, I sighed and began to refute her statements. ¡°...there wouldn¡¯t be an issue if you use restoration magic to fix it perfectly. It is the same with my mental state.¡± ¡°Even if that¡¯s the case, you can¡¯t erase the moment when it actually broke. It might not matter for pottery, but it¡¯s not pottery that¡¯s being broken here, it¡¯s your mind.¡± When I heard that, I closed my mouth, and Irina spoke with a prepared look on her face. ¡°So, no matter what you say, I¡¯ll interfere in this ordeal.¡± ¡°Interfere?¡± ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t think I can bear to watch you break and stitch your mind back together again anymore.¡± ¡°Meow.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll feed you a lot, too. For real.¡± ¡°Meow!¡± ¡°...Damn.¡± But despite my attempts to befriend them, the kittens turned their heads away coldly, and I smacked my lips in defeat. My penalty didn¡¯t apply because they were animals, but, if I could tame those guys, they would be of considerable help to me during the ¡®Academy Siege¡¯ quest in the future. ¡°Tweeet!¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± While pondering how I could win them over, a canary flew towards me from a nearby tree, tweeting excitedly. ¡°Tweeet, tweeet!¡± ¡°...Stop it.¡± This canary, judging from what happened during the birthday party, was probably being controlled by Clana. So, why was it pecking me relentlessly on my cheek? Is this how Clana was resolving her grudge against me? ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything bad to the cats, did you? The same goes for the canary.¡± ¡°...Do you think I commit evil deeds every moment I breathe?¡± As the canary perched on my shoulder for a long time, I started getting injured from its constant pecks. However, when Clana approached, I managed to compose myself and respond calmly. ¡°I don¡¯t care much about animals.¡± ¡°...I see. That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Clana¡¯s meaningful expression suggested otherwise, as she quietly took hold of my arm and led me somewhere, with the canary still on my shoulder. . . . . . ¨C Crunch, crunch. ¡°Kania.¡± It was when Frey was being dragged somewhere by Clana with an expression of bewilderment on his face. ¨C Crunch, crunch. ¡°Kania!¡± Irina screamed at Kania, who had been pacing around the room since Frey left, biting on her nails. ¡°...What?¡± Kania looked at Irina with narrowed eyes and tilted her head. ¡°What¡¯s been bothering you since earlier? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± Upon hearing Irina¡¯s inquiry, Kania strode toward the door with a resolute expression. ¡°I think I¡¯ll have to follow the Young Master today.¡± ¡°What?¡± Hearing that, Irina thought that Kania had finally gone insane. ¡°There is a chance that Princess Clana may regain her memory completely in the next few days, perhaps even earlier.¡± ¡°.....!¡± But after hearing what Kania said, Irina froze. ¡°Perhaps there was some kind of trigger, but her subconscious realm that I sealed has begun to blend with her memory of the ordeal rapidly.¡± ¡°Th-Then...!¡± ¡°Yes, if this continues, a penalty is sure to come.¡± Irina bit her lip upon hearing Kania¡¯s warning. ¡°We have to do something. He hasn¡¯t even made it to the Third Ordeal yet, and we can¡¯t just sit here and do nothing knowing that there¡¯s going to be a penalty.¡± ¡°Kania.¡± ¡°Somehow... even if I have to use my lifespan...¡± ¡°...There¡¯s a way.¡± Kania was taken aback by Irina¡¯s calm response and couldn¡¯t help but bite her lip so hard that blood began to flow. ¡°Wh, what do you mean?¡± Ignoring the pain in her lip, Kania pressed on. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for anyone to deceive the system except for Serena?¡± Irina clenched her fists and muttered to herself before turning her back on Kania, ¡°...Please.¡± On Irina¡¯s body, there was a magic circle that looked exactly like the one in the scroll she had given to Frey a couple of weeks ago. Adv§Ñnce? ch§Ñpter? §Ñvailable on g§Ön§Ösistl?.§ã§àm Illustr§Ñti§àn? on our ?isc§àr? ¨C ?isc§àrd.gg/g§Ön§Ösistl? Chapter 112: Youre Only Canary ? You¡¯re Only Canary ? ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°Just follow me. You¡¯ll find out soon.¡± Sorry, Frey. You¡¯ll have to indulge my whims for a little longer. Frey seemed quite angry judging from his cold expression, but I wasn¡¯t sure what I could do, especially if I didn¡¯t want to cause him more trouble. ¡°Oh, there it is.¡± ¡°That is...?¡± ¡®But for a few days... No, just today.¡¯ ¡®I want him to suit my fancy just once.¡¯ ¡°Why are you acting like that? It¡¯s not like it¡¯s your first time seeing a carriage.¡± ¡°No, you said we were taking a walk together. Why are we riding a carriage...¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have to walk. Hurry up and get on.¡± When I said that, Frey just looked at me with a puzzled expression. ¡°...Ugh.¡± Every time he looked at me with that expression, my heart throbbed. It felt like someone was pushing a red-hot nail into my heart. But it can¡¯t be helped. This is my karma... ¡®No, it¡¯s because of our covenant. I can¡¯t help it because of the covenant. You have to remember.¡¯ ¡®Right now, I¡¯m...¡¯ Tremble... My hands trembled as I thought about how complicated everything was. I wished someone would hold my hand, but all I felt was the chilly night air. Neigh!! Thinking as such, I climbed into the carriage and gazed out the window. I listened as the horse cried out vigorously, and the carriage began to move. Yawn... I peeked at Frey as my heart pounded, but he was yawning with a tired look on his face. Well, it was late. No wonder he¡¯s tired. I felt even more apologetic. ¡®I¡¯m so ashamed to ask you this but... even if only for a day, please just stay with me.¡¯ ¡®Perhaps, this might be the last time I could ever spend time with you.¡¯ ¡°C-Cough.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Hmm, hmm.¡± As I thought to myself, Frey suddenly started coughing. Did he catch a cold? Rustle. Oh, it wasn¡¯t a cold. With an embarrassed look, he took out a handkerchief from his pocket and covered his mouth. Regardless of how naive and incompetent I was... And since my memories were gradually returning, I was sure of that much. ¡°Frey, are you okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. It¡¯s just a cold.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± ¡®You¡¯re lying. I¡¯ve already heard from Ferloche. I know that you won¡¯t be long in this world.¡¯ When I first heard it, I was exhilarated. I thought that the future had changed because the others and I had returned, and you, the villain, was now destined to die. So, every time you went around doing something you hadn¡¯t done in the previous timeline, I became more and more anxious. It was perhaps the side effect of you being destined to die due to the butterfly effect. Perhaps someone who hadn¡¯t died in the previous timeline would die this time, or maybe there would be even more victims. Afterwards, wouldn¡¯t the Demon King think highly of you and resurrect you? ¡®I was really scared.¡¯ ¡®So I decided to kill you.¡¯ ¡®Because I thought it was my responsibility to return everything to normal... I tried to end everything with my own hands before you did anything else.¡¯ ¡®But....but...¡¯Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com ¡®I didn¡¯t expect that to happen.¡¯ ¡®No, not yet. Please hang in there for a little longer. There¡¯s still a lot I want to try.¡¯ Pushing aside the thoughts that had clouded my mind, I shifted my attention towards the peculiar energy in front of me. ¡®Stellar mana... Lunar mana... and even dark mana?¡¯ The amalgamation of these energies was rare, and one had to pay a fortune to find them. Despite its small size, I was able to identify them quickly due to their strong presence. ¡®Where was this mana coming from? I¡¯ll have to find out.¡¯ ¡°...What are you staring at?¡± ¡°Frey, can you show me that handkerchief for a moment?¡± Following the energy trail for a while, I was able to locate the origin. ¡°Here.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± On the handkerchief that Frey handed over, there were colorful engravings. A silver cat that spewed out stellar mana, a black cat with dark mana... And a moon, from which lunar mana emanated, gently lighting the handkerchief. Maybe these were left behind by people who were important to Frey. Shine... ¡°Clana?¡± I hesitated to make any engravings on it, since it was probably a precious item to Frey. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡± Although I thought that, I couldn¡¯t resist injecting solar mana into the handkerchief. I really was shameless beyond comparison. I wish I could have dyed this little handkerchief with a brilliant light. I couldn¡¯t do it anymore, but it would have been nice if I could have drawn the sun. So, I wanted to visit you whenever I had time. However, the Empress wouldn¡¯t leave me alone, and I ended up locked up in a cell. So, I had no choice but to spend time imagining having fun with you again. But there was a chance to meet you again. The birthday party you invited me to, Frey. I earnestly waited for that day, and then I waited some more. And on the day of the birthday party, I was so excited to hang out with you. But I didn¡¯t expect your mother to die on that day. ¨C Frey, are you... ¨C ...get lost. After that day, you changed completely. The pure and upright soul whom I had pledged to serve until my dying breath had disappeared, leaving only a mask-wearing, rage-filled tyrant in its place. I guess that was why. You also stopped making friends. The extent of his transformation was a shock to me. ¡®But...¡¯ ¡®But now I know. I¡¯ll serve you. The person I swore to, is still...¡¯ ¡°AHHHHH!¡± ¡°...What was that all about?¡± When I suddenly screamed, Frey, who had been bringing a drink to his mouth, was startled by the outburst and dropped the glass. ¡°Were you lying when you said you had become a strong drinker?¡± ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡± I was sorry, but I couldn¡¯t help it. I almost made a big mistake just now. Shaking his head with a slightly pale face, Frey frowned and asked, ¡°So, why are you suddenly asking me to drink with you?¡± ¡°I told you before. Just the two of us...¡± ¡°Not that, the real reason.¡± ¡®The real reason... The real reason is...¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s...¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s because of our covenant.¡± ¡°Our covenant?¡± ¡°Yes. You seem to be under a lot of stress these days, so I bought you out to have a drink. It¡¯s something that is outlined in our covenant. It¡¯s a compulsory duty, so I can¡¯t do anything about it.¡± Of course, it wasn¡¯t because of the covenant. The memories of the ¡°Ordeal¡± were returning. As I attempted to use the mind control technique that Serena often used in the previous timeline, I quickly realized that it was too advanced for my amateur skills. Well, it was obvious what the result would be. I¡¯m not as smart as Serena. I can¡¯t use black magic like Kania. I¡¯m not as kind as Ferloche. And I¡¯m not as good at magic as Irina. From my childhood till today, and from my past life to the current one.... I could only do this much, even if I tried my best. Attempting to imitate Serena only resulted in an increase in the flow of memories, rather than the opposite. How could I even think of trying to manipulate my own emotions by trying to force myself to think that it was all because of the ¡®covenant¡¯? Fortunately, I managed to bring myself back to reality. However, I think that I will soon be ¡®certain¡¯ about him, possibly even today. ¡®Because of that......¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ll have no choice but to use my final resort.¡¯ ¡°Frey, do you like animals?¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t hate them.¡± ¡°You must like canaries, right?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of all these questions?¡± With a smile, I looked at Frey who was still tilting his head with suspicion. ¡°Seeing that you¡¯ve left the canary on your shoulder... you don¡¯t hate him, right?¡± ¡°...sigh.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure of that much.¡± I¡¯ve turned into a canary and scouted the academy a few times, and saw you petting a cat. ¡®Not only that, but you¡¯ve always fed and petted Serena¡¯s owl.¡¯ And you were kind to my canary as well. Judging from all that, animals don¡¯t do you any harm. So, the answer is simple. ¡°Frey, I¡¯ll give that bird to you as a gift.¡± ¡°All of a sudden?¡± ¡°Yes, so...¡± ¡®I¡¯m about to fall asleep forever.¡¯ ¡®Perhaps, I wouldn¡¯t ever wake up. Because I was going to move my soul and spirit away.¡¯ ¡®Yeah.¡¯ ¡®Before the foolish sun¡¯s light swallows that beautiful star...¡¯ ¡®I will remain by your side and chirp.¡¯ ¡®And I will be your faithful canary.¡¯ ¡®So,¡¯ ¡°...Please take good care of me.¡± Chapter 113: - There is No Beginning ? There is No Beginning ? ¡°Gulp...¡± ¡°...Aren¡¯t you drinking a little too much?¡± I gazed at her, noticing she had been drinking wine excessively, and subtly asked her a question. ¡°This much is fine... I¡¯m not even at half my limit yet.¡± ¡°I think your face is too red for you to say that.¡± She responded with a smile, and her eyes slightly dimmed. ¡°It¡¯s because of the heat.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s cold tonight.¡± ¡°....Let¡¯s move on.¡± Saying so, she began to reach out to the glass again. Seeing that her previously trembling hand had now steadied, it really did seem like booze was the most fitting remedy for personal struggles. ¡°What do you think of the canary? Do you like it?¡± While I was still in the middle of contemplation, Clana began to speak, pointing to the canary perched on my shoulder. ¡°.......¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that you don¡¯t like it. That would make me quite sad.¡± Hearing that, I sighed and replied. ¡°It¡¯s not bad.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± After having no choice but to reply to her statement, Clana began to look relieved. ¡®...No way.¡¯ Seeing her like that really reminded me of how she had been during the ordeal. I wasn¡¯t quite sure, but the expression she was making right now... It was so similar to back then. ¡°Do you want to make a toast?¡± With the glass in her hand, Clana reached out asking for a toast and I reciprocated. ¡°Let¡¯s make a toast.¡± ¡°...Alright.¡± Our glasses met halfway, the contact created gentle vibrations on the surface. ¡°...Ugh.¡± Noticing the vibrations, I took a sip but soon frowned. ¡°Were you drinking something this strong?¡± ¡°Yes, I have something I must do, and only wine may give me the strength necessary to accomplish it.¡± ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m being forced to serve you because of our covenant... it¡¯s incredibly hard to remain sane without relying on such strong liquor.¡± Clana appeared composed as she spoke, her previously shaking hands now resting peacefully on the desk. ¡°..........¡± However, for some reason, something felt strange. It was like staring at a calm ocean before a devastating tsunami swept everything away. ¡®As expected, something is off.¡¯ Something was definitely wrong with Clana today. Suddenly asking me to drink at night, especially in a tavern filled with old memories. Besides, her trembling hands could¡¯ve been an indication that much of her memory of the ordeal had already returned. But why did she have that serene look on her face? It¡¯s as if she has prepared everything to go far away. Of course, it could just be my imagination. However, she had even gifted me a canary infused with her solar mana. And asking me to take care of her after doing that...? Regardless of how much I thought about it, it felt like the bad ending from before, similar to the one left by my ancestor¡¯s prophecy. In fact, this was the worst ending out of all of them. ¡°It¡¯s late, I¡¯m going to go back to the dorm now...¡± ¡°It¡¯s only midnight. It¡¯s not late at all.¡± ¡°Midnight?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you, the greatest villain of the Empire, would leave just because it¡¯s midnight, right?¡± Looking at Clana pointing to the clock on the wall, I realized she was right. A new day had arrived. And... ¡°Hah.¡± The new day also meant that the cooldown of the ¡®Mind Reading¡¯ skill I had used on Ferloche earlier had been reset. ¡°Haha, hahaha...¡± ¡°...Frey?¡± As I began to laugh dazedly, Clana tilted her head and looked at me. ¡°Sigh...¡± As I looked at her, I sighed and closed my eyes. No wonder, she gave me a canary. ¡°It¡¯s your gift, so you can do what you want with it.¡± As I tickled the canary once more, Clana began to tremble. ¡°Haaaa...¡± ¡°Are you saying it doesn¡¯t matter what I do?¡± Even though I asked her that in the coldest voice possible, she simply responded with a smile. ¡°Do whatever you want.¡± When I heard that, I stopped tickling the canary and quietly put it back on my shoulder. ¡°...You¡¯re drunk.¡± ¡°No, not yet...¡± ¡°You¡¯re breathing hard and your face is red. Stop making excuses.¡± As she reached out to the glass, Clana froze in that pose. ¡°Ugh, uh...¡± ¡°Clana?¡± ¡°Uhhhhh.¡± Clana, who was shaking and groaning, soon turned pale as her hands began to shake. ¡°Do-Don¡¯t touch my hand.¡± ¡°Clana?¡± ¡°More, before it¡¯s too late... I wanted to spend more time with you.¡± Clana, who was shaking with her head hanging low, soon opened her mouth quietly. ¡°I¡¯m slowly reaching my limit.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here. We can¡¯t let it end it.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Seeing Clana standing up from her seat with a pale face, I murmured quietly. ¡°...It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Really? Then let¡¯s get out of here.¡± Clana, who barely managed to hear my murmur, slowly rose and urged me up. ¡°So, where are we going now?¡± ¡°Well...¡± When I asked Clana where she was going next, she smiled quietly and started talking. ¡°There were originally many places I wanted to visit, and many things I wanted to do.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, but... I don¡¯t think I have the time for that now. It¡¯s a shame.¡± As she spoke, a fleeting look of melancholy crossed her face. ¡°I was going to stop by the dessert cafe, the clothing store, and even the cat cafe...¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°...It¡¯s gotten very late, hasn¡¯t it? So I¡¯m going to stop stalling and go to my final destination.¡± ¡°...There.¡± When I heard that, I frowned, and Clana grabbed my arm and left the tavern. ¡°Right over there.¡± She pointed to a place that I was quite familiar with. ¡°...Is it the woods where we made our covenant?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. It¡¯s the woods where the two fools made a reckless promise.¡± ¡°Why are we going there now?¡± When I asked her that, Clana slowly stepped forward and began to talk. ¡°The Canaria flower you were going to give me last time.¡± ¡°...You remembered that?¡± ¡°I really regretted not being able to accept that flower.¡± Ignoring my question, Clana turned her head slightly and began to look at me. ¡°So, give me a new one.¡± ¡°...The flower shop nearby has probably closed by now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t give me a Canaria flower, but I want you to give me a Sunrise Primrose as a gift.¡± ¡°A Sunrise Primrose?¡± Clana, who nodded quietly when I questioned her back, soon added to her earlier statement softly. ¡°...I have to apologize before I go.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Because we¡¯ve made it all the way here.¡± At the end of her sentence, Clana turned around quietly and began to head into the woods. ¡°Sigh...¡± And, as I watched her quietly... ¡°Not a chance.¡± As soon as it was reset, I used the skill and mumbled quietly to myself, watching the skill window float in front of my eyes. [Clana Solar Sunrise¡¯s Current Emotions: Love/Sacrifice] ¡°...After all, that¡¯s my job.¡± Chapter 114: - The Noble Hero ? The Noble Hero ? ¡°Frey, do you remember?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you remember this entrance?¡± As I followed Clana, the entrance to the woods covered with dense trees welcomed me. I looked at it blankly, nodding in response. Clana smiled brightly at me. ¡°Really? I do too.¡± ¡°Since I¡¯ve visited the woods before, it¡¯s natural for me to remember.¡± When I spoke to Clana in a curt voice, she quickly replied in a quiet voice. ¡°However, it¡¯s still a common memory between me and you.¡± Taking a moment to pause, Clana resumed speaking with her arms stretched wide. ¡°These woods are filled with memories of you and me. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°...Maybe.¡± ¡°Just say yes.¡± I continued trying to maintain a brusque atmosphere between us, but Clana begged me with desperate eyes. ¡°Fine.¡± As I reluctantly agreed, Clana began to smile. ¡°By the way, where are the Sunrise Primroses? As you probably already know, Sunrise Primroses are quite rare.¡± ¡°...Wouldn¡¯t we be able to find one if we look carefully?¡± I responded with a look of astonishment upon hearing her response. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°We¡¯re all grown up now, so we don¡¯t have to worry about getting lost like we did back then. So let¡¯s search for it together until the sun rises.¡± ¡°Once again, there¡¯s no guarantee that we¡¯ll be able to find even a single one.¡± ¡°No, we will.¡±Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com However, Clana¡¯s response was resolute. She looked at me determinedly and with that, our conversation came to a close. ¡°I think I know where we can find a flower.¡± She then turned around and started walking forward. ¡°Phew.¡± Looking at her, I sighed unconsciously. Despite her attempts to appear stable, her entire body was now trembling uncontrollably, not just her hands. It seemed that the strong liquor she had consumed was no longer having its desired effect on her. Well, she was about to commit suicide. She couldn¡¯t easily go through with it just because she drank. I knew that very well from experience. ¡°Clana.¡± ¡°...What?¡± As I observed Clana, these thoughts ran through my mind, and I murmured to myself. ¡°What a spectacle.¡± Her eyes trembled, her lips were swollen, and her entire body continued to shake. But what surprised me the most was the sight of her face turning pale, rather than red, despite the copious amount of alcohol she had consumed. ¡°Clana, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Wh-What?¡± As I casually asked her that, she quickly responded in surprise. ¡°Are you not feeling well?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s...¡± After a bit, I asked the stuttering Clana again as I approached her. ¡°...heut!¡± I held her hand quietly. ¡°Le-Let go. You have to let go.¡± ¡°...A passerby would think you were being attacked.¡± ¡°Hurry up and let go!¡± As she shouted, Clana tried to shake my hand off, but I looked into her eyes and clasped my hand even tighter. ¡°Ah, agh.¡± She then gave up tearing her hand away from me and instead began ripping her hair out with her other hand. ¡®Was she holding on through sheer will?¡¯ I tried to activate the penalty before she turned into a bird, but her mind seemed to be resisting it with all its might. ¡°No... please... No, I can¡¯t...¡± It looked painful just by watching her suffering, but seeing that her eyes were bloodshot, Clana was seriously incredible. ¡°What are you doing, Clana? We have to find the flower.¡± ¡°Wh-Why did you grab my hand?¡± When I inquired as such, she asked me a question in response while appearing embarrassed. ¡°Because your hands were trembling.¡± ¡°...Aah.¡± So I answered quickly, and Clana began to look at me blankly. ¡°A-Ah. No, I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Clana?¡± ¡°A, a little more. A little more... Just until I get the primrose. Please.¡± ¡°Clana!¡± ¡°...Not yet, I don¡¯t want to change yet.¡± Hearing her mumble in panic, I sighed and thought to myself as I concentrated stellar mana on my ears. ¡®...Then it¡¯s no use pondering over it.¡¯ At this rate, I think I¡¯ll have no choice but to use my last resort... ¡°Ahh.¡± I, who was lost in thought while holding Clana¡¯s hand, suddenly noticed Clana, who began to run. I too began running alongside her, although, I saw her stumbling a bit. ¡°Cl, Clana! What are you...¡± ¡°...Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!¡± But without giving her time to speak, I began to let stellar mana flow to the canary that she had held in her hand until then. ¨C Spark! ¡°Heuahh... you... What do you think you¡¯re...?¡± Clana, who was struggling in terrible pain, asked me a question with the last of her strength. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll let you live as a canary?¡± ¡°N-No.¡± As I replied with a smirk to her, Clana began to shiver and scream. ¡°NOOOOO!¡± I wasn¡¯t sure what she was yelling at because I was focused on the canary, but it hurt quite a bit when I saw her shouting so loudly. However, it couldn¡¯t be helped. To prevent Clana¡¯s plan to enter the canary the moment she regains her memory. We needed to destroy the canary. ¡°St... Stop. Don¡¯t...¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Clana. Does it hurt?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that... you...¡± After struggling under me for a long time, the canary scattered into the sky after turning into golden fragments. ¡°You¡¯re in danger...¡± She couldn¡¯t finish what she was saying and lost consciousness. ¡°Phew.¡± I breathed a sigh of relief while looking at her. ¡°Then...¡± I looked at the bush that had caught my attention for a while and spoke. ¡°You should come out, don¡¯t you think?¡± . . . . . ¨C Crunch. As Frey spoke in a cold voice, the thick bushes shook slightly. ¡°Frey.¡± ¡°Irina.¡± After a while, Irina, who came out of the bush, began to have a calm conversation with Frey. ¡°Why did you follow me?¡± ¡°...I was worried that something might happen. The Secret Lord hasn¡¯t been captured yet.¡± ¡°Yes, but why are you hiding the fact that Kania is here as well?¡± ¡°......!¡± Irina¡¯s expression when she heard his question exposed the momentary embarrassment that flashed through her. ¡°...Hello, Young Master.¡± After a while, as Kania crawled out quietly from behind the bush, Frey smiled and spoke. ¡°You fought, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°N-No.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± Kania and Irina¡¯s hair was disheveled, and there were small scars on their cheeks and body. Therefore, anyone could infer that they fought. ¡°Frey, do you have the magic scroll I gave you last time? Use it now.¡± ¡°...now?¡± ¡°Yes, right now.¡± ¨C Spaaaark! ¡°...Ugh!¡± As soon as Irina finished speaking, Kania suddenly began to spread her dark mana across the ground. ¨C Rush! ¡°Heut!¡± And so was Irina. ¨C Crackle! ¨C BOOM! When Kania¡¯s dark mana and Irina¡¯s flames collided and caused an explosion, Frey, who was looking at them, quietly took the scroll out of his arms. ¡®I¡¯m the one who will get your penalty instead. I, who sucked away his lifespan like a mosquito, can give as much of my life as he needs.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ll take Frey¡¯s penalty instead. I developed the spell, and I¡¯ve subjected him to the curse of death, so I¡¯ll be the one to give up my life.¡¯ ¡°Guys.¡± Frey stared at the two who were growling at each other. ¨C Rip! ¡°It¡¯s no use.¡± I tore the scroll Irina had given him a few weeks ago. ¡°F, FREY!!¡± ¡°Young Master!¡± Irina and Kania, shocked by the sight, ran to Frey, but he just smiled and spoke. ¡°You thought I wouldn¡¯t notice?¡± ¡°Ho-How...!¡± ¡°...I learned magic analysis from Serena. You thought I wouldn¡¯t notice what the circle was for?¡± Frey, who had spoken, quietly closed his eyes while looking at the two women running toward him. [Penalty Incurred!] ¡°...Why is everyone so fond of sacrificing themselves?¡± Today, the penalty was a welcome sight for a change. Chapter 115: - System Error ? System Error ? ¡®Alright, this will work. It¡¯s a complicated magic circle, so tearing it apart should be enough.¡¯ The pace at which the two of them were running towards me gradually slowed down as they began to shout at each other. ¡°Kania! Use your black magic right now!!!¡± ¡°What? But...¡± ¡°Idiot! Magic scrolls are usually supposed to be torn! It¡¯s so complicated that I designed it to activate with my hand on it, but tearing it is enough to meet the conditions for activation!¡± But thanks to the aftereffects of the two attacks earlier, my ears merely rang with a high-pitched noise. Therefore, I averted my gaze away from them, believing it was the end because of the penalty window, and stumbled in the rush of mana coming from below. Permanent debuff: The Fate of False Evil The user¡¯s lifespan and vitality will be massively reduced! ¡°Sigh.¡± I snorted at the system window in front of me, which was by now had become a familiar sight. ¡°I¡¯m not scared anymore.¡± The letter I received from Serena yesterday when I was with Ferloche. The letter clearly showed that there was hope. P.S. I think I found a way to save you. Perhaps. I believe in Serena. And even these two who bickered amongst each other to bear the penalty in my place. I believe in Kania, a more reliable person than anyone else, and Irina, who developed impossible magic just for my sake. Also. I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s hiding, but Ferloche, who gave me important information, And I believe in Clana, who tried to become a canary for me. Not in a translucent system window floating above me. Therefore, I could do anything. ¡°Damn it! It won¡¯t activate, I don¡¯t have enough black magic!¡± ¡°I have a way.¡± ¡°What? Hold on!¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± I was confident that even with that penalty, I could defeat the Demon King and give a happy ending to the two girls in front of me. Therefore, there was no reason for them to lose a part of their lifespans for my sake. ¡°Thank you, guys.¡± While thinking as such, I held onto my last fragments of consciousness that were gradually fading away. I left them with a final statement in a dim voice. ¡°Please take care of me in the future as well.¡± [Stacks:3] [Special Stack:1] Then, the world turned dark. . . . . . When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was a sunrise primrose in my hand. ¡°...Pretty.¡± It was a bright and beautiful sunrise primrose that I had seen before. ¡®But I don¡¯t need it anymore.¡¯ But I think now I don¡¯t need it. I... Will sit on his shoulder, sing when he¡¯s tired, rub his face when he¡¯s sad, and fly around when he¡¯s happy. I turned into a canary just for Frey. ¡°...Huh?¡± By the way, something was wrong. If I became a canary, what was wrong with my eyes? It¡¯s like I¡¯m still a human. ¡°What?¡± Besides, sunrise primrose in my hand? Why do I have a hand? I¡¯m sure... ¡°Young Master!¡± ¡°No!¡± While I was engrossed in such thoughts, I started hearing loud noises in front of me. ¡°...Cough!¡± When I looked forward in shock, I saw Frey bleeding from his mouth as he collapsed on the ground. Am I still dreaming? There¡¯s no way Frey would be coughing up blood. I¡¯ve turned into a canary, so there¡¯s no way he¡¯ll get a penalty... ¡°Wait a minute.¡± The memories that suddenly crossed my mind hit me, who was sitting in a daze. Frey, who kissed me upon hearing my last request. And the fact I fell to the floor while hugging him. The love I shared with him for a long time, as our hands, arms, legs, and our bodies intertwined with each other. I wanted to do something more, but I gave up because I didn¡¯t have time and tried to turn into a canary. And... In the next moment, a new question occurred to me. His heart is beating, but why couldn¡¯t I feel his soul? The most important thing for a person is their soul. A man without a soul, was like a boat without a sailor. ¡°N, no way... Is it because of me? Because of what I did?¡± If the soul of a person who was alive has disappeared, there is only one reason. It was my fault. I killed Frey again... ¡°...Ah!¡± I was shaking my hands in despair, and I started to feel Frey¡¯s soul somewhere. ¡®Wh, what a relief.¡¯ I¡¯m so relieved. If Frey¡¯s soul had been lost because of me, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to hold out. I¡¯m so glad that his soul remained... Hold on. How does this make sense? The soul of a person isn¡¯t in their body? . . . . . ¡°Th-That¡¯s ridiculous. This is possible?¡± Clana, who had been drenched in blood from Frey, who had lost consciousness, rose and looked as if she had seen a ghost. ¡°Fi-First of all, I need to find traces of the soul.¡± Soon after, Clana, who was looking around like a deranged person, began to head to the place where she weakly felt Frey¡¯s soul. The ¡®Soul Release¡¯ phenomenon has only been written a few times in the vast amount of books that Clana had read so far because it is quite rare and the way to solve it was quite difficult. ¡®If his soul is really out of his body, I have to be a vessel, even if it gnaws away at my own soul.¡¯ A soul that has escaped from a human body will wander forever if it cannot return to its original body within a certain amount of time. This is because the connection to the main body becomes weaker as time goes by. ¡°There?¡± Therefore, Clana, who vowed to capture Frey¡¯s soul even if her soul was damaged if necessary, hurried her steps with a nervous look as the lingering energy of his soul gradually became stronger. ¡°I found it...¡± So, after walking and walking, Clana finally arrived at her destination. ¡°...What?¡± She soon froze. ¡°Hello, princess.¡± ¡°...Kania.¡± It was because for some reason, Kania, who was sitting at the foot of a tree a little away, and Irina, who was breathing hard, and her face twisted, were present. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Clana, who was staring blankly at them, soon opened her mouth with a pale expression. ¡°Why... do I feel Frey¡¯s soul from you? Kania?¡± ¡°In preparation for this situation, Irina devised a magic to swap souls...¡± Kania, who was asked a question by Clana with trembling eyes, began to answer with a troubled expression. ¡°With the dark mana in Irina¡¯s body, it was far from enough to stabilize the abnormally triggered scroll...¡± ¡°So Kania forcibly robbed me of the magic circle engraved on my body.¡± When Irina, who interrupted Kania, lifted Kania¡¯s top, a black magic pattern began to appear on her belly. ¡°S-So?¡± ¡°At the same time he was penalized, I invoked the magic... if everything went to plan, the Young Master who entered my body should have received a penalty and cut my body¡¯s lifespan in half.¡± ¡°But why do I still feel Frey¡¯s soul from you?!¡± As Clana raised her voice, Kania quietly stroked her belly and spoke, ¡°I believe his soul remained inside of me.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Because of the abnormally invoked magic... the resulting error caused Frey¡¯s soul to remain in me.¡± Clana, who looked blank after hearing that, soon asked in a low voice. ¡°So, Frey¡¯s soul is trapped in your body forever?¡± ¡°No. After a certain period of time, his soul should naturally return to his body. And, if it doesn¡¯t, as a black magician skilled in soul manipulation, I can force it back to where it came from.¡± ¡°Wh, what about the penalty? How long does he have?¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on with his body?¡± Then, Kania quietly raised her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I answered while looking at the opaque window in the air. System error Identification code: s01 [Soul value is not correct.] [Troubleshooting!] [Conclusion: The value of the soul changed during the penalty!] [Troubleshooting!] ¡°...I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on either.¡± Chapter 116: - Negotiation ? Negotiation ? ¡°¡°¡°...........¡±¡±¡± It was late at night and the forest was engulfed in deathly silence. ¡¸Solution found!¡¹ ¡°Hm?¡± Amidst the silence, a system window appeared in Kania¡¯s vision. ¡¸Return the soul to its original state.¡¹ ¡°......?¡± ¡¸Return the soul to its original state as soon as possible.¡¹ The existence her Young Master had called the ¡®System¡¯ abruptly started issuing orders to her, and Kania tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± ¡¸Activate the ¡®Help¡¯ function if you wish to further interact with the system.¡¹ Kania inquired doubtfully, and words started to form in the transparent window in front of her. She then followed its instructions. ¡°...Help.¡± Recalling what her Young Master used to say whenever he utilized the ¡®System,¡¯ she muttered the same word under her breath. ¡¸The ¡®Help¡¯ function has been activated!¡¹ A new window opened shortly after. You are currently violating the laws of the world and breaking the balance. Take appropriate measures to return the soul to its original state. ¡°Appropriate measures?¡± As she inquired about the dubious message, more words appeared beneath the existing message. Return Frey Raon Starlight¡¯s soul to its rightful body. Kania smirked and leisurely tapped her knees with her fingers after reading the message that seemed like it was ordering around a subordinate. ¡°...And if I don¡¯t want to?¡± The System stayed silent. ¡°Why should I listen to you when you¡¯re the reason for the Young Master¡¯s suffering?¡± Kania coldly continued questioning it after seeing the System not responding. Noncompliance will not benefit either party. This is a warning. Return the soul to its original state. However, the System just issued another command in an even more aggressive tone. ¡°No.¡± Yet, Kania remained resolute and quietly stroked the magic circle engraved on her stomach. Clana and Irina, who had been anxiously looking at Kania from the side, began to cautiously probe the situation. ¡°Kania? Just what is going on?¡± ¡°Ms. Kania, could it be that you¡¯re talking to the ¡®System¡¯?¡± ¡°Wait, Clana. How do you know about the ¡®System¡¯?¡± ¡°H-Huh? A-About that...¡± Kania however, remained lost in her thoughts despite their voices. A little while later, she started talking with a smile plastered across her face. ¡°Judging from how you¡¯re pressuring me so much, there must be quite an important reason as to why his soul needs to return to his body this instant, right?¡± The system provided no response to that question. ¡°Or perhaps, an ¡®error¡¯ was caused when the Young Master¡¯s soul got into my body... and it became difficult for you to tamper with his soul?¡± Despite her repeated questioning, the System continued to stay silent. As if she had hit the nail on the head, she drew a conclusion. ¡°...Maybe, it¡¯s both?¡± It was only after Kania whispered that mockingly did the System bring up another window.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com If you don¡¯t return the soul within 10 seconds, you will have to bear the ¡®Penalty¡¯ in Frey Raon Starlight¡¯s stead. ¡°Good. That¡¯s what I wanted anyways.¡± With those words, the red panel in front of her started counting down as Kania merely smiled and continued to stroke her stomach. 6, 5, 4... ¡°After all, I¡¯m just a parasite living off of the Young Master¡¯s life force.¡± 3, 2, 1... ¡°I¡¯ll gladly bear the penalty for him.¡± Kania continued to smile and closed her eyes as the countdown came to an end. ¡°.........Hm?¡± The penalty never came even after she waited for a long time. ¡°Like I thought, you¡¯re unable to influence our souls due to that ¡®error.¡¯¡± With that, the information of the curse ¡®kindly¡¯ appeared before her eyes. If Frey experiences pain, you will also experience pain. If he feels sorrow, you will also feel sorrow. A truly fitting curse for a loyal companion such as you. ¡°Hah... I guess so.¡± Kania sneered at the system¡¯s explanation. ¡°But well, don¡¯t you seem to be in a hurry?¡± With that said, Kania stood up from her spot and began to walk slowly. ¡°Kania...?¡± ¡°W-What¡¯s going on...¡± She walked past Clana and Irina, who were anxiously observing the quaking Sun all while listening to her one-sided conversation with the system. She took a step towards Frey, who was lying unconscious against a tree. And then another step. ¡°Young Master.¡± Kania walked slowly until she finally stopped in front of Frey... ¡°From now on, I will be with you.¡± And she whispered weakly- ¨C Woosh... As she quietly gathered dark mana at her belly and roused his soul. ¡°So, please be at ease and return.¡± Kania activated the magic circle and began reaching out towards Frey. ¡°Now, there¡¯s only one thing that remains.¡± However, she stopped her arms midway. ¨C Shuuuuu... ¡°...Please prove that I can trust you.¡± Kania glared at the status window that was now exuding much more energy than before. ¡°I cannot trust you with only the quest presented by the system. Besides, aren¡¯t you capable of manipulating it whenever you want?¡± The system does not have the authority to interfere with quests... ¡°Even if you say so, it¡¯s not reliable enough for me to just blindly trust you.¡± The Sun had begun to ominously twist and warp at this point. ¡°That¡¯s why, please prove that everything you said was true in addition to exempting the Young Master from the penalty.¡± Kania urged on the System with a disdainful smirk. ¡°You¡¯d better hurry up since, as you said, the Sun seems like it¡¯ll self-destruct in a few seconds.¡± In order to confirm her suspicions- She prepared to return Frey¡¯s soul back to his body at a moment¡¯s notice before the Sun truly destructed- And made a final challenge to the System. I swear in the name of the Demon God, Eclipse. And as a result, a black system window that had never been seen before appeared in front of her. ¡°W-What is this feeling?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be Miss Kania¡¯s dark mana...¡± And the black system window started radiating dark mana so potent that Clana and Irina were able to sense it even though they couldn¡¯t see it. ¡°As expected, you¡¯re the one my damn parents worshiped.¡± Kania smugly looked at the system window. ¨C Kajijijijijik!! ¡°Uwaaaaaa!!¡± Then, she carefully began to separate Frey¡¯s soul before reintegrating it with his body. ¡°Ugh...¡± In doing so, Kania felt the curse run deep into her body along with a sharp intense pain that immediately assaulted her. Frey¡¯s soul started to slowly leave her body and enter his own as she felt the power of the System. ¡°Am I supposed to use ¡®Mind-Reading¡¯? I remember hearing it several times before...¡± It was something she was always curious about and something she could do only at this moment. ¡°Ha.¡± Then, she looked at the status window that she would probably get to see for the last time in her life. ¡°...Me too.¡± She replied in a weak voice before closing her eyes. [Frey Raon Starlight¡¯s current emotions: Concern/Loyalty/Love] It was the moment her one-sided feelings were reciprocated. Chapter 117: - Organize ? Organize ? ¨C Woooong... As Kania snuggled up to Frey, the Sun, which had been rumbling violently as if it was going to fall down at any moment, began to stabilize. ¨C Ruuuumble! ¡°Hiek?¡± ¡°Ack.¡± Simultaneously, a faint earthquake shook the land. Although it was relatively weak, it was enough to make them fall to the ground. ¡°Ugh...¡± Clana let out a moan as she fell on her butt, yet Irina simply stared at her before asking in a grave voice. ¡°Clana, can I ask you something?¡± ¡°Huh- yes?¡± Clana, who was gently rubbing her derriere, stiffened as she met Irina¡¯s eyes. ¡°How do you know about the system?¡± Irina¡¯s eyes shone with a sharp glint. Clana had been unaware of Frey¡¯s circumstances until recently. Even if she had memories of the ¡®Ordeal¡¯ Frey had mentioned... it was odd that she would know of the ¡®System.¡¯ ¡°The System? Um... about that...¡± Thus, Clana quietly stammered. ¡°So... uh...¡± Quite a long time passed before Clana hesitantly opened her mouth. ¡°You... told me, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Irina, you gripped my neck and told me everything.¡± Irina became dumbfounded at Clana¡¯s explanation. ¡°What kind of bullshit is that?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way I could have told you. If I had, Frey...¡± Irina rebutted in a tremulous voice and quietly looked over at Frey. ¡°...would have become like that.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Clana briefly became absent-minded as she came to that realization. Then, she held her head and started mumbling. ¡°But, I¡¯m sure... I definitely heard it from you.¡± ¡°What are you...¡± ¡°From Ms. Kania as well.¡± Clana slightly lifted her head and turned to look at Kania, who was still silently collapsed on top of Frey. ¡°I heard the truth from Kania while she attacked me in a frenzy....¡± ¡°...Just when and where?¡± Irina started to become frustrated as Clana continued her nonsensical story. ¡°Uh...¡± Clana became lost in thought and guilt soon overflowed. ¡°It was the day I visited Frey¡¯s mansion shortly after I became the Empress.¡± Clana¡¯s hands were trembling. Unknown symptoms that had been tormenting Clana for the past few weeks- The hell that abruptly started after a nightmare, had come back to haunt her again. ¡°It¡¯s all my karma...¡± However, Clana was no longer distressed by the symptoms she didn¡¯t know the cause of. The shivering was a reminder of the sensation of piercing Frey¡¯s body with a light arrow and dagger. She also realized it was the result of the covenant she made with Frey ¨C her sole friend and companion during her childhood. That was why she decided to embrace her symptoms as both her karma and proof of her connection with Frey via the covenant. ¡°......Hmm.¡± Irina, who had been observing Clana, continued. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you only learned about the ¡®System¡¯ through the ¡®Ordeal?¡¯¡± ¡°Ordeal... You¡¯re saying it was a tribulation?¡± ¡°Yeah, if you know what the ¡®System¡¯ is, you should also know about the ¡®Ordeals.¡¯¡± Clana blanked out for a short moment before shaking her head. ¡°No... what I experienced was not an ordeal.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It was undeniably the reality.¡± Irina frowned. ¡°Clana. About that ordeal... No, just how many memories of it do you remember?¡± ¡°...They¡¯re from after graduating from the academy, so a few years at the very least.¡± ¡°A few years!?¡± Irina exclaimed in shock at Clana¡¯s answer. She then calmed herself and began to sort out the situation. ¡®If what she said is true, she discovered the truth about Frey as she started remembering the years¡¯ worth of memories from the Ordeal...¡¯ Frey said the Second Ordeal was merely a simulation of a what-if scenario created to test him. Not only that, he also said that everyone in the Second Ordeal were all supposed to be fabricated illusions created by the system. But for some reason, Clana remembers the events from the ordeal. She even learned the truth about the ¡®System.¡¯ ¡®...Does that even make sense?¡¯ Irina quietly brooded over these inexplicable events and tried to inquire further. ¡°Ms. Kania! Are you hurt...?¡± As the two girls called out, Kania momentarily became lost in thought before smiling and standing up from her bed. ¡°I see. I managed to succeed in the end.¡± ¡°But, looking at the Young Master¡¯s condition... there seems to be a predicament.¡± ¡°U-uh, yeah...¡± Kania seemed serene, and Irina, who had been diagnosing Frey until now, proceeded to explain. ¡°From what I saw, Frey¡¯s lifespan is safe, but his vitality seems to have been taken a hit. Of course, we should be thankful for even that... but he¡¯s not recovering for some reason.¡± ¡°Of course he wouldn¡¯t.¡± Kania approached Frey with a smile still plastered across her face. ¨C Shwick. ¡°¡°...Ah?¡±¡± Kania lied down next to Frey and hugged him tight as if it was the most natural thing in the world. ¡°Young Master.¡± Kania affectionately gazed at Frey. ¡°Please have a good rest.¡± As the two girls looked on, stupefied, Kania started talking with a solemn voice. ¡°I think a side effect appeared when we mixed and separated our souls.¡± ¡°A side effect?¡± ¡°Yes, traces of the Young Master¡¯s soul still lingers inside of me, causing his body to become unstable. That¡¯s why recovery is extremely slow.¡± Kania gently stroked Frey, who had stopped coughing up blood at some point and explained to the two girls who still looked dumbfounded. ¡°Which is why I have to stay close to him like this until he wakes up.¡± With that said, Kania tightly hugged Freya and quietly closed her eyes. Due to the ¡®Curse of Unity¡¯ cast on her, Kania felt Frey¡¯s pain all throughout her body, his complicated feelings despite being unconscious, and even his heartbeat in all their entirety. ¡°...Hey.¡± ¡°Ms. Kania.¡± Seeing Kania smiling blissfully, Irina and Clana began speaking nervously. ¡°I¡¯m... going to make a ¡®Blood Oath¡¯ to Frey. I will pledge my soul to him...¡± ¡°I-I need to make a new covenant on his soul... Otherwise, I think I¡¯m going to cra...¡± ¡°Not now.¡± However, Kania silently tilted her head and cut them off. ¡°I¡¯m afraid Young Master¡¯s soul is in an unstable condition right now. Holding magical covenants might cause problems.¡± ¡°S-Still...¡± ¡°Please cooperate for his speedy recovery.¡± Kania knew that magical covenants wouldn¡¯t have any effects on the soul. However, she coldly intervened and crushed their objections. ¡°Mm...¡± Kania caressed his face and enjoyed his touch with a delighted smile. Frey, who had manipulated his memories so as not to hate her. He, who gave up his life force in order to save her. Also, the person whose grace she can finally start to gradually repay. ¡°¡°..........¡±¡± Thus, silence lingered in the air for a long time. ¨C Creak... ¡°Frey, are you o...¡± That is until Serena entered the room with a pale face. ¡°......Please give me an explanation.¡± ¡°For what?¡± Serena had a pile of papers containing ancient scripts as if she had stopped by the library before returning to the academy. And, for some reason, she also had new wounds all throughout her body. Serena interrogated Kania in an icy voice. However, Kania, who had been snuggled up close to Frey until then, returned a question. ¡°Regarding... what happened today.¡± Kania lifted her mouth into a smile and answered. ¡°I saved Young Master¡¯s life.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± Serena quietly nodded her head. ¡°I have also embraced him.¡± However, Serena¡¯s face began to contort as Kania gently caressed her stomach. ¡°And his traces still remain within me.¡± ¡°...Ha.¡± Kania looked at Serena and continued with a serene smile. ¡°Not only that...¡± Then, she dealt the final blow. ¡°...The Young Master and I have become one till our deaths.¡± Kania leered at Serena. ¡°Since Lady Serena is smart, you must know already, but everything I¡¯ve said is true.¡± ¡°You should really be moderate with the euphemisms.¡± ¡°Euphemisms? I¡¯m only stating the truth.¡± Serena slightly bit her lips at Kania¡¯s composure before lifting them into a smile. ¡°...Right. Everyone, I have good news.¡± Everyone¡¯s gaze focused on Serena. ¡°I discovered the base of the Secret Lord.¡± Serena proudly declared then coldly looked down at Kania, who was still snuggled up against Frey. ¡°Isn¡¯t this great news?¡± With that, the time slowly flowed past dawn as the two girls¡¯ gaze clashed in the air. Chapter 118: - Punishment ? Punishment? ? It was morning. ¨C Ring Ring Ring!!! Lulu¡¯s eyes fluttered open as she woke up. She was currently in the commoners¡¯ dormitory which was much smaller and more confined as compared to the nobles¡¯ dormitory. ¡°Ahhmmm...¡± Rubbing her eyes, she turned off the alarm. Shortly after, her face was dyed in astonishment. ¡°...I didn¡¯t have a nightmare today either.¡± It was a nightmare that had been haunting her every night ever since she was young. The sight of her parents, who had once gazed upon her lovingly, driving her away with eyes as though they were staring at a bug. Long-time neighborhood friends who used to play with her in the playground, gradually started excluding her from their groups as they began suffering small accidents. The grave injuries of her newfound friends who approached her lonely self with a smile, and the comatose state of the nun who cared for her until the end. Lulu had always been forced to view these scenes in her dreams and felt various emotions as she relived those moments. The feeling of being persecuted by the world as if it was trying to kill her through isolation. The sense of despair stemming from the thought that she would never be able to be loved by anyone. Also, the impulse to end everything. ¡°It¡¯s odd...¡± But, it was different now. For some reason, she stopped having nightmares several days ago. ¡°.........¡± She had thought that the nightmare would chase her around her entire life. Yet, when it disappeared, what she felt was neither freedom nor happiness but bewilderment, instead. She had been willing to do whatever it took to stop the nightmares that drove her into the pit of hell every night. However, Lulu had never imagined that the very nightmare that had been haunting her for the majority of her life would suddenly disappear overnight. ¨C Knock Knock Knock ¡°Ms. Lulu, are you awake?¡± She, who had been blankly staring into space, regained her senses from the knocking sounds. ¡°Ah, yes...¡± After getting off the bed, she hurriedly straightened her messy hair and opened the door to a maid. The maid was a girl Frey had brought from a market alley and gifted to her one day. It was the girl with a sickly younger brother. ¡°Are you feeling okay, Ms. Lulu?¡± ¡°Huh? Am I okay?¡± Lulu had been blankly looking at the girl, but soon tilted her head at the question. ¡°You look very tired and worn-out.¡± ¡°...Me?¡± The girl nodded as Lulu asked with a frown. She had never seen her as drained and out of it as she was today. ¡°Perhaps, did that person wrong you in any way...?¡± The girl asked cautiously with fear evident on her face. Although she was merely a girl selling vegetables in a market alley, she was still aware of the rumors revolving around the Empire¡¯s most notorious scoundrel. In addition, her recent interactions with the girls Frey had ordered to serve as her ¡°pets¡± had alerted her of their irrepressible, ever-intensifying fear of Frey. After all, he was the leader of the people that had horribly tormented them. ¡°N-Not at all! I didn¡¯t even see Lord Frey yesterday!¡± Lulu hurriedly shook her hands towards the girl who was suspicious of Frey. ¡°...Really?¡± ¡°Yes. I wanted to wish him a good night before going to sleep... but he wasn¡¯t in his room.¡± Hearing that, the girl quietly let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Ms. Lulu, please let me know whenever you¡¯re having a hard time. I¡¯ll help you in any way I can.¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s unnecessary!!¡± Lulu raised her voice with a frightened expression. ¡°M-Ms. Lulu...?¡± ¡°You, you shouldn¡¯t help me. Keep that in mind.¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°Please.¡± It was a subconscious behavior after having witnessed the people who had tried to help her become miserable after getting swept up in both small and big accidents. ¡°...Ah.¡± Faced with her frantic behavior, the girl solemnly lowered her head and spoke. ¡°I¡¯m always grateful to you, Ms. Lulu.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°For protecting us from that person.¡± ¡°...?¡± She tilted her head, confused. Lulu¡¯s maids had been treated worse than toys for the past few years, having to endure assault and torture. She didn¡¯t know that her maids thought she was helping them behind the scenes, preventing Frey, who loved playing around to the extent of keeping sex slaves in the basement, from showing interest in them. Though, of course, that was just a rumor Kania had intentionally spread to minimize the possibility of Frey incurring the penalty again. Although his affection was one between a person and their pet and not between two people... the fact remains that she received his love. ¡°Hey, guys.¡± ¡°...Yeah?¡± Lulu timidly asked the classmates around her to confirm her speculation. ¡°By any chance... have you guys had any unfortunate experiences lately?¡± ¡°Unfortunate?¡± ¡°Yeah. For example, something that made you unhappy... or any accidents... or maybe even your health deteriorating...¡± The students were momentarily taken aback by the topic, as it wasn¡¯t exactly appropriate when they were enjoying their food in a good mood. But Lulu¡¯s expression was too serious for them to simply brush it off. ¡°Hmm...¡± In the first place, they had set up their current environment to prevent her from feeling lonely. Thus, the students started to think back on their memories. ¡°Nothing in particular I can think of.¡± ¡°Yeah, me neither.¡± ¡°There were a lot of good things that happened... but bad... I wonder?¡± The students responded after some time. Thanks to the large contract compensation from several weeks ago and the sponsorship from the unidentified person a few days ago, the commoner students of Class A were enjoying an unprecedented, blessed time. ¡®...No way, really?¡¯ Lulu¡¯s heart began to race. ¡®Is the curse really disappearing?¡¯ Small mishaps like stubbing a toe against a door, breaking a plate, or losing a textbook still occurred several times a day. However, ever since she started receiving Frey¡¯s love... the ¡°big misfortunes¡± that had always occurred had stopped altogether. Of course, it was entirely possible that those misfortunes weren¡¯t happening to her, but to others. But after listening to the students around her, that didn¡¯t seem to be the case either. Originally, if anyone showed even a little bit of interest or affection towards her, they would immediately suffer an accident the following day. ¡®Finally... finally...¡¯ Tears threatened to spill from the corners of her eyes as she lowered her head to pretend that she was eating. Lulu realized that the stigma which had been like a steadily tightening noose around her neck was finally disappearing, and she became overwhelmed by her emotions. ¡®I can finally become free...¡¯ ¡°Right, have you guys heard about Frey?¡± ¡°Frey?¡± Lulu began eating after holding back her tears with much effort. However, as soon as the conversation shifted to ¡®Frey,¡¯ she froze on the spot. ¡®That¡¯s right... Frey.¡¯ Based on what she had seen before, there was a high chance that Frey was severely afflicted by her misfortune. He often coughed up blood and stumbled around while clutching at his heart after he had brought her in as his ¡®pet.¡¯ ¡®No, Frey is still a villain...¡¯ However, she shook her head to drive away her thoughts, as she couldn¡¯t afford to stop the stigma from disappearing. ¡®Plus, at this rate... it should be totally gone in just a few days. So... just until then...¡¯ ¡°Apparently, that bastard collapsed.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Yet, upon hearing the words coming from the student, Lulu let out a flustered sound. ¡°Rumor has it that he¡¯s in a critical condition!¡± ¡°He deserves it. It¡¯s his retribution.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right... He tried to buy us last time. I shiver just thinking about that time...¡± ¡°......E-excuse me.¡± Lulu quietly asked a question as she felt increasingly anxious the more she listened to her classmates¡¯ conversation. ¡°Do you know where Frey is right now?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t he probably be in his room? I heard he returned at midnight...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave then.¡± ¡°Hm? Wait! Where are you going, Lulu?¡± With that, Lulu stood up and started heading towards Frey¡¯s room- ¡°...The rumors must have been exaggerated.¡± While mumbling to herself in a trembling voice. . . . . . Meanwhile, ¡°Kuheuk! Kuhuk...!¡° ¡°Young master, please endure it. You need to cleanse the rotten blood out of your body to become even a little bit healthier.¡± Frey was still unconscious, but with Kania¡¯s assistance, he was coughing up the rotten blood that had been accumulating in his body. ¡°Ugh...¡± His blood ¨C as a consequence of his soul merging with Kania¡¯s ¨C was dyed in black. Chapter 119: - The Love that Blossomed ? The Love that Blossomed ? ¡°Stop right there.¡± ¡°Huh? Ah, okay...¡± Lulu became flustered when the maid guarding the entrance of the noble dormitory stopped her in her tracks. ¡°Commoners are not allowed to enter the nobles¡¯ dormitory.¡± ¡°Ah, uh... Um... You don¡¯t know me?¡± Lulu asked cautiously, but the maid replied sternly. ¡°The rules must be upheld regardless of your identity. Only nobles are allowed in here. This isn¡¯t some place a commoner can¨C¡± ¡°Let her in.¡± However, another maid who seemed to be her senior cut her off with a sigh, baffling the maid guarding the entrance. ¡°W-what are you saying? Why are you letting a commoner in?¡± ¡°She must have been unaware because she¡¯s new. Go on in, I give my permission.¡± ¡°T-thank you...¡± As Lulu quickly headed inside, the new maid faced her senior with a puzzled expression. ¡°Um... What was that about?¡± ¡°She¡¯s Frey¡¯s sex slave.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± The new maid immediately grasped the situation from the words of her senior maid, who had a sour look on her face. ¡°How pitiful. To think that of all the nobles out there, she was Frey¡¯s sex slave.¡± ¡°You should be careful as well. Lately, there have been rumors that he¡¯s even harassing the maids.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Finishing their conversation, the two maids watched Lulu sympathetically as she made her way into the dormitory. ¡®...I¡¯ve only been kissed by him.¡¯ Lulu, who had been eavesdropping on their conversation while pretending not to care, felt like she was slandered. It was true that Frey forced himself on her. He frequently touched her and even forcibly kissed her. However, besides that, he had never crossed the line. ¡®...No, I shouldn¡¯t be fooled. That wasn¡¯t out of consideration for me, it¡¯s just because he doesn¡¯t even see me as a person.¡¯ Lulu shook her head to get rid of her thoughts. ¡°Phew...¡± However, despite her efforts to clear her mind, her feelings continued to be in a state of disarray for some reason. Although he was a despicable man who did not even see her as a fellow human being, the warmth she felt whenever he pet her satisfied Lulu¡¯s cravings for human affection. And it was the same for the kisses she received every night. ¨C Thump, thump As a result, Lulu slowly made her way towards Frey¡¯s dorm with a heavy heart. ¡®But I can¡¯t stop here... I can¡¯t...¡¯ Frey was undoubtedly a villain. At the mansion, he physically abused Kania and Irina, threatened the chefs, and verbally abused his younger sister. He even tried to sexually assault the commoners who approached him, going as far as trying to legally claim them. Even if you ignored all of that, anyone paying attention to the stories circulating the Empire would suspect that Frey Raon Starlight was a spy working for the Demon King¡¯s Army. That was why Lulu had chosen Frey as the target of her misfortune while simultaneously removing her stigma. If Frey¨Ca person so evil that most people wished him dead¨Cwere to become interested in her, then he would have her suffer all sorts of humiliation in line with the rumors. Then, she wouldn¡¯t have to feel guilty even if he suffered from her misfortune. That was why she had deliberately broken the vase to catch his attention. She had honestly felt a little glad when she became Frey¡¯s pet, despite being at a loss from how it happened before she could even carry out her other plans. However... ¡®...Why are you treating me so well?¡¯ Before she even knew it, Lulu arrived in front of Frey¡¯s room. She then stood in place, trembling. ¡®Why aren¡¯t you treating me harshly...¡¯ She stood blankly in front of the door for a long while. ¨C Duuk...! Then, she bit down on her lips. ¡°...For now, let¡¯s just check up on him.¡± Lulu grabbed the doorknob, thinking that Frey wouldn¡¯t have anyone taking care of him anyway. ¡°...Hm?¡± However, the door was firmly locked. ¨C Pajijik! ¡°Euk!¡± Lulu activated her magic eyes, but when even that was blocked by information interference magic cast on the door, she became bewildered and started looking around. After looking around, she spotted the head manager sighing in the corridor. ¡°Excuse me...¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I want to enter Frey¡¯s room...¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re up next in the rotation?¡± ¡°Rotation?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been like that since night-time. Ms. Kania had been nursing Frey, but she just left the room earlier, so it¡¯s about time for the next person to come.¡± Irina sighed in relief. She had been immensely worried about Frey, who had not stopped spitting out blood since the previous night. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Kania quietly turned and started walking down the corridor. Irina, who, unlike her usual self, had been acting feeble, quietly spoke up. ¡°Then... that means you don¡¯t need to stick right next to Frey anymore, right?¡± ¡°No. It won¡¯t be forever, but... I will still have to stay in close contact with him for the foreseeable future.¡± Irina cocked her head at Kania¡¯s denial while Kania began stroking her stomach. ¡°Traces of the Young Master¡¯s soul still remain. I have to be with him for at least another week or two to ensure his soul is restored safely.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± At Kania¡¯s explanation, Irina could only quietly mumble to herself as she watched Kania walk ahead of her. ¡°...If only I had a little more dark mana.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ms. Irina.¡± ¡°Uh, huh?¡± Kania smiled. ¡°For developing the magic that saved the Young Master¡¯s life.¡± ¡°Oh. Not at all... it didn¡¯t even work perfectly.¡± ¡°No, if it wasn¡¯t for your magic, the Young Master¡¯s life would have been cut in half again, and we wouldn¡¯t have been able to figure out the System¡¯s identity either.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll report everything about it to the Young Master when he wakes up. Once again, thank you very much, Ms. Irina.¡± As Kania thanked Irina, Irina briefly glanced at Kania¡¯s belly which was currently branded by the magic circle. ¡°Does it hurt, by any chance?¡± ¡°Mm... Just a bit.¡± ¡°Want me to transfer it to my body?¡± ¡°N-No, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll manage.¡± Soon after Kania refused Irina¡¯s offer, they arrived at Frey¡¯s room, and Irina stood in place as she seriously requested help. ¡°...Then, can you help me form a blood oath with him today?¡± After hearing Irina¡¯s request, Kania furrowed her brows as she opened the door which had been automatically locked. ¡°Please give up on that.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you trying to offer your soul to Lord Frey through the oath?¡± Opening the door, Kania spoke softly with a kind tone. ¡°You should already know what it means to offer your soul to neither a god nor a devil, but a mere mortal individual. So, there¡¯s no reason for you to do that.¡± ¡°No, I will do it.¡± ¡°What?¡± Irina quietly entered the room and closed the door behind her as she responded with a similarly solemn voice. ¡®Not only did I cause him to suffer from a curse that¡¯s rotting away both his body and mind... even his lifespan has been cut short.¡¯ Irina murmured inwardly as she approached Frey, who once again threw up bad blood while his body continued generating healthy blood. ¡®And...¡¯ Then, she hesitated momentarily before taking out and looking at the lifespan device. ¡°Two years and two months. That¡¯s how long you have left to live, Frey.¡± Irina gently hugged Frey and spoke with unwavering conviction. ¡°.........Eup.¡± ¡°Even though you only have a few years... ¡° ¡°...I will pledge my soul to you.¡± She began whispering so quietly that only she and the sleeping Frey could possibly hear her next words. ¡°My body, my heart, and even my chastity... I will give you everything, Frey.¡± ¡°Hu.¡± Frey¡¯s expression wriggled, and Irina gazed lovingly at him before looking to the side. ¡°Do you know why?¡± To their side was a sapling that had rapidly grown and started flowering. It was one of the saplings she had him choose a few months ago when she still wasn¡¯t sure of Frey. ¡°It¡¯s because I love you.¡± She quietly whispered into his ear. ¡°...I¡¯ve loved you ever since we were young.¡± And beside them, a puppy-love flower was gently swaying in the air. . . . . . ¡°What... just what does that...?¡± Meanwhile, ¡°Two years and two months...?¡± Lulu shivered as she overheard everything from inside the dark bathroom devoid of even a single ray of light. ¡°No way...¡± ¡°.........Because of me?¡± Chapter 120: - Blood Oath ? Blood Oath ? ¡°....Hm?¡± Irina, who had whispered to Frey while leaning forward, suddenly frowned and tilted her head. ¡®What was that?¡¯ She sensed a spell somewhere on her body that had become overly sensitive to mana. ¡°...Um.¡± As soon as she became aware of it, her eyes sharply scanned the surroundings. Her expression immediately turned cold. Uugh... ¡°It seems like a stray dog has snuck in.¡± Soon after she formed a sphere of mixed flame and black mana on her hand, she took a slow step forward. Of course, she also had a spare magic scroll in her chest pocket. But after the last defective scroll incident, Irina chose to believe in her own abilities over relying on external aid. ¡°...Come out at once.¡± Irina walked right up to the bathroom door, muttering coldly.. ¡°I said come out.¡± Even so, the door stayed unmoved. Irina tried her best to shield the place where Frey was at with her body and then focused all her attention to the door of the bathroom. Just in case there is an ambush, in order to protect Frey, Irina pulled out all the battle experiences she got from the last round. ¨C Kiiiiiik ¡°Stop. If you don¡¯t want to die, kneel on your knees and your hands should slowly...¡± Irina, who glared at the door for quite some time, commanded with a cold voice as soon as the door started to open. ¡°So, Sorry... Heugh.¡± ¡°Lulu?¡± When she realized who came out of the bathroom was none other than Lulu, Irina¡¯s expression turned bewildered. ¡°You... what were you doing there?¡± ¡°Th-That..¡± Of course, it was the same case with the flustered Lulu. She didn¡¯t expect that she would be discovered as soon as she cast her Magic Eyes to get a better look at the situation. ¡°I heard that Frey collapsed so I stopped by to check... H-He suddenly started vomiting black blood...¡± ¡°The door was closed though?¡± ¡°...I-It was open?¡± Just in case Lulu was lying in fear that the maid who opened the door for her would be reprimanded, Irina looked at her doubtfully and started to tilt her head. ¡°Is the auto-lock magic broken? That can¡¯t be.¡± ¡°Th-Then I will go first.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Seeing Irina¡¯s countenance, Lulu began to hurry toward the exit of the room. ¡°...Wait, what were you doing here?¡± ¡°To visit the sick.¡± ¡°But why did you hide when I came?¡± ¡°I-I freaked out when Lord Frey... suddenly started vomiting blood.¡± ¡°Why did you freak out?¡± Hearing those words, Lulu began to stammer. ¡°I-I thought it was because of me.¡± Soon, Irina sighed and said while she gazed at her. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it is not your fault. Frey was recuperating right now.¡± ¡°Re-Recuperating?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The reason why Frey is vomiting blood is to spill harmful substances out of his blood. He is recuperating. Perhaps he will regain his health after the end of this. So you don¡¯t have to worry about being reprimanded.¡± Hearing those words, Lulu still looked at Frey who was currently laying down, with an anxious look on her face. ¡°What are you doing? Until when are you going to stay here?¡± ¡°Ah, that I....¡± Frey¡¯s body which was reflected in Lulu¡¯s ¡®Magic Eyes¡¯ was constantly producing new blood. Just like what Irina had said. If it was an ordinary person, their body would rather feel several times better than before. ¡°...Ah.¡± But, that was not the only thing reflected in Lulu¡¯s eyes. Because of all the people she had ever seen, Frey¡¯s body was the one that most seriously injured. And it even still going on. Though it was Frey who had been hiding his condition, starting from Lulu, by surrounding himself with black mana with Kania¡¯s help up until now. The shock of their souls merging caused black mana to seep into his body and dissolved his intestines. ¡°Is it... my fault again?¡± Then as the result, Lulu¡¯s trauma recurred. Although the other person was Frey, the one that was called the Empire¡¯s worst scoundrel, it was enough to bring out the trauma that had been constantly tormenting her since she was a child. ¡°Wh-What are you saying? Why are you suddenly like this?¡± Because of that, Lulu crouched down and started scratching her arms. Then, the bewildered Irina walked over to her. ¡°I heard your words in the bathroom...¡± ¡°I give to you both my heart and body.¡± Then, the flames intensified. ¡°When a mage gives her body to someone, she will fight for them. If the heart was given to someone, she will not serve anyone else but them.¡± According to her words, the blood oath she made was not an ordinary one. For the mages of Magic Tower who worshiped magic, it was a testament to their nobility and virtue. Or for the priests of the Church, it was a testimony to their devotion. Or if not that, for the Imperial Family it was a proof of their legitimacy as they ascend the throne. Or even if that was not the case, then it was for a corrupt warlock to seek power. To mana, to the Sun God, to the sun itself, or to the devil. For it was an illustrious oath to give one¡¯s all. And so, up until now, blood oaths have always been sworn to a transcendent being or the ruler of the world. And those who broke it, were now only remained a tale passed down as a myth or legends in storybooks. They were known as no other than the thousand years ago Hero¡¯s party members. ¡°To you, I offer my chastity.¡± That outrageous thing, Irina was doing it now. Not to the world¡¯s ruler or a transcendent being, she gave her all to the man in front of her. Even the laws of the world were being skewed. ¡°What giving my chastity means... you also know that right?¡± Irina muttered with her face slightly redden. Soon she adjusted her voice and continued talking ¡°And lastly... I give you my soul.¡± After she said up to that point, the flame wrapping their surrounding pounced on both of them. ¨C Whoosh Then the flames parted the two and began to penetrate them. Irina who was watching that scene. ¡°How should I make it up to you... I contemplated about it a lot.¡± Gently stroked Frey, who was still closing his eyes but somehow had a serene smile. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what I should do to atone for the sin I have done to you.¡± She started to whisper in a low voice. ¡°I contemplated like that, and then I thought about it again while being with you... I finally got it.¡± Saying so, Kania gently stroked the wound on Frey¡¯s body that was exposed as the disguise Kania had on it was removed. ¡°Whatever I do, I could never fully repay it.¡± At the same time when her words ended, the flame around them was completely absorbed into their body. ¡°So I will just give you everything I have.¡± Only after she realized that the ritual had been successfully completed did Irina smiled softly. She quietly embraced Frey and finished her words. ¡°So use it to your heart¡¯s content.¡± Afterward, the tiny sparks that popped out from Irina¡¯s and Frey¡¯s chests, coalesced in the air into tiny beads. ¡°...What the?¡± Irina caught the bead and carefully stroked it. ¡°Why is the color a bit muddy?¡± Soon, she started to mutter with a puzzled look. ¡°Is it because Frey¡¯s soul still remains with Kania?¡± This was because, unlike when she swore on her mana in her past life, the color of the bead was muddled. ¡°...Tsk.¡± And Kania, who was sitting on the window, was carefully watching the both of them. . . . . . Meanwhile at the same time ¡°Clana, focus.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Clana, who was lost in thought while she looked outside the window, hurriedly turned her head to the board when she heard Isolet¡¯s cold warning. ¡°Why is your hand bandaged? You looked okay yesterday.¡± ¡°...I got hurt while training.¡± Then soon, Isolet asked a question to Clana who was propping her chin with her hand. When she heard that answer, Isolet stared at Clana with a doubtful look for a brief moment. ¡°I¡¯m glad if it was then, but I won¡¯t forgive you if you are fooling around.¡± ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± The class soon continued after she said that. ¡°Then let¡¯s continue. A sword¡¯s power and efficiency are based on the type of mana it is trained with. That means, based on the level of the wielder, it could lead to a different effect...¡± After the incident of the mansion raid the last time, Isolet was quite wary of Clana. ¡±...Heum.¡± But actually, Clana¡¯s mind was focused entirely on the bead inside her drawer. And that bead was blended in shades of silver and gold. Chapter 121: - A Quack ? A Quack ? ¨C Diing dong ding dong ¡°Ugh.¡± Irina, who had been fiddling with the beads as she laid on top of Frey, jumped to her feet in surprise when the school bell rang. ¡°...When did the time run out?¡± A blood oath was a ritual that demanded all of a mage¡¯s magical ability and concentration, causing Irina to lose track of time after performing it. As a result of that, a case where Irina was late for class occurred for the first time in her life. ¡°Frey, wait for a while.¡± Consequently, Irina hastily got up from her seat. She carefully settled Frey into his bed and whispered. ¡°I will return when class ends...¡± Saying so, she gently lifted the bucket on Frey¡¯s side to set it down in front of him. ¨C Shaaaaa... Then, Irina, who had set the magic bucket in front of Frey. ¡°Heum.¡± Soon squinted her eyes and checked her surroundings. ¡°Then, take care.¡± Right after she whispered so, Irina had a blush on her face as she started leaning her head towards Frey¡¯s face. ¡°Euuu...¡± But, in the middle of doing it, Irina¡¯s movement suddenly stopped and she let out silly noises. Be it in the previous timeline or even in this life, she absorbed herself in magic research and warfare. The act of kissing someone from the opposite sex took more courage than she had imagined. ¡°...Heup.¡± Irina, who fought with herself for quite some time, ¨C Chu. Finally succeeded in carefully kissing Frey on the lips. ¡°Eeuh...¡± Even though it wasn¡¯t a deep kiss, or one that lasted for longer than a fleeting moment. It was the first act of love in her life that the girl did of her own accord. It had its own significance for her. ¡°I-I¡¯m late for class.¡± Irina blushed red all the way up to her ears. Then she hurriedly escaped the room while clearing her throat. ¡°...Hehe.¡± She silently rolled the slightly murky beads in her hand. Its color was a mix between red and blue. ¨C Click The door was automatically secured by the auto-lock magic. While Irina looked at her surroundings, a canary quickly flew to a nearby tree and sat on it. ¡°...Chirp.¡± It once again took flight, landing on the window sill before examining the room. When it was sure no one was around, it carefully flew inside. ¡°Chirp Chirp?¡± It sat on Frey¡¯s shoulder and began chirping by his ear. ¡°...?¡± After the canary had persistently chirped for a while, it turned its head to gaze at the window in a flash. ¡°Kuuuuuuu!¡± ¡°Gugugugu!!¡± ¡°......!¡± It discovered a night owl and a pigeon fiercely fighting each other as they approached the window. The canary urgently flew to the nearby pillow and hid its figure there. -Shruuuk Even when they entered the room, the night owl and the pigeon fought for a while, before dropping a letter on Frey¡¯s desk at the same time and leaving collectively. ¡°Kuuuuuuu!¡± ¡°Gugugugu!¡± They violently pecked each other to the end. ¡°...Chirp.¡± Leaving feathers flying in all directions, the two birds disappeared. The canary watched over that scene thoughtfully before carefully flying over to Frey¡¯s desk. ¡°...?¡± Then, four letters came into the canary¡¯s view. ¡®The night owl and the pigeon obviously only threw two letters, right...?¡¯ And in that moment when Clana, who had her vision linked with the canary, fell into deep thought. ¨C Thud! The canary cautiously plucked at the letter with its beak. ¡®Just in case it contains assassination magic... I have no choice but to open it in advance.¡¯ As she thought so, Clana opened one of the letters on the desk. She frowned when she discovered the name written on the envelope. Rosewyn Solar Sunset ¡®...Ha?¡¯ Clana gritted her teeth as her gaze fell on the name she recently hated the most. Greetings, Lord Frey. I heard the news that you are currently sick. I was so worried I couldn¡¯t sleep... ¡°Tch.¡± After she checked the contents of the letter, she used the bird¡¯s foot to shove it with a cold expression, sending it into the trash can beside the desk. ¡®...This?¡¯ Clana opened the next letter with an eased look. She then tilted her head. ¡°It is there.¡± ¡°Ah! Right! Thank you!¡± In the end, Ferloche asked a maid for directions to the noble¡¯s dormitory. She said her thanks and hurriedly went there. ¡°...Saintess, what are you going to do in the noble¡¯s dormitory?¡± ¡°I must catch Frey! Please cooperate with me!¡± She proudly declared to the maid who was guarding the entrance when she arrived at the noble¡¯s dormitory. ¡°Ah... is that so. Then you can come in.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Of course, all the maids had no choice but to let her in. As per academy regulations, she was officially a commoner. But she held a position equal to that of a Duke and the Imperial Family. ¡°...Huh?¡± But Ferloche only thought that the maids were being considerate. She smiled cheerily but started tilting her head in confusion when she watched two people talking in the hallway. ¡°Why are they here?¡± The people who entered her sight were Kania and Serena. ¡°You said Ferloche is up to something?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I bothered talking to you even though I don¡¯t trust you in the slightest...¡± ¡°Hello!!¡± Ferloche, who intensely stared at them for a moment, cut into the conversation while smiling cheerfully. ¡°¡°.........!¡±¡± ¡°What were you two talking about?¡± ¡°Ah, that. We were only talking about that.¡± Kania stammered at Ferloche¡¯s unexpected intrusion, while Serena answered with a calm look. ¡°We were fighting.¡± ¡°Fighting?¡± ¡°Yes, one of us needs to nurse Frey.¡± At those words, Ferloche¡¯s expression turned puzzled. Then, Serena blocked her own lips with her fan and started talking. ¡°Frey collapsed yesterday. The ones that were chosen to nurse him are his butler Kania and his fiance?e, me.¡± ¡°Frey was injured!¡± ¡°Yes, but don¡¯t we all hate Frey? So we were passing the responsibility to each other.¡± Finishing her words with that, Serena smiled with her eyes and said to Kania. ¡°Well, if you hate it that much then we can¡¯t help it. As his fiance?e I¡¯m the only one left to nurse him.¡± ¡°Wh-What?¡± Hearing those words, Kania couldn¡¯t help but be dumbfounded. Because now was her turn on the rotation. ¡°What is wrong with you? Didn¡¯t you strongly refuse to nurse Frey earlier?¡± ¡°Th-That...¡± ¡°Then, you can rest for a while. Until dawn I...¡± ¡°Then, I will do it!¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± While Serena was heading to Frey¡¯s room as she smiled at Kania. ¡°Everyone wait...¡± Ferloche butted in just before Serena could open the door. ¡°Wait.¡± Serena said while she hurriedly grabbed Ferloche¡¯s hand. ¡°The thing that I said the last time. No matter how much I think about it, you should know about it...¡± ¡°Ah, right!¡± Ferloche shook Serena off and enunciated every word while puffing her cheeks. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything like DLC!¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Then, everyone, you can rest for a while!¡± After she finished with her words, Ferloche entered Frey¡¯s room. ¡°It-It was my turn...¡± Kania extended her hand with a puzzled look. ¡°What?¡± Serena muttered with a cold expression. ¡°Did she say DLC just now?¡± The sun had unknowingly descended, as the moon gradually rose up in the night sky. ¡°Indeed...¡± At this time, Serena smiled in contentment and said, ¡°...Just what I expected.¡± ¡°It-it wasn¡¯t a fake illness, he really is sick!¡± ¡°...?¡± She was cut off before she could utter another remark. ¡°The massage I gave him the last time, he seems to want it again!¡± ¡°Ha?¡± Serena¡¯s expression turned slightly twisted. ¡°So unfortunate!¡± It was a contrast to Ferloche, who was scribbling something inside the room with a frosty expression on her face. Chapter 122: - Healing The Subconscious Realm ? Healing The Subconscious Realm ? ¡°Eum.¡± A familiar scene greeted me when I silently opened my eyes. ¡°...It is my room.¡± I didn¡¯t know how much time had passed, but first things first, this place seemed real. At the very least, I was in a clear state of mind, unlike before. Anyway, it looked like I had gone through quite a few amazing experiences while I was unconscious. Whether it be the memories of returning to a familiar, warm, cozy, and dark space, where I would crouch down before being forcibly ejected out of it. Or the sensation of my body shattering to pieces without experiencing pain, and what it felt like to be connected to someone. I faintly sensed those experiences in the back of my hazy consciousness. But when I opened my eyes, what came into view was the scene of my dorm. How many weeks have passed this time? Or perhaps, how many months have passed? How was Clana doing? If she was worried about me, how would she handle the upcoming Ordeal? And the slave market? The overlapping penalty? Ferloche¡¯s secret? What should I do next? ¡°Fyuuh...¡± As soon as my mind became clear, I mulled over the numerous worries flooding my head. I sighed and laid back down on my bed. ¡®I feel a little tired today?¡¯ If I was being honest, I felt really exhausted. From the moment I heard about the prophecy from my father, when I was still a clueless child who lacked nothing and deemed everything in this world as beautiful, up till now. I was only ever running towards the goal of defeating the Demon King and achieving a happy ending for the world. Of course, while doing so, there was a moment when I wanted to lash out at everything and also almost gave into seduction. But I still did not succumb and kept pushing forward. Because if I gave up, everything would be ruined. [Permanent Debuff: The Fate of False Evil] Description: Every time you are discovered to be a ¡®False Evil¡¯, your vitality and lifespan will be massively reduced. (Special Stack only reduces vitality) Stack: 3 Special Stack: 1 ¡°Um.¡± A thought came to mind and I opened the debuff window, before muttering with a smirk. ¡°...I¡¯m getting tired of this.¡± Even if my lifespan had been reduced, I didn¡¯t really feel it. But if it was my vitality that was reduced, I couldn¡¯t help but notice it. Because vitality is a force that allows a person to move, think and display our skills. So the reason I¡¯m exhausted is because my vitality was reduced. Mental exhaustion wasn¡¯t the cause of everything becoming tiring. It was just because of my physical strength dropping. So, let¡¯s regain my strength from now on. Reduced vitality and lifespan were not problems that could be allowed. There were heaps of things that needed to be done, I couldn¡¯t let my vitality get in the way. Didn¡¯t my ancestor say that the game can be cleared with up to 5 stacks? In theory, I could clear the game until I reach 5 stacks. Of course, I remembered that passage. So, there is no problem. The only problem is the condition mentioned by the developer, and I don¡¯t know if it will be possible in the first place. Even I, the only person who has cleared Dark Tale Fantasy 1, couldn¡¯t clear Dark Tale Fantasy 2. But there must be a record of someone who cleared that in the leaderboard, right? So do your best in preserving the stack... Anyway, there was no problem. ¡°Ugh.¡± I calmed my mind down and tried to get up from my bed when I felt an ache on my body. Perhaps gaining 3 stacks has burdened my body. ¡°...Hm?¡± With that thought in mind, I carefully sat up. I then saw a shape with black hair sticking out. ¨C Thud, Thud I looked at the shape and indifferently tapped it. Soon after, I realized that it was Kania¡¯s hair. ¡°...Hello, Kania.¡± I smiled slightly at her, before frowning when I noticed the dark circles under her eyes. ¡°Are you hurt anywhere?¡± I stroked Kania¡¯s hair with a worried expression. Then, while trying my best not to wake her up, I got out of bed. ¡°Ugh...¡± It was obvious that she had nursed me day and night. As I watched her, knees on the floor near the bed, I thought I should let her rest. ¡®This...?¡¯ I saw something with my name engraved on it. Almost certain that it was mine, I started walking to a cane placed in the room¡¯s corner. ¡°That¡¯s a lot better.¡± I inspected the cane here and there, stamping the ground, before muttering with a satisfied smile. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s because I¡¯m exhausted.¡± I regained my spirit as soon as I hit the ground with the cane. Of course, it should be like that. Would I become this exhausted when only one more stack was added? I was still far from defeating the Demon King. Let alone the second and third year, only the main quest in the second semester of the first year had progressed... I couldn¡¯t be exhausted at this stage. Right, it was because my vitality was exhausted. I could still do this. ¡°...Heum.¡± While thinking that, I left the room. Suddenly, I looked over and glanced at Kania, who was sleeping on her belly on the bed. ¡®She will hurt her waist sleeping like that.¡¯ In the previous timeline, she suffered from insomnia for quite a long time. I knew because I often saw her sleeping in weird positions. If she keeps sleeping like that, of course, she suffer from problems in her waist. ¡°Heave-ho.¡± With that thought in mind, I carefully lifted her. It was to lay her in a comfortable position on the bed. She looked extremely haggard. ¡°You guys! Disperse!¡± ¡°Fer-Ferloche?¡± ¡°I¡¯m concentrating on keeping my eyes on Frey! Don¡¯t be a bother!¡± But those girls crawled back to their seats because of Ferloche. In a time like this, it appears that Ferloche was also useful to play as a totem. ¡°Irina, want to play together?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s eat lunch together later!¡± ¡°E-Eh?¡± I was silently watching over Ferloche, who was grinning at my side when the commoner students in the back gathered around Irina and started a conversation. But, was Irina always that popular? ¡°Frey, do you have time tonight?¡± ¡°What?¡± I looked suspiciously at Irina, who had suddenly gotten popular when Serena ditched her faction to approach me and caught my attention. ¡°...Frey, you love me, right?¡± ¡°Ye-Yes.¡± I didn¡¯t know why, but I subconsciously replied with an answer I felt was the truth while tilting my head. Somehow the way Serena was acting resembled the way she acted at night. During the day, she was unwilling to approach me because she hated seeing me be affectionate with Kania. ¡°Everyone, gather.¡± In that messy atmosphere, as soon as Isolet entered everyone¡¯s attention focused on her. ¡°Next, open page 168 of the [Sword Art Theory]. Today we will go in-depth on how to wield a sword.¡± ¡°¡°Yes.¡±¡± I kept thinking about it, but the kids never complained to Isolet. As a matter of fact, among the family of marquesses, the most respected one is... the family of the first Sword Saint, the Hero¡¯s party member. She is the eldest daughter of that family. Who would dare to offend her? ¡®...Ah, it was me.¡¯ I was staring at the blackboard as I chuckled at a nonsensical thought that suddenly flashed through my mind before my eyelids slowly drooped. ¡°Frey! What are you doing!? You can¡¯t doze off!¡± ¡°...Just a little. I will only rest for a little.¡± Ferloche was saying something beside me, but I really couldn¡¯t endure the drowsiness. No matter what, I need to close my eyes just for a moment. Just a moment. Really, a moment. . . . . . ¡°Uwaaah...!¡± In a dark room, with dense dark mana hovering in the air. ¡°Cough! Cough!!¡± ¡°Euuu...¡± And then, the people in the room started to cough all at once. ¡°Kania... what¡¯s happening here?¡± Among the people who were coughing for quite some time, Clana lifted her head and, while frowning, asked. ¡°You brought us to Frey¡¯s subconscious... and let him dream about something he ¡®wanted¡¯ the most, right?¡± By her side was the still unconscious Frey. ¡±That¡¯s right... so I have been bracing myself.¡± On the other hand, Irina who agreed with what Clana had said, frowned and continued. ¡°But why is the dream only about attending class?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying...¡± Having heard their words, Kania nibbled on her lips and said, ¡°At this point, what the Young Master really wants is likely... to be only attending the class just like always.¡± ¡°What?¡± At Kania¡¯s answer, Clana shot a look of disbelief and asked, ¡°But, does that make any sense? This black magic, isn¡¯t it to bring out someone¡¯s deepest desire?¡± ¡°...That¡¯s it. The Young Master was exhausted.¡± Kania answered Clana before adding with a worried expression. ¡°On the day he was supposed to wake up, the Young Master didn¡¯t. So a few days ago I started this treatment... back then, he would just lie down and sleep all day.¡± ¡°Only sleep... Sleeping?¡± ¡°Yes, I wanted to know just in case there was a problem. So I called Lady Clana and Irina... and only that specific wish came out.¡± Saying so, Kania silently looked at Frey. ¡°More than anything, the Young Master and I shared the same mind and body, so I strongly feel it. He wanted to peacefully rest.¡± Having said that, a solemn atmosphere lingered inside the room. If the deepest and strongest desire in his heart lately was to ¡®rest¡¯, they couldn¡¯t imagine how difficult of a life he has been living. ¡®...Something¡¯s not right.¡¯ In the midst of silence that lingered, Kania quietly muttered to herself. ¡®Serena couldn¡¯t come because she had another matter to deal with, Ferloche couldn¡¯t participate because I was afraid she would find out the truth in the first place...¡¯ Frey was by her side. ¡®...Why did they appear in his subconsciousness?¡¯ She said so with a puzzled look. ¡®That can¡¯t be?¡¯ In the end, the glint in her eyes turned into a fierce light. Chapter 123: - Before its Too Late ? Before it¡¯s Too Late ? ¡°Um.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± I saw Kania in front of me as soon as I opened my eyes. No, it was not the normal sight, as she lay entirely on the bed embracing me. ¡°Hello, Young Mast...eh.¡± ¡°...Didn¡¯t I tell you not to intrude into my subconscious?¡± I gazed at Kania who was dumbfounded at the situation. Then, I pinched her cheeks while frowning, and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you last time that you didn¡¯t need to do that kind of thing?¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± I didn¡¯t notice the oddities until I was done telling her off for 5 times. At that moment, I woke up from a long dream. I was not the kind of person to tell people off, but to some extent, it had a calming effect on me. [Passive Status: Blessing of the Stars/Critical Condition/Blessing of Partners/Exhaustion] ¡°...Don¡¯t do that next time.¡± Still, I checked the status window for the passive status just to be on the safe side. Then, I said with a sigh. In the first place, Kania did that for my sake, so how could I possibly be mad at her? And without her help, I wouldn¡¯t have woken up this quickly. ¡°Then, the report...¡± ¡°Wait, Young Master.¡± I let go of Kania¡¯s puffed cheek and got up from my bed. But she tightened her arms to hold me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°A moment, let¡¯s just talk for a moment.¡± ¡°......?¡± Saying so, Kania quietly snuggled up to my chest. ¡°Kania, first...¡± ¡°Young Master, don¡¯t you feel more comfortable in this position, too?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Kania cut my words off and said with a triumphant voice. ¡°I know everything.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Everything about you, everything.¡± Kania somehow looked cocky, so I pinched her cheeks again. She then started smiling cheekily. ¡°Hehe...¡± ¡°You¡¯re being kind of weird.¡± ¡°Really?¡± In this kind of situation, Kania would usually bow her head and apologize, but she suddenly acted aggressively. ¡°So, what do you want to talk about?¡± I was a little flustered because of it. I inquired, and Kania answered in a hushed tone while smiling faintly. ¡°Now that I think about it, I probably shouldn¡¯t say it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Even if I didn¡¯t ask you, I know all the answers to your questions.¡± I watched Kania who continued being an airhead with a frown. I sighed and sat up from my bed. ¡°Report to me what has happened so far.¡± ¡°...But, you didn¡¯t take any rest.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve rested to death in the dream you arranged for me, so it¡¯s time to get back to work.¡± Even Kania vented with a sigh after hearing my words. She pulled out her notebook, wearing her piercing businesslike look that I hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. ¡°To begin with, It has been two weeks and five days after you collapsed in the forest.¡± ¡°...That was quite short? Last time, although stacked, I was unconscious for 3 months.¡± Kania scowled at my reply but quickly changed her expression and answered. ¡°It looked especially long because it was stacked last time. And the special treatment is also in progress.¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± I asked slightly doubtfully. Kania answered while nodding her head with an unconcerned look. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Well, if you say so. Then... What about the slave market?¡± ¡°The slave market... it will be opened in a few days.¡± ¡°It¡¯s finally here.¡± With the second year¡¯s main quest in front of me, I¡¯m actually a little anxious. Kania then questioned with a concerned look. ¡±Are you okay? It¡¯s not because your plans were disrupted by falling unconscious for two weeks, right...?¡± ¡°...That¡¯s not it. I¡¯ve done this a lot, and for a long time. But even then, an important event like this still puts me under pressure.¡± Main Quest: Liberation of the Slave Market Quest Content: Raid the large-sized slave market that will open soon. Free the slaves and prevent the approaching disaster! Reward: Increases the Awakening Progress of the Hero¡¯s Armament, Increases Total Mana. Failure Penalty: Drastic Decrease of Reputation While saying so, I opened the mission window of the quest. ¡°What exactly is the penalty for failing the mission?¡± ¡°Drastic decrease in reputation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s better than having your vitality and lifespan decreased, right?¡± I answered Kania¡¯s question in a depressed voice. ¡°Even though it isn¡¯t a main quest, it is a mission that I must succeed in no matter what.¡± ¡°...Yeah, I guessed as much.¡± Because if I failed this mission, it would be impossible for me to save those slaves. ¡°...Anyway, the first thing I want to talk about is your succession.¡± I said, as I gently stared at her eyes. Clana nodded with a pale face. ¡°I talked about it last time, but I really will make you the Empress.¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± I proclaimed to her with a serious look and started talking in a low voice. ¡°I cannot bring the Starlight Duchy to the forefront. But I will support you with my resources. The same goes for the Demon forces.¡± ¡°.......¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t take the throne, this Empire will have no hope. Aren¡¯t you aware of this?¡± Clana bowed her head deeply. ¡°Clana, you don¡¯t need to feel useless guilt. I told you, you did nothing wrong.¡± I was fully aware of her mental state that had been unstable up until now, so I urgently grabbed her hand as I said so. Clana then began to flinch. ¡°Let¡¯s completely put the past behind us and make plans for the future. We are in a hurry, right? Don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°Good, then I ask for your cooperation.¡± I successfully brought out a positive answer as the result of tirelessly persuading Clana. However, when I let out a relieved sigh and was about to move on to the next topic. ¡°The next issue is the slave market. It¡¯s opening in a few days, right? So, what I¡¯m saying is that I need your cooperation... huh?¡± I felt a ticklish sensation on the hand that was holding hers, so I asked Clana with a tilted head. ¡°Clana, what is this?¡± ¡°...You can see for yourself.¡± I unfolded my hand with a puzzled look. ¡°......?¡± Then I somehow held a bead with a mixture of gold and silver in my hand. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Something produced from the blood oath.¡± ¡°....What?!¡± I looked at the bead in confusion. When I heard Clana¡¯s response, I sprung out of my seat and shouted. ¡°You, You! Who did you make this oath with?!!¡± ¡°Fr-Frey.¡± ¡°Say it now. No matter how I will find a way to break it.¡± As soon as I said so, Clana¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Who threatened you? Your lousy fucking fiance?s? The First Princess that would always show off her body? If not them, then, as expected, is it the Crown Prince?¡± ¡°Frey.¡± ¡°Say who that bastard is. I will beat them up first and then no matter what I will find a way...¡± ¡°Frey, it is you.¡± I was furiously yelling at her when Clana cautiously replied, pointing at me. I could only stop myself and freeze. ¡°You, to you. I pledged a blood oath to you.¡± ¡°...What do you mean?¡± ¡°That time, using the covenant at the ballroom, didn¡¯t you ask me to marry you?¡± With her speaking informally while enunciating every word, Clana reminded me of something from the past. ¡°...Not the Empire, not the imperial citizens, and not the sun. I only want to serve you.¡± Clana silently finished her words with a reddened face. ¡°So marry me, Frey.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°If you want, I¡¯m okay with being the second, or even below that.¡± When I heard that, the hand that was still holding hers trembled. She smiled bitterly, and added. ¡°Just, before it¡¯s too late, give me a chance to atone.¡± At that moment, the sight of the sun outside the window completely disappeared. . . . . . Meanwhile, ¡°Lady Serena! Is Frey really here?¡± ¡°...Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Is that so! Brace yourself, Frey!¡± Serena and Ferloche were currently descending the stairs towards the Academy¡¯s cellar. ¡°This time, what kind of wicked nasty plan... woah.¡± Ferloche, who believed Serena¡¯s words without a doubt stepped down into the cellar, quickly feeling ice-cold. ¡°Lady, Lady Serena... It¡¯s so dark in here...¡± It was because the Academy¡¯s cellar was obviously engulfed in darkness that Ferloche absolutely despised. ¡°Quickly enter.¡± ¡°Hiiiiiiyyy!!¡± Ferloche, who was frozen and surprised at the entrance, entered the cellar after being shoved inside by Serena. ¡°...If we want to block the Western continent, we need to use a trick.¡± Looking at Ferloche, Serena stroked the scar formed on her body. ¡°Anyway...¡± She took out a device that resembled the moon ornament on Frey¡¯s cane from her breast pocket and muttered. ¡°...What makes you continue to resent my husband?¡± After Serena ended her words and followed Ferloche into the cellar, the door behind her closed. And silence prevailed. Chapter 124: - Teacher, Theyre Fighting ? Teacher, They¡¯re Fighting ? ¡°...What did you just say?¡± I was so surprised that I blurted out the rest of the words in formal tone. What did Clana just say? Did I hear that correctly? ¡°...Th-that.¡± As these thoughts flashed through my mind, Clana¡¯s eyes started trembling as she watched my bewildered response. ¡°Uhh...¡± And so, she was unable to voice the words she had in mind, bowing her head instead. ¡°...When the hell did you swear the blood oath?¡± I directly asked Clana. She looked into my eyes and started talking. ¡°I fed you my blood when you collapsed.¡± ¡°Could that bandage on your hand be...?¡± Her hand was bandaged for some reason. If it really was because of the blood oath, I didn¡¯t even want to think about the fact that she had gotten a scar for my sake. ¡°...Huft.¡± ¡°Fr-Frey.¡± With a frown on my face, I stroked Clana¡¯s bandaged hand. She, who had been looking at me, then said in a serious tone. ¡°I¡¯m doing everything I can to help you. Because you deserve it.¡± ¡°...Right.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you needed my help with the slave market? I will give you all of the information about the slave market and provide manpower for you. What do you need my help with?¡± When she eventually said that, I sighed and answered. ¡°This time, I will set all of the slaves in the slave market free.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Clana was bewildered by my response. In any case, it seems like she couldn¡¯t think of a scenario where all the slaves could be freed. ¡°Is that possible?¡± ¡°...A possibility is enough, and it will be more likely with your help.¡± ¡°What, what do you need me to do?¡± I hardened my expression and said. ¡°Please take the credit for freeing the slaves.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I am saying that you need to become the hero of the slave market liberation this time.¡± Clana¡¯s mouth opened wide at those words. ¡°The aftermath of this case will be massive so it will be the perfect halo for you to become the Empire¡¯s sun.¡± ¡°You, you...¡± ¡°Of course, I will stay as a shadow. I can¡¯t reveal my identity, you already know that.¡± Clana slowly nodded her head, then asked bitterly. ¡°But... will it be fine that way?¡± ¡°Well, it will be known in the future after all. Until then, I will take all the praises wishing for my death.¡± I tried to throw a joke at her, but Clana only bowed her head, her hands beginning to tremble. ¡°...Um.¡± I silently observed Clana before I started talking seriously. ¡°Clana, I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t your self-esteem fall too low?¡± It started not too long ago. I kept having such thoughts every time I saw her, as it looked like her self-esteem had fallen quite low. It was inevitable in the past, but it will be quite difficult if she keeps it up even now, after becoming aware of everything. So, at this point, it felt like I needed to address it. ¡°I can still clearly remember the image of you exuding charisma as you sat on the throne and commanded the battle against the Demon King.¡± ¡°Bu-But...¡± Clana stammered as I spoke with all seriousness. ¡°But to speak of the present, you have only shown your trembling and feeble image.¡± Clana was rendered speechless at my words and looked away. ¡°...But I am a nobody.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m no more than a third princess, a position I was born with. I felt it in my bones in this life.¡± Clana answered with a depressed voice and said with a sigh. ¡°No matter how I tried, there were some walls I couldn¡¯t break. I felt that clearly in the past life.¡± ¡°...Are you talking about the Demon King?¡± ¡°Yes, of course, I couldn¡¯t accept it at the start. So I kept trying my best to break that wall somehow, but...¡± Clana stopped her words abruptly, staring at me with a guilty look on her face, and said. ¡°...On the contrary, I instead obstructed the only person who could break that wall and inflicted scars, right?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault...¡± ¡°And, I even harmed that woman... ah.¡± As she was muttering in a depressed voice, Clana suddenly closed her mouth shut. I looked puzzledly at her before promptly opening the information window in front of my eyes. ¡°Clana, I will read your information window.¡± ¡°What?¡± . . . . . ¡°Young Master, are you done?¡± ¡°Ack.¡± As soon as I left Clana¡¯s room, Kania¡¯s expressionless face entered my sight. ¡°Kania, why did you come here?¡± ¡°...I just followed you.¡± ¡°Just?¡± I have no idea why she followed me when I left her alone earlier. And I also don¡¯t know why she was bleary-eyed. Did she eat something wrong? ¡°Young Master, have this.¡± ¡°...Hm?¡± As I was thinking that, Kania handed me something. I tilted my head while observing the somewhat fancy-looking medicine bottle in front of me. ¡°It¡¯s a medicine that calms your heart and stabilizes your mind.¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly giving me this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for your body.¡± Saying so, Kania insisted I drink the potion, which I took without much thought. It was a tonic given by Kania, so there wouldn¡¯t be any problems. Moreover, my body and mind were still in shock from Clana¡¯s remark. ¡°...Oh, this has some effect.¡± ¡°Well, it does.¡± I felt my condition improve significantly, and returned the water bottle to Kania. She smiled as she answered in the affirmative. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see that the effects are good, judging by your relaxed expression.¡± ¡°...Right.¡± I gave her a slightly confused look, before walking down the hallway with the help of my cane. ¡°Young Master, where are you going this time?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to meet someone related to the slave market.¡± Hearing my answer, Kania fixed her eyes on me for a short moment. Then, with a low voice, she asked, ¡°Is it a woman?¡± ¡°...How did you know?¡± ¡°I just felt it somehow.¡± I showed a puzzled look after hearing her response. Then, I cautiously asked, ¡°Just in case, did you use black magic?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°No, just, since earlier you seem to be guessing all of my thoughts correctly....¡± ¡°If I used black magic, you would have noticed it, Young Master.¡± Then, Kania answered with a calm look. ¡°I have been attending to you for so many years already, I can tell just from your expression.¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, because I am Young Master¡¯s capable aide.¡± I grinned as I watched Kania shrug while giving her answer. ¡°Hm?¡± I tilted my head when I heard a familiar sound echoing from a distant part of the hallway. ¡°Why are they here?¡± ¡°Guuuuuu!!¡± ¡°Gugugu!!¡± An owl and a pigeon are flying towards me with all their might. How many times have I watched this scene? ¡°Those brats don¡¯t seem to get tired.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, why is a pigeon fighting an owl? Don¡¯t they usually lose in size?¡± ¡°Did you say the owl and pigeon are ¡®fighting¡¯?¡± I had such thoughts while agreeing with Kania. She then asked a question with widened eyes. ¡°Huh, they fought well?¡± ¡°.......!¡± After hearing my comment, Kania suddenly looked like her pride had been hurt. ¡®...Should I teach them a lesson?¡¯ I looked at her with my head tilted, but as the two birds approached me, I stared at them while wondering if I should teach them that violence was prohibited. -Flap! ¡°...Huh?¡± Those two birds that approached me suddenly grabbed my shoulder with their feet and started flapping their wings. ¡°What the hell?¡± Because of that, I was dragged somewhere by them. I stared at the two birds¡¯ grave expressions and muttered in a low voice. ¡°...Don¡¯t tell me, there¡¯s a fight happening somewhere?¡± Chapter 125: - Cellar ? Cellar ? ¡°U-Uwaaa....¡± The fierce and ferocious birds grabbed both of my shoulders and dragged me somewhere. ¡°Gugu!!¡± ¡°...Hoot.¡± It¡¯s one thing for an owl to drag me around, but even a pigeon? How weak did I become? ¡°Kania, lend me a hand.¡± I blankly stared at the two birds dragging me around while having such thoughts. In the end, I had no choice but to ask Kania, who was quietly following behind, for help. It was because I didn¡¯t want anyone else to see me get dragged around by birds, even though I was the Empire¡¯s number one scoundrel, and even if I reap greater benefits the more I lose face. ¡°....Yes, Young Master.¡± Hearing my request, Kania approached the birds with a fairly nervous expression. ¡°Le-Let go of the Young Master.¡± Eventually, she poked the owl¡¯s side while speaking timidly. ¡®Did Kania have a phobia of birds?¡¯ I might be wrong, but I had the feeling that Kania was afraid of owls for some reason. ¡°Ggu.¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± It seems like I was right. The owl cried out in a low voice, and Kania started to break out in a cold sweat. In her current state, she should be able to handle any high-level monster with ease. So why was she so intimidated by an owl? ¡°Excuse me, sorry, but I¡¯m out of breath right now. So can we take a break for a moment?¡± Anyway, I failed to get help, so as soon as I spotted a set of stairs ahead, I pleaded with the two birds in desparation. ¡°...Gguu.¡± ¡°Hoot.¡± Then, the two birds that had been continuously flapping their wings stopped their movements and perched down on my shoulder. ¡°Are you okay, Young Master?¡± ¡°...In some sense.¡± Of course, I wasn¡¯t injured, but being dragged around by birds for a short while hurt my pride. But I didn¡¯t want to show it, so I made an effort to look composed as I spoke. ¡°So, where are you taking me?¡± Then, the two birds lifted their wings in unison and pointed somewhere. ¡°...Huh?¡± For a moment, I tilted my head and looked where they pointed. There, I saw a wall. ¨C Whooosh! And then they turned their wings and pointed sideways. ¡®...These brats, what exactly are they doing really?¡¯ For a moment, I doubted the two birds who were smart to the point that it was suspicious. But my expression soon stiffened and I started following their lead. ¡°...They shouldn¡¯t fight.¡± I said with a worried expression. ¡°Are you worried that they might be fighting?¡± Then Kania, who was closely following by my side, asked, ¡°They have no reason to fight right now. So, isn¡¯t it more likely that they have encountered some life-threatening situation??¡± I smirked at those words. ¡°For the two of them to be together and have their lives threatened, the Demon King would need to show up.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± Serena is a person who can subdue someone stronger than herself with just a finger, while Ferloche is the strongest in a one-on-one fight. So, if something went wrong while they were together... The problem must be between the two of them. As of now, only Serena and I know that Ferloche is hiding something. And, seeing as the birds are trying to drag me somewhere, whatever it is, it must be within the Academy. So, no matter what happened, we could stop it if we quickly went there... ¡°As expected, you seem to be worried?¡± Kania, who had been in a daze, said while gazing at me. ¡°You seem to understand me quite well lately, Kania.¡± ¡°Thank you for the compliment.¡± I gazed back at her. Then, I sighed and quickened my pace as the birds shot me a look. . . . . . ¡°This is?¡± ¡°It is the Academy¡¯s cellar.¡± for new novels After that, we walked further and further until we arrived at the entrance of the Academy¡¯s cellar. ¡°A special training?¡± ¡°Yes, it is ¡®overcoming darkness¡¯ training.¡± Saying so, Serena briefly looked at Ferloche, who was still smiling dumbly, and said, ¡°You also know that Ferloche is afraid of darkness, right? So, we need to train under particularly dark conditions.¡± ¡°...That¡¯s right! We don¡¯t know when you will take advantage of my weakness, Frey! It¡¯s a special training!¡± I stared blankly at Ferloche, who had exposed that she was training to overcome her weakness in fear of what I might do, with a bright expression. Then, I sighed and opened my mouth. ¡°Why did it have to be against Serena?? Aren¡¯t you much closer to Clana?¡± ¡°The light Clana emitted is too radiant! So, there will be no point in the training! And...¡± Ferloche sneaked a glance at Serena while she was talking. She then finished speaking with a bright smile. ¡°Lady Serena said that she is the best and the smartest, so she is the perfect fit to fight with me!¡± ¡°...I didn¡¯t say it that bluntly.¡± Well, other than Serena, no one else was fit to train one-on-one with Ferloche. The Blessing of the Sun God given to Ferloche makes her the strongest in a one-on-one situation. In order to handle her, one needs to be constantly alert to keep up with wherever she bounces to. And, if that was really the case, then Serena... She could investigate Ferloche naturally. ¡°...Well, I got it. I guess we¡¯re done here.¡± I concluded my thoughts with that, before opening my mouth with a disinterested expression. ¡°To make sure this doesn¡¯t happen next time, take good care of your pets.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell Gugu what to do! She eats well and grew up just fine!¡± After giving sincere advice and hearing Ferloche¡¯s rebellious cry, I headed to the exit. ¡°Ah, Frey.¡± ¡°...Hm?¡± Suddenly, Serena grabbed me. ¡°Chu.¡± ¡°......!¡± And kissed me on my lips. ¡°...Goodbye.¡± After the fleeting moment that seemed like an eternity, Serena licked clean the remnants of saliva plastered on our lips. ¡°It seems like I can give you some good news soon.¡± She whispered softly into my ears. ¡°Frey!! What are you doing to Serena!!¡± ¡°...Then, farewell.¡± ¡°Right, have you read the letter I sent you? If you have, then reply...!!¡± After Ferloche shouted, she distanced herself from me while smiling and waving her hands. ¡°...Blergh.¡± ¡°Kania?¡± I was stunned for a while, before turning around and heading for the exit, wearing the same dazed expression. I tilted my head to look at Kania beside me, who had suddenly retched. ¡°...Are you sick?¡± ¡°N-No.¡± ¡°Go and rest if you are sick. You need to prepare yourself for the slave market liberation mission in a few days.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Becoming worried, I patted Kania on her back and we started walking back to the dormitory, her expression immediately softening. The slave market mission is just around the corner, it looks like taking an adequate rest will be necessary. . . . . . ¡°...Hm.¡± As soon as Frey and Kania opened the door and left, Serena¡¯s smiling face turned freezing cold. ¡°What on earth?¡± ¡°.......¡± In front of her eyes, Ferloche, who had been lying on the floor, had at some point settled down on a chair. ¡°You suddenly lost your mind and stopped your rampage.¡± She was not wearing her usual innocent and pure expression. ¡°Your mind became clouded as soon as Frey came.¡± Her eyes exuded a decadent and hollow light. ¡°You... What exactly is your identity?¡± Serena asked her with a cautious look. ¡°...I¡¯m the key for the next ordeal.¡± Ferloche ignored her. While leaving the cellar, she muttered in a cold voice. ¡°At that time, I will tell you the truth.¡± The innocent smile then returned to Ferloche¡¯s face, unbeknownst to anyone. Chapter 126: - The Day Before ? The Day Before ? ¡°This example demonstrates a significant correlation between mana and swordsmanship. So, all of you should keep this in mind...¡± Tomorrow marks the commencement of the slave market, which has been stirring up the Empire for several days. The sole main quest of the second semester and the highlight that marks the grand finale of the first year is finally about to begin. ¡°Yawn...¡± ¡°Frey, concentrate.¡± I yawned, trying to hide my anxiety with composure, but was quickly scolded by Isolet. ¡°If you, the person who ranks the lowest in sword art and ability in the class, doesn¡¯t even pay attention in class...¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in swordsmanship at all. I rather find magic classes a hundred times more enjoyable.¡± As I said this with a sulky expression to Isolet, the surrounding nobles began to chuckle softly. ¡®...But it¡¯s true.¡¯ Even I would find it rather amusing if a swordsman who couldn¡¯t even handle a sword properly kept talking about magic. However, I have already mastered swordsmanship. That was why, although I felt sorry for Isolet, I preferred magic classes that aided me with the harnessing of the blessing of the stars I had gained from the previous incident rather than swordsmanship classes in which I was already well-versed. ¨C Ding Dong Dang Dong While I was lost in my thoughts, the bell rang, signaling the end of the class. ¡°Today¡¯s class is over. If anyone has any questions, remain in the classroom.¡± Ignoring the murmurs from me and the nobles, Isolet, who was trying to proceed with the class, closed the book and said that as the bell rang. ¨C Slide! Most of the nobles rose from their seats, while most of the commoners remained seated with wide eyes and stared at Isolet. ¡°Also, Frey, stay behind.¡± As I stood up from my seat, thinking it was admirable of the commoners, I tilted my head and questioned Isolet¡¯s stern remark. ¡°Why all of a sudden...¡± ¡°Stay.¡± However, Isolet just maintained a stern expression and repeated that. ¡°......?¡± Confused for a moment, I eventually scratched my head and settled back into my seat. ¡°Professor, I don¡¯t understand the similarities between the flow of mana and sword art...¡± ¡°Should we refine our skills by focusing on techniques to be able to transform swordsmanship fluidly, or should we rely on strength as our foundation?¡± ¡°Is it more efficient to cut through magic with swordsmanship during a real battle with a magician? Or should we just use it as a means of restraint...¡± Then, the commoners who had remained seated began bombarding Isolet with their questions all at once. Well, it was understandable for them to display such fervor, since they had the opportunity to receive direct feedback from Isolet, who was hailed as the next Sword Saint. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible to attain a level where magic can be infused into swordsmanship?¡± ¡°...Hmm.¡± After answering the commoners¡¯ questions for a while, Isolet fell silent and became lost in thought when someone asked her that question. ¡°You¡¯re chasing a dream.¡± An ordinary professor would have surely dismissed it as a fanciful notion. However, Isolet responded with a warm expression towards the student who raised the question. ¡°Thanks to those who have struggled to solve that mystery, swordsmanship has advanced tremendously over the past millennium.¡± Isolet said this and concluded with a smile. ¡°So perhaps you, or all of you, might be the ones to unravel that mystery. Now, let¡¯s end the questions here...¡± ¡°...What about you, Professor?¡± Just as she was about to declare the end of the Q&A session, she looked at the child who had asked her that question and became lost in thought once again. ¡°I¡¯ve hit a wall.¡± ¡°A wall?¡± ¡°Yes. Not just me, but the knight commander of the Royal Knights, the warriors of the Western Continent, and the Sword Emperors of the Eastern Continent. It is a cursed wall that none of the people who have dedicated themselves to swordsmanship over the past millennium have been able to overcome.¡± As the children swallowed their words at her statement, Isolet added in a faint voice with a wistful look in her eyes. ¡°...But I still believe. I hope that someday, one of my disciples or maybe their disciples will eventually break through that wall.¡± Silence engulfed the classroom. ¡®...I can actually do that.¡¯ As I listened to Isolet¡¯s speech, I became lost in my own thoughts quietly. ¡®Well, it¡¯s almost like a cheat for me.¡¯ The reason I can infuse magic into my swordsmanship is due to the ¡®blessing of the stars¡¯ that I acquired abnormally during a fateful encounter. In other words, it wasn¡¯t a conventional way of overcoming the wall. However, Isolet, who had calmly confessed to the children that she had reached the wall, possessed more than enough potential to surpass it. Her nickname, the ¡®Reincarnation of the Sword Saint,¡¯ wasn¡¯t in vain. It implied that she had the potential to rise to a position that was equal to that of the Sword Saint, who had made a significant contribution in defeating the Demon King a thousand years ago. So, if I started the Isolet Awakening Quest, which was likely to begin in the second year, she might also be able to infuse magic into her swordsmanship... ¡°Well, that¡¯s it for today¡¯s questions. Everyone except Frey, leave.¡± While I was engrossed in my thoughts, Isolet dismissed the students. ¡°Are you truly oblivious to what I¡¯m saying?¡± Kania furrowed her brow and began to mutter. ¡°...You¡¯ve grown numb. You¡¯ve been through too much hardship.¡± ¡°......?¡± As I tilted my head and gazed at her, Kania sighed and approached me. ¡°I¡¯ll support you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need support; I have a cane...¡± ¡°Lean on me.¡± Without hesitation, Kania began supporting me, and soon a smile formed on her lips. ¡°The cane is good, but sometimes please use me too.¡± ¡°...Pfft.¡± As I burst into laughter at her joke, Kania looked at me with a smile of her own. ¡®I guess I¡¯ve really grown closer to Kania.¡¯ I maintained my smile as I looked at her. Internally, I gently caressed my aching heart. Somehow, in Kania¡¯s presence, my increasingly useless mask seemed to mend itself. I quietly sank into my thoughts. ¡®...Seeing her read all that.¡¯ Humans are often called adaptive animals. But even humans shouldn¡¯t adapt to emotional pain. That was because adapting to emotional pain mostly manifests as mental illness or aggression. ¡°I¡¯ll support you all the way to the dormitory. Let¡¯s review our plans for tomorrow there.¡± ¡°What about the others?¡± ¡°Do we really need to call everyone? Just the two of us can handle the inspection well enough...¡± But I had already adapted. So, what could I do about it? If I whined about it being tough or crumbled under the pressure, it would only harm me. That was why. I had faith in my strong mental resilience and looked forward to the eventual peace. ¡°We should do the inspection properly.¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s a plan you¡¯ve made yourself, it will be perfect.¡± ¡°...Don¡¯t be too certain. It¡¯s a bad omen.¡± I¡¯ll just keep moving forward. Eventually, there will be light at the end. At that moment, as Frey was being supported by Kania and heading towards the dormitory... ¡°Everyone, I apologize for causing you so much trouble!¡± Thanks to the penalty, Ruby, who had been hospitalized, was now preparing to be discharged. ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself too hard from now on. You might collapse again.¡± ¡°Bye, Ruby! Take care~!¡± Waving her hand at the people in the hospital who were saying goodbye, she bowed her head in gratitude. ¡°If you feel sick, let us know! If we collect money little by little, we can always get a Saintess to...¡± ¡°No, no! I¡¯m fine!¡± When the topic of the Saintess came up, Ruby hurriedly waved her hand to dismiss it. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be going now!¡± With those words, Ruby left the hospital, bidding farewell to the warm smiles of the people. ¡°Now, it¡¯s about time...¡± She murmured with a smile. ¡°...to proceed with the main quest.¡± It was the moment when a crack appeared in Frey¡¯s otherwise perfect plan. ¡°...Master.¡± What is it? ¡°I¡¯d like to take a vacation.¡± But that was the case for Ruby¡¯s plan as well. What? No way, you brat!! Didn¡¯t I tell you?! The Continental Magic Tower Exchange Conference is right around the corner!! You absolutely cannot miss that... ¡°Then, I ask for your permission.¡± ¡°Wait a minute...! Damn it!! Why are all my disciples like this...!¡± Glare, who had concealed herself in a faint light... ¡°...This time, I will definitely gather the evidence.¡± She was glaring at the information window floating in front of Ruby, who was wearing a robe with her hood up, from a distance. Chapter 127: - Insurrection ? Insurrection ? ¡°Sigh...¡± As I arrived at the dormitory and settled down on the bed, I felt utterly drained of energy. Well, today¡¯s classes had kept me on edge, and my physical condition wasn¡¯t good to begin with, so this outcome was only natural. ¡°...Ugh.¡± However, I don¡¯t have time to be this exhausted. I need to do a final check on the plan to successfully complete the upcoming slave market quest. ¡°Master, please lie down for a moment. It¡¯s good to check, but don¡¯t you think your body also needs some rest?¡± Considering this, I tried to get up, but Kania pushed me back onto the bed, causing me to collapse without any energy. ¡°...Alright.¡± I wanted to argue with the audacious maid who dared to push her master, but my body lacked the strength, so I just let it go. ¡°...Ugh.¡± Gazing at the ceiling with a bewildered expression, I noticed Kania lying beside me with a similarly dazed expression. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh before asking her, ¡°Are you mimicking me right now, Kania?¡± ¡°...I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± Startled, Kania swiftly sat up on the bed, her eyes widening. ¡°Kania... you¡¯ve been acting a bit strange lately.¡± ¡°What do you mean? If you tell me, I will correct it.¡± As I gazed at her hesitantly and asked her this, Kania replied with a calm expression and threw the question back at me. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I feel like you¡¯re peering deep into my heart?¡± When I ask her in a low voice, Kania smiled and said. ¡°As I told you before, it means nothing to me, as I¡¯ve always served you, Master.¡± ¡°But, it¡¯s kind of different... this feeling.¡± As I was about to express my doubts to her, I abruptly pushed away the system window that appeared in front of me, blocking my view. ¡°Damn it, I said I wouldn¡¯t do it, so why does it keep...¡± ¡°...Did you see the system window?¡±Finnd new chapters at novelhall.com ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°But, why are you so annoyed?¡± As she asked me that, I sighed and spoke with an annoyed voice. ¡°It¡¯s because of these sudden quests that keep popping up.¡± ¡°Sudden quests?¡± With a puzzled expression at the mention of sudden quests, the sudden quest window I had pushed away was still blinking next to Kania. Staring at the sudden quest window, I quietly reached out for it. ¡°Are you going to accept it?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m going to reject it.¡± As I said that with a determined expression, Kania posed a question with a curious look on her face. ¡°Do you have a specific reason for rejecting it? From what I¡¯ve gathered, clearing quests can yield valuable rewards or points.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true. And sudden quests provide quite a wide range of rewards compared to main quests.¡± ¡°Then, why are you rejecting it?¡± Upon hearing that, I sighed and responded. ¡°Because every sudden quest I have received till this point is screwed up.¡± Sudden Quest: Stress Relief! Quest Content: Choose one anonymous woman, play rough with her, break her, and alleviate your stress levels! Reward: Random Item Accept/Reject As I finished speaking and pressed reject, the blinking quest window in front of me vanished instantly. ¡°Come to think of it, since you woke up a few days ago, you¡¯ve been getting irritated while waving your arms in the air.¡± ¡°Yeah, sudden quests are influenced by accumulated stacks.¡± Having stared at the blinking system window for a while, I began explaining while responding to Kania¡¯s sharp question. ¡°Remember when I said that I could theoretically clear up to 5 stacks? That¡¯s because of these sudden quests.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°When the stack is low, sudden quests assign trivial missions with insignificant rewards. As the stacks accumulate, sudden quests become more stimulating, violent, or provocative.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°Or else they demand high-intensity self-sacrifice. Of course, the rewards escalate accordingly.¡± Upon hearing that, Kania¡¯s expression hardened. Feeling grateful for her sympathy towards my complicated emotions, I soon spoke with a gloomy expression. ¡°My ancestor said that the anonymous clear records recorded in the ¡®leaderboard¡¯ system must have made the most of these sudden quests.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°In the case of having 5 stacks, there¡¯s only a few months left... No matter how many points we gather, it¡¯s impossible to awaken the hero¡¯s armament within that time, so that¡¯s the speculation.¡± ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you also utilize the ¡®sudden quests¡¯? Just choose the ones with less provocative content, right?¡± At Kania¡¯s cautious suggestion, I silently nodded in response. ¡°Since tomorrow is the big day, we need to review the plan.¡± ¡°Is Serena not with you?¡± ¡°Serena¡¯s memories are sealed right now, so she¡¯s locked up in her room alone.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± Kania, who had been eyeing the two cautiously, relaxed and smiled upon hearing that Serena wasn¡¯t present. ¡°Well, then let¡¯s all review the plan together...¡± ¡°...Kania, we can talk later.¡± Interrupting Kania¡¯s words, I whispered in a soft voice. ¡°Alright, I briefly explained it last time, but my plan is quite simple.¡± Rising from my seat and leaving Kania with her wavering gaze behind, I raised my voice. ¡°In this slave market quest, where numerous characters and various groups are intertwined...¡± Gathering starlight on my fingertip, I drew a map of the slave market in midair as I spoke. ¡°...I will assume the role of the villain, and under my false identity, all of you will become heroes.¡± The review that started like this continued until late into the night. In the depths of the night, when even the moon and stars appeared blurry. ¡°Hmm hmm? Hmm?¡± Walking briskly down a back alley, Ferloche Astellade hummed a tune while reading the letter in her hand. ¨C Considering Frey¡¯s past actions and attitude, it is almost certain that he¡¯s plotting something at the upcoming slave market. Therefore, as his supervisor, I, Isolet, would like to entrust you, as his partner and the Saintess, a significant role... ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Isolet! I¡¯ll stop Frey¡¯s wicked plan!¡± Confidently uttering those words, she tucked the letter into her pocket and entered an old store with a smile. ¡°Hello! Is this the scroll shop?¡± ¡°...Yawn.¡± As she cheerfully called out, the owner, who was sitting at the counter, yawned and rose from his seat. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to participate in a big event soon! So, please give me something useful!¡± Ferloche approached the owner with sparkling eyes and made her request. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what event you¡¯re participating in, but if you need offensive scrolls, try this section, and for defensive scrolls, that section...¡± ¡°I told you, I¡¯m participating in a big event!¡± Seeing that she didn¡¯t elaborate on the event, the owner assumed it must be a delicate matter. ¡°Alright, then let me show you these forbidden scrolls...¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m participating in a big event!¡± Ferloche¡¯s once bright smile gradually faded, and the owner frowned before rummaging through a storage room. ¡°Alright, alright. Sometimes we have customers looking for something like this. This scroll offers a perfect, untraceable magical death and has been aged for a thousand years...¡± The owner took out an old, musty scroll and started to boast, but. ¨C Swoosh! At that moment, Ferloche¡¯s smile completely disappeared and threw a punch at him with all her might. ¨C Crash! As a result, the shop was completely wrecked. ¡°...I told you, I¡¯m participating in a big event!?¡± Ferloche, still extending her hand amidst the chaos, spoke coldly to the cloud of dust before her eyes. ¨C Whoosh... ¡°...Sigh.¡± As the dust cleared, the owner was revealed. ¡°Really?¡± The owner, who always appeared relaxed and languid, widened his eyes, utterly bewildered. ¨C Fzzzt... With one hand, he blocked Ferloche¡¯s punch, which was imbued with the blessing of the Sun God, causing a dazzling flash of starlight to scatter as he spoke. ¡°There¡¯s only one chance. If we fail, it¡¯s all over.¡± ¡°...Unhelpful bystander god.¡± ¡°Sigh, I¡¯m going crazy. It¡¯s not like I want to be a bystander; I¡¯m forced to be one...¡± ¨C Fzzzt!!! As he spoke with a flustered tone to Ferloche, she tightened her grip on his hand, and he sighed. ¡°Alright, finally revealing the truth. It feels good, but... I wonder if you and the others can bear the responsibility for that sin...¡± ¨C Fzzzt!! ¡°Fine.¡± As Ferloche tightened her grip again, the owner, with a solemn expression, handed her a scroll. ¡°Remember, you need to activate it when the trial begins...¡± ¡°Thank you! Take care!¡± Ferloche, whose expression had become cheerful again, bowed to him and stepped out of the shop. ¡°May fortune smile upon you...¡± The owner quietly muttered, pulling a bottle of wine from his pocket. ¡°...Ferloche Astellade.¡± Chapter 128: - Quest to Liberate the Slave Market ? Quest to Liberate the Slave Market ? I was a beastkin from the fox tribe, living in a mountain village in the eastern continent. Born as the youngest daughter of the tribe chief, I represented the lineage of the fox tribe beastkin, and was a brave warrior. ¡°...It¡¯s cold.¡± But now, I found myself trapped in a cold and dreary prison cell. ¡°Well, this is the beastkin corner! It¡¯s one of the most popular corners in our market!¡± According to the humans¡¯ words, it seems that I have been captured and brought to a slave market. What made it even worse was that I was taken to a slave market in the southern continent, far away from my homeland. ¡°Sigh...¡± Where did it all go wrong? Was it so wrong to desire freedom? ¡°What are they? Fox beastkin?¡± ¡°Oh my, how cute. Look at those ears perking up.¡± As I curled up, lost in my thoughts, I heard the clamor of voices around me. ¡°...Leave it, those ones are very expensive.¡± ¡°But they¡¯re so cute...¡± I opened my eyes slightly to see people in strange clothes gazing at me with curiosity. ¡°Grrr...¡± ¡°Look at it baring its teeth!¡± ¡°Wow... it¡¯s really cute.¡± I tried to intimidate them by baring my teeth, frustrated at being treated like a spectacle, but they only stared at me more intently than before. It was shameful for a proud fox tribe warrior to not be able to intimidate an opponent, despite my earnest efforts.Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only ¡°Humans, get lost.¡± Finally, unable to endure it any longer, I spat out the words while gripping the bars of the cell. ¡°It talks? Amazing.¡± ¡°Brother, please buy me one of those!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s beyond our budget. Young and nai?ve beastkin like that are very expensive. Besides, it¡¯s from the eastern continent, not the western one, so it¡¯s premium...¡± They continued to treat me like a mere commodity. ¨C Slap!! ¡°...Cough!¡± As I felt indignant about this reality, a sharp whip lashed out at me. How was it possible that these sturdy cell bars failed to shield me from the whip¡¯s impact that came from the outside? Was this the sorcery that the adults used to talk about? ¡°Quietly blend in with the others over there.¡± The man holding the whip looked at me with disdain as he spoke. ¡°You pathetic little creature.¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± I could easily bite a cheeky guy like him to death with my teeth... ¡®It¡¯s heavy...¡¯ Ever since I put on this strange bracelet on my arm, I couldn¡¯t muster any strength. Though it appeared like a very thin and ordinary bracelet, why does it make me so weak? Could this be sorcery as well? ¡°You little brat...!¡± As I was thinking, the guy raised the whip above his head again. ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°Right, stay there until a suitable master comes along.¡± I wasn¡¯t afraid of a whip. As a candidate for the next Chieftain of the esteemed fox tribe beastkin, I wouldn¡¯t yield merely because a human¡¯s whip caused pain. ¡°Whimper...¡± ¡°Sister, I¡¯m cold... I¡¯m hungry...¡± ¡°Shh, be quiet...!¡± I backed down because I was concerned that the young fox tribe children behind me would get hurt. If there was no one behind me, I would have resisted until the end, even if it meant my body was shattered. ...Seriously. ¡°Sister with the weird tail, please lend me your tail!¡± ¡°...I told you to be quiet!¡± Silently blending in with the group, I crouched down when a cheeky little child pointed at my tail and spoke. An irritating child who had been pestering me to lend my tail for days, even though we weren¡¯t close. By the way, what¡¯s so strange about my soft, fluffy, and pretty tail? Though, looking around, everyone else did have different tail shapes than mine. As the only fox beastkin from the Eastern Continent, I could understand why they might find it strange... Wouldn¡¯t there be at least a glimmer of hope? ¡®At the very least, it¡¯s better than becoming a sex slave to those bastards.¡¯ I am a proud foxkin. Rather than becoming a slave to humans, I would rather fight and die. And who knows, maybe I can create an opportunity for the others behind me to escape. It¡¯s not as if I enjoy helping others, but if I¡¯m risking my life, once in a while is fine. It¡¯s definitely not because I¡¯ve become attached to them. ¡°Human! Instead of that one, take me...!¡± I finished my thoughts and tried to run toward the cage, screaming, but then... ¡°Purchase all the beastkin here.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Suddenly, a man approached from the adjacent cage and spoke, making me freeze in place. ¡°Lord? What are you...¡± ¡°Include the beastkin that man was buying.¡± What is this sudden turn of events? What¡¯s happening? ¡°Hey, you. What do you think you¡¯re doing... Eek.¡± ¡°...Do you have any complaints when I¡¯m just following the rules?¡± ¡°No, not at all! Hehe. It¡¯s been quite some time, hasn¡¯t it? I hope you¡¯ve been well...¡± The portly man, who was about to angrily protest, now bowed before the silver-haired boy who announced he would buy all of us. Judging by the fact that he didn¡¯t hesitate to say he would buy everyone and the way the portly man groveled in front of him, the boy appeared to be a high-ranking noble. ¡®...This might be a stroke of luck.¡¯ At first, I was taken aback, but then I realized that this could be an opportunity. If I could take that frail-looking boy as a hostage, who appeared to be on the verge of collapse at any moment, my hostage plan might actually succeed. ¡°Hey, boy! Take me...¡± ¡°So, how are you going to handle the slaves...?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just take that one over there with me. Send the rest to the waiting room.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± As I was about to shout at the boy, he pointed at me. Eek... ¡°Tsk, I would have preferred that man from earlier.¡± With a click of his tongue, the guard opened the cell door, and I stood before him, casting a side glance. ¡°..........¡± For now, I must endure whatever he does to me here. Only then I will have a chance to escape this wretched place. And with it, a chance to ¡®break out.¡¯ Suppressing my temper and being as submissive as possible... ¡°You¡¯re cute, you know.¡± ¡°Grr...¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Unconsciously, I bared my teeth. This wasn¡¯t the Eastern Continent, where beastkin were revered as sacred beings. The person putting a collar around my neck was not a villager who would bow down and beg, offering me food at the mere display of my teeth. ¡°Good, you¡¯re well-behaved.¡± ¡°...Hmph.¡± And so, with a collar around my neck, I moved forward while being petted on the head like some common dog. ¡°I wonder if I should show off to my friends.¡± ¡®...Should I kill him?¡¯ It seemed I was with a man who seemed more suited to be a corpse rather than a hostage. At that moment, when the fox beastkin was harboring such terrifying thoughts. ¡®Has everyone successfully infiltrated?¡¯ Frey, who had started to take her around after purchasing her, posed that question through the communication magic tool he had prepared in advance. ¨C This is Clana. I¡¯ve infiltrated the first floor with my close aides and some members of the Royal Knights. ¨C This is Irina, I have located the cabinet you mentioned. The magic appears to be incomplete... Do I need to finish it from now on? ¨C This is Kania. My lord, who is that woman? Please don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s another sub-heroine... In an instant, multiple voices flowed into his head simultaneously. ¨C Yes, Lord Frey. ¨C I am Dmir Khan, leading the Demon Army¡¯s combat officers, and we have successfully infiltrated as well. After briefly closing his eyes to discern the distinct voices, Frey said. ¡°Alright, then...¡± As the last low voice came in, he said with a triumphant smile, ¡°Everyone, begin.¡± With those words, the curtains lifted on the quest to liberate the slave market. Chapter 129: - Huge Variable ? Huge Variable ? ¡°Oh my, Lord Frey! Have you arrived? We sincerely welcome you to our slave market!¡± As Frey walked forward with the fox beastkin, someone approached him with a friendly expression and greeted him. ¡°If only I had been present during your previous visit, I could have served you better! It¡¯s such a pity! If there¡¯s any assistance or aid you require...¡± ¡°Enough with the fuss.¡± Frey cut off his words wearing an irritated expression, and whispered to the man still smiling brightly at him, ¡°Should the person in charge of the slave market be doing this?¡± ¡°Ha ha, don¡¯t worry! Given the unprecedented scale this time, we have been meticulously cautious in hiring our staff! That¡¯s why it will run smoothly even without me!¡± Upon hearing the man¡¯s slightly condescending voice akin to that of a shrewd businessman, Frey asked. ¡°So, what brings you here?¡± Frowning slightly, he asked again. ¡°Ah, well, I have a few questions to ask you!¡± With his ever-so-friendly smile, the man began his story. ¡°Have you decided to sweep up all the beastkin slaves today?¡± ¡°What are you insinuating?¡± ¡°What do I mean? Aren¡¯t you depleting the beastkin population right now, Lord Frey?¡± The man uttered, soon wearing a mischievous expression, and continued, ¡°Well, if it¡¯s Lord Frey, not even all the female slaves here would be enough, right? You have quite the reputation in that regard...¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± As Frey asked in a cold voice, the man rubbed his hands together and got to the crux of the matter. ¡°So, how many are you planning to buy today?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll buy as many as I want, is there a problem?¡± ¡°Um, well... under normal circumstances, I would be elated to hear that answer...¡± As Frey responded calmly, the man began to appear slightly troubled. ¡°Um, don¡¯t you know, Lord Frey? Amongst the visitors attending our market today, there are numerous VIPs.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s the point?¡± ¡°Well, the thing is, if Lord Frey monopolizes the slaves, um... how should I put it? Not everyone would be satisfied.¡± In order to persuade the typically self-centered Frey, the man desperately tried to convey his message with the utmost effort. At that juncture, VIPs who couldn¡¯t buy the slaves they desired due to Frey¡¯s prior purchases had already begun to voice their dissent. ¡°A monopoly? Can¡¯t they just pay a higher amount and buy them? Hasn¡¯t this been the established system for a long time?¡± ¡°Well, to pay more than the amount you paid, Lord Frey... Even for nobles, it would be quite a burden.¡± ¡°Really?¡± As Frey scratched his head at that, the man began to plead with a pitiful expression. ¡°Please, Lord Frey! I never thought I¡¯d say this, but could you take it a little easy...¡± ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± The man, who had expected an enraged Frey to punch him, was bewildered when Frey surprisingly agreed. ¡°I have a limited amount of money to spend. I was planning to cut back anyway.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so? Anyway, understood! Thank you!¡± The man, who had been flustered for a while, hastily bowed in gratitude when Frey responded with a bitter expression. ¡°...Hehe.¡± ¡°Do you have more questions?¡± Just as Frey was about to leave the corridor with the fox beastkin in tow, he glanced at the man for a moment, turned his head, and asked as the man quietly followed him. ¡°Well, I do, but it¡¯s not a big deal! Just a simple survey!¡± ¡°A survey?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve been conducting a preference survey among VIPs regarding the market slaves!¡± As Frey furrowed his eyebrows, the man began to ask questions with a smile. ¡°What¡¯s your favorite type of slave? What race? Age range? Build?¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy right now, so let¡¯s do this later...¡± ¡°Oh, speaking of which, this one... is a fox beastkin, isn¡¯t it?¡± As Frey stepped back from the man who approached with a gleam in his eyes, the man turned his gaze to the beastkin beside Frey. ¡°Let¡¯s see... Judging by the tail¡¯s shape and color, it¡¯s from the mountains of the Eastern Continent. Wow, your discerning eye is truly amazing. Such a specimen only appears once a decade...¡± After swiftly deducing some information merely by glancing at the beastkin, he murmured with a regretful expression. ¡°If I had noticed her earlier, I would have made her an exclusive item and utilized her for entertaining guests, but since she¡¯s already sold, there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem to know everything about this place either, do you?¡± ¡°Of course not! The scale of this place is so huge! Even though I¡¯m very knowledgeable in this field, there are limits to what I can do!¡± ¡°...Yeah, I figured.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Hearing that, Frey, who had murmured with a meaningful expression, soon smiled and said. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Anyway, I¡¯m going to take my newly purchased slave for a stroll.¡± ¡°Have a good time! By the way, there¡¯s a secret rest area for nobles across from the waiting room!¡± Leaving the man who bowed his head behind, Frey began transmitting telepathic messages while avoiding the gaze of the fox beastkin who continued to glare at him. ¡°Did you all hear that? Even the person in charge doesn¡¯t know everything. So, adapt more flexibly depending on the situation. And don¡¯t forget the location of the secret rest area.¡± Once again, Frey transmitted telepathic messages to everyone and started to walk slowly down the corridor, relying on his cane. ¡°Human.¡± ¡°...Hmm?¡± As Frey walked down the corridor for a while, he glanced back at the fox beastkin who had called him with a puzzled expression. ¡°Where are you going?¡± As the fox beastkin quietly stared at Frey and posed a question, he responded with a ridiculous expression. ¡°Your form of addressing me is a mess, and you even dare to use informal speech. It seems you are unaware of your place; one word from me and you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with the Southern Continent language. So, please understand... Ugh!¡± The fox beastkin, who was replying in a hushed voice, suddenly started to choke as Frey abruptly yanked hard on her collar. ¡°If you don¡¯t know it, you shouldn¡¯t speak so casually until you become accustomed to it.¡± ¡°Cough, choke! Ugh...¡± As the fox beastkin grabbed her throat and teared up, Frey looked at her for a moment and then gently tugged on the leash to signal her to start walking. ¡°Please, spare...¡± As a result, before she knew it, she was pleading with Frey with a sob. ¡°...Please spare me.¡± No matter how much she had prided herself as a noble member of the fox tribe and a great warrior, the irrational evil she had encountered for the first time in the vast world was not something a young fox beastkin, who had been worshiped by the villagers and inexperienced in life¡¯s trials, could handle. Swoosh... ¡°Hehe...¡± As a result, the fox beastkin, who had been completely consumed by fear, experienced a chilling sensation whenever Frey¡¯s touch brushed against her neck, as though her throat were on the verge of snapping. And so, she could only endure what felt like an eternally silent passage of time. ¡°...What¡¯s your name?¡± After what seemed like an eternity to her, Frey finally removed his hand from her neck, and asked her a question in a soft voice. ¡°Mi-Miho.¡± ¡°Alright, Miho. You won¡¯t do such a thing again, right?¡± Upon hearing those words, Miho hastily nodded her head, and Frey quietly led her to the door of a room. ¡°Wait here for a moment.¡± ¡°Wh-Where is this...¡± ¡°This is my private waiting room. It¡¯s where my captured slaves gather.¡± With that said, Frey stroked Miho¡¯s head and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll come to get you when I¡¯m done with my business. Then we can go for a walk again and do all sorts of fun things.¡± ¡°Uh-ugh...¡± After finishing his words, Frey pushed her into the room, smiled briefly, and turned away. ¡°.........Ah.¡± Left alone with the slaves Frey had procured, she experienced a brief moment of fear and despair before cautiously looking around. ¡°¡°..........¡±¡± It was the same for all the slaves in the room. Because they had all been subjected to similar treatment at the hands of Frey prior to their arrival in this room. Despite the fact that there were even some who were stronger than Miho among them. ¡®...I want to go back, to my home.¡¯ In such a situation, Miho experienced her powerlessness for the first time and buried her face in her knees, trembling quietly. It was the moment when a sprout that had emerged from the ground with an innocent dream of finding freedom was about to be ruthlessly trampled. ¡°Hello, everyone.¡± Without any warning or notice, Dmir Khan appeared in their midst, having received a signal from someone. ¡°¡°......!?¡±¡± The slaves began to stare at the gentleman in the suit who had suddenly appeared. ¡°...Indeed, as expected of him. Each of them is the strongest among their races.¡± Satisfied with their reactions, Dmir Khan said. ¡°I¡¯ll be straightforward.¡± In a soft voice that resonated throughout the room, he made a proposal. ¡°...I offer you the power to bring this place down.¡± Upon hearing those words, the slaves made a bewildered expression, and he quietly added, ¡°But in return, join the Demon King¡¯s army.¡± Instead, join the Demon King¡¯s army. ¡°No way! Who are you to decide that?¡± Having placed the fox-girl Miho in the waiting room to catch his breath, Frey heard Dmir Khan¡¯s words echoing in his head, smiling and whispering, ¡°...Anyway, they are quite useful guys, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Frey, I found a way to remove the self-destruction magic on the slaves¡¯ collars! Come here for a moment...¡± Irina¡¯s telepathic message then resounded in his head. ¡°I¡¯ve been breaking it with magic from the stars so far?¡± ¡®Is that... even possible?¡¯ ¡°Just by sending magic into their collars, it worked?¡± While scratching his head, Frey said. ¡°Everyone report! Are there any noticeable anomalies or variables at the moment?¡± He then sent a telepathic message to everyone. ¡°This is Kania. No problems here. By the way, Master, is it really true that the girl is not a sub-heroine?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, I¡¯ve been focusing on magic restoration.¡± ¡°This is Clana, we have a problem.¡± Soon, with his eyes closed, Frey attentively listened to the telepathic messages and began to frown at Clana¡¯s words about there being a problem. ¡°The Royal Knights Commander and the Holy Knights Commander have appeared.¡± ¡°What? What did I do again?¡± But then he heard her words and made a relieved expression. ¡°It¡¯s natural for the two who are blinded by the recent influx of talent to make an appearance here. They¡¯re probably trying to pick out strong male slaves.¡± ¡°But, but...¡± ¡°Leave them alone. They¡¯ve only come to observe. And they¡¯re not strong enough to cause any setbacks in our plans.¡± Calmly responding, Frey started to walk away, humming a tune. ¡°There¡¯s one more variable.¡± ¡°......!!!¡± Suddenly, he stopped and froze. ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised, right now, in this place...¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Within his line of sight. ¡°Frey!!! You despicable, wicked, cunning, lowly, contemptible, and evil person!!!¡± ¡°I can see it right now.¡± A huge variable named Ferloche was approaching. ¡°I will definitely kill you today!!!¡± At that moment, no one knew how this variable would impact the situation. Chapter 130: - Assemble ? Assemble ? ¡°Frey! Where are you going?¡± ¡°.......¡± ¡°Frey!!!¡± Naturally, I attempted to redirect my steps and leave the corridor. However, at that moment, Ferloche, with her arms crossed, began to shout loudly. ¡®...Damn, of all places.¡¯ If it had been a bustling corridor teeming with people, I could have easily slipped away, but this particular place was a quiet corridor where not many people usually came. It served as a waiting area for slaves, and people generally didn¡¯t come here until the market¡¯s conclusion. ¡°...Why are you here?¡± ¡°I came to stop you! It¡¯s obvious that you¡¯re going to carry out some dirty scheme here!¡± ¡°How did you know I would be here today?¡± ¡°Do you think I wouldn¡¯t find out! The last time, this was the place you brought me to! You definitely had a ¡®pre-planned¡¯ scheme back then!¡± As Ferloche said that, she glared at me menacingly. ¡°You noticed that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a fool!¡± As she said that, she began to smile proudly. I quietly looked at Ferloche and frowned, and then asked her another question. ¡°But how did you know I¡¯d be here today?¡± ¡°What do you mean! It could only be today!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because today is the day the market is open!¡± Hearing that, my frown deepened. ¡°This market remains open for a week.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°After a week of shopping, the slaves are shipped out all at once.¡± ¡°Gasp.¡± Ferloche momentarily appeared flustered upon hearing that, but soon scratched her head and spoke. ¡°Well, that¡¯s true? But anyway, it doesn¡¯t matter since I met you here!¡± ¡°...You must have been sure I¡¯d be up to something today, huh?¡± As I said that to her, I slowly resumed walking and opened my mouth. ¡°So... you¡¯ve come to guide me to the ¡®right path¡¯?¡± A few days ago, I had received a warning from Serena. She said it would be best not to provoke Ferloche if possible. Serena¡¯s words had never been wrong, so I intended to heed her advice this time as well. However, after reading the letter Ferloche sent me, I couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. RIGHT... You are going to break your promise? Stop committing evil deeds! Promise.... we made a promise last time! Are you going to pretend that you don¡¯t even know how to be grateful? There¡¯s no need for any further discussions! Come find me this evening! ¨C Ferloche Astellade The same hidden message as before, ¡°RIGHT P-A-TH¡± was hidden vertically, kind of similar to the secret message that was left in the diary last time. And the timing of the message was exactly when I received a penalty for revealing my identity to Clana. Wasn¡¯t this a strange coincidence? ¡°Ah, don¡¯t come any closer!¡± ¡°...Hmm.¡± As I approached Ferloche, contemplating these thoughts, she slightly tensed up, showing a nervous expression and raising her hands. ¡°If you come any closer, I¡¯ll assume you¡¯re trying to hurt me and I¡¯ll attack!¡± As I watched her prepare to attack in her usual awkward pose, my mind wandered. ¡®...Anyway, I need to get rid of her for now.¡¯ Uncovering her secrets would be nice, but my foremost priority right now was to complete the quest to liberate the slave market. If Ferloche became a hindrance, the already difficult quest would become even more challenging. And despite unintentionally provoking her, Ferloche showed no reaction. I could tell because I was focusing on her facial expressions and eye tremors. So, there was no need to unnecessarily antagonize her in this situation. If I followed Serena¡¯s words, good things would come even while I slept. ¨C Click. After finishing my thoughts, I carefully began manipulating the cane I was holding. ¨C Whoosh ¡°Anyway! Follow me! Let¡¯s get out of this disgusting and vile place, so that you can repent and I can give you a proper...huh?¡± At that moment, thick smoke began emanating from the cane. ¡®Serena¡¯s design combined with the magic of the other three, even Ferloche wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it.¡¯ The refined dark mana of Kania flowing from the cane like a final weapon, began to envelop the surroundings. Of course, it would quickly disappear under Ferloche¡¯s overwhelming holy power, but as long as it could momentarily blind her, there would be no problem. ¡°Wh-Where are you? Frey! What kind of magic have you used this time?!¡± ¡®...Ferloche will probably get rid of the traces herself.¡¯ ¡°Ah, come to think of it...!¡± As the bewildered guard turned to his colleague, he began to speak excitedly, clapping his hands. ¡°We were opening the door for a shift change when that guy over there came flying at us!¡± ¡°...Right, that did happen.¡± The two began to discuss the large-bodied guard who had been lying in front of them. ¡°But isn¡¯t he like, over 120kg? How did someone like him fly?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure... Even if he launched himself, he shouldn¡¯t be able to fly that high...¡± But no matter how much they talked about it, they couldn¡¯t narrow down the reason. ¨C Crackle, crackle ¡°Senior, we got a radio call!¡± ¡°Ah, shoot... Looks like we¡¯re in for another mess.¡± The senior guard, who was scratching his head, picked up the radio amidst the commotion. ¨C Emergency, we have an emergency. All guards, assemble immediately in the corridor near the slave waiting room. ¡°...What?¡± Upon hearing the message, the guard was once again taken aback. ¨C We¡¯re engaged in combat with an intruder who knocked down our guards. Multiple casualties. We need immediate support. ¡°No way, an intruder... that¡¯s impossible...¡± ¡°Could it be a monster that infiltrated? Otherwise...¡± Although they were renowned mercenaries who were hired to form the security force, they couldn¡¯t determine the truth since their voices were urgent. ¨C The intruder is a girl. A girl with white hair and eyes. ¡°...A girl?¡± The situation reached its climax as the radio unveiled the identity of the intruder. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding, right? How could a girl overpower mercenaries who have been honing their skills for decades?¡± ¡°It¡¯s strange... It¡¯s definitely the captain¡¯s voice... but it doesn¡¯t sound like he¡¯s drunk or anything...¡± As they hesitated, unable to make a decision. ¨C Plod, plod. ¡°...Huh?¡± Footsteps sounded nearby. ¡°What¡¯s this? It¡¯s a girl!¡± ¡°Hey, stop!¡± Narrowing their eyes, the two guards focused on the approaching figure¡ªa smiling girl. They tried to aim their weapons at her and ordered her to stop. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°.........!!!¡± That was a huge mistake. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°Ugh, ugh...¡± ¡°Brother, what¡¯s going on with her?¡± As the girl¡¯s eyes shone while standing still, the guards were overwhelmed by emotions they had never experienced before. Overwhelming fear. Awe and a sense of being utterly overpowered. It reminded them of confronting a colossal wave in the vast ocean, a volcano erupting before their eyes, or a massive hurricane appearing out of thin air. Facing the girl, who seemed more like a living force of nature than a human, the two felt an unknown emotion. ¡°Ugh...¡± Unknowingly, they had wet their pants. ¡°How pathetic.¡± Casting a disdainful glance at them, the girl simply passed between the guards. Her eyes had been shining ruby red until then. It was the moment when the true Demon King Ruby had truly revealed herself to the world. ¡°...What did we just see?¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t know.¡± Having seen her, the two guards trembled in fear for quite some time. ¨C Whoosh ¡°What, what¡¯s this now!¡± As another girl emerged clad in a black robe, the guards quivered in fear again. ¡°Yikes...!¡± Still, they didn¡¯t feel the same terror as before, so the guards tried to summon their weapons or cast magic spells out of desperation. ¨C Clang!!! However, after hearing the cheerful sound of a finger snap, their weapons and magic circles shattered into pieces, leaving them utterly speechless. ¡°...This is Amanthadium.¡± ¡°But still, can a magic circle be broken like that... Is that even possible?¡± As Glare entered the market as well, the two guards, who had been dumbfounded for a while, whispered to each other. ¡°...That radio call from earlier, it must be true.¡± ¡°Yeah, it seems so.¡± Darkness and light were converging in the slave market. Chapter 131: - Flex ? FLex ? On the top floor of the auction house, in a heavily guarded area: ¡°Is that... a real demon?¡± ¡°My goodness. With those horns, red eyes, and even a black tail... It must be a real demon!¡± ¡°Unbelievable, now they¡¯ve even selling demons as slaves. What a surprise.¡± A large crowd had gathered around one particular cell. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a real demon! We¡¯ve thoroughly verified, and it possesses purple demonic power!¡± Amidst the crowd, a guide with a bustling mustache introduced the merchandise to the onlookers with a confident voice. ¡°For the past several hundred years, the demons who concealed their existence in both the Western and Eastern continents have revealed themselves here today!¡± As the guide spoke, people¡¯s gaze shifted to the terrified faces of the young boys and girls who unmistakably took on the form of demons, huddling together. ¡°How can we purchase them?¡± ¡°Is there a warranty? How was the verification process conducted, and who was involved?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that demons are powerful and wicked, but have they been properly tamed?¡± Although the demons seemed quite pitiful at first glance, the spectators, enthralled, bombarded the guide with questions. For the nobles who gambled their lives on rarity and luxury, the demons were nothing more than valuable assets. ¡°The warranty is guaranteed! Although we couldn¡¯t entrust the verification to the Magic Tower due to security reasons, the verification process was conducted by a great mage from the Western Continent and a great sorcerer from the Eastern Continent, and they have confirmed it!¡± ¡°So, the warranty certificate...¡± ¡°Of course, there¡¯s a warranty certificate! Before purchasing, we will show you the magically processed certificate for verification.¡± Thus, the slave market and the guide were thrilled. By featuring demons, the slave market gained unprecedented attention and they reaped higher profits than ever before. The guide was elated due to the unimaginable bonus and advantages he would receive if he successfully sold the demons. ¡°And it¡¯s true that demons are powerful and wicked! But don¡¯t worry! The mages who participated in the verification process have personally cast obedience spells on them!¡± ¡°But what if they still refuse to obey? I prefer submissive ones.¡± ¡°I actually think a more dominant one would be better for me. Somehow, it feels more satisfying that way.¡± Thanks to this, the top floor buzzed with a heated atmosphere. The rare transaction that satisfied both the slave market and the participants was successfully unfolding. ¡°For those with diverse preferences, we¡¯ve divided the demons into two groups! You can choose between submissive demons and the rebellious ones! Of course, the quantity is limited, so whether you can make a choice or not is uncertain!¡± The unfortunate ones in that place were the demons who, unaware of the situation, were being sold and humiliated. Simultaneously, they were the former royal family who had once been the hope for the Cloud Kingdom. ¡°I¡¯ll buy! How much do they cost?¡± ¡°Hold on, I was here first!¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I arrived before you!¡± The atmosphere on the top floor became momentarily harmonious as the eager buyers tried to purchase the demons. ¡°Sigh, it doesn¡¯t matter who arrived a few minutes earlier. Aren¡¯t we all aware of the rules here?¡± The atmosphere calmed down at someone¡¯s words. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct! The person who offers the highest price will claim ownership of the slave. That¡¯s the absolute rule of our slave market!¡± The guide, grinning at the participants, spread his arms wide and declared, ¡°Currently, all these demons have been purchased!¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Upon hearing this, the newly arrived nobles began to frown. ¡°Oh, it seems the VIPs have monopolized them again.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like those VIPs wouldn¡¯t buy them.¡± The frequent visitors, who were well acquainted with the market¡¯s rules began to sigh and exchange stories. ¡°Since they¡¯re VIPs, they surely bought them at exorbitant prices. Let¡¯s gather money again this time.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that, let¡¯s purchase first and decide later.¡± ¡°Ugh, looks like I¡¯ll have to settle for a different slave again.¡± The guide, who had been grinning greedily at them, soon began to read from the paper in his hand. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll announce the prices right here.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re not distributing a statement?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need. The price for all these slaves is the same.¡± With a smile, the guide revealed the price. ¡°¡±¡±..........!!!¡±¡±¡±Finnd new chapters at novelhall.com Upon hearing the price, everyone on the top floor was left in a state of shock. ¡°Why is it so expensive?¡± ¡°Did you call out the wrong price? Even if they are demons...¡± ¡°Who on earth could afford...¡± The price was so outrageous that even for demons, it was unbelievable. ¡°...If it¡¯s a VIP paying such an absurd price, there can be only one person.¡± ¡°Is it Frey again, that spoiled brat?¡± ¡°Damn, he swept away everything last time too.¡± The guide resumed speaking, scoffing inwardly at the blurry figure before her. ¡°That slave over there is rebellious yet has cute eyes, and the other slave is...¡± ¡°I will buy them all.¡± ¡°...Excuse me?¡± She stopped her explanation and stared blankly at the man as he continued speaking. ¡°Not just one, I said I¡¯ll buy them all.¡± Casting a quick glance at the stunned guide, the nobles, and Aishi who was watching the situation from afar with trembling eyes, he said, ¡°...For twice the original price.¡± He made a shocking statement that sent shockwaves not only through the top floor but throughout the entire slave market. ¡°Uh, um...¡± ¡°Is it enough to sign here?¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Amidst the stunned atmosphere, the man calmly signed the magically enchanted invoice. ¡°Well then, farewell.¡± He bid a swift goodbye and promptly left the place. ¡°What? Did he really buy them all?¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible, there¡¯s no way he has that much money...¡± ¡°But that invoice wouldn¡¯t have allowed him to sign if he didn¡¯t have enough money in his account, right?¡± In response to this unprecedented event, the gathered crowd started to chatter loudly. ¡°Wait, just a moment...!¡± Aishi hurriedly set off to follow the man in the robe. ¡°Headquarters, do you copy? We have an emergency. An unidentified individual has just purchased all the demons.¡± The guide discreetly contacted headquarters. ¡°Will this disrupt our plans?¡± ¨C Emergency, emergency! We have an unidentified intruder in the waiting room hallway, and they¡¯re attempting to move downstairs! The security captain is down! All staff, gather in the hallway... ¨C This is headquarters. Attention to all staff! Communications with the guards in the market have been abruptly severed. We need to quickly figure out what¡¯s going on... ¨C I saw it... I saw something so terrifying that I can¡¯t even explain it, and a girl who could destroy everything with just a flick of her finger... Everyone, evacuate the market immediately...! ¡°...What on earth is going on?¡± The slave market was already descending into chaos. ¡°...As I said, the coffee here is really good.¡± The unidentified man who had purchased all the demons and received a new VIP status was sitting in the VIP waiting room, taking a break. ¡°Um, excuse me!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Someone hurriedly rushed into his room. ¡°You can¡¯t be doing this!¡± ¡°Goodness, because of the lack of security personnel, this kind of mishap...¡± Aishi, who had bypassed the reduced security due to the chaos spreading throughout the market, entered the room of the man who had bought all the demons. ¡°...I¡¯m fine, so everyone just go out.¡± ¡°Th-Thank you!¡± The security guards, fearing they would be held responsible for their inadequate protection, closed their eyes tightly. As the man spoke calmly, they let out a collective sigh of relief and stepped outside. ¡°Um, I have something I want to talk about...!¡± ¡°First, have a seat.¡± After sending all the security guards out, the man interrupted Aishi¡¯s words and pointed to the sofa opposite him. ¡°...I know who you are, Princess of the Cloud Kingdom.¡± ¡°......!¡± As soon as she sat on the sofa, the man leaned in and whispered softly as he rested his chin on his hand. ¡°What are you talking about...¡± ¡°I¡¯m well aware that you and your royal family are half-demons. So, let¡¯s put aside unnecessary stories and just focus on the main point.¡± The man whispered again in a hushed tone to Aishi, who tried to deny his words, and then began to stare at her intently. ¡°What do you want...?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± Feeling mentally cornered and perhaps considering him her last ray of hope, Aishi asked with a trembling voice. ¡°Lend me your cabinet.¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± The unidentified man in the robe, Frey, said: ¡°...Let me play the Hero.¡± He replied with a refreshing smile. ¡°My lord, is that the woman? The one who froze your heart?¡± ¡°You fool, have you gone mad!? You¡¯re already struggling, and what will become of you if you take on that terrifying curse instead?!¡± ¡°The Cloud Kingdom, right? Yes, I have definitely remembered. Quite definitively.¡± In his head, cold voices continued to echo. Chapter 132: - Frozen Heart ? Frozen Heart ? ¡°Is it about becoming a hero?¡± Aishi inquired in a trembling voice upon hearing my words. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s about being a hero.¡± As I repeated my answer, she wore a puzzled expression. ¡°Anyway, what does this have to do with a cabinet?¡± ¡°I already know that you¡¯ve prepared an escape spell in the cabinet to help the royal family members escape.¡± Noticing her trying to change the subject, I once again showed off my knowledge to her causing her face to turn pale. ¡°Wh-Who are you? How do you know all of this?¡± ¡°Is my identity important, or is your family more important?¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± But she couldn¡¯t bring herself to argue against my words. It was in line with her character, despising her demonic appearance while striving to protect her family. ¡°...How can I trust you?¡± After hesitating for a while, Aishi finally asked with a timid expression. ¡°You have no choice but to trust me. Would you trust me if I showed you that you had unknowingly bought a bunch of useless demons?¡± ¡°But, still...¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I don¡¯t mind making a magical contract.¡± I reassured her, and then took out a scroll I had prepared in advance from my pocket. ¡°Please check it.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± She took the scroll with a cautious gaze and examined it, soon showing a dumbfounded expression on her face. ¡°Is this... not tampered with?¡± ¡°Why would you think that?¡± ¡°Why? The contract is too favorable for me and too disadvantageous for you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Saying that, Aishi quietly started casting a detection spell on the scroll in her hands. ¡°...It¡¯s, it¡¯s real?¡± Soon after, she easily found out that it was indeed real and muttered in a flustered voice. ¡°What...?¡± Aishi, appeared confused and hesitant before me, evoking a sense of pity. Well, so far, the contracts she had seen or made had always been unequal treaties with other countries. It had probably been quite a fresh shock for her to have encountered someone in a superior position offering such unfavorable contract terms for themselves. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that you¡¯ll help the Royal Family escape from here if I lend you the cabinet?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What¡¯s in it for you?¡± ¡°...That¡¯s none of your concern.¡± Cautiously looking at me, Aishi asked, ¡°Wh-What are you going to do with the cabinet? Do you have someone you need to smuggle out too?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to liberate all the slaves.¡± ¡°...What!?¡± Upon hearing my unexpected declaration, she unwittingly raised her voice. ¡°What are you...¡± ¡°I need the magic you¡¯ve prepared to do that.¡± ¡°Wait, wait a minute!¡± As I spoke softly to her, Aishi hurriedly began to speak. ¡°That magic isn¡¯t complete yet. So, even if you try to use it, it won¡¯t be of any use...¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a problem. I can handle it.¡± ¡°....!?¡± Aishi wore a bewildered expression upon hearing my calm response. ¡®In fact, it¡¯s not me who¡¯s solving it...¡¯ In my past life, her plan to rescue the Royal Family had failed. It was because she couldn¡¯t complete the spatial teleportation magic she had cast on the cabinet. So instead of using the cabinet, she had resorted to attacking the slave market in her demonic form, which then led to her descent into corruption. ¡®...But it¡¯s Irina who¡¯s solving it this time.¡¯ However, the circumstances had changed. If it was Irina, who had a genius talent in the operation and analysis of magic, she would surely be able to complete the teleportation magic in the cabinet. ¡°The ¡®Frozen Heart¡¯ curse slowly freezes the heart, and the only way to lift the curse is to transfer it to someone else.¡± ¡°...How terrible.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been afflicted with that curse since I was a child, so I know firsthand how terrifying it can be.¡± With that, Aishi smiled coldly. ¡°It¡¯s not a curse that someone as pathetic as Frey can bear.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± ¡°Perhaps, soon, he will start experiencing problems with his body. It may have already happened.¡± Softly touching her chest with her hand, Aishi continued in a low voice. ¡°If you fulfill your promise, I will help you threaten Frey with this curse later.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, I must repay the person who extended a helping hand when I was in trouble.¡± With that, Aishi quietly picked up the coffee cup on the desk and added. ¡°Of course, if you let go of the hand you¡¯re holding... the curse may come your way.¡± ¡°...That¡¯s scary.¡± ¡°Just kidding, just kidding.¡± Soon after, she burst into laughter at my reaction and waved her hand. ¡°But don¡¯t betray me. I don¡¯t know who you are, but we¡¯ve shared various secrets... and it feels like we¡¯re already in the same boat.¡± Then soon after putting on a stern expression, I spoke again. ¡°Oh, I have a third and final reason.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± As I stared at her blankly. ¡°...I felt pity.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°It was heartbreaking as well.¡± Having said that, I soon fell into deep thought. ¡®...I¡¯m tired of tragedies.¡¯ The ¡®Frozen Heart¡¯ curse she bore could not be taken back once it was transferred to someone else. In the original story, she escaped the slave market, was fatally wounded, and unknowingly shared the curse with the royals temporarily with their consent. Only then did she realize she couldn¡¯t take the curse back. As a result, she became the sole heir to the throne of the Cloud Kingdom, leading to a life of despair, self-loathing, and guilt. How pitiful and unfair this situation was. ¡°That¡¯s why I decided to save you.¡± ¡°......?¡± So, I made up my mind. To bear her curse and transfer it to no one else but me. ¡°...Just so you know.¡± Well, my heart would grow colder in due time. But since it¡¯s bound to disappear once I die and get resurrected, there¡¯s no problem. ¡°Then...¡± However, what if I don¡¯t get resurrected? ¡°...Farewell.¡± I should try not to dwell on such thoughts as much as possible in the future. ¡°Hmm...¡± Meanwhile, at that very moment. ¡°...For a slave, their appearance seems too intact.¡± Ruby, with a curious expression, looked around the human slave market and headed inside. Main Quest: The Advent of the False Hero Quest Content: Declare yourself as the Hero to the world. Reward: Increases the Awakening Progress of your main body. Failure Penalty: Decrease in vitality and lifespan ¡°...It¡¯s about time I became the hero.¡± She said, looking at the system window floating in front of her. ¡°...You¡¯re the hero?¡± For some reason, Ruby failed to notice Glare, who was still following her, wrapped in a faint light. ¡°It¡¯s a lie.¡± Glare, remaining unseen, carefully observed Ruby¡¯s actions and expressions. Even though she was a dragon, her curiosity and fascination with the human slave market were quite surprising. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder what her true intentions were and whether she had any ulterior motives behind claiming to be the hero. Chapter 133: - I Will Protect You ? I Will Protect You ? ¨C Squeak... ¡°...Sigh.¡± After concluding my one-on-one encounter with Aishi, I released a sigh and left the waiting room. ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± Suddenly, I began to worry. Even though I had experienced being cross-eyed, stabbed by a sword, and struck by magic missiles in the previous cycle, I¡¯ve never had my heart frozen even once. ¡®What was written in the prophecy...?¡¯ I recalled the prophecy, which was no longer in my possession since I had handed it over to Serena. Even though it wasn¡¯t with me now, I had memorized it diligently from previous episodes. Swiftly, I recollected the information related to the curse of the frozen heart. The curse of the frozen heart. A mysterious curse that befell the sub-heroine, Aishi Winter Cloud. This enigmatic curse started by making the cursed person¡¯s chest feel numb, gradually turning everything into a chilling void that eradicates all emotions. The only way to break the curse was to transfer it to someone else, but it could be done only once. ¡°...My ancestor was truly incredible.¡± In the hope that it might prove useful, my ancestor had compiled all the skills and curses in Blacktail Fantasy 2 into a dictionary format. Beneath the entry for the ¡®Curse of the Frozen Heart¡¯ left by that ancestor, the following note was written. The effects that manifest in the game when the curse reaches its final stage are as follows. First, permanent capture becomes impossible. Second, the probability of corruption increases by 90%. Third, emotions are erased. Each effect was terrifying, but there was one that I found particularly appealing. ¡®That was the third effect, erasure of emotions.¡¯ ¡°...What am I even thinking?¡± Although I laughed and denied the thought that crossed my mind, my smile gradually faded as the thought reappeared moments later. Perhaps, due to my high mental strength, was it possible that I might constantly experience ¡¯emotion dampening¡¯ rather than ¡¯emotion erasing¡¯? If so, everything would become a bit easier. Wouldn¡¯t it be more helpful for a happy ending to proceed mechanically and stay true to my instincts rather than directly experiencing and struggling through every emotion? In that sense, it might actually be a good thing... ¡°Young Master.¡± ¡°...You startled me!¡± As I was lost in thought, someone called out to me from behind. ¡°Kania?¡± I turned around in shock, and it was none other than Kania. Why is she here? I had instructed her to remain on standby. ¡°Is it difficult?¡± ¡°Huh? No, it¡¯s just the same as usual... Wait a moment.¡± Putting that doubt aside for a moment, I realized something more important and whispered to her with wide eyes. ¡°How did you recognize me?¡± Right now, I was wearing a deceptive robe that even the Demon King would have trouble discerning. But how could Kania recognize me? Does that even make sense? ¡°Would it make sense for a maid not to recognize their master?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not about that...¡± ¡°It¡¯s a joke. Actually, I know because I embedded myself in your shadow.¡± ¡°...Aha.¡± Only then could I understand how she had found me. ¡°Now that I think about it, you mentioned having a contract with my shadow.¡± I had asked Kania about the mysterious dark magic she had been using to enter and exit my shadow since around the time the commoner dormitory raid started. ¡°This? It¡¯s simple. I made a contract with your shadow.¡± ¡°...What!?¡± And I received quite a surprising answer¡ªshe had made a contract with my shadow. Although I was shocked at the time, I was touched by the fact that it was a contract that could only be made with a sincerely devoted master, so I let it be... It seems that Kania has maintained the contract ever since then, up until this moment. ¡°Anyway, why did you come here, Kania?¡± Having finished my thoughts, I posed the question to Kania, who was standing in front of me with her head slightly bowed. ¡°I came to check on you because I was worried about you, Young Master.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I came to make sure everything is alright.¡± It seemed like Kania¡¯s words had changed in the blink of an eye, but since every minute and second were precious, I sighed and began the conversation. ¡°First of all, the situation itself is good. The unexpected variable, Ferloche, is actually working to our advantage.¡± ¡°It seems so. I conducted a brief reconnaissance, and a significant number of troops were focused on Ferloche.¡± Hearing that, I frowned slightly and asked a question. ¡°Did Ferloche get hurt or pushed back by any chance?¡± ¡°The last time I saw her, a fully-armed guard was flying through the air.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± After hearing Kania¡¯s answer, my inner anxiety finally subsided, and I let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Young Master, you¡¯re at your best when you¡¯re driven by your emotions.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Ah, I have something to report.¡± ¡°Are you insane?! We¡¯ve already lost half of our forces, half! There¡¯s no way we can carry out that operation with limited manpower...¡± ¨C We will dispatch additional troops, so please hold on a little longer. We are currently negotiating with the captain of the Royal Knights and the leader of the Holy Knights. ¡°Damn it!¡± When the communication ended, the man cursed, threw the walkie-talkie to the floor, and screamed. ¡°Commence the operation!!!¡± ¡°Wh-What¡¯s this! Are you trying to use magic like Frey¡¯s evil comrades!? Are you planning to be as wicked as Frey!?¡± ¨C Krrrrrrr! ¡°...Ahh!?¡± As Ferloche, who had been carefully watching the situation, charged in again with a whining sound, she was startled by the loud noise and stopped in her tracks. ¨C Shooooo... ¡°Ah! Aaah!¡± A cloud of dust billowed around as Ferloche began to retreat, waving her hands as if she were swatting away a mosquito. ¡°...Good, it worked.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± After waving her hands for a while, Ferloche opened her eyes to find herself in a rather difficult situation. ¡°Everyone, scatter and approach her cautiously. If you don¡¯t understand, think of it as hunting an orc.¡± ¡°O-Orc!? I¡¯m the Saintess!¡± The guards, who had been facing off against Ferloche, immediately attacked the surrounding walls as soon as they received permission from headquarters. This was because they wanted to turn the narrow corridor into a wide-open space. ¡°Ugh, what should I do...?¡± Of course, her innate divine power protected her from immediate danger, Ferloche, who was now helplessly trapped in the guards¡¯ encirclement, began to worry and ponder her next move. ¡°Hey, kid! Give up!¡± ¡°Relying on strength with that stupid-looking face...¡± ¡°But doesn¡¯t it really feel like hunting orcs? I¡¯ve done it a few times on the western continent, and it was really like this.¡± Seeing her in this situation, the guards, who had regained their confidence, approached Ferloche with smirks on their faces. ¡°Aha! I¡¯ve got it!¡± Ferloche¡¯s eyes sparkled as she exclaimed, instantly freezing the scene. ¡°Since you guys broke the walls and cornered me! I¡¯ll...¡± ¡°Wha-What?¡± ¡°No way, right?¡± Ferloche, brimming with confidence, continued. ¡°...I¡¯ll break the floor and corner you all!¡± ¡°Cr-Crazy!!¡± ¡°Get out of here! Hurry!¡± Astounded by Ferloche¡¯s unexpected solution, the guards hastily made their way towards the stairs as she targeted the floor with the blessing of the Sun God. However, ¡°Hyup!¡± ¨C Crumble!!! In less than a second, Ferloche¡¯s power struck the floor, causing it to crumble and collapse. ¡°Ugh, aaaahhhhh!!!¡± The floor, situated at a considerable height, caved in, along with everyone on it. ¡°Sun God! Save me!!¡± Initially proud of her successful strategy, Ferloche soon realized that she was also in danger of crashing down, and began praying with her hands clasped. ¨C Thud!!! Just as she finished her prayer, Ferloche, who had almost reached the floor, managed to land safely by using someone as a cushion, all the while humming a tune. ¡°...Ugh.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry!¡± Although she was happy to have landed safely, Ferloche¡¯s eyes widened with concern, realizing that she had unintentionally harmed an ordinary person. ¡°I¡¯ll heal you right away!¡± She quickly gathered divine power in her hands to heal the person she had used as a cushion, but then, ¡°Huh?¡± She found herself staring wide-eyed at the person¡¯s face. ¡°Lady Ruby!?¡± ¡°Ah, umm, hello, Saintess.¡± ¡°What are you doing here? Were you captured? Did you get involved in Frey¡¯s evil plan?¡± ¡°Well, you see... that¡¯s...¡± Ferloche, bombarding a sweating Ruby with rapid-fire questions, was suddenly interrupted. ¡°There they are! Catch them!¡± ¡°Both the intruders are together!¡± ¡°...Headquarters, do you copy? The intruders seem to be acquainted. Please confirm.¡± ¡°...Ahh!¡± Spotting the reinforcements closing in to capture them, Ferloche quickly grabbed Ruby¡¯s arm and started running. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m with you!¡± ¡°Wa-ait a moment...¡± ¡°I, in the name of Ferloche!¡± Cutting off Ruby, who was about to say something hesitantly, Ferloche continued with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely protect the pretentious Lady Ruby!¡± ¡°Right here in this place!!!¡± The quest was, quite literally, entering its climax. Chapter 134: - Mid-Boss ? Mid-Boss ? ¡°Hey, I have a question.¡± ¡°Ah, yes! Please ask!¡± ¡°Why is it so chaotic here?¡± Before our plan officially started, I carefully surveyed the market and approached one of the busy employees. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s because there was an explosion...¡± ¡°An explosion?¡± ¡°Yes, there was a mishap with a magical device used to control slaves, resulting in an explosion. Fortunately, there were no casualties, so you can continue to enjoy your time here without any concerns.¡± Although the employee said this with a smile, I could see collapsed guards lying on the ground behind him. If the guests saw this scene, it would be quite troublesome. Judging by the slow response, it seemed that they were also caught off guard. ¡®It¡¯s about time to start the plan.¡¯ With that thought, I sensed the right moment and spoke with a slightly stern expression. ¡°Alright, move aside.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I came to check on the slave I left in the waiting room, and you¡¯re in charge of the upper floor.¡± As I spoke with an irritated tone, he wore a troubled expression and replied. ¡°M-My apologies, but... the slaves are not currently on the upper floor. They have been moved somewhere else.¡± ¡°...Somewhere else?¡± ¡°Yes, as I mentioned earlier, there was an accident on the floor where the waiting room was located... So, we relocated the facilities on that floor to another level. Of course, the waiting room as well.¡± The employee then pointed to a distant place where people were lined up. ¡°Hence, if you wish to go to another floor, you¡¯ll need to use the floating elevator with the floating stone, rather than these stairs.¡± ¡°...I¡¯ve never been treated like this before.¡± As I glared at the employee with a cold gaze, he hesitated for a moment before whispering to me in a soft voice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there is a secret elevator reserved for VIPs like you, Lord Frey.¡± Saying this, the employee took out a map of the building from his pocket and pointed to a specific spot. ¡°If you go here, a waiting employee will recognize you, Lord Frey, and guide you. So please, let go of your anger.¡± ¡°...Hmm.¡± ¡°According to the information I received from the headquarters, there will be suitable compensation for all VIPs. Only for VIPs, not for regular members.¡± Listening to his rather pleasant words and a wink, I took out a gold coin from my pocket and said, ¡°Take it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to give me this... Hehe.¡± ¡°Never mind, it¡¯s merely pocket change for me. Anyway, I¡¯d like to borrow the map you¡¯re holding for a moment.¡± ¡°The map? Oh, certainly!¡± As he handed me the map with a slightly puzzled expression, he bowed and said, ¡°Then please, have a good day!¡± ¡°...Hmm.¡± Leaving the man with the single gold coin and a beaming smile, I headed towards the location he had guided me to. ¡°Damn it, what has caused them to restrict access?¡± ¡°Can we rely on this? If they accommodate such a large number of people...¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Surely, the slave market, which colludes with the royal family to bury the lives of nobles, wouldn¡¯t take our lives lightly?¡± I passed by the nobles guarding the elevator with unwavering trust in the slave market. ¡°I¡¯m going crazy, what¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°We were supposed to be monitoring the slaves, why do we have to get involved in this?¡± ¡°Hey, they¡¯re giving us a hefty extra allowance. Quit complaining and let¡¯s go.¡± I made my way through the busy guards who were desperately hiding their weapons from the public. ¡°...Lord Frey, greetings.¡± ¡°Are you my guide?¡± I spoke in a hushed voice upon finding the employee who had been waiting in the dimly lit area. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get started.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Begin guiding me.¡± ¡°...Understood.¡± The woman, who had briefly tilted her head in confusion, nodded silently as I said that and then began to guide me. ¨C The magical reinforcement of the cabinet is nearly complete. We¡¯ll probably be able to finish it on time. ¨C I have ordered the Royal Knights to prepare their weapons. They can intervene at any moment. ¨C Lord Frey, this is Dmir Khan. I will do my best to fulfill the mission you have entrusted me with. Of course, the ¡®start¡¯ I mentioned had a double meaning. ¡°Here¡¯s the temporary waiting room.¡±Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°Thank you.¡± In the place I arrived at with the female employee¡¯s guidance, there was a room with an unassuming door. It appeared that they had crammed the slaves into a regular room due to the severity of the situation. ¡°Well, have a good day... Huh?¡± As I was thinking that, the female employee suddenly tilted her head. ¡°Uh, uhhhh...¡± Left alone in the waiting room with the transformed Miho and the temporarily unconscious slaves, I soon murmured and became lost in thought. ¡°...This is where the problem begins.¡± Miho, a fox demi-human from a remote valley village in the Eastern Continent. This girl was neither a main heroine nor a sub-heroine, and wasn¡¯t even a supporting NPC... but she played a crucial role in this quest. That¡¯s because she, whose name wasn¡¯t even revealed in the original work, is the branching point of this quest. ¡°Ugh, ugh...¡± Among the numerous factors that drastically increased the difficulty of the already challenging Blacktail Fantasy 2, she is one of the so-called ¡®water gatekeepers¡¯, one of the mid-bosses. ¡°She seemed formidable in some way...¡± The information about her, written in the prophecy, is as follows: About the mid-boss of the third main quest [Slave Market Liberation Mission]. The first mid-boss that appears in the third main quest and one that proved to be a formidable challenge for many players, the so-called ¡®Nine-Tailed Fox¡¯. It hails from a remote valley village on the Eastern Continent, where resident ¡®monsters¡¯ who firmly believe they are fox demi-humans live. Driven by the desire to uncover the truth behind her tribe¡¯s short lifespan and to seek her own freedom, she ventures out into the world, only to be abducted by the slave market. There, she endures various forms of torture, abuse, and injustice, accumulating negative emotions. As a result, on the day the slave market opens, she loses control of her pent-up emotions and goes on a rampage, absorbing the life force of ¡®all¡¯ living creatures in the market. ¡°...So you were the mid-boss after all.¡± The ancestor¡¯s comments about her were indeed very detailed. I almost quit the game because of her. Ah, I should have quit back then. Anyway, this cursed fox is the hero¡¯s nemesis and exact counter. You can never beat her with ordinary methods. According to my ancestor, Miho¡¯s ability as a mid-boss is to manipulate life force. And my power source, the ¡®Hero¡¯s Power,¡¯ operates by burning life force. In essence, she is the perfect counter to me. That was why in the original timeline, multiple sacrifices were inevitable. In other words, if the player wasn¡¯t on the false evil route, the game would take a dark turn following this quest, deviating from its previously sweet and bright atmosphere. Even if you try to save her beforehand, the date she enters the market is completely random and unpredictable. Even if you manage to save her, she would go on a rampage with the intention of saving the other slaves, breaking into the slave market. If you try to kill her, you die. I thought I would go crazy trying to figure out the strategy. The record of the ancestor, who had written down the chronicles of their strategy with as much passion as their own adventure, showed how deep their resentment had been. ...Then one day, I finally found the strategy. The written account extended for several more pages before it finally reached its conclusion. And it wasn¡¯t until I discovered the strategy that I came to realize. The words, devoid of their usual friendly and humorous tone, exuded a serious atmosphere. The true strategy of this cursed game. According to my ancestor, finding Miho¡¯s strategy greatly contributed to discovering the ¡®false evil route.¡¯ That crucial strategy for her is... ¡°You, you...¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± Lost in thought for a while, Miho, who had now fully revealed herself as a legendary creature, finally came to her senses and started to glare at me. ¡®Alright, it¡¯s time to act again.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s about time I leave behind the peace, comfort, and happiness I¡¯ve experienced until recently and face the hatred of the world once more.¡¯ ¡°What, what¡¯s this!?¡± With that thought in mind, I wore a bewildered expression on my face. Leaving the door slightly ajar, as if I had just entered. ¡°You... What is this form...?¡± And so, I acted as though I hadn¡¯t grasped the situation yet. ¡°.......¡± Maintaining the act, Miho, who had been staring blankly at her transformed body, said, ¡°What-What is this!?¡± She approached me with a cold expression. ¡°Ah, sit down!!¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Urgently, I exclaimed as she stood directly in front of me, she raised her hand with a blank expression. ¡°How dare you, a slave... look at me with such insolence...¡± ¡°Slave?¡± Upon hearing my words, she began to glare at me with cold eyes. Redirect Miho¡¯s rage towards you, not the slave market or the nobles, but solely at you. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right... You¡¯re a slave. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve done, but...¡± As I looked at her, I engraved into my mind the only way to control her, as written in the prophecy. ¡°...You still have the ¡®Curse of Obedience¡¯ on you, don¡¯t you?¡± I finished with an arrogant tone. ¨C Whoosh!! And in the next moment. ¡°...Kehak!!!¡± With incredible speed, Miho reached out to seize my throat, and said, ¡°Say that again...¡± Gazing down at me lying on the floor, her eyes devoid of warmth. ¡°...Who¡¯s the slave?¡± She began to choke me. -P.S. It¡¯s good to redirect her rage but don¡¯t let her drain your energy. ¡°...Ugh.¡± At the same time, the last piece of advice the ancestor had written in small letters began to weigh heavily on my mind. Chapter 135: - Secret ? Secret ? ¡°Sigh...¡± ¡°Lady Serena? Is something troubling you?¡± At that moment, the atmosphere of the slave market was growing tense due to the various incidents and accidents that were happening. ¡°...No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Serena, who had been staying at the academy¡¯s dormitory, was having a conversation with her personal maid. ¡°Once again, it¡¯s because of Frey! Again!¡± ¡°...Add an honorific.¡± ¡°Sigh.¡° Seeing Serena¡¯s depressed appearance, the maid, who had grown annoyed, wore a dumbfounded expression when Serena spoke in a quiet voice like that. ¡°Oh dear... The heavens are so heartless. What in the world did our Young Lady do wrong...¡± ¡°Quiet.¡± ¡°What is it? Are you sulking, Lady Serena?¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t know.¡± As Serena, who had been sitting at the desk, turned her head away as she said that, the maid spoke with a mischievous expression. ¡°Do you dislike it that much when I badmouth ¡®Lord¡¯ Frey?¡± ¡°.......¡± ¡°Our Lady seems to harbor such deep affection for that good-for-nothing, the one who shamelessly flirts with his butler whenever you approach, possessing only a good-looking face but the rest is a total mess...¡± ¡°Stop it.¡± Serena tried to cut off the maid¡¯s words with a firm voice, yet the maid remained undeterred, continuing her muttering with a mischievous expression. ¡°Recently, there have been scandals involving the princess... There are rumors that the mage enters his room every day... There are also witness accounts of him being spotted on a date with the Saintess...¡± ¡°...You were the one who advised against blindly trusting information, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°That was why I checked from various angles, and they were all true...¡± ¡°Since I haven¡¯t checked, it¡¯s not true.¡± As Serena maintained her resolute stance until the end, causing the maid¡¯s previously smiling expression to darken. ¡°...Lady, do you remember when you were young?¡± ¡°I remember most things.¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about the day when ¡®Lord¡¯ Frey made you cry for the first time.¡± Hearing those words, Serena¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Do you know how much my heart ached that day?¡± The maid, who had taken care of Serena since she was young, spoke softly, discarding her playfulness for the first time in a long while. ¡°At first, it was great. After enduring all sorts of torture and training from your family, living like an emotionless machine, it was when you smiled for the first time.¡± ¡°...A smile?¡± ¡°It was a month after you met ¡®Lord¡¯ Frey.¡± ¡°By then... it was when Frey correctly answered all the questions I asked him.¡± As Serena spoke and showed a faint smile reminiscent of that time, the maid sighed and said. ¡°At that time, I believed that fortune had finally smiled upon you. But, it¡¯s time for you to admit it now.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t pretend not to know, you¡¯re a smart person.¡± As Serena maintained her silence after hearing those words, the maid, who had been watching her carefully, cautiously opened her mouth. ¡°Ever since the day he made you cry, the ¡®Frey¡¯ you knew no longer exists.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± Upon hearing those words, Serena flinched, and the maid spoke with a grave expression. ¡°Now that the influence of the ¡®Secret Family Lord¡¯ has diminished, you should start looking for another partner. Otherwise, you won¡¯t be able to get married.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not thinking about it.¡± ¡°Really, look at me. I missed my marriageable age, and my future is uncertain.¡± With a self-derisive tone, the maid continued to elaborate as Serena¡¯s gaze started to waver. ¡°From the beginning, what¡¯s so exceptional about Frey? Handsome? Rich? Other men have those qualities too.¡± ¡°.........¡± ¡°Are you holding onto him because of past memories? That¡¯s not love, that¡¯s clinging on to the past. Sometimes, the past can hold you back.¡± As Serena nodded at the maid¡¯s serious words, the maid clenched her fists and stood up, prepared to shout. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll start looking for a new groom candidate right now...¡± ¡°Kuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!¡± ¡°Hee-Heeek!!¡± As the owl suddenly lunged at her, the maid panicked and scrambled onto the bed, hiding herself under the covers. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry! I won¡¯t do it again! I don¡¯t know what I did wrong, but I apologize first!¡± ¡°Kuu! Kuuuu!¡± Desperately pleading with the owl, perched near her head and seemingly awaiting an opportunity, the maid hurriedly asked Serena for help. ¡°Lady Serena, please help me! Your pet is trying to kill me!!¡± ¡°...Irion.¡± ¡°Kuu!¡± At Serena¡¯s call, the owl flew to her outstretched hand. After glaring fiercely at the maid for a while, it settled on her arm and began preening its feathers. ¡°Lady Serena, I¡¯ve always been curious... What exactly is that owl?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a spirit.¡± ¡°What!?¡± As the maid questioned with a frustrated expression, she was taken aback by the unexpected answer. As she stroked the owl, Serena stared at the cover of Ferloche¡¯s diary, where something was written in cute handwriting. ¡°Why did you leave your diary at the dormitory today when you usually carry it around all the time?¡± She murmured, tilting her head. ¡°Well, you are quite a fickle person...¡± Serena, lost in thought as she gazed at the diary, soon began to quickly skim through the pages. ¨C Swish...! ¡°...¡¯Half¨CDemon God,¡¯ ¡®Let¡¯s go to the cellar,¡¯ ¡®DLC.''¡± Serena, who had been speaking words intermittently, soon let out a chuckle and murmured, ¡°You¡¯ve written such cute things in this diary, haven¡¯t you?¡± Without even looking at the hint on the last page of the diary, she had already deciphered how to uncover the hidden code. ¡°...Hmm?¡± Serena, who had been flipping through the diary without hesitation, suddenly stopped. ¡ð¡ð Year, July 11 ¨C Can you handle it? In the diary entry for July 11, there was only a single sentence, without any hidden code. ¨C Swish, swish, swish. Flipping through the diary with growing anticipation, Serena froze upon reaching the empty pages after July 14. ¡°......!!!¡± ¡°Lady, the carriage is here. You need to come down now...¡± ¡°Let the coachman go.¡± ¡°What?¡± After standing motionless for a long time, Serena said, ¡°I¡¯ll drive it myself at full speed.¡± ¡°What do you mean...¡± Pushing the confused maid aside, Serena climbed into the coachman¡¯s seat of the carriage and muttered, ¡°...I need to check something as soon as possible.¡± Shortly after, a lone carriage began to race through the streets of the empire at full speed as the sun set. ¨C I¡¯ve successfully activated the magic of the cabinet. I¡¯ve increased the space and enhanced the stability. Now, I¡¯ll start replicating the magic in identical cabinets in all areas of the market. ¨C We¡¯ve engaged in battle with the demon army that has appeared all over the slave market. No executives have appeared yet, so we have the upper hand for now. ¨C As ordered, I and the combat staff are not involved in the battle. As Frey said, the priority is the sacrificial magic circle. ¡®Yes, everyone is working hard.¡¯ The operation was progressing smoothly. Irina and Clana were performing their tasks brilliantly, and the Demon Army was grasping at straws. If things continued like this, we would be able to save everyone again. ¡°...Heh.¡± ¡°Krrr...¡± However, a slight unease had crept in because of this fox that¡¯s gone berserk and is strangling my neck. Couldn¡¯t it strangle me a little more gently? My arm was growing numb at this point. ¡°Ugh...¡± A glimmer of hope arose, but the pressure around my neck only grew stronger. ¨C Young Master... Is it still not done yet...? In such a situation, Kania¡¯s voice began to flow into my head. Her voice seemed a little faint, probably because the transmission was unstable due to being strangled. ¡®...If I don¡¯t react anymore. Break in immediately and calm Miho down.¡¯ ¨C A-Alright... I¡¯ll do my best... ¡®As always, thank you, Kania.¡¯ I... love you, too... In such a situation, I did my best to maintain consciousness and communicate. Once the sound stopped, I shifted my gaze back at Miho again. ¡°I just... I just wanted to live longer... I just wanted to gain freedom...¡± The method to capture Miho was to let yourself nearly be killed by her. The key to clearing her route was to redirect the rage of the berserk spirit, corroded by negative emotions, solely toward me until I lost consciousness... This was really a terrible game. Of course, since she hadn¡¯t fully vented her emotions yet, she might drain my energy, so I had already secured a backup plan with Kania. Irina and Clana had their own tasks to complete, and Kania was the most suitable for this job. At first, when I revealed the true nature of the operation to her, she was horrified and tried to dissuade me. However, she eventually sighed and agreed to follow my intentions. I was infinitely grateful to her. ¡°Ugh...¡± As I thought about it, my consciousness began to blur. ¡°I am... I am just...¡± As I watched Miho gradually descending into confusion, I deliberately showed a pained expression and struggled fiercely while gripping her arm. ¡°.....Ugh.¡± Eventually, I lost consciousness, trembling in her grasp. Kiii... The last thing I saw was the door to the waiting room opening, and someone coming in... ¡°Frey!!¡± ¡°......!¡± It was Ferloche, holding someone¡¯s hand. ¡®...Huh?¡¯ Chapter 136: - Exposed ? Exposed ? ¡°Ugh?¡± ¡°....Huh?¡± The gazes of Miho, the mid-boss, and Ruby, who Ferloche had brought along, intersected in the air. ¡°Frey, this is all your fault! I know it!¡± In that tense situation, Ferloche began to yell at Frey with a confident expression. ¡°Get up right now and stop everything! I¡¯ll spare your life! I¡¯ve blocked the entrance so no one can intervene. Don¡¯t even dream about getting backup!¡± ¡°...Krrr.¡± However, the only response she got was the snarl of Miho, who had now transformed into the mid-boss. ¡°...Huh?¡± It was only then that Ferloche noticed something amiss and turned to Ruby, who stood beside her, prodding her. ¡°Ruby, something¡¯s not right!¡± ¡°...What is it?¡± ¡°Frey isn¡¯t responding! He must have fainted!¡± ¡°Yeah, it seems so.¡± Ruby, who was exhausted after being attacked by Ferloche¡¯s magic on the way here, casually responded and shifted her gaze to Miho. ¡°...She might be useful.¡± ¡°Krr?¡± After scrutinizing Miho for a while, Ruby muttered with a smirk. ¡°You! I don¡¯t know who you are, but stay away from him! Are you Frey¡¯s accomplice?¡± ¡°...Hungry.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± At that moment, Miho¡¯s patience reached its limit. Although her intense anger had mostly subsided as Frey had planned, the intrusion of the two at that particular moment caused her emotions to falter. ¡°I¡¯m... hungry.¡± Her hunger had been sated due to the massive energy she had used during her rampage. ¡°It looks... delicious...¡± ¡°Wait, hold on!¡± With trembling eyes, Miho began to unleash her hunger on the nearest person¡ªFrey, who lay unconscious, having been strangled by her. ¡°Um, Ferloche? Why did you bring me here? It looks dangerous...¡± ¡°Well, somehow, I thought it would be safe here!¡± ¡°But... instead of being safe, it appears we¡¯re being attacked by a mysterious monster?¡±Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com In that dire situation, Ruby spoke with a sad expression. ¡°I can¡¯t die here... I still have a lot to do, and the children at the orphanage are waiting for me...¡± ¡°Uh, uhm.¡± ¡°What should we do, Ferloche? Is there any good solution?¡± As Ruby innocently and pitifully spoke with an accusatory tone, Ferloche hesitated. ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll... I¡¯ll block her here!¡± She clenched his fist and shouted. ¡°Ruby, escape from here and call for help! I¡¯ll find a way to defeat that monster and secure Frey.¡± ¡°Will you be okay? She looks strong...¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine! I¡¯m strong too!¡± As Ferloche widened her eyes and said that, Ruby slowly began to back away. ¡°Then... I¡¯ll leave it to you, Lady Saintess.¡± ¡°Yes! Don¡¯t worry about this place, just call for help!¡± ¡°Please, stay safe...!¡± At Ferloche¡¯s slightly tense words, Ruby turned around with a worried expression. ¡°Growl.¡± ¡°Wait, hold on!¡± As Ferloche watched Ruby wistfully, she rushed towards Miho, who was trying to draw energy from Frey. ¡°...Huh.¡± In that instant, Ruby¡¯s expression underwent a 180-degree shift. ¡°...Curse of monsterization, take hold.¡± ¡°Kuoooooooo!!!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°What? My stealth technique was perfect...¡± ¡°...How about we remove our helmets and have a face-to-face conversation?¡± As Ruby answered once again, Lemerno grumbled with a puzzled expression, while Dmir Khan made a polite suggestion. ¡°I will execute both the leaders of the Demon Army, right here and now!¡± ¡°Well, it seems we have someone who doesn¡¯t listen.¡± Ignoring his words, Ruby raised her sword, causing Dmir Khan¡¯s expression to turn cold as he responded to the stunned Lemerno. ¡°What did I tell you? It was about time the Hero revealed themselves.¡± ¡°No way, really?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Soon after, Dmir Khan calmly spoke and murmured as he wrapped his body in magical power. ¡°To protect the next Demon King, Lord Frey.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°Lord Dmir Khan!¡± Dmir Khan¡¯s right arm was severed and flew into the air. ¡°Haaap!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect not to be able to evade even a single blow... quite impressive.¡± As Dmir Khan staggered, Ruby lunged at him with the momentum of the hero¡¯s weapon. ¡°I¡¯ve never had this much trouble... except when I faced Lord Frey...¡± ¡°Surrender! Executive! There¡¯s no hope for you!¡± Ruby ignored Dmir Khan¡¯s words and continued to corner the two with her sword. It was then that she saw people around them starting to whisper. ¡°Is she... the Hero...? The famous one?¡± ¡°Hey, no way... there have been so many impostors...¡± She smirked as she thought of the people who were buzzing about the legendary battle happening in front of them. ¡®Regardless of what you losers think, my plan has already succeeded.¡¯ The reason why she put Frey in the Demon King¡¯s Army... The fact that he became the second-in-command of the Demon King¡¯s Army and was even mistaken for the Demon King... It was all part of her carefully planned scenario. ¡°That armor... could it truly be?¡± ¡°You guys, head to the altar right now. We can¡¯t let the royal family know about this first.¡± ¡®...Wherever one goes, the thoughts of the higher-ups always take precedence, isn¡¯t that right?¡¯ And now, her plan would unfold as intended... ¡°Huh?¡± For some reason, Miho did not follow her command. ¡°Cough, cough...¡± ¡°...Young Master, are you alright?¡± ¡°........!!!¡± Slightly flustered because of that, Ruby couldn¡¯t help but doubt her eyes when she spotted people appearing on the second floor. ¡°How did they get here...?¡± Frey and Kania, who should have been unconscious, were looking down at her while supporting their heavily injured bodies, clutching a black stone that emitted a strangely familiar energy. ¡°What, what is it... a monster?¡± ¡°Hero... please help us!¡± ¡°Please defeat that monster too! We¡¯re begging you!¡± Caught off guard by the unexpected turn of events, Ruby reluctantly raised her sword, urged on by the people around her as they felt the growing sense of danger. Snap!! At that precise moment, a third astonishing event occurred. ¡°...Huh?¡± Suddenly, a crisp sound of snapping fingers echoed through the first floor. ¡°Ah!¡± Ruby¡¯s fake hero helmet, which had been meticulously protected by multiple layers of magic, shattered into pieces. ¡°Wait.¡± Frey, who captured that fleeting moment, immediately wore a serious expression and muttered. ¡°Those ruby-colored eyes...¡± ¡°...Could it be?¡± Chapter 137: - Retry ? Retry ? ¡°W-What just happened?¡± ¡°Did we get attacked? But I don¡¯t see any injuries.¡± As the ¡®self-proclaimed hero¡¯ who had been effortlessly pushing back the Demon King¡¯s executive suddenly had their helmet shattered into pieces, a wave of murmurs swept through the crowd. ¡°...Huh? Something¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t see clearly... it¡¯s dim.¡± But that confusion was only for a moment before people started bombarding each other with questions. The Hero¡¯s face which had been previously concealed by the helmet, appeared blurred to their eyes for some unknown reason. ¡°...Damn.¡± As the atmosphere around them became chaotic, Ruby suddenly covered her face with her hands and dashed off somewhere. ¡°He-Hero? Where are you going... Eek!?¡± ¡°W-Wait a moment! That monster is...¡± Ignoring the confused cries of the people, Ruby swiftly reached the exit of the slave market. Kugwagwang!! Amidst the chaos, she destroyed the collapsed pillars blocking the exit with a single strike and swiftly escaped outside. ¡°¡±..........¡±¡± ¡°Krrr...¡± In the market, the quiet wailing of Miho, who had transformed into a monster, echoed for a while. ¡°Uhah, uhahaha! Uhahahahahaha!!¡± Dmir Khan, who had been gasping for breath with one of his arms missing, suddenly burst into loud laughter. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s you... I couldn¡¯t believe you orchestrated such a scheme...¡± His expression was indifferent despite all the eyes fixed on him. ¡°I never imagined that you would be able to pinpoint the Hero¡¯s true identity like this. You truly are amazing.¡± ¡°D-Dmir Khan. We should leave this place quickly...¡± ¡°Lemerno, you must admit it now.¡± Lemerno tried to lift him up, frowning at Dmir Khan¡¯s words, as the latter smiled as if losing an arm meant nothing. ¡°The Hero was really a woman, just as he claimed.¡± ¡°...D-Did you see? The face?¡± ¡°It was for a split second, but I was focused enough to roughly make out... It was indeed a woman.¡± ¡°No, wait a minute. Even if that¡¯s true, just because she¡¯s a woman...¡± Lemerno began to argue, but Dmir Khan slyly laughed, cutting him off. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s not all. She overwhelmed me to this extent and even had the Hero¡¯s weapon, right? So, she is definitely the Hero.¡± ¡°Then...¡± ¡°Yes, now we have to search for an orphan girl with ruby eyes. I can guess her body shape to some extent, and I¡¯ve seen her facial features, so we might be able to identify her quickly.¡± As Dmir Khan spoke excitedly, Lemerno sighed and said, ¡°Sorry to ruin your good mood... but something still seems amiss.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s strange that he didn¡¯t tell us if this was part of the plan from the beginning... The Hero¡¯s armament suddenly breaking is suspicious as well, and......¡± ¡°S-Stop right there!!¡± As Lemerno hesitantly shared his opinion, looking at Dmir Khan¡¯s distorted expression, he quietly sighed as he heard a sudden shout in front of him. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here first and then discuss it.¡± ¡°...Understood. All troops, retreat.¡± At those words, Dmir Khan nodded and issued a retreat order to the Demon King¡¯s army. ¡°Ha, if you don¡¯t surrender, we¡¯ll attack... Whoa!¡± In an instant, Lemereno disappeared into thin air along with Dmir Khan. ¡°...What, what just happened?¡± ¡°Goodness, we see all sorts of things.¡± ¡°At least they retreated. I don¡¯t know what we would have done if they had attacked.¡± With that, the tense Imperial Knights advanced slowly and let out a sigh. ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down yet. The enemy is still out there.¡± Until then, Clana, who had been glaring at Miho, spoke to them in a fierce voice. ¡°Yes, yes, sir!¡± ¡°...Sigh.¡± Clana then turned her gaze away from the armed Imperial Knights and spoke to Irina, who stood by her side. ¡°Have all the slaves managed to escape?¡± ¡°Yeah, even the young slaves who were left behind during the battle have entered the cabinets in each area.¡± ¡°Phew... We¡¯ve survived the crisis for now. But the real problem lies ahead.¡± ¡°Yeah, we need to figure out what to do with the escaped slaves and...¡± As Irina was answering Clana¡¯s question, her voice trailed off as she noticed Miho, who had been drooling uncontrollably. ¡°...How to deal with that thing.¡± At the end of her words, a brief silence hung between them. ¡°...Is that thing a monster?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s in a state of both berserkness and demonification. Plus, according to Frey, it possesses the ability to drain people¡¯s life force... If we¡¯re not careful, everyone here could be in danger.¡± Upon hearing that, Clana clenched her fists, preparing to speak, but Irina interrupted. ¡°Wait here until you fully recover your mana. I¡¯ll take care of it...¡± ¨C Don¡¯t worry, everyone. ¡°¡±.......!!!¡±¡± Frey¡¯s voice rang in their minds, causing them to widen their eyes and shout internally. ¨C Frey! We were so worried! ¨C Where are you? Why haven¡¯t you contacted us until now? ¡°...Heh.¡± Around the time the third main quest was being resolved, ¡°Hehe, hehehe...¡± Ferloche Astellade, ¡°Uhuhuhuhuhuhu...¡± Was sitting alone in the dark cellar of the slave market, emitting a bone-chilling laugh. ¡°Success? Is it a success? Have I finally succeeded?¡± The laughter alone could send shivers down most people¡¯s spines. ¡°Finally, finally, can I save him...?¡± But due to the tears streaming down her face, her laughter appeared not only chilling but also bizarre. ¡°Who is he? Whom must I protect? Why can¡¯t I remember? Do I have to remember? Is that it?¡± As Ferloche spent a long time tearing at her hair, alternating between laughter and tears, Squeak... ¡°Hello! Frey!!¡± Upon hearing the sound of the cellar door opening, she exclaimed with a wide smile. ¡°...It¡¯s me, Serena.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± However, the person entering the basement wasn¡¯t Frey, as Ferloche had anticipated, but Serena for some unknown reason. ¡°I arrived as fast as possible and quickly assessed the situation, but it was already over. So, I came to the place where you might be...¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Serena, who was speaking calmly, froze as Ferloche spoke with a puzzled expression. ¡°...I¡¯m Serena. Serena Lunar Moonlight.¡± ¡°Ah~!¡± As Serena, who had remained still for a while, spoke in a low voice, Ferloche clapped her hands and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I forgot!¡± Her tone was as silly as usual, but Serena couldn¡¯t laugh at all. ¡°You...¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°...How many times has this occurred?¡± Upon hearing the incomprehensible sound escaping Serena¡¯s mouth, Ferloche began to tilt her head. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°How many times have you repeatedly created a situation like this?¡± As she said this, Serena unfolded the last three pages of the diary she had been holding. ¨C Flip. July 12, Year ¡ð¡ð No MAtter if I have to give up my legs or arms. Someday, I¡¯ll definitely heal all the sick people sitting on the streets! Absolutely! In order to create a world where everyone is happy, I will give it my all! ¨C Flip July 13, Year ¡ð¡ð I Never thought this daY would come. I¡¯m truly overwhelmed! We had a meeting! With Clana, we discussed how to scold Frey! But it¡¯s strange! Clana¡¯s attitude isn¡¯t as poisonous as it used to be! This is really... a big deal! Oh, by the way, I declared myself Frey¡¯s partner today! Flip. July 14, Year ¡ð¡ð I¡¯ll think About it in due TIME. What I should write next... Because... ¨C Snap! ¡°With these conditions, I¡¯ve never made it this far.¡± As she read the last part of the diary and closed it, Serena spoke softly to Ferloche, who had now reverted to a desolate gaze. ¡°No MAtter if I have to give up my legs or arms, I Never thought this daY would come, I¡¯ll think About it in due TIME.¡± ¡°...Ha.¡± ¡°MA-N-Y A TIME.¡± ¡°Hahahahaha, hahahahahahahaha.¡± Upon hearing that, Ferloche suddenly burst into laughter, and Serena asked with a trembling voice. ¡°...So, how many times is this?¡± ¡°I forgot.¡± Ferloche replied to her with an empty laugh. ¡°How can I remember all that?¡± ¡°.......¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to count again from now on.¡± ¡°.....!¡± ¡°I forgot to bring the diary, so I have no other choice.¡± As Ferloche muttered in a low voice, looking at Serena, who was wide-eyed and about to speak, ¡°...Retry.¡± And then the world turned upside down. ¡°Will I be able to atone for my sins in this round...?¡± Along with her real voice, filled with sorrow and regret, which was unlike the usual foolish one. Chapter 138: - The End ? The End ? Hello! It¡¯s Ferloche ! I¡¯m feeling very nervous right now! After chasing Frey and wandering around the slave market for a while, I finally found him! This time, I am going to scold the wicked and terrible Frey, for sure! ¡®...Did I bring my diary? If I left it behind by mistake like last time, I¡¯ll have to go through everything again.¡¯ Wait a moment! Before scolding, I need to touch my treasure, the diary, for a while! ¡®Good, I brought it this time.¡¯ I have the diary that calms my mind, and I¡¯ve gathered enough mana! I¡¯m really fully prepared! ¡°Heup...¡± While taking a deep breath with that thought, I screamed at Frey, who shamelessly had a calm expression in front of me! ¡°Frey!!! You wicked, terrible, treacherous, lowly, despicable, and evil person!!!¡± ¡®...Let¡¯s just do it like last time.¡¯ As I poured out my feelings for Frey and declared war, Frey¡¯s eyes shook slightly. Good, my threat worked! Now that it¡¯s come to this, shall I push him a little more? ¡°Today, I will definitely kill you!!!¡± ¡®...This time, I must give you a happy ending.¡¯ After spitting out the words I always shout whenever I see Frey, I felt refreshed! Now, I must scold Frey a lot... ¡°Frey! Where are you going?¡± Frey is trying to run away! I have to stop him quickly! ¡°...Why did you come here?¡± ¡°I came to stop you! What kind of vile scheme are you planning in this place?¡± Blocking Frey, who was trying to escape the hallway, I started a war of words with the evil Frey! ¡°...You must be sure that I¡¯m going to do something today?¡± But, somehow, I feel like I got caught up in a war of words! Frey, how nice it would be if we fought fairly with fists... ¡°So... are you here to guide me to the ¡®right path¡¯?¡± But why does he keep talking nonsense? I don¡¯t know anything difficult! ¡®...You¡¯ve always been on the right path.¡¯ Maybe Frey doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s talking about either, but he must be saying that to show off! ¡®You¡¯ve avoided the path that leads to Clana becoming a canary forever, a bad ending.¡¯ ¨C Click! ¡°Ugh?¡± As I was thinking about that, suddenly, dark mana began to burst from Frey¡¯s staff! What, what is this? It¡¯s too pure for black magic, but the concentration is unnecessarily strong and very annoying! Could this be Frey¡¯s doing to drive me away? If so, I can¡¯t forgive him. How dare he use the forbidden dark magic in the empire! Using dark magic on me, a saint of the Church of the Sun, who serves the benevolent Sun God! As expected, I need to catch Frey and beat him until he reflects... ¡°What, it¡¯s... just a kid, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°.....?¡± I¡¯m diligently pushing out the dark mana with holy power, but I see people approaching from far away. ¡°Hey kiddo, do you know what kind of place this is that you¡¯ve entered?¡± ¡°...They look pretty suspicious, should we catch them?¡± I¡¯m not entirely sure, but considering their menacing appearance, they must be enemies! No doubt, they¡¯re the bad guys sent by Frey! ¡®The captain of the guards will charge in first, followed by the minions launching magic missiles from behind. The remaining one will watch from the back and escape when needed.¡¯ But, there¡¯s no problem! I have the Blessing of the Sun God! ¡®I¡¯ve dealt with this pattern countless times; I can handle it with my eyes closed.¡¯ Well then, shall I show off my skills a bit? . . . . ¡°Come at me, all of you! I can fight all day long!¡± ¡°Damn it... where did such a monster come from?¡± As expected, I am strong! And cool! Defeating the wicked villains as a hero of justice! It¡¯s something I¡¯ve always wanted to do, and I finally get to try it! This is HQ, this is HQ... ¡°...Hey, this is different from our contract!¡± Excitedly swinging my fists, the man commanding the villains at the back starts using his radio! Hmm... What on earth are they talking about? ¡®...Is it about time?¡¯ ¨C Kugwakwang!!! ¡°Ugh, ahh!¡± Oh my goodness! The villains destroyed the walls of the floor I was on! There won¡¯t be any injured people, right? There shouldn¡¯t be... Ah, thank goodness. There are only collapsed debris, but no injured people in sight. ¡®In the past, a few people would get caught up in this.¡¯ ¡°Everyone, scatter and approach. My guess is, that ability can¡¯t handle multiple opponents.¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± How strong is that being? And how strong must you be, the only one who can stand against such an existence? ¡°Are you ready, then?¡± If I had known it would come to this, I would have rather rebelled with you. There was nothing better for maintaining my sanity. Sigh... I should stop throwing tantrums now. Before the system and the devil notice this flood of emotions that started pouring out once I let it burst. ¡°...Retry.¡± I have to turn the world back again. . . . . ¡°...Young master, where are you going?¡± ¡°The place where Ferloche might be.¡± I¡¯ve searched every corner of the slave market, but Ferloche is nowhere to be found. In that case, there¡¯s only one place left where she could be. ¡°Are you going underground...?¡± ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s a cellar in the slave market. It was originally built for the staff to hide during emergencies, but it¡¯s never actually been used.¡± ¡°But why do you think Ferloche is there?¡± In response to Kania¡¯s question, I made a gloomy expression and answered. ¡°I think Ferloche might like the darkness.¡± ¡°...But I thought Ferloche didn¡¯t like the darkness?¡± Without responding to Kania¡¯s puzzled comment, I continued walking. ¡°...As expected, she¡¯s here.¡± After walking for a while, I began to feel Ferloche ¡®s magical presence. Uuuung... Eventually, I found the huge shield made of mana that blocked the door to the cellar. Creak, creak... It¡¯s been a long time since I drew my sword, and I began to tear the shield apart using the Hero¡¯s Power. It was a shield so sturdy that it couldn¡¯t even be scratched without the Hero¡¯s Power. ¡°Why did she block the cellar so tightly...?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but... it¡¯s certain that she¡¯s in here.¡± ¨C Clank!! While answering Kania¡¯s puzzled question and tearing off the rest of the shield, I wiped the sweat from my forehead and muttered. ¡°Why am I so tired already...¡± Three penalties and one special penalty. The special penalty didn¡¯t originally reduce my life, and for some reason, one of the recent penalties didn¡¯t reduce it either. But the four penalties always took away as much of my vitality as they could. ¡°This is a problem.¡± Is there really no way to replenish my vitality? Although all the major events of the first year will be completed after this main quest, from the second year onwards, I will have to solve new incidents. But, will I be able to fight like this, feeling so weak? ¡®Come to think of it, Miho had breathed the vitality she had sucked from me back into me. So...¡¯ If Miho has enough vitality, could she breathe it back into me? ¡®It would have been written in the ¡®Prophetic Book¡¯ if that were possible...¡¯ Although I thought it was impossible for a moment, I soon shook my head. The prophecy, which had already been proven wrong in many places, shouldn¡¯t be blindly trusted, or it would be my loss. Regardless of the outcome, I should at least try. If I don¡¯t try, nothing will change. ¨C Creak... Having finished thinking, I nervously held my sword and quietly opened the door. Considering everything I¡¯ve experienced so far. As soon as the door was fully opened, a bomb could have exploded or undead could have poured out; such things could have easily happened. ¡°Ah.¡± Fortunately, it was neither a bomb nor undead in the cellar, but as expected, it was Ferloche. ¡°.........¡± She was quietly praying in the midst of the pitch-black basement, where not a single ray of light entered. ¡°Ferloche ?¡± When I called her softly, she suddenly jumped up from her seat and began approaching me. ¡°What¡¯s going on...¡± ¡°Finally, finally, real success... Now, if I just finish the Third Ordeal... Ehehehe...¡± Ignoring my question, Ferloche, who had been muttering something, came right in front of me. ¡°Hehe... He... Heuk.¡± ¡°.....?¡± Suddenly, she began to sob. ¡°Heuuuuu... Uuuuu...¡± ¡°What, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I was scared, so scared...¡± As I stared at her blankly, she continued. ¡°I thought I was trapped in the darkness... that I would never be able to leave...¡± Without realizing it, I began to pat her back. ¡°Huaaaaah...¡± And as such, the third main quest was finally completed. Chapter 139: - Special System ? Special System ? ¡°Phew...¡± Leaving the cellar, Kania and I, dressed in hooded robes, crossed the chaotic slave market and entered a quiet room. The operation was over, but we couldn¡¯t help but want to clear our minds. ¡°My lord, is there something troubling you?¡± ¡°...No, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m a bit uneasy.¡± As I stared blankly with a dark expression, Kania tilted her head. ¡°Is there a reason for you to be troubled? Although there were a few unexpected situations, didn¡¯t everything end well?¡± ¡°...That¡¯s true.¡± This main quest had reached a successful conclusion despite the unexpected variables. Main Quest: Slave Market Liberation Mission Success! You have successfully freed all slaves from the market without any casualties! Reward: Increase in the awakening level of the Hero¡¯s Weapon, increase in the total mana for the system user I achieved all my objectives and even gained some unexpected benefits. ¡°The increase in total mana makes me feel like I¡¯m transforming into a glass cannon.¡± The power bestowed upon me as the Hero enables me to unleash explosive force suddenly by depleting my life force. Naturally, the magnitude of my explosive power is directly proportional to my total mana, and this time, the reward significantly increased the total mana available to me. It appeared to have increased approximately 1.5 times compared to before; in this state, I should be capable of wielding my sword and slicing through most obstacles. However, I shouldn¡¯t become complacent. My vitality has been reduced four times, making it quite difficult for me to use the Hero¡¯s power. ¡°Kania, let¡¯s briefly review today¡¯s events¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Just... I want to cool my head for a bit.¡± As I reclined in my seat and spoke, Kania, who had been observing me, cautiously retrieved a notebook from her bosom. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll start the report.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± When I requested a report from Kania, she would take out her own notebook that she has never shown me, even when I asked to see it. Her soothing voice helped clear my head and made me feel more relaxed. ¡°...Sigh.¡± However, for some reason, today was different. My troubled heart showed no signs of calming down. ¡°First, the report concerning the slaves. Thanks to Irina¡¯s efforts, all the slaves successfully escaped from the market.¡± ¡°So, the slaves should have reached the secret location we prepared by now?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. All the slaves are gathered in one place.¡± Kania replied, then sighed and murmured under her breath. ¡°I was elated when we freed the slaves, but now that it¡¯s all over, I have a headache thinking about the follow-up measures.¡± ¡°...Kania, you don¡¯t have to take care of everything.¡± As I empathized with her worries, she asked me a question. ¡°So, what are you going to do with the slaves?¡± ¡°Um...¡± As I heard that, I tapped the desk a few times with my fingers and spoke. ¡°People who have a hometown or family to return to, and those who want to leave will be sent off.¡± ¡°Then, what about those with nowhere to go?¡± ¡°...We need to hire themt.¡± Upon hearing my words, Kania¡¯s expression contorted. ¡°Young Master, even if we filter them out... providing jobs for such a significant number of individuals is no easy feat. Moreover, while arranging their employment, there¡¯s a risk of exposing our true identities.¡± ¡°What if there¡¯s a way to easily provide them with jobs without the risk of our identities being exposed?¡± ¡°Is there such a method?¡± I replied with a sly smile as Kania asked me that with a puzzled look on her face. ¡°We have the ¡®Welfare Foundation¡¯ that we established. There won¡¯t be any problems if they work there.¡± ¡°......Ah.¡± Upon hearing that, Kania¡¯s expression shifted from conviction to uncertainty. ¡°Was the reason you ordered the establishment of the Welfare Foundation last time for this very reason?¡± ¡°There were multiple reasons, and this was one of them.¡± As I leaned back on my chair, Kania, who had been observing my reaction, flipped through her notebook and continued. ¡°Next is the report on Miho, the individual you referred to as the ¡®mid-boss¡¯.¡± ¡°Right, I wonder if that was handled well.¡± ¡°Yes, Clana and Irina managed to subdue her completely earlier. It was a calculated situation, after all.¡± Hearing that, I fiddled with the ¡®Stone of Domination¡¯ that had lost its connection. ¡°Before we hand it over to the Imperial Family or the Holy Order, we must establish our ownership and retrieve it. If that doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll use force.¡± As I said those words with a serious expression, Kania inquired with a slightly hardened gaze. ¡°Will you also take that Miho child into our household? We already have Lulu as a pet...¡± It was definitely the same Ferloche who was being bullied by me just a few months ago, but why has she become so scary lately? Step, step. As I thought about it, Ferloche slowly walked toward the door from her seat. Click! ¡°...Ferloche?¡± I was about to see what she was doing when Ferloche abruptly locked the door. ¡®What on earth is going on?¡¯ ¡°Hmmm...¡± I felt bewildered in the face of this inexplicable situation. ¡°...Just for a moment, let¡¯s discuss something else.¡± Ferloche suddenly whispered with a smirk. ¡°..........¡± And then, a brief silence ensued. ¡°...I¡¯m joking.¡± In the silence, Ferloche suddenly looked sad. ¡°What are you doing?¡± With a mix of empathy and suspicion toward Ferloche, I cautiously asked her about her unusual behavior. ¡°It¡¯s because there¡¯s something more important than that.¡± She muttered in a soft voice, biting her lips, and returned to the seat opposite me. ¡°I can¡¯t risk a condition that I created... A condition that might never be recreated... just for a moment.¡± ¡°What, what is it?¡± ¡°Just to get a brief consolation... No, I¡¯ve mentioned this before. Get a grip. No, if I get a grip, something terrible will happen.¡± She already seemed to be panicking. ¡°Ferloche, calm down.¡± ¡°Yes! I understand!¡± Yet, as soon as I spoke with a serious tone, she reverted to her original state. ¡°Frey! It would be better to tell the truth from now on!¡± ¡°...What?¡± My mind was still reeling from the rapidly changing situation, but Ferloche spoke to me in a bright voice. ¡°You were the one who involved Ruby in this incident, right?¡± ¡°Ruby? You mean the staff member from the orphanage where we volunteered? That Ruby?¡± ¡°I had to go to great lengths to protect Ruby, who was wandering around here today!¡± At that moment, when Ferloche said this with an angry expression, Special Quest: Identity Recognition Quest Content: ??? Reward: ??? A system window appeared before my eyes. You have achieved the unlock conditions for the Special Quest! ¡°What¡¯s this...?¡± Condition: Find the person suspected of being the Demon King. ¡°Ruby is such a hypocritical and kind person... How could you involve her and force her to flee from the monsters! The Sun God will not forgive you...¡± Special Quest: Identity Recognition Quest Content: Ascertain the Demon King¡¯s true identity with your own eyes! Reward: Special System Unlock, ??? ¡°...Huh.¡± As I looked at the first special quest that was given to me upon receiving the special stack, the hidden parts were finally revealed. WARNING!! You cannot reveal the Demon King¡¯s identity to others! For more details, unlock the Special System! ¡®...Are you urging me to try it, Demon King?¡¯ I quietly sank into thought, recalling her ruby-colored eyes. ¡°Ferloche? You said Serena arrived, but I don¡¯t see her anywhere?¡± I heard Kania¡¯s puzzled voice coming from outside the firmly locked door. Meanwhile, at that moment. ¡°...Huh?¡± Serena, who was driving a carriage fiercely towards the slave market, muttered to herself, ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡± She tilted her head and whispered. ¡°...I memorized the faces of everyone participating in the slave market, but I haven¡¯t seen anyone like that.¡± In her moonlit eyes, she caught a glimpse of a girl with ruby-colored eyes, hurriedly running somewhere. Chapter 140: - Ill Be Your Light ? I¡¯ll Be Your Light ? ¡°Irina, is this the right way?¡± ¡°Yes, the coordinates on the magic circle were definitely pointing this way.¡± The day after we had completed the mission to liberate the slaves, I walked with Irina toward the place where we had rescued them. ¡°The stars are really bright tonight.¡± ¡°Are they?¡± In reality, barely any time had passed. Although it was the next day, only a few hours had passed since the quest had ended, and it was now dawn. ¡°Are you feeling tired, Frey?¡± As we strolled along the dimly lit road, Irina spoke to me. ¡°...No, I¡¯m not tired at all.¡± ¡°Wait, just wait a moment.¡± As I reassured her with a smile, Irina began rummaging through her belongings. ¨C Whoosh... ¡°H-How about now?¡± ¡°...Oh.¡± She pulled out a scroll from her belongings and gently tore it, and I felt a slight sense of relief. ¡°What kind of magic is this?¡± ¡°Well, this... This magic increases the movement speed of the target by harnessing the power of the wind. To avoid any potential issues with the wind¡¯s effect on your body, I used ancient runes instead of ordinary wind...¡± I found it quite interesting and asked Irina about it, and she suddenly began explaining the magic with a sparkle in her eyes. ¡°Uh-huh, I see.¡± ¡°...Ah, ah...¡± I nodded and played along, enjoying the sight of her talking. After a while, she suddenly paused and glanced at me. ¡°Sorry, I let my habit get the better of me again.¡± As I tilted my head and looked at her, Irina spoke with a somewhat dejected expression. ¡°Was it boring...? I¡¯m sorry...¡± The fierce and battle-crazed Irina from the previous episode had vanished, replaced by this timid version of herself. How absurd would the demon army, who had been ruthlessly slaughtered by her, find Irina looking at me like this? ¡°So, where did you get this magic scroll? I¡¯ve never seen this kind of magic before.¡± I asked her as my curiosity piqued. By the way, there was nothing in the world Irina loved more than answering questions about magic. Of course, because of her unique personality, there were very few people who would actually ask her questions. ¡°I-I made it myself.¡± ¡°What?¡± But her response caught me off guard. ¡°I came up with the magic myself and made it into a scroll.¡± Creating such a sophisticated magic scroll was already difficult, but inventing a new spell and capturing it within a scroll was truly astonishing. Even though I knew she would become the Archmage in the future, her talent was truly surprising. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Irina.¡± ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s nothing...¡± ¡°The seams of the magic circle are well processed, and the density of the engraved mana is perfect. Moreover, there¡¯s even a protection spell to prevent damage. It¡¯s far from being nothing.¡± As I casually displayed my knowledge of scrolls to Irina, she stared at me intently before speaking with a trembling voice. ¡°Y-You know about scroll analysis too...?¡± ¡°Huh? I know about it, but...¡± ¡°I thought there would be no one to discuss this very niche field with, but you, Frey, know about it too... It¡¯s really amazing...¡± As she said this, Irina, who had been gently caressing the scroll in her hand, cleared her throat and stowed it away. ¡°.......¡± Then, a brief awkward silence ensued. ¡°Is it because your mana hasn¡¯t fully recovered yet that you¡¯re carrying around scrolls with magic stored in them?¡± ¡°Huh? Uh, yeah. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Wow... You have quite a collection. With this many, you could defeat not only common monsters but even dragons, right?¡± I joked to break the awkwardness, and Irina, who had been staring at me, nodded in agreement. ¡°Yeah, I originally designed them to be capable of dealing with dragons.¡± ¡°...Dragon ¡®level¡¯?¡± In the previous empire, there was a rumor and joke that when Irina got angry and disappeared somewhere, the ice dragons on the western continent would start disappearing one by one. ¡°Although it¡¯s limited, I¡¯ve managed to infuse power into the scrolls using dark magic, so there¡¯s a lot of variation.¡± ¡°...Huh.¡± However, listening to her now, that story didn¡¯t appear to be merely a rumor or a joke. ¡°In a few more months, you¡¯ll be flying around, huh? Aren¡¯t you getting stronger than last time?¡± As I thought about it and cheered her up, Irina¡¯s expression darkened slightly. ¡°Um, we¡¯ve arrived.¡± While I was considering what to say to Irina this time, she began to point somewhere. ¡°Is that the secret hideout prepared by the Cloud Kingdom?¡± ¡°...Yeah. No doubt about it.¡± She pointed towards a rundown hut.. ¡°With space expansion magic, intruder exclusion magic, and even fortification magic... They seem to have prepared quite diligently.¡± Irina spoke with an impressed expression as she briefly glanced at the hut. Considering how picky she was about magic, it seemed like the kingdom¡¯s wizards must have spent days pouring magic into it. ¡°Irina, you wait here for a moment.¡± As I silently expressed sympathy for the kingdom¡¯s wizards, who were likely to have collapsed from overwork by now, I took out the cloak of deception from my bag and put it on.Vissit (.)c.om for updates ¡°...Hmm.¡± ¡°Although our kingdom is lacking in many ways... we can at least make you happy. So, please...¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± As I listened to her words, I quietly smiled and replied. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I have something I must do.¡± Upon hearing that, Aishi lowered her head in silence. ¡°What if... you were cursed with something eternal?¡± ¡°...What?¡± As I was feeling unsure of how to console her, she suddenly started talking about something strange. ¡°From a young age, a strange being whispered terrifying words into your ear. What would you do?¡± ¡°...A voice, you say?¡± ¡°You try to endure it, but eventually, you succumb to that voice, and everyone around you suffers. You become afraid of yourself. What would you do?¡± Initially, I thought she was talking about the ¡®curse of the frozen heart¡¯ that she had. But, ¡®a voice¡¯? Did she carry another curse as well? [Stats] Name: Aishi Winter Cloud Strength: 3 Mana: 7.8 Intelligence: 7 Mental Strength: 5 Passive Status: Frail/Demonic Aura Disposition: Late Bloomer Goodness Stat: 72 Out of curiosity, I checked her information, but nothing suspicious came up. What could it be? ¡°But one day, while talking to the benefactor, the voice stopped, as if it had all been a lie.¡± ¡°.....?¡± ¡°The voice that never stopped since childhood.¡± Aishi spoke those words and looked at me with a curious gaze. ¡°By any chance, will you be in the Empire next year?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Thank goodness. I¡¯m also coming to the Empire next year to enroll into Sunrise Academy.¡± With a bright smile, she took something out of her pocket. ¡°Take this.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a token crafted from unmelting ice, a treasure of our kingdom.¡± As I received the cold token, Aishi smiled and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of magic you¡¯re using, but since I can¡¯t fully understand it, you need a way to identify yourself.¡± ¡°...What do you mean?¡± ¡°When I enter the Academy next year, please come and find me again.¡± After finishing her words, Aishi headed toward the portal that had been prepared in advance with the soldiers and added, ¡°By then, I¡¯ll have grown to the point where you cannot resist joining us.¡± ¡°...Do you have no plans to explore mining?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± As she was about to disappear using spatial transfer magic, I decided to give her a parting gift and spoke in a quiet voice. ¡°There¡¯s a rumor that a treasure is buried underground in the Cloud Kingdom.¡± ¡°What, really...?¡± ¡°There are many people coveting it, so it would be wise to be careful.¡± ¡°What do you mean...!¡± As Aishi tried to question my words further, she disappeared with the soldiers in a faint light. ¡°...Phew.¡± As I observed the spot where she disappeared, I fell into a momentary silence before scratching my head and climbing onto the platform. ¡°Everyone, pay attention.¡± Despite the disconcerting chain of events, I needed to gather my thoughts and provide clarity to the slaves in front of me. ¡°I will now tell you what will happen to you from now on.¡± ¡°Choose for yourselves, by your own will.¡± For the poor souls yearning for salvation but unable to grasp its light, ¡°Whether to leave or stay with me.¡± The time had come to give them the light that they sought. Meanwhile, at that moment, ¡°Haa... Haaah...¡± Having managed to escape from the slave market on foot, Ruby hesitated before sitting down in a quiet alley. ¡°Darn it, why on earth...¡± After catching her breath for a while, she tried to stand up, but faltered. ¡°...Oh dear, are you alright?¡± ¡°.....?¡± Hearing the voice in front of her, Ruby paused, visibly puzzled. ¡°You seem to be in pain.¡± In front of Ruby, Serena smiled and looked down at her with concern. Chapter 141: - Thorn ? Thorn ? ¡°...E-Excuse me.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I-Is it true that... i-if we stayed and worked for you, you would provide us with food and shelter?¡± A brief uproar ensued when I presented the slaves with a choice between seeking freedom or working with me. ¡°H-How can we trust you?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We ended up in this situation because we were deceived by such sweet promises... do you think we¡¯ll fall into the same trap twice?¡± ¡°P-Please... let us go... our family is waiting for us in our hometown... please...¡± The crowd consisted mostly of troubled people who regarded me with suspicion and distrust. In reality, there was no group at all. Most of these slaves here were shouting and screaming due to their minds being filled with suspicion and distrust. ¡°...L-Let¡¯s attack him!¡± ¡°Should we...? But...¡± That was how the situation, which had become increasingly hostile, eventually reached its peak as a few strong slaves formed a group with the intention of attacking me on the stage. ¨C Bam! ¡°U-Ugh...¡± ¡°Damn, aren¡¯t they too strong...?¡± The rebellion ended quicker than anticipated due to the intervention of the assassins from the Moonlight family. No matter how skilled the slaves were in combat, they couldn¡¯t compare to assassins who had dedicated their whole lives to killing and warfare. However, these assassins were truly remarkable. Upon Serena¡¯s command, they swiftly sprang into action, protecting me¡ªa mysterious figure concealed beneath the robe of deception. ¡°I¡¯ll say it again. You are all free to leave this place now.¡± Although I slightly envied Serena, who held such influence, I calmly addressed the slaves, who began to panic and lose hope due to the dire situation after their defeat against the assassins. ¡°Rest assured. I won¡¯t give you any disciplinary actions or brutal punishments.¡± Only after I reassured them and sent a few groups outside did the slaves finally calm down. ¡°So, have all the people who wish to leave already gone? I¡¯ll say it once again. All of you are free to leave whenever you want.¡± After hearing the announcement repeatedly, the slaves, who had calmed down, finally began to contemplate. ¡°If you¡¯re really providing food and shelter... I want to stay.¡± For a while, I could only hear the slaves murmuring among themselves. However, amid this crowd, a little girl finally stepped forward and voiced out her decision. ¡°Food and shelter are the basic things you will certainly get. On top of that, we¡¯ll also give you compensation.¡± ¡°C-Compensation?¡±Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com ¡°Yes, when you work, it¡¯s only fair to expect some form of remuneration for your efforts.¡± The little werewolf who had mustered the courage to come forward first, spoke again with a smile and a hint of confusion on her face. ¡°But, my master said otherwise.¡± ¡°Your master?¡± ¡°Yes, the previous owner, who sold me at the slave market. They said that just having food and shelter was already a huge blessing for me...¡± From behind, slaves who had been observing the situation nodded in agreement with the timid werewolf¡¯s words. Based on what I could gather, these slaves were accustomed to such treatment. ¡°I will compensate each of you according to the hours you work, and you will also get breaks and vacation.¡± I smiled at them as I spoke. I simply gave them a chance to enjoy the basic things they deserved, but why did it make me feel so elated? Well, since it was a good thing for them, they should be happy about it as it was a pleasant thing for me to do as well. ¡°And if you don¡¯t like working here, you are free to quit and leave at any time.¡± With that thought in mind, I dropped another bombshell. ¡°I-I agree to it.¡± The werewolf girl immediately spoke urgently. ¡°I agree to your conditions. I want to do this. Please let me work for you.¡± ¡°Alright, then sign here.¡± If taken out of context, this scene might appear fraudulent. But of course, this wasn¡¯t any fraudulent contract. Similar to what I had done with the commoner students from Class A before, this contract aimed to protect the rights of these slaves. After signing the contract, the werewolf girl sat down in the waiting area with a silly expression on her face. Soon after, the rest of the slaves began shouting in unison. ¡°I-I want to sign too!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± ¡°P-Please, help me. I have no means to feed my children. Please let me work too.¡± It was surprising to see how people who had endured dreadful mistreatment, abuse, and torture in the slave market desperately desired to stay. Honestly, I had thought at least half of them would leave, so this situation was quite out of my expectations. Well, perhaps those who had wanted to leave have already gone, leaving only those with no other options behind. ¡®..Well, this outcome is much better. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m lacking in money.¡¯ While slightly surprised by this turn of events, upon further reflection, it turned out better than anticipated. Since I had just given Aishi a hint about the underground mines, the Cloud Kingdom would revive a little faster than the plan. But, in that situation, Ruby suddenly rose from her seat and said that. ¡°Great timing. I also need to go to the restroom.¡± Serena replied and also stood up without hesitation. ¡°..........¡± A brief moment of silence hung in the air. ¡°...Suddenly, the thought of going to the restroom completely disappeared.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± They simultaneously sat back down, maintaining their smiles while exchanging sarcastic remarks. ¡°So, what do you want to tell me?¡± ¡°Ah, you know.¡± In the midst of the bright yet uneasy atmosphere, Serena smiled and responded when Ruby asked her question. ¡°By any chance, were you at the slave market today?¡± ¡°...Excuse me?¡± Upon hearing those words, Ruby responded with a blank expression. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Exactly what it implies. Were you at the slave market, by any chance?¡± Nevertheless, as Serena persistently pried, Ruby eventually sighed and answered. ¡°Yes, I was there.¡± ¡°Really? I heard there was a big commotion at the slave market today... did you happen to get involved in that?¡± ¡°...Let¡¯s just say I did.¡± Serena¡¯s expression turned into a frown as Ruby unexpectedly admitted the accusation. ¡°Really? So... I suppose you also know what happened there?¡± After a brief pause, Serena spoke again. ¡°...uhm, there¡¯s something I¡¯m curious about.¡± However, Ruby, who was quietly sipping her black tea, ignored Serena and posed her own question. ¡°Why are you asking about this?¡± ¡°...It¡¯s just an investigation. I have personal reasons to look into the slave market.¡± Upon receiving that question, Serena picked up her coffee cup and give Ruby a reply. ¡°So, I apologize for the inconvenience, but I request your cooperation.¡± ¨C Plop! As Serena spoke, she dropped a few sugar cubes into her coffee. Ruby¡¯s face slightly contorted as she saw that. ¡°...It seems that you don¡¯t like sweet?¡± When Serena saw that expression, she lightly threw the question at Ruby. ¡°Well, um... I don¡¯t really dislike it...¡± ¡°Then, do you like it bitter?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°That black tea is quite bitter. Judging by its color, it seems you haven¡¯t added any sugar or syrup, and I rarely see someone drink it that way.¡± Upon Serena¡¯s silly comment, Ruby crossed her arms and replied. ¡°And you must be very fond of sweets? I mean, you didn¡¯t just drop one sugar cube, but five all at once.¡± ¡°Yes, I like sweets. I have a craving for them when I have to use my brain a lot.¡± And so, they suddenly delved into a topic that was completely foreign to Ruby and began to engage in a lively discussion. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not really the type who enjoys sweet things. I prefer to have the natural taste rather than the artificially sweetened ones.¡± ¡®Secret Lord, how far have you come?¡¯ However, among the blossoming conversation between the two girls, there was a thorn sticking out from Ruby¡¯s flowery words, sharp and pointed. ¡®If you pull this off, I will overlook your previous errors and promote you as an executive in the Demon King¡¯s Army. I will also grant you your wish.¡¯ Those thorns were directed at Serena. There was... a problem. ¡°...What?¡± However, the tip of the thorn seemed more blunt than expected. ¡®An intruder has appeared.¡¯ ¡®...?¡¯ It was because someone had sliced off the tip of the thorn. ¡®A red-haired girl fully dressed and carrying a bunch of scrolls... and there was a scar on her face. ¡® ¡°...Ugh.¡± In response to the unexpected appearance of an intruder, Ruby inadvertently reacted. ¡°Why are you acting like this? Are you waiting for something, perhaps?¡± ¡°Oh, no. Nothing at all.¡± This time, the thorns blossomed within Serena¡¯s flowery words and pointed at Ruby. ¡®...I¡¯m also waiting though.¡¯ The fate of the world, hinging upon which thorn would pierce the other first, silently drew closer. Chapter 142: - Bullfight ? Bullfight ? ¡°Since we¡¯ve strayed quite far from our initial topic, shall we get back to the main point?¡± ¡°Um, yes.¡± The conversation that had gone off the rails for quite some time came to an end with Serena¡¯s awkward, wide-eyed comment. ¡®Who started this first, but she seems rather arrogant.¡¯ It was Serena who had initially veered off the subject, and Ruby had merely chosen to willingly follow her down that detour. What she needed more than anything was time. She had to find a way to stall until the secret leader arrived. ¡°Anyway, are you really okay? Is there something you absolutely have to do?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. There¡¯s nothing.¡± However, Ruby¡¯s decision began to trouble her like an unforeseen thorn. Serena, with her remarkable ability to analyze people¡¯s psychology and intentions, found Ruby¡¯s mixed words and nodding suspicious. And, no matter how calm Ruby seemed to be, she couldn¡¯t hide her anxiety or the occasional trembling of her eyes. Of course, these were small clues that ordinary people might overlook, but in Serena¡¯s mind, those clues were converging to form a single conclusion. ¡®...Is she reading me?¡¯ Nonetheless, Ruby was no easy adversary. ¡®She is the head of the Moonlight family and, according to the secret leader, the number one genius in the empire. A girl like her is interrogating me in person.¡¯ Although she had suffered from unexpected events recently and suffered significant disadvantages today... ¡®...Interesting.¡¯ Her essence was undisputed. [Stats] Name: Ruby Strength: Immeasurable Mana: Immeasurable Intelligence: ??? Mental Strength: 10 Passive Status: Blessing of the Demon God/Avatar Direct Link Disposition: Demon King Goodness Stat: -100 ¡®Quite intriguing.¡¯ She was the Demon King who would drench the world in terror. Even if Serena were to employ her genius strategies and tactics to manipulate the Demon King¡¯s army, or Irina were to unleash overwhelming firepower to decimate the Demon King¡¯s forces... Even if Ferloche attacked her in a one-on-one using divine power and protection, or if Kania were to unleash the continent-covering dark magic all at once... And even if Clana were to manifest the power of the sun, radiating energy comparable to the sun itself. If Ruby were to step forward, it was obvious that all those efforts would become a futile struggle in an instant. ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°Ruby? What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s getting late, and I yawned.¡± That was why, although she was initially a little flustered, Ruby was already enjoying this situation. It was an experience she had never encountered before due to her overwhelming power¡ªbeing wounded, witnessing the failure of her plans, and being interrogated by a human. It was all too enjoyable for her. ¡®Alright, then... How can I get out of this situation?¡¯ However, she didn¡¯t intend to enjoy herself indefinitely. Ruby already had one stack accumulated, and she didn¡¯t know who had figured out her true identity. But if Serena figured it out, it was certain that her plan would begin to falter. ¡°...Should I attack her?¡± While considering a way to get out of the situation with a smile on her face, Ruby started to think as she fiddled with her right hand. WARNING [You cannot attack that person...] ¡°Sigh.¡± As the red warning message appeared before her eyes, Ruby sighed and used a skill. [Goodness Stat: 100] ¡°Serena, it seems like you¡¯re quite lucky.¡± ¡°...What do you mean by that?¡± After staring at the information window for a moment, Ruby spoke to Serena in a quiet voice. ¡°You happened to meet me after I escaped from the slave market. You wouldn¡¯t have known that I was there.¡± ¡®...If her goodness stats were just a bit lower, I would have attacked right away.¡¯ Inwardly, Ruby was sizing up Serena as she thought that. ¡°Yes, I am lucky. I helped someone trembling in an alley, only to discover that they had escaped from the slave market.¡± ¡°...Please tell me everything you know about the hostage, accurately.¡± As Ruby spoke with a twinkle in her eyes, Serena urged her with an icy tone. ¡°Go on.¡± Hiding her mouth with a fan, she maintained a cold expression. ¡°The hostage had white hair and white eyes, and appeared quite frail.¡± ¡°.....!¡± ¡°Despite their appearance, they treated the slaves roughly, committed assault, and bought up most of the escaping slaves, causing resentment.¡± Reciting words that evoked memories of Frey, Ruby maintained a serious demeanor as Serena stood rigidly with her fan in hand. ¡°Oh, and they had a strange-looking staff as well...¡± ¡°...That person was taken hostage?¡± As she heard what Ruby said, Serena quickly interrupted her. ¡°I suspected it might be someone I know... They should have had bodyguards, and even means of self-defense...¡± ¡®Right, even if they were weakened by a penalty... It¡¯s still suspicious for someone like Frey to be captured by slaves.¡¯ As Serena inquired with a trembling, doubtful voice, Ruby began her answer as if she had anticipated it. ¡°Of course, there were people protecting them, but a strange fox monster appeared and attacked them!¡± ¡°...A-A fox demon?¡± ¡°Yes, that arrogant noble attempted to retaliate, but when the fox monster used a strange ability, they couldn¡¯t fight back and ended up being taken down!¡± Hearing that, Serena¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°In any case, the fox demon has joined us, and now we have that self-important noble in our possession. So, was that information satisfactory?¡± ¡°...........¡± As Ruby teased Serena, she fell into a deep silence. ¡°...By any chance, is there a leader among the slaves?¡± Serena finally broke the silence with that question. ¡°Well, there is... but why are you suddenly asking?¡± ¡°I want to contact them personally. Is there a way to...¡± ¨C Ddilili! Ddililili! As Serena swiftly responded to Ruby¡¯s words, a ringing signal abruptly sounded from somewhere. ¡°Ah, excuse me for a moment. I¡¯ll be back after taking this call. Please wait a moment.¡± Jumping up from her seat, Ruby rummaged through her belongings and made her way to the bathroom. ¡°Even a genius girl, when she falls in love...¡± Whispering quietly enough for only herself to hear. ¡°...becomes a fool, I suppose?¡± A mocking smile adorned her face . . . . ¨C Squeak...! ¡°Here we are. Have a good day... Whoa!¡± Frey, having escaped from the secret hideout and boarded a fast carriage, tossed gold coins at the coachman as soon as they arrived at the destination and leaped out. ¡°No matter how I think about it... I¡¯m worried...¡± Upon receiving the letter, Frey initially thought it was cute. However,as he got closer to the destination, the contents of the letter continued to bother him. ¡°...It was the first time Serena had written a letter so hastily. Why?¡± Frey, contemplating the same question countless times during the carriage ride, hurriedly made his way to the cafe? he had frequented before. ¡°Wh-What¡¯s going on?¡± Suddenly, he halted in his tracks as his eyes widened. ¡°...Irina?¡± ¡°.........¡± Right in front of the cafe, Irina stood, clutching dozens of torn magic scrolls. ¡°Frey.¡± ¡°Irina, why are you here... Huh?¡± Frey, tilted his head in confusion at Irina¡¯s unexpected presence¡ªshe was supposed to have bid him farewell and returned to her accommodations¡ªand suddenly noticed something. ¡°...What!?¡± His mouth gaped open as she stared ahead. ¨C Whoosh... The cafe, which was supposed to be the rendezvous point with Serena, was on fire. Chapter 143: - The Big Picture ? The Big Picture ? A few dozen minutes prior to Frey¡¯s arrival at the burning cafe. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ruby, who had entered the restroom, cleared her throat and then spoke with a frigid tone. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¨C I apologize, Your Majesty, the Demon King. We just need a little more time...¡¯ Then, the voice of the Secret Lord seeped out from the communication crystal that she held in her hands ¡°Are you telling me you still haven¡¯t subdued that girl?¡± In disbelief, Ruby questioned him, and the secret clan leader responded with a quivering voice. ¨C I-I apologize. I don¡¯t know where she came from, but we can¡¯t subdue her because she¡¯s using some strange scrolls... ¡°Sigh.¡± Ruby, making a disdainful expression, terminated the crystal connection. She began muttering while stroking the crystal. ¡°Instead of relying on such useless guys, it would be a hundred times better for me to solve this problem myself.¡± In Ruby¡¯s opinion, the current situation was extremely advantageous for her. Initially, she had been concerned that Serena would discover her true identity. However, after talking with Serena, she realized that the girl only thought of her as a runaway slave from the slave market. Of course, there were a few suspicious remarks and actions in between. But Ruby, who had observed various impressions and appearances, knew well that it was merely the paranoia geniuses often exhibited. In addition, Serena clearly began to falter from the moment she mentioned ¡®Frey¡¯. Ruby, who had observed her from close quarters, could confidently guarantee that. ¨C Fzzzt... ¡°Alright.¡± So, Ruby decided to set a trap. She wanted to force Serena, in her current state, to attack her, so she could nullify the attack prohibition on herself. ¨C Ah, Sister! Hello! As Ruby thought about this plan and was toying with the crystal, a cunning voice began to come from the crystal as she released her grip. ¡°Hmm... The voice is a bit awkward.¡± Ruby, who frowned at the voice, began to fiddle with the crystal again. ¨C Hey, sister. How are you? Her lips synchronized with the words resonating from the crystal. ¡°Good.¡± After a brief moment, Ruby sported a satisfied expression and tapped her finger against the restroom wall. Shoooo... Gradually, the soundproof magic circle she had previously set up slowly began to disappear. ¨C She must be trying to eavesdrop on me now. Ruby smirked triumphantly as she gazed at the fading magic circle, preparing to execute her final move in the power struggle against Serena. ¨C Leader Sister! Are you there? ¡°Why? I told you to be discreet with contacting me outside.¡± ¨C B-But... With a cold and arrogant expression when she spoke, and a servile expression when the voice came from the crystal. Ruby was putting all her effort into playing two roles. ¡°Now, I¡¯m busy deliberately leaking information to the nobles on the streets. If it¡¯s not really urgent, let¡¯s talk later...¡± ¨C Uh, there was a commotion! ¡°What?¡± ¨C The hostage we caught has caused a commotion! ¡°That wimpy guy, what kind of commotion could he possibly cause?¡± After Ruby listened to the sounds beyond the bathroom door for a moment, she soon grinned and resumed speaking. ¨C It seems the staff he had was a magical tool! He tried to deceive us with its strange functions and escape, but we narrowly caught him! ¡°Hmm...¡± ¨C Even though we tied him up tightly, he continues to struggle, making him really hard to deal with! What should we do? At that point, Ruby momentarily turned off the crystal and approached the sink, turning on the faucet. ¡°What should we do... should we just kill him?¡± She felt the disturbed emotions coming from outside the door as she said that. ¡°If he manages to escape on his own, our location will definitely be exposed.¡± She began to make a sour face. ¡°I just wanted to get the ransom and leave this country... ugh...¡± ¨C Click. As Ruby muttered for a while, sensing a presence behind the door, she instinctively activated the communication crystal. ¨C Sister, have you decided? ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve decided.¡± Ruby started to loosen her grip on her right hand. ¡°He was useful when we were escaping, but now he has become a hindrance to us. And, he¡¯s the guy who tried to lure us in and manipulate us.¡± She muttered quietly, staring at the bathroom door. ¡°So...¡± ¡®Come, Serena.¡¯ She said with a more joyful expression than ever. ¡°In order to implement justice, just kill...¡± And, the next moment. Crash! The tightly locked bathroom door crashed down with a loud noise. ¡°...Huff.¡± Serena emerged from where the door had stood, taking a deep breath and calmly assessing the situation in her mind. Whoosh!! In less than a second, Serena calculated the optimal path and outcome, and began to reach out her fan with a venomous glare at Ruby. ¡°......!!!¡± But soon, she stopped her fan with a horrified expression. ¡°You¡¯re too late.¡± Ruby, however, maintained a playful expression as she looked at Serena. ¡°You already attacked me with the intent to kill.¡± As she spoke, Serena¡¯s fan grazed Ruby¡¯s cheek, leaving a faint red mark. ¡°From that moment on, the game was as good as over.¡± Ruby¡¯s words were true. ¡°Letting go of attachments is a common initiation for those who have pledged their souls to me.¡± . . . . The cafe, which had once held cherished memories for Frey and Serena, was now reduced to charred ruins. ¡°.............¡± Frey, having swiftly joined forces with Irina to extinguish the fire, stared blankly at the ruined place. ¡°Irina, what happened here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I was chasing the Secret Lord while fighting and... this is where I ended up.¡± ¡°S-Serena?¡± ¡°Is Serena here?¡± At Irina¡¯s words, Frey, who had been biting his lips, suddenly widened his eyes. ¡°...I can feel it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°A familiar... very familiar energy.¡± Frey then proceeded to walk into the ruins as if he was possessed by a ghost. ¡°W-Wait! Frey, hold on!¡± Irina, attempting to stop him, hastily activated a ¡°Restricted Access Magic Scroll¡± and followed him as people approached from afar. ¡°Th-This is...¡± Frey, who had been walking with a blank expression, stopped at a certain spot. ¡°...It¡¯s the gift I gave Serena.¡± When Frey had visited Serena¡¯s house, he had given her a bead crafted from compressed star mana. The bead was now lying on the ground. ¡°Why is it here?¡± ¡°F-Frey...¡± As Frey knelt amidst the ruins wrapped in Irina¡¯s Restricted Access Magic Scroll, he kept staring at the bead in silence. Sudden Quest Quest Content: Attack random citizens among the passers-by to relieve stress! Total: 0 Do You Accept: Y/N As a sudden quest appeared before his eyes, Frey bowed his head and fell silent. ¡°F-Frey...¡± Irina, who had grabbed his shoulder, tried to comfort him without even considering tending to her own wounded body from the battle with the Secret Lord. ¡°I found it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± At that moment, Frey smiled faintly. ¨C Bang, bang! Frey began digging through the pile of ruins with his hands. ¡°I found it.¡± After digging for a while, Frey discovered a bunker with a magic circle drawn on it and sighed in relief. Squeak... After sitting there in a daze for some time, Frey cautiously opened the door. ¡°...Hello?¡± Serena poked her head out. ¡°Serena, thank goodness...!¡± ¡°Shh, there are employees downstairs.¡± As Frey was about to greet her with a bright smile, Serena raised a finger to her lips and hushed him. ¡°...By the way, our employees don¡¯t see very well.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± Right after hearing that, Frey kissed Serena. ¡°...So, what happened here, Serena?¡± ¡°Right, this is not the time for that.¡± As Irina asked urgently, Frey also asked with a serious expression. ¡°Indeed, did you feel the bead I gave you and come here? I was nervous because there was such a strong protection magic on it that I couldn¡¯t open it from the inside, but it seems it was a needless worry.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± However, Serena suddenly started talking nonsense. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a bead made of your star mana, so it¡¯s only natural you¡¯d find it quickly.¡± ¡°Serena, right now...¡± ¡°Do you still have the bead I gave you?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Serena, who interrupted Frey¡¯s words and asked a question, spoke with a satisfied expression. ¡°Good job. It¡¯s important, so make sure you keep it safe.¡± ¡°I will, but what on earth happened...¡± ¡°Everything went according to plan.¡± ¡°What?¡± While looking at Frey, who was making a puzzled expression due to the unexpected remark for the third time today. ¡°As you can see from those two beads...¡± Serena said, ¡°I am only yours, Frey. Not to God, not my parents, not the Empire... only yours.¡± ¡°.....?¡± She said with a proud smile. ¡®Of course, my soul too.¡¯ In her mind, she muttered a fact that was still difficult to tell him. ¡®Since I pledged my soul to you with a blood oath when I was young, no one else can take it away.¡¯ ¡°Serena?¡± ¡®Even if it¡¯s the Demon King, who has enjoyed collecting souls since her past life.¡¯ Above them, the moon and stars shimmered brightly. ¡°Frey, can you give me just one command? As I said before, it¡¯s getting difficult to control my mind on my own.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡®I was suppressing the urge to reveal my identity as much as possible... but it was suddenly exposed.¡¯ With an unusually bright tone, she continued, ¡°I want to try and see the bigger picture.¡± Chapter 144: - Puppy in Love ? Puppy in Love ? Dragging my haggard body, I entered the academy dormitory, and a familiar scene greeted me. ¡°Phew...¡± The bed that Kania had prepared for me, along with the black cat doll she had gifted me. Irina¡¯s puppy love tree sapling had unexpectedly bloomed. And my treasured belongings in my bag, as well as the extravagant decorations that boasted luxury on the outside. Even the documents containing information about a scandal that could have turned the Empire upside down for a month if exposed, and the bribes that would soon become funds for a charitable foundation, all prepared in case of emergencies, were things I saw every day, but today they seemed more welcoming, after an unusually exhausting day. ¡°...They¡¯ve piled up quite a bit.¡± As I carefully surveyed the room, my attention was suddenly drawn to an overflowing mailbox. ¡°F-Frey, just a moment.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Guided by my unwarranted curiosity about the novel requests that might have arrived that day, I headed towards the mailbox, but Irina blocked my path. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Irina?¡± ¡°Just wait a moment, just wait.¡± I wondered what was going on and tilted my head, and Irina began rummaging through the mailbox. ¡°It¡¯s okay now. You can look.¡± After a brief moment. Irina, holding a letter adorned with pink hues and heart patterns, pointed towards the mailbox with a composed expression. ¡°.........¡± ¡°Frey?¡± At first, I was concerned about the letter Irina was holding, but my focus naturally shifted as I looked at her. ¡°Why... why are you like this?¡± Her clothes and body were battered from battling the Secret Lord ¡°Sit down.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± I cautiously guided the bewildered Irina to sit on the bed. ¡°If it hurts, you have to say so. What will you do if you pretend otherwise?¡± I picked up the medicine and bandages by the bed and spoke, while Irina quietly lowered her head. ¡°...You don¡¯t need to be kind to someone like me.¡± ¡°What?¡± And then, she began saying something rather strange. Irina considered herself useless? If the imperial mages were to hear that, they would be shocked to the point of fainting. ¡°Failed to cast the curse of death, depleted mana, unable to bear the penalty on your behalf, and I couldn¡¯t even catch the Secret Lord...¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not...¡± ¡°No matter how I think about it, I¡¯m just too incompetent...!¡± As I lightly tapped the disheartened Irina¡¯s side while she mumbled with her head down, she started trembling. ¡°The wound seems severe, not fatal, but it could be a serious injury.¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s okay. This kind of wound is nothing compared to the ones I got on the battlefield... ugh!¡± Once again, I tapped Irina¡¯s side as she insisted she was fine, and sighed as I observed her trembling. ¡°I¡¯ll just check the wound for a moment.¡± ¡°Fine, fine...!¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t check, you¡¯ll just wrap it up with a bandage and move on, right? Do you think I don¡¯t know you?¡± Having spent so much time on the battlefield, Irina had grown desensitized to injuries. For most severe wounds, she would merely wrap them up with a bandage a few times and move on. ¡°...Sigh.¡± That¡¯s why, even though I had to insist a bit when I lifted her clothes, I found that the wound was more severe than I had thought. No, it was beyond severe. Irina¡¯s side was, quite literally, torn to shreds. Was the Secret Lord that strong? No, it must be because Irina, who fought so tenaciously with only magic scrolls, was truly amazing. After all, during the last attack, the Secret Lord had demonstrated a terrifying power. ¡°Fr-Frey. I¡¯ll get treatment, so please, for now, my clothes...¡± ¡°Wait a moment.¡± ¡°...Hic!¡± With that thought in mind, I carefully began applying medicine to her wound. It was a high-grade healing potion I had prepared for my own injuries, so it should alleviate some of the pain until she received professional treatment. ¨C Whoosh... And if I infused a little of my own life force, it should help even more. ¡°Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!¡± ¡°Oops.¡± However, Irina¡¯s brows furrowed, and she emitted a pained groan. Well, with a wound this severe, even a high-grade potion would understandably cause a stinging sensation. ¡°Just bear with it a little, Irina. Once I treat this...¡± Although I couldn¡¯t leave the wound untreated, and tried to console her with a gentle voice, I... ¡°...Oh no.¡± For a moment, I was at a loss for words as I discovered equally serious injuries all over her body, not just the one on her side. ¡°Irina, how on earth were you enduring the pain?¡± ¡°This, this much is... nothing, really...¡± After staring blankly at her body for a while, I asked in a hushed voice, and she replied, her face turning red. ¡°No, Frey. I¡¯m embarrassed, so please, my clothes first...¡± ¡°I have no choice.¡± ¡°Phew...¡± With all the remaining potion used up and Irina¡¯s wounds treated, I exhaled and lay down beside her. ¡°Now, we¡¯ll have some free time for a while.¡± Since the third main quest was over, there would be plenty of leisurely days before the start of the second year. Of course, it was merely a temporary calm before the storm of the more challenging second year, but having ample time to rest was a blessing. Should I go on a short vacation? Or should I wear the Robe of Deception and do some good deeds? Of course, I need to prepare diligently for the major events that will happen in the second year, and I should visit the western continent too. Still, recharging was necessary. In a long-distance race, if you sprint at full speed from start to finish, you¡¯ll exhaust yourself before reaching the halfway point. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get some sleep...¡± So, it seems like it¡¯s time to sleep now. I still have to deal with the aftermath of the slave market, and I also need to handle Serena¡¯s strange experience and the secret head of the family. It may be a bit late, but I need to close my eyes now... [Announcement!] ¡°...?¡± As I was thinking about this, a system window suddenly appeared in front of me. What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s happening all of a sudden... Ah. [The Third Ordeal of the System has begun!] Damn it, Demon God. . . . . ¡°Uhm...¡± Irina, who had her eyes closed for a while, quietly opened them. ¡°Frey.¡± Irina, who got up from her spot, looked at Frey, who was fast asleep beside her. ¡°Are you asleep?¡± As she said that, she poked his sleeping cheek with her finger, but there was no sign of him waking up. Evidently, he had fallen into a deep sleep. ¡°Haah...¡± Irina murmured as she looked down at Frey. ¡°I told you, sleeping pills don¡¯t work on me.¡± Ever since she was young, Irina had been making potions with various herbs, and to her, a sleeping herb was nothing but a bitter-tasting plant. Nonetheless, with a stern expression from Frey, she found herself unintentionally pretending to fall asleep, perhaps out of a touch of selfishness. ¡°You dummy.¡± She couldn¡¯t help but fully feel the warmth of Frey¡¯s hands, exploring every corner of her body. ¡°...Dummy.¡± As a result, Irina placed her hand on her racing heart, looked at Frey with trembling eyes, and spoke. ¡°Why are you so kind to someone like me...¡± Then, she cautiously reached out to him and began to murmur. ¡°Really, how can I repay this favor?¡± Lying in bed, Irina interlocked her hand with Frey¡¯s, closed her eyes, and squeezed his hand. Shuuu... As time passed, a bead appeared in their locked hands, and Irina carefully picked it up and began to examine it. ¡°...Ugh.¡± The bead was quite murky. Within the bead that should have only contained Frey¡¯s silver color and her own red color, other hues had infiltrated. ¡°Why only me...¡± Initially, she thought that someone else had made a contract with him before her. However, upon closer inspection, it became apparent that more than one person had dedicated their soul to him before her. Moreover, seeing the black color mixed in, which was definitely not there when she first drew the bead, it seemed that Kania had done something when she returned Frey¡¯s soul, which resided within her, back to him. ¡°I¡¯m always late, aren¡¯t I...?¡± She thought that the Blood Oath would at least show some sincerity, even if it wasn¡¯t enough. However, as it turned out, everyone was basically giving their sincerity to Frey. ¡°Why on earth...¡± At this rate, she wouldn¡¯t be able to repay her debt, let alone atone for her sins. Although she managed to bypass one penalty through a trick, his life still had only two years left. How could she repay the favor within that time? What on earth should she do... ¡°......Ah.¡± As Irina racked her brain, a potential solution suddenly came to her mind. The thing needed to completely finish the ¡®Blood Oath¡¯. The thing that could make him, who was completely exhausted, happy. And then. ¡°Ah, no one has given their chastity to Frey yet, right...?¡± Most importantly, something that no one had done for Frey yet. ¡°...Huh.¡± Irina¡¯s hand, entwined with Frey¡¯s, began to tremble. Chapter 145: - The Third Ordeal ? The Third Ordeal ? ¡°...Gulp.¡± As Irina glanced at Frey, who lay motionless beside her, she felt a lump in her throat and gulped. ¡°Really, nobody has given their chastity to Frey yet, right?¡± First of all, it couldn¡¯t be Kania. If that cat-like woman had offered herself to Frey, she would have shown it off so that anyone could tell. And it couldn¡¯t be Clana or Serena either. Clana, who had hated Frey until recently, wouldn¡¯t have had the opportunity, and the ¡®Absolute Obedience Magic¡¯ that Serena had, according to her knowledge in the field of magic, prevented her from having a ¡®relationship¡¯ with anyone. Lastly, Ferloche had once proudly held up the emblem of chastity in front of everyone. So, it was evident that no one had given themselves to Frey yet. ¡°Frey, are you asleep?¡± Having reached that conclusion, Irina addressed Frey with a trembling voice. ¡°........¡± ¡°Really?¡± She reached out and shook Frey¡¯s unresponsive shoulder, but he remained silent. Frey was usually quite sensitive when he slept, but today¡¯s events had exhausted him to the point of a deep sleep. ¨C Whoosh... Realizing this, Irina began to sneakily move her body closer to Frey. ¡°Uhm...¡± Soon after, Irina, who was pressing her body against Frey¡¯s, looked at his face that had come close to her and whispered softly. ¡°He¡¯s really asleep.¡± Frey¡¯s breath as he slowly exhaled in deep sleep, tickled Irina¡¯s face. His heartbeat intertwined with her own unusually rapid heartbeats, created a harmonious rhythm. With each breath he took, his chest rose and fell, briefly pausing as it brushed against Irina¡¯s soft chest. ¡°Uh, umm...¡± In such a situation, Irina struggled to suppress her pounding heart and quietly reached for the button on Frey¡¯s collar. ¡°...Meow!¡± ¡°Eek?¡± Suddenly, a cat doll leaped onto the bed, startling Irina, causing her to recoil away from Frey. ¡°Meow...!¡± ¡°What, what is it?¡± The cat, that had been staring at Irina, nestled into Frey¡¯s arms and began to shake its head. Why is that? Somehow, a desperate feeling emanated from the cat doll¡¯s expression. ¡°S-Sorry. I¡¯ll just borrow your master for a moment.¡± However, Irina was desperate too. ¡°Haah...!¡± And so, she removed the doll that had nestled into Frey¡¯s arms, employed a simple binding spell to immobilize it, and pushed it to the floor. ¡°Meow...¡± Having removed the obstacle, Irina reached for Frey again while listening to the pitiful cry of the cat doll. ¡°...Eh.¡± Unable to put her hand on the button, she mumbled with her face buried in Frey¡¯s chest. ¡°Will Frey really like me like this?¡± Whenever she was with Kania, Frey would unconsciously gulp. There was no need to mention Serena, and even when dealing with Clana and Ferlotche, he was conscious. However, just a little while ago, Frey hadn¡¯t been conscious of her at all Even when he undressed, exposing her bare skin. Even when he caressed her exposed bare body with his hands for hours. Frey showed no trace of embarrassment. The only one feeling embarrassed was herself. It meant that Frey didn¡¯t see her as a woman. ¡°Ha, who would like a woman like me?¡± Irina, with her rough, fierce demeanor and an unnecessary sense of pride, bore countless scars across her body. ¡°With Frey surrounded by women.¡± She mumbled, feeling smaller than ever before. ¡°..........¡± And for a while, silence engulfed them. Shuuuu... ¡°...Meow.¡± Apart from the soft meowing of a cat doll that suddenly made a cold expression and began to emit black smoke from its body, while tied up and scratching the bed leg, causing a fuss. ¨C Swooosh Just when everything seemed to be in vain, Irina, her face still nestled against Frey¡¯s embrace, suddenly raised her head with a determined expression. Click. Then, reaching out again, Irina began to unbutton Frey¡¯s clothes. Click, click, click. Slowly descending, lower and lower. With utmost care, Irina unfastened all the buttons on Frey¡¯s attire and said, ¡°This is... just magic.¡± She blushed and began to convince herself. ¡°It¡¯s merely a necessary step in the magical ritual, nothing more, nothing less.¡± Despite her words, her hands trembled as she removed Frey¡¯s coat and delicately placed her hand on his unbuttoned shirt. ¡°So... So...¡± After removing his shirt, she cautiously climbed on top of Frey, and soon mumbled with a very flustered expression. ¡°Wh-What is it?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t give up here!!!¡± Eventually, the mass exerted its final ounce of strength, unleashing its magical power all at once. ¨C Clang! Leaving the injured birds behind, the mass burst through the broken window. ¡°W-Wait!!¡± Flustered, Irina hurriedly retrieved a magic scroll, but the rampaging mass had already approached Frey. ¨C Swoooosh...! At that moment, as the mass was about to invade Frey. ¡°Meow!!!¡± A cat doll, emanating intense dark mana, jumped in and took the hit with its body. ¡°Frey!! Wake up!!! We need to get out of here right now...!!!¡± Irina, who quickly threw herself at Frey, slapped his cheek and yelled, but... ¡°...Frey?¡± For some reason, Frey didn¡¯t wake up. ¡°Heeek...!!¡± ¡°Frey¡¯s surprisingly well-guarded.¡± ¡°No, no!!¡± As the mass sent the cat doll that was wringing out painful dark magic, flying far away, it effortlessly dodged Irina¡¯s attacks while she frantically pulled out scrolls. ¨C Swoop! In the end, the mass succeeded in invading Frey. ¡°...........¡± And for a moment, silence engulfed the dormitory. ¡°The ordeal invitation... ordeal... Could it be?¡± In that situation, as Irina desperately tried to think, she began to look at Frey with a suspicious expression, pondering the words muttered by the Secret Lord. ¡°It¡¯s the same as before...¡± Upon checking Frey¡¯s condition, she discovered that his current state was the same as when he had fallen asleep during the second trial, and she collapsed with a pale expression. ¡°No, no, no. No...!¡± Caught in a panic, Irina began purging the dark magic from her body and initiated Kania¡¯s dark spell. The unconscious infiltration magic that Kania had tried several times during the second trial. Although Irina¡¯s self-esteem had dropped and she was unaware, she was still a genius in magic in this iteration. As long as she had seen the magic repeatedly, even if it was dark magic, she could perfectly replicate it. ¡°...Ugh!¡± But as Irina tried to infiltrate Frey¡¯s unconscious, she was soon pushed out, clutching her heart. ¡®Something, something is... Something is deliberately blocking my intervention...¡¯ As she suspected, the system that oversaw the trials had been strictly blocking external interference since the second trial. ¡°No, it¡¯s not working. If this continues, Frey will...¡± However, believing that the trial happened because of her, Irina was at a loss as to what to do about the inexplicable phenomenon. ¡°Frey will be in danger...¡± ¡°.........¡± So, after a while of stroking Frey¡¯s face with a pale expression, Irina said out loud, ¡°...Let¡¯s try.¡± Gritting her teeth, she stood up from her seat. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s stopping me.¡± Soon after, Irina headed to her desk, biting her lip until it drew blood. ¡°...Let¡¯s see who wins.¡± Using her blood as a medium, she began to draw complex magical formulas on a blank scroll. At the same time, she started making complex calculations. Once, she had shaken the world¡¯s providence by swearing a blood oath to a human while possessing the status of a magician. ¡°I¡¯ll save you, no matter what it takes... Frey...¡± Once more she began to challenge the world¡¯s providence. * * * ¡°...Where am I?¡± Irina Philliard, who had quietly opened her eyes, began to look around with a blank expression. ¡°Could it be...¡± After looking around for a while, Irina said, ¡°Did I succeed...?¡± She rose from her seat, her expression filled with disbelief. ¡°Really?¡± She had used thousands of magic scrolls, calculated over hundreds of magical formulas, and created dozens of new formulas. Irina, who had surpassed her previous achievements with the sole determination to save Frey, dashed off without even pausing to celebrate her achievement. ¡°I have to hurry and save Frey...¡± For some reason, she found herself heading towards the sprawling Starlight family mansion before her. Inside her head was a simple thought... since it was Frey¡¯s home, he would be inside. ¡°Wh-who...?¡± ¡°Move!¡± Entering the mansion through the front door, Irina brushed past a startled maid who had stopped sweeping. ¡°Please, please be there...¡± She swiftly climbed the stairs leading to the upper floor, heading towards Frey¡¯s room. ¡°Please...¡± Upon arriving at Frey¡¯s room in an instant, Irina took a deep breath. ¡°...Frey?¡± She carefully opened the door. ¡°I-I¡¯m here, Frey! So, don¡¯t worry now...¡± Chapter 146: - Memory Manipulation ? Memory Manipulation ? ¡°Excuse me... who are you and why are you here..?¡± A youthful Frey timidly asked. ¡°Well, um, that¡¯s... uh...¡± Uncertain of how to respond, Irina stammered. ¡°Could you be... the mage my father mentioned?¡± ¡°What?¡± She tilted her head in response. ¡°Well, I am a mage, but...¡± She was cautiously trying to go along with Frey¡¯s questions, but her eyes widened as she started scanning her surroundings. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± All of a sudden, everything around her froze ¨C the little birds flying outside the window, the burning candles, the clock¡¯s hands that were moving steadily, and even Frey¡¯s trembling body. Puzzled by this situation, where time seemed to have stopped, Irina moved cautiously. System error Identification code: c01 ¡°...Ah!¡± At that moment, something translucent appeared before her eyes. [An unknown error has occurred during the trial.]Vissit (.)c.om for updates [Searching for the problem...] [Conclusion: The subject of the trial has changed during the trial.] [Searching for a solution...] ¡°What is this?¡± Irina squinted her eyes as she read the contents of the system window that appeared before her and soon murmured with a shocked expression. ¡°Is the System controlling even the trials caused by the curse?¡± Irina, who had endured numerous trials and errors while consuming thousands of scrolls, realized that she couldn¡¯t infiltrate due to an unknown force that was acting within Frey. So, she devised a plan. It was a trick using the ¡®Soul Swap¡¯ magic that she had devised and used to save Frey¡¯s life once before. ¡°Is it now, Miss Irina?¡± In exchange for Kania, who was no longer able to use the swapping magic again due to her previous deal with the System, Irina extracted all the dark magic from Kania. ¡°Yes, now!¡± She activated the soul-swapping magic she had created, intending to outwit the System. Shaaaaaa...! It was just before her body switched with Frey¡¯s. ¡°I don¡¯t know if this will work.¡± Irina¡¯s plan, based on her hypothesis that she simply had to extract the soul and infiltrate if the unknown force was acting on the soul, ultimately failed once more. [Failed to find a solution.] [Commencing another search...] ¡°Damn it.¡± Irina, who was busy looking at the system window that had appeared in front of her, whispered coldly. ¡°Stop pretending to be the System. I already heard your true identity from Kania.¡± As soon as she said this, the system windows that continuously appeared in front of her vanished all at once. Sudden quest initiated! Quest Content: Do not proceed with the trial until the system finds a solution. (If you proceed with the trial on your own, unexpected errors may occur.) Reward: To be negotiated later Do you accept? [Y/N] Irina looked at the quest window that appeared before her. ¡°...Bullshit.¡± Closing her eyes in frustration, she replied. ¡°I really wanted to take the trial in his stead, but it¡¯s impossible.¡± And in the next moment- Time around her resumed. The birds chirped, the candles burned, and the clock hands resumed their regular motion. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here...¡± The young Frey gazed at Irina and spoke again. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± ¡°Uh, yeah... Okay.¡± She quickly relaxed the cold expression she had worn while examining the System and questioned Frey, who had a determined look on his face. ¡°Um, why are yo-?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this. We need to hurry.¡± However, Frey interrupted Irina¡¯s words, grabbed her arm, and hastily led her out of the room. ¡°Brother? Who¡¯s that woman...¡± As they exited the room, they passed his younger sister, Aria, who still had baby fat on her cheeks. ¡°Master? Who is...¡± Then, they passed the worried maid who approached him before finally knocking on his father¡¯s door. ¡°Father, the mage has arrived.¡± Creak... The old-fashioned door slowly opened. ¡°...Professor Komerun, have you arrived?¡± Irina and Frey carefully entered the room. Irina, who had been watching nervously, was surprised when Abraham spoke to her with his head still bowed. ¡°You need to help him use the scroll.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°And...¡± Abraham¡¯s voice turned soft. ¡°I don¡¯t have the qualifications to follow him.¡± He finished speaking with a somber tone. ¡°... I¡¯m a useless father who can¡¯t even help his child.¡± A dense cloud of smoke emerged from his mouth. Knock knock knock Frey, while holding the scroll tightly in one hand, walked down the hallway and began to knock on the door at the end of the corridor. ¡°Excuse me, I¡¯m coming in for a moment.¡± Frey calmly announced his arrival and cautiously opened the door. ¡°U-ugh.¡± As the door opened, a girl who had been crouching in the dark room raised her head, flinching from the light entering the room. ¡°...Ah.¡± The girl squinted her eyes against the bright light as she tried to discern the person who had just entered. ¡°A-ah.¡± Upon recognizing Frey, she began to tremble. ¡°I-It was my fault... I was wrong...¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility for it. You can hit me, lock me up, or even... k-kill me, b-but...¡± She stuttered as she beseeched Frey, who was also trembling. ¡°...Please, spare my sister.¡± She knelt before Frey. ¡°.....Ugh.¡± Frey, who experienced a storm of emotions in that short moment, unknowingly grit his teeth and took a deep breath. ¡°Sigh.¡± He slowly approached Kania, who was kneeling in front of him. ¡°...Hic.¡± As he gradually closed the distance, the girl closed her eyes tightly as if anticipating her fate. ¡°My father didn¡¯t bring you here to punish you.¡± Frey, now right in front of her, raised the scroll and began to speak with a trembling voice. ¡°Nor do I have any intentions of punishing you. Of course, that goes for your sister as well.¡± ¡°Ah...?¡± ¡°The crime was committed by your parents. It¡¯s not right to blame you for it.¡± Frey spoke while strongly biting down on his lips. ¡°...Wha?¡± He carefully hugged the girl in front of her. ¡°Your name is... Kania, right?¡± ¡°Y-yes...¡± ¡°Alright, Kania. There¡¯s something I need to tell you.¡± Then, Frey¡¯s voice quivered more intensely as he spoke to the girl, who became bewildered at the unexpected declaration. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Even though you and your sister aren¡¯t at fault... if things continue like this, I¡¯m afraid we might come to resent you.¡± Feeling her body tense up, Frey continued ¡°There¡¯s a lot we need to do in the future, and if even a speck of such negative emotions remain... it could lead to a disaster.¡± ¡°W-what are you...¡± ¡°So, I must erase it.¡± Frey, holding the scroll completed by Irina in both hands, apologized. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Kania.¡± ¡°Um...¡± He then forcefully tore the scroll in half. Fzzzzzzz... ¡°...After everything¡¯s over, let¡¯s meet again.¡± After whispering that to Kania, who became surrounded by colorful lights bursting from the scroll, Frey tightly embraced her. ¡°W-what is this?¡± A moment later, Kania furrowed her brow and asked, swallowing hard. ¡°W-what are you doing?¡± Kania pushed him away and stared at him with furrowed brows. Then, he turned to Irina, who had been blankly staring at the events unfolding before her. ¡°Let¡¯s go. The next person is my friend, Irina.¡± Frey urged Irina. ¡°What?¡± Irina asked back reflexively. ¡°The clever girl discovered the identity of the werewolf.¡± ¡°.......Ah.¡± Irina¡¯s eyes began to tremble fiercely. Chapter 147: - Time Paradox ? Time Paradox ? The young Irina, who had been sitting in the lobby with a vacant expression, rose from her seat with a pale face upon seeing Frey. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Irina?¡± Uncertain of what to say, Irina hesitantly started talking. ¡°The werewolf that chased us back then... I mean...¡± ¡°Yeah, what about it?¡± ¡°...You really don¡¯t know?¡± Hearing her words, Frey replied in an unruffled tone. ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to understand what you¡¯re talking about since a while ago. It was just a ferocious werewolf that happened to follow us into the mountains, right? The werewolf is dead, and we¡¯re safe, so it¡¯s all in the pas-¡° ¡°Frey.¡± However, Irina interjected with a trembling voice, cutting him off. ¡°I... actually saw....¡± ¡°Saw what?¡± ¡°...The werewolf reverting halfway to its original form.¡± Frey¡¯s face momentarily contorted, but he soon feigned confusion with a tilt of his head. ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand what you¡¯re saying.¡± ¡°You were kneeling in front of the werewolf.¡± ¡°What on earth are you...¡± ¡°I was only pretending to be unconscious.¡± Irina confessed with a pallid face. ¡°Since things turned out the way they did, I pretended to be knocked out to try and get more compensation money...¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± ¡°So, I saw everything. I heard everything. The werewolf... was actually... actually...¡± Irina, who had spoken up to that point, trailed off. ¡°...Huh.¡± Frey briefly lost his composure, and fear filled Irina¡¯s face as she fidgeted in her seat. ¡°Irina.¡± Frey intently looked at Irina and declared once more, ¡°That was just a werewolf.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We just happened to encounter a werewolf... no, a wolf, while playing there.¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me that now...?¡± ¡°I was the one who got lost there, and I was the one who defeated the wolf. It¡¯s all my doing.¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason why you should feel guilty when you tried to protect me.¡± Frey picked up the scroll as he comforted her. Fzzzzzzz... ¡°Understand?¡± Irina¡¯s lips moved to say something, but Frey tore the scroll before she could make a sound. ¡°Eumm.....¡± Then, a moment later- ¡°What, Frey? When did you come?¡± Rubbing her eyes, Irina saw Frey standing in front of her. ¡°...Just now.¡± ¡°Really? I see. Well, um...¡± Irina trailed off as Frey calmly replied. ¡°You seem a bit down... Do you want to go eat some fish?¡± Her cheeks turned rosy as she blushed. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a bit busy right now.¡± ¡°Oh? Uh... Okay...¡± However, faced with Frey¡¯s prompt rejection, she stammered dejectedly. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Frey then whispered to the older Irina, who was blankly staring at her younger self. ¡°Clana and Ferloche are in the reception room.¡± ¡°.......¡± Frey slowly walked away but looked back to call out to her when she remained dazed. ¡°Miss Mage?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah.¡± Irina regained her senses and followed behind Frey. ¡°Even if we look alike, we¡¯re just too similar...¡± ¡®.....!¡¯ Hearing her younger self muttering with a chilly voice behind her, Irina stopped in her tracks. ¡°No, I must be mistaken.¡± ¡®...The next thing she¡¯s going to say...¡¯ A hazy scene from a childhood memory suddenly surfaced in her mind. ¡°¡°There¡¯s no way my chest would get that big.¡±¡± Irina muttered, and just as she did, her younger self repeated the exact words. Irina¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°...What on earth is going on?¡± Irina started to sense something strange from that moment on. ¡°Miss Mage, please hurry up!¡± ¡°...Oh, okay.¡± But without time to fully ponder the strangeness, Irina followed Frey¡¯s lead as he led her towards the reception room. ¡°Frey, why do you look like that? Your expression is so grim.¡± ¡°You! Get a grip! There¡¯s a princess and the Saintess right ahead!¡± Frey opened the door and immediately bowed his head in apology to Clana and Ferloche upon entering for keeping them waiting. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay...?¡± It was Ferloche who had returned from the restroom. ¡°Frey said...¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°That he loves you and that he¡¯s sorry.¡± Irina grabbed the scroll with both hands and closed her eyes. ¡°And...¡± Then, she tore the scroll in half ¡°¡°...to meet again.¡±¡± ¡°......Huh?¡± No, she tried to. ¡°Gugu!!¡± A white dove she had seen many times before flew in and caught the scroll before it could be torn. . . . . . ¡°...Phew.¡± On the night Irina infiltrated Frey¡¯s Ordeal ¡°Today was another fulfilling day!¡± Within the dormitory, Ferloche Astellade was sitting in front of her desk and stretching her body. ¡°Then, let¡¯s write today¡¯s diary...¡± After stretching, she picked up her quill pen with her usual bright smile. However. ¡°Gugu... gu...¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Her eyes widened as her pet dove flew in through the dormitory window. ¡°Gugu! Where have you been that you¡¯ve just come back...¡± She crossed her arms with a stern expression to scold the dove but soon gasped. ¡°...Huk!¡± Seeing the dove¡¯s body thoroughly injured, she stood up in shock. ¡°What happened?!¡± ¡®...Finally, the time has come.¡¯ From that point on, her expression began to change. Shaaaa... ¡°Gugu! Who hurt you? Was it that violent owl?¡± ¡®After countless repetitions, I finally reached the destination I¡¯ve been longing for.¡¯ As she infused her holy power into the dove, her thoughts were completely different from what she was saying. ¡°There¡¯s no helping it! Come in! The wound is too severe!¡± ¡®Did you remember? Did you? You did, right?¡¯ With one hand, she pushed the dove, which had turned into a white lump, into her heart. Then, with the other hand, she urgently unfolded the magic scroll she had recently received from the scroll merchant and started to mumble. ¡°I remember. I remember it completely. I can reproduce it exactly without a single mistake.¡± Sincerity could be felt in the words which didn¡¯t seem to be of unconscious or deliberate intent. ¡°It¡¯s the first and last chance. There¡¯s no next time if I fail. Everything will be over.¡± She continued to mutter with a grim face. ¡°I have to meet the condition of ¡®five enlightenments¡¯. Will I be able to do it? Can I really do-¡° Koogoogoooong... ¡°...Ha.¡± As the sky started to rumble, she looked up and chuckled. ¡°Demon God, did you just notice? Well, I did make quite a ruckus.¡± Koogoogoogooong! ¡°But it¡¯s no use raging because that fury will be as if it never happened.¡± Koogoogoong!!! ¡°I¡¯m going to escape into the ordeal, the past that you deceived me into thinking was a fabricated world.¡± Then, Ferloche declared- ¡°I¡¯m leaving now.¡± While shedding a single tear- ¡°To the only path that will bring you a happy ending.¡± And finally, she quietly whispered. ¡°Retry.¡± The world turned upside down. . . . . . ¡°Good job, Gugu.¡± Ferloche gently stroked the dove that brought back the scroll Irina was about to tear. ¡°W-what are you doing!?¡± Irina stared at Ferloche with a dumbfounded expression. ¡°Lady Irina.¡± But Ferloche remained unperturbed and posed a question instead, ¡°Did you know?¡± ¡°What?¡± Her expression turned cold as she continued. ¡°...Even the dazzling sun is just one of the countless stars in the sky.¡± Then, Ferloche took out the magic scroll from the scroll merchant, which had been copied without any error, and handed it to Irina. Chapter 148: - Why the Star Loves the Moon ? Why the Star Loves the Moon ? "Huu... T-thank you." Upon the young Frey¡¯s request, Irina successfully conveyed his message to most of the people and altered their memories. Frey came out of his room, and holding his hands, they headed towards the place he said he needed to go. It was then that Irina opened her mouth. "What on earth... did I just experience in the reception room earlier?" "Did you know, Miss Mage?" ¡°Huh?" Irina, who was mumbling with a serious expression on her face, jerked her head in surprise when Frey asked a question. "I''m... supposed to be a hero." Then, with a blank face, the young Frey continued to speak. "The fate of the world depends on me. If I don''t step forward, the Demon King will burn down the world." "Uhm..." "At first, I didn''t believe it. But then, I started feeling the power of a hero." As Frey emotionlessly swung his fist, all the trees lined up on the street were demolished. "Until yesterday... I had barely managed to land blows on sister Isolet, but now, even if I simply swing my fist, the practice dolls explode. It''s quite funny, isn''t it?" Frey, touching his fist, chuckled in resignation, but Irina didn¡¯t dare to laugh along. "Haha..." Because even though Frey was laughing out loud, his eyes were hollow. "Miss, thank you." "Hm?" "For developing the scroll... I really appreciate it." Irina unintentionally tightened her grip on his hand and quietly glanced sideways as he smiled for the first time. "I-it was nothing. I only contributed a small part..." "If it weren''t for this scroll, I might have given up." Tightly clasping Irina''s hand, Frey continued in a hushed tone. "I had so many precious relationships... and so many sad memories. So, if I couldn''t alter my memories... I think I would have run away." "I-I see." "But thanks to the memory manipulation scroll you developed, I think I can keep going." Wiping the tears from his eyes, Frey soon asked a question with a grim expression. "By the way, are you really okay with it?" "With what?" "One of the three remaining scrolls is for you." Irina tilted her head. "One for Serena, me, and you." Irina asked, and Frey clarified once more. "Komerun... so, umm... mine?" "Yes, yours. I''m really sorry, but even though you¡¯re the one who developed the scroll, you shouldn''t remember this either." The young Frey, who was mistaking Irina for Tower Master Komerun, quietly spoke up. "As per our promise, please teleport back to the tower once the final operation is over and I tear our scrolls." "...Ah, okay." "Thank you, really." Irina was surprised when she saw Frey bow his head. Afterwards, Frey looked at her with a puzzled face. "But come to think of it, I thought I heard father say that Ms. Komerun was quite old. Maybe I heard it wrong?" "........." "No, it doesn''t matter. I apologize if that was inappropriate..." "No, it''s okay." Thus, Irina, who had unknowingly begun to stroke Frey''s head, gulped when she noticed his bashful smile. ''S-so cute.'' Reminded of the young Frey who had once handed her a fish, her heart throbbed when faced with his smile. "We''ve arrived." "...Ah." Frey stopped in his tracks. Knock knock knock "I am Frey Raon Starlight. I have business with the Lord of the Moonlight Family." Then, Frey turned to Irina, who was observing the mansion with a frown. "Miss Mage." "Hmm?" "I''m about to commit the very first bad deed of my life." "Very first?" "No, should I even call it a bad deed? A false evil act? Anyways, something like that. I don''t exactly know the difference between them." Frey, who had spoken with a pale face, soon wore a guilty expression. "I-I''m sorry. Am I being too bothersome?" "No, not at all." "I''m sorry. I''m just feeling so nervous... The moment that will kick everything into motion is approaching, and I feel like I''m going insane. So, I ended up talking endlessly without realizing it." As Frey was about to bow his head, Irina stopped him with her hand. "No, no, It¡¯s fine! You can keep talking. Having a conversation is the best thing you can do when you¡¯re feeling nervous." "...Is that how it is?" "Yes, so talk as much as you want." "Thank you." Irina reassured him with a smile, and Frey bowed his head in thanks. He then directed his gaze towards the Moonlight Mansion, whose doors had swung wide open. "Miss Mage is probably already aware, but I am about to commit my first evil act against my fiance?e." However, the purple energy never reached Irina. "Did you just call me a brat?" "H-how...?" It was because Irina, who had cast more than 10 layers of magic circles in the blink of an eye, started pulling the purple mass into the magic circle. "Do you know who was the only one to inflict a fatal wound on the Demon King in the final battle?" "W-what are you talking about?" "It was me, Irina Philliard. The greatest archmage of all time." Looking down at the trembling purple mass, Irina declared her victory. "I don''t know why, but mana returned upon entering the ordeal. That means you''re no match for me anymore." "No, it can''t be! I received power directly from the Demon King! So why? Why?!" "Didn¡¯t I just tell you that I fatally wounded that very Demon King? Well, it seems like I¡¯ll have a gift for Serena once I get out of this ordeal." "W-wait... AHHHHHHH!" After completely stuffing the purple mass into the magic circle, Irina left the room. "What Frey whispered to Serena... Could it really be true?" Her eyes shook. . . . . . "Ah, there they are." Irina, who had engraved the magic circle containing the purple mass onto an extra scroll, called out to Frey and Serena upon discovering them in the courtyard outside the mansion. "Hey-" "F-F-Frey... Why... Why did you do that?" "Mm." However, she soon stopped in her tracks. "Why? Just did you do such a thing?! Are you crazy?! Did you say it by mistake? Answer me. Please... Say something..." "...You idiot." "What?" Frey wistfully gazed at Serena. "Back off, you¡¯re suffocating me, you idiot." ".....Ah?" Being called an idiot for the first time in her life, Serena¡¯s expression slowly crumbled. "Why... why on earth...?" "You idiot, I said you¡¯re suffo-" "WHY DID YOU DO THAT TO YOURSELF!?!?" Serena screamed as she tightly hugged Frey, causing him to cough. "Why did you sacrifice 90 years of your life!?" "Cough, cough" "Look!!! You''re already coughing!! What are you going to do!!!" "Serena." Frey tightly returned her hug and whispered before pulling out three scrolls. "I love you." ".....!" After declaring his love for her, Frey began to tear the scrolls. "...I love you too, Frey." As he tore the scrolls in half, the two¡¯s memories changed into one of Frey''s one-sided betrayal. And right before the memories of the real Tower Master, who was still working on the scrolls¡¯ formulas from inside the tower¡¯s laboratory, were modified- "I will love you. No matter what happens, my love for you will be forever." Serena whispered with eyes filled with determination. And a fourth scroll was torn. [Ending the Third Ord...] Fzzzzzt! In addition to the three scrolls in Frey¡¯s hands, Irina tore a fourth scroll. It was the one she had received from Ferloche back in the reception room. [System error detected!] [Unauthorized access found!] [Warning!] [Unauthorized function!] [Unauthorized function!] [Unauthorized function!] And countless error windows began popping up before her eyes. Irina, who was watching the red warning windows filled with malicious energy, soon answered with an awkward smile. "D-Demon God, I don''t know what¡¯s going on, but... this seems quite good?" At that moment, the world came to a stop. "Hu..." Irina, who was enviously watching Serena kiss the young Frey, saw Ferloche walk into the frozen world. "Ferloche, just like you asked, I tore the scroll right before the end of the Third Ordeal. Now tell me the truth. This isn¡¯t just a fictitious world within the Ordeal, right? That¡¯s why my mana returned. Not to mention, everything is too vivid." "Haa..." "It''s also weird that I was the one to finish the memory manipulation scrolls with knowledge from the future." "Ms. Irina." "But the strangest thing is you. What''s with that look, and what was with that scroll? Are you really the idiotic Ferloche I know?" Irina vented all the doubts she harbored. "...Explain everything." And with a sullen expression, she demanded an explanation from the young Ferloche. "Explain everything, Ferloche." Meeting Irina¡¯s gaze, Ferloche nodded. "I understand. I¡¯ll explain everything." Chapter 149: - Bad Ending 2[Modified] ? Bad Ending 2[Modified] ? "I¡¯ll explain everything now. You deserve to know." Irina observed Ferloche with a cold expression. As Ferloche took a step forward, she continued. "Listen carefully. I''ll only say this once." "Okay." "And just listen even if you don''t fully understand." "What?" "You''re good at memorizing, right? If something happens to me, please tell Frey exactly what I said. He should be able to understand." Irina became bewildered, but Ferloche simply walked quietly along the roadside while continuing her explanation. "The supposedly fictional worlds of the ordeals created by the System aren¡¯t actually fake." "Then what are they?" "It sends the target of the Ordeal to the past. No, to be precise... it sends them to an ''old save file''." As Ferloche suddenly started using strange terms, Irina, who had been frowning until then, closed her eyes and quietly began to memorize her words. "The illusions Frey saw in the First Ordeal were just one of the many events recorded in the save data." "The First Ordeal?" "In the Second Ordeal, Frey was sent to a save file that contained a bad ending." "Wait, what... is a save file?" As Irina, who had been silently memorizing Ferloche''s words until then, cautiously asked, Ferloche, who had been walking along the street, glared at her. "I told you to just memorize it." "No, I-I need to be able to understand..." "I¡¯m joking. I should at least tell you that much." Not wanting to argue, Ferloche sighed and began to slowly explain. "In ''games'' that supposedly exist all over the world, players can store their progress information in a format called ''save data'', which the player can then go back and load at any time." "Um... if it''s a game..." "Frey must have told you about ''Dark Tale Fantasy'', so you should be able to roughly understand, right?" As Irina nodded, Ferloche sighed and resumed walking. "Granted, what I said only applies to ordinary games. Dark Tale Fantasy is structured differently." "How is it different?" "If we ''fail'' to clear the game, we have to ''retry''. That is, start over again from the beginning." Ferloche, who said that with a weary expression, suddenly stopped and looked up at the sky. "Save files are just a means to mock Frey disguised as ''Ordeals''. They¡¯re there simply to lower Frey¡¯s motivation by showing him all the mistakes and failures from previous attempts. Seeing Ferloche''s miserable appearance, Irina inadvertently started to sympathize. "I have the ability to ''retry'' by returning to the first save data." "What?" "It''s easier to understand if you think of it as me having the ability to regress to the initial starting point." With a soft whisper, Ferloche peered at Irina. "I''ve regressed hundreds of times, thousands of times... no, an uncountable number of times." "Wh-why..." "In pursuit of a single possibility." Saying that, Ferloche soon smiled brightly and continued, "To reach the near-impossible possibility in which I became Frey''s partner, leading him to face the ''greatest secret'' in the Third Ordeal, and finally, having you intrude into the Ordeal." As she spoke, a single tear ran down her cheek. "We finally reached that possibility." "I... I don''t understand." Irina still looked confused, and Ferloche smiled. "The Third Ordeal is a bit special. It sends the target to the very first save file." "To the first save file?" "Yes, the very first record that is connected to all future save files afterward." Wiping away her tear, Ferloche spoke with a trembling voice. "The world we¡¯re in right now... is a pure world before countless branching points and timelines were created." "Um... It''s difficult, but I think I kind of understand." "At the same time, it''s also the world I arrive in every time I retry." Having said that, she held Irina''s hand and led her somewhere. "Do you know who I saw every time I retried, and every time the young Frey tried to erase his memories?" "Wh-who?" "It was you, Lady Irina." "Me...?" "I''ve seen you countless times, standing next to Frey, hesitating while activating the scroll." Ferloche¡¯s lips lifted to show a fatigued smile. "And that became the motivation that allowed me to keep trying. The fact that you were there meant that you would definitely intrude into the Third Ordeal." Ferloche seemed small but somehow imposing, causing Irina to unknowingly swallow back her saliva. "And finally, it happened." "Ah..." "A single coincidence occurred, and before the five of them were enlightened, you intruded into the Third Ordeal... It was an almost impossible probability." "W-wait." As Ferloche chuckled, Irina asked with a bewildered expression, "Does that make sense? It''s a time paradox, isn''t it?" "Huh?" "I mean, my future self interfering with the past and significantly impacting events? That''s against the laws of the world..." "''Save data'' doesn''t simply mean the past." "What? The final gate?" "Now, it''s really the end..." Irina desperately asked, but Ferloche was no longer looking at her. [The Third Ordeal will begin!] "I still don''t understand so many things!" Irina screamed, but Ferloche chuckled. "The five girls, including you, and Frey from your timeline will go through a new Third Ordeal with the newly resetted conditions." "What? To which point are we going?" "To the cursed round where it all began." "Stop talking nonsense and explain it so I can understand!" In the crumbling world, Irina grabbed Ferloche and shook her. "The reason I got the power to ¡®retry¡¯, the reason I know all this, the reason your memories returned, and the reason why the world is like this..." "...Ugh!" "As long as you five girls and Frey reach the enlightenment you need through the new Third Ordeal, you will all be able to return to your original world." As she said that, the world folded in half. Irina lost her balance and began to fall. "Is this enough?" In that chaotic world- "Frey?" Ferloche looked at Frey, who had been far away with Serena until then. "Is this enough for my atonement to you?" Naturally, there was no answer from Frey, who was in the stopped time. "Well, it''s fine. This time, I''ll be able to give you a happy ending." Despite that, Ferloche continued her story resolutely. "Then, let''s do the last thing we need to do." She began to manipulate the [Debug Mode] window that Irina had left behind. [Save Data Management System] > Ferloche Astellade is currently in Data 01. "Load the most recent round." > The most recent round is ????? data. Are you sure you want to return? As that question appeared in the debug window- "Of course." > Applying...... Ferloche calmly wrote words that didn''t exist in the Sunrise Empire or this dimension. "We need to hurry back and employ the Third Ordeal." And then, the world flipped. "Uhm..." Frey, who fell into a daze, cautiously opened his eyes. "...Huh?" Strange sights unfolded before his eyes. "What is this? What''s going on?" He was tied up with ropes as fierce soldiers surrounded him. And in front of him, all the main heroines he loved were looking at him quizzically. "........?" ".........." However, that only lasted for a moment. Their eyes sunk and turned cold. Ferloche, who stepped forward with a scornful expression as their representative, began to speak. "Frey Raon Starlight, you are arrested on suspicion of attempted murder of the hero." She declared with a chilling voice. ''But...I''m the hero?'' Bewildered, Frey couldn¡¯t find any words to retort. "Pft. Hehe..." Upon hearing a familiar, mocking voice, he looked up and gazed beyond the main heroines. ".....!" And at that moment, he froze. "What are you looking at? Don''t upset our hero." "Vile human, you''ve finally been caught." "...The Sun God won''t forgive you." He saw the sub-heroines, Roswyn, Aishi, and the youngest Holy Knight of the Sun God Order, who had yet to meet. "...Disgusting." "Please take him away quickly, I feel like vomiting." "Good riddance, you worthless brat." Isolet, the person he respected the second most in the world, Lulu, who tried to save him by any means, Irina''s friend, Arianne, and all the other students of Sunrise Academy were denouncing him with cold expressions. "Pffft." And among the crowd, Ruby was giggling with her mouth covered, as if she found something incredibly amusing. ''Hey, what on earth is going on here...?'' In such an incomprehensible situation, Frey fumbled to ask a question, but completely different words left his mouth. "Success... Finally... It''s finally a success..." It was a voice so exhausted, on the brink of completely dying out. "I can finally... bring a happy ending to the world." And so, the true Third Ordeal began. Chapter 150: - Trial ? Trial ? [The Third Ordeal] [From this point forward, you will experience the truth that you have forgotten.] [Among the countless events that have occurred from the first timeline to the present, it is both the saddest and most regrettable.] [Upon the ordeal''s conclusion, a choice will be presented to you.] [Your choice will be whether to forgive the people who tormented you or not.] ''...What?'' Whilst being bound and escorted by a group of soldiers, a system window suddenly materialized before my eyes. ''Countless events from the first timeline to the present? The saddest and most regrettable event?'' I mostly understood the message, but there was one part that didn¡¯t make sense. I was only on the second timeline, so what does it mean by countless? [From now on, it will begin.] Before I could even resolve my confusion, the system window vanished. "Huh? What?" At that moment, my entire body turned translucent, and I was ejected from my own body, landing on my butt. "...What''s going on?" Rubbing my sore buttocks, I stared in disbelief at my now-transparent body. "Young Master?" "Frey!" "...What happened?" I suddenly discovered the other main heroines approaching me while in a similarly translucent state. "We were taking care of the collapsed young master when suddenly a message for the third ordeal appeared..." "M-Me too. And when I came to my senses, my body was translucent. And there was another me over there, glaring at you..." "I''m in the same situation." As I blankly stared at Kania, Clana, and Serena, who were all speaking with a flustered tone, "Ferloche, you''re returned." "...I have." I noticed Irina and Ferloche mumbling with serious expressions. "Hey, guys? What''s going on with all this..." "Everyone, follow me." Frey, who was trying to urgently ask them questions, "Keep your eyes on everything that happens from now on." ".....Ferloche?" I stared blankly as Ferloche gestured for the others to follow and led them toward my body, which was being pushed away by the guards and into a distant carriage. "Hurry up." ""........"" For a moment, Frey and the other heroines stared at her and then cautiously followed behind Ferloche. "...What is going on?" Filled with a mountain of curiosity. "From now on, I will announce the Academy''s decision on Frey Raon Starlight''s fate. Still bound by ropes, Frey was approached by an official from the academy while being transported in an open carriage. "The Sunrise Academy has decided to expel Frey Raon Starlight and impose a permanent ban." "...Hmm." "However, please understand that this decision may be changed depending on the outcome of the trial." As the official glanced at Frey, he maintained a monotonous voice with various documents spread out in front of him. Sighing, Frey raised his head. "Haah..." On the way to the courthouse, many people lined the streets, observing. "...That scumbag is finally being arrested? What in the world has he done now?" Naturally, the gazes of the people were cold. There was no way anyone would look kindly at the sight of the empire''s greatest scumbag, who had been committing atrocities for years, being dragged away in such a miserable state. "Don''t even say it aloud. He''s accused of attempting to murder the hero." "Crazy bastard." And their gazes became even colder when people who knew about his crime began to inform the others amongst the crowd. "...I can''t believe it''s really happening. I thought it was something that would only happen in novels or plays." As word of Frey''s crimes spread, all sorts of stones and garbage was hurled towards the carriage. Since the carriage was intentionally left open on all sides, Frey, who was tied up, had no choice but to endure these attacks. "..........." However, contrary to people''s expectations that he would scream or protest, Frey calmly closed his eyes and surrendered his body to the swaying carriage. "...What''s wrong with him? Why is he acting like that?" "Maybe he''s realizing he''s about to die." "Tsk tsk, if he had been like this from the start, he would have been alright." Listening to the murmurs of the embarrassed crowd who ceased their attacks, Frey spoke. Strangely, the judge felt a shiver down his spine as he began to read the prepared verdict, stuttering. "The court hereby sentences the defendant, Frey Raon Starlight, to the highest punishment of the law, ''death penalty''..." Everyone''s eyes lit up at the sound of ''death penalty.'' "...It''s my victory, Frey." Ruby, whose ruby-colored eyes were shining, muttered to herself while receiving a shoulder massage from Rosewyn, who was seated behind her. "In the end, you couldn''t satisfy me either." As she finished speaking, the judge raised his gavel, ready to seal his verdict. "Wait." ".....?" But at that very moment, Frey, who had not been wearing a despicable expression for a while, smiled and began heading somewhere. "It won¡¯t be the death penalty. Right, Clana?" "...Get lost." Soon, Frey arrived in front of Clana, who was seated in the audience. "At that time, you rejected the covenant I had requested... correct?" "You withdrew it yourself. Get lost. I don''t want to see your face even for a moment..." "So, I still have a chance to use the covenant?" "...What?" At those words, Clana frowned. "I have a written copy of ancient imperial law." Turning his back to Clana, Frey walked back to the center of the courtroom, pulling out an old book from his pocket, which he had clearly prepared in advance. "It''s a law that¡¯s so old, only some of its contents have been recorded and passed down the royal family, but there is a loophole." Sneering at the judge and audience, who were quietly staring at the ragged book, Frey spoke. "According to Article 200, Section 7, if a member of the royal family accepts the request and withdraws the covenant, the user of the covenant shall be given another chance to use the covenant." Upon hearing this, the expressions of those present began to harden. "Therefore, I will use my covenant with the royal family once more." Frey, who had been smiling tiredly at those people, spoke. "Reduce my sentence." ".....What?" "Using the authority of the royal family, minimize the sentence I will receive in this trial." Turning back to look at Clana, he declared his desire. "This is not a suggestion, but an order. The covenant is bound with ancient magic, so you can''t refuse." "W-Wait...!" "Don''t even think about offsetting it with another covenant. Both the Moonlight family and the Imperial family have already used their respective covenants." As soon as Frey finished speaking, silence enveloped the courtroom. "I-I''ll do as... he says." In that situation, Clana spoke with a humiliated expression. "Then... I will deliver the verdict once again..." In the silence, the judge, who had been gritting his teeth, announced the new verdict in a low voice. "The criminal, Frey Raon Starlight... will be sentenced to indefinite house arrest..." Having finished the verdict, the judge began to grind his teeth so hard that it made a creaking noise. "That¡¯s ridiculous!!!" "This is a sham!!" "Let go! Let me go!!" A frenzy was brewing amongst the audience. [System Notification for [Path of False Evil]!] [The awakening of the Hero''s Armament has reached 100 percent!] [The Final Scenario is now open!] "Phew..." Frey, who was staring at the system window that had finally appeared, spoke. "This is it." He then glanced at the people surrounding him, all of which were either swearing at him or pulling out their weapons and charging at him. Frey stared at the people whom he loved. [Main Quest: The Final Battle] - Defeat the Demon King and become the savior of the world Reward: One wish from the Sun God, World Peace. "Finally, I''ve made it." He then turned his gaze to Ruby, who was slightly flustered. "After giving everyone a happy ending..." He then murmured quietly to himself in a soulless voice. "...I can finally rest." The sun that shone upon him was gradually setting. Chapter 151: - Unique Ability ? Unique Ability ? ¡°...Excuse me.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Could you please prepare breakfast for me?¡± A few months had passed since the conclusion of Frey¡¯s trial. ¡°You still want to be treated like a noble? You¡¯re even asking me to prepare breakfast when you¡¯ve never made such a request before.¡± ¡°...Please.¡± Following the trial¡¯s verdict, Frey, who had been confined to his mansion, sat down at the dining table and requested his breakfast with a haggard expression from the person in front of him. ¡°Sigh...¡± The one making delicious sandwiches and warm coffee for Frey was not Kania, nor was it any of the servants who had faithfully served the Starlight family for decades. ¡°...How annoying.¡± It was a female knight who had been assigned by the imperial family to monitor Frey. This knight was someone who always gazed upon him with disgust. ¡°Well, we won¡¯t be seeing each other anytime soon, so I¡¯ll prepare something special for you.¡± She, who never failed to show contempt towards Frey, sighed and walked away. ¡°Soon, the final battle between the imperial army and the Demon King¡¯s army will begin. As a proud knight of the imperial order, I must fight.¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. And because the hero, who has been conserving her strength until now, will participate in the battle....We will be able to defeat the Demon King.¡± With a cold expression, she raised the corners of her mouth and questioned Frey. ¡°Isn¡¯t that bad news for you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Are you not the Demon King¡¯s dog?¡± The female knight, now abandoning any form of respect, whispered an insult at Frey, who was sitting at the table whilst looking blankly at her. ¡°To think you attempted to kill the hero, the sole hope of this empire and of the world.... And you continue to live luxuriously in your mansion like a parasite, just feeding.¡± ¡°...Hmm.¡± ¡°Do you even know how many times I¡¯ve wanted to kill you?¡± Staring at Frey¡¯s expressionless face, the female knight continued speaking. ¡°Not just me, but all the people of the empire must want to kill you. So many have tried to break into the mansion, so you must know that much.¡± Completing her rant, the female knight moved away with a disgusted expression. ¡°Forget it. There¡¯s no point in talking to someone like you. I¡¯ll prepare your last breakfast, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°...Thank you.¡± As the female knight was about to leave the room, she stopped after barely hearing Frey¡¯s faint voice. ¡°To think you¡¯re thanking me...¡± Scanning the request written on the paper by Frey, she replied in a cold voice. ¡°...when I¡¯m preparing your last meal.¡± ¨C Bang!! With that, she slammed the door shut. ¡°..........¡± Quietly looking at the closed door, Frey slowly picked up the newspaper that was lying on the table. [Sunrise Newspaper] [Is the glorious sun setting on our empire?] [Recently, the major battle between the Demon King¡¯s army and the Royal Army resulted in yet another defeat for the Royal Army. The Royal Army, which has never won a single major battle excluding minor skirmishes, has once again proven its incompetence.] ¡°Phew.¡± Frey let out a faint sigh as he read through the report in the newspaper. [Meanwhile, for some reason, the Hero has been in hiding since the invasion of the Demon King¡¯s army began a few months ago, and due to this, some people are voicing that the Hero¡¯s qualifications should be reconsidered...] ¡°It¡¯s time for the final battle.¡± [In response, both the royal family and the Church explained that it was to make thorough preparations. In fact, news has spread that the Hero, who had been conserving her strength until now, will participate in the upcoming ¡®final battle¡¯...] ¡°She¡¯s been hiding like a rat, but it seems she¡¯s finally decided to fight?¡± Right after Frey¡¯s trial ended, Ruby made various excuses and began a reclusive life. Taking advantage of the fact that Frey couldn¡¯t remove his armaments until he awakened them, she headed straight to her mansion. As a result, the only thing Frey could do whilst being monitored by various people, and restricted due to the system penalty, was to await the ¡®final battle¡¯. ¡°...Sigh.¡± Consequently, Frey was forced to live an idle life, something he had never been able to experience until now. He continued to read the newspaper to alleviate his boredom. ¡°They even published this.¡± Discovering that the section of the newspaper was filled with assassination requests for him, he muttered whilst grasping his forehead. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t they censor this?¡± Whilst blaming the publisher of the newspaper, he uttered a hollow laugh as he muttered to himself. ¡°No, that can¡¯t be. It must be a message for me.¡± Frey, who had been laughing emptily for a while, suddenly stiffened. ¨C Thump! ¡°Here you go.¡± The female knight, who had prepared breakfast at some point, angrily tossed the plate of food onto the table. ¡°...I have something to go do now, so bye.¡± As Frey stared blankly at the plate that was still vibrating, the female knight quickly left the dining room, as if merely watching him eat would upset her stomach. ¡°.......¡± Thus, Frey was left alone in the dining room again. ¨C Swish. He quietly reached for the food on the plate. ¡°Sandwich, and... coffee.¡± He then picked up the food, muttering in a monotonous voice. ¡°Even the buttered rye bread...¡± It was the dish that his butler made frequently, as well as the dish that he loved the most during his childhood. Frey gazed at the dishes before cautiously taking a bite of the sandwich. ¡°...Huh.¡± However, the taste he expected was not present. ¡°...Dmir Khan.¡± ¡°Yes, at your service. Your loyal servant, Dmir Khan.¡± The one who called himself Frey¡¯s servant was the former second-in-command of the Demon King¡¯s army, Dmir Khan. ¡°As you may have noticed, we are on the verge of launching a full-scale attack. No, perhaps it might have already begun.¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, and during the historic moment when we conquer the imperial palace... Shouldn¡¯t you, Lord Frey, lead our army? If you just follow me...¡± Frey maintained a soulless expression despite Dmir Khan¡¯s presence. ¡°What do you have there?¡± Glancing at the limp Aria and the knight that Dmir Khan was holding, Frey questioned him. ¡°Ah, these guys.¡± Dmir Khan answered casually, as if it were nothing to him. ¡°They attacked me when I arrived at the mansion, so I subdued them.¡± ¡°Frey...! You bastard...! In the end, in the end!! You really were with the Demon King¡¯s army...!!¡± ¡°...I should have just killed you.¡± Glaring coldly at Aria, who reacted fiercely to his words, and the knight grumbling with rage, Dmir Khan spoke. ¡°I will spare Lady Aria¡¯s life, as she is Lord Frey¡¯s sister. However... there seems to be no need to keep this pathetic knight alive.¡± Whilst speaking in a cold voice, he reached out to the knight. ¡°May the glory of the imperial family...be eternal.¡± The knight, sensing her impending death, closed her eyes tightly and murmured to herself. ¡°By the way, where did you get that armor.....¡± Dmir Khan¡¯s question, while in the middle of reaching out to the female knight, was suddenly cut off. Even after a considerable period of time had passed, the sentence was not given a conclusion. ¨C Rumble... ¡°Uh?¡± A puzzled expression formed on the knight¡¯s face as she slightly opened her eyes and saw Dmir Khan¡¯s head on the ground. At that sight, her face was drained of color. ¡°Br-Brother?¡± ¡°...Heave!¡± It was then that the female knight discovered Frey, who was emitting a fierce aura in front of her. ¡°Uh, uh... uh... uh...¡± It was not the listless Frey she had despised and hated. The knight stared at Frey, who was exuding such a sinister aura it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to call him a demon who had walked out of hell. ¡°Pl-Please spare... me.¡± Without realizing it, she begged for her life. ¨C Shing. ¡°Ah, ugh. Ugh?¡± Glancing at her, Frey drew his sword. ¡°Pl-Please... I beg you...¡± Frey aimed his sword at the panicked knight, who was now pleading with him, her hands clasped together. ¡°...Hic.¡± He forcefully raised the sword and then swung it down upon the knight. ¨C Thump. ¡°B-brother?¡± Instead of the sharp edge, Frey struck her with the blunted side of the blade. ¡°.....Aria.¡± Frey gazed emotionlessly at the unconscious knight. ¡°B-Brother? Did you... save us? But why...¡± ¡°Stay here and rest for a while.¡± He said this to Aria, who stared blankly at him and started hastily asking questions. ¡°Wait! What¡¯s going on...¡± ¨C Fwoosh!! ¡°...Ah.¡± Having knocked out his sister, Aria, who was someone he had to protect, Frey spoke to himself erratically. ¡°Calm down, I need to calm down...¡± He held onto his trembling hand while glancing down at the two women. ¡°You¡¯ve endured well. It¡¯s okay, Frey. You just need to do this with the other heroines during the final battle.¡± He painfully murmured to himself. ¡°...I can¡¯t afford a Retry over a trivial mistake when I¡¯ve come this far.¡± Having calmed himself, Frey left the Starlight Mansion with a stoic expression and began heading towards the final battle, prepared to settle his ill-fated relationship with the Demon King. For some reason, the sunlight that day was unusually weak. *** Meanwhile, during the same time. ¡°What is... going on?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°R-Retry?¡± Whilst observing Frey heading towards the final battle alongside the other main heroines and the translucent Frey, Irina questioned Ferloche. ¡°Why would Frey say that word?¡± Irina asked that question to Ferloche, who had a cold expression on her face. ¡°Retry? What is that?¡± ¡°...Retry? It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard that word.¡± ¡°......?¡± Frey and the other main heroines were puzzled upon hearing that word. ¡°Of course Frey would say that.¡± Ferloche, who had been guiding everyone until then, glanced at them and continued. ¡°After all, the ¡®Retry¡¯ ability that I possess is...¡± Glancing at the translucent Frey, who had his head cocked in confusion, she continued speaking. ¡°...something that used to be Frey¡¯s unique ability.¡± Chapter 152: - Final Scheme ? Final Scheme ? ¡°Hoo.¡± Whilst bowing his head, Frey emitted a short sigh before gazing upwards. ¡°..........¡± The Demon Army, their numbers so vast that it was impossible to count, fixated their gazes at him. ¡°Everyone, focus.¡± Frey, who had been slowly scanning the massive Demon Army, began to speak with a chilly, cold undertone. ¡°The story I¡¯m about to share is of such significance that it won¡¯t be excessive even if I repeat it multiple times. So, etch it deeply into your minds. If anyone dares to act out of line, they should be prepared to face my wrath.¡± Frey, who seemed so delicate and fatigued that a mere touch could make him crumble, uttered these words. ¡°Do you understand?¡± ¡°.....Yes.¡± The Demon Army sprawled like ants across the expanse of heaven and earth, as they mechanically responded to Frey. ¡°From now on, we will attack the Imperial Palace.¡± Addressing the Demon Army, Frey continued. ¡°Clad in the armor that the Hero once used to protect the empire a thousand years ago, I will bring down the very same empire.¡± Donned in the Hero¡¯s Armament, Frey declared serenely. ¡°The magic circle that will be used to kill the Princess and rule the world... will be activated in the sky above the empire.¡± As Frey spoke, pointing to the sky of the Imperial Palace, the army of demons all raised their weapons towards the sky. As if they were golems, they moved in unison without wasting any movement. The Demon Army fixed their gazes on Frey once more, having transformed into war machines entirely devoted to executing his commands. ¡°The ones going into the final battle include myself, the combat executives, and strategist Lemerno.¡± From a raised platform, Frey, who had been surveying the Demon Army, pointed toward the combat executives behind him whilst giving his orders. ¡°My loyal subordinates! Today, you shall bear witness to the final sunset....and the ascent of the black sun.¡± ¡°Wowwwww!!¡± Frey received thunderous applause as he descended from the platform with his hands in his pockets, and began leading his subordinates toward a tent. ¡°...Young Master Frey.¡± Frey, who had wanted to check his plan alongside his executives one last time before advancing to the Imperial Palace, furrowed his brow upon seeing Lemerno¡¯s grave expression. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I have something to say.¡± ¡°.....?¡± Lemerno, who had been staring at Frey, spoke simply. ¡°Surrender.¡± Her expression was cold as she spoke. ¡°Surrender? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Why did you kill Dmir Khan at your mansion today?¡± As Frey questioned her with a composed expression, Lemerno inquired back in a cold voice. ¡°He tried to rebel. So, I executed him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie. I saw the whole situation.¡± ¡°You saw it?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t even detect the surveillance magic tool I casted on the mansion. You may be the most powerful being in the world, but your intelligence is lacking.¡± Lemerno looked towards the bewildered combat executives standing behind him and said, ¡°Right now, I¡¯ve blocked any noise of this conversation with my magic.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, and I have also cast Absolute Obedience Magic on myself.¡± ¡°So, what is this all about?¡± In response to Frey¡¯s inquiry, Lemerno¡¯s lips curled into a smile. ¡°It¡¯s simple. It is so that I can execute my plans to control you.¡± Saying this, Lemerno placed a rather familiar piece of paper on the desk. ¡°It¡¯s the worn-out document you always carry with you. You thought of the text as something only you could read, but weren¡¯t you too careless?¡±Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com ¡°How did you get your hands on that? I¡¯m sure I was keeping it safe.¡± ¡°Did you think I, the strategist of the Demon Army, couldn¡¯t secretly steal an unprotected piece of paper without anti-duplication magic from you, who is only strong yet ignorant?¡± Frowning, Lemerno continued to speak with his arms crossed. ¡°After copying and analyzing the characters, I found out that the characters matched those on the relics of the Western Continent that the Hero left a thousand years ago.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°I compared and scrutinized them. For years. I endured sleepless nights and endless days.¡± Lemerno, who made a slightly tired expression, pointed to the dark circles under her eyes. ¡°So, after years of difficult analysis, I finally found out.¡± ¡°What did you find out?¡± ¡°That you are a ¡®False Evil,¡¯ subject to a ¡®Penalty¡¯ if discovered, and most importantly...¡± She smirked and delivered the final blow. ¡°...that you might be ¡®pretending¡¯ to be the Demon King.¡± Frey couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as he looked at Lemerno, who had put considerable emphasis on the phrase ¡®might be.¡¯ ¡°From the way you¡¯re talking, it seems that you really have Absolute Obedience Magic cast on you, huh?¡± ¡°Yes, as I said earlier, I cast Absolute Obedience Magic on myself to ensure I don¡¯t believe anything about you without complete certainty. And, of course, to avoid your detection.¡± ¡°Is that possible?¡± ¡°It is. The Demon King herself has verified the enchantment.¡± ¡°The Demon King?¡± As Frey tilted his head, Lemerno¡¯s expression turned proud. ¡°If the Hero was pretending to be a Demon King... who do you think the Demon King was pretending to be?¡± ¡°...Ha.¡± ¡°Based on that speculation, I discreetly approached the Hero after ordering myself to not believe anything about the Hero with certainty... Finally, I was able to meet my true master, the one I should serve.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you¡¯ve been a spy for the Demon King all this time?¡± As Frey asked this. ¡°That¡¯s right, so just surrender.¡± Lemerno, who had been wearing a cold expression, ordered Frey¡¯s surrender once again. ¡°Surrender?¡± ¡°Absolute Obedience Magic can¡¯t be cast on oneself.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Her eyes widened at Frey¡¯s response. ¡°That¡¯s absurd! I definitely cast the magic on myself! The Demon King even confirmed that ¡®Absolute Obedience Magic¡¯ was cast on me...!¡± ¡°The former Demon King who invented the magic, the current Demon King, the Tower Master, and even Irina at her prime, all of whom could use ¡®Absolute Obedience Magic,¡¯ never once casted the magic on themselves.¡± As Lemerno protested vehemently, Frey remained unfazed while calmly explaining. ¡°There was no reason to cast Absolute Obedience Magic on their own self.¡± ¡°Then... how do you know that it isn¡¯t possible?¡± ¡°I tried it on myself.¡± At Frey¡¯s overly simple answer, Lemerno¡¯s eyes momentarily went blank. ¡°I was tired of regressing constantly and tried to cast magic on myself to suppress my emotions... but it didn¡¯t work.¡± Frey continued to speak with a sullen expression as Lemerno hastily asked him. ¡°How can you use ¡®Absolute Obedience Magic¡¯? It¡¯s absurd to...!¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t remember the details, but I learned how to use it around the middle of my regressions. Of course, I lost interest after realizing I could only cast it on one person.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard you mentioning regressions, but what exactly... No, wait. How can you, a swordsman, use magic...?¡± ¡°I can use magic because of a magical vein in the forest near my house. It¡¯s something that I discovered early on in my regressions.¡± Watching Frey answer bluntly with a soulless voice, Lemerno racked her brain. ¡°...Huh?¡± She soon reached a conclusion. ¡°If... if what you¡¯re saying is true... then what is the ¡®Absolute Obedience Magic¡¯ that¡¯s cast on me?¡± At the terrifying conclusion that sent chills down her spine, Lemerno questioned Frey. ¡°If you can¡¯t cast Absolute Obedience Magic on yourself... then what on earth is cast on me?!¡± ¡°...Haven¡¯t you noticed it already?¡± Looking at her, Frey calmly answered. ¡°The Absolute Obedience Magic that¡¯s cast on you is the one I cast.¡± ¡°......!!!¡± ¡°The orders you thought you cast on yourself were actually the orders I gave you.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± ¡°Since I gave you the command, ¡®Believe that the person who cast the Absolute Obedience Magic is yourself¡¯, you had no choice but to be mistaken.¡± Lemerno was stupefied. ¡°To begin with, there¡¯s no way a bitch like you could possibly wield magic that only the most powerful could use.¡± Frey gazed at Lemerno, who had collapsed to the ground in shock. ¡°Do you understand now? From the beginning, both you and the Demon King have been dancing on the palm of my hands.¡± Frey drove the final nail in the coffin with a cold expression. ¡°You stupid duck.¡± ¡°Pl-please spare me.¡± From that moment on, Lemerno began to beg with a frightened expression. ¡°I¡¯ll do a-anything, you want me to do.¡± ¡°..........¡± ¡°When everything is over, I¡¯ll offer you my intelligence. Then, won¡¯t you be able to live a little happier for the rest of your life? And, if you want, I¡¯ll even offer my body...¡± ¡°...I didn¡¯t expect to hear this line again.¡± Looking at her, Frey said, ¡°You should have left the children alone.¡± Drawing a sword from his waist, ¡°Sacrificing countless children to awaken the Demon King with a sacrificial magic circle. That was your work, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Ah, aah...¡± Frey whispered coldly. ¡°Even I, who caused countless atrocities in countless timelines... never once touched a child.¡± And at the next moment, Lemerno¡¯s neck sailed through the air. ¡°With this, your last scheme has failed, Demon King.¡± Frey, who had been standing still in the blood-stained tent, seared the image into his brain. ¡°...I command every member of the Demon Amy.¡± Frey spoke again whilst manipulating the army with the ¡®Stone of Domination.¡¯ ¡°After the battle ends, become powerless.¡± He had already identified and isolated those with extenuating circumstances, or those with a chance for redemption. Frey observed the group of demons that remained, the very personification of slaughter and evil itself. ¡°Follow me.¡± Soon after, he addressed the monsterized combat executives. ¡°We need to go to the Imperial Palace for the ¡®Final Battle.''¡± Frey pointed towards the Imperial Palace, which was directly ahead of them. . . . ¡°.....Hm.¡± Frey, who had arrived at the entrance of the Imperial Palace, saw some familiar faces. ¡°Frey Raon Starlight.¡± ¡°.......¡± ¡°...Our mortal enemy.¡± Lined up in front of the nervous royal knights were the sub-heroines. ¡°We will hold you back until the Hero¡¯s awakening is complete.¡± As Frey stared back at the sub-heroines who were coldly glaring at him, he gave an order. ¡°Subdue them.¡± He instructed the monsterized combat executives standing behind him. ¡°Do not kill or injure them.¡± And so, the ¡®Final Battle¡¯ began. Chapter 153: - End of a Long Journey ? End of a Long Journey ? ¡°Y-You shall not pass!¡± Roswyn firmly stood in the way of Frey, blocking the sole entrance into the palace. Her challenge carried an icy tone. ¡°I will never let you get to where the Hero is.¡± ¡°...Sigh.¡± ¡°I will stop you, even if it costs me my life.¡± In response to this, Frey sighed and slowly turned his head to look behind him. Kwang! Kwang! Intense battles raged in every area of the once beautiful palace garden. ¡°Grrr... ohhh...¡± The combat executives watched the sub-heroines with lifeless eyes as they battled fiercely, the contrast creating an eerie dichotomy. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll handle these bastards! Hurry, we have to stop Frey...!¡± The sub-heroines facing them unexpectedly put up a strong fight, each effectively utilizing their own abilities. From the rear, Arianne set up a protective barrier, while Lulu used magic to analyze the enemies and advise the others. Meanwhile, in the center, Aishi casted ice magic towards the enemies with a cold expression. And finally, at the vanguard, the youngest paladin of the academy boosted the team¡¯s vitality and stamina while fending off enemy attacks. ¡°...How impressive.¡± After blankly staring at them, Frey let out a bitter laugh before turning his gaze back to Roswyn. ¡°Move aside, Roswyn.¡± Frey spoke with a detached expression. ¡°Uh, I¡¯m sorry, but...¡± Roswyn, frowning at Frey, started talking with a disgusted expression. ¡°...Can you not call me by my name? Or actually, can you not call me at all? Just hearing you say my name makes me shudder with goosebumps. Oh, it also makes me feel like throwing up, you little piece of shit.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s the absolute worst. It really distresses me.¡± Roswyn, who loved the Hero more than anyone else and despised Frey, muttered with a sullen face as she looked at the girls fighting hard behind Frey. ¡°I should have just fought the executives over there. Why did I take on the gatekeeper role? If I could have fought without having to see your disgusting face, it would have been great.¡± ¡°...¡± Frey¡¯s hands trembled slightly as he listened to her muttering. His strength was amplified by the Hero¡¯s Armor he wore. ¡°You¡¯re doing all kinds of bullshit, aren¡¯t you?¡± Roswyn remarked, her exasperation clear as she observed Frey¡¯s trembling hands. ¡°Just hurry up and attack, you disgusting maggot.¡± Clenching her fist, Roswyn took a combat stance. ¡°I will kill you with my own hands and offer your head to the Hero.¡± Frey, whose hands had been trembling until then, muttered with a desperate expression as he stood in front of Roswyn. ¡°Remember. I have to control my strength before I reach the Demon King.¡± ¡°You trash, what are you doing standing there without attacking...¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± With a menacing aura, Frey cut off Roswyn¡¯s provocations, his focus unwavering. ¡®...Concentrate.¡¯ As he drew his sword from his waistband, he was trying to focus to the point of using something akin to self-hypnosis. ¡®If I make a mistake even once, I have to Retry. That is something I cannot afford to do like last time.¡¯ ¡°Hyah!¡± Roswyn, unable to bear the standoff any longer, launched an attack at Frey. Fwwoosh!!! Roswyn¡¯s powerful strike met its end all too easily, dispelled by Frey¡¯s single-armed block. ¡°...Huh?¡± Fwooooosh!!! A moment later, Frey swung his sword at the flustered Roswyn in a counterattack. ¡°Good.¡± Pushing aside the unconscious Roswyn, he muttered to himself as he finally stepped into the palace. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡± . . . ¡°I¡¯m going crazy.¡± Frey, who had defeated Roswyn and entered the palace, was still muttering to himself in a soulless voice. ¡°What¡¯s going on...¡± The ¡®Translucent Frey¡¯ followed, observing with a bewildered expression. ¡°How could this...¡± Just as he was about to start panicking due to the incomprehensible events he had witnessed up to this point, the ¡®Translucent Frey¡¯ was suddenly pushed by someone behind him, causing him to fall down to where Frey¡¯s physical body was. ¡°...Ugh!¡± Shaaaa... At that moment, the two versions of Frey began to merge. ¡°...Ferloche? What are you-?¡± Frey attempted to say something to the ¡®Translucent Ferloche¡¯ who had pushed him. The main heroines had similarly pale expressions amidst this strange phenomenon, ¡°I-I am...¡± But before he could finish his words, they had completely merged. ¡°Do you hear me, Frey?¡± After the merged Frey briefly tilted his head, he began to walk again inside the palace once more. ¡°From now on, please proceed with the ordeal by integrating with the Frey from this time.¡± With a tender expression, the translucent Ferloche spoke as she gazed at the merged Frey. ¡°That way, you¡¯ll be able to understand your ¡®true¡¯ feelings...¡± Her voice began to tremble slightly. ¡°...and you¡¯ll finally be able to judge us properly.¡± . . . . . ¡°Frey.¡± After walking for a while, a familiar voice reached my ears. ¡°Stop right there.¡± I slowly lifted my head, only to see many familiar faces before my eyes. Kania the Dark Magician. Irina the Archmage. Princess Clana, Saintess Ferloche, and even Serena the Chancellor. They had talked with more familiarity in the past. Now, they only looked at me in contempt. But it¡¯s fine now. After all, nothing mattered anymore. My heart no longer held the capacity to love them or myself. Kwooooong!!! And a moment later, my sword sliced through the air, the surroundings shrieking at the force of my blow. *** ¡°...Hm.¡± After looking at the Hero¡¯s Sword, which sparkled in the sunlight streaming through the window, I slowly sheathed it. ¡°It was a success.¡± All five heroines surrounding me had collapsed to the floor, unconscious. ¡®Well, it¡¯s only natural.¡¯ The Hero¡¯s Sword was a weapon so powerful that it would enable me to fight against the Demon King when even all the main heroines and I combined wouldn¡¯t be enough. If the weapon wasn¡¯t able to do even this much, it would render my goal impossible. However, there was something that slightly bothered me. ¡°...I hope there aren¡¯t any injuries.¡± I didn¡¯t want to incur any more debts. Instead, I now wanted to create light.1 light- ??? debt- ??? sounds very similar in Korean ¡°There¡¯s none.¡± By carefully observing the scene of the battle, I was able to confirm that there were no visible injuries on any of the main heroines. As such, I slowly got up. ¡®The place where the Demon King is gathering her strength... must be the ¡®Imperial Throne¡¯.¡¯ It was obvious where she would be. As the epitome of arrogance, she would undoubtedly be at the top floor of the Imperial Palace, seated at the highest point of such a floor. The Imperial Throne. Trudge, Trudge Having pinpointed her location, I slowly made my way up the stairs. ¡°Hoo...¡± In countless regressions, this was the first time I had come this far. Finally, the end was almost within sight. I assumed that when this moment came, my heart would race or that I would break into a cold sweat, but instead, my mind remained utterly clear. In fact, it wasn¡¯t just clear... My entire body felt strangely light. ¡°Hm?¡± Soon after, I reached the uppermost floor, where someone stood, barring my path to the throne. ¡°...Frey.¡± I wondered who it was. However, as I walked closer, I was greeted with an unexpected figure. ¡°Sister.¡± ¡°...¡± It was Isolet, the person I once admired the most in the world just behind my mother. Naturally, now she was just Professor Isolet to me. ¡°I have a question.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± As I quickly drew my sword to subdue her and proceed towards my goal, Isolet asked a sudden and unexpected question. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°W-Why did you... only...¡± Isolet gazed at me with a confused expression on her face as I tilted my head in response. ¡°...Only knock those five girls out using the back of your blade?¡± Isolet asked with a trembling voice. ¡°Hmm...¡± Whilst listening to her question, I fell into silent contemplation. ¡°I forgot.¡± ¡°What?¡± I responded with an exhausted expression. ¡°I might have had a reason once....but I forgot.¡± ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been so long that I can¡¯t seem to remember. Maybe if you give me a little more time, I might recall it....¡± Whilst observing Isolet¡¯s trembling pupils, I did my absolute best to grasp the memory. ¡°...Ah.¡± I smiled as a memory from deep in the past surfaced once again. ¡°I remember now.¡± ¡°What was your reason?¡± I stared back at Isolet intently in response to her question. ¡°...A sword isn¡¯t meant to cut. It¡¯s meant to protect.¡± I replied in a quiet voice. ¡°You had taught me this once. I had forgotten it for a long time, but I remembered it just now.¡± ¡°...!!!¡± Isolet¡¯s eyes widened and shook upon hearing my explanation. Why were her eyes widening? Oh. That was a mistake. -Booom!!! Before Isolet could say anything, I swiftly used the flat edge of my blade to knock her unconscious. While sighing, I began mumbling to myself once again. ¡°Wake the hell up. You¡¯ve come this far, but you almost had to Retry.¡± I scolded myself as I slapped my cheeks with my palms. -Screech... Having finally opened the door to my long-awaited destination, I stepped inside. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± There was a brief period of silence. ¡°...How have you been?¡± What broke that silence was Ruby, who was seated leisurely on the throne, with a wine glass in her hand. ¡°Hero.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been well.¡± As I gazed at her, I cautiously summoned forth the system window. [Stats] Name: Frey Raon Starlight Strength: Immeasurable Mana: Immeasurable Intelligence: Immeasurable Mental Strength: ??? Passive Status: Awakened/Blessing of the Stars/Hero¡¯s Strength Now, it was finally time to stop this long journey. It was time to reach the final destination. It was time to cross the final hurdle. You can rate this serieshere. Footnotes: 1 light- ??? debt- ??? sounds very similar in Korean Chapter 154: - The Final Battle ? The Final Battle ? ¡°Hmm...¡± In the center of the empire, the Imperial Palace reigned supreme. And at the very top of the palace, the Imperial Throne stood with splendor. Ruby leaned forward gradually from her cross-legged position, her expression marked with amusement. ¡°Are you tired?¡± As she examined Frey, Ruby casually questioned him, which elicited a hollow laugh from his parched throat. ¡°Well, it¡¯s obviously exhausting. I had to fight my way through so many people I had once considered precious.¡± ¡°.........¡± ¡°Seeing that there¡¯s not a trace of blood on your clothes... You just knocked them unconscious, didn¡¯t you?¡± Ruby stared at Frey as she gloated in an amused voice. ¡°You really are interesting.¡± She smirked arrogantly before monologuing further. ¡°That¡¯s why... I want you to be mine.¡± ¡°.......¡± Hearing that, Frey glared coldly at Ruby. However, Ruby seemed to find this reaction from Frey adorable. As if treating it like a child¡¯s tantrum, she looked down on him instead. ¡°This is my final offer, Frey.¡± After a pause, the silence that lingered between them¡ªone side emanating an icy gaze and the other, an affectionate one¡ªwas disrupted. ¡°Become mine.¡± Ruby said again with her eyes opened widely in desire. ¡°Why do you have that look on your face? Do you think it¡¯s foolish for me to make such an arrogant request even though you¡¯ve awoken the Hero¡¯s Armament?¡± Ruby nonchalantly posed another question, breaking the silence once more as Frey responded with no apparent reaction. ¡°Well, if you say so... I understand why you wouldn¡¯t want to take my proposal seriously.¡± Naturally, Frey didn¡¯t answer once again, but Ruby continued the conversation, gently swirling her wine glass, undeterred. ¡°By the way, aren¡¯t you curious? I didn¡¯t fight with those guys and instead, I waited for you here. Do you want to know why?¡± ¡°...Did you let them protect you so that you could wait while accumulating your False Good points?¡± ¡°Yes, precisely so.¡± When she heard Frey¡¯s response, she grinned and responded. [System Notification for [Path of False Good]!] [The awakening of the True Form of the Demon King has reached 100 percent!] [The Final Scenario has been unlocked!] She gazed at the system window that had appeared before her eyes just moments earlier. [Main Quest: The Final Battle] ¨C Kill or corrupt the Hero Reward: Advent of the Demon God. ¡°Then, I guess it¡¯s about time... to show you my true form.¡± The Demon King, who had been gazing at the translucent window hovering in mid-air with a satisfied expression, suddenly began to enshroud herself in ruby-colored magic. Grrrrrrr... As that fleeting moment passed, The ruby-colored magic enveloping the Demon King dissipated. Her body had changed dramatically. ¡°How do I look?¡± Discarding the guise of the youthful and innocent Ruby, The Demon King revealed her true form, a sensual figure and mature appearance. She tilted her head slightly and said, ¡°Does it arouse your interest?¡± However, Frey continued to remain unresponsive. ¡°...Don¡¯t tell me, you still think you can beat me?¡± Because of his lack of a response, the Demon King asked with a puzzled expression. ¡°Even if you¡¯ve awakened the Hero¡¯s Armament, you¡¯re still a human after all.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. And I am the strongest Demon King, incomparable to any of my predecessors and too powerful for even gods to challenge.¡± Despite Frey¡¯s blank expression, she continued, ¡°If the ¡®System¡¯ that prevents us from attacking each other had been activated until just a moment ago, you might have stood a chance.¡± The Demon King expounded with an arrogant voice, ¡°But now that the awakening is complete and the System is disabled, even if you¡¯ve awakened the Hero¡¯s Armaments, your chances are virtually nonexistent.¡± ¡°...Hmm.¡± ¡°Between you, who has only recently obtained transcendent power, and me, who has wielded such power freely but was only restrained for a while... Who do you think has a higher chance of winning?¡± Even after she gloated, Frey still had no reaction. The Demon King glared with a frustrated expression, as she raised her voice slightly and said, ¡°In short, the difference in experience is just too overwhelming.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about that.¡± The expressions they bore after finishing their words were tinged with considerable anxiety. Roar... From the uppermost level of the already devastated palace, an overwhelming fusion of ruby and silver energy unfurled in all directions. ¡°Ugh, uh...¡± ¡°Just a little more... hold on a bit longer.¡± This powerful energy extended far beyond the heavens, making it impossible to determine where it began and ended. It was later recounted as visible not only in the Southern Continent where the Sunrise Empire was located, but also in the Western and Eastern Continents. It reduced the Sunrise Imperial Palace to ruins, despite it being protected by numerous ancient magics. Even with the combined efforts of the five main heroines and the sub-heroines in dispersing the energy, they could only temporarily block it. ¡°If we hold on a little longer... Ruby will surely...¡± However, even in such a situation, the people, led by Ferloche, were stubbornly blocking the energy. ¡°...save the world.¡± Because they firmly believed that their hero, Ruby, would save the world. ¡°So, everyone, just a little more...!¡± As Ferloche raised her voice and looked back at the people who had painful expressions... Crash!!! A loud noise was heard from the top floor of the palace. Someone began to fall down. ¡°Ah, the Hero has finally done it...¡± Witnessing this sight, people thought that Ruby had finally defeated Frey as they began to wear hopeful expressions. ¡°.....!!!¡± However, once they discerned the identity of the figure now sprawled on the ground some distance away, they froze. ¡°Cough, cough... ugh...¡± The person who fell was not Frey, but Ruby, who had now returned to her human form. ¡°How can this be happening, Ruby? You were the one who said I had no chance of winning.¡± ¡°H-How...? How can you...?¡± Gasping in pain from the numerous fatal wounds on her body, Ruby murmured in a strained voice. ¡°It¡¯s quite simple.¡± ¡°...Kheh!¡± Frey, whose state was relatively unscathed, looked down on her coldly and began to whisper as he stomped on her stomach with all his might. ¡°Over countless regressions, I had invested quite a lot of time trying to defeat you without using the Hero¡¯s Armament.¡± ¡°W-What are you saying?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t remember much due to the frustration from countless failures or going utterly insane a few times. But what I do remember vividly is that even without the Hero¡¯s Armament, I challenged you countless times.¡± ¡°What are you talking about... ugh!¡± Frey stomped on Ruby¡¯s stomach even harder, successfully stopping Ruby¡¯s attempt to ask a question. ¡°Eventually, I gave up when I realized that without the ¡®Hero¡¯s Armament,¡¯ I couldn¡¯t fatally hurt or kill you... but it wasn¡¯t without gain.¡± With a terrifying expression that was overwhelming just to look at, he persisted in stomping on Ruby. ¡°Ugh... ugh...¡± ¡°By the time I finally stopped fighting you, I had spent three days relentlessly beating the shit out of you.¡± The Demon King was someone so immensely powerful that she had never been so much as touched by anyone. Because of this, she had never been hit nor hurt and, as a result, also had no immunity to pain. Frey continued to speak as he trampled on Ruby in the most painful way possible. ¡°In short, the difference in experience is just too much. For you.¡± While stomping on the Demon King, Frey lifted the Hero¡¯s Sword high and repeated the same words she had said earlier. ¡°H-Help me!¡± At that point, the pale-faced Demon King... No, the girl Ruby, ¡°I need your power!¡± Started gathering mana in her hands cautiously while attempting to cast some sort of magic. She began to request help from the heroines who were far away. ¡°Ah, Hero!¡± ¡°Get away from the Hero! You cursed child!¡± ¡°We¡¯re coming, just hold on for a bit...¡± The heroines, who had somehow defeated the remaining demon executives, quickly rushed to Ruby¡¯s location or began to launch attacks at Frey from afar. Shaaaaaa...! At that moment, A barrier made by Frey¡¯s stellar mana enveloped both him and Ruby. ¡°W-Wait, Frey, I have something to say...¡± In such a situation, Ruby, who had broken out in a cold sweat, opened her mouth with a desperate expression. Pwook...! ¡°...Gasp!¡± At that moment, Frey¡¯s sword pierced through her heart. ¡°¡±¡±............¡±¡±¡± An eerie stillness settled over the garden of the Imperial Palace. Chapter 155: - His Wish ? His Wish ? ¡°Keugh... ruagh...¡± Blood spewed from the Demon King¡¯s mouth as her heart was pierced. Pshhh Initially, only a trickle of blood emerged, but soon, it transformed into a torrent that formed a large pool around Ruby. ¡°H-Hero!!!¡± ¡°No!!!¡± The heroines fiercely attempted to dispel Frey¡¯s barrier, crying out in anger as they could only watch on. ¡® ¡°Frey, you bastard, I¡¯ll kill you!!¡± ¡°No... no... this can¡¯t be happening...¡± ¡°T-the sun... will the sun disappear...?¡± Frey pressed forward, ignoring the heroines who had crumbled down in the face of despair. Their faces were wrought with desperation as they pounded against the walls and murmured in hopeless voices. ¡°Ugh... F-Frey...¡± ¡°What a cockroach. Indeed, a weakened Demon King is still a Demon King after all,¡± He looked coldly at Ruby, who gripped the sword lodged in her heart while groaning in pain. ¡°Wait, just wait for a moment and listen to me.¡± Ruby looked at Frey with a pleading look as she spoke up. ¡°......¡± He stared at her in silence, urging her to continue speaking. ¡°Listen to me... before you decide whether to kill me or not. I beg of you.¡± Ruby anxiously watched Frey¡¯s reaction as she spoke. However, as Frey remained silent, she gradually began to speak. ¡°Honestly, the reason I wanted to overturn the world... it wasn¡¯t because I was bored with everyday life nor was it in need of something stimulating.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m telling the truth. So, could you please... this sword... ¡± After it seemed as if Frey began to show some interest in her story, Ruby desperately clawed at the sword in her chest, attempting to remove it. ¡°...Ugh!¡± ¡°Take your hands off.¡± However, upon hearing Frey¡¯s stern command, Ruby had no choice but to quickly relinquish her grip on the sword. ¡°It¡¯s fascinating to see that you¡¯re still alive, even after your heart has been skewered and the blade has utterly mangled everything within.¡± ¡°Huff... Huff...¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that the sword¡¯s efficacy relied on unlocking the awakening of the Hero¡¯s Armament... Well, it doesn¡¯t matter now.¡± Whilst observing her with a slightly curious gaze, Frey furrowed his brows as he spoke. ¡°Keep talking. But if you play any tricks or schemes... I¡¯ll end you immediately.¡± ¡°Ah... I got it. I got it, so just listen to me first.¡± With Frey¡¯s approval, Ruby took a deep breath and spoke with a trembling voice. ¡°The reason I wanted to destroy the world... was to defeat the Demon God.¡± ¡°Defeat the Demon God?¡± ¡°Yeah, you must be aware that your ¡®Path of False Evil¡¯ System was given to you by the Demon God, right?¡± As Frey nodded slowly in response, the Demon King gave him a knowing look before she continued her story. ¡°Well, it is quite a cliche story. As you know, the Demon God is an evil god who seeks to control this world and rule it as she pleases.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know it all too well.¡± ¡°Then, are you also aware that if I defeat you, the Demon God will descend into the world?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Demon King responded with a dark expression to Frey¡¯s frank answer. ¡°In the final battle, I decided to defeat you and bring the Demon God to this world... in order to wipe her from existence.¡± ¡°As the Demon King, why do you want to do that to the Demon God?¡± ¡°Because that bastard... made me the Demon King.¡± Once more, Ruby spewed blood as she spoke, and Frey¡¯s expression began to look slightly surprised. ¡°It was the Demon God.... who turned me into a Demon King and manipulated me into killing people and, even worse, destroying the world.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Of course, there¡¯s no way I could fight against the bastard since the gods exist within a dimension beyond my reach... and because of that, I had no choice but to live as her puppet for a long time.¡± With a tinge of bitterness, the Demon King spoke while bearing a deep sorrow. ¡°So, in order to escape this accursed fate... I had no choice but to take this path and make the decisions that I did.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± For a moment, Frey blankly stared at the Demon King¡¯s face before his expression gradually changed to a frown as he asked a question. ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand.¡± ¡°W-What do you mean?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s truly the case... you could have just let me defeat you, couldn¡¯t you?¡± Frey looked confused, tilting his head as he spoke. ¡°If I win, the Demon God will disappear from the world. In that case, you will also be free. So... why do you still insist on summoning the Demon God?¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s...¡± ¡°Perhaps, was it because of personal revenge? You don¡¯t care about what happens to the world... and you just did all of this for your own vengeance?¡± ¡°U-Ugh... no! That¡¯s not it!¡± The Demon King shouted in desperation as Frey twisted his sword once again with a cold expression. ¡°If you win, the Demon God will be sealed! Imprisoned by the gods in another dimension.¡± ¡°...Really? I never knew that.¡± ¡°If she is only sealed and not utterly annihilated, while the Demon God can¡¯t interfere with this world anymore, she¡¯d still be able to manipulate me.¡± Ruby stared at Frey, who had stopped twisting his sword, with trembling eyes and continued her explanation. ¡°If I could have found peace by being defeated by you, I would have willingly died.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°However, even if I die here at your hands, the Demon God still won¡¯t leave me alone.¡± Tears began to well up in Ruby¡¯s eyes as she spoke. ¡°As someone who possesses the vessel of the strongest Demon King in history... the Demon God would resurrect me back into this world over and over again. Even if she is sealed, the Demon God still possesses such immense power that reviving me would be just a piece of cake for her.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I had no choice but to try to defeat you and summon the Demon God to this world. So, please...¡± ¡°How did you plan to defeat such a powerful Demon God?¡± Ruby swallowed hard before responding again when Frey asked her such an obvious yet profound question. ¡°Since I am someone who has been directly endowed with power by the Demon God, I can retaliate against her using that very same power.¡± ¡°This is merely your assumption, yes? Nothing¡¯s certain here.¡± ¡°...Right, it¡¯s just my assumption.¡± Ruby closed her eyes wearily at Frey¡¯s sharp deduction. ¡°While it may just be an utterly insane guess from me... it doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t put our hopes in it.¡± She answered in a shaky voice. ¡°I¡¯m tired of living as a puppet. I¡¯m tired of hurting people, setting the world on fire, and living a life of hypocrisy.¡± ¡°Tired... you say?¡± ¡°Yeah, you look exhausted as well.¡± Ruby smiled faintly as Frey¡¯s gaze faltered upon hearing the word ¡®tired¡¯. ¡°We are two sides of the same coin, made of the same metal. Undoubtedly, you must have been so incredibly tired, just like me. Tired of living like a puppet, living just to hurt people, and... living a life full of false evil.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°Judging from that, it seems we share unexpected similarities.¡± With her voice fading, Ruby struggled to continue. ¡°With that, may I propose one last thing?¡± Frey looked down at her expressionlessly. ¡°Let me corrupt you.¡± ¡°...Corrupt?¡± ¡°Yes, since I just revealed everything to you, the Demon God may have already caught on to my plan. However, if we join forces, there may be a chance.¡± She presented her final proposition. ¡°Originally, I didn¡¯t include you in my plans because I thought you¡¯d be much weaker than me, even after your awakening. However... for some reason, you are much stronger than me, almost incomparably so.¡± As he watched her scream silently, Frey began infusing his remaining life force to awaken the Hero¡¯s Sword. ¡°...Ugh.¡± But suddenly, he turned around and froze. All the heroines that he had protected across countless regressions were gazing at him with disgust as they furiously attacked through the openings of the barrier. ¡°Ugh...¡± Caught off guard, Frey¡¯s hand unconsciously trembled as he drew his backup sword. It was time for one final act. ¡°Ughhh...!¡± Frey¡¯s despair emitted a terrifying aura. ¡°No, no, no, no.¡± He opened the ¡®Store¡¯ whilst maintaining the inhuman patience he had obtained across countless timelines. [Store] ¨C Inspect Lv2: 300pt Description: The Inspect skill has a function that displays a person¡¯s disposition on the status window. ¡°P-Purchase.¡± Frey finally obtained the skill he previously deemed unnecessary. The one skill he had always avoided purchasing. Ding...! While gritting his teeth in desperation, he gazed at his status window. ¡°.........¡± Frey stood motionless for a moment, gazing blankly at the status window. ¡°I knew it.¡± For a long time, Frey stared intensely at his ¡®Disposition¡¯. ¨C Slideeeeee...! He awakened the Hero¡¯s Sword that was piercing the Demon King¡¯s heart. A-Ahhh... At the same time, he activated the spell that would make the Demon King experience the level of infinite torment she would eventually suffer in purgatory. ¡°Even now... I am...¡± To ensure that no harmful aftermath resulted from his full power escaping, he reinforced his barrier with an extra layer of stellar mana. ¡°...still a Hero.¡± Frey closed his eyes calmly. [Disposition: Hero] Even after all this time. Even after his emotions have long died away. Even after breaking and going insane. Even after so many atrocities. His disposition was still the same. Gooooo... The frenzied rampage of his true power, which was relentlessly battering the barrier, gradually subsided. Clank!!! At the same time, the very last remaining layer of stellar mana shattered. ¡°A-Arrghh...¡± As the heroines looked within the barrier, their gazes were filled in despair. ¡°.......¡± Within the barrier, Ruby lay lifeless, her body mutilated. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Meanwhile, Frey was standing unfazed. ¡°Good, I still have time to end everything.¡± Frey briefly gazed at his body in awe before shifting his gaze towards the heroines who were now inside the broken barrier. ¡°All of you...¡± Boom!! ¨C Frey attempted to speak, but he was shocked into silence by an attack. ¡°.....!¡± ¡°You... because of you...¡± ¡°This bastard!¡± ¡°Because of you... the sun...!¡± Ferloche, who was standing at the forefront of the heroines, had plunged a blade into his heart and had even used the ¡®Blessing of the Sun God¡¯ on him. ¡°The sun has lost its light...!¡± At Frey¡¯s despairing expression, Ferloche shed tears while speaking fiercely. ¡°...Huh?¡± Slowly, Ferloche began to look puzzled. ¡°Why is the sun...¡± Until just a moment ago, the sun had dimmed, trembling intensely. ¡°... not losing its light?¡± Unexpectedly, however, the sun was now shining brighter than ever. ¡°Still, in the end...¡± As Ferloche gradually became flustered, Frey gazed at her with subtle pain. ¡°I wanted to leave some final words, but...¡± His face filled with disappointment and sorrow. Shaaa... And then, finally, Frey transformed into countless particles of light and scattered. ¡°H-Huh?¡± Ferloche and all the heroines could sense that something was wrong. ¡°...What is going on?¡± It was right at the moment. ¡°Um.¡± Frey, after transforming into light particles and vanishing, now found himself in a completely different dimension. ¡°...What is this?¡± Even though he was surprised, he slowly scanned the area. ¡°H-Hello...¡± Frey looked around the dreamy wide space, which held a mysterious air. ¡°...Sir Frey.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± He tilted his head as he looked at the dazzlingly beautiful woman before him. ¡°I-I am... the Sun God.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The identity of the woman in front of him was clearly heard from her very lips, as she responded bashfully. ¡°Sir Frey, I¡¯m honestly at a loss for words, but if I may dare to say it... please give me a chance to honor you...¡± ¡°I want to rest now.¡± Frey smiled widely as he spoke. ¡°Yes, I understand. You certainly have the right to that, Sir Frey. Then, with all my best abilities, I shall ensure that you finally have a peaceful rest.¡± As she looked at Frey with a pitiful gaze, the Sun God cautiously approached him to fulfill his wish. ¡°Forever.¡± ¡°...What?¡± However, she froze in place as Frey interrupted her in a quiet voice. ¡°Please... put an end to my existence.¡± ¡°W-What are you saying...!¡± Frey turned his gaze toward the Sun God, his eyes pleading desperately for his long-awaited desire. ¡°Please.¡± Frey shed a tear from his eye, something he had not done for eons through his regressions. ¡°...I¡¯m saying that I¡¯m exhausted. I¡¯ve had enough.¡± Frey¡¯s voice choked in his throat, as he felt the emotions that he had sealed away briefly return. ¡°...Ah.¡± As a profound silence ensued, the goddess, who had a gloomy expression, made a strange noise. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 156: - Something is Wrong. ? Something is Wrong. ? ¡°U-uh, Mr. Frey. Wait, just a moment.¡± ¡°No, please. Please, just end my existence. I want to stop now. I am begging you. Please.¡± Frey interrupted the goddess, who had introduced herself as the Sun God, as she hurriedly tried to speak in denial. ¡°It¡¯s all over now. The Demon God has disappeared, and the world has regained its peace.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, but...¡± ¡°This is the ideal world you imagined and the happy ending you wanted, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°But still...¡± When Frey ended up closing his eyes wearily, the goddess cautiously spoke. ¡°For you, this ending is...¡± ¡°Goddess, if you truly are a divine and omniscient being... you must have seen everything, haven¡¯t you?¡± Frey interrupted her and resumed speaking. ¡°All the innumerable tragedies, sorrows, and... the despair that occurred across countless timelines.¡± ¡°...Erghh.¡± After hearing Frey¡¯s words, the Goddess could no longer continue her words and instead let out a groan. ¡°Because I was sealed by the Demon God, I could only see what was in front of me. But I can imagine how much pain you felt...¡± ¡°So, you understand, right?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°Then, please erase me from existence.¡± Once again, the goddess spoke with a regretful expression when Frey pleaded like that. ¡°How about I erase your memories instead?¡± ¡°My memories...?¡± ¡°Or I can manipulate them. And then, after I have changed your memories and let you spend the rest of your life at least a little more comfortably... how about you come to the Heaven under my supervision?¡± As she said that, the Goddess approached Frey to embrace him. ¡°Every time I saw you in pain and sadness... It felt like my heart was being torn apart.¡± ¡°.........¡± ¡°I felt so pathetic, unable to intervene in anything due to the Demon God¡¯s influence. But now, with the Demon God sealed and my dominion restored... I can finally repay you for your kindness and service. Even if it is not possibly enough... I can do everything in power for you to want for nothing.¡± As the goddess grabbed his arm, Frey¡¯s eyes trembled. ¡°If you don¡¯t like living in this world... you can come directly to my heavenly realm. It is filled with happiness and peace over there.¡± ¡°Hea... ven.¡± ¡°Yes, in that place, even if I don¡¯t annihilate your existence... you can still have the free and peaceful life you longed for.¡± After saying that, the goddess carefully observed Frey¡¯s reaction before speaking again. ¡°Also, the person you miss the most is waiting for you there.¡± ¡°......!¡± Frey¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°No way.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. It is truly the person you¡¯re thinking of right now.¡± His eyes shook in disbelief. ¡°Really? Is my mother... really waiting for me?¡± Then, with a quivering voice, Frey asked his question, to which the goddess silently nodded. ¡°...Ergh, ugh...¡± The fist that Frey tightly clenched started trembling. ¡°You¡¯ve worked so hard all this time, Frey.¡± ¡°Ugh, ugh...¡± ¡°You are more than deserving of happiness.¡± The goddess took Frey back into her warm embrace and gently spoke while patting his head. ¡°...So please, don¡¯t make such a tragic choice.¡± Upon hearing this, Frey, who had been trembling until then, stopped moving. ¡°Your Holiness.¡± ¡°Yes, Frey.¡± Frey lifted his head slightly to meet her gaze, and the goddess also fixed her eyes on him. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry, but please annihilate me as I said.¡± ¡°What?¡± Frey suddenly wore a dark expression as the Sun God spoke in a highly perplexed tone. ¡°Wh-why would you say that? Now I can finally bring happiness to you. While it may not be wealth and glory, I¡¯m confident I can provide you peace and comfort... So, why?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already attempted erasing my memories, but it doesn¡¯t work.¡± ¡°.....!¡± As he said that, Frey¡¯s eyes were void of life. ¡°There was a period when I tried to give up and forget everything at once. I wanted to let go of everyone and live alone in a quiet countryside.¡± ¡°R-really, and then...?¡± ¡°At first, it was good. Becoming an ordinary person without memories, of course, would have been a fulfilling way to live as of itself. But then...¡± Frey took a step away from the goddess¡¯s embrace. ¡°One day, after an unusually exhausting day, I fell asleep and woke up... and all of my memories came flooding back.¡± With a pained expression, he continued. ¡°Not only that, but without my knowledge, both my household and various places in the village were in flames. Can you guess why?¡± ¡°N-No way, can it be....?!¡± The goddess¡¯s complexion paled as she grasped the implications of his words. Frey bore a desolate expression as he continued speaking. ¡°Despite repeatedly erasing memories, they kept resurfacing... so, the only way for this to be is if my soul is completely shattered, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¨C Shaaa... Disregarding the Sun God¡¯s question, the woman called Eclipse extended her ominous aura, her voice dripping with coldness. ¡°If I¡¯m the only one to be faded into dust and ashes...¡± Wearing a deranged expression, the woman continued to whisper. ¡°It¡¯s too unfair, isn¡¯t it?¡± And, in the next moment, a clash of brilliant light and deep darkness ensued. ¨C Kukwaaaaaaang!!! A massive explosion occurred. ¨C Kugoong! Kugugwoong!!! . . . ¡°...Wh-what¡¯s going on?¡± The sun, which was shining brightly in the sky, began to quiver once again. ¡°T-The sun...?¡± ¡°What is actually happening here? Can anyone explain what¡¯s going on?¡± The heroines were in the Imperial Garden as they looked at the sun bewilderedly. ¨C Kuogwang...! ¡°.....?¡± Suddenly, a loud voice was heard as the palace door collapsed from a powerful kick. Subsequently, a figure emerged from the wreckage. All eyes turned toward the source of the commotion. ¡°W-Wait a minute, everyone, listen to me.¡± Isolet, who instantly attracted their attention, regained her composure and stepped out of the palace. ¡°Something is strange. It¡¯s not just strange. Nothing makes sense right now.¡± She started speaking with a trembling voice. ¡°I was carefully observing the battle from the top floor. But the movements of the combat executives during the battle weren¡¯t just unusual, they were exceedingly so.¡± ¡°What... do you mean?¡± One of the church¡¯s youngest paladins, Isolet¡¯s new disciple who had actively participated in the battle in the garden, asked with a puzzled tone. ¡°Your fights were so flashy and filled with diverse and deadly attacks that you probably didn¡¯t notice, but... as I witnessed the battle from above, I definitely sensed something odd.¡± Isolet spoke with a confused expression. ¡°All of you who fought until now... do any of you have even a single injury on your bodies?¡± Upon hearing her words, the girls examined their own bodies and, to their surprise, each of them began to tilt their heads in confusion. ¡°Huh? Why are there no injuries on my body...¡± ¡°It¡¯s clean. Not even a speck of dust on us.¡± ¡°...Does that make any sense?¡± Despite engaging in life-and-death battles for quite some time, their bodies had no wounds. ¡°Do you know what I thought while watching your battle?¡± Looking at all the confused girls, Isolet continued. ¡°It felt like I was watching a well-rehearsed play or a pre-arranged duel.¡± ¡°Wh-what does that mean...¡± ¡°I mean, all the combat executives in the battles seemed to be performing well-coordinated acts as if following someone¡¯s orders.¡± Isolet further deepened the girls¡¯ confusion by conveying the information she had discovered. ¡°I¡¯m certainly sure of that. I can vouch for it.¡± Isolet was someone who possessed experience and skills equivalent to the ¡®Predecessor Sword Saint¡¯. ¡°Also, Frey¡¯s behavior was strange. He defeated the entire palace defense force and me with just the flat side of his blade. And... the last thing he said was...¡± As she spoke, her voice suddenly faded near the end of her sentence. She then immediately advanced toward the other girls. ¡°Where are Frey and Ruby? We should first help her in her battle, defeat Frey, and then interrogate him.¡± ¡°Um... Professor...¡± ¡°There may have been some misunderstanding. No, it could be a malicious trap. But there¡¯s definitely something worth investigating...¡± ¡°The battle is already over.¡± A paladin informed Isolet of the end of the battle. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°If you look over there, you¡¯ll understand... Frey has killed Ruby.¡± The paladin spoke as she pointed toward the distance where Ruby was lying on the ground in a horrifically mangled state. ¡°What?¡± ¡°And then, what happened next is quite complicated. Even we don¡¯t fully understand it enough to explain it to you right away, but... huh?¡± The paladin suddenly stopped speaking and froze in place. ¡°........!!!¡± And the same went for all the other girls. ¡°Why... Why does Ruby... have that appearance?¡± They were stunned by Ruby¡¯s transformation even as her shredded body, torn apart by Frey, remained. With horns sprouting from her head and wings emerging from her back, Ruby had undeniably transformed into an appearance of the Demon King. ¡°Frey.¡± To break the eerie silence that had lasted among them for some time, Isolet urgently asked the girls with a pale and alarmed face. ¡°Where is Frey?¡± ¡°What...?¡± Some were praying to the Sun God behind the heroines, trying to grasp an understanding on what just happened with their desperate worship. ¡°...What does all this mean?¡± Ferloche murmured, bewildered, after unintentionally overhearing the conversation between the Sun God and Frey. Chapter 157: - The Genesis of Despair ? The Genesis of Despair ? Shaaa... ¡°Ugh...!¡± A wave of pain engulfed my entire body. ¡°Ah...¡± Was this the aftermath of my annihilation from the goddess? Or was it because I merged with another version of myself, causing me synchronized damage as a result? Swoosh... I cleared my mind of all my chaotic thoughts as I rose to my feet, and then I began to examine my body carefully. ¡°Hmm.¡± I noticed that my body was translucent. It appeared as if I had been thrown out of the other version of myself with whom I had assimilated with right until the point when the goddess¡¯s hand glowed on my head. If that was the case, where was the ¡®other me¡¯? Could it be that he had been entirely eradicated back then? Moreover, where was this place? It was so dark here and it didn¡¯t look like the dimension that I was at earlier. ¡°.....!¡± As I pondered, I looked around and spotted the ¡®other me¡¯ standing in the distance. ¡°Erm...¡± I approached the ¡®other me¡¯ cautiously, questioning his presence since he should have been eradicated by the goddess. [Deletion in 00:01] But I froze as soon as I saw a screen floating before him. ¡°...So you¡¯ve come?¡± ¡°W-What?¡± The ¡®other me¡¯ suddenly turned his head and spoke to me as I blankly stared at the ominous red window in front of my eyes. ¡°Wait, you can see me?¡± How could this be? ¡°W-Who exactly are you?¡± I was so startled that I blurted out the question, but the ¡®other me¡¯ only smirked as he replied. ¡°I¡¯m another version of you from a different reality who went through countless regressions. A version of you that longed for rest after an eternity of suffering.¡± ¡°T-that means...¡± ¡°First, calm down, and then listen to me.¡± As he said that, he slowly got up. ¡°This is a temporary place to stay before a character gets deleted. It seems like this is the power of the Sun God... I guess everything inside will be deleted once the countdown above me reaches zero.¡± ¡°W-What!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve temporarily paused it for now.¡± The ¡®other me¡¯ quickly reassured me as I started freaking out when I heard that all the existence inside would be deleted. ¡°By the way, I need your help.¡± ¡°H-Help?¡± He spoke to me softly. ¡°First of all, would you like to experience the rest of the ordeal and come back here... by briefly merging with me?¡± ¡°W-What did you say?¡± Upon seeing me bewildered by his words, the ¡®other me¡¯ sighed and added. ¡°...It seems like I¡¯ll have to make the decision myself before I disappear.¡± As soon as the ¡®other me¡¯ finished his words, he pushed me out of the dark space. Pow!! ¡°Ugh!¡± His action propelled me out of the black abyss, as I then found myself back into the world of the Third Ordeal in an instant. ¡°F-Frey?¡± Disoriented, I stood before four translucent main heroines. Their attention were divided, their minds a mess because of the things they had witnessed so far. ¡°Where have you been? Your presence suddenly vanished.¡± For the first time, the transparent Ferloche showed a startled expression, seemingly not knowing what happened. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure either. It was a strange experience...¡± ¡°Ferloche, is that true?¡± ¡°...ah.¡± However, Isolet suddenly appeared besides my translucent body and cut me off, albeit not knowing that she interrupted me because she couldn¡¯t sense me. ¡°First... I¡¯ll have to finish this ordeal.¡± I still didn¡¯t know what was going on. But for now, I had to concentrate on what the ordeal was trying to show me. . . . . . Meanwhile, at the same time. ¡°Ferloche, is that true?¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Amidst the ordeal, Ferloche fervently prayed to the Sun God. ¡°Did you... kill Frey?¡± As Isolet approached in front while questioning her, Ferloche¡¯s brows furrowed in a frown. ¡°Answer me, Ferloche. If we intend to uncover the truth... we need to make sure everything is...¡± ¡°Everyone, please wait for a moment.¡± While Isolet continued questioning her, Ferloche abruptly stood up from her position and looked at everyone before she began to speak. ¡°If I recite a special prayer that I do every night, I can visit the heavenly realm where the Sun God resides. So... I¡¯ll pray now to discover the truth.¡± ¡°....Hm.¡± Isolet, clenching her fist, responded upon hearing Ferloche¡¯s words. ¡°Do it as quickly as possible. Please.¡± ¡°Yes, I will do so straight away... everyone, please be quiet so I don¡¯t get distracted.¡± Noticing Isolet¡¯s urgent expression, Ferloche hurriedly began to focus all her holy power within her body. Goooooo... ¡°It can¡¯t be true, surely it can¡¯t.¡± At the same time, Ferloche emitted a painfully bright white light in all directions. ¡°Undoubtedly, this must be Frey¡¯s illusion magic or some other trick. If I go verify it directly, I¡¯m certain I can find out the truth.¡± Unbeknownst to the Demon God, the Sun God telepathically relayed this message to Ferloche, thus making her grimace and emit a faint glow from her body. ¡°...All right.¡± Eventually, Ferloche couldn¡¯t stall the Demon God any longer and replied, her voice shaking in a swirl of complex emotions. ¡°I¡¯ll... I¡¯ll follow your instructions.¡± ¡°Very good.¡± The Demon God approached Ferloche upon hearing that. ¡°I¡¯m counting on you then. Okay, Ferloche?¡± She snapped her fingers with a creepy and sinster smile. . . . . . ¡°...Ugh!¡± Ferloche, who was praying, suddenly gasped for air and opened her eyes. ¡°Huah... Haah...¡± Ferloche inhaled deeply, trying to desperately calm herself while kneeling on the icy ground of the garden. ¡°So, did you find out something?¡± ¡°Ms. Ferloche! What is going on? Have you found out anything?¡± ¡°Why did Ruby end up looking like that? Why did Frey disappear? And why is the sun shaking again?¡± The girls immediately surrounded Ferloche and began to bombard her with questions. ¡°Ugh... uuuh...¡± Ferloche appeared devastated as she began to shiver. ¡°H-Hero...¡± She continued to tremble for a while in shock before she managed to speak once more. ¡°He was a Hero...¡± Despite her guilt and denial, Ferloche gradually began to acknowledge the true reality. ¡°Frey... is a Hero...¡± Silence filled the air for a moment. ¡°Ferloche, are you feeling sick somewhere?¡± ¡°Is the shock too much?¡± ¡°...Before anything, you should rest for now.¡± Eventually, the heroines began speaking, most of them skeptical about what Ferloche had just said. In fact, they were not just skeptical. They thought Ferloche had turned mad from the shock of the final battle. ¡°U-Umm... that¡¯s why...¡± ¡°Come on, please, get up, Saintess. First of all, you have to calm down...¡± Their reactions were to be expected. Even if their leader, Ferloche, was the one who said it, the fact that Frey was a Hero was completely nonsense in their mind. As such, absolutely nobody took it seriously. No matter how what reality truly was, this was a common human reaction when facing an unbelievable situation. ¡°.....Ah.¡± The moment Isolet heard Ferloche¡¯s words, she let out a dumbfounded sound. ¡°.....!¡± Serena, whose eyes were wide open, appeared to be the only exception among the girls to have properly deduced what Ferloche had said. ¡°Uh, uhh...¡± Thus, Ferloche was forced to rise from her kneeling by the hands of those who pitied her and under the skeptical stares of those who now distrusted her. ¡°Frey is the real hero... and Ruby is the Demon King...¡± Firm with the determination to buy time from the Demon God, Ferloche directly stated the only conclusion that was important during this time of confusion, panic, and distrust. ¡°Ah.¡± Without letting Frey convey his last words or give him time to convince her, Ferloche had pierced his heart and shattered it. ¡°....Aaah.¡± She quickly realized that she had sinned terribly. ¡°...What should we do? Should we use a Mental Strength recovery potion?¡± ¡°For now, let¡¯s just force her to sleep for a while.¡± As the realization dawned upon her, Ferloche went into a flurry of panic and madness. Seeing this, all the other girls thought her mind was broken, thus gazing at her with eyes full of pity. Neighhhhh...! ¨C Screech...! ¡°¡±.........?¡± Suddenly, the loud screech of a halted carriage reached their ears, as they immediately tilted their gazese to the source of the sound. ¡°Frey, Frey!!¡± ¡°B-Big brother...!¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Ferloche, too, shifted her gaze toward the carriage. ¡°No...¡± It was only then she realized that everything she had experienced was true. ¡°Well done, our son! Now that my memories have returned, it means you have finally succeeded in defeating the Demon King!!¡± ¡°Brother... I-I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s all my fault...!¡± At the same time, a terrible sense of guilt and fear plagued Ferlouche¡¯s very being. Meanwhile, Frey¡¯s family got off the carriage and hurriedly ran towards them. ¡°Let¡¯s give them a hug. It¡¯s been tough, right? Is there anything you guys want to eat... huh?¡± Abraham, Frey¡¯s father, approached them with a bright smile. But then, his expression wavered upon not finding Frey, leaving him momentarily speechless. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that it will end up like this... I... I...!¡± Ferloche¡¯s emotions intensified once she saw Frey¡¯s younger sister, Aria. It was because Aria¡¯s face was already filled with traces of tears, her nose red from crying. ¡°Um... everyone.¡± Although Abraham had been in a coma and his strength had significantly weakened, he had hastened to the location of the final showdown with the singular goal of finally reuniting with his surely tired son. ¡°Does anyone know... where my son, Frey is?¡± He asked cautiously, his hand gently caressing Aria¡¯s head, as she continued sniffling. ¡°........¡± At that moment, it was all too clear that something was amiss. It wasn¡¯t just the heroines that were about to descend into a hell on earth. Rather, the entire empire would follow them into despair. This was only the beginning of a broken world. Chapter 158: - It’s Over. And It’s Irreversible. ? It¡¯s Over. And It¡¯s Irreversible. ? As the sun dimmed further and further compared to the time when Frey and Ruby were engaged in their battle, the day slowly turned into night. If one did not look closely, it would be hard to even discern that the sun was losing its light. ¡°......Brother.¡± Amidst the now shadowed palace gardens, Abraham was smoking a strong cigarette, while Aria sat on the ground in a daze. ¡°........¡± And in such a scene, the only person who had been standing guard until the very end was Ferloche, who stood watching in silence. ¡°Ugh...¡± Why was Ferloche the last person to remain in that spot? The reason was obvious. As no one could bring themselves to speak of Frey¡¯s whereabouts, Abraham, thinking there might still be misunderstandings, cheerfully revealed the whole truth of affairs to the people in the garden with a bright smile. And as if to prove Abraham¡¯s words, various messages and reports swiftly reached the members who were once part of the supposed Hero¡¯s party. Lastly, Ferloche¡¯s trembling voice drove the nail into the coffin, as she revealed fragments of what she had witnessed and heard during her prayer, thus providing more evidence while the sun gradually set forever. Everyone who heard such stories and information had complex thoughts. They dispersed while coping in different ways: ¡°I-I can¡¯t acknowledge it. The Hero is Ms. Ruby. It¡¯s impossible for Frey to be the Hero.¡± ¡°Let me investigate this first. If what I heard is true... then surely there¡¯s some kind of evidence remaining.¡± The majority of the sub-heroines quickly left, grappling with their inability to accept the information they had just heard. ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°..........¡± For reasons unknown, Isolet and the main heroines with faces pale as if possessed, displayed unwavering determination even in this dark moment, as they made their way toward the adjacent command post. ¡°Heuk...¡± Although everyone left for various reasons, Ferloche remained in the garden until the day grew completely dark. It was because when Frey¡¯s family heard that Ferloche had shattered him into pieces with her last blow, she chased everyone out of the garden before anyone had a chance to give their condolences, assuming that they even wanted to in the first place. ¡°My son...¡± ¡°H-Heuk...¡± Ferloche couldn¡¯t leave Abraham and Aria in the garden since they were still oblivious and in shock to what was happening. ¡°E-Excuse me...¡± Burdened by guilt, Ferloche wished she could strangle and end herself as she approached Aria, who was curled up on the ground. ¡°...Ah.¡± However, Ferloche immediately stopped as she realized why Aria was kneeling. ¡°Brotherrrr...¡± Frey¡¯s younger sister, who once thought of killing Frey daily, now found herself in utter despair. She murmured to herself, as her fingers brushed through the dirt infused with the shimmering energy that was all that remained of her brother. Once again, Ferloche attempted to approach them. ¡°.....!¡± Even when she was in front of Frey¡¯s family, Ferloche only trembled with guilt, unable to utter a single word to them in such a situation. I¡¯m able to observe everything through your eyes, but it seems I still can¡¯t hear very well. In her mind, she heard the arrogant voice of the Demon God that had been stringing her all along. ¡°Ugh...¡± Stepping forward, Ferloche firmly closed her tear-filled eyes. For now, she needed to comply with the Demon God¡¯s commands in order to buy time as requested by the Sun God. ¡°Uh... Ms. Aria.¡± At that moment, she saw that Aria was a mess, her knees marred with deep purple bruising. Upon learning the truth from her father, Aria fell as she rushed from the house. Her suppressed memories had flooded her mind, completely overwhelming her with emotions. ¡°F-First, let me heal your wounds...¡± Just as she always did when she saw someone sick or injured, Ferloche tried to heal Aria¡¯s knee wound with her holy powers. ¡°...Huh?¡± However, she was surprised when nothing came out of her hand. ¡°W-What¡¯s wrong...?¡± Because of that, Ferloche was at a loss. What should she do with Aria¡¯s bleeding knees? ¡°...Saintess.¡± Aria spoke in a spiritless voice as she gulped roughly with tears. ¡°The things you said earlier, did it truly happen...?¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s...¡± ¡°Did... my brother really choose death instead of his revival?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± With a hard pang to her conscience, Ferloche answered while reminiscing back to that scene. ¡°Then... I would never be able to meet my brother again...¡± Her hollow gaze remained fixed on the glistening soil as she continued to touch it. ¡°Moreover, when my brother was imprisoned within the mansion... I was the one who helped the assassins break into the mansion! It was my actions that robbed him of any semblance of peace for months...!¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t the only thing. I¡¯ve done so many bad things that are now irreversible...!¡± Not knowing what to do, Aria continued to speak. ¡°I have to apologize to him, I can¡¯t let him go like this.¡± Aria started pleading as she held onto Ferloche¡¯s leg. ¡°I feel so guilty for my brother, who had been suffering all this time, and about his decision to rest. Please convey my message to him.¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t...¡± ¡°You can communicate with those who are in Heaven, right? Please, convey my message to him. Just one message, please...¡± ¡°...Ms. Aria.¡± So, Ferloche responded to Aria¡¯s plea. ¡°I can¡¯t do it.¡± She replied with a heavy heart. ¡°Mr. Frey has chosen ¡®Annihilation¡¯.¡± ¡°.....Huh?¡± Aria¡¯s eyes grew wider upon realizing the implication of those words. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I said earlier? The word I used when I told you that Frey has chosen to rest in peace. The explanation I made after that.¡± ¡°Ah, ahh...¡± Ferloche¡¯s subsequent words left Aria speechless, frozen in place. ¡°..........¡± ¡°H-Heuk... ¡± Just like that, Aria continued to shed endless tears. ¡°Brother...!¡± She collapsed onto the glistening soil that Frey had left behind and began wailing. ¡°.........¡± While Aria despaired, Ferloche just sat there and stared blankly at her. She felt utterly dead inside. Then, she cautiously spoke to Abraham, who was in the distance. ¡°E-Excuse me... Lord Abraham.¡± ¡°Uh, Lord Abraham. Please, I... uh?¡± However, her words faltered as she rose from her spot and saw Abraham¡¯s current condition. ¡°.......¡± Overwhelmed with anguish, Abraham had taken a potent medicine and had fallen into a deep slumber. ¡°Aaahh...¡± It was a potion that would put him in a coma for a few weeks after he consumes it. ¡°Ah, ahhhh...¡± As she witnessed this scene, Ferloche finally lost her mind, falling unconscious and crumbling to the ground. By the time she eventually regained consciousness, the truth would have been revealed to everyone. The last thing she heard before darkness enveloped her vision was the gleeful voice of the Demon God. That¡¯s right. Show me a Hell on Earth. . . . . . Meanwhile, at the barracks for the operations headquarters near the palace. ¡°The Demon King¡¯s Army has been completely defeated!¡± ¡°Additionally, we have received news that Strategist Lemerno¡¯s head has been severed, and...¡± ¡°Breaking news! All the newspapers have simultaneously published expose?s about corruption and mismanagement within the Sunrise Empire!¡± Messengers arrived one after another, bringing news of the battle¡¯s conclusion and its aftermath. ¡°.......?¡± Yet, the messengers found themselves puzzled by the reactions they encountered. Most of those within the barracks wore hollow and ghostly expressions, maintaining an eerie silence. ¡°Um, everyone?¡± ¡°...My memories.¡± Among those people, stood a figure with a sword strapped to her waist. It was Isolet, who was caressing the beloved sword that had been gifted to her by Frey. ¡°My memories... have returned.¡± She murmured, her voice devoid of spirit. And in that moment, the memories of those manipulated by a young Frey surged back like a wave. Chapter 159: - Bombshells of Truth ? Bombshells of Truth ? ¡°...Haah.¡± With a heavy sigh, Isolet moved to rise from the chair at the head of the table while wearing a miserable expression on her face. ¡°E-everyone.¡± She intended to share what she saw with the other girls around her. ¡°..........¡± However, she immediately shut her mouth and froze in her seat when she noticed the unmistakably downcast expressions on their faces. Even without asking, it was immediately apparent that they too had regained similar memories of Frey and his actions. ¡°Ugh...¡± In such a situation, Isolet managed to finally stand up from her seat with great difficulty due to the tremors that were going through her body. ¨C Ssk... Shortly thereafter, she began to trudge towards the entrance. ¡°C-Commander! What in the world happened...?¡± ¡°Is the fight over? What¡¯s actually going o...¡± ¡°Step... aside.¡± She shoved away the messengers at the entrance who were blocking her path. ¡°...Huh?¡± However, before stepping out, she slowly turned around to glance behind her. Isolet gazed at the four girls who had risen from their seats and were now approaching her. ¨C Ssk Alongside them, Isolet emerged from the tent. ¡°Frey...¡± Together, they began heading somewhere, looking aghast and pale as they mumbled something incoherent. ¡°Frey...¡± They trudged for quite some time, almost seeming like they were aimlessly walking. ¡°I must collect Frey¡¯s remains...¡± Upon reaching her destination, Isolet found Aria collapsed from exhaustion due to crying. She also saw Ferloche lying unconscious, and Abraham in a deep slumber following his medicine consumption. ¨C Ssk... Ssk... While wearing a hollow expression, Isolet began to scoop up the glimmering soil. ¨C Ssk... Following her lead, the four girls behind her mechanically scooped up the shimmering soil with the same empty expressions on their faces. And so, they gathered Frey¡¯s remains for a long time, not intending to miss even a single speck of dust. ¡°W-We must collect Frey¡¯s remains quickly...¡± Her voice quivered as she spoke, her expression gradually hardening. ¡°Before the wind blows it away and before his last remains disappear... we must save anything we can as soon as possible.¡± The thoughts of the four girls were the same as hers as they started to desperately collect Frey¡¯s remains. Isolet was the only one to gather the glimmering soil into her scabbard. ¡°.......Ugh.¡± However, she broke into tears when she could no longer maintain the poker face she had kept so far. It was the first time she had wept since she had vowed to choose the path of knighthood for life back when she was young. ¡°...Professor, what kind of memories did you recall?¡± Isolet turned to Serena, who had asked her that question in a trembling voice. ¡°It was a memory of Frey when we were both mere children.¡± Then, Isolet began to describe the memory she had seen about young Frey to the quivering Serena and the rest of the girls who still had pallid faces. ¡°It was a memory that Frey had erased... But I clearly remember it now.¡± ¡°What was... the memory about?¡± Serena asked in a broken voice, her vacant expression still radiating devastation. After scratching the ground to the point where it almost broke her fingernails, Isolet looked around at those girls and began explaining. ¡°I remember going to Frey¡¯s house for our usual training, just like any other day. However, what was different about that day was that I lost to him during the sparring match.¡± ¡°...Professor lost to him...?¡± ¡°I was completely defeated. It felt like it was just yesterday that the little brat had lost to me when I was only using my left arm... Yet, on that day, he overwhelmingly won against me with a single strike.¡± As she spoke, her hands began to palpitate. ¡°Because of that one strike, I was flung into a wall and had my breath knocked out of my lungs. Do you know what he said to me at that time?¡± ¡°What... did he say?¡± ¡°He said that he was terrified.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± ¡°He said it was frightening to suddenly become a Hero and gain so much power beyond his control. And also...¡± As she spoke, Isolet vividly recollected the scene in her mind despite the chaos swirling inside her. ¡°...He said he was scared because he couldn¡¯t rely on me anymore.¡± With a firm resolve, Isolet inquired as she rose from her seat. ¡°T-Throughout the empire. Yes, it would be broadcasted all over the empire.¡± ¡°...Really?¡± Upon hearing those words, Isolet nodded. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go.¡± She stood up from her seat while holding back her tears. ¡°Erm, but what is that...?¡± ¡°Ignore it.¡± She brushed off the question, tightly clutching the scabbard containing the last of Frey to her chest. ¨C Click, click! Click! ¡°Over here! Please look this way!¡± ¡°Why were you several hours late from the expected time?¡± ¡°Last time, you claimed that the rumors about friction in the Hero¡¯s Party were baseless. Is that really true...?¡± As Isolet, Kania, Serena, Clara, and Irina appeared at the press conference, the atmosphere intensified with fervor. ¡°Be quiet... everyone, be quiet, please!¡± The heated atmosphere soon died down when Isolet showed a grim expression and began to shout for silence. ¡°What-what¡¯s going on? Did they lose?¡± ¡°... Don¡¯t they look too uninjured to say that they experienced defeat?¡± ¡°Then why does everyone¡¯s face look like that?¡± Since they were mere civilians before journalists and envoys, they couldn¡¯t help but worry about their lives and the war¡¯s aftermath that would ultimately determine the fate of their precious world. ¡°..........¡± The journalists began to tense up in anticipation after observing Isolet¡¯s actions. However, she remained in stoic silence. ¡°What caused the sun to shake so alarmingly earlier?¡± ¡°Did the Hero¡¯s Party win?¡± ¡°What happened to Hero Ruby, and what is the current situation regarding Frey?¡± Their anxiety morphed into a barrage of questions. Isolet¡¯s voice finally cut through their cacophony. ¡°I¡¯ll give you all of the answers.¡± Her expression was filled with sorrow as she spoke. ¡°As for why the sun shook so worrisomely, further explanation is needed from the Saintess, who is currently unconscious. So, I ask for your understanding on this matter.¡± Isolet began to explain the events of the final battle. ¡°Regarding the outcome of the victory or defeat of the Hero Party, I may not be able to disclose everything at this moment since it¡¯s a very complicated matter. But one thing is certain...¡± Isolet paused for a moment after saying that. ¡°... Frey has passed away.¡± The first bombshell was dropped. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°What about Hero Ruby...?¡± Her one statement sent the journalists into a frenzy of questions. ¡°I just received a question about the whereabouts of Hero Ruby and Demon King Frey.¡± Isolet simply ignored all the questions that journalists asked. ¡°So, I am here to reveal a truth everyone should know.¡± She merely continued to explain quietly. Click, click, click! Just like that, the journalists¡¯ attention was immediately drawn to Isolet¡¯s unusual speech, entranced at her every word. ¡°Ruby was not the Hero.¡± As she clutched the scabbard tightly, she released another bombshell, further capturing the journalists¡¯ focus. ¡°And Frey was not a Demon King either.¡± Without giving them time to regain their composure, Isolet dropped the third bombshell, momentarily paralyzing the journalists who believed they had an exclusive scoop. ¡°Frey Raon Starlight is... ¡° And the girls who stood behind Isolet looked pale and shocked. ¡°P-Professor...¡± ¡°Was Frey... was Frey really a Hero...?¡± ¡°...Impossible.¡± She stared at the sub-heroines who were also being questioned by reporters. ¡°...Frey Raon Starlight was the true Hero.¡± Isolet was on the verge of crying once again as she declared the truth to the entire empire. ¡°Frey was the Hero who had been protecting us all this time.¡± That day, the empire fell silent. Chapter 160: - A Lost Miracle ? A Lost Miracle ? ¡°G-greetings... Lady Roswyn...¡± ¡°.....Hello.¡± A few days after the decisive battle, Roswyn came back to the academy. ¡°Excuse me for intruding.¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s okay.¡± Roswyn was responsible for investigating the truth while also holding the title of the Main Representative of the Hero¡¯s Party. Of course, she wasn¡¯t initially appointed to such a supposedly esteemed position. However, when Isolet, Clana, Serena, and the core members of the party, Kania and Irina, chose to resign, she was burdened with this new responsibility. So, as someone with the highest status among the remaining individuals, Roswyn was automatically assigned to investigate and verify the shocking revelation that was presented during the press conference. [Frey¡¯s Diary] ¨C Do Not Touch Or Read. Thus, Roswyn started off her investigation by looking into [Frey¡¯s Diary] that she received from his sister, Aria. Before Frey became the Hero, the diary was like any other. Its entries contained ordinary stories about daily life, making it painfully aware that, once upon a time, he was also just a child. However, after he became the Hero, it was filled with intense records written in Hangul. As such, she had come to Sunrise Academy to accurately translate the script and finally learn the truth behind these records that seemed like a lifetime ago. [xx Year xx Month xx Day] [Today, I gave a rose to Roswyn. Besides that, while wearing the robe of deception, I had a meal with a student for a prearranged meeting. Other students would tactfully spend their support funds on meals or entertainment. However, this timid girl had never done such activities and hobbies. Not even once in her life. So, I sometimes treated her to a luxurious restaurant like this. This was one of the few remaining sources of joy for me, who had become broken and withered of emotions from countless regressions. While doing good deeds may not be as fun as before, when I see people smile, I still can¡¯t help but want to smile along.] ¡°...Hmm.¡± Roswyn closely analyzed the ¡®Hangul¡¯ written in the diary, using the notebook that Serena, who was currently living in seclusion, had provided to help decipher the characters. ¡°Excuse me...¡± In the academy¡¯s library, which was temporarily closed due to the final battle between the Demon King and the Hero¡¯s Party, she met with a girl that was once her senior during her first year. Roswyn had come to the academy today to meet the very girl that was recorded in the diary, who apparently studied in the library without missing a single day. ¡°...Could we have a chat?¡± ¡°Uh, sure...¡± The girl, who wore glasses while reading a book, replied timidly in response to Roswyn¡¯s question. ¡°Do you know the so-called ¡®Hero of Money,¡¯ who has been helping students all over the academy for the last few years?¡± ¡°Yes! He¡¯s really kind!¡± She answered Roswyn¡¯s question immediately, as the girl began her story with a twinkle in her eyes. ¡°He supported us when we had nothing, bought us meals, and was really warm-hearted! In short, we could call him a benefactor!¡± ¡°I see...¡± However, in contrast to the joyful contents, Roswyn¡¯s expression gradually darkened. ¡°Then, have you ever had a meal with him on this specific date...?¡± ¡°Um... Yes! I had a meal with him on this day!¡± Upon hearing the confirmation, Roswyn broke out into a cold sweat. ¡°He always treated me to delicious food... He also gave me pocket money, and sometimes even asked how my school life was going.¡± ¡°I-I see...¡± ¡°I intend to help him after graduation since he is someone I am forever grateful for.¡± The girl smiled happily as she reminisced. ¡°My dream is to work for the charity foundation that he established once I graduate this year.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± ¡°I tried to repay his kindness, but he never accepts any form of compensation and we can¡¯t even figure out his identity... So, I can only pay back his generosity through this method, right?¡± Roswyn suddenly noticed the sparkling badge on the girl¡¯s school uniform as she spoke. ¡°T-that is...¡± ¡°Hehe, you probably knew it already, but... I¡¯m a huge fan of the Hero of Money.¡± It was a glittering coin-shaped badge sold by the charity foundation. ¡°Although he isn¡¯t as popular as the world-renowned hero, Ruby, the Hero of Money is the only true hero in my heart... Ah.¡± While she fondly touched the badge with a smile, the girl¡¯s expression suddenly turned gloomy with guilt. ¡°Oh, um... I mean... I didn¡¯t mean it like that.¡± The student immediately noticed Roswyn¡¯s face contorting at her words. As such, she hastily threw a question to shift the atmosphere. ¡°Oh, right. Why are you asking about this?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s just... I mean...¡± ¡°Do you perhaps know the identity of the ¡®Hero of Money,¡¯ Lady Roswyn?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Um, well... I mean...¡± Since the Hero¡¯s Party gathered information thanks to Roswyn¡¯s connections with the black market, the girl pondered how to ask about the identity of the ¡®Hero of Money¡¯ whose area of activity overlapped with Rosywn. ¡°A-Anyway... If you happen to know him, could you please pass this on to him?¡± However, the girl gave up trying to pry for information and pulled something out of her pocket instead. ¡°...What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just, well... a flower. A never-withering flower.¡± When she said that, Roswyn quickly glanced at the somewhat old-looking yet still fresh flower. ¡°I saved up the support funds he provided to buy it. I saved on meals and snacks too.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Roswyn let out a soft sigh as something similar was mentioned in the contents of the diary. ¡°I planned to give it to him after my graduation... but lately, I haven¡¯t seen him around. Something must have happened, right?¡± ¡°.....Mm.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really strange. He used to visit me every three days without fail... I hope nothing¡¯s happened to him.¡± After hearing those words, Roswyn, who was making a grim expression, had accepted the flower before she realized it. ¨C Swish... ¡°Ah, you took it. So, you do know who he is, right?¡± Then, the girl spoke with a bright expression. ¡°Please make sure to give it to him. The thing he seemed to need the most was this flower.¡± ¡°...What?¡± The reason was because of the objects that filled her room. Everything was related to Ruby. There were posters of Ruby, photos of her and Ruby together, memos filled with praises for Ruby, handcrafted Ruby-shaped dolls, and even the flowers Ruby had once given her. ¨C Creak...! As she reached out with trembling hands to remove the largest poster, Roswyn remembered the powerful protective magic she had cast on these memorabilia. Therefore, she clenched her teeth in frustration. ¡°This is...¡± With her hand injured from the effects of the protection magic, Roswyn slowly moved away as she let go. [Frey Raon Starlight] ¨C I must kill him. ¨C He is the most terrible person in the world. ¨C He keeps trying to give me flowers. I¡¯m so sick of him. ¨C He is the enemy of the Hero. . . . . . ¡°.....¡± Roswyn was struck speechless as she looked at the notes cursing Frey on her desk. ¨C Flutter...! After staring into space for a while, Roswyn opened the diary again and resumed her investigation. [Today, I gave Roswyn a sunrise flower.] [Today, I gave Roswyn moonlight and starlight flowers.] [Today, I gave Roswyn a puppy love flower.] [Today, I gave Roswyn a canary flower.] [Today.........] ¡°W-why did you record things like these?¡± As she continued to read, Roswyn¡¯s trembling gaze fell upon the phrase that always appeared at the beginning of each entry. ¡°What actually...¡± She looked at Frey¡¯s picture, stabbed with a knife, next to the memos about him. ¡°.........¡± Staring at the photo for a while, she finally spoke. ¡°E-even if you were a Hero... I couldn¡¯t have done anything anyway if you didn¡¯t tell me. What¡¯s the point... it couldn¡¯t be helped...¡± In the end, she failed to maintain her composure. ¡°I-if I had known, I would have helped. It was always the Sunset Household¡¯s ¡®Fate¡¯ to assist the Hero of the next generation. So, if I had known you were the Hero, of course I would have helped.¡± She started to pour out her thoughts. ¡°From the beginning... Because of your abilities, we could never have found out about the good deeds you did for us. That¡¯s why you deceived us. So, we... we are not guilty. It¡¯s you who chose to deceive us from the start.¡± Roswyn deliberately avoided Ruby¡¯s cheerful gaze, which filled her entire room. ¡°B-becoming the Hero¡¯s aid was my lifelong dream... my lifelong wish...¡± Roswyn focused her gaze on Frey¡¯s picture with a hollow expression. ¡°...So, the Hero who kept me alive all this time was you, not Ruby?¡± Of course, there was no response from Frey in the photo. ¡°...Huh?¡± While looking at Frey, Roswyn felt a flood of complex emotions as she lowered her head. ¡°That...¡± She then noticed the rose that had been thrown into the trash until now. ¡°The last one you gave...¡± With a sunken gaze, she looked at the now withered rose. ¡°You gave this to me before you left.¡± She murmured while carefully reaching out for the rose. ¡°...I should have accepted it back then.¡± As she mumbled to herself, the moment her hand touched the rose... ¨C Fizzle...! ¡°.....!!!¡± Suddenly, a light emanated from her hand. ¡°W-what is this?¡± Due to her surprise, she stumbled backward and fell. In front of her, a transparent window began to materialize. [Achievement Unlocked: Even While Hated By The World] ¡°...Huh?¡± System Unlocked [ Helper System ] [A small miracle for you, who cherished the Hero even while everyone hated him.] [This system has been passed down to the Sunset Household through a covenant made a thousand years ago...] ¡°.......???¡± Confused, she could only stare at the flood of windows appearing in front of her. [...System End] [The Helper System is permanently terminated] As more translucent windows continued to fill her vision, red-colored windows emerged, causing her to be taken aback. ¡°.........Ah.¡± She scrutinized the last window that appeared. [Reason: Death of the Hero, Frey Raon Starlight] ¡°...Aah.¡± With a pale and horrified expression, she could only let out a faint whimper. [To you, who have supported the Hero in every regard, we express our regrets.] With that final message, the small miracle vanished, lost forever in time. Chapter 161: - An Unfulfilled Miracle ? A Unfulfilled Miracle ? ¡°.....Sob.¡± One morning, after the sun had both set and risen. ¡°Sob, sob...¡± Even now, Roswyn continued to decipher the diary in her academy dorm room. ¡°Sob-sob-sob... sob-sob...¡± Tears welled up in her eyes as she read the latter part of the diary that she had just decoded. [xx Year xx Month xx Day] [Today marks the day I will give the final flower to Roswyn.] ¡°T-This was it... it was at this time...¡± Although she had already comprehended the entire content during her translation, Roswyn began reading from the beginning once more, her body trembling in sorrow. [The flower I intend to give her today is a rose. Initially, I wanted to gift her an everlasting flower, but sadly, I never found one, even until the very end.] The shocking revelations proved to be too overwhelming for her to process in a single reading. [This might be my last attempt to offer it to her. Perhaps tomorrow, I will lose everything and be captured. Can I succeed this time? I hope I can succeed... Just once is enough...] As Roswyn read the text again, new perspectives unfolded before her. [I can¡¯t recall how many flowers I¡¯ve bestowed upon Roswyn thus far. I gifted her every variety in the world, and once, I even offered her an entire garden. But why? Why won¡¯t she become my ally?] The passage, penned in shaky handwriting, deviated from what she had previously understood. As he wrote these words, it was evident that Frey¡¯s hand had trembled in despair. [According to the prophecy, Roswyn is supposed to be my only companion¡ªmy last vestige of conscience to alleviate the exceedingly wicked difficulty of this journey. When the Helper System awakens, she will be the sole individual who won¡¯t cause me to incur any penalty when she realizes my true identity. Once she becomes an ally, she will become my greatest aide and sole partner, the only one who could truly understand me, regardless of how much the world despises me.] ¡°Aide... Partner...¡± As she soullessly recited words of a relationship that now held no significance and would never materialize, Roswyn turned the page with trembling hands to the next entry. [That was the reason why I always treated her well. Even when I had to harm everyone else, I still treated her warmly and always tried to please her. That way, she would accept my flower and fulfill the system conditions.] ¡°C-conditions...¡± [However, it¡¯s quite strange. I¡¯ve given her countless flowers over so many cycles of regressions, yet for some reason... She has never become my ally. Turning her into my ally was the one goal I could never achieve, despite all the tricks I tried and the countless years I invested to search for a solution.] ¡°T-that¡¯s...¡± Upon reaching this portion, Roswyn suddenly recollected the moments when she reluctantly accepted Frey¡¯s flowers, driven by annoyance. [Well, that¡¯s why I gave up on making her my ally for a while. For quite a long time, even before this cycle occurred, I only offered her flowers to provoke her hatred. Strangely, her hatred seemed to intensify with every flower I gave her.] Roswyn continued reading, tears welling up in her eyes as a single one trickled down her cheeks and onto the diary. [An immeasurable amount of time passed, and this regression finally arrived. I used every trick in my book and armed myself with all the knowledge I had discovered over eons. Finally, I completed my growth with enough certainty to end everything, This cycle was one where everything converged perfectly with a miraculous probability.] [As such, while previously, I had merely given her flowers out of obligation and habit, at least during this regression, I genuinely wanted to gift them to her. Of course, initially, the reason was somewhat selfish. At first, I merely saw her as a tool. Thus, I aimed to make her my ally so that she could help increase the clearance rate for this cycle, a miracle that I had achieved through the efforts of countless regressions. For that reason, I started giving her flowers with sincerity after a long time.] As tears streamed down her cheeks, it splattered the pages, but the magic quickly restored the diary back to its original dry state. [However, somewhere along the way, I came to a realization, and I had no choice but to admit it. Despite growing weary of everything after countless cycles, in the end, I still wanted a companion with whom I could share my heart¡ªsomeone who would acknowledge and appreciate everything I¡¯ve done for this world. Our world. Also...] ¡°A... Ahh... Ahhh...¡± [I guess I wanted to be loved by someone just one last time before the end of my final life.] Roswyn¡¯s tears flowed more profusely down her cheeks. The once-dry diary now became utterly drenched with her tears. [But even in this cycle, she never reciprocated my feelings or presents. Though, thanks to my heightened intelligence, I managed to figure out the conditions needed to awaken her as an ally. Nevertheless, despite all my desperate attempts to manipulate her emotions, she continued to converse cheerfully with Ruby, just as always.] [As such, budding emotions that I had felt for the first time in a long while grew exceedingly faint once again. Why does she hate me so much? Are she and I destined to remain apart?]Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com ¡°Just once... If only I had sincerely accepted his feelings once...¡± She wanted to see Frey again, thinking maybe if she held the flower and considered him as a ¡®precious existence,¡¯ the system would activate once more. She had now realized that the awakening condition of the Helper System was simply ¡®receiving the flower with sincerity.¡¯ Frey had been exceptionally kind, friendly, and warm towards Roswyn because he wanted to be loved at least once in his many miserable lifetimes. As such, he constantly showered her with confessions, desperately hoping for them to be reciprocated. To be accepted. In his last lifetime, he truly desired for a companion with whom he could share everything; someone in whom he could confide and be acknowledged by. So, he made one last sincere effort. ¡°But I, I...¡± However, Roswyn persisted in defying his expectations until the very end. Whether in the past or present, Roswyn remained solely focused on being the aide of the Hero. She only saw Frey as someone who had fallen for her beauty and charm, a naive and gullible admirer who was willing to shower her with money. . . . . . ¡°.........¡± With her head lowered, Roswyn walked down the street, her eyes swollen from her sobs. ¡°L-Lady Roswyn, what brings you here...?¡± ¡°T-The flowers! All the artificial flowers that Frey gifted me... are they still stored in the warehouse?!¡± ¡°Oh no, we sold them all.¡± ¡°.....What?¡± She turned pale from shock at the words of the Information Guild employee as she questioned whether her hearing was still functional. ¡°The artificial flowers were made of gold and precious gems, so we were told to take them apart and sell them individually.¡± ¡°When did you sell them...?¡± ¡°We disposed of them a few months ago. The last one was made into an accessory.¡± ¡°Ac-accessory...¡± Since the artificial flowers that she sorely desired had already been repurposed into something as meaningless as accessories, Roswyn could only leave the guild empty-handed. ¡°There are no flowers left... Despite receiving so many from him, not a single one remains...¡± Every one of the flowers Ruby had given to the guild had been carefully preserved. However, not a single one of Frey¡¯s was left. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry... I¡¯m so sorry... I made a mistake...¡± Thus, despite the impossibility of recovering Frey, Roswyn made her way to Isolet¡¯s house, where it was said that his remains lay. However, she couldn¡¯t muster the courage to enter the house as she only stood outside, weeping. ¡°If only I had just kept one... just one flower. Then, maybe the small miracle could have been fulfilled...¡± She longed for a miracle, something that she had already recklessly forsaken herself, to possibly change this nightmare. ¡°Sob, sob, sob...¡± Just like that, Roswyn knelt outside Isolet¡¯s house and wept for a while. ¡°...Huh?¡± Suddenly, she widened her eyes. [Even if I can¡¯t give the unidentified flower that Alice personally recommended...] ¡°...The flower I received back then, the everlasting flower.¡± She began to recall the contents of the diary. ¡°Th-that flower was meant to be given to me.¡± Though it was quite a forced assumption, Roswyn, still in a state of panic, shakily retrieved the everlasting flower. ¡°With this... I¡¯ll go find him. Once I find Frey...!¡± With newfound determination, she struggled to her feet and began knocking on the front door. ¡°P-please... Miss Isolet, open the door. Open it... Ugh.¡± The front door opened. It seemed like it had been unlocked all along since no one was inside. ¡°I-I brought a flower. Frey... It¡¯s too late, but... even so...¡± Completely disregarding the fact that she was intruding, Roswyn entered Isolet¡¯s house. ¡°.....Ugh.¡± Inside, Roswyn discovered numerous bottles of alcohol strewn around Isolet, who was sitting at the dining table. ¡°Miss Isolet, I heard you have recovered Frey...¡± ¡°...Hm.¡± Roswyn urgently posed a question to Isolet, who was drunk and unfocused. Hearing the question, Isolet opened her eyes and slouched in her chair. ¡°Fre... Frey is over there.¡± ¡°T-thank you...¡± Isolet¡¯s eyes were clouded by alcohol, as she pointed towards something. Following Isolet¡¯s vague gesture, Roswyn swiftly moved towards the indicated spot. ¡°........Ah.¡± Eventually, she reached the location Isolet had mentioned, and stood right in front of Frey. ¡°..........¡± With vacant eyes, she looked down. [Frey Raon Starlight] There lay a scabbard filled with gleaming soil, engraved with Frey¡¯s name. ¡°.....What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Frey.¡± As Roswyn asked in disbelief, Isolet, with her unfocused eyes, softly chuckled and replied. ¡°It¡¯s definitely Frey. No doubt about it. If that¡¯s not Frey, then what is?¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°Other kids will come soon too. I already informed them. Just exchange your greetings in advance...¡± Ignoring Isolet¡¯s rambling, Roswyn gently placed the flower on top of the scabbard filled with soil. ¨C Ssk... ¡°........¡± However, no miracle happened. ¡°I b-brought a flower... sob.¡± It wasn¡¯t Frey. It was only a lingering trace of him that was the sole remnant of his existence in this world. ¡°S-sorry... I¡¯m sorry... uu uuu...¡± From that moment on, Roswyn completely fell apart as her mind shattered into pieces. You can rate this serieshere. Chapter 162: - Where Did You Go? ? Where Did You Go? ? ¨C Knock, knock. ¡°...Excuse me, Professor Isolet.¡± Two girls stood outside Isolet¡¯s house. ¨C Squeaaak... ¡°I-it seems to be unlocked.¡± ¡°...Yes, it seems like it.¡± The two girls were Lulu, her dark circles prominent, and Aishi, who had a pale expression. ¡°Um... Princess Aishi, did you also receive an invitation from Professor Isolet¡¯s invitation?¡± ¡°Y-yes.¡± Due to their different social statuses, they rarely exchanged words, despite being part of the same Hero¡¯s Party. As such, they spoke with an awkward tone while conversing with each other. ¡°L-let¡¯s go inside first.¡± ¡°...That sounds good.¡± They promptly entered the house, eager to dispel the lingering awkwardness. ¡°Um... You came?¡± Then, Isolet, who had been sprawled until then, smiled heartily and welcomed them. ¡°Go say hello to Frey over there.¡± ¡°...What?¡± After uttering these words, Isolet collapsed onto the dining table once again. Lulu and Aishi directed their gazes towards the spot Isolet had pointed to and fell into a deep silence. ¡°..........¡± ¡°Hero... Please, I¡¯m begging you...¡± Roswyn, whose hair was disheveled, knelt and begged with her eyes fixed on a scabbard. ¡°Please accept these flowers... let the miracle happen... I¡¯m begging you...¡± Roswyn was completely unaware of the two girls behind her. ¡°You said that once everything was over, a miracle would happen if I came to you with the flowers. So please, Hero, please...¡± She continued speaking in a desperate tone. ¡°Now I finally understand who I should have served... to whom our family owes its gratitude. It was you all along, the Hero of our generation who kept me alive...¡± With a complex expression that seemed to hold numerous memories, Roswyn extended her trembling hand. ¡°I-I¡¯ll write as many as... you sent me every day. I can write as many love letters as you want.¡± As she said, Roswyn had received love letters from Frey everyday. At first, she had read a few to boost her self-esteem, however, her interest waned quickly, causing her to discard later ones without even reading them. However, to Frey, she always pretended to have accepted them while responding with a smile. ¡°I-I¡¯ll do anything you want. I¡¯ll fulfill all your wishes...¡± Frey always granted Roswyn¡¯s requests. In contrast to Ruby, who began with modest requests and gradually escalated to unreasonable demands, Frey always granted whatever Roswyn desired. The only thing he asked for in return was a dinner together. ¡°So please, come back...¡± Lost in such thoughts, Roswyn fervently wished for the miracle mentioned in the diary to come true. ¡°I¡¯ll carefully preserve the flowers that you give me, we¡¯ll have dinner together, and I¡¯ll dance with you at any and every ball. I¡¯ll smile whenever I look at you, so please...¡± Without knowing what the miracle in the diary was, she continued to plead. By this point, Roswyn had lost her grip on reality. She was utterly broken. ¡°Just once... Let us at least have one conversation... I have something to say. Even if it¡¯s to atone, please let me talk to you again. Please, at the very least, come back and punish me.¡± While firmly clutching the scabbard and bowing her head, Roswyn wished for something that could never be fulfilled. She longed for a miracle to happen, even if it was just for a moment. She wanted the man she had forsaken, yet still sought her help until the very end, to return to her side. She wanted him to judge her for helping the Demon King and ruining the true Hero. ¡°Please... just once...¡± As Roswyn continued her ramblings, she noticed that the everlasting flower, which supposedly would never wither, was now drooping on the scabbard filled with the glistening soil. ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°Ah sob...¡± It was only then that she realized her fervent pleas were not directed toward a resurrected Frey or even the body of the deceased Frey. ¡°Ah sob...¡± She realized that what remained were merely glistening remnants left behind by Frey¡¯s annihilation. Roswyn quietly touched the sparkling soil within the scabbard. ¡°.........¡± ¨C Ssk The sparkling dust clung to her hand. ¡°Hero...¡± As she stared vacantly at the remains of the pitiful man who seeked salvation from her, Roswyn fell silent, unable to finish her sentence. ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± ¡°........¡± And for a moment, silence filled the room. ¡°T-this is...¡± [Therefore, whenever I engaged in extended conversations with her, I always brought a bottle of liquor with an alcohol content of 70% or higher. It helped me forget the pain and warmed my heart at the same time. Alcohol is the best in that regard. Of course, in my case, I have to cast a self-created spell that would make me drunk on alcohol. Still, it¡¯s far more effective than the painkillers that don¡¯t work anymore.] ¡°Because of me, he had to drink alcohol to endure the pain of his freezing heart. Because of me, he had to suffer from unnecessarily greater pain, just to block the voice inside my head.¡± She poured herself a third glass of the hard liquor. She then sighed and downed it in one gulp. ¡°If I had known he was drinking for that reason, I would have joined him, even if it had been just for the alcohol...¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s true that I¡¯m pretty good at drinking.¡± ¡°...Ahh...¡± ¡°How about you, Miss Lulu?¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t drink at all.¡± When Lulu hesitated and replied, Aishi sadly smiled and proceeded to pour herself more liquor. ¡°People tended to react that way when I asked them to drink with me. Come to think of it, Frey was the only one who ever suggested we drink together.¡± ¡°.........¡± ¡°If he hadn¡¯t borne such a fate... we might have been good drinking buddies.¡± Ignoring the sudden flush in her cheeks, Aishi continued to express her grievances. ¡°Is there anyone else in the world as unfortunate as him? Honestly, I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Uh, uhh.¡± ¡°Even though I understand that deception was necessary... I still owed him and caused him unnecessary trouble, but now... I can¡¯t even repay him.¡± She raised the glass to her lips but then, she hesitated, and her expression trembled slightly. ¡°...To be honest, I didn¡¯t need time to sort out my thoughts.¡± ¡°When I flipped through the diary, I was afraid of what I might find.¡± ¡°...Could there possibly be any secret more sinister than this?¡± Upon hearing those words... [xx Year xx Month xx Day] [I¡¯m going insane. The cycle was going so perfectly until Ruby started tormenting Aishi in an unprecedented manner. Whenever they spoke, she chased her away while pretending to console her. But inwardly, she whispered inexplicable words, as she used the curse she had planted in Aishi during her youth in an attempt to drive her insane.] While desperately maintaining an unchanged expression, Lulu fixed her gaze on the diary and turned to the next page. [Given the circumstances, I have no choice but to increase the frequency of my interventions with her. Although my heart will be frozen and I¡¯ll suffer from pain due to the side effects, it¡¯s better than retrying.] ¡°Um... Miss Lulu, why do you look so serious?¡± ¡°Ah, uh...¡± ¡°D-don¡¯t tell me...Is there really...?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing...!¡± When Aishi asked with a trembling voice, Lulu hastily flipped through the diary as she replied. However... ¡°...Huh?¡± Soon, her attempt to maintain her composure failed as she gasped in shock. [xx Year xx Month xx Day] [What should I do? What should I do? What should I do? What should I do? What should I do? Because of my excessively emotionless state, I made a mistake with Lulu. This can¡¯t be happening... Unless I can recruit Roswyn, Lulu is the only one I can rely on. If I don¡¯t embrace her, I won¡¯t be able to sleep properly anymore. I have to apologize. I have to. I won¡¯t be able to fix everything that happened in the past. I haven¡¯t even been able to erase all her scars yet. After coming all the way here, if I continue down that route...] ¡°...Ah?¡± As Lulu flipped through the pages filled with Frey¡¯s usual gentle and casual handwriting, she unexpectedly encountered a page written in a more intense penmanship. [xx Year xx Month xx Day] [She was taken away from me. Lulu was taken away by Ruby. I have to retrieve her.] ¡°........Ah.¡± After that, she froze upon discovering the recurring words on several pages. [Where did you go? Come back. Where did you go? Come back. Where did you go? Come back....] ¡°......Uwah.¡± ¡°M-Miss Lulu... Why do you look like...¡± As Aishi asked in concern, beside the trembling Lulu, who wore such a wretched expression... ¡°Yes... Kania... you¡¯ll gather the other three...?¡± ¡°All right, please do your best...¡± Isolet was calling someone. ¡°... Frey is waiting for all of you here.¡± Chapter 163: - I Want To Be Loved By You Again ? I Want To Be Loved By You Again ? ¡°......Ugh.¡± Lulu¡¯s eyes quivered as she turned the pages of the diary. [xx Year xx Month xx Day] [Yes, I must confess. I was too dependent on Lulu. She has her own life, but I disregarded that and tried to control her too much. So, it was only natural that something like this happened.] The harsh and intense words that had filled several pages had vanished, replaced by calm and tidy script. [She must have endured a great deal as well. After all, my obsession for her was unimaginably overbearing. Continuously imposing a distorted relationship with her, when I was meant to be the subject of everyone¡¯s hatred, was nothing but my own selfishness.] ¡°Ah...¡± [I understand. I do. However, I still need to express my affection for her. I was so close to erasing the Stigma of Misfortune. It has practically vanished, so I just need to put in a little more effort.] The subsequent orderly lines conveyed a composed tone. [I must bring a happy ending to her, who is more wretched than anyone else.] After taking her eyes off the diary¡¯s concluding words, Lulu, biting her lips hard, whispered, ¡°...I didn¡¯t know that.¡± Now, she recollected the hazy memories of the past. . . . . . Lulu had always yearned for love. ¡°Mon-Monster... You¡¯re a monster...¡± ¡°M-Mom...¡± However, what was so simple for others, was an incredibly difficult wish for Lulu. ¡°Get out! Get out of my house!¡± ¡°...Eugh.¡± When she was barely ten years old, she was driven out of her home. The reason was quite self-explanatory; unfortunate events incessantly occurred around her. And it never stopped, for this pattern persisted throughout her entire life. It did not matter what situation it was, as ill fortune followed her like a plague. When she tried to make a living off the streets, she caused harm to anyone who helped her. When she tried to find work, her workplace burned down. When she tried to find guardians, they mysteriously vanished. And when she tried to make friends, they were affected by her own misery. The misfortune that slowly engulfed Lulu denied her any taste of ¡®happiness.¡¯ By the time she entered the academy, she felt cornered, on the brink of giving up entirely. ¡°...Lulu, from now on, you¡¯ll be my pet.¡± However, an unexpected turning point entered her life. ¡°Lulu, this is your room now.¡± ¡°Do you want to eat something? Just tell me, I¡¯ll get it for you.¡±The? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n)) ¡°Your clothes and accessories. Of course, if you want something, I¡¯ll get it for you.¡± ¡°I told you not to harm yourself. Let me wrap the bandage for you, come here.¡± Frey declared his ownership of Lulu as his ¡®pet¡¯ and showered her with infinite love. ¡°...Lulu, you¡¯re my pet. You¡¯re just an existence that follows my orders. Your sole duty is to quietly accept my adoration.¡± ¡°Who gave Lulu such food?¡± ¡°Where are you going, Lulu? I told you you can buy anything you want, but you must come with me when you go outside.¡± ¡°You belong to me, Lulu. You¡¯re my possession.¡± However, that love took on a rather twisted form. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Master Frey.¡± Hence, even though Frey was the one who first introduced her to love and lifted the ¡®Stigma of Misfortune¡¯... ¡°I don¡¯t think I can be with you anymore.¡± One day, when Frey was particularly unkind to Lulu, she left the Starlight Mansion. ¡°Lulu...! What are you...!¡± ¡°... You are the one who has been tormenting Lulu all this time, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°R-Ruby... why are you...¡± ¡°Miss Lulu asked for my help. So, she will stay with me from now on.¡± And thus, she entrusted herself to the Hero, Ruby. Ruby revealed the dangerous and abnormal traits of Frey, who had persistently sought to be with her, and that revelation shook Lulu¡¯s heart. ¡°...Thank you for everything you¡¯ve done for me.¡± Since then, Lulu had received love not just from Frey but also from everyone. As a proud member of the Hero¡¯s Party, she received attention, affection, and envy from all her classmates. Her analytical skills earned her high praise and adoration even within the Hero¡¯s talented group of individuals. Among them, Ruby, the Hero, especially cherished her. ¡°Miss Lulu~! Try this~!¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s... um...¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay! You can eat as much as you want!¡± During meals, Ruby always treated Lulu to delicious food. ¡°Great job in today¡¯s battle! Miss Lulu is the core of our party!¡± ¡°Oh, y-yes...¡± Despite the nature of her abilities that confined Lulu to a rear position in battles, Ruby never hesitated to praise her whenever a battle was over. ¡°Oh my... so you were treated like a pet at Starlight Mansion...?¡± ¡°W-Well... you could say so.¡± In a sense, this outcome was natural. The entire world remained ignorant of the detailed truth and only held fragmented information, leaving them with no other option but to form a negative perception of her. And the people who treated her kindly in the past had all been under the sway of Ruby¡¯s manipulations. Ruby¡¯s affection had been insincere from the beginning, designed to snatch Lulu¡¯s Magic Eyes. Certainly, the members of the Hero Party genuinely cared for Lulu, but... ¡°This... This is... My curse... this kind of influence...¡± ¡°Hehe... Frey. Is this how you plan to defeat me?¡± As they learned the whole truth, the members of the Hero Party had their focus redirected or their mind broken. Thus, they could no longer give affection to Lulu. ¡°Euh...¡± Once again isolated and abandoned, Lulu, her eyes devoid of life, reached for the knife resting on the dining table. ¨C Slide... ¡°.........¡± After hesitating for a while, she carefully extended her arm and made a shallow cut on her skin with the knife. ¨C Ssk ¡°Akh.. ugh...¡± Then, as an unexpected surge of pain coursed through her, Lulu finally realized. ¡°Ah...¡± The self-harm, which had previously served as her sole refuge and provided a temporary respite from the world, no longer offered her solace or release. ¡°Lu-Lulu, what are you doing?!...¡± ¡°.......¡± Furthermore, the concern and attention caused by her self-harm only led to superficial sympathy. ¨C Clang...! Despite realizing this, Lulu, with trembling eyes, attempted a few more times to cut her arm with the knife. ¡°Ugh...¡± Feeling even more pain and despair, Lulu ultimately let the knife slip from her grasp and muttered, ¡°...I want to be loved.¡± However, there was no longer anyone in this world who could genuinely give her that love. Even though she was more than aware of this fact, Lulu continued to utter these words with a vacant expression. ¡°I want to be loved...¡± Although she did not utter a name, her words carried a clear meaning. ¡°By you again...¡± Unbeknownst to herself, Lulu found herself craving the love of Frey once more. ¡°I want to be loved...¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± However, as she spoke and shifted her gaze away, Lulu suddenly turned silent. ¡°........¡± Frey was no longer here. He would never come back. And... the sole trace of him was a scabbard filled with glistening soil. ¡°I... I want to see you again...¡± Lulu¡¯s vacant voice drifted aimlessly through the void. ¡°Master Frey...¡± . . . . . Meanwhile, at the same moment. [00:01] In the dark room where a countdown remained frozen at one second. ¡°.....¡± As he silently observed the world from that room, Frey began to murmur in a faint voice. ¡°... I¡¯m certain I destroyed the diary.¡± ¡°Father¡¯s return, the heroines regaining their memories, and even Ruby returning to her original form.... everything is just so strange.¡± While maintaining a poker face, Frey turned his gaze towards two sisters as he said, ¡°Also...¡± ¡°Sister, you¡¯ve held on for quite a while, haven¡¯t you? I¡¯ve told you to stop this useless resistance. You¡¯re obstructing my view.¡± ¡°I will never... I will never give up... I can¡¯t bear to see my creations suffer any longer...¡± The desperately resisting Sun God fixed her gaze upon the Demon God, who wore a cold smile. ¡°Even if I have to trade all my divinity for your annihilation... I¡¯ll make you...!¡± ¡°Just give it a try~ If you¡¯re really able to do it.¡± Seeing this, Frey mumbled in a cold voice. ¡°...This is really starting to piss me off.¡± Frey touched a small necklace given by a certain scroll merchant long ago. Chapter 164: - Roll Credits ? Roll Credits ? ¨C Knock, knock. ¡°Professor, are you there...?¡± A young girl knocked on Isolet¡¯s front door. ¡°Professor Isolet, I¡¯ve come...¡± After grimly knocking for a while, she grew wary with hesitation soon after noticing that the door was unlocked. ¡°...I¡¯ll go in.¡± With a deep breath, she cautiously entered the house. ¡°Heup...¡± As she entered, a strong smell of alcohol hit her like a truck. ¡°...Professor?¡± She could only cover her nose as she attempted to observe her surroundings, eventually discovering Isolet sprawled across a table, surrounded by spilled alcohol. ¡°Professor, what¡¯s happening...?¡± ¡°Mmm... Kania... you came.¡± Isolet, who was able to somehow distinguish Kania¡¯s voice, chuckled while raising her head. Hearing her greeting, Kania approached with a puzzled expression. ¡°Are the other girls...?¡± ¡°T-they will come soon.¡± ¡°I see... I¡¯ll go give my regards to Frey first, then.¡± Kania walked where Isolet pointed¡ªthe spot Frey was supposed to be at. But of course, instead of Frey, only a scabbard was lying there. ¡°..........¡± The other girls seemed lifeless as they stared blankly at the scabbard. ¡°Um...¡± Kania cautiously approached them, absent-mindedly thinking about what to say. ¡°Miss Roswyn...?¡± After approaching the girls before her, she addressed Roswyn, who appeared to be in the worst condition. ¡°Ugh... Sob...¡±The? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n)) ¡°Miss Roswyn, what are you doing...?¡± Roswyn was roughly grasping and pulling out the luscious hair she had once been proud of, reducing it to an ugly mess. ¨C Sob... ¡°Miss Roswyn, please calm down first...¡± After attempting to calm Roswyn, who had shown signs of madness, Kania quickly discovered the cause of her insanity and stopped reaching out to her. ¡°Ah...¡± Roswyn, realizing that her hair was an intense and deep ruby, was repeatedly ripping it out with a pale and horrified expression. ¨C Sob... But that wasn¡¯t all; everything was ruby. Every jewel of hers was ruby; her clothes were all colored in ruby; even her room was bathed in ruby hues. Out of her entire existence, there wasn¡¯t even a speck of the sparkling silver that was inside the scabbard. ¡°...¡± In response to the situation, Roswyn, who once had radiant gold hair, slowly grasped at her dark-ruby colored hair. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have boasted... I shouldn¡¯t have...¡± She cursed herself for deliberately dressing to praise Ruby every time Frey requested a meeting. ¡°What¡¯s so good about her that I had to paint myself in her color... when I could have chosen the true one...¡± As she mumbled to herself for a while. ¡°Everywhere... everything is...¡± She looked around herself before immediately freaking out. ¡°Every single corner is her... everything is bathed in her color...¡± It was because of what she saw lying around her. There were ruby accessories scattered randomly, ruby-colored scarves and gloves crumpled, and even her hair was colored in ruby. ¡°Ah...¡± However, Roswyn swiftly realized: no matter how everything gleamed in ruby, there was nothing shining in Ruby¡¯s color more than herself. ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°...¡± After a while of staring blankly at Roswyn, seated in the same spot with sunken eyes, Kania turned her gaze away. ¡°Ugh...¡± This time, she saw Lulu. ¡°...I could have just taken a drink from him at least once.¡± Shivering at the realization, she began to regret her actions of rejecting countless invitations from him. ¡°I should have just endured it... and drank with him at least once.¡± ¨C Pouring... Aishi poured herself a drink as strong as the one that Frey always carried with him to endure her curse. . . . . . At that moment, as each girl reacted differently yet all equally fell into despair, Kania gazed at them with a pale expression. ¡°What is this...?¡± ¡°What¡¯s actually happening here?¡± Originally, she had intended to have a serious discussion with the others at this gathering. A few days ago, when her memories were awakened, it was too much of a shock that she didn¡¯t have time to process everything¡ª from the shocking memories that suddenly resurfaced to manipulated evidence emerging from various sources. Still, even if everything turned out to be true, she wondered what actions Frey had committed that were perceived as ¡®Evils¡¯ by them. Moreover, she pondered how they would uncover his truly genuine and good deeds so that they could clear his name. That was what she wanted to discuss with them. ¨C Squeeeakk But before any proper discussion could take place, the sound of the front door opening echoed through the space once again. ¡°Professor... We¡¯ve come...¡± ¡°What... What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°.....?¡± And as Irina, Clana, and Serena stepped into the house, they also froze in confusion at the mayhem that was Isolet¡¯s house. ¡°Why... Why is everyone like this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. They¡¯ve been like this since I arrived.¡± As Kania was about to respond with the same bewildered expression as the other girls, she soon noticed the diary placed next to Aishi. ¡°...Ah?¡± ¡°Hold on, Kania! Stop!¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Irina suddenly looked urgent as she addressed Kania. ¡°Why are you... doing this...¡± However, despite the warning, Kania couldn¡¯t resist touching the diary. Soon, with a vacant expression, she dropped her gaze towards it. ¡°..........¡± ¨C Rustle... She started to read slowly, yet almost mechanically. ¡°E-everyone, step back.¡± While watching Kania with an anxious expression, Irina declared in a serious tone. ¡°...There¡¯s an ancient magic or something enchanted in that diary.¡± ¡°W-what kind of magic is it?¡± Clana cautiously asked her. ¡°It¡¯s a magic that infuses the writer¡¯s memories into the paper...¡± As she reached out her hand to analyze the diary, Irina answered with a trembling voice. However, as she started to speak, her eyes suddenly turned blank as she gazed at something. ¡°It¡¯s like magic to assimilate with the reader... Huh?¡± [Ending Credits] [This is a gift to those who have reached the Happy Ending] [You¡¯ll get to experience the heroic moments of Frey Raon Starlight firsthand.] ¡°What¡¯s that...?¡± A small window floated above the everlasting flower on Frey¡¯s scabbard. ¡ùError¡ù [Frey Raon Starlight does not exist.] It should have been a miracle that occurred after everything was over; a heroic tale centered around Frey, who was finally able to reach a happy ending by receiving a flower from Roswyn. [The medium to experience the Ending Credits will be transferred from to .] However, for some reason, they were implemented in a significantly unexpected way. Even so... Roll Credits... Or is it? You can rate/review this serieshere. Chapter 165: - 0 Times ? 0 Times ? ¡°Hmm...?¡± After blankly reading through Frey¡¯s diary, Kania suddenly came to her senses and lifted her head. ¡°I-Is this...?¡± Her surroundings had changed within moments, as she realized she was no longer in Isolet¡¯s house. ¡°......???¡± It was a place that she was very familiar with, the garden of the Starlight Mansion. ¡°Why am I suddenly here...?¡± With a perplexed expression, Kania looked around. ¡°.....!¡± She lowered her head absentmindedly and widened her eyes as she heard crackling in her hands. ¨C Crack... Crack... The sound came from a translucent window that appeared in the diary she held. [The Ending Credits Are Now Playing] [Discover the heroic stories of Frey Raon Starlight. As a result, clear up all misunderstandings to allow him to lead a happy life.] ¡°Huh?¡± Kania¡¯s expression gradually hardened as she read the contents of the window. ¡°W-Were the writings regarding the ¡®Prophecy¡¯ true?¡± Kania eventually mumbled with a completely stiff expression. ¡°...Uh.¡± She stared at the front door of the Starlight Mansion with trembling eyes. ¡°I-I have to go in, right?¡± The diary¡¯s contents began to appear in Kania¡¯s mind, urging her to enter the mansion. ¡°U-Umm..¡± As such, Kania hesitantly walked to the mansion¡¯s front door. ¡°Oops.¡± She was startled and took a step back as her hand easily passed through the front door. ¡°........¡± A chilling moment of silence followed. ¡°...Gulp.¡± As Kania swallowed dryly in the silence, she shut her eyes and stepped forward. ¨C Swish... As she walked in, she saw a very familiar sight. Dark-colored wooden floors, a cozy sofa, and vintage decorations. However, even though the synergy of these items were meant to create a comfortable and exquisite atmosphere, Kania started trembling as she saw this familiar room. It was because the Starlight Mansion was not a place of comfort or coziness, but her prison instead. ¡°...Uh.¡± ¡°...Young Master.¡± Kania took a deep breath after trembling for a while. ¡°Were you really... a Hero that protected everyone?¡± She clutched her fist as she wore a hollow expression. ¡°Then, all the evil deeds you have done so far...¡± She murmured in a low voice. ¡°...was it necessary for you to do that?¡± Of course, no one answered her questions. ¨C Clatter, clatter! ¡°...!?¡± Instead, noises could be heard from the kitchen. ¨C Shaaaah... Kania could only mumble and frown as she stared with red-shot eyes. ¡°That is...¡± It was because she saw a familiar black aura emerge from where the noise was located. ¡°...Wait, could it be?¡± It was then that Kania realized. She was now at the point corresponding to the dates written in Frey¡¯s diary. ¨C Squeak... Thus, Kania looked on with equal amounts of familiarity and bewilderment as this mysterious event played before her. ¡°.....!¡± In utter shock, she watched as her own self came out from the opened kitchen door. ¨C Thud, thud. A version of herself who wore a cold expression held a tray containing sandwiches and coffee towards the room that the original Kania was already in.Vissit (.)c.om for updates ¡°Persistent jerk...¡± Then, she stopped briefly and mumbled something in disgust. ¡°...Why won¡¯t that jerk eat?¡± Then, she began to go up the stairs slowly. ¡°.......¡± While observing her other self¡¯s actions in a daze, Kania couldn¡¯t help but follow as if she was under a spell. ¨C Knock, knock, knock. ¡°I¡¯ve brought your meal, Young Master.¡± As Kania followed, she saw her other version started to knock on a very familiar door. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this quickly...¡± And then, shortly after. ¡°Come in.¡± As Frey¡¯s voice rang out, Kania was taken aback because it was the first time she heard his voice since the final battle. ¡°Here are the sandwiches and coffee you ordered, Young Master..¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Even as it caused him so much pain, Frey ate her poisoned and cursed food with so much nostalgic happiness. Throughout the Special Quest, Kania could feel his desperate desire for salvation with even more intensity. [...Her food is still the most delicious dish in the world.] ¡°Ughh...¡± Those words continued to pound in Kania¡¯s head and the painful realization caused her to lose her strength and plunge to the floor. ¨C Swish... ¡°...Huh?¡± As time passed, Frey, who had been sitting at his desk without falling asleep, glanced at the clock and got up from his seat. [3:30 AM] The clock, which was decorated with magic crystals, indicated that the current time was early in the morning. ¨C Squeak... Kania stared blankly at Frey, who was opening the door and stepping outside cautiously at such a late hour. ¡°All right.¡± With a complicated expression, she got up from her seat. ¡°The reason I infused poison and curses into Frey...¡± And then, Kania slowly followed Frey from behind. ¡°It was because every night... Frey...¡± ¡°Tried to force...¡± She opened her mouth, but her words trailed off. ¡°.......¡± With an even paler expression than before, Kania continued to follow Frey¡¯s steps. ¡°Ughh.¡± Kania stopped in her tracks as well, when Frey abruptly halted in the darkened hallway. ¨C Squeak... ¡°A-As expected...¡± Kania murmured in a trembling voice as she gazed intently at the door that Frey opened. ¡°...You are going to my room.¡± Without fail, Frey visited Kania¡¯s room every late night. ¡°Hmm... Hmm.¡± ¡°..........¡± Frey entered Kania¡¯s room, as he held his breath and cautiously observed her state of consciousness. ¡°...All right.¡± Frey proceeded to unbutton his clothes. ¨C Click. ¨C Swish, ssk... He carefully climbed onto the bed and slipped his hand inside Kania¡¯s top while she was lying still. ¡°T-That¡¯s right...¡± Kania¡¯s expression gradually hardened as she witnessed the scene before her. ¡°I knew it... I knew it, but I have to endure it...¡± Kania continued to watch as mixed emotions crossed her face. ¡°Although I always fantasized about revenge... I was worried about my sister... so I endured it.¡± She began to unleash the feelings that she had always held in.. ¡°No matter how much it was desired, that¡¯s... huh?¡± She suddenly looked perplexed. ¡°I didn¡¯t give you enough life force all this time, so it was tough for you, right? Hang in there, Kania.¡± Frey spoke as his hand was still inside her shirt. ¡°I¡¯m about to improve your sister¡¯s healing ability. And, in this cycle...¡± Instead of doing something Kania had expected, she heard a surprising statement from Frey. ¡°...I think I can finally give you a Happy Ending.¡± Frey¡¯s hand gently caressed her back while his other hand covered his mouth with a handkerchief. ¨C Shaaaah...! Shortly thereafter, an unknown energy began to infuse into her body. ¡°Cough! Cough...!¡± ¡°Akkhhhh!!¡± At that moment, Kania felt intense pain, as if her insides were being twisted. Consequently, she collapsed and vomited the blood she had been holding in the entire time. ¡°Ah... Ugh...¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± However, her expression quickly changed to one of astonishment as she witnessed her different persona begin to regain her vitality, despite only lying on the bed. ¡°U-Ugh...¡± Meanwhile, even as he was gasping his head while trembling in pain, Frey continued to infuse his own life force into Kania¡¯s body until the very last drop that he could give. ¡°...Ughh.¡± ¡°T-This is...¡± And shortly after... [Achievement Unlocked: Unwavering Spirit] As Kania watched the scene in inevitable agony, a translucent window mockingly appeared in front of her. [The number of times Frey had forcibly violated others across every regression: ] ¡°W-What is this...?¡± A highly provocative message appeared on the system window, almost as if it was meant for Kania to read while she trembled in disbelief. ¡°Yo-...¡± Soon, she completely stiffened, even while forgetting all the pain she had experienced thus far. ¡°Young Master......¡± Her eyes were completely fixated on the only two words left on the translucent window. [0 Times] You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 166: - Ending Credits Screening ? Ending Credits Screening ? ¡°Sob, sob...¡± Tears streamed down Kania¡¯s cheeks as she read the diary, ¡°M-Miss Kania...?¡± The three other girls exchanged bewildered glances as they saw Kania. ¡°What kind of memories were written in it...?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure, but if Miss Kania is reacting this way...¡± Irina and Clana¡¯s voices trembled as they spoke. ¡°...I need to check it.¡± Serena spoke, her expression devoid of emotion as she reached for the diary. ¡°W-wait a moment...!¡± Clana halted Serena¡¯s actions and turned her gaze toward Irina, who looked pale. ¡°Miss Irina, if we touch that diary... Will we be able to uncover the truth?¡± ¡°Could there be any possibility of manipulation or a trap? Perhaps, some form of magic at play?¡± ¡°The magic in that diary merely reveals the embedded memories of the writer. There is no possibility of manipulation.¡± ¡°I see...¡± After Irina clarified that, Clana stared at the diary fearfully. ¡°If I... If I touch it, I¡¯ll see Frey¡¯s memories... I¡¯ll see everything, the whole truth...¡± Serena whispered desperately as she brushed away Clana¡¯s hand. ¡°Then, I can see him again...¡± ¡°W-Wait...!¡± ¨C Shaaa... Soon after, Serena laid her hand on the diary before anyone could intervene. ¡°Ah...¡± Then, with a vacant expression, Serena started reading the diary, joining Kania, who had been flipping through it earlier. ¡°Sob, sob... sob...¡± As she grew increasingly alarmed by this scene, Clana mumbled while tightly closing her eyes, before placing her hand on the diary. ¡°I-I want to know the truth too...¡± ¡°............¡± Irina, who had been staring blankly at the girls, took a deep breath and touched the diary as well. ¡°...I shouldn¡¯t be the only one running away.¡± ¡°..........¡± After that, silence fell. [Single Player Mode: End] ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°M-Miss Kania?¡± ¡°Where is this?¡± A while later, the four girls, including Kania, who had barely managed to hold in the bile crawling up her throat, found themselves in an unfamiliar location. [Applying Multiplayer Experience Mode] It was a dimly lit space with a giant screen. . . . . . ¨C Crackle...! ¡°.....!¡± The four girls, tense with wariness, involuntarily flinched as the light flickered to life on the giant screen. ¨C Frey, you are... the chosen hero. ¨C What? The scene that appeared on the screen was a conversation between a young Frey and his father, Abraham. ¨C You are the Star Hero. It is you who will defeat the Demon King that rises in the world once again after a thousand years.¡± ¨C What... What are you talking about...? After hearing Abraham¡¯s next words, young Frey asked, his voice trembling, but was only greeted by silence. [On the day I took my mother¡¯s life with my own hands, the prophecy awakened, and I became a hero.] Then, a composed and meticulously crafted passage emerged before the four girls. [Since then, numerous cycles and timelines have come into existence.] ¡°........¡± Deep silence enveloped the space as the girls stared at the passage. [As the countless timelines and regressions approached their respective ends.] Then, another set of words materialized before them. [Whenever a pivotal event leading to a fixed outcome occurred, I would evaluate my actions. I wanted to know if this cycle was one where I didn¡¯t need to retry. I wanted to judge whether my actions were right.] ¡°Sob, sniff...¡± ¡°Um...¡± As the words faded away, an image of Kania and Frey materialized before the girls. ¡°...Eugh.¡± Frey was infusing life force into Kania, just as he always had. ¡°I-I still have to give you a little more...¡± However, Frey¡¯s condition was critical due to Aishi¡¯s curse freezing his heart. ¨C Crackle... Crackle... ¡°I can¡¯t stop yet... If I were to stop now, in the next scenario, Kania...¡± ¡°...What are you doing right now?¡± At that moment, Frey¡¯s previously restless expression became stunned with shock. ¡°K-Kania...¡± ¡°What are you doing to my body?¡± Kania glared at Frey with a disgusted expression as he reached inside her top, touching her bare skin. [Event: Kania¡¯s Liberation] In that critical moment, as the text appeared, Kania, who lay on the bed, shouted. ¡°What are you doing to me!!¡± A brief silence. ¡°Uuuh...¡± While clutching his chest, Frey groaned and decided to take action. ¡°Why, why are you like this? It¡¯s not the first time, is it?¡± ¡°W-What...!¡± ¡°...You held me every night. Weren¡¯t you secretly enjoying it too?¡± It was a lie. ¡°F-Fuck... Fucking bastard...¡± ¡°Stay still. You can¡¯t resist me anyway...¡± As a result, Kania, who was completely deceived by Frey, confronted him with a resentful expression, as her eyes welled up with tears. Frey tried to shift the hand resting on her back to her chest, all while feigning a sinister expression. However, soon after, he coughed up blood and collapsed onto the bed. ¡°Cough!¡± ¡°D-Do you think I didn¡¯t realize it?¡± Looking at him with a cold expression, Kania spoke. ¡°That was from some of the poisons and curses I implanted within you. I¡¯ve only activated them slightly.¡± ¡°W-what are you talking about... Agh!!¡± ¡°What am I talking about? Huh. I said, I¡¯m not your puppet anymore.¡± Kania calmly adjusted her clothes, as she watched Frey tremble in pain. ¡°So, just go away. I want to have some fun with these girls.¡± As Frey finished speaking, Serena watched him exchange a deep kiss with the woman sitting on his lap. Shortly thereafter, she departed with sunken eyes. ¡°...Goodbye.¡± Event: Deceiving Serena Score: S+ Evaluation: Did I really succeed? Comments: At last, it¡¯s a success. Among countless regressions, it was the most challenging and the final crucial event: successfully deceiving Serena. Honestly, it¡¯s still hard to believe I pulled it off. I never thought I could succeed in this. And another message appeared. [I meticulously manipulated all the evidence and carefully analyzed the Curse of Familial Subordination inscribed within her, finding a way to trigger it forcibly. Furthermore, the Secret Lord of the Moonlight Family is already in my grasp. Of course, all these efforts are just basic prerequisites for deceiving her. The most vital part lies elsewhere.] Frey¡¯s record seemed to have ended with calm and concise notes. [I had to loathe Serena to deceive her. However, even after countless regressions, I couldn¡¯t find that method. Why?] However, for the first time, the entry had continued, even after his evaluation. [It was because I love her.] ¡°...Huh?¡± After reading the contents, Serena broke her long silence, her voice filled with astonishment. [Because of that, no matter what tactics I used, regardless of how cunningly I schemed, and even with my intellect surpassing all limits in mental battles, Serena always saw through my true identity. It was because I loved her, and she could always sense my love for her.] ¡°F-Frey...?¡± As Serena read the contents that materialized before her, for the first time in her life, an expression of unsure disbelief crossed her face. [To ensure everyone receives a happy ending, no one could know my true identity. So, I came up with a last resort.] ¡°Why?¡± [Throughout countless regressions, I had learned Serena¡¯s ¡®mind control¡¯. With this skill, I concocted a plan to use it on myself, so I could convert my love for her into hatred.] ¡°What the hell is this...!¡± The revelations continued to shake her as they unraveled. [And finally, after countless efforts, I ultimately succeeded in transforming my affection for Serena and the love I held for the others like Kania, Irina, Clara, and Ferloche into all-consuming ¡®hatred.¡¯] [It was inevitable. Maintaining a facade of evil deeds while harboring love was too painful. For a perfect regression, a change in emotions was necessary.] ¡°Ah...¡± [Despite the hesitation to potentially undo everything in the end, I clearly remember having changed my feelings toward them. I had grown weary long ago and yearned for eternal rest. But, when the final moment arrives... perhaps my heart will not waver...] The entire narrative unfurled before the girls. [...Ah.] In a flurry of hastily scrawled text, the story continued to unfold. [I¡¯ve encountered a big problem; I¡¯ve just confirmed those girls¡¯ affection levels... it¡¯s rising.] [Why is this happening? Why? If this continues, will I be caught again? No. I can¡¯t let all my efforts go to waste...] Gradually, it reached the end. [...There¡¯s no other choice. It would be a very sad and desolate conclusion. I have no choice but to even erase the memory of me manipulating their emotions.] ¡°......!!!¡± The four girls were taken aback as Frey¡¯s voice reached them instead of the characters they had been following. [If I use a powerful memory erasure magic, I can end everything before the memories etched in their souls resurface, right? Anyway, there¡¯s not even a year left until the final battle.] Ignoring the girls¡¯ reactions, the voice continued to echo. [And... regrettably, I must erase this record as well.] Frey, who was writing in the diary, whispered these words in a sad voice. [If I leave this record behind, all my effort spent erasing the memories would be meaningless.] And the moment those words ended... Swish... The records regarding Serena¡¯s incident, which had been hovering before them, began to disappear. ¡°No, it can¡¯t be...¡± Serena, who had been staring blankly at that scene, instinctively reached out to the vanishing characters in the diary. However, at that moment, the same score as before materialized in front of her. Event: Memory and Emotion Erasure Score: S+ Evaluation: Success. Comments: Of course, it was bound to happen. Because now, it isn¡¯t only Serena... And the four girls, who were reading the newly created records on top of the erased characters... [...I also no longer love anyone else.] Their expressions simultaneously grew somber. [I just want to finish everything and rest.] It was because they had now realized the full scope of the events. [Event: Liberating Ferloche from the Pope] Even as characters and scenes continued to appear before them, no one paid attention anymore. ¡°Ferloche, it¡¯s time to give up now...¡± ¡°I, I will never give up.¡± ¡°............¡± They were all just sitting in the dark space, their eyes devoid of life. Finally, a red window appeared before them after all the characters and scenes had played out. [Frey Raon Starlight¡¯s Achievements] Disposition: Hero Goodness Stat: 100 Retry Count: ??? Death Count: ??? Number of Times Forcing Criminal Acts: 0 Number of Times Committed Misdeeds out of Selfishness or Self-Satisfaction: 0 Number of Times Erased Memories: 8 Number of Times Losing Sanity: 8 Number of Times Committed Unnecessary Crimes: 8 Number of Times Deviated from Path of False Evil: 5 Number of Times Completely Resented the Main Heroines: 1 Number of Times Corrupted by the Demon King: 0 ... . . . . . ¨C Crackling... Crackling... ¡°...Huh?¡± Inside Isolet¡¯s house, as the translucent Frey was observing everyone with a dark expression... ¡°This is...¡± To be certain, he delved into his pocket and took out the pendant necklace he always carried around, as a look of puzzlement filled his face. ¡°...This is what the merchant left behind at that time.¡± The ¡®Easter Egg¡¯ the merchant had left behind when crafting the Robe of Deception was now glowing. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 167: - Before Judgement ? Before Judgement ? It had been a few months since Frey¡¯s funeral, or rather, the event that might have passed for a funeral. ¨C Whiiiz...! Just a few months ago, the Empire¡¯s streets bustled with activity. However, now, only the cold wind swept through the streets, as a result of the grand battle between the Hero and the Demon King. ¡°.........¡± Silence enveloped the surroundings. The children who had once frolicked on the streets, the gallant men who had sung and reveled in bars, and the lovers who had shared tender moments on benches ¨C they had all but faded away. The warm atmosphere created by those people had vanished. The biggest cause of such a drastic transformation was painfully obvious; the once radiant sun had nearly lost its brilliance, teetering on the brink of extinction. As such, the Empire had long lost its vitality and was now cloaked in a shroud of cold and snow. In the heart of this frozen empire¡¯s capital stood a partially dilapidated mansion. ¡°Miss Irina... is this really possible...?¡± ¡°......¡± Two girls stared vacantly at the extensive magic circle that covered the mansion with dull eyes. ¡°Miss Serena did it before, and you did it too in the past.¡± ¡°...What?¡± While looking fatigued, with dark bags under her eyes, Irina adjusted the magic circle and heard Kania speak gloomily. ¡°It¡¯s impossible... to turn back the time.¡± Upon hearing this, Irina clenched her teeth for a moment, but then, as if to blatantly ignore Kania, she continued to draw more formulas to the magic circle. ¡°No... perhaps, it could be possible...¡± ¡°Miss Irina, the form of the magic circle is too unstable. If we continue like this, there might be an accident like last time...¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± As Kania watched her anxiously, Irina gazed back at her impassively and responded. ¡°Then, you can just get out of here and leave this to me.¡± Although the statement made Kania flinch momentarily, she quickly regained her composure while clenching her fists. ¡°This is our last chance. The sun will soon be completely out. So, this will be our last attempt.¡± ¡°...I know.¡± ¡°So, when do you plan to activate it?¡± Irina chewed her lip at Kania¡¯s question. ¡°...Right now.¡± Without hesitation, she closed her eyes tightly and began infusing mana into the magic circle. ¡°...Let¡¯s give it a try.¡± Simultaneously, Kania also began channeling her dark energy into the magic circle. As a result, Irina¡¯s mana and Kania¡¯s dark power intertwined. ¨C Roaaarr...! The magic circle began to radiate with light. ¡°N-no way... is it a success?¡± ¡°...R-really?¡± Suddenly, the eyes of these two young women lit up for the first time in a long while. ¡°I-If we can go back to the past... we should meet Frey first...¡± ¡°N-no we have to adjust our memories first. In return, let¡¯s use the hint notes we prepared in advance...¡± Afterward, the girls sifted through the notes they had readied beside them as they urgently discussed their plan. ¨C Crackle... crackle...! ¡°...Huh?¡± As the magic circle emitting the radiant light began to flicker suddenly, they stopped talking and blankly stared at the magic circle. ¨C Crumble!! And at that moment, the magic circle fell apart. ¡°Ah...¡± Fortunately, it didn¡¯t cause any extreme explosions like it had done for previous tests. However, watching the magic circle, which held Irina and Kania¡¯s last glimmer of hope, fall apart and vanish into nothingness was a heavier blow than any failure they had experienced thus far. ¡°.........¡± Ultimately, the two girls could only stare at the failed magic circle with lifeless eyes. [End of Ordeal] [Would you like to proceed to the Judgment Room?] [Yes/No] ¡°...Ha.¡± At that moment, the translucent Frey, who had been watching their actions, spoke. ¡°Everyone else has already gone to the judgment room...¡± Then, he muttered with a dark expression, reaching out his hand. ¡°I should go there soon as well...¡± And just like that, a hesitant Frey finally raised his hand to select ¡®Yes.¡¯ ¨C Can you lend me your body for a moment? ¡°...Ugh!¡± Suddenly, a familiar sound echoed around him. ¡°W-What...?¡± Startled by this sudden event, Frey looked around. ¡°...The pendant?¡± He murmured, his eyes widening as he noticed that the pendant¡¯s brightness, which was gradually increasing throughout the ordeal, was now shining splendidly . ¨C There¡¯s something I have to confirm before the judgment. ¡°What...?¡± His own voice, but filled with profound darkness, emanated from the pendant. ¨C Zziiing...! And after a moment. ¡°Huh?¡± A small miracle occurred. ¡°Hello.¡± Frey, who was supposed to have been completely vanished, suddenly materialized in front of the girls. ¡°...Young Master?¡± ¡°Frey...?¡± He stood before the two despondent girls. ¨C Crackle As I finished my words with a sigh, the expressions of those two girls stiffened. ¡°You guys were attempting to time travel, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°T-That..¡± When I inquired subtly, the two girls looked uncomfortable. From what I could see, they must have been trying to turn back time. However, after countless regressions and research, I had discovered that the laws of the universe prevent time reversals. If it had been possible, I wouldn¡¯t have had to go through all of those hardships. ¡°E-Erm... Young Master.¡± ¡°Frey. ¡± While I was deep in contemplation, Kania and Irina asked me a question with trembling voices. ¡°What are you now...?¡± ¡°Did you... return from annihilation?¡± A myriad of thoughts flitted through my mind as I heard their question. How should I reply to their question? How could I explain that I had temporarily borrowed my body from another timeline, using the pendant that a strange old man had given me, just before the power of the Sun God eradicated my existence? ¨C Crackle... Crackle... Damn it. It seemed like I didn¡¯t have enough time to explain. Even though I had spent months infusing energy into the pendant for this moment, the consumption rate was way too fast. If I wanted to meet the others, I had to proceed with my tasks as quickly as possible. ¡°I will disappear soon.¡± And so, I set aside everything I wanted to say and steered the conversation to the crux, causing the two girls to freeze. ¡°W-What does that mean?¡± ¡°F-Frey?¡± Soon thereafter, I threw a request to the two girls as they were raising their voices hurriedly. ¡°However, if you are both willing to sacrifice yourselves... my extinction won¡¯t happen.¡± Upon hearing this, the two girls were rendered speechless, and I began to elaborate the details. ¡°If it¡¯s possible...¡± Before I could finish my sentence, they both answered in unison. ¡°H-How should we do it then? What do we have to do? Can we offer our souls? Or do we have to sacrifice our bodies...?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why your soul is unstable! I¡¯ll give you my soul! Are there any necessary magic rituals or spells? Let¡¯s do it right now...¡± Considering their lives were at stake, they should have had at least a semblance of doubt. But seeing how they didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately spoke... ¡°Phew.¡± In that moment, I began to unravel the pendant I wore. ¨C Wussshh... ¡°...Huh!?¡± Seeing this, alarmed cries escaped their lips. ¡°Y-Young master! Where are you going?!¡± ¡°Frey! You said there was a way! Why are you suddenly...!¡± I abruptly rose from my seat and gazed at the screaming girls. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± With a steady voice, I continued. ¡°... We will meet again soon.¡± I finished my sentence as I removed the pendant from my neck. ¨C Shaaa... Simultaneously, I began to fade away. ¡°H-Have a sandwich at least... I practiced so hard, impressing my hands to remember how to make it for you, just in case we managed to return to the past...¡± ¡°Frey!¡± Kania handed over a carefully made sandwich as she looked at me hopelessly. Meanwhile, Irina quickly pulled something out of her inner chest pocket. ¡°I-I also prepared this for you...¡± It was so obvious that it was a puppy love flower. ¡°...You never change, do you?¡± I smiled as I looked at the flower. It was identical to the ones I had received numerous times across various timelines. ¡°Thank you.¡± I responded briefly. ¡°...System.¡± It had been a considerable time since I last opened this transparent window. ¡°What the hell? I haven¡¯t bought this yet?¡± However, I noticed that the function I required wasn¡¯t there. Had the version of myself in this timeline not bought something like this? [Advanced Skill Store] ¨C Affection Check [70000pt] With such thoughts in mind, I accessed the skill shop and purchased the skill I currently needed. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem since he had accumulated plenty of points. ¡°...Ha.¡± A brief sigh came out as I checked the current affection levels of the two main heroines in front of me. [Main Heroine Affection Levels] Kania¡¯s Affection: 100 Irina¡¯s Affection: 100 Clana¡¯s Affection: ??? Serena¡¯s Affection: ??? Ferloche¡¯s Affection: ??? ¡°Alright...¡± I muttered to myself as I stared at the system window before me. ¡°...Now, only three heroines are left.¡± I rose from my seat, preparing to go to my next task. ¡°.....Young Master.¡± ¡°......Frey.¡± After confirming that the sandwich and the flower placed before me had vanished, I briefly glanced at the two girls murmuring with blank expressions. ¡°G-Goodbye...¡± ¡°T-Take care...¡± I smiled as I walked out of the mansion. For the sake of conducting judgment, I had to revive my love for my most precious people. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 168: - I Love You ? I Love You ? The imperial hospital, once bustling, was now devoid not only of patients but also of doctors and nurses. ¨C Knock knock knock The resounding knocks reverberated through the long-empty hospital room. ¡°W-Who¡¯s there...?¡± The maid, who had been dozing off in the ward, immediately awoke and asked in frightened confusion. ¡°.......¡± However, there was no response. ¡°W-What was that?¡± The maid felt a hint of unease as she cautiously approached the door. ¨C Creeeak... ¡°Hmm?¡± When she slowly turned the old, rusty doorknob, and opened the door, her head tilted in puzzlement. She had clearly heard knocking. However, there wasn¡¯t a flicker of movement even in the shadows, much less someone at the door or in the corridor. ¡°.....?¡± Perplexed, the maid scratched her head. ¡°Sigh... have I lost my mind staying in a place like this?¡± She eventually left the ward, grumbling to herself.The? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n)) ¡°........¡± Silence once again filled the ward. ¨C Crackle!! Crackle...! Suddenly, a spark ignited in the center of the room. ¡°Ha...¡± From that spark emerged Frey, wearing a gloomy expression as he observed his surroundings. ¡°...Clana.¡± Frey spoke with a sad smile while fiddling with the pendant around his neck. ¡°I had hoped that I would never have to see you in such a state again.¡± ¡°Chirp! Chirp!¡± At that moment, a canary that had been quietly perched by the window with its eyes closed until now, darted into Frey¡¯s arms. It seemed to have been inactive for a while because it staggered and swayed during its flight. Regardless of its awkward movements, its gaze remained fixed on Frey. ¨C Hug... Finally, the canary successfully landed in Frey¡¯s arms after its unstable flight. However, it quickly tilted its head in confusion. ¨C Shahrhrhr... Instead of the expected warmth, the canary felt a piercing surge of solar mana within itself when it came into contact with Frey¡¯s chest that emanated stellar mana. ¡°Chirp? Chirp?¡± The canary quickly abandoned the intention to nest in Frey¡¯s chest and instead, settled on his shoulder, cautiously pressing its cheek against his face as it began to chirp. ¡°...Clana.¡± Frey watched this scene with profound sadness in his eyes. ¡°How long will you remain like this...?¡± He gently petted the canary with his hand covered in stellar mana as he asked with a pained expression. ¨C Buzzz...! It was only at that moment that the canary that had been chirping at him came to its senses and swiftly flew off somewhere. ¨C Buzzz... The canary, upon its arrival, instantly merged with Clana¡¯s body, who had been lying motionless on the bed as if she were dead. ¡°F-Frey!¡± Shortly after, Clana, who had turned frail and gaunt with weakness, suddenly sat up and began to exclaim at Frey. ¡°Is it really you, Frey? Are you really Frey that I know?¡± Frey slowly nodded in response to Clana¡¯s question, but then he asked her gloomily. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing, transforming into a canary like that?¡± Upon that, Clana stammered out an answer. ¡°W-When I transform into a canary... I can suppress my emotions...¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°However, I still occasionally return to my body to take care of the tasks. I ensured the safe evacuation of all citizens... I also delegated authority to the emergency powers and sanctioned a nationwide mobilization effort... And, also...¡± Frey only silently observed her. ¡°...Sigh.¡± With a sigh, he walked out of the ward. ¡°F-Frey? Where are you going? Frey!¡± Due to the extended time in bed weakening her muscles, Clana staggered unsteadily as she followed behind him. ¡°But how did you come back? D-Didn¡¯t you... get annihilated...¡± She anxiously asked as she chased after him. ¡°...System.¡± He softly summoned the system. Clana¡¯s Affection: 100 Serena¡¯s Affection: Immeasurable ¡°...Hmm.¡± Frey intently examined the system window. ¡°All right...¡± On the left side of the ¡®Main Heroine Affection Levels¡¯ screen, there was no longer any indication of the ¡®Heroines¡¯ Affection Level¡¯. Affection towards Kania: 100 Affection towards Irina: 100 Affection towards Clana: 100 Affection towards Serena: 100 Affection towards Ferloche: ??? The right side of the screen displayed the ¡®Affection Level towards Heroines.¡¯ Initially, he had only focused on the right side of the screen since acquiring this feature in the system. He hadn¡¯t cared much about the left side because the heroines¡¯ feelings toward him hadn¡¯t mattered. The only thing that mattered to him was how he felt about the heroines. ¡°...It seems like I¡¯ve properly returned back to my old self.¡± It was because ever since he had borrowed his body from a different timeline, he had been searching for the heroines and working to restore his love for them. ¡°Thank goodness.¡± No matter how potent the memory-wiping magic was or even how effective the mind control, the love engraved in his soul remained, unerasable. ¡°It¡¯s truly such a relief.¡± That was why, upon discovering the intruding Demon God, he halted the countdown just before his complete deletion. Later, he witnessed how the heroines suffered upon learning the truth and how the world he wanted to protect began to lose its light and happiness. Eventually, he resolved to rekindle his love for the five heroines. [ You have become a Co-Judge. ] [Subjects of Judgment: ¡¶The Five Main Heroines¡·] That way, he could retain his rationality when he needed to judge the ¡®Main Heroines¡¯ according to the question that floated in front of him. ¡°If I continue like this... I think it¡¯ll be safe to go to the next cycle...¡± Moreover, he could prepare for the inevitable next cycle. Despite being reconfigured by the ordeal, he had easily noticed the future version of himself from another timeline because of his overwhelming abilities. As such, he knew that this cycle was not the end. Somehow, the next cycle was destined to unfold. That was why he hastened to rekindle his love for the heroines. Then, when the next cycle came, he could prevent himself from repeating the same mistakes by hating those girls again. Next time, he would undoubtedly bring about a truly happy ending for them. ¡°However...¡± However, even though he had figured out almost everything in this world. ¡°How can I trigger the Retry? The abilities of my system should have been wiped out already.¡± Several questions still remained unanswered. ¡°Also, as expected, has the future version of ¡®me¡¯ forgotten everything? His unsure behavior... And not purchasing the system¡¯s function, which shows hidden affection levels, as well...¡± It was a question that exceeded his comprehension. ¡°It¡¯s like myself in the early days of my regression.¡± Therefore, Frey was lost in thought for a while. ¡°Either way, I¡¯ll know how to initiate the ¡®Retry¡¯ when the world nears its end.¡± He muttered softly as he left the ward. ¡°...Well then, finally, it¡¯s time to meet Ferloche.¡± . . . . . Meanwhile, at that very moment. ¡°Please...¡± In the long-abandoned church of the Sun God, now shrouded in snow and ice, no one had visited in a long time. ¡°I beg you, please...¡± Within the church, Ferloche knelt on the frigid floor, tears streaming down her face. ¡°Retry? Regression? Whatever you call that ability you mentioned before, please give it to me...¡± ¡°I will bear all the consequences. After all, I¡¯m the only one who can receive it since I¡¯m connected to you, and if you don¡¯t give it to anyone, the world will be doomed, right? Moreover...¡± She was praying earnestly. ¡°... I can¡¯t let his soul remain in pain any longer.¡± Ferloche lamented while gazing at the half-destroyed statue of the Sun God before her. You can rate/review this serieshere. Chapter 169: - Please Love Me ? Please Love Me ? ¡°Sun God... Please... I¡¯m begging you... Ugh.¡± Ferloche, who had been praying incessantly inside the frozen cold church, couldn¡¯t hold back her whimper. ¡°Ugh...¡± As she looked down at her knees, Ferloche involuntarily gasped. Her knees were in such a pitiful state, bruised and frozen purple from kneeling on the cold floor for too long of a time. ¨C Shaah... Staring at her knees, Ferloche instinctively reached out her hand, trying to release her divine power. However, as nothing came out, she quickly bit her lip anxiously with the same realization she had for months. The healing power that once could cure everyone, no longer held any effect. Only a faint ray of light glowed, meaninglessly illuminating Ferloche¡¯s knees. ¡°Please... grant me the ability to ¡®Retry¡¯...¡± In such a desperate situation, Ferloche murmured with a quivering voice. ¡°Please, bestow upon me ¡®Retry¡¯...¡± However, her prayers were the only thing that echoed endlessly inside the empty church. Ever since their brief encounter inside the dream after the Final Battle, the Sun God had not contacted Ferloche again. As such, as soon as she recovered her consciousness, Ferloche had been desperately attempting to communicate with the Sun God in the church while holding on to her last and faintest glimmer of hope. ¡°Ah...¡± However, it seemed like the time had come to give up and abandon everything, letting all hope dissipate along with Frey. Because, even at this very moment, the sun, once visible through the cracks in the church walls, was gradually growing dimmer. ¡°That time...¡± As Ferloche observed the sight of the fading sun, her head hung low and she murmured. ¡°If only I hadn¡¯t pierced his heart... What would have happened...¡± At this point, even though everything is now in the past, Ferloche still mindlessly went over that fateful day, as she regretted her every action and moment. If only she hadn¡¯t pierced Frey¡¯s heart and given everyone a chance to hear his last words. If only, Frey had stayed in this world for a little longer, even just for a brief moment. There might have actually been a possibility to persuade him not to choose extinction. If only Ruby¡¯s body, torn apart by Frey, began to transform into her Demon King form sooner. If only someone witnessed something strange previously. If only someone informed Frey¡¯s family faster. If only they had apologized to Frey while he left his will. If only. If only. If only..... Maybe the results could have been different. ¡°Ugh...¡± However, no matter how much she speculated on such assumptions, it was now all in vain. The sun had lost its light and the world was shrouded in darkness and cold. Everything was coming to an end. And even in such a situation, Ferloche could do nothing but pray. ¡°Now... Only now do I remember...¡± She closed her eyes tightly. ¡°I had promised to serve you...¡± Recalling a dream she had not long ago, Ferloche could only murmur in retrospect. . . . . . In a memory of a previous cycle that she recalled while lying unconscious. ¡°Frey... Do you know that...?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± In the last scene of that memory, a world was in ruins, as Ferloche quietly spoke to Frey, who was sitting blankly. ¡°There is no God.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Frey had an expression that seemed to say, ¡®Isn¡¯t it God who has turned us into such a situation? What the hell are you talking about?¡¯ To this, Ferloche spoke with an even firmer and clearer voice. ¡°In this world that has been destroyed, there are only you and me.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one else. No gods... Just the two of us.¡± When Frey frowned slightly at these words, Ferloche smiled and continued. ¡°So, I¡¯m unemployed now.¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°No, I guess not. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the right way to put it.¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± As Frey asked, looking slightly lost while gazing at the sky, Ferloche, who still looked at him fondly, replied, ¡°Now that I have no god to serve, I¡¯ll serve you instead. Only you.¡± Ferloche carefully held Frey¡¯s rough hand while whispering. ¡°Since I don¡¯t have to be a devotee, fulfill any duties as a Saintess, or follow any rules... I also no longer need to protect my chastity.¡± ¡°Ferloche.¡± ¡°In this ruined world, only you matter.¡± ¡°I love you... Frey.¡± ¡°.....¡± ¡°I¡¯ll love you forever, no matter what happens.¡± Having said that, Ferloche leaned on Frey¡¯s shoulder and closed her eyes. ¡°...All right.¡± Gently stroking Ferloche¡¯s head, Frey answered cautiously. ¡°Indeed, I can¡¯t let things go on like this.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± After suddenly standing up from his seat, Frey began speaking with a serious expression. ¡°I¡¯ve thought a lot about giving up and running away. I¡¯ve also considered just watching the ending and spending the rest of my life in peace.¡± ¡°Frey...?¡± ¡°However, this is by no means a happy ending.¡± After saying that, Frey looked around. ¡°It¡¯s just escapism, nothing more.¡± ¡°What do you mean...?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ferloche. I¡¯ll make everything better.¡± With that, Frey looked at Ferloche and smiled cheerfully. ¡°Don¡¯t... don¡¯t go!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not leaving yet. Maybe we could have some time to talk...¡± Responding to her, Frey showed a bright smile. ¨C Creak... ¡°Young Master!!¡± ¡°Frey!!¡± ¡°.....!¡± As the church door opened once again, four girls rushed in at the same time, making Ferloche¡¯s eyes widen even more. ¡°See! I said I could sense Frey¡¯s energy stronger here!¡± ¡°So, the meaning behind ¡®see you again¡¯ was this...! Young Master, you¡¯ve come back!¡± ¡°Frey! W-welcome back! I¡¯ll immediately instate you as a future member of the Imperial family! So...¡± ¡°Frey... I love you...¡± Without any warning, the main heroines, who Frey had left behind without a trace, managed to pinpoint his last location. ¡°Gasp... Gasp...¡± ¡°Huff... Huff...¡± While rushing to Frey¡¯s side in just a few steps, each girl eagerly pulled something out and offered it to him. ¡°Here...¡± ¡°Take this, Frey.¡± ¡°Earlier, I made the previous sandwiches in a hurry, but this time, I put my heart into making them... So, please enjoy them properly..¡± ¡°.....¡± ¡°In the future, I¡¯ll make sandwiches... no, any other food you desire for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I¡¯ll cover all the expenses. I promise...¡± Although Kania was upset that she messed up making the sandwich because of her trembling hands, it still looked delicious to anyone else. ¡°Earlier, I couldn¡¯t compose myself, so I could only give you flowers. Here, it¡¯s the berry you love. The Puppy Love Berry.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you as much as you want. No, I¡¯ll give you anything you desire. I¡¯ll use any magic or endure any curse for you.¡± Irina presented the appetizing Puppy Love Berry with great determination. ¡°This is the starlight flower... Before the forest got frozen, I was lucky enough to obtain one.¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± ¡°Welcome back, Frey. Once the situation stabilizes, I¡¯ll use all the power I possess to ensure you can live happily and comfortably. And if you wish, I¡¯ll arrange for you to move to another continent... And more...¡± Clana presented Frey with a starlight flower that had the same color as his hair. ¡°Frey... I¡¯ll serve you for the remaining time.¡± ¡°Serena.¡± ¡°I-If you want, you can take another wife, or if you feel unsatisfied about me, you can take me as a concubine instead... No, no, I¡¯m fine even as your maid; it¡¯s alright as long as I can stay by your side for the rest of your remaining time. So, please...¡± Because Serena was partially out of her mind, she was not able to bring anything with her. Consequently, she tried to give her entire being to Frey. ¡°Even though it¡¯s too late already... I¡¯ll remain loyal to you for the rest of my life, Young Master...¡± ¡°I love you, Frey... Actually, I liked you from the day we first met... Even though it¡¯s too late, now...¡± ¡°I finally remembered the vow I made to you. Please let me keep that vow for the remaining time we have...¡± The main heroines gradually started to believe that Frey had reconsidered his decision to disappear. However, that fleeting moment passed all too quickly when Serena, who was gazing at Frey desperately, noticed the pendant blinking around his neck. ¡°I love you forever... Huh?¡± ¡°F...Frey...¡± ¡°...Time¡¯s up.¡± Likewise, as Frey mumbled while looking at the pendant, a system window appeared before him. [ Judgement System ] Target: The 5 Main Heroines Content: You may judge them in any way you desire. Do You Accept: Y/N ¡°Finally...¡± ¡°........?¡± The same window showed itself to the main heroines as well. The system that only Frey could see before, was now visible to everyone else. ¡°Judgment...?¡± Staring at the system window in front of them for a long time, Frey muttered. ¡°On what grounds?¡± He pushed the system window aside while mumbling. ¡°...I was not qualified for it from the beginning.¡± ¡°......¡± With those words, silence ensued. Only Serena, who understood the meaning of the blinking pendant on Frey¡¯s neck, trembled. ¡°Ah? Euaa...?¡± ¡°Oh, I almost forgot.¡± Breaking the prolonged silence, Frey spoke again after shedding a single tear. ¡°This time, I have to say something before I leave.¡± ¡°In truth, I always wanted to be loved by all of you.¡± The girls nodded, intending to respond that they indeed would love him. However, hesitation and anxiety gripped their hearts when they saw Frey¡¯s sorrowful expression. ¡°Therefore, if there is a next time...¡± As he looked around at the girls, Frey spoke while wearing a smile that shone brighter than ever before. ¡°...Please love me just like you do right now. Please love me until the very end.¡± ¨C Crackle... Then, in the next second, the faintly twinkling light of the pendant completely vanished, and with it, so did Frey. ¡°Frey?¡± ¡°W-What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°...Where did he go? Young Master?¡± After Kania cried out for Frey in a dejected voice, still holding the untouched coffee and sandwich, an extended silence remained. ¡°...........¡± ¨C Crackle, crackle... ¡°...Huh?¡± And such a silence lasted until a faint light emerged from Ferloche, who had continued her earnest prayer with clasped hands. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 170: - I Will Love You Forever ? I Will Love You Forever ? ¡°.........¡± Ferloche quietly rose from her seat as she watched the four girls fall into silence. ¡°...Ugh.¡± The excruciating pain in her knees intensified as she stood up. ¨C Thud, thud. Nevertheless, she continued to take steps forward, her gaze fixed on Kania who hung her head low with a vacant expression. ¡°I-I poured out my entire heart to make them...¡± Kania was lifelessly staring at the now cold and dried-up sandwiches. ¡°I wanted to feed you a delicious sandwich without you having to worry about suffering at least once...¡± Turning away from Kania, Ferloche approached Irina, who was huddled up. ¡°Frey... I¡¯m sorry...¡± She muttered while clutching the berry she held closer to her chest. ¡°I ended up confessing only after it was too late, just like a fool...¡± In utter silence, Clana stood beside Irina while holding the starlight flower she had brought. A single tear trickled down her face as she held the treasure she had prepared for the return of the star, which was now nothing but a lifeless flower. ¡°...Time is running out.¡± Serena said in a trembling voice as she rose from her seat. ¡°No matter what we have to do, we will break the world¡¯s rules. Even...Even if we have to defy heaven¡¯s will.¡± Her eyes were already engulfed in deep darkness. ¡°..........¡± Observing them closely, Ferloche asked in a subdued voice. ¡°Everyone, please listen.¡± ¡°If there was a way to reverse all this... Would you do it without hesitation?¡± At that, all of them suddenly raised their heads. ¡°What do you mean by that...?¡± ¡°Ferloche?¡± ¡°Reverse... everything?¡± The questions poured out. In response, Ferloche spoke once again, ¡°...It¡¯s precisely what I said.¡± ¡°If you are given a chance to undo everything... what kind of choice will you make?¡± ¡°Even if you had to pay a certain ¡®price¡¯, would you still willingly undo it?¡± As her words resounded in their ears, a brief silence fell. ¡°O-of course.¡± Finally, the first one to speak was Kania. ¡°I-If I could treat the Young Master to warm food... I¡¯m willing to pay any price.¡± Her eyes were filled with yearning. ¡°...I-Is there really a way to undo everything? If there is, I will not hesitate to do whatever it takes.¡± Next, it was Irina who spoke.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com ¡°I will become his sword and shield. Even if he becomes a Demon King... I¡¯ll be his most destructive weapon, capable of wiping out all of his enemies.¡± With burning determination, she stood up from her seat to declare her intentions.. ¡°I don¡¯t need the throne, wealth, or honor. All I want right now is Frey, who risked his life for me.¡± The third girl to agree was Clana. ¡°Are you trying to perform magic by offering a sacrificial lamb? I know that my body is the most suitable vessel for performing the grand ritual. So, offer me as the sacrifice.¡± She put her chest forward, as if she was ready to get her heart ripped out at this very moment.. ¡°...I have already been trying and offering various sacrifices.¡± The last one to speak was Serena who added her own thoughts in a low voice. ¡°Even if I have to give up my body and mind, I planned to research and break the world¡¯s rules for countless years... So, is there any good way to do it?¡± As she asked this, her eyes appeared dull, almost as if she had lost half of her sanity and rationality. ¡°..........¡± After receiving the answers from the four girls, a brief silence ensued. ¨C Creak... The silence was suddenly broken by the loud creak of the church door as it opened. ¡°F...rey...¡± The person who entered, panting heavily because she sprinted at full speed, was Isolet. ¡°I got a message that Frey is here...¡± ¡°...Come to think of it, Frey indeed said that back then.¡± Looking at Isolet, Ferloche began to mumble incomprehensible words, as she walked slowly towards her. ¡°Originally, you were the sixth... but it seems like you were demoted for some reason.¡± ¡°Still, ending it at the fifth might not leave any regrets...¡± ¡°Ferloche?¡± ¡°Now I have come to understand what you meant that time.¡± ¡°What is she even saying... More importantly, where is Frey...¡± As Isolet searched for Frey, Ferloche climbed up the church altar that she had been praying at until then. Finally, with a pale expression, she continued her story. ¡°Anyway, I understand everyone¡¯s sentiment now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just me; I¡¯m sure everyone else would have made the same choice. Right?¡± Ferloche, still making incomprehensible comments, were met with puzzled expressions from the other heroines. ¡°...Thank you for giving me courage.¡± After bowing to the other girls, Ferloche joined her hands in prayer and concluded her monologue. ¡°Well then...¡± ¡°See you again soon.¡± And the next moment, a brilliant light emanated from Ferloche as it enveloped the entire church. . . . ¡°This was everything I wanted to show you.¡± In a gloomy room, where a huge scale stood idling. ¡°...Did you witness it clearly?¡± ¡°........¡± While observing the four girls in the room, who had indecipherable expressions, Ferloche spoke to Frey in a low voice. ¡°Now, the time has come.¡± As Frey, who had been observing Ferloche¡¯s perspective on the black screen until just now, didn¡¯t respond, Ferloche slowly turned toward the scale and spoke. ¡°The five main heroines, including me...¡± ¡°...I have a question.¡± While interrupting her, the transparent Frey threw a question. ¡°How did I intervene in the ordeal if I chose annihilation in this cycle?¡± Hearing this, Ferloche turned around and answered. ¡°Originally, in this cycle, you stopped the countdown in the black room and just watched everything play out until you got swept away in my first Retry.¡± ¡°...Really?¡± ¡°Yes, you simply stood by, unable to revert back to your original feelings for us... Only watching the world absentmindedly.¡± With a dark expression, Ferloche closed her eyes deeply. ¡°However, through the Third Ordeal that was activated by us, who are from a future cycle, that person could become a subject of judgment alongside you.¡± ¡°If the version of you who wished for annihilation had chosen ¡®judgment¡¯... the subsequent cycles might have been affected. Including our current cycle.¡± ¡°.........¡± ¡°But that person, the one who chose annihilation... did not bestow any judgment upon us. Instead, he just chose to love all of us.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± ¡°Moreover, you had put all your strength into beating down the Demon God into such a wretched state...¡± As Ferloche continued, her expression gradually turned inexplicably dark. ¡°Personally, I wanted to receive your judgment.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I violated your will to seek rest even white knowing that you were beyond exhaustion.¡± ¡°But since then, you have become the subject of Retry, so...¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the only reason.¡± Ferloche¡¯s body began to quake with tremors. ¡°Even without that reason, considering your suffering after the countless tragedies, sorrows, and numerous regressions caused by this world... you still have the right to judge everyone.¡± ¡°What do you mean...¡± ¡°The more I Retry, the more I realize that the pain you went through... was beyond imagination. It is beyond human comprehension. No one can withstand such a cursed fate. So, please...¡± Frey sighed while looking at Ferloche, who was speaking with a tearful expression. ¡°You¡¯ve immersed yourself too deeply in guilt.¡± ¡°All the motivation to endure those many cycles... was centered around ¡®guilt.¡¯ Burdening yourself with unnecessary responsibilities for wrongdoings has collapsed your mind.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not because of guilt, it¡¯s naturally your right...!¡± ¡°So, as another subject of judgment, how does my own judgment proceed?¡± In response to Frey¡¯s question, Ferloche put on a broken-hearted smile and answered. ¡°It¡¯s simple. The guilt that the main heroines, including me, carry, compared to the empathy and love you hold for us, determines the appropriate punishment...¡± ¡°...This system is still as lame as always.¡± Hearing Ferloche¡¯s words, Frey chuckled bitterly. ¡°You guys have no reason to bear guilt towards me.¡± ¡°N-No, we do...¡± ¡°Now I understand.¡± Interrupting Ferloche¡¯s words once again, Frey¡¯s expression showed a profound realization. ¡°Those who should receive judgment are... not me, not you, and not the world.¡± ¡°... It should be the System, the Demon King, and the Demon God.¡± ¡°F-Frey...¡± ¡°This is the conclusion I have reached while experiencing the Third Ordeal.¡± Seeing Ferloche¡¯s eyes waver as she listened to his words, Frey approached the black screen and declared loudly, ¡°My empathy and love should be greater than the guilt you all carry, right?¡± ¡°W-Wait...¡± ¡°Then, there¡¯s a good way to handle this.¡± ¡°Starting from when Ferloche obtained the Power of Retry, show me the events up to this point.¡± ¡°Frey!!!¡± Then, a sentence appeared on the black screen. Warning! Data is too extensive! Serious errors may occur... ¡°I had a hunch when I saw you command the black screen to replay ¡®scenes after praying.¡¯ It turns out it works for me too.¡± Frey smiled and commented while looking at the red window. ¡°No! I can¡¯t trap you in those times again!! Nooo!!¡± Hearing Frey¡¯s resolve, Ferloche desperately tried to stop him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I have no intention of further fueling your guilt.¡± Responding to her softly, Frey said. ¡°... Please summarize so it won¡¯t last more than a day.¡± [...Analyzing ] Frey commanded the black screen again. [New Parameters Applied. Video Complete. Now Playing.] Along with a light-hearted ding, a final sentence appeared. ¡°Ah...¡± Frey, who had been blankly gazing at Ferloche, turned his attention towards the screen as the video started to play. In a low voice, he murmured... ¡°Good...¡± ¡°...Now, it¡¯s finally fair.¡± You can rate/review this serieshere. Chapter 171: - A Game Changer ? A Game Changer ? [Cycle 1] ¡°Die... you damn brat...¡± ¡°...Who are you to dare cause such a commotion?¡± In the eerie atmosphere of the Demon King¡¯s castle, on the top floor, someone was fighting against the Demon King. ¨C Clang!! ¡°For a little brat... you¡¯re not too bad.¡± The Demon King looked down at a little girl who appeared much younger than her age, yet showed such fiery eyes. ¡°Ugh...!¡± ¨C Step... Step...! The little girl rushed with all her might straight at the Demon King in an attempt to break her wings. ¡°Because of you... because of you, the world...!¡± ¡°However, you cannot defeat me.¡± Despite her best efforts, the little girl¡¯s attack was far from reaching the Demon King¡¯s heart. ¨C Clang!! At that moment, a loud noise echoed all around, as the girl was blown away into the air. ¡°...Cough, cough.¡± ¡°So, little brat, what¡¯s your name?¡± As the girl lay on the floor, vomiting blood, the Demon King, who had sprouted new wings, approached her with an intrigued expression. ¡°If you reveal your name and pledge allegiance, I will make you my servant...¡± ¡°Just you wait, Ruby.¡± ¡°What?¡± While glaring at the Demon King with a ferocious yet mature expression that strayed far from her childish looks, the little girl murmured. ¡°...I will surely give you hell.¡± ¡°Wait, this brat... how can you...¡± Perplexed by the little girl¡¯s words, the Demon King sensed that something amiss, so she rushed to approach her. ¡°Retry.¡± The little girl, Ferloche, whispered in a vengeful voice. And in the next moment, the world turned upside down. ¨C Crackle...! [Cycle 7] ¡°Did you hear the news?¡± ¡°What news?¡± On the first day of the academy¡¯s new semester, the students of Class A were gathered, discussing the hot news and rumors that shook the empire. ¡°Apparently, Lord Frey collapsed last night!¡± ¡°...What?¡± The news was about Frey Raon Starlight, who had suddenly collapsed while vomiting blood the day before his attendance at the academy. ¡°That¡¯s a shame... I wanted to see how handsome he was.¡± ¡°...Huh, what¡¯s so good about that loser?¡± While some students treated the news as mere gossip and discussed it... ¡°Could it be... could it be because of the memories from my previous cycles...?¡± Ferloche, with a pale and disturbed face, muttered. ¡°...After awakening the System, there will always be penalties, right?¡± ¡°W-Well then... I can¡¯t let that occur...¡± [Cycle 25] ¡°No, you can¡¯t...¡± A horde of monsters relentlessly pushed through in order to get into the academy. Frey and Ferloche stood in their way, struggling to hold the demonic horde at bay. ¡°...Ugh.¡± ¡°Just a little longer, just a little more, let¡¯s hang in there just a bit more...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me! Just focus on the enemies in front of you...¡± Behind Frey, who breathed heavily, Ferloche took on all the attacks while trying to sound as cheerful and positive as possible. However, she quickly lost the ability to speak when a giant Dark Golem appeared in front of them. ¨C Thud... Thud...! ¡°D-Dark Golem...¡± ¡°...Ferloche.¡± After glancing at the Dark Golem with a glum expression, Frey turned towards Ferloche, who was hesitating with uncertainty, and smiled gently at her. ¡°Go ahead first. I will take care of this place.¡± ¡°Frey...¡± ¡°You can only deal with one enemy, right? Look at the countless enemies behind the Dark Golem.¡± ¡°But then your life force will be depleted...!¡± When Ferloche countered Frey¡¯s suggestion, he replied. ¡°One should choose the lesser evil instead of the worst possible one.¡± With that, Frey jumped into the wave of monsters without giving her any time to react. ¡°F-Frey...!¡± ¡°........¡± A moment later, a massive silver explosion occurred in the midst of the monsters. ¡°As expected...¡± As she witnessed such a scene with lifeless eyes, Ferloche finally made up her mind. ¡°I have to deceive the Demon God.¡± ¡°Retry.¡± [Cycle 159] When Ferloche asked the question, the Sun God cautiously waved her chained hands. ¨C Crackle... The dark space around them tore apart. Through this rift, a planet with a blue light became visible. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°So, what is this even supposed to mean?¡± As Ferloche looked at the planet with an expressionless face, the Sun God, now with a composed tone, began her explanation. ¡°That... is a planet from a different dimension.¡± ¡°Yes, that is what it looks like... So what?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a dimension where abilities like magic, divine power, and mana, as well as even divine beings, don¡¯t exist. A ¡®normal¡¯ planet without any extraordinary abilities.¡± The Sun God continued to observe her reaction as she spoke, yet Ferloche still maintained a chilly expression. ¡°So, various divine beings from different dimensions interfere with the planet in that dimension. Since it¡¯s a dimension without divine beings... they can interfere without any repercussions.¡± ¡°Why do they interfere?¡± ¡°Well, they use it as a resource. To create the energy and divine power necessary to maintain their own worlds...¡± The goddess hurriedly defended herself as Ferloche¡¯s gaze turned even colder upon hearing this. ¡°I-It¡¯s not exploitation! It¡¯s a fair trade!¡± ¡°A trade?¡± ¡°Yes... divine beings offer replicas of their worlds in the form of ¡®creative works¡¯ to that planet. The people of that world consume these creations and naturally experience various emotions like joy and sadness.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°These generated emotions are then used as energy to create the mana and divine power needed to sustain their worlds. I have to reaffirm this; at some point, this is a fair...¡± As the goddess¡¯s explanation droned on for too long, Ferloche frowned without a word. ¡°Ah, anyway... Anyway, the story...¡± While quickly changing the topic, the goddess looked at the blue planet and proposed her method. ¡°On that planet... there is a boy who discovered a ¡®Bug.''¡± ¡°A Bug?¡± ¡°Yes, if we refine the Bug and apply it to our world... following that boy¡¯s word, it will become a ¡®Game Changer.''¡± The Sun God swallowed her saliva and cleared her throat before continuing. ¡°Sometimes, accidents happen on that planet. ¡°Accidents?¡± Due to divine beings¡¯ mistakes, the inhabitants who were enjoying the creative works... get sucked into the corresponding worlds of those creations.¡± Just as Ferloche was making a perplexed expression upon hearing this despicable phenomenon. ¡°...I intend to deliberately cause that ¡®accident¡¯ by using the power I¡¯ve gathered up until now.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Thus, I will summon the boy who discovered the bug to our world and turn him into a Hero from 1000 years ago. He will become a DLC¡ªNever mind. It¡¯s a game term, so you won¡¯t understand, but the aim is to use this chance as a way to create a new turning point.¡± The Sun God finally revealed her plan with a look of stern determination.. ¡°...So, you mean to kidnap someone from another world in order to save our own world.¡± After being lost in thought for a moment, Ferloche finally asked a question, as the Sun God replied with a shake of her head. ¡°N-no... it will be a fair trade somehow, I assure you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Really, we¡¯ll even give him a choice. After all, to that person, it¡¯s the most precious thing...¡± ¡°So, when will you do it?¡± Once again, Ferloche interrupted the goddess¡¯s words and asked the question. ¡°...Right now.¡± The Sun God, bound in chains, began to illuminate as she drew up the last bit of her strength, shining as brightly as her peak for a brief moment. ¡°If the operation is successful...¡± With a pained expression and a weary voice, the goddess left as much information as possible to Ferloche. ¡°...From the next cycle on, a lot of things will change.¡± ¡°However, after this moment, even if I give up my entire life force, I can no longer directly help you... I¡¯m truly sorry, but the changes will be up to you, Miss Ferloche...¡± ¡°...Leave it to me.¡± While intensely gazing at the goddess, Ferloche spoke with burning determination. ¡°I¡¯ll Retry countless times until I figure everything out.¡± ¡°Though so much time has passed... My goal remains firm.¡± ¡°...It¡¯s to give him a Happy Ending.¡± The world flipped over to the start of a new timeline. . . . . . [Cycle ??? + 1] ¡°Good... At least the goddess got something correct for once.¡± Now, in the all too familiar dark room, Ferloche¡¯s eyes sparkled as she mumbled to herself. ¡°The ¡®Prophecy¡¯ that Frey possessed has changed from a ¡®Game Guide¡¯ to a ¡®Hero¡¯s Strategy Guide¡¯...¡± ¡°Not only that, the name of the legendary hero has changed to ¡®Hanbyeol¡¯.¡± While in deep contemplation, Ferloche, simultaneously doodled on a piece of paper causally and glared at a cracked gap blocked by rotten wooden planks. ¡°Of course, there must be more changes... Did she say DLC? Anyway, the world has changed even more in my favor...¡± ¡°...From now on, this is the true first step.¡± And from that moment on, Ferloche¡¯s saga began to play on the dark screen at an even faster pace. ¡°The first step in bringing you a true Happy Ending.¡± You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 172: - Result of the Judgement ? Result of the Judgement ? [Cycle ?????] How many times had I repeated this? I couldn¡¯t even remember anymore. Well, I had long since given up keeping track of the retries. It was truly meaningless after all. Tallying the countless failures that seeped into the unending flow of time only brought me a sense of despair. ¡°Gugu~! Let¡¯s eat!!¡± No matter how many retries I¡¯d have to undertake henceforth, I no longer needed to deceive the Demon God or cast any magic. Thanks to my shattered soul and mental state, even if I did nothing to hide and lived just as I always had, the Demon God would remain unable to discern my true self. But of course, it was only in dimly lit places or during the nights when the Demon God¡¯s surveillance weakened that I occasionally unveiled my true self. It was partly to trick the Demon God¡¯s watchful gaze and to protect myself in the endless flow of time. I left my actions to my absent-minded self while my true consciousness remained submerged in the subconscious¨C similar to an automated process, you could say. If I hadn¡¯t done this, I wouldn¡¯t have lasted for long. Enduring the endless flow of time with a sound mind would have inevitably led to a complete loss of self. It dawned on me that Frey was truly an amazing person. Between the two of us, I didn¡¯t know who spent more time in these repetitive loops, but he must have felt a similar pain... I was still far from atonement. ¡°Ah, ouch! Not my hand! Just eat your food!!¡± In any case, the reason I briefly brought out my consciousness was to review my checklist. To make it convenient to see what I needed at a glance and memorize it, I wrote everything down on a piece of paper with each retry. As such, periodically, I would need to check if I missed anything. It was because if there was even a slight mistake, I would have to restart from the beginning. [Checklist] 1. Pray to the Sun God every day to obtain the ¡®Blessing of the Sun God¡¯. Obtaining the ¡®Blessing of the Sun God¡¯ was so important that I had to put it at the top of the list. It was a necessary skill to keep the Demon God from killing Frey, and at the same time, an essential skill to protect Frey from danger. Yes, I had been doing this all the time. From Frey¡¯s perspective, I prayed every day, starting from the second cycle when he entered the academy, without fail. This way, the Demon God and Frey would see me as a foolish Saintess who relentlessly tried to kill him. It was the most effective method I found through the countless regressions. 2. Deceive the Demon God while helping Frey. Naturally, I had been successful in this. During the auction incident, even though I knew it wouldn¡¯t work, I intentionally used my ultimate skill against Frey and pretended to be affected by Eucarious¡¯ hypnosis magic. While doing so, I also purposely gathered the group outside the auction house so that Kania could discover Frey¡¯s badge. I wrote a silly, threatening letter and threw a maid outfit on him after the incident. Then I ended the entire event by breaking Frey¡¯s neck. It might seem excessive, but there was no other way. If I hadn¡¯t done such things since the beginning, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to quell the Demon God¡¯s suspicions completely. Besides, even if I did break his neck there, Frey wouldn¡¯t die. The ¡®Emergency Protection System,¡¯ a system originally designed to help Frey, still remained. Thanks to that, Frey didn¡¯t suffer any real damage, and I was able to almost completely deceive the Demon God. During the attack on the commoner dormitory, I deflected the attacks while emitting my holy power, ensuring that the commoners weren¡¯t injured. This was to trigger Miss Irina¡¯s suspicions... When Frey and I descended into the church¡¯s underground, I... intentionally led him to the room where an important hint was written on the stone tablet. ¡°...That¡¯s right! Our Gugu is such a good girl!¡± I wouldn¡¯t have enough time if I kept reviewing all these things. So far, the Demon God has yet to catch on, so it must be progressing smoothly. 3. Achieve the DLC entry condition (Adjust timing of the five enlightenments). This was the most critical and difficult task. I don¡¯t even know how many times I had to Retry because I couldn¡¯t control that timing. Ever since I realized that one of the conditions to activate the ¡°2nd Year DLC Story¡± was for all five students, including myself, to discover Frey¡¯s true identity, I had been researching a way to make it happen just before the 2nd year began. Furthermore, one coincidence was literally just that: A coincidence. After countless regressions, when I figured out how to make it happen, a genuine laughter escaped me for the first time in a long while.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com That adorable little girl was the key all along. Although now, I could secretly do the behind-the-scenes work necessary to make it inevitable, back then, when it was just a ¡®coincidence,¡¯ how many regressions was it to just find that condition? ¡°Yaaawnnnn...¡± Ah, I needed to yawn first. The most effective excuse when tears threatened to well up was yawning. ¨C Sssk... Although there was still a lot left on the checklist, I folded it and put it in the drawer. ¡°Uuuh...¡± What should I do? It felt as though I had reached my limit once again. It had been a while since I felt like this, so why was it happening again? ¡°Uuaaah...¡± When I started to panic... ¡°...Huh?¡± Huh, what in the world? Whom I had been feeding was not Gugu, but a pencil all this time. I had food scattered across the desk and had let the pencil ¡®eat¡¯ it. Had I finally reached my breaking point? I thought I had been holding up remarkably well until now. After everything I had done to come up to this point? ¡°Whooo...¡± Casting the pencil to the corner of my dormitory, I buried my head in my hands and let out a deep sigh. ¡°Woo, woo...¡± At the same time, tears started to gather in my eyes. I couldn¡¯t help it; I was so frightened and stressed. ¡°My soul... My soul feels like it¡¯s starting to fall apart...¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure of it, but I definitely have to write it in my diary!¡± Then, I quickly opened my diary. [xx Year, July 14th] [I¡¯ll think about it slowly first. I¡¯ll write the contents later.] I hurriedly started writing on the empty page from yesterday. I had to leave the memories in the diary, even in this dumbfounded state, to remember the current situation. [It was because... I¡¯ve come this far with these conditions only once.] Finally, I finished the diary entry hastily and carefully placed it in the drawer. ¡°Finally... Finally...!¡± And then, without realizing it, tears started flowing from my eyes. ¡°Finally, I can give Frey a happy ending...! And...¡± If I could come up this far, it was already as good as succeeding. As long as I didn¡¯t make foolish mistakes like before, I could certainly intervene in the Third Ordeal. And in that ordeal, I could finally... ¡°...Receive his judgment.¡± Soon, I could meet the Frey of that cycle once again and receive his judgment, as well as judgment of the Frey of this cycle. Why did I have to face judgment? Well, it no longer mattered. The end was drawing near anyway. ¡°Ugh...¡± I was so excited that my mind and soul started trembling, but it didn¡¯t matter. I have almost completed my role now. Once I received judgment from Frey, I would disappear. And then, I would just become a bright and foolish Saintess... who protected him from the sidelines. Because, in all likelihood, he wouldn¡¯t want me¡ªsomeone who had transformed into a monster and committed countless sins throughout the regressions¡ªby his side in the future. Of course, I was slightly sad... but if he could have a happy ending, I would be satisfied. Well, still... in the end, I wanted to tell him this. What was it? That was... . . . . . I love you forever, Frey. ¡°I love you forever, Frey.¡± [The playback, spanning from the moment Ferloche gained the Power to Retry up to the current cycle, has concluded.] The screen, seemingly from Ferloche¡¯s point of view, transitioned to show Ferloche inadvertently confessing her inner feelings and then displayed the ending message. ¡°F-Frey... I... I...¡± Upon seeing this, Ferloche, who was fidgeting anxiously in the Judgment Room, carefully spoke to Frey, who had been watching the summary video without ever taking his eyes off the screen. ¡°N-Now the judgment...¡± ¡°...Of course, we should start the judgment.¡± However, Frey interrupted such words from Ferloche and declared calmly while looking at the scale in the center of the room. ¨C Drrrrr...! Drrrr...! In the next second, the huge scale began to shake. ¡°Y-You must be disappointed, right? I¡¯m sure you must be disappointed in me... ¡° As the judgment began, Ferloche quietly lowered her head and began to mumble. ¡°Even as you underwent multiple regressions, you remained unyielding... While I, who is supposedly the Saintess, faltered multiple times... and even committed wrongdoings...¡± ¡°...Ferloche.¡± Interrupting her words, Frey whispered with a gentle smile on his face. ¡°Thank you... for your hard work until now.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± As Ferloche was staring at Frey with a puzzled expression, a loud noise erupted from the scale on the side, announcing the results of the judgment. ¨C Thud! Clang! ¡°Ah...¡± Ferloche¡¯s mouth hung wide open, as she froze in place. The other four girls behind her had identical reactions. ¡°.............!¡± ¡°Also...¡± Frey declared while looking at them with a bright smile. ¡°Thank you, everyone.¡± ¡°For loving me again.¡± The scale next to him had achieved a perfect balance. ¨C Creak... Creak You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 173: - Advent ? Advent ? ¡°...........¡± A profound silence crept into the Judgment Room. ¡°Uh, what happened...?¡± Amidst the silence, Ferloche approached the scale with a look of disbelief. ¡°W-Why is it balanced...? It can¡¯t be...¡± With trembling eyes, she eventually stopped muttering and looked at Frey, who was gently smiling behind her. ¡°It can¡¯t be possible, right?¡± ¡°.......¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s impossible. It¡¯s impossible. There must be some kind of mistake...¡± Ferloche¡¯s tone shifted subtly, as if she suspected an error. Result of the Judgment Judgement: The Main Heroines¡¯ guilt was completely equalized by Frey¡¯s love and compassion. Result: Innocence Simultaneously, the massive texts, emphasizing the judgment¡¯s outcome in the air, aligned itself perfectly with the already balanced scales. ¡°Ah.........¡± Ferloche glanced back and forth between the suspended words and the balanced scales. ¨C Thud She sank helplessly on her knees. ¡°Y-Young Master...¡± ¡°Frey...¡± The same reaction overcame the other four girls standing behind her. ¡°So... what will happen next?¡± However, Frey posed this question with such nonchalance, almost as if he had already anticipated the outcome. ¡°I, I... I mean... Ugh...¡± Clearly, Ferloche had yet to regain her composure. The guilt she had nurtured over countless hours now surged forth all at once. As thoughts of the resulting judgment overwhelmed her, she struggled to rationalize it all. ¡°Why in the world...?¡± It was because, at the same time, some questions remained unanswered. ¡°Why did you forgive me, Frey?¡± Ferloche turned her gaze behind towards Frey, her eyes still tremulous. ¡°E-even after you have seen everything? My original sins and those of the girls besides me? And all the mistakes I made while attempting Retries...¡± However, just before Ferloche could finish speaking... ¨C Slide... ¡°......!¡± Frey gently embraced Ferloche. ¡°Thank you.¡± Finding herself enfolded in Frey¡¯s arms, he soon began patting her on the back; Ferloche fell into a daze. ¡°.......Ugh.¡± Her body shook as she buried her face into his chest. ¡°Let¡¯s get rid of that useless guilt and start afresh, Ferloche.¡± Frey spoke as he looked down at her. ¡°If you fear being swept away by the endless flow of time, just confide in me, and I¡¯ll comfort you.¡± ¡°Uh, ugh...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As you wish, I¡¯ll bring a real happy ending to everyone, including myself. Of course, before your soul and spirit ever get shattered.¡± He whispered while continuing to pat her back. ¡°Something like that won¡¯t happen again, I promise.¡± As he finished speaking, Frey gently stroked Ferloche¡¯s back, who had buried her face in his chest while shedding tears. ¡°So, what comes next?¡± After a moment, he subtly threw a question. ¡°So, um...¡± Ferloche, who had only just managed to regain her senses, began to speak. ¡°S-Since the judgment ended with ¡®Innocence¡¯... now, all that remains is to return to reality....¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± Frey showed a complicated expression in her response. ¡°After being in the ordeal for so long, it might feel a bit strange. However, I suppose such a level of consequence isn¡¯t too bad.¡± After mumbling that, Frey continued. ¡°Well then... let¡¯s go back...¡± As he quietly moved to help her stand and walk away, Ferloche halted him with a grasp. ¡°J-Just a moment.¡± ¡°T-There¡¯s something I need to tell you.¡± In an urgent voice, she began to speak. ¡°You probably have seen that on the screen... We all need to gain enlightenment for us to face the 2nd-year DLC story. ¡° ¡°The 2nd-year DLC story...¡± As Frey heard those words and his expression turned serious. Ferloche swallowed hard before continuing. ¡°That¡¯s when the true beginning starts. There will be new stories and crises, and the situation can become much harder than it is now.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°But we will definitely manage to find that ¡®hope.¡¯ So, please... don¡¯t worry too much.¡± As Frey nodded, Ferloche wiped away her tears and continued. ¡°Also, I... I¡¯m going to take a long break from now on.¡± ¡°Break?¡± Despite the girls still wearing dazed expressions, Frey just turned around and smirked at them, as if to ask them why they were taking so long to come. ¡°Always remember that the future is more important than the past. So, what¡¯s done is... huh?¡± Frey spoke to the girls while slowly advancing towards the exit... [The Third Ordeal has been cleared!] [The reward for clearing...] ¡°.....¡± When a system window appeared in front of him, his expression turned icy. ¨C Whoosh! ¨C Grumble... The floating system window shuddered and slightly retreated as he clenched his fist. ¡°...Judging by your actions, it seems you¡¯ve also witnessed this ordeal.¡± Frey muttered in a cold tone as he stared at the system window. ¡°But what¡¯s the point of it? You can¡¯t directly interfere with us now, can you?¡± ¨C Groan... ¡°You can only use this system as a mere puppet to play pranks.¡± As Frey spoke, he lightly tapped the system window with his finger, causing the half-translucent screen to shudder once more. ¡°I know you¡¯re currently constrained, but... keep this in mind.¡± Approaching right in front of the system window, Frey exhaled a chill air that sent shivers through the surroundings, whispering softly. ¡°...I¡¯ll come to find you in no time.¡± Then, he closed the system window and turned to exit the room, holding Ferloche in his arms. Warning! [Only one person can leave at a time!] [The Third Ordeal was initially designed for only single-player uses, so the System asks for your understanding.] ¡°...Tch.¡± As the system window appeared before him once again, he muttered annoyedly. ¡°You¡¯re still bothersome until the end.¡± Frey gently put Ferloche on the ground. ¡°...Then, see you in a bit.¡± He smiled reassuringly at the girls behind him and headed for the exit. . . . . . ¡°.........¡± After Frey left through the exit, silence once again settled over the Judgement Room. ¡°... Uh, all of you.¡± It was none other than Irina who eventually broke the long silence. ¡°Um... that...¡± She gazed at the girls beside her with a gloomy expression. ¡°Do you think... We have the right to love him?¡± Upon hearing her question, the expressions of the girls changed. Frey¡¯s desperate last plea to them before he chose extinction was to ¡®love him.¡¯ After Frey had looked at them with his affectionate gaze, the scales had finally tipped. Yet, the guilt still lingered. Amidst the blend where such complex information and emotions mixed, silence once again descended upon the scene. ¡°........¡± In the silence that followed, the girls found themselves examining each other intently. ¡°Yawn...¡± Ferloche, who had been unconscious in Frey¡¯s arms just moments ago, now stretched and yawned as she rose from her seat. ¡°Ah, hello everyone!¡± With all eyes on her, Ferloche greeted them with a bright smile. ¡°But, where is this?¡± And in that very moment... ¨C Rumbling...! ¡°.......!¡± The Judgement Room darkened and began to shake violently. ¡°Arrrghh!¡± ¡°W-What...?¡± The bewildered girls scanned their surroundings anxiously. ¡°.....!¡± Ferloche¡¯s once cheerful expression involuntarily hardened. ¡°Hello, everyone...?¡± ¡°Y-You...!¡± A familiar figure stepped out from the black smoke that seeped through the cracks of the crumbling Judgement Room. ¡°Tch, as expected, I can¡¯t directly interfere after all...¡± The dark figure raised her hand as if trying to manipulate something. But shortly after, she just frowned and muttered. ¡°Well...¡± Soon, she began to glare at the main heroines with a cold expression. ¡°...Well, I¡¯m here for a mere chat, so it doesn¡¯t really matter anyway.¡± Eclipse, the Demon God, had descended upon the Judgement Room. You can rate/review this serieshere. Chapter 174: - The End Of The Third Ordeal ? The End Of The Third Ordeal ? ¡°Hmm...¡± Ferloche sat on the ground, shivering, her gaze ensnared by the ominous black radiance emanating from the Demon God, who had just made an entrance. ¡°So, how are you feeling?¡± Likewise, with a gaze fixed on Ferloche, the Demon God asked her with a cold voice. ¡°How do you feel... about deceiving me this far?¡± ¡°Uh... Do I know you?¡± ¡°....Ha.¡± She let out a forced chuckle, unimpressed at the pitiful act of Ferloche playing dumb. ¡°You can¡¯t forever hide in your subconscious...¡± The Demon God slowly approached Ferloche and right as she opened her mouth. ¡°Ah, Frey!¡± ¡°.....!¡± Serena¡¯s eyes widened, looking towards where Frey had previously disappeared. Meanwhile, the Demon God¡¯s face morphed into one of shock, as her entire body trembled in fear. ¡°...So, it turned out the Demon God is actually a coward.¡± Serena¡¯s mocking words were muffled by the fan obscuring her face. ¡°You were too scared to reveal yourself before, weren¡¯t you? That was why you waited for Frey to leave first. Now that he is gone, you strut out with such confidence, even though you still tremble in fear at the mere mention of his name.¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°Well, indeed, it must be quite embarrassing...for a divine being to be beaten to the brink of death by a mere mortal.¡± ¡°...Shut your mouth.¡± The Demon God, who flinched at Serena¡¯s words, glowered with icy clarity. ¡°.....!¡±Vissit (.)c.om for updates At the same time, the girls fell silent. ¨C Boom boom boom!! ¨C Whoosh!! Clana¡¯s solar magic and Irina¡¯s fireball shot towards the Demon God simultaneously. ¡°Enough.¡± But the Demon God dismissed them with a mere mutter. ¨C Crackle... Crackle... As a massive screen appeared in the air, she started to manipulate the complex symbols on the window. ¡°...So, what brought you here?¡± After a while, when the restraint magic had somewhat lifted, Serena once again directed a question to the Demon God. ¡°Since you used tricks to uncover the truth, I¡¯ve come to exercise my rightful authority.¡± ¡°... Your rightful authority?¡± ¡°Well, actually, I came here to do something that requires all the necessary energy to be gathered.¡± The Demon God continued with an irritated voice, followed by a sigh. ¡°From now on, none of you can disclose the ¡®System Owner¡¯ identity to anyone.¡± The girls¡¯ expressions twisted briefly upon hearing this but quickly returned to normal in the next moment. ¡°No, it¡¯s not just you five. It is the same for everyone. Anyone who has given a ¡®Penalty¡¯ to the System Owner cannot reveal the truth to those who haven¡¯t yet given a penalty.¡± Serena¡¯s lips twitch slightly upward at those words before quickly returning to neutral. ¡°.....?¡± Staring at her with suspicious eyes, the Demon God started speaking again with a smile. ¡°In a way, isn¡¯t it a good outcome for you as well? You won¡¯t accidentally reveal Frey¡¯s identity to others...¡± ¡°...However, in return, now the identity of the Demon King also can¡¯t be disclosed to others.¡± The Demon God gazed at Serena with a nonchalant expression, before smirking. ¡°Hm... How does that sound? Fair, isn¡¯t it? Shouldn¡¯t the rule be equally applied to both the Hero and the Demon King?¡± ¡°...What¡¯s your reason for personally appearing before us to let us know about this?¡± The Demon God answered with a bright smile in response to that question. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I used up too much divine power to create this new rule... So, I¡¯ve come here to personally feed on the strong feelings of guilt emanating from all of you¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Of course, the annoyance you just felt is included, too.¡± The Demon God responded with a satisfied smile before continuing to manipulate complex formulas while muttering to herself. ¡°Oh, by the way, you know what?¡± Suddenly, she spoke out with a sinister expression. ¡°Even if Frey somehow manages to win... there¡¯s no hope for him.¡± The girls¡¯ expressions hardened upon hearing those ominous words. ¡°W-What does that mean...?¡± Among those girls, it was Kania who asked the question with a trembling voice. ¡°Kania, an anomalous warlock that I can¡¯t subjugate as my subordinate...¡± The Demon God whispered while showing an alluring smile. ¡°Do you want to be on my side? I¡¯ll grant you power and authority surpassing even the Demon King.¡± ¡°Cut that out! What do you mean by what you just said?¡± As if unfazed by the Demon God¡¯s proposal, Kania retorted with a fiery gaze and her voice raised. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t the seduction work on that child... She¡¯s clearly a warlock, and her mental strength is very low...¡± Looking at her with a tinge of disappointment, the Demon God replied with a slight smile. ¡°Well, you¡¯ve all seen it, haven¡¯t you? Frey wished for ¡®annihilation¡¯.¡± Kania¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡°Frey has already made a wish to my foolish sister... Therefore, even if he manages to win against the Demon King this cycle, it¡¯ll still be the end.¡± ¡°......!!!¡± ¡°Frey was well aware of this fact... He didn¡¯t tell you after all, did he?¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s...¡± ¡°Well, a kind-hearted fool like him would probably manipulate the evidence and try to make excuses. But he no longer has the chance to. After all, it¡¯s a matter that has been confirmed by the natural laws of the world.¡± The Demon God gleefully stared at the girls¡¯ pale faces. ¡°Ah... How satisfying.¡± Soon, a look of ecstasy spread across her face. ¡°I wonder why my sister finds ¡®happiness¡¯ and ¡®love¡¯ so delicious. These kinds of emotions are the best source of energy.¡± True to her words, she eagerly absorbed the auras that manifested around the girls. ¡°Well, alright. The settings have now been changed...¡± While continuously absorbing the girls¡¯ negative energy, the Demon God began to murmur and stare at the manipulated screen once again. ¡°Now, first, I should apply it to those who know Frey¡¯s true identity...¡± Peering at the girls with a mischievous glint, she intentionally raised her murmuring voice. As the girls flinched, the Demon God once again sucked in their negativity, relishing the taste. ¡°Alright, Kania. Irina. Clana. Application complete.¡± ¡°Then next... It¡¯s time for our adorable Ruby...¡± Irina answered calmly. ¡°So, what do you plan to do after you wake up?¡± Serena posed another question to Irina. ¡°A-Ask Frey questions... and if what the Demon God said is true...¡± Irina looked pale when she uttered those words. As soon as she finished speaking, without giving anyone a chance to stop her, she darted toward the exit. ¡°...Before it¡¯s too late, I¡¯ll devote myself to him.¡± ¡°W-wait...!¡± ¡°Wait up!!¡± As she did, both Kania and Clana, who had their attention elsewhere, hurried toward the exit and dashed out. ¡°...Ugh.¡± Seeing this, Serena, fell into deep contemplation, as she stared blankly at Ferloche, who stood up from the ground. ¡°...Yawn.¡± ¡°Ah! It was just a dream, after all!¡± ¡°You were urgently saying something when you were watching the video with Frey...¡± Serena cautiously continued her questions. ¡°Huh? Uh...oh? I had my eyes closed until the scary ghost disappeared. But it seems like I¡¯m still in a dream! The ghost vanished, but the place is still the same...¡± ¡°...Sigh.¡± As Ferloche rambled on... ¡°...You can¡¯t fool me, Miss Ferloche.¡± In a hushed voice, Serena whispered in Ferloche¡¯s ear and then started heading towards the exit. ¡°What do you mean I can¡¯t fool you? Miss Serena... Argh! Don¡¯t leave me!¡± Serena urgently disappeared through the exit, and Ferloche, wearing a bewildered expression, soon followed suit. ¨C Crackle... At that moment, the Judgment Room was enveloped in light. The Third Ordeal had finally come to an end. . . . . . ¡°Hmmm...¡± I quietly opened my eyes. Nothing was going to suddenly start again, right? I¡¯ve had enough of extra ordeals, traps, or new variables. On the day I completed the third main quest, I was utterly exhausted after enduring an incredibly lengthy Third Ordeal that was practically a trip down history. Now, I wanted to take a break and focus on preparing for the second year. ¡°...Oh.¡± I slowly opened my eyes as I thought this, and thankfully, I could see my dormitory room. Seeing the moon and stars outside the window, it seemed like it was nighttime at the moment. ¡°Phew...¡± This meant that the long and eventful incidents of the second semester had finally come to an end. I might finally have some time to catch my breath. ¡°.....?¡± It was then that I saw Irina and Kania lying face down on my bed as I glanced to the side. The area around them was filled with magic formulas and scrolls. These must be the products of the attempts to intervene in my ordeals. ¡°...Sigh.¡° How could I despise these girls who worked so hard for me? No matter how much I thought about it, the ¡®judgment¡¯ was far too easy... ¡°Frey!¡± ¡°Whoa, you startled me.¡± While I was pondering this, Irina suddenly raised her head and cried out, as if she was seeing a ghost. What was going on? Did something happen? ¡°S-so, in the end, you¡¯re destined to perish with the Demon King...?¡± ¡°Huh? Uh, yeah...¡± Taken aback, I nodded in response to Irina¡¯s question. ¡°Th-then, what happens next...?¡± As Irina urgently asked another question to me, I scratched my head before responding. ¡°Kania didn¡¯t tell you, did she? She should have known everything.¡± ¡°S-So, you¡¯re really... going to die?¡± ¡°.....?¡± But something seemed off. What was Irina talking about? ¡°Uh... No? I¡¯m not going to die.¡± ¡°.....¡± Because her words were so strange, I furrowed my brow as I responded, and Irina¡¯s countenance didn¡¯t seem right. ¡°Uh... What¡¯s this? I¡¯m not dying. You saw it, too, right? In the ordeal, I made a wish to the Sun God.¡± ¡°Fre...y...¡± With a serious expression, I explained to her, but suddenly, Irina choked up. ¡°Th-That, you should have known it if you saw that, right? I have a wish granted by the Sun God. So when everything¡¯s over, I just have to ask for resurrection. There¡¯ll be no problem...¡± I wasn¡¯t sure what was going on, but before anything, I thought I should put out this fire that came out of nowhere. However... ¡°I... love... you...¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± Suddenly, Irina climbed onto me. ¡°I love you... You fool.¡± ¡°I-Irina?¡± ¡°...Sorry, I got carried away and didn¡¯t think this through.¡± She said this, and then... ¡°However...¡± ¡°.....?¡± ¡°B-Before it¡¯s too late...¡± I was about to say something as she nestled in my arms. However, a cat suddenly rushed over from somewhere and urgently bit her ankle. ¡°Meow!!¡± ¡°Ouch!¡± ¡°Kuoooh!!¡± ¡°Gugu!!¡± ¡°...Chirp.¡± Thanks to that, a startled Irina stood up from her seat and, in the next moment, started to be dragged away by the owl, dove, and canary that had flown in from the window. ¡°W-Wait, just a moment...!¡± ¡°.............?¡± I didn¡¯t know what was going on, but for now, I just wanted to relax during this vacation. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 175: - Vacation ? Vacation ? Today was the academy¡¯s vacation ceremony. In other words, it marked the end of the eventful second semester. ¡°...I can¡¯t believe how quickly time has passed.¡± The clock already showed 1 o¡¯clock in the afternoon. I had only managed breakfast and a brief nap, yet time seemed to have flown by so quickly. ¡°Ugh.¡± When I tried to lift my utterly exhausted body, a surge of intense pain coursed through me. Just as I had expected, my body was barely holding on, especially after receiving three stacks of penalties. ¨C Creak.. Despite the discomfort, I couldn¡¯t remain in the academy indefinitely. So, I forced myself to stand up and started searching for the walking stick that the main heroines had given me. Since the girls had enchanted the walking stick after the end of the Third Ordeal, it could restore some vitality simply by holding it. ¡°...What the hell.¡± However, the walking stick I remembered placing next to my bed last night now lay on the floor. Had I accidentally knocked it over while I was asleep? ¡°Ugh...¡± At first, I considered using my pager to call Kania over, but summoning her merely to retrieve my walking stick from the floor seemed excessive. Thus, I summoned all my strength to bend down and began to reach for it. My back throbbed like crazy because of that move. However, Kania had been glued to my side throughout these nights and was being very overprotective. Furthermore, her eyes would well up with tears every time she hugged me in response to my coughs. As such, I couldn¡¯t afford to look weak in front of her. But, in retrospect, it was somewhat strange. Apart from Kania, who knew the condition of my body the best, even Irina and Clana would appear on the verge of tears whenever they saw my frail appearance. This pain would only be momentary, and we were destined to reach the ¡°real happy ending¡± from this point onwards, so I wasn¡¯t sure why they were overreacting like this. ¡°Here you go, Frey.¡± As I pondered, someone retrieved the walking stick and handed it to me. ¡°Oh, thank...¡± It felt so natural that I involuntarily blurted out my thanks as I accepted the walking stick. ¡°.....Huh? However, I instantly froze with my hand outstretched. ¡°Don¡¯t you need this walking stick?¡± Professor Isolet stood before me. She hadn¡¯t been here just moments ago. When had she entered the room? Could it be that she had also become a magic swordsman like me? ¡°You¡¯re the only one who hasn¡¯t left the dorm for vacation yet, right? That¡¯s why I got the key from the maid¡¯s room and came in.¡± ¡°Ahh.¡± As I entertained such nonsensical speculations, Isolet gave me an explanation as to why and how she had entered my room. Lately, my thought process has become increasingly abnormal due to the many unrealistic experiences I have been through. ¡°So, what brings you here? Don¡¯t tell me that now you¡¯re suddenly concerned about me?¡± I tried to pull myself together as I stared at Isolet, but her expression remained as cold as the first time I met her. Fortunately, she still didn¡¯t seem to worry about me when I saw... ¡°Take this.¡± As I contemplated that, Isolet spoke coldly and thrust the walking stick into my arms. ¡°...Huff.¡± Since there was no reason to decline, I cautiously accepted the walking stick, my entire body beginning to revitalize. ¡°I¡¯ve come here because I have a letter for you.¡± Saying that, Isolet took out a letter from her inner chest pocket and handed it to me. ¡°I wonder who sent a letter that prompted even Professor Isolet to personally deliver it to me. I suppose it must be a request from a rather influential person...¡± ¡°Shut up and just read it.¡± I still provoked her, despite being fully aware that Isolet, who despised those corrupt higher-ups, would never willingly associate with such individuals. Consequently, she proceeded to order me in an even colder, icy tone. ¨C Aria. ¡°...Hmm.¡± Even under her pressure, I pretended to be indifferent and calmly opened the letter. However, I couldn¡¯t help but display a brief change in my expression as I read the first sentence. Perhaps that moment had finally arrived. ¨C Sorry, I¡¯ll be away from home for a while. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll stay in a safe place. ¡°I can guess what the letter is implying.¡± I said after finishing the letter while attempting to maintain composure. Isolet just stared at me without any expression as she spoke. ¡°I assume that letter probably declared her intention to sever ties with you. I¡¯ve been wondering why she didn¡¯t do it sooner. Why is it only happening now? The timing seems rather late...¡± ¡°The official announcement is the only thing missing here, but the entire empire has been buzzing about this incident for months now. From the press, including gossip magazines, to the elite social circles that control the empire, and even to people on the streets.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Therefore, no wonder Aria couldn¡¯t endure it any longer.¡± That was right. Perhaps, Aria couldn¡¯t bear it any longer. I orchestrated the recent slave market incident. Simultaneously, I spread convincing rumors throughout the empire regarding my encounters with the Demon King Army at the market. So, it¡¯s no surprise that Aria ran away from home. She must have been at her breaking point. Yet, it was a relief. At least she wouldn¡¯t get caught up in the shitstorm that would soon follow. Naturally, the same applied to Isolet, who stood before me with a cold expression. ¡°Aria has been staying in my place for a few days now.¡± ¡°...Really?¡± While lost in thought, I suddenly focused back on Isolet when I heard Aria¡¯s whereabouts. My eyes widened inquisitively as I turned to Isolet. Of course, I had already known about her departure from the mansion and where her destination was. If she had gone to a dangerous place, I would have sent Kania to bring her back. However, I left her alone because she had only moved to Isolet¡¯s house. This was because there were few places as secure as Isolet¡¯s house, especially within the empire. At best, Isolet would be able to deal with any potential threats, and given her lack of luck with men, there wouldn¡¯t be any scoundrels daring to cast their eyes upon my pretty sister. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t care anyway. While we are at it, how about you consider adopting her into the Bywalker family as well... ¡° ¡°Do you know how many times Aria wrote that letter?¡± After realizing Aria¡¯s safety, a sense of relief washed over me and an impulsive joke slipped out of my mouth. However, Isolet¡¯s expression turned into a deep frown as she started to speak. ¡°She rewrote that letter numerous times while struggling to hold back her tears.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°...In the end, the letter she handed to you was the shortest and most gentle of all the versions she attempted.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite touching...¡± I murmured, feigning a drowsy look, quietly resisting the sharp pang in my chest. ¡°However, you...!¡± Isolet, who had maintained her cold expression until then, suddenly grabbed me by the collar and glared at me. Just like that, I stared vacantly at the ceiling for a while. ¨C Whoooshh... Suddenly, a dark energy emerged from my shadow against the wall. ¡°...Are you alright, Young Master?¡± After a while, Kania emerged from the shadows and lay down beside me, speaking in a hushed tone. A few days ago, she had successfully advanced in high-level dark magic, making the manipulation of shadow magic relatively easy for her. ¡°Now that I¡¯m here, you can rest assured...¡± ¡°That was weird.¡± ¡°...What?¡± I observed her as she nervously lay beside me, silently staring into her eyes. Soon, I spoke with a grave expression. ¡°After the ordeal ended, I had thoroughly examined all the ¡®sub-heroines.''¡± ¡°...Are you referring to the precautionary observation you did in case someone had regained their memories?¡± ¡°Yes, most of them were completely unaffected by the Third Ordeal.¡± After saying that, I rubbed my eyes and muttered. ¡°But why... did something so strange happen to Isolet out of the blue?¡± ¡°...Young Master.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sick of all these variables... I want to rest a bit... Well, I¡¯ve rested quite a lot until now, but...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll watch over you.¡± While gazing at Kania, I sighed and asked. ¡°How¡¯s Aria? Has she completely stopped worrying about me?¡± ¡°It seems so...¡± Kania abruptly paused as she was about to respond, and then carefully examined my face. ¡°...You look sad.¡± ¡°No, not at all... ¡° ¡°More than ever.¡± Eventually, I shook my head, attempting to deny her statement. ¡°... You seem to have had the hardest time today.¡± ¡°.........¡± I silently listened to her words as she drew closer. Lately, I felt like Kania could almost completely read my thoughts. Could this be the side effect of using shadow magic? ¡°Uhm... Y-Young Master.¡± While I was thinking about that, Kania suddenly began to stutter. ¡°Could you... spare some time for me tonight?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t have any plans yet, maybe you could join me for a drink.¡± I was curious about what she would say, but I hadn¡¯t expected to hear such a suggestion. ¡°It would be nice to have a drink, but lately... I can¡¯t really get drunk in the first place due to my mental strength...¡± ¡°Well, I can help you to get drunk.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I was about to politely decline her suggestion since I couldn¡¯t get drunk anyway, but Kania averted her gaze and continued. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared a method for you to get drunk. And, um... also the alcohol...¡± ¡°...All right, if my most trusted subordinate insists.¡± I responded cheerfully to her idea of getting drunk, but Kania suddenly started looking at me sadly. ¡°I-I¡¯ve made thorough preparations so you can enjoy it to your heart¡¯s content...¡± ¡°Oh right, I should get ready to go out.¡± Eventually, I rose from my seat, leaving behind the murmuring girl who had lowered her head. Suddenly, Kania began to tense up. ¡°...Are you really leaving today?¡± ¡°Yeah. Everything concerning Isolet and Aria has been weighing on my mind, so I don¡¯t want to delay it any longer.¡± I started putting on my coat with a determined expression. ¡°Today...¡± While touching the Robe of Deception laid on the desk, I muttered in a cold voice. ¡°...I¡¯m going to declare war.¡± It was time to go to see the Fake Hero. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that very moment. ¡°Hey, Ruby! It¡¯s been a while!¡± ¡°Hello~!¡± After months, Ruby finally showed up again at the orphanage Frey had established and greeted the caretaker with a bright smile. ¡°I heard you had some business to take care of and couldn¡¯t visit for a few months, so I was worried. But I¡¯m relieved to see you in perfect health!¡± ¡°Oh, yes... Haha.¡± Her expression momentarily faltered at the caretaker¡¯s words, but she quickly put on an awkward smile as she responded. ¡°By the way, what a coincidence that you came back at this time!¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Today, the person who established this orphanage is visiting!¡± Upon hearing that, once again, Ruby failed to maintain her composure. ¡°He¡¯ll be here soon, so let¡¯s quickly prepare...¡± ¡°Yes, yes! I understand!¡± With that, she quickly turned around and headed off somewhere. [Stack: 1] ¡°...No way, at a time like this?¡± She closed the semi-transparent window before her and began mumbling with her brow furrowed. ¡°..........¡± And from a distance, a girl observed this scene. Chapter 176: - A Small Shining Light ? A Small Shining Light ? ¡°Neeighhh...!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve arrived!¡± The coachman announced our arrival at our destination as the carriage gradually came to a stop. ¨C Young Master, will you really be okay? If you want, I can immediately turn into your shadow right now... At the same time, a communication transmission came in from Kania. Judging by her shaky voice, it seemed she was quite worried. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Kania. After all, she can¡¯t touch me anyway.¡± ¨C But what if the Demon King has hidden subordinates? What will you do then?¡± ¡°With her current status, she can¡¯t have such subordinates. After all, it was originally meant to be a surprise visit.¡± Despite my words, I sensed Kania¡¯s unease on the other side of the transmission. I tapped the walking stick I had been holding in my arms and added, ¡°And if the situation gets tough, I can always use this walking stick. With this, I can handle most mid-level combat executives.¡± -...I¡¯ll intervene if things look even a bit dangerous. Kania replied gloomily before the transmission was cut off. ¡°Sir? Are you not getting off?¡± Upon hearing the slightly irritated voice of the coachman, I, who had been scratching my head after the transmission got cut, tightened my robe and stepped out of the carriage. ¡®Sooner or later, I should custom-order a dedicated carriage for the foundation.¡¯ I mused to myself as I took a step forward. ¡°G-Good afternoon, Sir...¡± ¡°Good afternoon, Sir...¡± I wasn¡¯t sure how they recognized me, but the staff and children gathered in front of the orphanage began to greet me with respectful bows. ¡°..........¡± Normally, seeing children in the market street with improved complexions would bring a smile to my face. However, this time, I couldn¡¯t maintain a cheerful atmosphere. ¡°Hello~!¡± It was because, at the end of the group, the most detestable woman in the world stood while wearing a disgusting smile. ¡°Welcome to our orphanage!¡± ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Even though I was on the verge of losing my composure, I still managed to maintain a polite nod in response to the warm welcome. ¡°...Crack.¡± Of course, I couldn¡¯t completely control my facial expression, as my teeth gritted in fury. ¡°Hmm? Are you feeling unwell?¡± ¡°...No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good! I¡¯m glad that you¡¯re fine.¡± While I kept my head low for a while, Ruby showed a worried expression and spoke to me. ¡°You seem a little unwell for some reason...¡± Regardless of who observed her, everyone would agree that she consistently lived up to her nickname, the ¡°Little Saintess of the Orphanage,¡± by caring for others. ¡°...Sigh.¡± However, she was staring fixedly at my walking stick, which I had already turned invisible. ¡°Please, come inside! I¡¯ll show you around!¡± After a brief yet somewhat awkward pause, Ruby, who had taken my hand, brightened up with a smile and guided me into the orphanage. ¡°Well, please take care of me.¡± I showed her a gentle smile and walked into the orphanage, passing by the children who were standing by my side. I wished I could have given those children a genuine smile before going inside, but in this moment, I couldn¡¯t help but to display a forced one . . . . . ¡°The children look really happy, right?¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± The mysterious sponsor and Ruby were happily chatting in the center of the orphanage. ¡°Seeing the children that were starving on the streets, now living so energetically... It truly feels like a dream.¡± When Ruby said this with teary eyes, the staff members around them showed pleased expressions. ¡°Thank you so much for creating this miraculous space for us.¡± Ruby expressed her gratitude with a gracious bow, her smile directed at the discreetly observing sponsor. ¡°Ah, by the way... could it be that you¡¯re... the ¡®Hero of Money,¡¯ Mr. Sponsor?¡± People around them began to murmur at that moment. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± The sponsor nodded in response, instantly quelling the murmurs. ¡°I knew it! So, the rumors were true!¡± Ruby¡¯s cheers echoed throughout the orphanage. ¡°The ¡®Hero of Money¡¯ is known for various charitable activities in society!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Unlike other tycoons, he only engages in charity work! He donates all the profits from his businesses! And his true identity can never be revealed thanks to a special magic!¡± Ruby¡¯s eyes sparkled as she explained, and the sponsor couldn¡¯t help but scratch his head. ¡°On top of that... there is a rumor that you¡¯re also connected to the ¡®Slave Market Liberation¡¯ incident this time...¡± With a mischievous expression, Ruby continued her line of inquiry to the Sponsor. ¡°I-I¡¯d rather not respond to that.¡±UppTodated from no?/v/e/lb(i)n.c(o)/m The Sponsor waved his hand in a flustered manner. Laughter filled the hall, transforming the once-awkward atmosphere into one of light-heartedness, thanks to Ruby. ¡°I¡¯ve also heard a lot about Ms. Ruby¡¯s stories.¡± In such an atmosphere, the Sponsor spoke up. ¡°You always lead by example, take care of difficult tasks, and yet, you don¡¯t expect any rewards. Indeed...¡± Compliments flowed freely from the Sponsor¡¯s lips. Ruby, who had been sporting a warm smile that reached her eyes, suddenly stiffened her expression as the sponsor concluded his words with an impassive look. ¡°...You¡¯re really pretentious.¡± ¡°Ah? Ahahahaha!!¡± ¡°Pfft...¡± A moment later, laughter erupted from all around. In the increasingly cheerful atmosphere, the Sponsor smiled and continued speaking. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m only joking. You know, Ms. Ruby, there¡¯s that famous incident when the Saintess misspoke something similar to you during her visit here.¡± ¡°Well, if Ms. Ruby is considered pretentious... then I guess most people in the world are hypocrites.¡± As he said this, he stopped in his tracks; the Sponsor suddenly put on a serious expression. ¡°Anyway, I think it¡¯s time to end the building tour here and shift our focus to more practical matters.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to talk to the person in charge of the business.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m in charge of that.¡± ¡°Really? It¡¯s you, Ms. Ruby?¡± The Sponsor tilted his head, and Ruby replied with an embarrassed expression. ¡°The person who usually oversees everything is currently on a business trip. Since I just returned today, I¡¯m temporarily in charge.¡± ¡°I see. I apologize; I have so many business matters to attend to that I didn¡¯t even know she was gone. My apologies¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine~! That could happen sometimes.¡± The two of them began walking to the office together with a warm atmosphere between them. ¡°Well then, should we briefly discuss some matters over there?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± ¡°Anyway, where did you hear those rumors?¡± ¡°Haha, it¡¯s quite a well-known story, isn¡¯t it?¡± They maintained a lighthearted laugh as they continued their conversation while walking.. However, once they were inside the office, the atmosphere took a sudden turn. ¨C Creak... ¡°..........¡± ¨C Crackle Crackle... In an instant, various eavesdropping prevention spells were swiftly cast on the office¡¯s door and windows. ¡°...Huff.¡± As Frey fell silent, absorbing her words, Ruby showed a sinister smile. ¡°...And thanks to this penalty, I got a perfect situation to frame your fake identity.¡± ¡°What?¡± Right after saying that, Ruby grabbed Frey¡¯s robe. ¡°I¡¯m so strong that I won¡¯t get hurt from most things. Of course, if I were to harm myself, I would be injured, but then it would permanently damage me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to...¡± ¡°However, if this penalty causes me internal injuries... it will be perfect for creating the false accusation that the ¡®Hero of Money¡¯ attacked the ¡®Real Hero.¡¯¡± Ruby snapped her fingers, and various pieces of evidence appeared all over the room. ¡°The System only prohibits us revealing each other¡¯s true identities. However, it doesn¡¯t put any restriction on hidden identities.¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± ¡°I would experience no difficulty when making you look like a villain.¡± Ruby started applying her own blood onto Frey¡¯s body. She then staggered toward the exit. ¡°If I were to go outside looking like this and request help, what would happen to you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The best-case scenario would be the cancellation of your ¡®fake identity.¡¯ The worst-case scenario would be the exposure of your identity as ¡®Frey.¡¯ Either way, it would be fun to witness.¡± ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s been a pleasure to meet with you, Fre¡ª¡± However, she suddenly stumbled and collapsed in front of the door, clutching her stomach. ¡°Kekheugh!?¡± ¡°Uh...?¡± She ended up wearing a perplexed expression, failing to grasp the sudden turn of events. Just as confusion set in, a new warning pop-up materialized before her eyes, further adding to her penalty count. Penalty [Stack: 2] [Special Stack: 1] ¡°There were three errors in what you said until now.¡± Then, at that moment, Frey, who had approached Ruby, grabbed her chin and began to speak. ¡°Therefore, listen to this carefully.¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± ¡°First, what you just received was not just a special stack from me.¡± ¡°W-What...?¡± ¡°...Of course, you also have to receive three stacks from Kania, Irina, and Clana as well.¡± Right as Frey said that. Penalty [Stack: 3] [Special Stack: 1] ¡°...Cough!¡± Ruby¡¯s penalty stack increased by another one. ¡°H-How is it possible that those three people at once know my identity...? That¡¯s impossible...¡± ¡°That¡¯s not your business.¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°Listen to the overall story first before you pass out.¡± Therefore, Frey started infusing a small amount of life force into Ruby¡¯s stomach. He tapped with his walking staff as Ruby attempted to close her eyes. With a triumphant expression, he continued speaking. ¡°The Demon God played a trick on the quest I received.¡± ¡°Until the quest was completed, she made sure that no penalties apply to you. Did she do that to buy you time to work on various things while I was lying down? Anyway, it was very unfair.¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°...However, that trick turned out to be helpful for me.¡± Saying this, Frey put a little more strength into his walking stick. Penalty [Stack: 4] [Special Stack: 1] ¡°Heuekek...¡± ¡°Sometimes overprotection can become a hindrance, and it was your supposed guardian angel¡¯s fault that she didn¡¯t realize that.¡± Frey continued speaking as he forcibly lifted Ruby, who was on the verge of death after receiving the fourth stack. ¡°Secondly, it¡¯s not like I have no chance of winning this battle at all.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Besides the three stacks you just received, you also have received a stack before that, right?¡± ¡°...!¡± Ruby¡¯s eyes widened as she heard his words, and Frey scratched his head while muttering. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t really know what it means either... but Serena said it¡¯s the key...¡± ¡°How did you...¡± When Ruby asked with a shaky voice, Frey replied with a smirk. ¡°It is because that¡¯s my only chance of winning.¡± As Ruby¡¯s eyes wavered for the first time, Frey whispered in her ear with a low voice, just as she did before. ¡°Third and lastly...¡± ¡°Cough, cough...¡± ¡°...You¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to experience hell when everything is all over.¡± Having spoken that, Frey looked into Ruby¡¯s eyes, which were dimming as she barely held onto consciousness. ¡°So, you can look forward to it.¡± Then, there was a brief silence. ¡°Cough, cough... Ugh...¡± In that moment of silence, Ruby, who had been vomiting a large amount of blood, suddenly burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. ¡°Hehe, hehehe...¡± ¡°...Indeed, you are really an interesting person.¡± With those words resounding in the air, she immediately lost consciousness. ¡°Phew...¡± A brief hush fell over the scene. ¨C Crackleee...! Frey cast his stellar magic while simultaneously tapping his walking stick on the ground, methodically erasing the carefully arranged pieces of evidence Ruby had set up.. Soon after, he cried out for assistance with a sense of urgency. ¡°I-Is anyone outside!!!¡± ¡°Ms. Ruby collapsed!!!¡± ¡°P-Pardon me?¡± ¡°She suddenly vomited blood and collapsed! Could it have been a chronic illness...?¡± ¡°N-now that I think about it, last time...¡± Frey watched as the gathered employees discussed the incident surrounding Ruby¡¯s collapse and lifted her carefully. [A Special System has been opened!] ¡°...Finally.¡± Staring at the special system that appeared before his eyes in the midst of the commotion, Frey muttered in a low voice. ¡°It has finally begun.¡± . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment. ¡°A Special System has been opened...?¡± As a faint glow emanated from her body to conceal her appearance, Glare, who had been discreetly observing the unexpected events through the orphanage¡¯s window, suddenly focused on an opaque window that had appeared before the robed man. The window appeared slightly blurred for reasons unknown. ¡°No, that¡¯s not the most important thing here.¡± ¡°...What the hell is the Path of False Evil?¡± Her body continued to illuminate the darkness with a small shining light You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 177: - A Different Choice ? A Different Choice ? ¨C Creak... As Frey¡¯s carriage pulled up to the Starlight Mansion, he could feel an unsettling chill permeate the surroundings. ¡°Hmm?¡± Sensing the change, Frey, who had just gotten off the carriage, slightly furrowed his brows. While the Starlight Mansion usually did have a chilly atmosphere, for today in particular, there was something distinctly off about it. ¡°......¡± All the servants of the Starlight Mansion were outside, staring at Frey without a word. Of course, it was a familiar sight for him whenever he returned home after going out. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± However, there was something different today. Everyone outside was not in their maid uniforms or work clothes, but rather in casual attire. On top of that, they were all staring at Frey with cold expressions. ¡°What the hell are you all doing right now?¡± As he surveyed the surrounding servants, Frey took slow steps towards them. ¡°Although I¡¯d like to punish you all right away, I suppose I¡¯ll at least hear what you have to say.¡± As he finished speaking, someone stepped forward to represent the other servants. ¡°Young Master Frey.¡± She was Arianne¡¯s sister, who had been employed as a maid in the Starlight family. ¡°I regret to inform you that, starting today, we will no longer serve you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°All of us will quit being your servants from today.¡± With that, silence swept over the room. ¡°...Sigh.¡± Frey broke the silence with a bitter laugh. He glanced at the gathered servants before voicing his question. ¡°What¡¯s the reason?¡± In response, the woman who had stepped forward as the servants¡¯ representative answered in a low voice. ¡°Miss Aria already left the mansion a few days ago.¡± Frey remained silent, biting his lip in reaction to her words. The woman continued, slowly enunciating her words. ¡°That¡¯s why we, too, no longer have any reason to keep staying here.¡± The surrounding gazes turned even colder. Those who gathered outside, glaring at Frey with cold eyes, were Abraham¡¯s loyal servants. They were a product of Abraham¡¯s policy to recruit only the eternally loyal and outstanding individuals whom he had personally nurtured and educated. On top of that, they were also the friends and subordinates of Aria, who had treated them with kindness more than anyone else. Therefore, they no longer wanted to serve Frey; someone who had gone beyond mere villainy, had ruined Abraham and Aria, and was now actively tarnishing the honor of the Starlight household. ¡°So when you all leave here, do you have a place to go?¡± Although a tingle of concern remained in his mind, his words held a very different meaning to the servants. Most of them had decided to leave out of consideration for Aria, but a few were acutely aware that they had nowhere else to turn, thus ultimately remaining in the mansion. Additionally, despite their skills, they belonged to the lower class, whom the nobles despised. Violating their contracts would only add to the stigma they carried. This led them to believe that Frey¡¯s words had an underlying implication, mocking them for having nowhere else to go besides his mansion. ¡°Most of you have family members to support or sick people to care for. Even if you go out to the streets to do odd jobs, it won¡¯t be enough to feed...¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Frey¡¯s expression contorted when the maid, who had always been timid in front of him, boldly interrupted him. ¡°We received a call from the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°...From the Imperial Palace?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what it¡¯s about, but they said they wanted to scout us,¡± She carried on, her gaze locked on the motionless Frey. ¡°Of course, many of us want to keep serving as Lady Aria¡¯s servants at Miss Isolet¡¯s house. However, we understand that she can¡¯t possibly shoulder the burden of all of us.¡±UppTodated from no?/v/e/lb(i)n.c(o)/m ¡°........¡± ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll all take responsibility for the contract violations. As for the penalty...¡± ¡°...It¡¯s fine.¡± Frey interrupted her while staring at a particular figure among the servants. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± When he saw Lulu, pale-faced and carrying luggage, he had a hunch about why the imperial palace wanted to scout them. Therefore, he spoke to them with a composed expression. ¡°There won¡¯t be any penalties for breaking the contract.¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be any disadvantages or dishonor due to contract violations.¡± Upon hearing this, the servants were bewildered. They had all come prepared here today to face Frey, even willing to endure being beaten to death by him if necessary. ¡°Also, severance pay will be paid properly.¡± Frey made such unexpected statements while looking at the servants. Then, his hands trembling, he leaned on his walking stick and slowly began to make his way back to the mansion with great difficulty. ¡°So, don¡¯t leave without permission; make sure to leave your signature before you go.¡± Just like that, after a while spent merely gazing at the mansion, Lulu slowly started walking towards the building. ¨C Step. Step Despite all the footprints leading to the exit of the courtyard, she created her own set of footprints that head towards the mansion¡¯s entrance instead. She firmly opened the mansion¡¯s door that had been closed and stepped inside. ¨C Creak... She passed through the dimly lit living room of the desolate mansion. All the servants who had once bustled around were now no longer there. Today, the staircase seemed to stretch even longer than usual. One step, two steps, three steps. Closer and closer to Frey¡¯s room. ¨C Knock, knock. ¡°M-Master Frey.¡± Finally, Lulu knocked on Frey¡¯s door and whispered in a low voice. ¡°I-I¡¯ve come to talk for a moment.¡± However, there was no response. ¡°...Huh?¡± Perplexed, she activated her Magic Eyes, but for some reason, she had never been able to see inside Frey¡¯s room, be it in the past or even now. ¡°Hmmm...?¡± In such a situation, Lulu, who was looking around nervously with concern, suddenly widened her eyes. It was because Frey was in a different room, not his own. ¡°U-Um...¡± As she stepped towards his direction, Lulu came to an abrupt halt, her mouth agape. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± It was a room that she had never seen opened. And in such a room, Frey was quietly staring at a picture hanging on one of the walls. A picture of his father, mother, younger sister, and his younger self were all together, smiling happily. ¡°.........¡± As he stared blankly at the picture, he could barely support his weight with his walking stick. Seeing him in such a condition made Frey¡¯s back seem incredibly pitiful and lonely. ¡°Hmm?¡± Right when Lulu begun to gaze at his figure with her Magic Eyes, Frey suddenly turned around, staring sharply back at her. ¡°...What¡¯s this?¡± ¨C Flutter...! Subsequently, Frey pulled a nearby cord to hide the picture behind curtains before raising his walking stick and heading for the room¡¯s exit with a cold expression. ¡°Lulu?¡± The door opened abruptly, leaving no time for her to hide. As she glanced at the supposedly nonchalant Frey, Lulu unconsciously clutched the letter bearing the Imperial Seal. ¡°Weren¡¯t you leaving?¡± ¨C Crush... Why was she doing this? Wealth, fame, and the chance to get rid of the terrible life she had lived thus far. It was right in her grasp. Even the opportunity to end her abnormal relationship with Frey was hers for the taking. However... Why was she hesitating? ¡°I have no interest in a pet that¡¯s left its home.¡± Frey spoke frigidly to a bewildered Lulu, as her gaze began to waver. It was because his voice, just as weak as so rumored, had caused her heart to waver for some inexplicable reason. ¡°Leave this place.¡± Frey left the room and gave a cold command, but Lulu just continued to follow him as she looked towards him with vacant eyes. ¡°You are no longer...¡± ¡°M-Master Frey!¡± Without even realizing it, she tightly closed her eyes and spoke with a trembling voice. ¡°P... P¡ª¡± ¡°....?¡± ¡°Please pet me...¡± ¡°What?¡± Frey¡¯s eyes widened in confusion, looking flustered because of her unexpected request. ¡°I, I mean...¡± With her emotions in turmoil and a strange sense of relief washing over her, Lulu spoke n a soft voice while clutching the now crumpled letter in her hand. ¡°...After all, I am your pet, right?¡± ¨C Shaah... A faint light on her shoulders began to glow. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 178: - The Villains Pet ? The Villain¡¯s Pet ? ¨C Swish! ¡°Hmm.¡± Frey, who had buried his head in his arms atop his desk, raised it after hearing the loud noise. ¡°Gugu! Gu!¡± Ferloche¡¯s dove was perched on his window, staring with a dumbfounded expression as it pecked at the glass. ¡°So... where is the letter?¡± ¡°Gu!¡± After quickly opening the window, Frey, who saw the note tied to the dove¡¯s front leg, deeply sighed and stood up from his desk. ¡°Huff...¡± ¨C Step, Step With a contorted expression, Frey left his room and made his way to Lulu¡¯s room. ¡°M-Master Frey?¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°Um, t-that...¡± Lulu, who had been carefully unloading her carried luggage, timidly checked Frey¡¯s reaction. ¡°So...¡± While staring at her, Frey tilted his head and asked. ¡°...Why did you come back?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think there was a reason for you to come back.¡± ¡°You told me to, didn¡¯t you, Master Frey?¡± Hesitating for a moment at his response, Lulu stared intently at his face before answering, ¡°... Didn¡¯t you say I was your pet?¡± ¡°........¡± Then, silence filled the room. . . . . . ¡°Is that... the only reason?¡± After he heard my answer, Master Frey asked with furrowed brows. ¡°Y-Yes.¡± As I answered with a trembling voice, Master Frey tilted his head in confusion. ¡°...Gulp.¡± Seeing his reaction, I swallowed forcefully as I fell into silent contemplation. ¡®Why am I doing this?¡¯ Something strange had just happened. The stigma had become inactive after a brief light emanated from my shoulder a moment ago¡ªThe very stigma that had been tormenting my entire life like a curse. If that was the case, I could have immediately left this place, right? Then, why was I still here? When I first approached him, my intention was merely to use him. After all, I wouldn¡¯t feel guilty if he, the empire¡¯s most notorious troublemaker, suffered misfortune because of my stigma. In return, I thought I could at least become his plaything. And until he proposed this abnormal ¡®pet¡¯ relationship to me, I had only thought about getting rid of the stigma as quickly as possible and finding my freedom. But... But why? Even after being offered a place in history as a member of the Hero Party, promises of wealth and honor, and receiving actual affection, why was I still staying here? ¡°Just a moment ago, weren¡¯t you planning to leave the mansion?¡± While I was blankly staring at him, lost in my thoughts, Master Frey suddenly asked this question, looking down at me with a cold gaze. ¡°.....!¡± My once steady heart started to race again. ¡®...For what reason?¡¯ Master Frey maintained his cold attitude as I tried to calm my pounding heart. ¡°Why should I take back a pet that already had a change of mind?¡± His words were true. Until just a moment ago, I had been planning to join the Hero Party and leave the mansion behind. In fact, any sane person would have joined the Hero Party instead of staying here. Despite being a duchy, the Starlight Household had lost its honor and was constantly under attack. Moreover, the temporary Patriarch, Master Frey, was also on the brink of death. There was no benefit in staying here, no matter how you looked at it. But, for some reason... I told the man in front of me.Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com ¡°I-I want to be loved.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I want to be loved... by you, Master Frey.¡± ¡°.......¡± As I looked at Master Frey, who had fallen silent again at my response, I quietly touched the remnants of the stigma on my shoulder. ¡®Even though I can¡¯t be sure, either... one thing is certain.¡¯ A few weeks ago, when I interacted with a girl named ¡®Ruby¡¯ who had approached me, my head was clearly aware that it was a joyful situation. However, for some reason, my heart didn¡¯t feel happy at all. I ate as much delicious food and dessert as Master Frey had provided, watched plays and festivals that Master Frey hadn¡¯t shown me, and even received freedom that Master Frey didn¡¯t grant. And despite receiving normal affection from an equal relationship, I felt no excitement at all. I should have relished the life I longed for after the stigma disappeared, but I didn¡¯t enjoy any of it. I desperately tried to express my feelings, but Master Frey placed a finger on his lips, stopping me. ¡°...It was a joke.¡± Then, I finally heard his gentle voice again¡ª the one he used when feeding me and whispering goodnight. ¡°This incident made me realize that I needed to test your sincerity...¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°...You passed. Congratulations.¡± With that gentle voice, Master Frey softly stroked my head. ¡°Ah...¡± At that moment, only one thought crossed my mind. I felt truly fortunate that I could become this man¡¯s pet again. ¡°...Cough¡± ¡°.....!¡± However, those thoughts shattered into pieces the moment Master Frey coughed. ¡°Euuuuugh...¡± Eventually, my confusion, guilt, and fear pushed aside the other emotion from before. The man I had come to love only had a little time left in this world. And because of me, it became even less. ¡°Euuuuuuuuu...¡± My face paled once again in realization as Master Frey quietly stared at me. With a low voice, he asked me a question. ¡°Lulu.¡± ¡°Do you really want to stay here?¡± ¡°Yes, yes! I want to stay here...¡± ¡°...I might not be able to give you delicious food anymore.¡± He had a desperate expression as he spoke. ¡°All the chefs have left. There¡¯s no one to manage the warehouse full of food supplies.¡± ¡°You still have me. I¡¯ll cook for you!¡± ¡°...I might not be able to give you any more gifts. Soon, the imperial family might seize my assets, and on the surface... no, anyway, I might become a beggar.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need any of that!¡± Master Frey¡¯s expression slightly stiffened as I continued to promptly respond to his words. He seemed to be on the verge of saying something before stopping himself. ¡°If you stay here, you might be in danger...¡± ¡°You could be deeply involved in the dangerous, terrifying, disgusting, and cruel things I¡¯m getting into.¡± And then he continued with his cold remarks. ¡°Being my confidant, you might face undeserved humiliation and even bear false accusations. Perhaps, I might even have to directly involve you in such matters. As you know, the situation has become quite dire, and we are short on manpower.¡± When I didn¡¯t respond to his words, the corner of Master Frey¡¯s got lifted before he asked the final question. ¡°Are you prepared to get dirty, Lulu?¡± ¡°........¡± We shared a brief silence. After staring at Master Frey in that state, I finally answered. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Get me dirty. Ruin me. I don¡¯t mind it at all.¡± Now, I no longer care about how things will turn out. No matter what happens to me, I just want to be able to become the pet of the man in front of me. ¡°Sighhh...¡± As I swallowed my saliva and stared at Master Frey, he let out a sigh. Then suddenly, he guided me towards the bed. ¡°Let¡¯s just end the day and get some sleep for now.¡± ¡°Huh? But...¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s still evening...¡± ¡°You need to rest first. We can think about it again tomorrow.¡± ¡°Euuu... ahh.¡± Soon after, Master Frey forced me to lie on the bed, then left the room with a stern expression. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll go now.¡± ¡°M-Master Frey...¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± As I fixed my gaze on Master Frey, I asked with a trembling voice. ¡°A-Are you not going to do... What you have done every night?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°......¡± Then, Master Frey stared at me for a moment. Despite appearing quite tired, he entered my embrace just as he always did to hug and kiss me gently. ¡°Fine...¡± ¡°Goodnight, Lulu.¡± His embrace was as warm as ever. ¨C Chu... ¡°......!?¡± Similarly, it turned out his tongue was just as warm. ¡®...It¡¯s warm.¡¯ As the insomnia that had bothered me for the past few days seemed to wash away, I closed my eyes and quietly murmured. ¡®I want to feel this warmth... for a long time.¡¯ Even though the world condemned him as a villain, I should still try to find a way to save him or extend his life. After all, I was the villain¡¯s pet. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 179: - Your Woman ? Your Woman ? Nestling in my arms was Lulu, fast asleep and softly snoring. ¡°...Whoooo.¡± As I watched her, I attempted to get up from the bed, taking care to avoid waking her. ¨C Tightened... However, at that very moment, her grip on my arm tightened, leaving me with no choice but to stay on the bed without being able to move. ¨C Sssk... After holding her for a while and falling into a reverie, I suddenly remembered the letter I had received earlier and reached into my chest pocket to retrieve it. [What are you saying? I (doon¡¯t?/dunno?) understand!] ¨C Ferloche ¡°I thought if it¡¯s you, you might know something, Ferloche... But it seems like your fool persona is the one that currently possesses your body.¡± It had already disturbed me when I first read it, but rereading it in the current situation made me even more unsettled. ¡°...This is about to make me go crazy.¡± Lulu was acting strangely. [Affection System] [Lulu¡¯s Affection Level: 100] Just moments ago, when I tried to kick her out of the house, her affection level suddenly skyrocketed, hitting the maximum level. Despite my emotional attachment to her, I still considered sending her away. It was because if she stayed in my house and became my ally, she would surely be targeted by Ruby, thus being in danger. ¨C Crackle... Crackle... When I exited the room after cutting off her words coldly, I noticed the Stigma of Misfortune, which I had been certain was gone, beginning to reactivate. ¡°.....!?¡± However, that wasn¡¯t the most important thing. What was truly important was the expression etched on her face. ¡°Ah.........¡± Her eyes turned lifeless, and a whimper escaped her slightly parted lips. Then, she crumpled her body in a pitiful manner. It had been the first time I had seen such an intense reaction from her right before my eyes. That sight of her was so eerily similar to what I had seen during Lulu¡¯s death scene in the prophecy¡¯s video synchronization . ¡°What could this be...?¡± Although I hastily managed to address the immediate situation, the real problem lay ahead. While I could somehow ensure her safety, I knew I would become completely isolated from the second year onwards. Therefore, her association with me would undoubtedly pose difficulties for her. If things were like that, would it really be okay to let her stay by my side? Even if I had to resort to somewhat forceful measures, wouldn¡¯t it be better for Lulu if I distanced myself from her? ¡°Hmm...¡± While I was lost in thought, suddenly, Lulu, who had been asleep, began to toss and turn. ¨C Rustle... Rustle... She then started snuggling her cheek against my chest. ¡°Hehe.¡± She had a seemingly innocent and happy smile on her face as she did so. ¡°Sigh.¡± Looking at her like that, I found myself unconsciously smiling along. Why was I acting this way? Despite the additional headaches that occurred from her proximity, I didn¡¯t feel particularly irritated. ¡°...You¡¯re cute.¡± Even in her half-asleep state, she continued to nuzzle her cheek against my chest. For some reason, it made her feel like an actual pet. ¡°Hmm.¡± So, without me even realizing it, I began stroking her hair, savoring the softness beneath my fingertips. ¡°Sighhhh.¡± I continued to stroke her hair as she tossed and turned in my arms for a while. But before long, I quickly snapped out of it and got up from the bed. ¡°I should stop.¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± Inexplicably, Lulu seemed to sense my intentions as she frowned and pouted, almost as if she was about to cry. ¡°Huft.¡± I had to stop my actions, releasing a sigh as I began to caress her back. ¡®...I should put her into a deep sleep.¡¯ So, with the intention of putting her into a deeper slumber, I continued to gently stroke her back. ¡°Master...¡± Lulu¡¯s sleep-induced murmurs reached my ears. ¡°...Please, own me.¡± Then, my consciousness started to slip as well. ¡°Mmm...¡± Was it due to the accumulated stress from a long and tiring day, even without the added concern of Lulu? Or was it because my body was not in great shape in the first place, so I got easily fatigued with even the slightest activity? Or perhaps, was it because caressing her inexplicably soothed my mind? ¡°...¡± Lost in such thoughts, I mumbled softly before succumbing to sleep. ¡°...This time, the new variable seems quite alright.¡± Perhaps having a pet or such wouldn¡¯t be a too big of a deal. . . . . . ¡°Yawn...¡± Blinking my eyes open, I realized it was completely dark around me. ¡°It¡¯s already nighttime.¡± I stole a glance at the clock; its hands pointed to exactly 12 o¡¯clock. After our tongues had been intertwined for a while, I took a deep breath and bit down on my tongue. ¡°...Chomp.¡± ¡°.....!?¡± ¡°Eup? Eeup!?¡± Consequently, my tongue started bleeding, and Young Master reacted just as expected. ¨C Tight... However, I resolutely pressed his arms against the wall once more, and slowly transferred the blood from my mouth into Young Master¡¯s lips. ¨C Smooch. Although it was painful, it was still nothing compared to the pain Young Master had endured so far. It was even minuscule compared to the blood he had shed because of me. I could only hope it could be a small repayment for his dedication to me and everyone else. ¡°Gulp...¡± After a brief moment, I heard the sound of Young Master swallowing. ¡°Puha...¡± Only then did I gently withdraw my face from Young Master. ¡°Young Master, I offer you my soul.¡± ¡°K-Kania?¡± As black flames flickered around us, I initiated the ¡°Blood Oath.¡± ¡°I offer you my body and heart, Young Master.¡± I declared such obvious words calmly and swiftly. ...Everything I wanted to say to him was totally different from what I desired. ¡°And...¡± ¡°I also offer you my purity.¡± Upon hearing this, Young Master¡¯s eyes widened. Why did he react like that? Was it because of the significance of offering my purity? Or was he startled by the initiation of the Blood Oath itself? If it wasn¡¯t for those reasons, maybe it was because this was the first time I had directly addressed the man in front of me without referring to him as ¡°Young Master.¡± ¡®...Or it¡¯s all of the above.¡¯ Of course, I already knew the answer. Our minds and bodies were in perfect sync, as if we were one. ¡°Um, t-that...¡± With those thoughts in mind, I reached out towards Young Master¡¯s chest, cautiously extracting the oath bead. ¨C Syuuuu... ¡°...Huh?¡± Time seemed to pass in a blur. The oath bead, which I had pulled from Young Master¡¯s chest, was pitch black, as dark as obsidian. ¨C Wooong... ¡°Do you see this, Young Master? It¡¯s pitch black.¡± ¡°Kania, what is this right now...¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just any other color but black.¡± I held the bead out in front of him and spoke in a low voice. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what color this bead used to be because black can absorb and assimilate all colors, making them appear as its own.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what color will be engraved on this bead in the future because black won¡¯t tolerate the intrusion of any other color.¡± Then... ¡°Young Master, you¡¯ve already been tainted by me.¡± ¡°...!¡± His emotions began to shift. ¡°Do you understand the point of my words?¡± ¡°...What is it?¡± That was the emotion I had hoped for. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who goes first.¡± I declared, fixing my gaze on him. ¡°...The last one standing will always be me.¡± It was a bold declaration that I had always kept in my heart, yet I had never mustered the courage to say it. ¡°Um...¡± After I finished my declaration, his expression showed an evident dilemma. It was a look reflecting perplexity; he clearly needed some time to think. However... ¡°Have you finally realized it now?¡± I already knew what had happened to him. No, there was no way I wouldn¡¯t know. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Before I am your loyal secretary, servant, and partner you can rely on...¡± I had already tainted his heart with my darkness. ¡°...I am a woman.¡± I had surely tainted him to an extent that couldn¡¯t be undone. ¡°And not just any woman; I am your woman.¡± ¡°..........¡± A strange silence followed. ¡°Anyway...¡± In that silence, I whispered again in a low voice, a corner of my mouth lifting. ¡°Do you know what we¡¯re going to do?¡± ¡°...Tonight, we¡¯ll have a drinking party.¡± You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 180: - Who Will It Be? ? Who Will It Be? ? ¡°Uh, well...¡± ¡°Why are you hesitating? Didn¡¯t you promise you¡¯ll share a drink with me tonight?¡± As Frey hesitated, Kania smiled and asked. ¡°Is there a reason to suddenly break that promise?¡± ¡°Well, i-it¡¯s not that...¡± ¡°Then why are you hesitating?¡± With a corner of her mouth lifted, Kania whispered in Frey¡¯s ear again, quickening his heart. ¡°...I can hear your heartbeat, Young Master.¡± Until then, Kania had only been clinging closely to Frey, but now she could also sense the pounding of his heart as if it were her own. ¡°I can not only feel Young Master¡¯s warmth, but also your thoughts and emotions.¡± Saying that, Kania pressed her abdomen and chest even closer to him. ¡°Then, tell me, what¡¯s holding you back?¡± She wore an innocent expression and tilted her head. ¡°S-So... where do you want to eat?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already prepared everything in my room on the first floor.¡± She responded calmly to Frey, who still wore a bewildered expression. ¡°...Well then, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Huh? Uh, sure.¡± Finally, after a long while, Kania released herself from Frey and clasped his hand as they descended the stairs. ¡°Hmm...¡± Even though they only held hands, a satisfied smile appeared on Kania¡¯s lips. ¡°Uh, Kania, by the way, earlier...¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to explain because I understand everything.¡± As Kania descended the stairs, the tight grasp of his hand conveyed the profound emotions that her Young Master, whom she admired above all others, harbored for her. ¡°.....?¡± She abruptly halted and furrowed her brow. ¡°Woof... woof! Woof!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± It was because she spotted a dark red dog at the base of the stairs. ¡°What is this dog doing here...¡± Kania was initially puzzled, but after a moment of realization, she suddenly started to glare at the dog. ¡°Kania...? What¡¯s this dog?¡± Standing beside her, Frey cocked his head with a look full of curiosity. Kania stopped talking, her lips slightly pressed together. ¡°Um... well...¡± Upon hearing this, the dog began to wag its tail, avoiding Kania¡¯s gaze nervously. Kania, who continued to glare at the dog silently, finally mumbled in a low voice. ¡°This is Miss Irina¡¯s pet dog.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°It¡¯s strange. I don¡¯t remember Irina having any pets here?¡± ¡°She got one just to change the mansion¡¯s ambience since it had felt so empty and deserted recently.¡± ¡°Mhmmm...¡± As Frey heard those words, he propped his chin on his hand and gazed intently at the dog. Meanwhile, Kania, wearing a displeased expression, released her grasp on Frey¡¯s hand and approached the dog. ¡°...Young Master prefers cats.¡± She murmured softly. ¡°He doesn¡¯t like dogs.¡± Upon hearing those words, the dog wore a startled expression, opening its mouth wide for a moment before beginning to pant heavily. ¡°Huh? This dog is kinda cute.¡± Observing the dog¡¯s behavior, Frey came down the stairs and gently petted it. ¡°Well, this should be fine enough. It shouldn¡¯t shed much hair, and it shouldn¡¯t be overly aggressive... Ah, it tickles.¡± ¡°Huff... Huff...¡± In response to his words, the dog started to energetically lick Frey¡¯s face. ¡°...Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Once again, Kania held Frey¡¯s hand and led him forward. ¡°Kkiing...¡± ¡°.....?¡± Suddenly, the dog nipped at the hem of Frey¡¯s pants and held on. ¨C Shaaaah... However, when Kania, who had been observing the dog¡¯s antics, quietly shook her hand, the dog slowly lowered its eyes. ¡°Poor thing, it seems it had a hard time adjusting to this unfamiliar place.¡± Kania muttered as she looked at the dog with a supposedly sympathetic gaze. Then, she left the dog behind and continued moving forward with Frey. ¡°By the way, where¡¯s Irina?¡± ¡°She said she¡¯s practicing transforma¡ª I mean, combat magic.¡± Kania nonchalantly replied to Frey¡¯s question as they reached her room. ¡°...Ah, just a moment.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve realized I¡¯m not fully prepared. Please wait here for a moment.¡± After asking Frey to wait outside the room for a moment, Kania swiftly entered. ¡°..........¡± Then, silence prevailed. ¡°Sigh.¡± In the midst of such silence, Kania calmly raised the corners of her mouth. ¡°Did you assume you could always have your way?¡± She muttered while watching the owl and the canary diligently pecking at the window. ¡°I deliberately mastered high-level dark magic and even pushed myself to the extremes. So, regardless of how skilled both of you are, as spirits you won¡¯t be able to breach that barrier and interfere.¡± ¡°Hoot!!!¡± ¡°...Chirp!!¡± With a triumphant smile, Kania drew the curtains down to cover the window and took a second to compose herself. ¨C Thump! ¡°Well then, if you¡¯ll excuse me...¡± She then retrieved the bead she had taken from Frey and toyed with it. ¡°...I¡¯ll taint you a bit more.¡± She mumbled with a determined expression. . . . . . ¡°...You may come in.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Frey, who had been standing outside Kania¡¯s room in a daze, slowly stepped inside upon Kania¡¯s invitation. ¡°What did you prepare so meticulously that...¡± Gently closing the door behind him, a composed Frey was about to ask Kania a question with a calm expression. However... ¡°...Ah.¡± In an instant, he froze. ¡°Hello, Young Master Frey.¡± Kania was wearing a dress. This was the first time Frey had seen her in casual attire, both in previous cycles and in this current one. She wore a splendid dress, reminiscent of a debutante in high society. A wine glass rested in one hand, a star-shaped flower in the other. ¡°.......¡± Frey, who had become accustomed to her usual professional persona, was genuinely shocked. Yet, he found her new appearance remarkably refreshing and unexpected. ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°Uh... well...¡± Upon hearing that, Frey felt a flutter in his chest and began to stumble over his words. ¡°Well, of course, there¡¯s no way you don¡¯t like it, right?¡± Kania spoke softly, her smile reaching her eyes as she gazed at Frey. ¡°This dress was initially meant to be a gift from you, wasn¡¯t it, Young Master?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Puzzled by her words, Frey asked in confusion. ¡°Aheuuuuu...¡± My face burned with embarrassment. My heart started pounding even harder. My breathing became increasingly erratic and rough. And once again, I could feel a flutter in my stomach. ¡°...Ugh...Eut¡± The man before me whispered these words with such a sincere expression on his face. As a result, the fragile thread of reason I had been holding onto was on the brink of snapping. ¡®...Oh, t-this shouldn¡¯t be...¡¯ At first, I only wanted to confirm his feelings. It was meant to serve as a warning to the other girls. I had dressed up to fulfill Young Master Frey¡¯s wish and make him happy... But if it turned out like this, the promise I made with the girls last time... ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°.....?¡± Caught up in the overwhelming sensation that had taken over my entire body, I really didn¡¯t know what to do. Then, Frey, who had been gazing at me, suddenly shifted his gaze into the empty air. ¡°What, what happened here? Why is the Affection System acting up right now...¡± ¡°Young Master?¡± ¡°........Huh?¡± He gradually began to zone out, his gaze fixed on the air for a while. ¡°..........¡± In that ensuing silence... ¨C Creak... I slowly rose from my seat. ¡°Young Master.¡± Before long, I had approached Young Master and stopped right in front of him. ¨C Smooch. I sat on his lap and placed a kiss on his lips. ¡°Uheup?¡± ¡°Mmm...¡± It was an impulsive act driven by inexplicable jealousy because the gaze that had been directed at me had suddenly shifted elsewhere. In the end, it seemed like everything had turned out well. Young Master¡¯s emotions, which had been budding, began to grow even stronger gradually. ¡°Puha.¡± With such thoughts in my mind, I intertwined our tongues for a moment, leaving a lingering trail of saliva as I pulled back my head. ¨C Ssk... Pressing my still-tingling stomach against Young Master, I quietly whispered into his ear. ¡°Are you excited?¡± ¡°...Because I am.¡± And then, in the next moment. ¨C Thunk! ¡°Kyakk!!¡± Young Master pounced on me. ¡°Kania...¡± Young Master, who had climbed atop me whilst in a completely intoxicated state, gazed at me with unfocused eyes. ¡°...Ebeub?¡± Our tongues continued to intertwine, a mix of roughness and gentleness. ¡°...?¡± Our fingers also remained entwined for several minutes. ¡®I love you, Young Master...¡¯ I fully embraced Young Master¡¯s feelings, and in return, pleasure coursed through me. ¡®However...¡¯ In such an ecstatic moment, I mustered transcendent mental strength in order to gather my dark magic. ¨C Shaaa... ¡°...Ah?¡± Eventually, I infused the scroll attached to Young Master¡¯s chest with my dark magic. ¡°Ah...¡± Then I eased the Young Master, who had ravaged me, into a peaceful sleep. ¨C Sssk... After straightening my disheveled dress and tenderly caressing the Young Master before me... ¨C Snap! I flicked my fingers and drew back the curtain. ¡°Hoot.¡± ¡°Chirp.¡± ¡°...Woof.¡± After a while, I calmly observed the fiercely glaring animals sitting by the side of the window. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My aim is to make Young Master happy. So, I won¡¯t pounce on him while he¡¯s unconscious.¡± I threw out a suggestion to those who were undoubtedly watching the situation unfold in real time. ¡°No matter how you look at it, the proposal Lady Serena offered last time had some unfair aspects to it.¡± ¡°.......¡± ¡°Things will get even tougher starting from the second year. Young Master will be engulfed in dire situations, and he won¡¯t be able to be happy once everything worsens.¡± As they displayed somewhat displeased expressions upon hearing this, I spoke, a slight smirk gracing my lips. ¡°Therefore, during this short summer break, we¡¯ve resolved to make Young Master as happy as possible. But...¡± ¡°...We can¡¯t wait for Lady Serena forever, can we?¡± At that moment, silence enveloped the room. ¡°So, I have a new proposal. In that stillness... ¡°If Lady Serena can¡¯t solve the ¡®problem¡¯ by the end of this vacation...¡± I made a proposal that they couldn¡¯t reject. ¡°...The first person who manages to spend a night with Young Master Frey will be the one who has made him the happiest during the break.¡± ¡°.......!¡± ¡°Since I was the last to make the blood oath, I had to be the last in line, but isn¡¯t that too harsh? However, now, I have the upper hand, so think it over carefully.¡± I scrutinized their avatars, wavering in response to my words. ¡°I don¡¯t actually care if I¡¯m the last one or whatever, but...¡± I gazed towards Young Master, who had been on top of me... No. I gazed towards Frey and muttered. ¡°...I don¡¯t want to yield his first time either.¡± . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment... ¡°...Grind.¡± In the basement of the Moonlight Mansion. ¡°...Grind.¡± ¡°Um, Lady Serena?¡± ¡°Griiiind.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± Upon witnessing Serena suddenly grinding her teeth, the assassins surrounding her stared at her with concern and began to question her. ¡°...Increase the intensity.¡± ¡°Yes...Huh?¡± However, Serena continued grinding her teeth while fixing her gaze on a single spot. ¡°I... I don¡¯t know either...All I did was use it. So, I don¡¯t really understand the principle of the ¡®Curse of Familial Subordination¡¯ in the first place...¡± ¡°Double it.¡± ¡°Keugaaaakkkk!!!¡± Serena sent a powerful magical spark into the Secret Lord, who was hovering over Irina¡¯s scroll. ¡°One coincidence...¡± She murmured anxiously. ¡°I need to find that ¡®one coincidence¡¯ as soon as possible...¡± And so, the first day of vacation came to an end. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 181: - New Plan ? New Plan ? ¨C Ring, ring, ring! ¡°Ummmm...¡± I opened my eyes to the incessant ringing of the alarm, and the warm sunlight was spilling in through the window. ¡°...Tsk.¡± To anyone else, it might have seemed like a peaceful scene. But knowing the true nature of this sunlight, it was nothing more than an annoying sight to me. ¡°Ugh...¡± I shielded my face with a pillow to block out the intrusive sunlight, and lingered in bed a while longer. ¡°Did I really get drunk?¡± Holding my pounding head, I muttered with a vacant look in my eyes. ¡°For real?¡± It had been ages since I had last gotten drunk. It reminded me of a memory from my previous cycle; back to the days in my childhood when I had accidentally taken a sip of alcohol and passed out or the times when I used to relieve all my stress by drinking. The alcohol that had once been my support during those days had lost its efficacy ever since my mental strength had escalated abnormally. So, subconsciously, I did have the desire to get drunk again, which might have been why I ended up drinking too much. As such, yesterday¡¯s events were a hazy blur. ¡°Ah...¡±Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com I buried my face in the pillow, attempting to sift through my fragmented memories, and before long, I began to make some silly noises. ¡°Ugh...¡± Kania, who had pinned me against the wall and kissed me. Kania, who had fed me her blood from her mouth and then made a blood oath with me. Kania, who had asked me with a charming smile if I wanted to join her for a drink. Kania, who had smiled at me and had donned a beautiful dress instead of her usual stern and tidy attire. And... ¡°.....?¡± For some inexplicable reason, a cold sweat prickled my back. Why was that? For what reason? Did I do something wrong to Kania? ¨C Slide... As I continued to feel this ominous sensation, I tossed the pillow aside and was about to get up from my bed. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°.....¡± Right then, I spotted a figure that had been sprawled facedown in my room all along, and a startled cry escaped me. ¡°Master, are you awake?¡± Upon hearing my voice, Lulu, who¡¯d been lying facedown, lifted her head slightly, looking at me. ¡°Lulu? Why are you here...¡± Trying to calm my startled heart, I sat upright. ¡°Good morning, Master.¡± With those words, she inched closer, still remaining in her prone position. ¨C Slide, slide... She closed her eyes, appearing fatigued, and nuzzled her cheek against my leg. ¡°...What are you doing?¡± I asked the question while staring at her in confusion. After a brief pause, Lulu whispered in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯m acting cute.¡± ¡°Acting cute?¡± ¡°Acting cute to their owners is something that pets naturally do, right?¡± With that response, Lulu gently closed her eyes again and wrapped her arms around my leg, once again nuzzling her cheek against it. She acted as if it were her duty and it appeared as though it were the most natural thing to do in the world. It was such a genuine and oddly comforting gesture that it didn¡¯t seem like a mere act of loyalty. ¡°.....¡± After a considerable span of time, Lulu, who was cradling my leg, finally raised her head to meet my gaze. ¨C Slide... Almost instinctively, my hand found its way to her head, and once again, Lulu closed her eyes, quietly accepting my touch. ¡°Mmm.¡± For some reason, her behavior reminded me of a pet delighted to receive praise from its owner, evoking a soft smile from me. ¡°So, why are you here?¡± After petting Lulu for a while, I asked her casually. She first stared at me for a second before answering. ¡°I brought you breakfast.¡± With that, Lulu retrieved the breakfast she had been holding in her arms and opened it to offer it to me. ¡°Oh wow.¡± Today¡¯s breakfast consisted of French toast and hot cocoa. ¡°...Have you had anything to eat?¡± I asked Lulu as I stared at the delicious-looking meal that Kania had prepared. She shook her head in response. ¡°Here.¡± Quietly, I plucked a slice of toast from the plate before me and extended it toward her. ¡°Have some.¡± ¡°Haup.¡± As soon as I finished speaking, Lulu eagerly took a bite of the toast. . . . . . In the back alleys of the Empire, where information was sold, criminals ran amok, and other awful acts converged. ¡°Ehmm~ Hm~?¡± Nestled in those winding alleys was the largest information guild in the underworld. And beneath the surface of such an organization, a girl hummed to herself, wholly immersed in her task. ¡°Lady Roswyn, I have something to report...¡± The female employee who was in charge of the counter, opened the door to Roswyn¡¯s room to deliver a message to her. ¡°...Huh?¡± Yet, she found herself momentarily speechless. ¡°What are you up to right now?¡± The employee, who had been observing Roswyn for a while, finally asked the question. ¡°You ask, what am I doing?¡± Roswyn responded with an elated expression. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m looking at the photos of the Hero.¡± She answered, her eyes fixed on the photos plastered all over her room. ¡°Phew...¡± Seeing Roswyn like that, the female employee sighed before speaking further. ¡°Is she really the Hero?¡± ¡°...What?¡± In response, Roswyn shot a sharp glare at the woman. ¡°For the past few weeks, you¡¯ve been bringing strange photos of a woman out of nowhere, and redecorating your room with them... You even started placing the flowers you used to discard on your desk as decorations...¡± ¡°.......¡± ¡°Did you perhaps fall under some kind of enchantment spell? Or is it a matter of preferring women...¡± ¡°Quiet down.¡± Nevertheless, Roswyn promptly interrupted the female employee, who kept asking questions persistently. ¡°The Imperial Family and the Church will soon hold the verification ceremony and I will attend that event.¡± She responded with a smile. ¡°But, it hasn¡¯t been verified yet?¡± The employee stared at Roswyn bewilderedly as if she was being unreasonable, and then asked another question. ¡°She even hasn¡¯t been verified yet, so why...¡± ¡°I had a feeling from the moment I first laid eyes on her.¡± ¡°Really?¡± She cocked her head upon hearing Roswyn¡¯s words. ¡°Have you ever experienced that sensation where your heart aches, and your entire being trembles the instant you first lay eyes on someone?¡± Meanwhile, Roswyn remained transfixed on the photos. ¡°...Is this fate?¡± With flushed cheeks, she replied like that. ¡°.........¡± And silence followed. ¡°Wellll, alright then.¡± Shaking her head in exasperation, the female employee finally answered Roswyn. ¡°By the way, I have some news to share.¡± ¡°...What is it?¡± She spoke with a smile on her face. ¡°Frey Raon Starlight is on his way...¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± Roswyn¡¯s expression quickly soured upon hearing those words. ¡°Is he going to give me another flower this time? Didn¡¯t he already do that last time...¡± ¡°You may go.¡± Finally, just as the female employee was about to say something, Roswyn waved her hand with a sour look. ¡°...Alright, I¡¯ll step out then.¡± The female employee maintained her smile and left Roswyn¡¯s room, where countless flowers had been meticulously arranged on the desk. ¡°Sigh.¡± And then... ¡°I¡¯m going to lose it at this rate.¡± The female employee¡¯s expression underwent a complete 180-degree turn the second she came out of the room. ¡°Darn it, if it weren¡¯t for this darn compelling force... I should have anticipated something like this when I made the contract a thousand years ago.¡± With a hollow look in her eyes, she stared into the air. ¡°The scroll? Whatever it was, you took it and claimed you finally did something, didn¡¯t you? You assured me that things would change from now on, and that I could anticipate it, you booze-loving charlatan.¡± She chewed on her cigarette and kept murmuring with an annoyed expression. ¨C Syaaahh... A moonlight aura began to emanate from her body. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 182: - Same Choice ? Same Choice ? ¡°Hmm.¡± I found myself in a carriage making its way towards the back alley. Beside me, Lulu quietly nuzzled her cheek against my chest, giggling softly. ¡°...Hehe.¡± ¡°.........¡± Within the carriage, there were animal-like creatures that looked at us with icy gazes. ¡°Sigh.¡± Originally, I¡¯d intended to bring only Lulu, but suddenly, these animals crowded in. There was the black cat doll, enchanted by Kania with advanced dark magic just a few days prior, making it capable of continuous movement. An owl with its eyes wide open. A dove with a foolish expression, and a canary, huddled close, warily observing everything. The black cat somehow slipped in by hiding in my coat pocket while these birds flew into the carriage through the windows. Because of this, the carriage had literally turned into a zoo. By the way, I left the dog at home. She also tried to come with me, but isn¡¯t a dog supposed to guard the house? In fact, one of the reasons I left her behind was that I didn¡¯t like the idea of her shedding fur in a confined space. ¡°However, isn¡¯t this a bit too much?¡± Yet, for some reason, I kept thinking about that little dog. After telling that fellow who hung on to my pant leg to guard the house, she responded pitifully with her ears drooping. ¡°...Meow.¡± Because of that, I was considering maybe taking her with me from now on. Suddenly, while I was deep in thought, the black cat doll sitting on top of my head started pressing my head with its paws. ¨C Flutter! ¡°Meow!¡± Following that, the owl began retaliating, and the cat fiercely fought against it. The canary watched this scene with a fearful expression, while the dove, who was sitting leisurely by the windowsill, wore a foolish expression as it watched their fight. ¡°...It¡¯s so peaceful.¡± I murmured as I gently stroked Lulu, who had fallen asleep while nuzzling against my chest. ¡°I¡¯m so happy.¡± Whether it was in the past or now, all I desired was a simple and carefree day like this. Well, although the current situation wasn¡¯t exactly ordinary either. At least, it was not like I was risking my life in a fight or racking my brain trying to solve an impossible problem. ¡°Sigh...¡± I wanted to keep spending days like this. Please. ¡°Meow... Meow...¡± ¡°Hooot!¡± The owl¡¯s talon finally caught the black cat, which had fiercely resisted. Then, she began to twist and turn the black cat in mid-air, with her head craning. It felt like the owl¡¯s attack today held some grudge for some reason. I wonder why? ¡°Keuhkeuh...¡± As I watched this amusing sight and laughed, I eventually turned my gaze outside the window. ¡°As expected, I need to work hard.¡± Even though this kind of life would come to an end once the vacation was over, I couldn¡¯t fall into despair yet. After bringing a happy ending to the world, I should be able to achieve a peaceful and carefree life, right? ¨C Clang, clang! As I pondered these thoughts, suddenly, the carriage began to shake. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived¡ª!¡± Soon, I heard the coachman¡¯s voice. It seemed like we¡¯d arrived at our destination. ¡°......¡± As I stretched to prepare to get off the carriage, I looked around at the now quiet animals. ¡°Don¡¯t fight, just stay here calmly.¡± After firmly expressing my command, I gently pushed Lulu, who had fallen asleep against the wall, away from me and slowly stepped down from the carriage. ¡°Wait for me here, I¡¯ll give you as much money as you want.¡± ¡°...Okay.¡± At last, I gave an order to the coachman, took out my walking stick, and slowly made my way towards the guild. ¡°Huh?¡±The? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n)) As I finally reached the counter, the smoking female employee looked at me with wide eyes and said. ¡°Oh, you arrived so quickly.¡± ¡°...Where¡¯s Roswyn?¡± ¡°She¡¯s waiting inside, Lord Frey.¡± She smiled mischievously as she looked at me while saying that. ¡°Should I show you the way?¡± ¡°...It¡¯s fine.¡± As I waved my hand to her and went down into the underground, the female employee murmured. ¡°Stay strong, Lord Frey.¡± Her expression somehow looked sad. ¡°...Sure.¡± I had been pursuing Roswyn since I was quite young, so it wasn¡¯t surprising to see such a reaction from her. ¨C Creak Entering the Information Guild with such thoughts, I couldn¡¯t help but softly murmur inwardly. ¡®Will things be different this time?¡¯ . . . . . ¨C Knock, knock. ¡°Who is it?¡± As the knocking echoed on the firmly closed door, Roswyn immediately asked. ¡°It¡¯s me, Roswyn.¡± In response, Frey¡¯s voice came through from behind the door. ¡°Oh.¡± At the same time, Roswyn, who had been wearing a sour expression, quickly responded with a friendly but formal tone. ¡°You can come in~¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯ve been...¡± Upon hearing Roswyn¡¯s response, Frey opened the door and entered. However, soon, his expression stiffened. ¡°Oh...¡± It was because there were pictures of a girl with ruby-colored eyes plastered all around Roswyn¡¯s room. ¡°Roswyn, who is that person?¡± After staring at the pictures for a while, Frey cautiously asked. ¡°What brings you here~?¡± ¡°.......¡± Upon hearing her response, Frey lowered his head without saying a word. ¡°Hmmph, but I¡¯m deducting some points because of the flower¡¯s color. I prefer red, not golden.¡± As Roswyn looked at the golden rose he had wholeheartedly obtained, she responded with a regretful expression. ¡°Last time... didn¡¯t you say you like golden more than red...¡± Still with his head lowered, Frey recalled Roswyn¡¯s statement from his birthday celebration in the grand ballroom. ¡°...Never mind.¡± Suddenly, he lifted his head, offering a dejected smile, and turned away. ¡°Roswyn, thank you for everything you¡¯ve done for me.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± As Frey spoke up, Roswyn tilted her head. ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot because of me, right? I¡¯m truly sorry.¡± ¡°Um... well...¡± ¡°I won¡¯t bother you like this anymore.¡± Upon seeing Frey put on a sad smile and speak like that, Roswyn was slightly flustered. ¡°Well then, goodbye.¡± With Roswyn behind him, he took reluctant steps forward. ¡°It was always enjoyable... meeting you all this time.¡± After grabbing the doorknob, he turned back as a slightly trembling smile appeared on his face. ¡°...Farewell.¡± He closed the door and left the room. ¡°.........¡± And for a while, there was only silence in the room. ¡°My Lady!¡± The one to break the prolonged silence was a female employee whose face had turned quite pale. ¡°What¡¯s going on!?¡± ¡°Lord Frey had terminated his guild membership!¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°What happened? Why would someone who was such a regular customer...?¡± Listening to the pressing questions from her employee, Roswyn sat in her spot for a while, seemingly lost. ¡°Wait here.¡± She then got up from her seat. ¡°I¡¯ll look into it.¡± ¡°...And confirm it myself.¡± . . . . . ¡°What¡¯s going on all of a sudden? It¡¯s not like he¡¯s a dog that ran away from home.¡± Muttering under her breath, Roswyn stepped out of the guild¡¯s entrance and began to look around. ¡°Lord Frey~? Are you here~?¡± After a while, she raised her hand to her mouth. ¡°Shall we have a little chat~?¡± She started to call him out with a slightly elevated tone. ¡°If you leave our guild, where are you planning to go... Hmph.¡± However, her call didn¡¯t last long. ¡°...How annoying.¡± She rubbed her sore throat, worn out from dealing with too many customers, and she grumbled with a furrowed brow, anxiously glancing around. ¡°Well, he¡¯ll probably be back soon.¡± There was a hint of confidence in her voice. ¡°After all, that jerk only depends on me, right?¡± Even when she threw a complaint, he would only laugh and listen. Even when she made unreasonable requests, he would somehow fulfill them. Even when she raised the asking price a bit, he would chuckle and accept the new price. Roswyn had become accustomed to Frey¡¯s pattern where he confessed, got rejected, and then still grinned as he clung to her. As such, she clearly believed that he would eventually come back and this obviously boosted her self-esteem. ¡°Tsk, It was meaningless for me to shout out, calling for him.¡± As she continued to clutch her sore throat, her heart was racing for some unknown reason. Why was it like this? She tried to return to the guild nonchalantly while attempting to calm her racing heart. ¨C Flutter! At that moment, she heard a flapping noise coming from somewhere. ¡°What, what¡¯s...?¡± And then the next moment... ¡°Kuuuuuu!!!¡± ¡°Kyaakk!¡± With an intense pain on her forehead, Roswyn collapsed to the ground. ¡°Ouch...¡± While still holding her forehead, she let out a moan because of the splitting pain. ¡°...Huh?¡± Suddenly, her gaze drifted somewhere. ¡°Gu.¡± It was because something came into her sight. An owl was beside her, quietly perching on a carriage¡¯s windowsill while silently eyeing her. Additionally, a surprised Frey stood next to it. ¡°Oh? Is that Lulu? Why is she...¡± ¡°...Lick.¡± Lulu was there, embracing Frey with closed eyes and licking his face. ¡°Lu... lu?¡± Since Roswyn also had been proposed as one of the members of the Hero Party a few days ago, she naturally knew about Lulu. ¡°W-what¡¯s going on? I¡¯m sure you¡¯re...¡± Wearing a perplexed expression, Roswyn attempted to get up from the floor. ¡°...Stop it, Lulu.¡± On the other side, Frey sighed and patted Lulu. He was wearing a gloomy expression. ¡°...Yes, Master.¡± Lulu briefly gazed at Roswyn with her Magic Eyes while embracing Frey¡¯s arm and nuzzling her cheek on his hand. ¡°...!?¡± Roswyn, who had collapsed on the floor, watched this scene, and her expression began to shift to one of bewilderment. ¨C Neeeeiighhh ¡°........¡± Before long, the carriage departed. And from that moment on, a certain change began to take place within Roswyn. ¡°.......Ah?¡± But it was too late. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 183: - Departed Carriage ? Departed Carriage ? ¡°Huff.¡± Feeling upset, I sighed deeply inside the carriage. ¡°Master? What¡¯s wrong?¡± At that moment, Lulu, who had been embracing my arm and nuzzling her cheek, raised her head and asked. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± I smiled at her and gently caressed her chin. ¡®It was my last attempt, but...¡¯ Despite my calm outward appearance, my feelings were rotting and festering inside. ¡®...I guess I failed in a good way.¡¯ Until now, I had never been aware of the existence of the ¡®Helper System.¡¯ After all, the prophecy had never mentioned anything about it. In the prophecy, the contents regarding Roswyn were entirely different. ¨C You must give flowers to Roswyn. Regularly and consistently. For some reason, my ancestor had written this whenever he mentioned Roswyn. ¨C Roswyn will die if she doesn¡¯t keep the flowers she receives from the System User for a certain period of time. Therefore, I had no choice but to desperately give her flowers. For some reason, because she continuously threw away the flowers I gave or gifted them to others, I had to repeatedly offer flowers in fear of her dying. ¨C Also, there¡¯s another reason... but forget it. It¡¯s better for you not to know. Clinging to something unlikely to happen will only make you suffer. It¡¯s better to focus on something more plausible. The comment that my ancestor left at the very end had always bothered me, but... ¨C But still, when giving her flowers, do it ¡®sincerely¡¯ and ¡®consistently.¡¯ Could it be that what I saw in the Ordeal was related to this? ¨C You never know, right? Miracles might happen. ¡°Hmm.¡± As I recalled the contents of the prophecy once again, I muttered to myself. ¡®It¡¯s such a shame...¡¯ Today, I made my final attempt to awaken Roswyn¡¯s ¡®Helper System.¡¯ I confessed with all my sincerity in the hopes that she would genuinely accept my flower with at least a hint of desire. I even tried to persuade her with my polished acting skills, adding conditions to make her even more willing to accept my confession. However... ¡°I¡¯ll consider it for now.¡± It didn¡¯t go well at all. Despite preparing a golden rose instead of a red one, just as she wanted before, the miracle did not occur. Considering that she now preferred a red rose over a golden one, it seemed as if she didn¡¯t even remember what she said last time. There was no hope left. Why could that be? Why hadn¡¯t she experienced any changes, even though the other sub-heroines did after the ¡®Third Ordeal¡¯? Could it be that my hypothesis was wrong? ¡°Mhmnyaa...¡± Gloomily lost in thought, I suddenly heard a strange sound coming from beside me. ¡°Hmm...¡± Lulu, who had fallen asleep again unnoticed, snuggled up to me. ¡°...Sigh.¡± Thanks to her, I could smile a bit. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s better to give up after all?¡± I subtly threw the question at the animals. They were still following my order not to fight, as they sat silently in a row on the windowsill and stared at me with curiosity. Well, they were quite intelligent creatures; more like mystical beasts than ordinary animals. Perhaps they would understand my dilemma? ¡°All right, let¡¯s just give up.¡± With that thought in mind, I gazed at the animals for a while before leaning back in my chair. ¡°This is the best option.¡± What¡¯s important right now is unlocking the ¡®DLC¡¯ story of the second year, not the ¡®Helper System. After all, during the ordeal, Ferloche only mentioned ¡®Five Enlightenments¡¯ and did not mention the Helper System. Moreover, my ancestor had also suggested that it was better to not know about the ¡®Helper System.¡¯ As such, although the system could have a remarkable effect, the chances of it happening were almost nonexistent. In other words, my current obsession to awaken the ¡®Helper System¡¯ would only bring negative results. It was because... ¡°I can¡¯t turn Roswyn into the target of the Demon King.¡± The other version of myself that I saw in the ordeal deliberately manipulated his memories to make himself hate everyone. Perhaps the reason I made that choice was to deceive the Demon King. While the system¡¯s restriction prevented the Demon King from directly attacking the heroines, there were still plenty of ways she could torment them if they were her subordinates. As such, if I harbored hatred towards the girls and allowed them to remain by the Demon King¡¯s side, I could likely eliminate the chances of the heroines facing harassment from the Demon King. So, at this moment, I had to do the same thing as my other version. The result of today¡¯s attempt indicated that conquering Roswyn was impossible. Therefore, from now on, I had to distance myself from her. Otherwise, I couldn¡¯t guarantee her wellbeing when she became the Demon King¡¯s comrade. After all, Ruby would then consider Roswyn as my only weakness. ¡°Then...¡± After reaching such a conclusion, another concern arose. ¡°What should I do about the flowers...¡± However, for the time being, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem since Ruby would also give her flowers regularly. Roswyn¡¯s room, from what I had seen in the Third Ordeal, was filled with flowers. Therefore, as long as the Demon King provided her with such flowers, she shouldn¡¯t die. Of course, I couldn¡¯t entirely trust Ruby. Henceforth, I decided to employ surveillance magic or assign individuals to monitor whether Roswyn received flowers. Well, it shouldn¡¯t be too worrisome. After all, she put Ruby¡¯s rose in her hair instead of the ones I gave her. ¡°Yawn...¡± After reaching that conclusion, I tried to close my eyes while letting out a sigh. However, Lulu, who had her face buried in my chest, yawned and opened her eyes. ¡°Hm?¡± With a drowsy expression, Lulu looked around. ¡°Master, are you okay?¡± The silence continued for a while. ¡°...Have I been too harsh to him all this time?¡± Roswyn¡¯s murmuring broke the silence as her expression started to show a hint of unease. ¡°Hmm, yeah. I guess I was a bit harsh. After all, he¡¯s a regular at our guild.¡± She continued to mutter with her legs slightly crossed. ¡°Well, I can just treat him better from now on. Then, he will probably be fine again.¡± She got up from her seat and began to pace around the room again. ¡°He¡¯s just slightly upset with me. After all, I have rejected him multiple times. But in the end, he still comes back with a smile, doesn¡¯t he?¡± As she paused for a moment, Roswyn¡¯s expression grew even more uneasy. ¡°But what¡¯s up with Lulu?¡± For some reason, the unpleasant feeling, after witnessing Lulu¡¯s affectionate act, lingered. ¡°Well, obviously, it¡¯s a fake act. And judging by his expression, it seems like Frey is annoyed by it, too.¡± Roswyn stood there for a while, deep in thought, chewing her lips before finally concluding that it was nothing. ¡°After all, Frey... likes m-me. That¡¯s right. There¡¯s no doubt about it.¡± Although Frey smiled faintly to Lulu, Roswyn quickly dismissed it and arrived at such a conclusion. ¡°...I need to go collect information.¡± She held out Frey¡¯s letter of request that had been on her desk until then. ¡°I-In any case, he has nowhere else to go for information except our Information Guild, right? He¡¯ll be back in a few days, grinning like a fool, so I¡¯d better get ready.¡± Roswyn continued to mutter to herself. ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t afford to lose a regular customer like him. Yep, yep.¡± She began to head towards the door. ¡®I just need to treat him better next time. If I¡¯m a little nicer, he¡¯ll be head over heels for me anyway.¡¯ She had finally reached a decision, as she turned the doorknob. ¡®Should I also accept his flowers next time?¡¯ With a slightly furrowed brow, she left her room. ¡°I¡¯ll be going out for a little while~ So, you¡¯re in charge for now...!¡± While calling out to the female employee, she suddenly covered her mouth and began to cough. ¡°Cough, cough!¡± ¡°Huff...¡± The female employee briefly glanced at her before continuing to smoke a strong cigar. ¡°Hey, what are you doing? Are you crazy!?¡± Since Roswyn had mysophobia, she was startled at such an act. As such, she began to shout at the employee. ¡°Where did you say you¡¯re going...?¡± The female employee asked with a sunken look. ¡°I-I¡¯m going to investigate the request that Frey gave me. By the way, what the hell are you...¡± Roswyn used the letter of request to fan away the smoke. ¡°Huff...¡± ¡°Cough, cough! Seriously!¡± When the female employee exhaled cigar smoke once more, Roswyn grew annoyed before quickly leaving. ¡°..........¡± While gazing at an annoyed Roswyn¡¯s departure, the female employee continued puffing on her strong cigar. ¡°This is pointless...¡± ¨C Syahhhh... As she absorbed the cigarette smoke all at once with the power of the moon infused in her body, she closed her eyes and mumbled. ¡°...It¡¯s already too late.¡± . . . . . At the same time. ¡°Huh?¡± Frey was staring intently at a certain area of the window that had popped up in front of him. [Sub-Heroines Conquest] Isolet Arham Bywalker [Conquest Progress: 70%] Details... Ariane [Conquest Progress: 5%] Details... Lulu [Conquest Complete] Details... . . . ¡°What is this...¡± The list of sub-heroines was quite long, but Frey¡¯s gaze was fixed on one of them. ¡°...What happened here?¡± [Sub-Heroines Conquest] Roswyn Solar Sunset [Conquest Route Closed] Details... With that, the carriage he had boarded swiftly departed the alley. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 184: - I Love You, Master ? I Love You, Master ? ¡°What does it mean by ¡®Conquest Route Closed¡¯...¡± While silently riding in the carriage, I focused my gaze on a single spot. [Sub-Heroines Conquest] Roswyn Solar Sunset [Conquest Route Closed] Details... Displayed in the ¡°Affection System¡± was Roswyn¡¯s current status, which had just updated. ¡°...This concerns me.¡± The update of the Affection System was also not something mentioned in the prophecy, thus I didn¡¯t really understand why it had updated just now.Vissit (.)c.om for updates Yet, it seemed like ¡°Conquest Route Closed¡± might be related to my latest decision. Not long ago, I made the judgment that I would push Roswyn away until the final confrontation. Although I couldn¡¯t confirm it yet, this was my most reasonable guess at this point. ¡°Hmm...¡± This didn¡¯t help me stop being concerned though, as I couldn¡¯t be sure of what ¡°Conquest Route Closed¡± meant. ¡®It doesn¡¯t mean that her life is in danger, right?¡¯ Of course, I would make sure that wasn¡¯t the case. My initial judgment was to protect Roswyn¡¯s life, after all. And for the same reason, I had no intention of changing my judgment to hate her either. It appeared to be the best choice for both her and me right now. ¡°Phew.¡± Thinking like that, I let out a short sigh and was about to close the window that had popped up. ¡°Huh...?¡± Suddenly, I raised my head, knitting my brow. ¡°Why is she on the Sub-Heroine list?¡± A moment later, I muttered with a puzzled breath. ¡°..........¡± The animals, previously fixated on Lulu, who rested with closed eyes on my shoulder, suddenly redirected their cold stares toward me. ¡°...Hmm.¡± As I stared at the system window, tapping my knees, their gaze inexplicably sent a chill down my spine. As such, I stopped speaking. ¨CGrind...! ¡°Hey.¡± I swiftly grabbed the floating system window before me. ¡°What¡¯s your intention with this?¡± Until now, it had always evaded my touch, but this time, it couldn¡¯t escape my grasp. I leveled a stern glare at the helpless system window, now ensnared in my hand. ¡°After all, you¡¯re the one who creates and controls these things, aren¡¯t you...?¡± I suddenly started interrogating the Demon God in a chilly tone, who was currently watching me somewhere from behind the system. ¨C Wooooongggg... Then, accompanied by a rather disturbing noise, the system window began to vibrate with a low intensity. It seemed like it wanted to shake the window left and right...Did that mean it was denying what I said? ¡°You¡¯re saying this isn¡¯t your doing?¡± This time, the system window started to shake up and down. ¡°Do you really expect me to believe that?¡± As I pressed further, the vibration exacerbated, and it started making an even more unpleasant noise. ¡°Fine, do as you please. I¡¯ll tolerate it, but only for a while.¡± I endured the unpleasant vibrations in my hand, muttering in a low voice as I stared at the system window. ¡°But...¡± I pushed aside the somehow aggrieved-looking system window that had been trembling until now and began to speak. ¡°...You won¡¯t get things to work your way anymore.¡± At this moment, I didn¡¯t only have the system, but also the DLC born from the efforts of the Sun God and Ferloche as well. Of course, the ¡°Affection System¡± appeared to be somewhat different from the existing ¡°The Path of False Evil¡± system. But, who knows? I just wanted to warn the system, which seemed to be getting more annoying as time went on... ¡°...Master?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Lost in thought, my countenance darkened, and only upon hearing Lulu¡¯s trembling voice from beside me could I regain my composure. ¡°W-Why are you suddenly...?¡± She regarded me with a confused look. ¡®...Damn it.¡¯ Had I let my guard down, assuming she was still dozing off as before? Or was it frustration born from the abrupt ¡°Conquest Route Closed,¡± and the emergence of a new variable that had caused this lapse? If neither of those was the case, had I inadvertently perceived her as an ally? I displayed strange behavior with the system in front of Lulu. Unlike my other allies, Lulu remained unaware of my true identity, so I needed to exercise greater control over such behavior. Moreover, she possessed keen observational and analytical skills due to the ¡°Magic Eyes¡± she had, making it imperative to avoid her suspicion. ¡°Did I... do something?¡± So I opted for a reasonable excuse. ¡°Sorry. Lately, my health hasn¡¯t been at its best, so I might see things that aren¡¯t there.¡± ¡°.....!¡± However, when she heard such words, Lulu¡¯s face grew pale. ¡°H-Have you... already reached that point...¡± She stammered, fear and panic filling her expression. ¡°This can¡¯t be happening...¡± Suddenly, she lowered her head deeply, her voice dropping to a whisper, and her eyes devoid of life. ¡°I haven¡¯t found a way yet... You can¡¯t already be at that stage...¡± ¡°Lulu?¡± I tried to reach out to her gently, but she continued to bow her head with the same vacant look as before. My life had been defined by harsh punishments, and I knew their cruelty all too well. Come to think of it, Master had never subjected me to such punishment. He had never hit me or starved me. ¡°I¡¯m all right, Lulu. So, you don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± ¡°.....!¡± While I was thinking that, Master began to pet my head. ¡®...You¡¯re lying.¡¯ Due to his remark, my heart became even more restless. Because of the Magic Eyes I had owned since I was born, which had somehow become even more sensitive lately, I could easily spot lies. ¡°You have to be my only pet for your whole life, so it would be troublesome if you got hurt.¡± Master¡¯s remarks continued. ¡°....Ah.¡± Upon hearing those words, it suddenly dawned on me. I was Master¡¯s only pet. ¡°.........¡± Even though those animals over there often hung around Master with unclear intentions while glaring at me with burning eyes. According to my Magic Eyes, those animals were not just ordinary ¡°animals.¡± They were spirits infused with mana and mystical power, bound to different masters, none of whom were Master Frey. Well, the black cat doll seemed a bit different, but... Still, that was only a pet ¡°doll.¡± I was Master¡¯s only true pet. But, as a pet, what had I ever done for Master? As I scoured my memories, I realized I had done nothing besides receive countless things from him. ¡®Pathetic, foolish me.¡¯ I wanted to be of help to Master, even as his pet. I wanted to provide more substantial help, instead of just laying besides him, wagging my tail, and acting cute. I longed to repay the favor I received from Master, who saved me on that hopeless day. But how? What could I do? I didn¡¯t have many skills, and all I had was my body as a woman and my Magic Eyes. Could my best efforts even save my dying Master? No, it didn¡¯t have to be that. Could I provide some practical help? I wanted to repay Master¡¯s favor. I wanted to repay him. I was willing to give everything I had, so please, let me be a strength to my Master... ¡°...Aaargh!!!¡± ¡°Lulu!?¡± Then, a sudden, agonizing pain erupted in my Magic Eyes and head, interrupting my thoughts, while I received Master¡¯s affectionate touch. ¡°Aaah?¡± A searing heat gradually surged from within my body. ¡°Uuu...¡± As I groaned in panic, I gazed at Master, who looked genuinely flustered. ¡°...Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine...¡± And I lied for the very first time. ¡°I-It¡¯s nothing.¡± Though I didn¡¯t fully understand the situation, I couldn¡¯t allow Master to worry about me. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± But also, it was because I wanted to receive punishment from Master, who was as perceptive as I was, once again. ¡°Hehe.¡± I love you, Master. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that very moment... ¡°F-Frey is coming here right now?¡± Unlike during the night, Serena, who had her detailed memories about Frey erased, urgently rushed to her vanity as she received the message from her confidant. ¡°Uh, when is he arriving? Depending on his arrival time, I might need to change my makeup.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll take even a minute...¡± ¡°Ugh, uwaa...¡± After hearing the answer, Serena, who was beside herself with anxiety, sorted through her makeup tools in a rush. ¡°...But who is that person at the counter right now?¡± She suddenly stopped her actions and directed a question at her confidant. ¡°Oh, she...you know, her name is Miho... or something like that?¡± Her confidant scratched her head as she replied. ¡°She was one of the people we managed to bring in after she got rescued during the previous slave market incident and was being taken to the imperial family.¡± ¡°...That fox beastkin?¡± Serena frowned upon hearing that, whispering as she got up from her seat. ¡°I have a bad feeling about this.¡± ¨C Creak... At that moment, outside her window, she could spot Frey¡¯s carriage, which had just arrived in front of the building. ¨C 101 Ways to Improve Relations with Frey Such notes were stuck all over the wall. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 185: - Power of Words ? Power of Words ? ¨C Creak... ¡°...Hmm.¡± Seeing the carriage slow down, it seemed like we¡¯d arrived at our destination. ¡°You guys, stay here...¡± I instructed the animals perched on the windowsill. ¨C Thud!! However, the animals rushed towards me at once. ¡°...Sigh.¡± I ended up with an owl on my right shoulder, a dove on my left, a canary in my arm, and a cat doll in my pocket. ¡°Everyone is...¡± A faint frown formed on my face, but before I could issue any further commands, they vanished into thin air. ¡°...What happened?¡± Still somewhat puzzled by their disappearance, I got off the stationary carriage, hitting the cat doll¡¯s head as it peeked out of my pocket. ¡°...Lulu, are you okay?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m fine. There¡¯s no problem at all.¡± Then, I subtly questioned Lulu, to which she responded with a cheerful smile. Despite her reaction and her appearance not showing any issues, obviously, her previous reaction in the carriage had been anything but ordinary. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± As I tilted my head in confusion, I cautiously reached my hand towards her body to confirm something. ¨C Slide... Slipping my hand into her clothing, I observed for Lulu¡¯s reaction. ¡°.....?¡± Suddenly putting my hand inside her clothes should have made her uncomfortable, but for some reason, she simply stared at me with curiosity. ¡°Hmm.¡± Feeling a tinge of embarrassment after trying to make myself look like a villain, I retracted the diagnostic magic I had cast and muttered. ¡°Other than a slight fever, there doesn¡¯t seem to be any other issues... Hmm?¡± While I was occupied with this, I suddenly felt a chill, prompting me to scan my surroundings. ¡°..........¡± Passersby were all casting cold glances in my direction. ¡°Sigh.¡± I was well aware my reputation had hit rock bottom, but experiencing it firsthand drove the point home with painful clarity. Right now, those onlookers might have concluded that Lulu was my sex slave who had become numb to this level of mild harassment, as she had been subjected to my persistent and unwelcome advances for a supposedly long time. ¡°Grrrr...¡± I glanced at her, worried that such reactions might distress the vulnerable Lulu. However, instead of being scared, she clung tightly to my arm and glared fiercely at her surroundings. Somehow, her demeanor reminded me of a ferocious hunting dog, and I let out a chuckle before speaking in a hushed tone. ¡°...Why are you looking at them like that?¡± ¡°Oh, um... that...¡± Then she flustered for a moment. ¡°I-I was just trying to intimidate them. They¡¯re all Master¡¯s enemies, after all...¡± She confessed in a timid voice. Seeing her like this, it became evident that her criteria for judging things had shifted; it was no longer a matter of good and evil, but rather whether it involved me or not. ¡°...You¡¯re so impressive.¡± After witnessing Lulu baring her teeth and growling for a while, I turned to head inside the building. She then questioned me in a low voice. ¡°...So what kind of place is this?¡± Copying her, I responded discreetly. ¡°From now on, this will be the place we will visit when I want to do dirty work.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Lulu nodded with a composed expression and followed me to the entrance of the building. ¨C Creak... As I entered the building with her, a certain person came into my field of vision. ¡°H-Hello there. Here is...¡± The final boss of the first-year scenario and the mid-boss of the entire scenario greeted me awkwardly in Imperial language. ¡°...Uh, oh.¡± Miho was at the counter wearing an apron as she approached me. ¡°What, who is this? Aren¡¯t you that darn noble? Why are you here!¡± Miho stared at me blankly for a while, before she suddenly trembled, letting out a startled shout. ¡°.......¡± I quietly observed her, turning my gaze when I heard a very familiar voice coming from behind her. ¡°Frey!¡± ¡°Oh, hel...¡± Serena, whose makeup was so striking that it was absurd, was looking at me with a bashful expression. ¡°......Huh?¡± However, when Serena noticed Lulu next to me, she looked quite astonished. ¡°Ah...¡± Her initial surprise gradually transformed into evident disappointment. ¡°...Mhm?¡± I shot a pitying look at Serena, before I noticed something unusual about Miho, who was standing before me. ¡°Haa, haaaa...¡± I discreetly put my hand into my pocket where I had kept the Stone of Domination and activated it. ¡°E-e-e-eek!!¡± In a heartbeat, Miho darted towards me. ¡°M-Master!¡± Several things happened simultaneously. ¡°Uheeekk...!¡± Lulu closed her eyes tightly and embraced me. ¡°.........¡± Despite having disappeared before I entered the building, the animals suddenly reappeared on my shoulders and arms. They quietly channeled magical power within their body. ¡°Miho, stop!¡± And Serena popped out like a bullet, hugging Miho. All of this happened in mere seconds. ¡°...Step aside.¡± In that situation, I commanded everyone with a cold voice. ¡°Everyone step aside.¡± My voice grew louder as I issued the command. Serena, who was holding Miho, Lulu, who was holding me, and the animals clinging to me quickly stepped aside. ¡°Hm.¡± With my surroundings now completely empty, I approached Miho, who had frozen in place under the influence of the Stone of Domination. ¡°...Long time no see, huh?¡± I smirked eerily and muttered. ¡°Ugh, e-eek.¡± In response, her face contorted into terror. It seemed the memories of the slave market incident were still fresh in her mind. ¡°Y-You, human. Stay away!¡± ¡°But what were you trying to do just now?¡± ¡°Eeek...¡± I gently held her neck before I began to calmly whisper in her ear. ¡°...Did you think you could escape?¡± ¡°......!¡± ¡°There¡¯s already a warrant out for you in the entire Empire, bitch. Even if you leave this place right this moment, you¡¯ll be arrested immediately.¡± ¡°Ugh, ugh...¡± ¡°So don¡¯t even think about escaping and just wait here obediently.¡± As I observed her, on the brink of tears and clenching her fists, I continued. ¡°...If I get interested, I¡¯ll come to get you.¡± I pushed her forward. ¡°Ugh...¡± Because of that, Miho collapsed and started trembling on the ground. ¡°......¡± I looked at her, my gaze shifting to empty air as I quietly contemplated. [Sub-Heroines Conquest] Miho [Conquest Progress: 0%] Details... ¡®So why is she a sub-heroine?¡¯ She was just a ¡°mid-boss,¡± definitely not a heroine. Once I successfully saved her in the ¡°Slave Market¡± quest, she would be designated as an NPC for the newly established ¡°Information Guild,¡± thereby bolstering the guild¡¯s efficiency. And thus began a long silence. ¨C Rustle, rustle... In a situation where nothing could be seen, I relied solely on the faint rustling sound, feeling the weight of her on top of me while quietly closing my eyes. ¡°...Argh!!¡± ¡°Serena?¡± However, suddenly, Serena began to scream in pain, so I stood up in surprise. ¡°Wha-what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Ah... Ahhh uhhh...!¡± ¡°...This.¡± After a while, as I felt her flesh more carefully, I was able to figure out the problem. ¡°Is it... because of the curse?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m s-sorry... I¡¯m so sorry.¡± I cautiously asked, to which she answered with a low voice. ¡°I tried to endure the pain with pain-relieving potions and pain-relieving magic, but... I couldn¡¯t... Ugh...¡± She began to cry in pain again. I hastily moved away from her, put on my clothes, and asked. ¡°The Secret Lord has been captured, hasn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Y-yes, we have caught him... But when I researched the Curse of Subordination, I found a problem...¡± ¡°A problem?¡± ¡°After searching through ancient texts, I found that if the person who cast the curse is killed, the curse bearer won¡¯t receive orders anymore, but the curse will remain...¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Upon hearing that, I let out a short groan. ¡°T-therefore, I tried to endure the pain somehow, but... I-I¡¯m sorry...¡± ¡°...Serena.¡± I carefully grabbed Serena¡¯s shoulders which trembled as she spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s find a solution together. There must be a way to lift that curse.¡± ¡°Y-yeah.¡± ¡°Remember what you said about that one coincidence? If we find that, we can solve this, right? It¡¯s not impossible, so just wait a little more...¡± With a soothing voice, I started to reassure her. ¡°W-we have to find it within the summer break.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Serena, who had been sobbing, calmly raised her head at my remark. ¡°Before the vacation ends, I-I need to find a solution...¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± I listened intently to Serena¡¯s quivering voice. ¡°So, you and I can share our love...¡± At her mournful words, I replied with a grin. ¡°Is that so? Then, stay strong.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°...I want to do it with you soon, too, Serena.¡± ¡°..........¡± And then, a long silence followed. Although I couldn¡¯t clearly see her due to the complete darkness, Serena stiffened after hearing my words... ¡°...?¡± With trembling eyes, she gazed at me, then grasped my hand. Her whole body was shivering as she whispered in a soft voice. ¡°Love... I love you... I love you, Frey...¡± ¡°...Uh, yeah.¡± Serena¡¯s switch had completely flipped. Seeing her behaving this way somehow made me recall the Serena I had seen in the Third Ordeal. ¡°By any means necessary... I will... Hehe...¡± ¡°S-should we leave this place first?¡± ¡°...Okayyy.¡± Feeling like staying here any longer might lead to another kind of danger, I urgently headed to the keypads with her. ¡°During the day, I¡¯ll have to be harsh with you. So, I¡¯m really sorry...¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± I briefly stroked Serena¡¯s head as she buried her face inside my clothes, breathing heavily. ¨C Click! Then, I raised the switches simultaneously. ¨C Wooong... In that fleeting moment, the light filled the room again, and her memories adjusted to the present. ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to see me anymore.¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Serena lowered her head at my cold words, her eyes welling up with tears. ¨C Step, step... Leaving her behind, I climbed the stairs while gently caressing my flushed face. ¡°...Huh?¡± Strangely, I sensed an unusual atmosphere and momentarily raised my head. ¡°What was that?¡± However, thinking of it as nothing, I dismissed the feeling and grabbed the doorknob leading to the first floor. ¡°Nooo!!!¡± ¡°.....!?¡± After noticing something, Serena, who had been fumbling with her disheveled clothes, suddenly rushed toward me with a pale face. I momentarily froze upon seeing Serena charge towards me. ¡°Khhhooooo!!!¡± ¨C Crash!! Something happened at the instant. ¡°Uwaack!!¡± Because Serena rushed at full force from behind, I was sent tumbling to the ground along with her. ¡°Grrrr...¡± ¡°.....!?¡± I was shocked to find that Miho had shattered the steel door with a single strike. ¡°W-what¡¯s that? How could that happen?¡± ¡°I-Is she going berserk...?¡± For some unknown reason, she had taken on the appearance of the final boss in the first-year scenario, the ¡®mystical beast transformed into a monster.¡¯ ¡°I hate... humans... I hate nobles...¡± ¡°Keutt.¡± In this incomprehensible situation, I desperately searched for the Stone of Domination I had kept in my pocket. ¡°...Damn it.¡± Realizing that my pants were torn apart, I cursed under my breath. ¡°This drives me crazy.¡± Along with the side of my pants, the Stone of Domination inside my pocket had also been flung far away, shattered into pieces. ¡°Grrrr...¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll deal with her. You go down to the basement...¡± ¡°Hooo...¡± I calmly closed my eyes in the face of this life-threatening situation and infused mana into my walking stick and the sword at my waist. ¨C Crackle... Crackle... The animals that had been restraining Miho, depleting even the magic that had composed their very essence, began to conjure a self-destructing magic circle in the air. ¡°Stop it.¡± The situation ended abruptly. ¡°Keeeit...!¡± It was because Miho, who had been using all her strength to release the spirits¡¯ restraints, suddenly stopped moving. ¡°Sit.¡± After a while, a terrifying voice once again echoed throughout the guild. ¡°Kiiing...¡± With trembling legs, Miho soon lowered her tail and hunkered down. ¡°..........¡± Shortly after, silence fell. ¡°........¡± On the other hand, Lulu, the protagonist who had created this situation, gazed down at Miho with her cold expression. ¡°.....Huh?¡± After she regained her senses, she suddenly made a surprised sound and tilted her head. ¨C Crackle... Her Magic Eyes were burning with a more intense, deep, ruby hue than anyone else¡¯s. ¡°M-Master, what kind of situation is this...?¡± You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 186: - Serenas Detective Agency ? Serena¡¯s Detective Agency ? ¡°Eeek!¡± Miho, having partially reverted from her monstrous form, struggled to get up with all her might. ¡°Stay still.¡± ¡°Hiccup...¡± However, with just a single command from Lulu, she hunkered down again. She started trembling in fear, without a hint of anger. ¡®...What¡¯s going on here?¡¯ As I watched the scene unfold in a daze, I turned my gaze to the shattered Stone of Domination glistening in the distance and my mind raced with thoughts. ¡®The Stone of Domination clearly had been destroyed...?¡¯ Miho, the mystical beast turned monster, was treated as the final boss of the first-year scenario. In other words, defeating her was a feat in itself, let alone control her. So, how did Lulu manage to subdue her with just her words? Although many strange things had happened so far, for this one, I could no longer make sense of it at all. ¡°M-master, what should I do?¡± While I was pondering these thoughts, Lulu turned her head and anxiously asked me. ¨C Crackle... ckle... Her Magic Eyes were still burning in a deep, ruby hue. ¡°Could it be... that Magic Eyes?¡± Only then could I grasp the circumstances to some extent. This miraculous event was probably the result of the Magic Eyes that Lulu possessed. ¡®This is so strange.¡¯ However, just as I said before, I could only grasp it to ¡°some extent,¡± leaving many lingering questions. What was the exact nature of the ability newly acquired by Lulu¡¯s Magic Eyes? I thought it was simply the ability to help her analyze and comprehend something. And what triggered this ability to develop? There weren¡¯t any signs leading up to it. ¡°For now... put her to sleep.¡± ¡°Y-yes.¡± However, since Miho¡¯s condition looked dire, I decided to put my thoughts aside and instead give an order. ¡°...Go to sleep.¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± Soon after, Miho, having almost completely shaken off the effects of her monster transformation, closed her eyes and collapsed, unconscious. ¡°......¡± And then, a silence followed. ¡°Uh, mmph...¡± Amidst the silence, Lulu, who had been staring at me for a while, suddenly spoke with hesitation. ¡°P-pet me, please.¡± ¡°.....!?¡± And, simultaneously, I could feel a strange impulse. Of course, as someone with a high mental strength, I could resist it, though an ordinary person might not have been as fortunate. ¡°Uh, uhh I¡¯m sor...¡± Meanwhile, Lulu nervously apologized for issuing the command she may have wanted to test. ¡°Ack... Ugh...!¡± Suddenly, she reached out and touched her eyes, swaying unsteadily before collapsing. ¡°Uh... Uh...¡± ¡°Lulu? Are you ok... Ack!¡± Startled, I rushed to her and, after feeling her body, found myself surprised. ¡®Why is her body so hot...?¡¯ Her body was burning like a fireball. ¨C Crackle... Moreover, her eyes were bloodshot from continuously emitting sparks. Should this continue, Lulu would undoubtedly suffer grave injuries. ¨C Crackle! Hence, I exerted a measure of force to lull Lulu into unconsciousness and, fortunately, extinguished her burning Magic Eyes. ¡°Phew...¡± Looking alternately between the unconscious Lulu and Miho, I sighed, before I turned my gaze to Serena, who had been watching me all this time. ¡°.....Hmm.¡± She gazed at me, Miho, and Lulu in turn with a suspicious look, all the while staying silent. Then, she fixed her gaze on me. ¡°So annoying, it was an expensive item.¡± Revealing my identity to the daytime Serena would put me in a difficult situation. So, to avoid being exposed to her, I spoke in a cold tone and then strongly kicked Lulu in her direction. ¡°Believe that I really kicked her.¡± Of course, I hadn¡¯t actually kicked Lulu. I simply pretended to, issuing the command to Serena, who was under the influence of the Absolute Obedience magic, to believe it. ¡°F-Frey.¡± While I maintained my facade, Serena, who had been staring blankly at me, approached me anxiously. ¡°What¡¯s going on...?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind that. Just bring a healing potion. After administering first aid, we¡¯re leaving here.¡± ¡°H-here you go.¡± Saying so, Serena took out a healing potion from her pocket and spoke with a timid expression. ¡°C-could you stay a bit longer... We could simply chat or discuss what happened just now...¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about what happened just now.¡± ¡°I see, but still, stay with me just a little more...¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already told you.¡± My words carried a chill as I felt that staying here any longer could lead to various difficulties, but then Serena pointed at my lower attire hesitantly. ¡°...A-are you really going out in that condition?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Only then did I realize that my lower attire was torn, and I frowned. ¡®...Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t accomplished my original goal of coming here.¡¯ With that realization, I sighed and spoke to Serena. ¡°Now that I think about it, I have a request for you...¡± ¡°Yes! I understand! I¡¯ll prepare it right away!¡± Before I could finish speaking, Serena responded with a wide smile, clapping her hands. ¨C Whoosh!! Two masked assassins suddenly emerged from underground. ¡°...Take care of them.¡± Serena ordered the assassins with a cold tone. ¡°...Uncover the secret that the Church is hiding.¡± ¡°H-huh what?¡± Serena¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°T-to what extent...¡± ¡°All of it.¡± After firmly answering her, I stood up. ¡°Then, thanks for your service.¡± ¡°W-wait, let¡¯s just talk a bit more...¡± However, as I was standing up from my seat, Serena tried to grab my repaired pants. ¡°...If you do a good job, I¡¯ll take you on a date for a day.¡± ¡°.....!¡± Hearing that, she froze, her mouth hanging open. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be going now...¡± I smiled faintly at the cute Daytime Serena before leaving. ¡°...Gag.¡± Seated on the sofa, Miho made a displeased face and mimicked a disgusted sound, prompting me to shift my gaze toward her. ¡°What are you looking at, human?¡± Miho glared at me as if she was going to devour me. ¡°Birds of a feather flock together, huh?¡± I muttered under my breath, still wary of another possible attack. My only thought was to escape the reception room as soon as possible. ¡®...I guess there must be a plan, right?¡¯ It still seemed like an eccentricity of the genius Young Lady, no matter how I saw it, but since it was Serena¡¯s plan, I tried to conclude my thoughts with the belief that there must be an intention behind it. With that in mind, I headed to the first floor. ¡°M-master...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, Lulu.¡± Along with Lulu, who was waiting for me with bandages over her eyes, I left the Detective Agency while muttering to myself. ¡®I should take a break today...¡¯ I should rest well today and start looking for the other sub-heroines tomorrow. . . . . . As Frey guided his tired body and headed towards his carriage with Lulu... ¡°What the hell is this...¡± Serena, who had been sitting in the reception room until then, looked down at a note in her hand with teary eyes. [101 Ways to Win a Man¡¯s Heart] Number 72: Appeal with a different appearance than usual. Despite Serena dedicating her whole life to Frey, she had no experience in love, thus she had to learn about love through books. ¨C ...And if the man shows any reaction, it means he noticed you. In other words, the mission is a success! ¡°Why isn¡¯t it working...¡± Not realizing that her plan had completely succeeded, she was in tears. ¡°Oh, right! A date!¡± Shortly after, she clapped her hands and stood up from her seat. ¡°Miho, reschedule all the appointments. I¡¯m going to work on the task that Frey assigned from now on.¡± ¡°What?¡± To Serena¡¯s excited speech, Miho furrowed her brows, before eventually speaking.. ¡°Are you being serious? You¡¯re postponing all the cases just for a date with that person?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...Even the case assigned by the Empress?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Sigh...¡± Miho sighed deeply out of worry. ¡°Don¡¯t you actually hate that person?¡± She asked with a displeased expression. ¡°Why should I dislike Frey?¡± ¡°...Never mind.¡± But soon, after realizing they were on different wavelengths, Miho shook her head, mumbling and frowning as she organized the files. ¡°By the way, what was that earlier...¡± ¨C Knock, knock. All of a sudden, someone knocked on the reception room door. ¡°Lady Serena, a client has arrived.¡± ¡°......¡± A blind assassin informed that a client had come to the Detective Agency. ¡°Later, I¡¯m busy right now. Add them to the appointment book and send them away for today...¡± However, Serena, who was occupied with Frey¡¯s request, took out her coat and prepared to leave. ¡°I came on a recommendation!¡± ¡°...Whose recommendation?¡± When someone entered despite being blocked by the assassin, Serena asked, tilting her head in confusion. ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s this person...¡± ¡°...Is it Miss Ferloche?¡± Finally, Serena took a look at the messily written recommendation letter handed by the client. ¡°Please, come in.¡± Quietly sitting down, the client spoke. ¨C Creak... ¡°So, what brings you here?¡± Serena inquired eventually as she studied the client patiently, Miho by her side.. ¡°By any chance...¡± Wearing a reversed robe, the client hastily clasped their hands together. ¡°...Have you heard about the rumor that¡¯s spreading widely these days?¡± ¡°Which kind of... rumor are you talking about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the Hero.¡± The ring on the client¡¯s clasped left hand softly gleamed. Chapter 187: - Vague But Enough ? Vague But Enough ? ¡°A rumor about the Hero?¡± The client quietly nodded as Serena started giving sharp glares, having dispelled her previously lovesick state.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com... What kind of rumor are you talking about regarding the Hero?¡± Serena asked, her voice lowered slightly after she cast a quick glance at the client. ¡°Just a rumor about the Hero.¡± In response, the client also replied in a hushed tone. ¡°Just the Hero... So, excluding the ¡®Hero of Money¡¯ and also...¡± Upon hearing the answer, Serena widened her eyes and started examining the files in front of her one by one. ¡°Oh, by the way, how do you know Miss Ferloche?¡± With her gaze fixed on the files, she asked casually. ¡°Is it really necessary to know?¡± ¡°Ahaha, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s a professional habit.¡± The client stared at Serena with confidence and asked in a bold tone. Serena responded with a smile. ¡°We met a few times at the hospital and the orphanage.¡± ¡°A few times? But if you received a recommendation letter, there must have been some significant reason for you two to become close, right?¡± As the client hesitated for a moment with a wary glance, her gaze then intensified. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s related to the Saintess and my personal circumstances, so I¡¯d rather not disclose it.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± However, the client remained firm, and because of that, Serena nodded though she wore a slightly disappointed expression. [Recommended(?) Letter!] [I, Ferloche! Guarantee this child¡¯s credibelity? And will introduce her to the detective agency...] ¡°That¡¯s what it says...¡± She glanced at Ferloche¡¯s recommendation letter lying next to her and fell silent. ¡°So, do you know about the rumor?¡± ¡°Ah, yes, of course.¡± When the client looked at Serena with a hint of disbelief and asked her questioningly, Serena rested her hand on her chin and started speaking.. ¡°Lately, there¡¯s a rumor spreading rapidly within the Imperial family and the church. Most high-ranking officials are already aware of it.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°And it seems like you know to some extent as well.¡± As Serena spoke in that manner, narrowing her eyes and fixing her gaze on the client, the client quietly tightened the robe she had been wearing inside out. ¡°You¡¯re using an interesting magic, aren¡¯t you? I can¡¯t see inside the robe. This is the first time I¡¯ve encountered something like this...¡± ¡°Hmm, ehem.¡± Serena looked at the client with a slightly fascinated expression, but then turned her gaze back to the files when she sensed the client¡¯s discomfort, clearing her throat as she did so. ¡°Do you want me to share what I know about the rumors and information, or do you want further investigation?¡± After rummaging through the files for a while and then glancing beyond them to the client, Serena asked. ¡°Both.¡± The client replied as such. ¡°Hmm... understood.¡± Hearing those words, Serena nodded and organized the scattered files on the table. ¡°By the way, have you brought the commissioning fee?¡± Serena asked, tilting her head. ¡°Investigation requests require a deposit, and information sharing falls into the realm of trade. So...¡± ¡°You foolish human. You¡¯re going to return it later anyway. So, why bother asking for it?¡± ¡°...Shh.¡± Serena silenced Miho, who was grumbling from the side. ¡°A certain amount of money is needed... Oh.¡± As she turned her gaze back to speak, Serena¡¯s eyes widened when she saw the bags of gold coins on the desk. ¡°This should be enough.¡± Serena said that as she quietly gathered the bags of gold coins. Then she started to speak on the topic at hand after opening the organized files. ¡°First, do you know about the prophecy from a thousand years ago that predicted the appearance of the Hero and the official announcement of the Commoner¡¯s Dormitory Raid Incident¡¯ regarding the Demon King¡¯s appearance?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then, you also know about the ¡®Slave Market Raid Incident¡¯ to some extent. right?¡± Upon hearing that, the client frowned for a moment. ¡°Yes, all of it.¡± The client answered briefly. ¡°Hmm.¡± Serena stared at the client, her legs slightly crossed. ¡°Why did a person of such importance like yourself come to the detective agency, and why did you purchase information?¡± She then showed a faint smile as she threw the question. ¡°Why?¡± Then, once again, the client responded in a dull voice. ¡°It was because I need to confirm with my own eyes whether you actually have the ability and whether you are trustworthy enough.¡± ¡°.........¡± The reception room fell into a short silence. ¡°You are...interesting.¡± Eventually, Serena commented in a whisper, her amusement growing more evident than ever. Then, she gazed intently at the client, whose face remained obscured in the faintly emerging light, and spoke. ¡°The first time the Hero revealed themself was during the Slave Market Raid Incident. The Hero infiltrated that place wearing armor known as the ¡®Hero¡¯s Armament¡¯.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The hero who appeared there engaged in a battle with the Demon King¡¯s army that had appeared. For some reason, without revealing their identity, they fled and disappeared.¡± Upon hearing that, the client frowned, and Serena tapped the files while continuing to share information ¡°Up to this point, it¡¯s a well-known fact. Well, though ordinary people aren¡¯t even aware that the person is the Hero.¡± ¡°So, you do have a rough idea about it.¡± ¡°...Is this what you consider high-level information?¡± Hearing Serena¡¯s words, the client leaned forward and inquired. ¡°Is that all there is?¡± ¡°.....¡± Ignoring Miho¡¯s words, Serena continued to mumble, prompting Miho to stare at her intently. ¡°So, in the end, was it because you couldn¡¯t make deductions that you didn¡¯t showcase your skills this time?¡± She asked while tilting her head. ¡°...I failed at making deductions? Not at all.¡± At that moment, Serena, with a slight frown, replied while biting onto the lollipop again. ¡°That client is a petite girl in her teens who has led a difficult life, likely an orphan. However, she probably has at least one family member to support. She may also have a fiance? or someone who holds significance in her life. And most likely, that person is the Hero of Money.¡± ¡°H-How did you figure that out?¡± At first, Miho didn¡¯t believe such words, but as she continued to see the astonished reactions from clients, she came to believe Serena¡¯s words as an unwavering truth, so when Miho posed a question. ¡°It was a clever move that she flipped the robe to conceal her body shape. However, she couldn¡¯t conceal the wrinkles and creases that had accumulated over time on the robe she had frequently worn.¡± As she nibbled on the lollipop, Serena began her explanation. ¡°Based on the shape left in the robe, it¡¯s safe to assume that she¡¯s a petite girl with a height that only reaches my chest and a slender build.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± ¡°She tried to disguise her voice but didn¡¯t do it perfectly which gave it away. Even roughly listening to her tone and manner of speech would reveal that she had already passed through puberty, so she¡¯s at least a teenager, right?¡± ¡°Is that so? I couldn¡¯t tell even though I listened...¡± As Miho listened to Serena¡¯s deduction with sparkling eyes, she soon showed a curious expression and asked a question. ¡°So, how did you guess about her being an orphan...¡± ¡°Simply put, she took all the candies I offered. Even though she had plenty of money, she took every one of them, which is a characteristic of street kids who instinctively seize everything when they have the chance.¡± ¡°But I sometimes take everything too...¡± ¡°There¡¯s a hint in the gold coin she gave us earlier. That gold coin pouch is identical to the one that the ¡®Hero of Money,¡¯ whom I¡¯ve been investigating lately, distributed to the children in the market streets earlier this year.¡± As Miho tilted her head, Serena continued with her speculations. ¡°Most likely, she was rescued by the ¡®Hero of Money.¡¯ That¡¯s why she managed to escape her life of poverty. And if she has parents, they probably wouldn¡¯t have allowed a child to carry such a large sum of money, so we can assume she¡¯s an orphan.¡± ¡°But you mentioned she had a family member to support...¡± ¡°All the snacks that person consumed were not sweet, and even though I deliberately gave her quite bitter tea, she didn¡¯t add a single spoonful of sugar. But the fact that she took candy with her probably means she has a family to take care of.¡± ¡°Then, it can be a friend, too...¡± ¡°Children from the streets often struggle to make friends, and even when they do, they instinctively shy away from sharing something. The kids around them are all competitive rivals when it comes to sharing food.¡± Serena paused for a moment and let out a sigh before continuing her story. ¡°Of course, things might be better now, but gathering all the candy was definitely an unconscious act. If that thought is deeply ingrained in her, she is likely an older sister to someone, perhaps a sick younger sibling.¡± ¡°I... I don¡¯t really understand. My head hurts.¡± ¡°If I were to choose one out of those three reasons, having a younger sibling would be a compelling motive to gather candy. But this is entirely within the realm of probability, so let¡¯s move on.¡± Serena continued her deductions while observing Miho, who was massaging her throbbing head, just as she always did when she had a headache. ¡°And she wears a ring on her left ring finger, right? She might be young and not fully understand the significance, but judging from how well the ring is maintained, she likely knows its meaning.¡± ¡°Left ring finger? A ring? Is there significance in that?¡± ¡°...When you consider the old coin purse she¡¯s been keeping, the trembling in her voice when talking about the Hero of Money, and, most importantly, the request she entrusted to me to find the ¡®Hero of Money¡¯...¡± After speaking for a while, she finally broke the lollipop she had been holding in her mouth. ¡°I have come to the conclusion that her fiance?, or at the very least the person she wishes to meet, appears to be the Hero of Money.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Serena stared at Miho, who applauded with her mouth wide open when she heard the conclusion. ¡°The reason I didn¡¯t show off, or rather, made deductions in front of that client today... Well, it¡¯s due to these reasons.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°Most of my deductions are related to sensitive personal matters, and...¡± She spoke seriously. ¡°...she could be a dangerous person.¡± ¡°How come?¡± ¡°An orphaned girl in her mid-teens with such terrifying abilities, it¡¯s only natural to assume she could be a significant threat, don¡¯t you think?¡± After uttering those words, Serena began to grasp the gravity of the situation and wore an anxious expression. ¡°However... she might not be a threat but rather a beacon of hope.¡± She muttered as her eyes sparkled . ¡°What, what did you say?¡± ¡°...Never mind. Anyway, let¡¯s prepare for the investigation now.¡± Immediately, Serena rose from her seat. ¡°...So, what should we investigate first?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Just as she had been answering questions effortlessly until now, Serena was about to respond to Miho. ¡°Um...¡± But then, she froze. ¡°D-Date... I want to go on a date... I¡¯ve been reading [101 Ways to Win a Man¡¯s Heart] all month long, and I need to put it to use, and... um...¡± ¡°Sigh...¡± Miho glanced at Serena, who hesitated for a moment before reverting to her timid state. ¡°...Humans are indeed strange,¡± Miho mumbled as she let out a deep sigh. . . . . . At that moment. ¡°Hmm...¡± There stood Glare, the client who had just departed from the Detective Agency. ¡°So, about these buttons...¡± A few days ago, she had snatched away the robe of the ¡®Hero of Money,¡¯ who had hurriedly left the orphanage where Ruby had collapsed, by using her abilities. She mumbled while looking at the sparkling buttons. ¡°...Are these from Sunrise Academy uniforms?¡± At that moment, she emitted a faint light in the dim alley. ¡°How do I get into the academy?¡± Although the light was faint, it was enough to drive away the darkness that had settled in the alley. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 188: - Protest ? Protest ? ¡°Lick, lick.¡° ¡°...Huh?¡± I woke to a moist sensation on my face, prompting me to lift my heavy eyelids and discover Lulu licking my face while I was asleep. ¡°Master, we¡¯re almost home.¡± Upon confirming that I had awakened, Lulu stopped her licking and informed me. ¡°...Hmmm.¡± Indeed, I could see the Starlight Mansion from the carriage window. ¡°Yawn...¡± ¡°Lick.¡± I rubbed the sleepiness away from my eyes and prepared to disembark from the carriage. But before that, I petted Lulu¡¯s head as she licked my ear. ¡°...Huh?¡± Soon, I couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± A crowd had gathered around the mansion. ¡°W-what¡¯s happening, Master?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure either...¡± It seemed as though the servants who had previously left the house had gathered yet again, but it might not be just them; Joining them were many more people than just the servants. ¡°...Firstly, it doesn¡¯t seem like a friendly atmosphere.¡± And all bore expressions of either cold or simmering anger. ¡°.........¡± Sensing something unusual was happening, the animals were no longer sleeping beside me, instead staring out the window with sharp gazes. It felt oddly reassuring, but at the same time, I was slightly worried. Hadn¡¯t they just overexerted themselves earlier? ¡®Wait, what are these guys actually?¡¯ I furrowed my eyebrows as I looked at them with a worried expression. Certainly, I knew they weren¡¯t ordinary animals, but aside from the cat doll and canary, how could the owl and the dove also use magic? I should probably ask their owners when I meet them next time. ¡°M-master, the situation feels strange.¡± Thinking this, I tried to get off the carriage, only to have Lulu grab my arm anxiously. ¡°...This isn¡¯t the first time I have experienced something like this, anyway.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± After nonchalantly replying to her, I disembarked from the carriage, and the gazes of the gathered crowd turned towards me. ¡°H-hey, everyone... wait! Just wait a moment...¡± At the forefront of those people and blocking the way stood Irina, who sported a bewildered expression. ¡°Irina! Get a hold of yourself! What¡¯s making you act like this?¡± ¡°...We¡¯ve come to voice our legitimate complaint.¡± Irina¡¯s friend, Arianne, was staring at Irina with a quivering voice, and Alice, the commoners¡¯ representative, was also present. ¡°Hmm.¡± Judging by the situation, I could roughly guess what was happening. It appeared that Alice, as the commoners¡¯ representative, had probably gathered these people to condemn me. ¡®Well, this is great timing, anyway!¡¯ When taking an entirely objective perspective on the matter, one might argue that the situation, albeit somewhat absurd, held its merits. To begin with, Arianne, who was pleading to Irina with a quivering voice over there, was one of the ¡°sub-heroines¡± I had intended to seek out during this vacation. Granted, she might have the least significance in the game, featuring weak events and sparse settings... But still, a sub-heroine was a sub-heroine. Of course, I had no intention of conquering her. If I did, I was afraid to imagine how Irina would turn out, and besides, I had almost no interaction with her from the start. But seriously, why were there so many unnecessary sub-heroines in ¡°Dark Tale Fantasy¡±? Maybe there was something like a ¡°Completion Reward¡±? If not, there was no reason for Arianne, who had no connection with me, to be a sub-heroine... [Sub-Heroines Conquest] Arianne [Conquest Route Suspended] Details... ¡°Hmm.¡± After a moment of contemplation, I checked the system window that appeared in front of my eyes, then shook my head in disbelief before turning my gaze to the side. ¡°Alice...¡± Alice was the assassin of the Moonlight Family, whom the Secret Lord threatened during the Second Ordeal in the mansion attack incident. In society, she garnered support as the ¡°commoners¡¯ representative¡± and actively engaged in various activities. Fortunately, she was not a sub-heroine. I checked the list just to be certain, but her name did not appear there. ¡°Everyone, please maintain order...¡± However, even though she was not a sub-heroine, she still held a pivotal role. Although she only played a minor part in the first year, by some inexplicable turn of events, she became the Student Council President at Sunrise Academy during the second year. Of course, though, it was possible that the Fake Hero was involved in that process. At this point, Ruby would naturally become involved in virtually every aspect. Anyway, as the Student Council President, Alice would come into conflict with the Headmaster and corrupt nobles. Most importantly, she would also have a conflict with me, the target of those people. And it was a direct confrontation. So, the reason for Alice¡¯s increasing importance was that she would be treated as the villain of the second-year scenario. Of course, she was only said to be a ¡°villain,¡± but from her perspective, it was only natural that she would try to stop me.CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m ¨C F-Frey... Deep in thought, I stared blankly at the crowd when Irina, who was trying to stop people, sent me a telepathic message. Despite telepathy being one of the highest levels of advanced magic, observing how Irina effortlessly used it made her truly incredible. ¨C What should I do? Should I do someth... While conveying her message, she stared at me with trembling eyes. ¡°Ah...?¡± And at that moment, Arianne, who had been staring at me, visibly flinched and cocked her head. ¡°.....?¡± It happened in an instant, but I could immediately tell since I had kept an eye on her. ¨C ...Darn it. Watching her reaction, I became even more certain that my hypothesis was correct. After the Third Ordeal, the ¡°sub-heroines¡± underwent some kind of change. Most of these changes involved them developing ¡°some kind of¡± emotions towards me, and it seemed that the extent of these emotions was related to how much interaction I had with them. I couldn¡¯t get into the details or the underlying cause because Ferloche had turned back into her foolish personality, but at this point in time, these developments were not necessarily a good thing. Lulu, whose conquest was complete, was just an anomaly. If similar emotions were to arise in the sub-heroines, the probability of my true identity being exposed would surely increase. So, from now on, before advancing to the second year, I planned to meet and interact with the sub-heroines to suppress any emotional changes that had occurred. And it seemed my starting point would be Arianne, who was right before me. ...Additionally, I should also try to restrain Alice, next to her. In response, Arianne muttered with an expression of disbelief. ¡°A-A blood oath... it won¡¯t manifest unless it¡¯s ¡®sincere¡¯...¡± She mumbled with a gloomy expression. ¡°I-I¡¯ve told you.¡± Irina had an uncanny expression upon seeing Ariane¡¯s reaction, and blushed even deeper before speaking once more. ¡°... This body can no longer live without Lord Frey.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ve already given my body, heart, and even my soul to him.¡± ¡°Given your... body?¡± ¡°Y-you know it, too, don¡¯t you? The completion of the blood oath requires... purity...¡± While in Frey¡¯s embrace, Irina briefly ceased her conversation with her longtime friend, overcome by embarrassment. ¡°...When did this happen?¡± Holding her, Frey asked with a greatly astonished expression, and Irina, burying her face in his chest, whispered. ¡°I lied about the p-purity part. Uuu.¡± ¡°No, the blood oath. When did you do th...?¡± And in that moment... ¨C Thud! Arianne, her expression one of bewilderment, sank to the ground. ¡°L-Lord Frey.¡± After glancing at Arianne, Irina took a deep breath and kissed him. ¡°Smooch.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Arianne blushed as she looked at the scene. ¡°...Euuuh?¡± While Irina may have shared childhood experiences with Frey as her playmate, Arianne had been singularly devoted to the pursuit of magic, devoid of any experience with men in her life. ¡°...Eehmmmm...¡± ¡°...Haheup.¡± Therefore, the sight of Irina and Frey¡¯s tongues intertwining was too stimulating to Arianne. ¡°...Haa... Haa...¡± In the midst of this peculiar atmosphere, Frey raised his head, with saliva coated on the corner of his mouth. ¡°That¡¯s enough, now...¡± He whispered to Irina in a low voice. ¡°...Habeub?¡± But Irina attacked him again. ¡°W-We have to make her absolutely sure...¡± Eventually, Irina licked Frey¡¯s lips. ¡°Wait, can I borrow your hand for a moment...¡± ¡°...?¡± Using precise mana control she had learned while in a mana-depleted state, Irina began to control Frey¡¯s arm underneath her. ¨C Sssk... ¡°...Hieuk!¡± At last, Irina slumped onto Frey¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I-I love you, Frey...?¡± With a face of pure bliss, she felt his touch and gazed lovingly into Frey¡¯s eyes as she whispered. ¡°...Ah.¡± Arianne had done nothing but fidget until now, but upon this sight, she froze. ¡°I love you... Frey... Now, I can¡¯t live without you...¡± ¡°I-Irina...¡± ¡°Even when I¡¯m asleep, I think of you so many times... No matter how many times I see your sleeping face... Oh, no, not this...¡± Meanwhile, Irina¡¯s switch had been flicked. ¡°I¡¯ve nurtured my first love this much, so...¡± ¡°Ouch.¡± ¡°...T-take responsibility.¡± Irina whispered her love to Frey while breathing heavily. ¡°Irina, for now, here...¡± ¡°...Ack.¡± After continuing her affectionate act for a while, Irina regained her senses at Frey¡¯s urgent words. ¡°Eheeeek...¡± She stopped controlling Frey¡¯s arm and shivered for a moment. ¨C Thud. She then slumped to the ground. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry... Please forgive me...¡± Irina¡¯s began to plead after a while. ¡°...Go away.¡± ¡°Hiiik...¡± After dismissing her like that, Frey turned his attention towards Arianne, who was sitting on the floor. ¡°See that? The Irina you knew is gone. So...¡± While Arianne was still holding her head down, he grabbed her chin and whispered. ¡°.........¡± For some reason, Arianne just stared at Frey with a blank face. ¡°I have tried to remain patient, but this is too much...!¡± Unable to bear watching such a scene any longer, Alice urgently moved towards them. ¨C Whooosh...! ¡°...Ack!¡± From an unknown location, a stone had hit Frey on the head; that was the moment when everything started. ¡°E-everyone!?¡± Startled by the unexpected incident, Alice looked around. ¡°...Didn¡¯t you say it was a non-violent protest?¡± Frey began to interrogate Alice with a fierce expression. ¡°But what¡¯s this?¡± While holding the hiccuping Arianne in his arms, he smiled coldly. ¡°If it¡¯s not a non-violent protest but a violent one... the situation would change, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Alice¡¯s gaze shook intensely. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 189: - I Will Never Yield ? I Will Never Yield ? ¡°W-wait a moment. It¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°Misunderstanding? Then, is there some hidden meaning behind this stone they threw at me?¡± Alice stammered under Frey¡¯s intense questioning. ¡°It¡¯s just a personal act of defiance. Our protest group has received hours of education...¡± ¡°What¡¯s important is that this stone hit me, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°...I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± Alices slightly lowered her head, apologizing. ¡°Everyone! Please step back! Further violent actions are...¡± She raised her voice to the protesting crowd behind her. ¨C Whoosh! ¡°Huh!?¡± However, at that moment, another stone flew from the crowd, and confusion crept into her expression. ¡°Everyone! We shouldn¡¯t do this! We are not Frey! We stand for justice and non-violence...¡± Desperation etched across her features as she attempted to approach the protesting crowd, but... ¡°D-don¡¯t...!¡± As several stones passed close to her, she shouted with a considerably flustered expression. ¡°Why are you doing this? This only gives Frey a reason...¡± ¡°A reason... a reason...¡± She continued, before turning her head back upon hearing Frey¡¯s murmuring from behind. ¡°Ah...¡± Immediately, she swallowed hard. ¨C Drip... She noticed blood was dripping from Frey¡¯s forehead, where a stone from the crowd had directly hit him. ¡°The reason has existed since the first stone was thrown, no... since you all intruded here.¡± ¡°Uh, that¡¯s...¡± ¡°But I have a lot of reasons now.¡± Frey declared. ¡°.........¡± Beyond Alice, the crowd displayed frigid expressions. ¡°That¡¯s great, good timing!!¡± ¡°The Demon King¡¯s subordinate! Go Die!!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to spare him!!¡± Frey silently stared at the people who were insulting him in an inexplicable rage. ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°Huh...?¡± Suddenly, Frey¡¯s face twisted in pain as his breath ragged, and then he began to wobble where he stood. ¡°Heik?¡± Arianne was unexpectedly hugged tightly by Frey, causing her to stagger along him. ¡°...Phew.¡± After a momentary lapse of confusion, Frey retrieved a miniaturized walking stick from inside his chest pocket, planting it on the ground as he let out a deep sigh. ¡°.....?¡± He tilted his quizzically, looking at the protesters beyond Arianne, who was now blushing hard, and Alice, who wore a pale expression, unsure of what to do. ¡°Something... seems strange?¡± At last, Frey muttered. ¡°Hey.¡± Arianne, who had been looking in a daze until then, suddenly spoke. ¡°G-give Irina back...¡± ¡°...Just shut up and create a protective barrier around us.¡± ¡°Uh, for what reason?¡± ¡°If I say so, just do it. Do you not care about whatever may happen to Irina?¡± Being threatened by Frey, Arianne hesitated for a moment, then created a small, cylindrical protective barrier around herself, Frey, Irina, and Lulu. ¨C Crackle... Crackle...! ¨C Bang, bang!! ¨C Thwack...! Rocks and clubs flying from all directions began to pound the protective barrier vigorously. ¡°B-break it!!¡± ¡°Uwoooo!!¡± ¡°As expected...¡± Frey watched the mob beating the makeshift barrier with great eagerness. ¡°...It¡¯s definitely strange.¡± He murmured before turning his gaze to the side. ¡°Ah? Aaaah...?¡± Frey eyes met a pale looking Alice, standing outside the protective barrier and shaking in fear. ¡°E-everyone... Why are you doing this...¡± ¡°Move aside!!¡± ¡°Heikkk...!¡± When she attempted to pacify the angry mob, she found herself shoved aside by the people. ¡°..........¡± Lying on the ground, she began to tremble, looking at the protesting crowd vacantly, the same people she had once educated and guided. ¨C Zzing...! Right then, the protective barrier slightly opened. ¡°Huh, ack?¡± Just as Alice was about to get trampled by a frenzied protester who held a sign as if it was a club... ¨C Thud...! She was yanked into the protective barrier by someone¡¯s rough pull. ¨C Clang! Clang!!! ¨C Crackle, crackle...! At the next moment, the people surrounding the barrier began to beat it indiscriminately. ¡°Ugh, ugh...¡± Shocked by the sudden transformation of the people who had just been following her orders, Alice remained frozen in place, not even thinking of stepping back. ¨C Crash! ¨C Crush...! Thereafter, only the sound of the barrier and the people colliding echoed. ¡°Do you see it?¡± ¡°Heiik...!¡± Frey approached Alice, who was frozen while staring beyond the protective barrier, and whispered in a cold voice. ¡°Is this what you call a ¡®nonviolent protest¡¯?¡± ¡°I-I-I, I... I...¡± Alice¡¯s voice trembled as she stammered for a moment before finding the words to respond. ¡°I-I¡¯m sure just a little while ago... we were all still laughing together while listening to the education...¡± ¡°I will become your sex slave.¡± ¡°.....???¡± Alice, wearing a vacant expression, had declared that she would become my slave. ¡°Frey...?¡± ¡°Master...?¡± ¡°.........¡± Irina, Lulu, and Arianne, all of whom had been witnesses to Alice¡¯s subordination, now fixed me with cold stares. ¡°W-what is this? No way...?¡± The situation sent shivers down my spine, and I quickly opened the ¡°Affection System,¡± but... ¡°...But it¡¯s not...?¡± Alice¡¯s name was clearly not on the list of the Affection System. In other words, she did not fall under my hypothesis of the ¡®Influenced Sub-Heroines Theory.¡¯ ¡°What the hell is happening?¡± While her reaction might seem like she had a mental breakdown due to me... that was not the case. Along with the church, she had received the role of the 2nd-year Student Council President and the main villain, and was known to ¡®never yield¡¯ to my suggestions. No matter how many treasures I offered, how I tried to blackmail her, or even if I tried to take her life... She was an individual who would never compromise her ¡®beliefs.¡¯ However... ¡°What should... a sex slave do?¡± A person like Alice was now kneeling before me and asking such a question. Why did this happen? Moreover, the lines I just recited were the exact words from the prophecy I had memorized as a script for the ¡®Alice Awakening¡¯ quest event. Originally, Alice was supposed to reject my proposal here and declare, ¡°I will never yield.¡± ¡°T-the scenario is... going off course... darn it...¡± ¡°How should I call you from now on? Lord Frey? Young Master Frey? Master?¡± Yet, she continued to express submission. ¡°M-Master? No, she can¡¯t use that title. I¡¯m your only pet, right? The titles are overlapping with one another.¡± ¡°F-Frey. Don¡¯t listen to her. Something¡¯s not right with her.¡± Caught in the unexpected turn of events, my arms were forcibly stretched by Lulu and Irina. ¡°T-trash...¡± Arianne¡¯s gaze grew even colder. ¡°This is driving me insane...¡± Feeling as though I was about to go crazy, I closed my eyes shut. ¡°...How is it?¡± ¡°.......!¡± He could hear a very familiar voice. ¡°Do you like this?¡± ¡°Secret Lord...?¡± Alice¡¯s eyes had turned yellow, and was now speaking to me in the voice of the Secret Lord of the Moonlight Family. ¡°The Curse of Subordination...¡± Staring blankly at Alice, my eyes immediately widened when I saw the magic circle for the ¡°Curse of Subordination¡± enveloping her body. ¡°You, could it be...?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I casted the Curse of Subordination on this child a long time ago.¡± Hearing her speak in the Secret Lord¡¯s voice, I hurriedly used magic to cover Arianne¡¯s eyes and ears. ¡°Kyak!? W-what is this...?¡± ¡°She was exceptional, even among my assassins. Unlike my stubborn daughter, who deserves to be killed, she was perfectly ensnared.¡± Alice continued to speak in the Secret Lord¡¯s voice, her eyes vacant. ¡°Anyway, it seems like quite a tricky situation, so I intervened for a moment... Are you satisfied with this?¡± ¡°What do you want by doing this...¡± ¡°A deal. Of course, I want to propose a deal.¡± He immediately proposed a deal without giving me a chance to respond. ¡°I will temporarily transfer control of this child to you, starting now. In exchange, please save me.¡± ¡°You?¡± ¡°Yes, please! I beg you! Because of my wretched daughter, I can¡¯t die even if I want to!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°If you save me, I will permanently transfer control of this child to you... and I will assist you in dominating the world! I promise!¡± After hearing his proposal, I remained silent for a moment. ¡°Even though I¡¯ve lost all my power, I can still command Serena with your help! And I know a lot about hidden assassins and dark magic! That should be enough to help you!¡± The Secret Lord begged me with a desperate tone. ¡°Time is running out! That little bitch will be back here shortly! It¡¯s going to be difficult for you, too, if you no longer have control over her, right?¡± ¡°Hm...¡± ¡°She¡¯s a fitting candidate for that purpose, as you say! She has never been touched by any man¡¯s hand! Feel free to check for yoursel...¡± The Secret Lord, or rather, Alice, stared at me. ¡°...Alright.¡± I replied briefly. ¡°The deal... is sealed...¡± Alice¡¯s voice carried a hint of weariness. ¡°........¡± Her eyes reverted to their original color, and she stared at me for a moment. ¡°You were right. The public is ignorant, and there is no value in enlightening them. Therefore, it¡¯s only fitting for someone superior like you to dominate them.¡± Immediately, with a serious expression, she replied in her own voice. ¡°And that goes for me as well. When does my role as your sex slave start?¡± ¡°Huff...¡± I felt a throbbing headache as a result, lowering my head as I took a deep breath. ¡°Master, those people over there seem strange.¡± ¡°...I feel the same way. Something¡¯s off.¡± Upon hearing Lulu and Irina¡¯s words, I turned my gaze to the people sitting idly until now. ¡°When I gave orders to that girl Miho or you, M-Master, it felt like I was forcing my way through an iron wall... But when I gave orders to those people, I didn¡¯t feel anything at all.¡± ¡°...The composition of their mana is strange. It¡¯s not human.¡± Finally, after hearing their tense voices, I mumbled with a cold expression. ¡°Of course, it would be like that. That¡¯s because they¡¯re not human.¡± ¡°......?¡± ¡°It seems like they might be the secret weapons of the Church... But aside from that, those people came from the Church, right...?¡± ¡°Is the Pope finally making a move?¡± Next to me, Alice kept questioning me about the sex slave tasks. ¡°Please give orders regarding the sex slaves. Can we start executing them tonight?¡± ¡°I... I watched her change like that right in front of me. It¡¯s unbelievable.¡± And there was also Arianne, who had turned pale and taken a step back. ¡°Sigh...¡± Unbeknownst to us, the sun had set as the eventful day passed by. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 190: - A Different Level ? A Different Level ? ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°M-Master?¡± ¡°Just stay still.¡± I was sitting on my bed, closely examining Lulu¡¯s wide-open Magic Eyes. ¡°Innovative... The magic array is so intricate, and it¡¯s functioning flawlessly without any errors or issues. Even the highest-grade artifacts aren¡¯t like this.¡± Meanwhile, Irina stood beside me, excitedly jotting down something in her notebook. ¡°Your eyes are quite bloodshot... it must hurt.¡± Irina¡¯s actions made me smile, but then I returned to Lulu, gently covering Lulu¡¯s eyes as I whispered. ¡°Ugh...¡± Lulu quickly leaned her face into my hand, rubbing her face onto it. ¡°You can¡¯t use your eyes anymore if you do this. It will only make your eyes worse.¡± I softly reasoned with her. ¡°Ah...¡± Lulu hesitated for a moment, then lightly tugged on my fingers covering her eyes. ¡°I-is it okay if I do it like this?¡± With only the palm of my hand exposed, Lulu asked hesitantly before she resumed her cheek nuzzling against my hand ¡°Whoooo...¡± Watching her for a moment, I eventually turned to Irina, who had been analyzing Lulu¡¯s Magic Eyes all this time, and posed a question. ¡°Irina, what do you think?¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°...Irina?¡± However, Irina¡¯s response was somewhat peculiar. Unlike her previous enthusiasm for academic pursuits, she now wore an almost soulless expression. ¡°Only me... Only me falling behind...¡± Irina¡¯s voice, tinged with regret, suddenly spilled forth. ¡°You were already the slowest among the five... now you¡¯re even slower than a mere human pet...¡± ¡°Irina?¡± ¡°I-if things continue like this... ugh...¡± The sight of her sitting hunched over and mumbling like a drenched puppy made me feel unexpectedly sorry for her, so I muttered without thinking. ¡°...So cute.¡± ¡°.....!¡± Upon hearing that, Irina slightly flinched.UppTodated from no?/v/e/lb(i)n.c(o)/m ¡°Frey.¡± Then, Irina approached me, studying my reaction before she spoke in a low tone. ¡°...You should¡¯ve taken responsibility for me.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Intrigued by her unexpected remark, I lifted my head. Irina, leaning on my shoulder, blushed and averted her gaze before she continued whispering. ¡°As Arianne mentioned earlier, I never had any interest in men...¡± ¨C Ssk... ¡°...But now, even a meaningless compliment from you makes my heart flutter.¡± She confessed, then gently linked her arm with mine. ¡°If you turned a mage who only knew magic and combat into a woman, you should bear responsibility, shouldn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...Hmm.¡± Silently, she released her hair down, her intense gaze locked onto mine as she discreetly swallowed her saliva. ¡°Are you going to act like this again?¡± However, I attempted to maintain my composure. ¨C Ssk. Inching closer, Irina extended her fingers and gently stroked my chest, murmuring softly. ¡°From now on, you shouldn¡¯t act indifferent, uninterested, or restrained in front of me.¡± ¡°Uh, um...¡± ¡°If you made a girl fall in love, you should definitely make her yours. You fool.¡± A short silence ensued after her declaration. ¡°......¡± During that silence, Lulu, who had been rubbing her face on my hand, emitted a soft growl. ¡°Grrr...¡± Her soft growl continued. ¡°...C-can you brief me on the Magic Eyes for now?¡± On the other hand, my own face flushed with warmth. Irina, after momentarily glancing at Lulu, drew even closer and began speaking. ¡°The Magic Eyes she previously possessed specializes in analyzing things. I checked it myself, so I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°However, upon reevaluation, I¡¯ve noticed significant changes. They have become so complex that they surpass any existing artifact, and for some reason, I can sense demonic energy as well...¡± Now reverted to her usual inquisitive expression, Irina tilted her head and stared at Lulu, who was still emitting those soft growls. ¡°Judging from that, it seems that something has indeed changed today...¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± I was momentarily lost in thought at those words. ¨C Squish. At that moment, however, I could feel something squishy on my arm. ¡°... I have told you, right? I won¡¯t let you exercise any self-restraint.¡± I wondered what was going on, but she hugged my arm closely to her bosom. [Main Heroines] [Sub Heroines] [???] ¨C Please select a menu. ¡°Hmm...¡± Until now, I had never considered this Affection System particularly important. [Main Heroines Notification] However, looking at it now, I could somewhat understand the comments made by the version of me from the past cycle about the ¡®Affection System.¡¯ [Main Heroines Conquest] Kania: [Affection Level 100 (Conquest Complete)] [Title: First Enlightenment] Irina: [Affection Level 100 (Conquest Complete)] [Title: Second Enlightenment] Clana: [Affection Level 100 (Conquest Complete)] [Title: Third Enlightenment] . . . Only after seeing this was I able to discover the nature of the Five Enlightenments. ¡°Anyway... I¡¯m a bit concerned about Lulu¡¯s Magic Eyes...¡± I stared at the system window for a while, mumbling those words. Then, I glanced at Lulu, who was lying face down on the floor and watching my every move, as I became lost in thought. ¡®Could it be that Lulu¡¯s Magic Eyes are related to her being conquered?¡¯ According to Lulu¡¯s explanation, ¡°I kept thinking that I wanted to help Master, and my body heated up, and my abilities developed.¡± Was it possible for such an ability to develop as a result of such an event? Considering this, it was quite a plausible speculation that the Affection System might have intervened. Should I try to conquer the sub-heroines even by force, if that was the case? ¡®Well, I¡¯m not sure...¡¯ I wanted to try it at least once, but unfortunately, it seemed impossible. Because, only a moment ago, the Conquest Routes of all the sub-heroines, except Lulu and Roswyn, were ¡°suspended.¡± After such an eventful day, I wanted to take a break and not think about sub-heroines or anything else. As a result, the state changed uniformly. Well, even if I wanted to change the state again, I didn¡¯t know how. Yet, if I were to work on those girls now, it would likely have a counterproductive effect. There was no choice but to leave them be... ¡°Huh?¡± While thinking such thoughts and looking at the list of sub-heroines, I suddenly froze when I saw a name that had been hidden at the top. [Sub-Heroines Conquest] Isolet Arham Bywalker [Conquest Progress: 75%] Details... ¡°Why is she the only one left like this...¡± I was blankly staring at Isolet¡¯s name, whose status remained unchanged even though all the other routes were suspended. ¡°Hm?¡± My eyes widened, and eventually, I muttered. [Conquest Progress: 75%] ¡°It was only 70% a few days ago.¡± For some reason, her Conquest Progress was still displayed. ¡°What in the world...¡± Furthermore... [Conquest Progress: 76%] ¡°.....!?¡± Right at that moment, the Conquest Progress slightly increased. What the hell is going on? . . . . . Meanwhile... ¡°Ugh... ugh...¡± ¡°L-Lady Isolet, are you okay?¡± Isolet Arham Bywalker was lying on her bed, groaning in pain. ¡°Please, try to wake up...¡± ¡°Frey...¡± ¡°Huh?¡± And then... ¡°Freyyyyy...¡± ¡°.....???¡± She was calling out Frey¡¯s name. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 191: - The Past of Teacher and Disciple ? The Past of Teacher and Disciple ? ¡°Hmm...¡± In a haze of groans, Isolet gradually opened her eyes. ¡°.....?¡± As she did, she was met with a familiar sight before her. The main building of Sunrise Academy stood proudly at the heart of the Empire. Surrounding it were numerous annex buildings and sculptures. At the center of these buildings, there stood a magnificent statue of the legendary Hero from a millennium ago, widely known as the largest sculpture in the Empire. Each of these was something Isolet had liked since her school days and still cherished as a teacher. ¡°Ah...?¡± But now, as Isolet gazed at them, her face only grew paler. The grand main building of Sunrise Academy, which once stood tall at the heart of the empire, was reduced to rubble, and its annex buildings engulfed in flames. ¨C Creak... The statue of the Hero, almost a symbol of the empire itself, was shattered in half and collapsing. ¡®W-what is happening?!¡¯ As Isolet bore witness to this nightmarish scene, her expression twisted into shock; she attempted to cry out, but no sound came from her lips. ¡®What in the world is happening?¡¯ The words she couldn¡¯t vocalize reverberated only in the recesses of her mind. ¨C Crumble... Isolet stood in a daze for a while before quickly turning her head as a loud boom came from behind. ¡®...!¡± Then, an unbelievable scene unfolded before her very eyes. ¨C Crackle, crackle... Created by the Hero¡¯s Party a thousand years ago, the robust barrier enveloping the academy was said to be unbreachable for even the First Demon King. However, that very barrier was shattering into pieces before her eyes. ¡°Krrrrrrrr...¡± ¡°Wooohhh!!¡± And through the fractured barrier, an overwhelming torrent surged forth. ¡°Find... Find the humans...¡± ¡°Kill... them...¡± These were the highest-ranking demons that only surfaced once or twice a year, and along with them were creatures tainted by dark energy. ¡°Damn it...¡± Isolet¡¯s mind grappled with the surreal scene before her . ¡°Now that it¡¯s come to this...¡± ¡®W-what¡¯s happening?¡¯ Suddenly, a strange sound escaped her lips, and although she attempted to take a step back in alarm... ¡®Ugh?¡¯ Soon, she realized she couldn¡¯t move as she wished. Therefore, she muttered inwardly. ¡®...It seems like I¡¯m having another nightmare.¡¯ Lately, her body had grown weary, the weight of accumulated stress manifesting in frequent nightmares. She now unequivocally categorized this situation as a ¡°nightmare,¡± releasing a sigh. ¡®Attack on the Academy... It¡¯s a fitting nightmare.¡¯ With her grand goal of nurturing students who would revitalize the empire to prosperity, Isolet couldn¡¯t have asked for a more suitable nightmare. Although her body couldn¡¯t move as she wanted, somehow, Isolet swayed her head from side to side and thought. ¡®If I stay like this, I¡¯ll wake up on my own.¡¯ In that decisive moment, she drew her sword fastened to her waist and strode towards somewhere. ¡°I have to protect everyone...¡± Unbeknownst to her, at that moment, Isolet had become one with her dream self, even synchronizing with her emotions. She headed towards the approaching wave of darkness. . . . . . ¡°Kyaaaakkk!!¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t!¡± ¡°Please, someone save us!¡± Screams echoed from all around. This place should have been the safest and happiest location in the world, but it was now marred with blood and cries. ¡°R-run away!¡± ¡°Wait a moment! What about the students...¡± ¡°Let go of this!¡± In the distance, I could see the academy staff rushing to escape in a panic. Seeing them, a mix of anger and understanding welled up in my heart. Overwhelming foes were swarming beyond what they could handle. It would have been strange if they didn¡¯t show fear. ¡°...Grind.¡± However, shouldn¡¯t educators be rescuing students, or at the very least, evacuating with them? Even if they couldn¡¯t fight back, they should have the ability to help students who hadn¡¯t escaped yet. But it seemed the teachers were the first to run. The monsters hadn¡¯t yet breached the temporary barrier; couldn¡¯t they at least help the fallen students? Is this the academy I wanted to work for? Is this the image of a teacher I longed for? Is this the future I hoped for? ¡°Heuab...¡± ¡°Hold on for a bit longer. We need to buy time until reinforcements arrive...¡± ¡°There are students trapped inside the debris! Please help!¡± Right next to me, the maids responsible for the school were rushing around busily. While the maids were skilled, they were still not as capable as the teachers, yet they were the ones to diligently run around to help. ¡°Professor Isolet!¡± In such a painfully ironic situation, I let out a bitter laugh and headed towards the makeshift defensive line, which barely held off the enemies ¡°It¡¯s dangerous over there! Join us and fight together!¡± A maid ran desperately towards me and grabbed my arm. ¡°Professor Isolet, you were not thinking of going in there, were you?¡± ¡°...It¡¯s impossible to do. Even if it¡¯s you, that would be suicidal.¡± ¡°How about taking time to recuperate your body and regroup here before fighting alongside us?¡± Then, a few teachers who had stayed back at the academy with their conscience intact urgently spoke to me. ¡°...Sigh.¡± It was truly fortunate. There were still people like this. Even if the empire was shrouded in darkness, as long as these individuals, akin to small sparks in the infinite darkness, remained, there was hope for it to blaze again. That¡¯s why I... Today, I¡¯m willing to sacrifice myself for these sparks. It is the duty of a knight. It is the duty of a teacher with disciples. It is the path everyone should aim for. If sacrificing myself could become a fuse, then it is something I must do. ¡°Professor Isolet!¡± ¡°...Professor!!¡± With these thoughts coursing through my mind, I attempted to move toward the makeshift defensive line, but the people constructing the barrier hurried to intercept me. ¡°Everyone already knows that if this defensive line is breached, all our efforts will be useless.¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°And some students are trapped inside.¡± I said as such toward them. ¡°If I don¡¯t make it out alive, please tell my father this.¡± In a faint voice, I conveyed the words I had always wanted to say. ¡°...Tell him that I¡¯m deeply sorry for bringing shame to our family.¡± I leaped into the defensive line. In that silence, my eyes remained closed. ¡®That¡¯s right...¡¯ Clutching the sword tightly in my hand until that moment, I muttered silently to myself. ¡®...Come on, Frey.¡¯ This was the trap I had set just before my death. Having ascended to the realm of Sword Saint, I wielded absolute control over my body¡¯s condition. I completely eliminated my body¡¯s vital signs to disguise my death. After all, this body was practically dead, so I maintained my existence with extraordinary mental strength. This meant that even if the Demon King were to come, she wouldn¡¯t be able to discern my state. ¡°Hmm...¡± I had already noticed that he had been eyeing my sword greedily. Perhaps he intended to approach me to retrieve my sword. The instant he touched my sword, as a final act, I would infuse all the mana into the sword to make it go berserk. My disciple, who strayed from the right path, had become a monster poised to destroy everything. It was only fitting that I, his teacher, should take his life. ¨C Step, step As I clung to the fringes of consciousness, he inched closer. It seemed my disciple intended to disappoint me until the very end. ¨C Swish... Frey, now arriving before me, cautiously lowered his body. ¨C Wooong... At that moment, I readied myself to infuse mana into the sword. ¡°Grind...¡± Simultaneously, the sound of gritted teeth reached my ears. ¡®...?¡¯ Just as I wondered what that sound was, something warm fell onto my chest. ¨C Drop. Drop... Gradually, the warm drops multiplied, and as I hesitated to open my eyes and assess the situation... ¡°Ugh...¡± I heard sobbing in my ears. ¡°Ugh, ugh...¡± At first, I questioned whether it might be a hallucination, but the sobbing continued, undoubtedly coming from right in front of me. That¡¯s right. Frey was crying in sorrow, clutching me tightly with his face buried in my chest. ¡°I¡¯m sorry... Sister...¡± He continued to soak my chest with tears. ¡°You must have suffered a lot... right?¡± While patting my back, he whispered. ¡°Rest for a while.¡± With utmost tenderness, he withdrew from my chest, gently laying me down on the ground. ¡°I will definitely give you a happy ending.¡± Suppressing his tears, he promised me in a trembling voice and quietly got up. ¨C Swish... Then, he reached out for my sword. ¡®...¡¯ I had long prepared for this moment. All that was left was infusing mana into the sword, which would go berserk. Frey would certainly meet his demise. Perhaps right here, right now, I could stop the monster that would destroy the empire and set the world on fire. That was what I must do both as a teacher and a knight of the Empire. It was what the whole world desired. ¨C Sliiiiing... But why? My hand wouldn¡¯t respond. Had I become so exhausted that I couldn¡¯t even muster the strength of my hand? Or perhaps, had my heart grown weaker now? If that was not the case either, then had I finally come to realize what the unsure feeling I had was, whenever I witnessed his wrongdoings? ¨C Thud...! I was losing consciousness while contemplating such thoughts. Frey carefully placed my hand, still gripping the sword, on my chest. It was a traditional culture of the Empire to pay respect to knights who had fallen in war or battle, as well as to the swords they carried. ¡°...Farewell, Sister.¡± Suppressing the trembling in my eyes, I finally opened my eyes cautiously. It was because there was something I wanted to confirm. ¡°...Ah.¡± And that action was worthwhile. ¡®Frey...¡¯ The boy in front of me was now kneeling before my gradually freezing body. Tears flowed from his pure silver eyes, just like when I first met him. ¡®You...¡¯ It was the same look I had glimpsed in his eyes when his parents passed away. ¡®No way...¡¯ No, that was not it. Maybe he... No, perhaps from the beginning he... ¡®From the very beginning...the entire time...¡¯ My consciousness completely faded. . . . . . ¡°Hhaaargh!!!¡± ¡°Kyaaak!?¡± Isolet, who had been groaning in bed, suddenly screamed and jumped. ¡°F-Frey! Where¡¯s Frey...?¡± ¡°Wha-what?¡± Moments later, Isolet, with a pale face, stammered. ¡°...Huh?¡± Looking around, she furrowed her brows and then asked while panting. ¡°Where am I?¡± ¡°Y-you¡¯re at home, Sister.¡± ¡°...¡± Upon hearing that, Isolet¡¯s eyes turned vacant. ¡°Frey.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Frey... um... what did I want to say?¡± She murmured, clutching her head. ¡°I can¡¯t quite remember. It feels like it was an important memory...¡± ¡°Did you have another nightmare?¡± ¡°...I guess you¡¯re right. Maybe I did.¡± Isolet responded to Aria, Frey¡¯s younger sister, who asked the question with a worried expression. ¡°Could you bring me a piece of paper for a letter, please?¡± ¡°A letter? Why do you suddenly need a letter?¡± Isolet mumbled in a low voice. ¡°...Because I suddenly have someone I want to meet.¡± You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 192: - 80% ? 80% ? ¡°Hmm...¡± A cozy atmosphere emanated from the wooden ceiling when I opened my eyes. ¡°...Meow.¡± ¡°Hoot...¡± In addition, a cat doll nestled within my pajama pocket, purring softly, while Serena¡¯s white owl was dozing off by the window. ¡®Now that I¡¯ve had a quick look at the sub-heroines, should I take a break once I meet Aishi? No, I should also keep an eye on the Church... but I also should visit the Western Continent at least once.¡¯ As I stared intently at the scene that I had become accustomed to these days, I began mentally organizing the tasks I needed to complete during this vacation. I then got up from my seat. ¡°Kania.¡± As usual, I called Kania, but... ¡°Hm?¡± For some reason, she didn¡¯t open the door, so I tilted my head in confusion. ¡°Strange, hasn¡¯t she come back home yet?¡± Normally, even when I called Kania by the first syllable of her name, ¡°Ka,¡± she would open the door right away. If I had finished calling all the syllables of her name and she still didn¡¯t show up, it meant she wasn¡¯t at home. Or perhaps something had happened. ¡°Come to think of it, she wasn¡¯t home yesterday either.¡± As I suddenly realized that she hadn¡¯t been home yesterday either, I started to feel worried and began to get up from my seat. ¡°Meow...¡± However, the cat doll sitting in my pajama pocket, hunched over, gently wrapping its tail around my arm while making a pitiful sound. ¡°What¡¯s this feeling?¡± Today, as I looked at the pitiful doll, I couldn¡¯t help but think of Kania, who had given it to me. It couldn¡¯t be anything serious, right? ¨C Knock, knock, knock. As I thought about this, I was holding the cat doll in my arms when someone knocked on the door. ¡°Kania?¡± I threw the question with a slightly relieved expression, but as the door swung open, the person who entered the room wasn¡¯t Kania. ¡°H-hello...?¡± It was Irina, her face flushed bright red. ¡°I-Irina?¡± She looked like she wanted to hide in a mouse hole immediately. ¡°What¡¯s... going on?¡± I noticed that she was wearing the maid uniform I had given her a long time ago, but it had undergone quite an unconventional transformation. . Well, to be precise, the clothes themselves weren¡¯t that unconventional. It was just that Irina had always worn baggy clothes and a cloak, concealing her body entirely. So when she wore this type of clothing, it made her appear more revealing. ¡°I, I¡¯ve told you, haven¡¯t I?¡± While I was momentarily lost in thought, Irina swallowed nervously and started talking to me. ¡°I won¡¯t let you pretend to be indifferent anymore.¡±CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m Hearing that, I quickly covered myself with the blanket and slightly raised my head to ask a question. ¡°Uh, Irina. What¡¯s going on here? What¡¯s with the sudden change in clothes, and why are you here?¡± ¡°...Just a moment.¡± When Irina cautiously waved her finger, the door opened automatically, and a covered plate floated in. ¡°I-I came to bring breakfast.¡± Holding the plate and approaching me, Irina opened the lid, revealing the breakfast she had prepared. ¡°I-I tried making it for the first time... How is it?¡± The plate contained a delicious-looking omelet and milk with frothy bubbles. It wasn¡¯t my usual breakfast, but it was a suitable morning meal. ¡°I-I wasn¡¯t confident in making sandwiches... and they might be too light. Coffee isn¡¯t good for the body, right? So, I prepared this... D-do you like it?¡± Irina, who had been anxiously awaiting my reaction, blushed as she asked. ¡°...Thank you.¡± Looking at the dog-shaped omelet and heart-shaped patterns she drew, I smiled slightly and replied. ¡°But, you knew how to do all this? I thought you could only cook meat dishes...¡± ¡°I-I can cook too. I can cook at least as well as that sneaky girl... I mean, as well as Kania. So, you can ask me for anything from now on.¡± All I did was ask a question that had suddenly occurred to me, but Irina answered in a huff. ¡°Hiss...!¡± ¡°Oh, right. Speaking of which, where¡¯s Kania?¡± Only now did I remember Kania, who had crossed my mind earlier. I asked while holding the cat that was hissing, and Irina, who had been quietly glaring at the cat, opened her mouth. ¡°Kania is currently in the Western Continent.¡± ¡°The Western Continent!?¡± I exclaimed, startled by this revelation, but Irina quickly added. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about her. She went with the Imperial Investigation Team.¡± ¡°The Imperial Investigation Team?¡± ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s not just an ordinary Imperial Investigation Team. It consists of Clana¡¯s attendants.¡± What was going on? Why did Clana suddenly send an Imperial Investigation Team to the Western Continent, and why did Kania have to go with them? ¡°The reason is simple. They plan to intercept the information about the artifacts in the Western Continent before the Demon King or the Church obtains it.¡± When I asked Irina these questions, she began to explain. ¡°We¡¯re trying to locate previously undiscovered artifacts using the knowledge from the previous cycle, seize the artifacts and information, and then feed false information to the Church and Demon King.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°For the artifacts that the Church already possesses... Kania and Clana¡¯s attendants will handle them.¡± After hearing Irina¡¯s explanation, I could somewhat understand Kania¡¯s decision to go to the Western Continent because no one was better suited for such a task. But there were still a few questions left lingering on my mind. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask me to use the Demon King¡¯s army and pretend to be the Demon King?¡± ¡°Because we can¡¯t issue them detailed orders that way. So far, everything they¡¯ve brought back has been worthless antiques. Besides, the Demon King¡¯s Chief of Staff still has suspicions about you, right?¡± ¡°A-alright, alright, I get it.¡± After a while, the owl gave us a stern look and shook its head. Irina pouted, lowering her head. ¡°Hoot.¡± The owl, which had been staring at Irina, eventually handed me an envelope. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± I opened the envelope and found a letter along with a white ring. ¨C It¡¯s a couple ring. I¡¯ll prepare a proper wedding ring later. As I read the letter, wondering what its contents were, I noticed Serena¡¯s neat handwriting. ¨C You can decide which finger and hand you wish to put it on. ¡°.......¡± I continued to read the letter in silence. ¡°But this...¡± Staring at the white ring shimmering in my hand, I murmured with a trembling voice. ¡°...Isn¡¯t this a purity stone?¡± The first couple¡¯s ring I had received from Serena appeared to be made from a purity stone. Where did she manage to get a purity stone? ¨C Ding! As I wondered about this and slipped the ring onto my finger, a system window suddenly appeared in front of me. [Sub-Heroines Conquest] Isolet Arham Bywalker [Conquest Progress: 79%] Details... ¡°This is driving me nuts.¡± Within just a few hours, the Conquest Progress for Isolet had significantly increased. What exactly had been happening with Isolet over the past few days? . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment. ¡°I¡¯ve checked everywhere, but there really is no sign of sorcery!¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes! I, Ferloche, can vouch for it!¡± After diagnosing Isolet, who was lying on the bed, Ferloche said with enthusiasm. ¡°Ehm, hmm. Anyway, Professor.¡± Beside Ferloche, the bishop of the Sun God Church, who had been quietly clearing his throat, spoke up. ¡°What are your thoughts on the proposal we presented last time?¡± He asked Isolet, who was looking at herself discontentedly. ¡°I¡¯m certain I sent the letter requesting only Ferloche¡¯s presence.¡± ¡°Regardless of personal matters, it¡¯s only natural for the Church to accompany the Saintess in her activities. That¡¯s what we should be doing...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s put a halt to that conversation.¡± As the conversation was about to lengthen, Isolet abruptly interrupted and quietly asked a question in a low voice. ¡°So, does the Youngest Paladin truly admire me?¡± ¡°Yes, Professor. With your permission I hope she can receive training under your guidance as soon as possible...¡± Upon hearing this, the bishop started explaining with a slight smile. ¡°...Let me think about it a bit more.¡± When Isolet replied in such a manner, the bishop frowned slightly. ¡°Why are you delaying your answer like this? It shouldn¡¯t be such a difficult decision. Besides, given your current circumstances, it would be unusual to decline, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Upon hearing the bishop¡¯s complaint, Isolet said. ¡°It¡¯s not just about having a disciple... If I take on an exclusive disciple...¡± Isolet calmly stroked the beloved sword Frey had given her as she muttered. ¡°...In various ways, I feel like it would be distressing for my heart.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After hearing this, he began to persuade her with a gentle expression. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ll change your mind once you meet her in person. I¡¯ll bring her to visit you soon.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll also participate in the upcoming ¡®Verification Ceremony¡¯ and join the ¡®Hero¡¯s Party¡¯... Oops, that was meant to be confidential. Anyway, she has a promising future.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Moreover, she¡¯s bright, energetic, and pure. Having someone like her around could be quite beneficial to someone as renowned as you, known for being a solitary swordsman...¡± ¡°Now that our business is over, why don¡¯t you take your leave?¡± However, Isolet turned to her side and laid down as she spoke. ¡°...I will come to visit you again soon.¡± ¡°Goodbye~!¡± The bishop and Ferloche had no choice but to leave her room. ¡°..........¡± For a long while, Isolet maintained her silence. ¡°A promising future, bright and full of vitality, pure...¡± Eventually, she murmured with a despondent tone . ¡°...I¡¯ve encountered this type of person before, haven¡¯t I?¡± At that very moment, Frey¡¯s system window displayed Isolet¡¯s Conquest Progress at 80%. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 193: - Youngest Paladin ? Youngest Paladin ? A week had passed since vacation had begun. ¡°Kyah...¡± ¡°......¡± Sitting in front of the bed in my room, I found myself gently stroking Lulu¡¯s chin, wearing a placid expression. ¡°Chomp...¡± After stroking her chin for a while and cautiously offering an apple slice, Lulu, who was lying face down, devoured it like a dog receiving a treat. ¡°Hmm...¡± As I continued stroking her head, lounging comfortably in the armchair, I mumbled softly. ¡°I feel so happy...¡± The past week had truly been a succession of tranquil days. I had never imagined that I would be able to have such days until just before the final showdown. Just a few months ago, I had been personally scrambling to manage tasks due to severe shortage of both time and manpower. But now, even if I were to sit idly in the mansion, everything would run smoothly. It feels like a dream, to an extent where I still struggle to believe it¡¯s real. ¡°Let¡¯s see...¡± Before I knew it, Lulu had finished eating all the apples I was feeding her and had started to rub her cheek on my legs¡ªa recent habit of hers. Ignoring her behavior, I reached out to the letterbox by the window, leaning back in the armchair. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s here.¡± I had recently installed a new bird shelter and letterbox by the window for Serena¡¯s owl, Ferloche¡¯s dove, and Clana¡¯s canary, so they could take a rest without much difficulty. However, it was not only the three of them who used it; occasionally, even wild birds and carrier pigeons sought refuge there. For some reason, a few of the carrier pigeons chose to drop letters into the letterbox by the window rather than delivering them to the designated location, making it unclear whether they were clever or just lazy. ¨C Ssk... Nevertheless, as I reached into the letterbox, I discovered two letters. What kind of letter could they be? A Daytime Serena¡¯s cheesy love letter? Or a Nighttime Serena¡¯s passionate and intense love letter? Maybe they were letters from Kania, who lately had been expressing her desire to finish work quickly because she missed me, or letters from Clana, who persistently asked about things I wanted to have. Or it could be a threatening letter from the now cute but still stupid Ferloche, warning that she would scold me if I misbehaved... No, that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. Both letters were properly enclosed in envelopes. ¡°Hmm?¡± Without further ado, I checked the letters, and the senders turned out to be none other than Princess Aishi of the Cloud Kingdom and Isolet. Receiving letters from both of them at the same time felt oddly coincidental, especially given the concern I had been harboring about them. ¨C To Lord Frey. [Hello? I wonder if you remember me.] With that thought in mind, I began by reading Aishi¡¯s letter, and her neatly written words soon captivated my attention. [No, there¡¯s no way you don¡¯t remember me since, by now, you should have noticed the anomaly that has befallen you.] My brows furrowed as I tilted my head in quiet contemplation . Come to think of it, why hadn¡¯t the ¡®Frozen Heart Curse¡¯ effect shown up? During the ¡®Slave Market Liberation Quest,¡¯ I had transferred the Frozen Heart Curse that Aishi carried onto myself. The only way to completely neutralize the curse, which inevitably leads to death, was for me to meet my end while still carrying it. The Light of Annihilation that occurred when the Hero¡¯s Armament went berserk in the final battle was unstoppable, even against the most potent curses. As such, the Frozen Heart¡¯s curse stood no match against it. I could be resurrected anyway, so it was the right choice. But why hadn¡¯t the curse¡¯s effect appeared until now? The incubation period should have elapsed long ago. Had I failed to transfer the curse? I briefly entertained the possibility, but then I shook my head. I definitely recall feeling a chilling sensation behind me at the time, and there was no longer any shadow of death from Aishi, indicating that the curse had indeed been successfully transferred. Then, why wasn¡¯t the symptom showing up? ¡°Hmm...¡± No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn¡¯t find a definitive answer. So I shook my head in frustration and continued reading the letter I was holding. [I¡¯ll cut to the chase. Let¡¯s meet next week. The date and place are...] ¡°Good timing.¡± I had already been planning a meeting with her, but her reaching out personally left me uncertain about what to expect. My first order of business once I meet her should be to discuss the curse and also observe if there is ¡°any change.¡± ¡°Phew.¡± With that in mind, I sighed and placed the letter on the desk. ¡°...Then, let¡¯s check the letter Sister sent me.¡± And then, I was about to check the letter sent by Isolet. ¨C Creak... However, at that moment, the door opened and two girls entered the room. ¡°........¡± The two girls were Arianne and Alice, the ones responsible for the recent protest incident. A few days ago, they were almost in trouble when they got caught by the security forces. Of course, since I didn¡¯t want that to happen, I spoke to the security forces and agreed to have them serve as my maids as a condition of the settlement. And now, here they were, staring at me with cold expressions, wearing a maid outfit. ¡®...So plain.¡¯ In a shy voice, the visitor asked. ¡°Irina, what are you...¡± Of course, it was Irina, so I tilted my head and removed her hand from my eyes. ¡°....¡± I soon found myself blankly staring at her. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. I thought you looked upset, so I tried to cheer you up...¡± ¡°Irina, what¡¯s that on your head?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Irina had puppy ears growing out of her head. ¨C Perk, perk. They were red puppy ears¡ª I felt like I had seen them before. ¡°Heik...! W-why is this happening now...!¡± Startled by my words, Irina touched her own head absentmindedly. ¡°Ah, well, y-y-you see, this is... a practice for transformation magic... No, it¡¯s a substitute for a spirit... um, something like that...¡± She stumbled over her words. ¡°Y-you see, this is a magic I specially developed just for you. Be grateful.¡± After struggling for a while, she finally managed to explain her situation. Looking at her acting like that, I whispered. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could be so cute like this.¡± Irina¡¯s puppy ears perked up at my words. ¡°...Eek.¡± She twitched at my words but soon fell silent when she saw the owl eyeing us after flying to the windowsill. ¡°B-by the way, Frey... What were you looking at?¡± Suddenly, she leaned on my shoulder, pressing her upper body against me and nudging her cheek on my face as she posed the question. ¡°Uh, well... So, this is a letter from Sister Isolet.¡± I read the letter, feeling a familiar, squishy sensation on my shoulder. ¡°...Huh?¡± Soon, I furrowed my brow, completely absorbed in the letter¡¯s contents. [I can¡¯t take it anymore. Sister Isolet told me not to tell you, but I can¡¯t keep quiet any longer.] ¡°This is?¡± Inside the envelope with Isolet¡¯s name on it, a letter was written in my sister Aria¡¯s handwriting. [What have you done to Sister Isolet?] The contents of the letter kept me engrossed for quite some time. But eventually, I placed it on the desk and muttered to myself. ¡°I think I need to go out for a while.¡± ¡°Huh? Go out? Where to?¡± Irina¡¯s puppy ears perked up in curiosity. ¡°To Sister Isolet¡¯s house.¡± After giving her a brief response, I got up from my seat and put on my coat. ¨C Ding! Suddenly, the system window appeared, causing me to stare at it. [Sub-Heroines Conquest] Isolet Arham Bywalker [Conquest Progress: 85%] Details... Just now, it had increased by 1%. . . . . . Meanwhile, at the Church of the Sun God... ¡°Professor Isolet has finally agreed to the meeting.¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± After relentless persuasion, the bishop, having secured Isolet¡¯s consent, knelt before the Pope and reported. ¡°Of course, loneliness is inevitable. Even if it¡¯s someone like h...¡± ¡°Then, let us go.¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± Interrupting the bishop¡¯s never-ending speech, the Pope suddenly stood up. ¡°...To the underground of our Church.¡± A cunning smile played upon his lips as he responded. ¡°Of course, we have to visit the pride of our Church, the Youngest Paladin.¡± You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 194: - A Created Saintess ? A Created Saintess ? ¡°Excuse me, Your Holiness.¡± ¡°What do you want to ask?¡± The newly ordained bishop tasked with persuading Isolet stole a hesitant glance at the Pope before posing the question. ¡°Are we... really going down to the Church¡¯s underground now?¡± ¡°Yes, we are.¡± ¡°I-I see.¡± Having held his bishopric for less than a month, he grappled with intense unease. Although his standing in the Church hierarchy didn¡¯t mirror that of a high-ranking executive bishop, rumors of clandestine Church activities were common knowledge among most insiders. For him, visiting the very place that had only existed as whispers and rumors necessitated a considerable amount of mental fortitude, despite having gone through many hardships to reach this position. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re a new bishop? You¡¯ve never been to the underground before, have you?¡± ¡°N-no, sir. I haven¡¯t.¡± The Pope¡¯s query almost prompted him to request a moment to collect his thoughts. Consequently, he hastily replied, anxiously watching for the Pope¡¯s reaction. ¡°Um, by the way...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much! There¡¯s no need to be so tense.¡± Perhaps noticing his anxiety, the Pope patted his back with a hearty voice. ¡°Every bishop experienced it at least once.¡± With a faint, ominous smile, the Pope ended his words and once more commenced moving toward the underground. ¡°...¡± Overwhelmed by the atmosphere, the bishop followed behind the Pope, his legs trembling slightly. ¡°Here we are.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± When the Pope stopped in front of an old door, the bishop recoiled in astonishment. ¡°This, this is...¡± His divine power and intuition alerted him that this door was not meant to be opened. ¡°What makes you hesitate so much?¡± ¡°J-just a moment!¡± ¨C Creak... Yet, before he could utter a word, the Pope had already pushed the door ajar. ¡°...Huh?¡± He briefly shut his eyes and then cautiously reopened them, only to find himself baffled. ¡°W-what is it?¡± Within the underground chamber, an inexplicable aura permeated the air, filled with shining relics from the Church of the Sun God. ¡°What were you expecting? Did you think monsters would be lurking here?¡± ¡°Oh, n-no.¡± ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go in. I¡¯m in a bit of a hurry.¡± Scratching his head, the bishop was soon ushered into the chamber by the Pope. ¡°Um, but... Why is the ¡®Youngest Paladin¡¯ here...¡± ¨C Creak... ¡°.....?¡± Having closed the door to the underground chamber, the Pope retrieved a scroll and began to cast a spell upon it. ¡°What are you doing right now?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see yourself? I¡¯m locking the door.¡± ¡°Why do you...¡± The bishop eyed the Pope in bewilderment before posing another question. This left the Pope sighing in response. ¡°It¡¯ll be troublesome if you run out of here.¡± ¡°Pardon me?¡± He gestured behind the bishop. ¡°What does that mean just now...¡± The bishop idly glanced over his shoulder, mumbling at the Pope¡¯s incomprehensible actions. ¡°.....Heik!¡± Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he froze in place. ¡°W-W-W-What¡¯s this?¡± His dilated pupils locked onto a pair of bloodshot irises that had materialized in the previously inky void. ¡°Ah, ah euuuu... aaeuuu...¡± Despite the circumstances that would normally invoke panic, the bishop found himself rooted to the spot. Something about that pair of irises had inexplicably rendered him immobile. ¡°What... what... is this...?¡± Struggling against his growing dread, the bishop, drenched in a cold sweat, finally managed to muster the strength to question the Pope, who stood by his side. ¡°Are you asking because you really don¡¯t know what this is?¡± The Pope¡¯s expression grew frostier in response. ¡°A true sun, don¡¯t you think so?¡± He added with a cold smile. ¨C Slide...! And in that fateful moment, the meaning of the Pope¡¯s words became clear. ¡°Ugh, ack!!¡± The grotesque tentacles sprouted from the eerie floating eyeballs stretched out toward him. ¡°S-Save me! Please...¡± The abhorrent, unidentifiable creature, its pupils transformed into writhing tendrils, bore a macabre resemblance to an inky sun. ¡°It seems like the sun has bestowed sunlight upon you.¡± ¡°......Ack.¡± The Pope closed his eyes and clasped his hands in reverence as the tentacles made contact with the bishop¡¯s neck and face. ¡°This too shall be a blessing.¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± He whispered with a smirk curling at the corners of his lips. ¡°...Congratulations on becoming truly a part of us.¡± Upon hearing those words, the girl knelt on the floor, closed her eyes, and clasped her hands together. ¡°I offer my prayers to the Holy Sun today as well... I, your humble lamb, dare to request earnestly...¡± She began to pray, and divine power radiated from her entire being. ¡°...Please show me the way.¡± However, from that moment, the girl began to slowly stiffen. ¡°Huh? Uwah?¡± Gradually, her expression shifted from mystical serenity to one of perplexity. ¡°Huff, huff... What is this...?¡± Much time had passed as she finally ceased her prayers. The exhausted girl gasped for breath and found herself lost in soul-searching. Meanwhile, the Pope fixed his unwavering gaze on her. ¡°What did you see?¡± He countered with a question. ¡°I saw various scenes, but most were shrouded in darkness, so I couldn¡¯t see them clearly.¡± ¡°Oh no, the ¡®Demon God¡¯ must have caused some ¡®interference.''¡± The Pope sighed and shook his head. ¡°H-however... I did see some scenes vividly.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The girl hastened to explain. ¡°For example, scenes in which flesh collided with flesh were often depicted.¡± Her words were met with silence. ¡°The first scene involving flesh, among all the scenes I witnessed, featured one person¡ª ¡®Frey,¡¯ the world¡¯s greatest villain, who continued to appear in such scenes.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°And the other person was...¡± ¡°Did you see any scenes that you were in?¡± The Pope interrupted her account, causing the girl to shut her mouth for a moment. ¡°There... seemed to be some scenes.¡± Even the thought of it twisted her face in disgust, but eventually, she reluctantly muttered the words, her lips barely parting. ¡°It was horrifying. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t something that actually happen¡ª¡± ¡°But it will happen.¡± ¡°Excuse me!?¡± The girl¡¯s eyes widened at his words. ¡°The ability you possess is a ¡®prophecy¡¯ ability. The scenes you saw are events that will actually occur in the future.¡± ¡°B-but... why?¡± ¡°...Why is that?¡± Disbelief was written all over her face. The Pope threw a cold look at her and asked back. ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you doubt my words, the Apostle of the Sun?¡± ¡°...No, I don¡¯t.¡± The girl replied as her face turned pale. ¡°Then... a-am I going to whisper words of love to that man, just as I saw?¡± A tremor accompanied her voice. ¡°I don¡¯t want to. It¡¯s terrifying. I¡¯m scared. To make such an expression to that disgusting person, I...¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, you can change the future.¡± The Pope spoke to the girl with a warm voice. ¡°You are the only one in this world who knows the future. So, your future will change depending on what you do.¡± ¡°I-is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, so...¡± He declared solemnly. ¡°Kill Frey without hesitation, using any means necessary.¡± Hearing this declaration, the girl tensed up. ¡°That may be the only way to protect yourself, the Empire, and even the world.¡± The Pope eloquently finished his statement before turning away and heading for the stairs. ¡°...Come out when you¡¯re ready.¡± He added briefly and began to climb the stairs. ¡°...........¡± The silence lingered. ¡°...Frey.¡± At that moment, her shock was replaced by disgust. ¡°Before I become like that, I¡¯ll definitely kill you and change the future.¡± She muttered and took a step forward. ¡°Gugu.¡± ¡°.....?¡± And at that moment, a dove flew towards her. ¨C Shaaa... Without giving her a chance to prepare, the dove plunged into her arms. ¡°Ah...¡± The girl with a mystical appearance, who had been filled with contempt and disgust, lost consciousness for a moment. ¡°.........¡± And after a while, the dazed girl spoke in a faint voice. ¡°The pervasive darkness... has been lifted slightly.¡± Alone In the darkness, she radiated a brilliant light, a single tear flowing from her eyes. ¡°Why did I embrace him...¡± ¡°...while making such an expression and weeping like that?¡± Meanwhile... A familiar-looking dove with a foolish expression escaped from her body, flying away while singing a cheerful tune. ¡°Gugu~?¡± You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 195: - A Great Success ? A Great Success ? ¡°Goodbye... Have a safe trip.¡± ¡°......¡± As I was leaving to visit Isolet¡¯s house, Arianne and Alice bid me farewell at the front door. ¡°Alice, why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± I raised my head and asked Alice when she simply bowed her head in silence. With a trembling voice and her head still lowered, she finally spoke. ¡°Mas...ter... please have a safe journey.¡± It seemed like she was trying to resist the influence of the ¡®Curse of Subordination... While it was impossible, witnessing her resistance through sheer willpower surprised me quite a bit. ¡°Both of you, take good care of the house.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Leaving Alice and Arianne behind, I stepped out in front of the front door, where the bright morning sunlight greeted me. ¡°Tsk.¡± Once, I could still feel some warmth from it, but now I couldn¡¯t feel anything other than ¡®it was the Demon God¡¯s gaze,¡¯ which left me feeling uneasy. ¡°Uhm, Frey.¡± As I quickly headed towards the waiting carriage, Irina, who had been sticking by my side, discreetly spoke. ¡°You should be careful with that girl, Alice.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°...She tried to attack you just now.¡± Upon hearing that, I smiled and replied. ¡°I also noticed that she was trembling. So, of course, I was prepared. But ultimately, she couldn¡¯t attack me due to the ¡®Curse of Subordination.¡¯ ¡°So you knew I used magic to suppress her all this time?¡± ¡°...What?¡± I tried to reassure her calmly, but as I listened to Irina¡¯s serious words and saw her expression, I couldn¡¯t help but become more serious myself. ¡°She¡¯s one of the top assassins in the Moonlight family. She might not be as strong as Serena, but she¡¯s definitely not an opponent to be underestimated...¡± ¡°Are you okay, Irina?¡± Knowing that Irina¡¯s mana circuit hadn¡¯t fully recovered, I was worried about her condition because she had been continuously using such magic without the assistance of scrolls. ¡°Don¡¯t do that again next time. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± ¡°...A-alright.¡± As I held her shoulders and advised her not to do such things, Irina lowered her gaze and responded. ¨C Twitch, twitch. ¡°Anyway... when will those ears disappear?¡± Unable to resist the cuteness of her twitching ears, I reached out to touch them as I posed the question. ¡°Heikk, uwaah... That¡¯s...¡± Startled, Irina began to tremble and babble nervously. ¡°W-Well, I¡¯m not sure either... It¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it? Why haven¡¯t they disappeared...? Eh, hik!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you acting like that?¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s nothing... Maybe it¡¯s just a side effect, so it¡¯s a bit sensitive...¡± I raised an eyebrow in puzzlement as I watched Irina, whose face had turned bright red. She suddenly fell silent and hesitated. ¡°Uh, Frey.¡± After a while, she started to speak while fidgeting with her hands. ¡°If-if you like it... you can touch them as much as you want. A-after all, I made them just to show them to you.¡± Upon hearing that, I nodded my head and continued to gently touch her soft fluffy ears, causing Irina to shiver. ¡°Uh.¡± After I had touched her ears for a while, Lulu, who had been standing quietly beside me, spoke to Irina in a low voice. ¡°Please... make ears like that for me too.¡± ¡°What? No, that¡¯s not something just anyone can do.¡± ¡°B-but...!¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not possible, it¡¯s not possible.¡± However, Lulu, feeling rejected, activated her Magic Eyes. ¡°How dare you ask me for this identity that I¡¯ve worked so hard to find? With these, I might even be able to beat Clana someh...¡± ¡°Wow! It looks even more amazing when viewed through Magic Eyes!¡± ¡°.....!?¡± Lulu closely examined Irina¡¯s ears and couldn¡¯t contain her amazement. ¡°The mana structure is quite unique! It¡¯s like... well, I mean... transformation magic?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Like the kind of magic that appears when you use transformation ma... mmph!?¡± However, for some reason, Lulu closed her mouth shortly after and Irina, who had been glaring at her, began to speak with beads of sweat forming on her forehead. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. I created it by applying transformation magic. You¡¯re pretty clever, huh?¡± ¡°Transformation... mmph... into a dog... you...¡± ¡°Huh? What are you saying, Lulu?¡± ¡°...........¡± ¡°What the hell is he doing that he hasn¡¯t come to visit me again?¡± Then, the female employee, who had been silent until now, slowly spoke up. ¡°He¡¯s switched to somewhere else.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I knew it would be like this. Definitely... Wait, what?¡± When Roswyn showed a disbelieving expression, the female employee sighed deeply and continued her report. ¡°Do you remember that ¡®detective agency¡¯ I mentioned before? He has entrusted all his requests to them for a while.¡± ¡°...Unbelievable. To that shabby place?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve confirmed it.¡± ¡°......¡± After hearing that, Roswyn, who had been momentarily dumbfounded, spoke up with a bewildered expression. ¡°I-I knew it would be like this. So that¡¯s why he hasn¡¯t come?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Well, that pushover. He must be getting scammed there. Haha.¡± ¡°Lately, that place¡¯s reputation has been g...¡± ¡°I knew it. He¡¯s so stupid and naive...¡± The female employee had a blank look while she was listening to Roswyn¡¯s words. ¡°Anyway, he is such a stubborn guy.¡± Grumbling with an uneasy expression, Roswyn then rose from her seat and spoke. ¡°Since it¡¯s come to this, I have no choice. I¡¯ll have to go visit him myself.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to visit him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Our VIP is being scammed there, so we can¡¯t just leave him alone. Yep, yep. I have no choice but to go.¡± Ignoring the bewildered expression on the female employee¡¯s face, Roswyn muttered to herself as she started pacing around the room. ¡°I have no choice but to go...¡± She paused for a moment before murmuring again with a dark expression. ¡°Huff...¡± The female employee, who had sighed and held her head while observing Roswyn¡¯s action, tilted her head in surprise when Roswyn lifted her head and looked at her. ¡°Ah, right, what about that girl? That annoying bitch.¡± ¡°Are you asking about Miss Lulu?¡± ¡°Yeah, that snake-like bitch.¡± When Roswyn asked that, the female employee immediately rummaged through her inner chest pocket. ¡°...Here.¡± She took out a photograph. ¡°........¡± Then, there was a moment of silence in the room. ¡°Uh...¡± Roswyn, her ears ringing, looked at the photo of a muttering Frey and Lulu, who was trying to separate from him with an embarrassed expression. Roswyn blankly stared at another photo of Frey, who seemed to be trying to distance himself from Lulu with a troubled expression, and Lulu, who was posing as she bit Frey¡¯s ear. ¨C Clench...! Without even realizing it, Roswyn clenched her fist so hard that her knuckles turned white. ¡°...What¡¯s wrong?¡± Looking at Roswyn acting like that, the female employee asked with a low voice. ¡°N-no, it¡¯s nothing.¡± With her fist still tightly clenched, Roswyn continued to glare at the photo. ¡°...I guess I have no choice. I¡¯ll have to go visit him right away.¡± After saying that, she started to prepare to leave. ¡°Is he deliberately doing this? No... that can¡¯t be. There must be some hidden intention...¡± ¡°Huff...¡± Meanwhile, the female employee sighed for what seemed like the nth time before quietly heading towards the door while taking out a cigarette from her pocket. ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t smoke here!¡± ¡°...I¡¯ll smoke outside.¡± When Roswyn scolded her, the female employee responded in a gloomy tone. ¡°Why is it that the one I¡¯m responsible for is the only one like this...? Everyone else under Sun and Star¡¯s supervision is fine. Why...?¡± She then left the room while softly grumbling. ¡°Mhm.. hmmm... hmmm...¡± Alone in the room, Roswyn silently packed her things. ¡°...Perhaps, is he preparing a surprise event?¡± Suddenly Roswyn muttered like that. ¡°Hm hmph... if he really plans to do that...¡± She left the room while wearing a strange expression on her face. ¡°...It is a great success.¡± Shortly thereafter, a carriage departed from the back alley. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 196: Im Sorry ? I¡¯m Sorry ? ¡°Hmm~ Hm~ ?¡± Roswyn sat in the carriage, humming a tune while applying makeup. ¡°.......¡± Meanwhile, the female employee sitting across from her appeared dazed as she rummaged through her purse with a frown on her face. ¡°I dare you to try smoking a cigarette here...¡± In response, Roswyn, who was doing her makeup, firmly scolded the female employee. ¡°This thing, it¡¯s been enhanced with magic, so it is good for bo...¡± ¡°Even so, you¡¯re not allowed.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t even produce smo...¡± ¡°Still no.¡± The female employee attempting to persuade her, eventually shot a disappointed glare, leaned back in her seat, and closed her eyes. ¡°Why are you acting like this lately? Is something bothering you?¡± Roswyn, still fixing her makeup while looking in the hand mirror, glanced at the female employee and asked. The female employee answered her in a low voice. ¡°...There is something, but you don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡± ¡°Alright, I see.¡± The female employee glared at Roswyn, who returned her attention to the mirror after nodding briefly. ¡°Oh, there it is.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Over there, I mean, the detective agency.¡± She pointed to a shabby building located in a nearby ordinary alley, not far from the back alley. ¡°Ha.¡± Seeing that, Roswyn let out a bitter laugh. ¡°Seeing it in person, it really makes me dumbfounded.¡± Then, she raised a clenched fist and spoke. ¡°Even if they are only bluffing, they should at least make it look somewhat decent. How could they promote such an old rundown building as a detective agency? How ridiculous.¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°Is this the agency considered a competitor to my Information Guild these days? I won¡¯t acknowledge it. It must be a case of a clever scam. Besides, the owner¡¯s identity hasn¡¯t even been revealed...¡± However, after ranting for a while, Roswyn eventually fell silent. ¡°That person... is that person the one I know?¡± ¡°...Is that Marchioness Bywalker?¡± This was because Marchioness Bywalker, who wielded considerable influence in the empire¡¯s social circles, had just emerged from that shabby building. ¡°Wh-what?¡± Roswyn stammered, momentarily stunned by the sight, her expression filled with bewilderment. ¡°Why is she there...?¡± ¡°She probably emerged from that place because she just assigned a request.¡± ¡°I know that much too!¡± Roswyn shouted at the female employee, who responded with a hollow stare. ¡°She was someone even our guild couldn¡¯t acquire as a client... Why is she coming out from there...?!¡± ¡°Well, compared to our guild...¡± ¡°...Choose your words wisely.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± While the female employee appeared to be on the verge of continuing, Roswyn lost her temper and raised her voice. ¡°Wait, stop right there!¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay you, so wait for me here!¡± After saying that, Roswyn tried to get off the carriage confidently, but the employee grabbed her and asked. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°To scout the competition.¡± With that, she headed toward the shabby building, all while being observed closely by the employee. ¨C Click With a resigned expression, she bit the cigarette in her mouth, lit it, and muttered under her breath. ¡°...This is actually driving me crazy.¡± . . . . . ¡°Mhm, hmmm, hmm!¡± Roswyn cleared her throat after entering the shabby building. ¡°Is there anyone here?¡± When she finally asked that question, the fox-eared counter attendant perked up. ¡°Hello there, human?¡± Miho, who had been dozing off, woke up and initiated the conversation. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°...How unusual. There is a fox beastkin here.¡± Roswyn, who had been looking at Miho with curiosity, cleared her throat and began to speak in an elegant tone. ¡°I¡¯d like to speak directly with the detective, is that possible?¡± Roswyn, who was wearing her usual undercover robe inside-out, asked. Upon hearing the question, Miho stared at her intently. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re a client that the eccentric human would like.¡± Miho stepped away from the counter as she muttered to herself. She then started to lead Roswyn and her female employee. ¡°Once you step inside ...¡± ¡°Hello~! Nice to meet you!¡± Roswyn entered the room without waiting for Miho to finish her explanation as they arrived in the reception room. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°...Tch.¡± However, when she saw the detective covering her face with a protective spell, Roswyn sat down disappointedly. ¡°...Lady Roswyn.¡± ¡°.....!¡± She immediately froze in place when the detective called her name. ¡°........¡± And then, a brief silence ensued . ¡°Wh-what are you talking about...¡± ¡°First, please have a seat. If you keep standing like that, both you and I will be uncomfortable.¡± ¡°Huff...¡± Soon, Roswyn grabbed the arm of the female employee, who had finally managed to smoke, to exit the carriage and hurriedly hide behind the thicket. ¡°Ugh...¡± Roswyn, briefly showing signs of unease due to her claustrophobia, quickly focused her gaze on the mansion¡¯s courtyard. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see what Frey has prepared.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so clueless. Just lower your head a bit.¡± After saying so, Roswyn lowered the head of the female employee. ¡°...Huh?¡± Soon her eyes widened. ¡°Frey...?¡± Then, a while later, Roswyn¡¯s expression rapidly darkened. ¡°It¡¯s so soft and tender...¡± ¡°Hng... Hng...¡± It was because Frey was patting the head of a red-haired girl. ¡°W-what is this?¡± The girl was clinging to him with her face and chest buried in his embrace, shivering uncontrollably. According to Roswyn¡¯s information, she was ¡®Irina Philliard.¡¯ She was undoubtedly one of the people who disliked Frey. ¡°........¡± However, Irina was clearly seducing and tempting him as a woman. ¡°...What is this?¡± Because of that, Roswyn looked so upset. ¡°E-even so, after all, Frey is...¡± She then muttered something under her breath while forcing a smile. ¡°...Huh?¡± Upon seeing the genuine bright smile on Frey¡¯s face, her gaze began to waver. ¡°......!¡± After staring at them in a daze for a while, Roswyn suddenly gasped and lowered her body. ¡°...Again? Why are you doing that?¡± ¡°I-I almost made eye contact with that bitch.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Lulu. The girl with the Magic Eyes is looking this way. Although we are wearing a highest-grade protective robe to the point that she won¡¯t be able to see us, you never know.¡± After saying that, Roswyn hid her body for a while and cautiously raised her head to resume her observation. ¡°.....!¡± Seeing the three people who had boarded the carriage, she opened her mouth in surprise. ¡°L-Lulu?¡± ¡°...Master.¡± Lulu was trying to climb onto Frey, who had a very bewildered expression, to take off his clothes. ¡°If it is like this, I...¡± ¡°How dare.¡± ¡°...Ehikkk!¡± For some reason, Lulu repeatedly shot sidelong glances at Frey, seemingly on the verge of saying something. However, she suddenly stiffened and collapsed as Irina gave her a cold look and waved her hand. ¡°Ah.¡± But the scene appeared quite distorted to Roswyn, who was observing the situation from the thicket through the carriage window. ¡°Ah......¡± Thus, Roswyn, who had a dazed expression for a moment, made a surprised sound. ¨C Ssk... Without realizing it, she got up from her spot and slowly began to move. ¨C Step, Step. One step, two steps. As she got closer to the carriage, her expression grew increasingly dark. ¡°...L-Lord Frey?¡± She hesitated for a moment before knocking on the carriage door. ¡°........¡± Then, silence reigned. ¨C Clatter! Finally, after a brief moment of commotion. ¨C Creak... Someone slowly opened the carriage door. ¡°Hmm...?¡± It revealed Frey, his cheeks flushed, and an innocent expression on his face. However, as he noticed Roswyn¡¯s presence, he stared at her in a moment of distraction. ¡°......Hmm.¡± After a brief glance at Lulu, who was trying to hastily put her clothes back on behind him, Roswyn shifted her perplexed gaze to Irina, whose distinctive ears protruded, and who stood beside Frey with an icy expression. ¡°...What brings you here?¡± When Frey asked a question, she replied with a frown. ¡°Isn¡¯t this surprise event a bit overboard?¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s just say you¡¯ve already won.¡± Ignoring Frey¡¯s puzzled expression, Roswyn took out some documents she had brought. ¡°I brought the requested materials. So, take this, and maybe you¡¯ll fe...¡± However, before Roswyn could finish her sentence and let out a sigh, Frey cut her off with a somber expression, tilting his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Roswyn.¡± ¡°Right now, I don¡¯t want to see you face to face.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°And that won¡¯t change in the future.¡± As soon as he said that, Roswyn looked bewildered. ¡°It seems like...¡± However, as Roswyn listened to the words coming from Frey¡¯s mouth, her expression turned vacant. ¡°...I can¡¯t like you anymore.¡± ¡°.......What?¡± Bright sunlight bathed them in its warmth. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 197: At Least One ? At Least One ? ¡°W-what did you just say?¡± Roswyn stood frozen, her voice trembling as she posed the question. ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand.¡± She tilted her head to the side as if Frey¡¯s words were difficult for her to comprehend, but her increasingly pale face told a different story. ¡°I told you, Roswyn.¡± To that, Frey responded once again. ¡°I don¡¯t want to love you anymore, and I don¡¯t want to meet you either.¡± ¡°W-wait!¡± Just as Frey turned to get back into the carriage, Rosewyn¡¯s hand had shot out and grabbed his arm. ¡°Are you throwing a tantrum? You¡¯re just upset, right?¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°Hm, you seem quite upset, don¡¯t you? Okay, it¡¯s my fault. I¡¯ve been too hard on you. I¡¯ll try to be better from now on...¡± ¡°Roswyn.¡± Her expression turned apologetic, and she took a tentative step closer. But when she heard him speak in a low tone, she flinched back. ¡°...Let go.¡± ¡°Oh, uhmm...¡± Roswyn released her grip slowly. ¡°F-Frey? Why are you acting like this?¡± From her perspective the Frey that had always worn a foolish smile in her presence was now looking at her with coldness in his eyes. ¡°Y-you. Has that strange detective agency brainwashed you? Or did you eat something weird? You seem a bit different from your usual self.¡± ¡°...Sorry, I¡¯m just a bit busy right now.¡± ¡°W-wait!¡± When Frey tried to leave yet again, Roswyn timidly had stopped him once more, this time holding the hem of his cloth rather than grabbing his arm as she had done before. ¡°.....!¡± Only after he had given her the same cold look did Roswyn realize something was wrong. ¡°Sigh...¡± Frey watched Roswyn for a moment, then sighed deeply. ¡°How long are you going to stay here?¡± He asked, frowning. ¡°...Something¡¯s strange.¡± Roswyn continued to stare at him with a puzzled expression, all the while muttering to herself. ¡°Did he get possessed? If not, did he really get brainwashed...¡± ¡°...Tsk.¡± ¡°Y-you, there¡¯s no way you don¡¯t like me anymore, right?¡± Frey let out a small sigh and spoke. ¡°...After countless confessions until now, I¡¯ve finally come to the realization that I would never be able to receive any love from you.¡± ¡°What? But...¡± ¡°They say, ¡®there¡¯s no tree that won¡¯t fall after ten hits,¡¯ but no matter how many times¡ªbe it a hundred or a thousand times¡ªI try, you won¡¯t fall for me..¡± Roswyn¡¯s gaze dropped. ¡°Even so, I held onto the hope that one day you¡¯ll see my sincerity... but that never happened. ¡° ¡°......¡± ¡°I knew you were using me, I knew you treated me like a pushover... I knew you only saw me as a source of money, and in reality, you also detested and looked down on me.¡± ¡°N-No...¡± ¡°But still, it doesn¡¯t matter to me. Such treatment was something I always received from those around me, so it wasn¡¯t anything new.¡± He didn¡¯t let her speak, clenching his fist as he continued. ¡°Even so, even if I was used by you, became a source of money, and treated as a pushover, I still wanted to convey my sincere feelings to you...¡± Frey allowed himself to breathe; it seemed his emotions got the better of him for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Locking his eyes with the now frozen Roswyn, he spoke in a soft voice. ¡°You must have suffered a lot because of me all this time, right?¡± ¡°Frey.¡± ¡°You no longer have to put up with the Empire¡¯s top scoundrel and loser like me bothering you, making you disgusted anymore. You won¡¯t have to go through the trouble of entertaining someone you dislike.¡± ¡°.......¡± ¡°I can no longer reveal my true feelings to you, for I fear that doing so would shatter my own heart and become a burden on you¡± After he finished speaking, there was a moment of silence between them. ¡°Then...¡± ¡°Wait...¡±Ree?ad latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°What now?¡± Frey asked with a deeply furrowed brow. It was her third time blocking him from boarding the carriage. ¡°W-who are those women?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go!¡± ¡°........¡± And then, there was a moment of silence. ¡°Talk?¡± As Lulu and Irina stealthily approached Frey with uncertain gazes, Frey, who was standing between them, glanced at Roswyn, who was outside the carriage. ¡°Talk...¡± After a moment of contemplation, he spoke with a dark voice. ¡°If you really want to talk about feelings, come find me with the flowers I gave you.¡± ¡°...What?¡± And then, the carriage slowly moved forward. ¡°If you don¡¯t do that, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever want to meet you face to face anymore.¡± With those words, Frey left the Starlight Mansion¡¯s garden in the carriage. ¡°........¡± Roswyn, who stood still in that spot, fell silent for a while. ¡°Ha.¡± As the carriage disappeared, she began to mutter with a baffled expression. ¡°Am I... just being pushed away? B-by Frey of all people?¡± ¡°This is ridiculous. Who does he think he is? He is just someone who always follows me all around like a puppy, and now he...¡± At first, it was a mix of anger and embarrassment. ¡°Push me away... Why...¡± As time passed, Roswyn¡¯s voice started trembling more and more. ¡°W-what the hell are those women... There¡¯s no way. I was the only one showing interest in Frey...¡± ¡°W-well, that¡¯s right. Go ahead. Do you think I would even care about it? I... I already have the Hero by my side. I would never cherish you...¡± Like that, she muttered alone in front of the mansion¡¯s yard. ¡°...Never.¡± Suddenly, with a vacant expression, she said that. ¡°Just for someone like Frey... It doesn¡¯t matter either way...¡± And from that moment, Roswyn¡¯s voice completely changed. ¡°W-what is this... What is it...¡± Completely bewildered, Roswyn started muttering while sitting in her place. ¡°Disgusting... I feel strange. Why? Why? It doesn¡¯t matter anyway, right? It was just Frey, whom I detested so much. And he has finally left on his own...¡± Roswyn muttered something as she felt the intensifying sunlight and the chilling breeze contrasting in the courtyard. As the sun grew stronger, in contrast, the chilly wind swept through the courtyard. ¡°...Jealous?¡± Suddenly, she remembered the words the mysterious detective at the detective agency said. ¡°Me? Jealous because of Frey...?¡± Roswyn mumbled as she slowly rose from her seat. ¡°No way, that can¡¯t be...¡± She denied it verbally, but her complexion continued to darken as she began to break out in a cold sweat. ¡°E-even if it¡¯s not jealousy... this feeling...¡± Then, she completely stood up like that. ¡°I-Isn¡¯t this what I wanted from the start... I might have been a bit excessive... and that wimp might end up being used by those foolish kids...¡± Saying so, she slowly began to walk outside the mansion. ¡°T-that¡¯s right, flowers. I only need to come again while bringing flowers to have a talk with him. We can¡¯t afford to lose a VIP client like this. This is totally not out of jealousy.¡± Despite no one listening, Roswyn continued muttering as she headed outside. ¡°Wait.¡± As she abruptly halted her steps, memories of all the flowers he had given her flooded back. ¡°Uh...¡± All the flowers she had burned with her solar mana as soon as Frey left or had given as gifts to her employee or carelessly discarded in the warehouse or trash cans. ¡°...Grind.¡± She had stood frozen in place for a while, anxiously grinding her teeth because of those memories. However, eventually, she moved her steps again and thought to herself. ¡®It¡¯s okay, no problem. I can just find them at the guild.¡¯ Something went terribly wrong, but she believed she could turn the situation around. ¡®...If I search it properly, there should be at least one left.¡¯ She headed towards the waiting carriage outside the mansion. ¡®Imagine how many flowers I have received from him. I even received one as a gift just a week ago, didn¡¯t I?¡¯ Despite it being early, the sunlight was unusually strong today. ¡°.....Ah.¡± As she walked through the bright sunlight, Roswyn suddenly recalled the golden flowers she had ruthlessly trampled, the one Frey gave. ¡°........¡± The memories surged right before she got on the carriage. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 198: Some People Only Realize What They Have After They Have Lost It ? Some People Only Realize What They Have After They Have Lost It ? ¨C Creak... A carriage sped through the black alley, gradually slowing down before eventually coming to a stop. ¡°Could you help me make the payment to him?¡± Inside the carriage, Roswyn was fidgeting. Wearing a vacant, hollow look in her eyes, she stepped outside, leaving behind the female employee smoking a cigarette. ¡°No, wait here.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll find it quickly and come out, so just wait for me here.¡± ¡°.......¡± A blank stare is all she received in return, even the puff of cigarette smoke momentarily left forgotten to exhale. ¡°What¡ª cough cough!¡± Before the employee could ask, she sputtered a mouthful of cigarette smoke. ¡°What? What else? O-of course f-flowers!¡± ¡°...Flowers?¡± ¡°O-one or two must still be left, right? Considering how many I have received...¡± Roswyn hesitated as she looked at the female employee like that. ¡°No way... you didn¡¯t throw them all away, right?¡± With a slightly frightened expression, she asked. ¡°...You can check for it yourself.¡± ¡°Lately, you have consistently been disappointing me.¡± The female employee slouched in her chair, drained of energy and unable to muster a response. Roswyn, still observing her, turned and made her way toward the guild. ¡°...I never liked you anyway.¡± As she watched Roswyn¡¯s departing figure, the female employee mumbled with a sulky expression and then bit her cigarette. ¡°Hmm.¡± Certainly, Roswyn was unaware of what was going on inside the female employee¡¯s mind as concern gradually wormed its way upon entering the guild.. ¡®Alright, let¡¯s start by checking the reception room.¡¯ The reception room was her first port of call. In her recollection of being together with Frey, most of their encounters had taken place there. Therefore, she believed there might be a few flowers left. ¡°Yo-heave-ho.¡± After deactivating the security device, Roswyn entered the extravagant reception room reserved for the guild¡¯s VIPs. ¡°Hmm...¡± Her mysophobia had ensured that the reception room was impeccably clean, without a speck of dust visible. ¡°Now that I think about it... here...¡± Her gaze swept over the room, and Roswyn suddenly remembered the flower vase and golden flower Frey had left as a gift. Without further thought, she cautiously approached the desk. ¨C Sssk... Although, at that time, she had impulsively shattered the vase out of anger, Roswyn believed she could use a mending spell to restore it. Consequently, she opened the trash bin at her feet, just to be certain. ¨C Clunk...! ¡°...Ugh.¡± However, the trash can was completely empty. For someone who couldn¡¯t tolerate anything dirty, not emptying the trash can for a week was an unimaginable occurrence. The precious golden rose Frey had prepared with all his heart had long been burned, scattered to the ground along with the remains of other trash. ¡°.....¡± Only then realizing this fact, Roswyn fell silent, caressing the flower vase in her hand. ¡°That one... was beautiful...¡± She mumbled slightly, a tinge of sorrow laced her words as she began rummaging through the room. ¡°There are many flowers, but...¡± The reception room was filled with fragrant flowers. ¡°...Now, all of them are unnecessary.¡± Half of the flowers were ones Roswyn had bought herself, while the other half were gifts from Ruby. ¡°...Let¡¯s go out.¡± Roswyn scoured through drawers, shelves, and even behind the hangers, but her efforts yielded no traces of a petal, let alone a single flower. Eventually, she left the reception room, her countenance weighed down by a sense of gloom. ¡°.....!¡± But then, her gaze was soon ensnared by the fragrant flowers adorning the walls in the corridor and... A picture of herself and ¡®Hero Ruby¡¯ both flashing V-signs. Beholding the items she had lovingly decorated just a few days ago, Roswyn¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°W-what is this...?¡± A perplexing disquiet stirred within her as she directed her steps toward her next destination¡ªher room. ¡°Where should I look...¡± With a strange expression, Roswyn entered her room and started searching diligently this time. Due to her serious mysophobia, she always had a hard time during search missions, but her room was surprisingly clean, so the search itself was not a problem. ¡°.....Ugh.¡± However, the problem was the unusual occurrence that suddenly happened to Roswyn. ¡°Uhhhhh...¡± For some reason, every time she saw the flowers she received from Ruby and the photos they took together, it gave her a headache. ¡°Grind...¡± She had always thought it was a feeling she would constantly experience. She had also always known that she would feel like her heart was about to burst with joy because being able to serve the Hero was her lifelong wish. However, today, for some reason, she didn¡¯t feel happy at all. It was because the idea that ¡®perhaps something was wrong¡¯ was deeply lodged in her mind¡ªalthough it was a faint thought. ¡°...Huuah, Huuuaaah.¡±¡± Because of this, Roswyn stopped searching and rushed out of her room, roughly gasping for breath. ¡°What the hell is this... for real...¡± Roswyn, who had been confused by the unknown emotions and strange occurrences for a while, began to move her feet again. The reason why every time a guest came to the guild, she would wear a face full of anticipation, only to be disappointed when they left, and her inability to control her expressions. Her fluctuating emotions since Frey announced their separation, along with the uncomfortable feeling in her stomach when she saw other women around Frey sending him loving looks. All of these pointed to one undeniable fact. ¡°I, I...¡± She didn¡¯t know for what reason and didn¡¯t even understand how this could have happened. ¡°I... ¡° But somehow, she found herself inexplicably ¡®missing¡¯ Frey. ¡°T-this is ridiculous.¡± As soon as she realized this, Roswyn mumbled with a dumbfounded expression and then splashed her face with water. ¡°Why... would I feel any regrets...¡± She tried to escape the situation in any way she could. ¡°.......¡± Suddenly, without any apparent reason, some memories came to her mind. A day when she wasn¡¯t in a good condition, perhaps due to catching a cold. A memory of when she was lying in bed, groaning in pain, when Frey, without her permission, burst into the room while wearing a pale face. After that, as she stared at him with a baffled expression, he wiped away his sweat and offered her a flower. ¡°Roswyn, sorry for being late. Here...¡± ¡°...Get out!! You insolent bastard!!¡± Even without this incident, she was already in a sensitive state at the time. So, when she saw him looking at her in her sleepwear, she exploded in anger, shouting and driving him out. ¡°Hehe.¡± Frey left the room, still smiling happily for an unknown reason. It was such a memorable incident that she had to calm her anger while lying in bed. ¡°Young Lady.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± She even still remembered the words that the female employee, who had always been laughing, had whispered with a somber expression. ¡°Some people only realize what they have after they¡¯ve lost it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Before it¡¯s too late... Cough!!¡± ¡°Y-you, why are you being like this?¡± She even remembered that several days following that day, she could finally get up from her bed, while the female employee had to be bedridden for a whole week. ¡°........¡± Of course, she had scoffed at the employee¡¯s words that day, but how come... She started to remember those words as if they were haunting her thoughts. ¡°Ugh...¡± Suddenly, memories of the days she spent with Frey began to feel nostalgic. Frey hesitated when he tried to hand over a bouquet to her. Frey granted any request and asked for no reward. When she was sick, he was the only one who came to visit her, even when her parents didn¡¯t. Even after getting rejected harshly, Frey would laugh and slyly say he¡¯d try again next time. ¡°Uh...¡± The memories that used to make her angry just by thinking about them somehow felt quite good and maybe even enjoyable. No, they were becoming precious memories altogether. ¡°What is this... really...¡± Unable to accept the situation, Roswyn was lost in confusion and headed out of the bathroom. ¡°It¡¯s just a delusion... probably because I¡¯m tired...¡± In the end, she tried to deny reality. ¡°But it is really...¡± Before she realized it, she quickened her pace towards a destination. ¡°O-over there!¡± Eventually, the destination she reached was none other than the outside of the guild, in front of the carriage she had asked to wait for her there. ¡°...Why are you like this?¡± ¡°Uh, hmm... Get off the carriage. I have somewhere to go.¡± ¡°Where to?¡± The female employee, who had been waiting for Roswyn for a long time, asked with a bewildered expression. However, upon hearing the question, Roswyn appeared awkward. ¡°A-a nearby flower shop. There¡¯s a really big one, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°A flower shop? Why are you going there?¡± ¡°I-I want to buy some flowers. As an apology to Frey... No, I want to give it to him as a gift. He seems quite upset, so I need to cheer him up.¡± ¡°A gift?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll also want to buy letter paper¡ª an expensive one. And then...¡± When Roswyn said that, the female employee blankly looked at her and tilted her head. ¡°Why are you doing this? Did you just start appreciating that person now?¡± At last, the female employee asked with a soulless expression. ¡°...S-shut up, just come with me. I have quite a few places to visit today, and I need your help.¡± With a slightly flustered expression, Roswyn replied, then turned and walked away with large strides. ¡°Phew...¡± After exhaling a large puff of cigarette smoke outside. ¨C Crumpled... And crumpling the envelope in her hand. ¡°Why is she suddenly... It¡¯s already pointless now.¡± Muttering in a gloomy voice, the female employee exited the carriage. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll keep an eye on it anyway.¡± Somehow, the sun was now at its zenith. ¡°Regardless of what happens, retributions never disappear.¡± You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 199: Poor Guy ? Poor Guy ? I was leaving the mansion¡¯s courtyard, making my way to Isolet¡¯s house. ¡°Phew...¡± My heart was already troubled, but it became even more so due to what happened just now. ¡°........¡± Lulu and Irina, who had been sticking close to me, seemed to have noticed my mood, quietly observing me. ¡°Um, Frey...¡± After gazing out the window for a while, Irina, who was by the window, cautiously spoke up. ¡°A-Are you okay? I mean, really okay?¡± ¡°...Yeah, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± My response, while somewhat reassuring, didn¡¯t seem to satisfy Irina, and she continued to wear a concerned expression, lost in thought. ¨C Ssk... After a while, she unexpectedly leaned her head towards me. ¡°D-do you want to pet it?¡± As her dog-like ears, which were still perked up, came into my view, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°B-but being a pet is my duty...¡± However, Lulu, who had been restless beside me, shouted loudly while closing her eyes tightly, causing a brief silence. ¡°Ah... I see. That¡¯s right. This is what they call ¡®a pet,¡¯ isn¡¯t it?¡± Irina nodded with a newfound understanding. ¡°Huh?¡± Then, she suddenly grabbed my hand and guided it towards her. ¨C Soft. ¡°T-touch me, Frey.¡± And after a moment, as I was feeling the soft and squishy sensation, Irina blushed and spoke in a shy voice. ¡°If there¡¯s a methodology to touching pets, then there must be a separate method for touching humans.¡± After saying that, she continued to move gently while still holding my hand. ¡°Transformation magic... You... a dog...¡± ¡°...I-If you don¡¯t like it, just forget it!¡± However, she suddenly let go of my hand and turned away, her face flushed, looking out of the window. Why was she acting like this all of a sudden? By the way, it seemed like Lulu was trying to say something. ¡°M-Master.¡± While I was thinking about that, Lulu, who had been discreetly watching me, poked my side and cautiously asked a question. ¡°That Roswyn... What are you going to do about her?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell her that if she wanted to have a talk with you, she should bring a flower...¡± Upon hearing that, I furrowed my brows slightly and replied. ¡°There¡¯s no way Roswyn still has my flowers. So, the reason for me to keep visiting her... I mean, in one way or another, she won¡¯t have a reason to come looking for me.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°But why are you asking about that?¡± Lulu quickly averted her gaze before saying. ¡°It¡¯s natural for pets... to guard against strangers...¡± ¡°...Pfft.¡± Finding her cute, I quietly petted her head as my mind began to wander . ¡®From now on, I need to completely distance myself from Roswyn.¡¯ I had to treat Roswyn coldly until the final battle was over. Rumors had already spread that I had feelings for her, so I needed to let everyone know that our relationship had changed so that she wouldn¡¯t become the Demon King¡¯s target. Therefore, even if she sent letters or gifts, I would return them all. She would become the closest aide of the Fake Hero Party in the second year and would be monitored by the Demon King. So I had to be thorough. ¨C Frey. While I was thinking about that, suddenly, Irina¡¯s voice echoed in my head. ¡°.....!?¡± ¨C I just have something I¡¯m curious about... I wondered if I misheard, but the voice echoed in my head again. It seemed like Irina used telepathy magic. ¡®...In any case, it¡¯s quite impressive.¡¯ How could she use such top-level magic so easily? Moreover, Irina hadn¡¯t even fully recovered her mana circuit. Is this girl really a human? ¨C I-I¡¯m a human! I¡¯m a human, okay! ¡®Huh?¡¯ For a moment, I had a foolish thought while looking at Irina, but when my thoughts seemed to have been exposed to her, Irina sent a message in her sullen voice. ¨C That girl, Roswyn, if she apologizes later and tries to cling to you, you won¡¯t act like a pushover and accept her back as if nothing happened, right? ¡°Huh?¡± ¨C You¡¯re always so kind, almost like a pushover, aren¡¯t you? It¡¯s to the extent that I wonder how there can be such a good person like you in the world. I¡¯m worried about you, you know? I¡¯m worried. Upon hearing that, I smirked and replied inwardly. ¡®There¡¯s nothing for you to worry about, so put unnecessary concerns aside. I also clearly know what I should do.¡¯ Soon, I began to whisper coldly while hiding a deep sense of regret. ¡°It was not something I did because I like you.¡± At that moment, Serena¡¯s endless chatter abruptly stopped. ¡°It was just an excuse to get rid of that annoying woman. I have no intention of living a lovey-dovey life with you.¡± In such a situation, I should act completely opposite my true feelings. ¡°Complete the request well. If you mess up even a bit, there won¡¯t be any date.¡± After maintaining my voice until the end of the sentence, I tried to disconnect the communication crystal. ¨C Sob, sob... Just before cutting off the connection, I stopped my hand when I heard a miserable whimper from the crystal. ¨C B-but I¡¯ve already ordered... baby clothes and toys... ¡°........¡± ¨C Human? Why are you drooped on the floor again? ¨C I also just purchased [101 Ways to Satisfy a Man]... Sob... Despite Miho¡¯s question, she continued to murmur in a miserable voice. ¨C But still... Roswyn. I won against her, didn¡¯t I? Y-yes, that¡¯s right. Then it¡¯s fine... She paused her sobbing and then spoke with a forced cheerful voice. ¨C The fact that you used me means you still have some interest... F-Fine. I-I¡¯ll work hard...by looking forward to our date! She continued to mutter to herself for a while, then finally ended the connection with the crystal. ¡°...Gulp.¡± My fiance?e was so cute that I might go crazy. Was she always this cute? ¡°We¡¯re almost at our destination~!¡± Truly, for the first time in a long while, I felt a flutter in my heart and was immersed in a pleasant afterglow. But then the coachman informed us that we were almost at our destination. ¡°Hm.¡± Probably, once we get off here, we will soon meet my younger sister, Aria, and Isolet. Is Aria doing well? Is she eating properly? How should I treat Isolet? I¡¯ll have to somehow lower her affection level. Is there any way? ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± As I prepared to get off the carriage with such thoughts in mind, I spoke in a low voice when the slowing carriage came to a halt on the road. ¡°As expected, I¡¯ll need help from both of you.¡± . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment... ¡°What...?¡± ¡°Well, Frey is here?¡± Isolet, who had been lying on the bed, heard unbelievable news and had a dumbfounded expression. ¡°Why is that guy...?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really know either. I just received a message a moment ago.¡± ¡°Uh, um...¡± After hearing that, Isolet had been dazed for a moment. ¡°...Then I should start getting ready.¡± ¡°Huh, huuuuh?¡± She forced her tired body to rise and murmured. ¡°There are some things to check... I can¡¯t meet him like this.¡± ¡°The doctor clearly said you wouldn¡¯t be able to get up for a week...¡± ¡°What are you doing? Let¡¯s prepare to greet him.¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± As the servant hurriedly left the room, Isolet headed to the door with a sigh. ¡°...Hmm.¡± She stopped her steps and looked down at the paper in her hand. ¨C Letter of Appointment ¨C [You are hereby appointed as the official swordsmanship instructor for the Youngest Paladin of the Church.] [As the Youngest Paladin will visit your home today, there¡¯s a special note you should keep in mind...] Isolet had been staring at the letter of appointment the Sun God Church sent for a long time. ¡°...Poor guy.¡± Saying that, she left the paper on the desk and walked out of the room. [...She extremely dislikes Frey Raon Starlight.] ¡°He always only receives hatred...¡± Soon, the sun was high in the sky. TL/Note: Seems like author had a massive brainfart. It was 85% before but now it¡¯s 81 again. We¡¯ll maintain what the author has written so far. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 200: Declaration of Candidacy ? Declaration of Candidacy ? Rattle...! I opened the carriage and stepped out. With a frown on my face, I asked the coachman who was bowing in front of me. ¡°...Why¡¯s the carriage shaking so much?¡± ¡°I, I apologize... it is because there are many slopes around...¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even put stabilizer magic on the carriage?¡± ¡°That... I don¡¯t have enough money to...¡± ¡°Tch.¡± I clicked my tongue. The coachman was shaking as he answered with a quivering voice and a cautious gaze. ¡°You, you don¡¯t need to give me so much...¡± ¡°You will wait for me here. I don¡¯t know when I will be done.¡± ¡°Ye, Yes...¡± I said so while giving him some gold coins. I muttered some words as I went inside while carrying my cane. ¡®I need to hire a new coachman.¡¯ I had no one to drive the Duke¡¯s carriage because almost all of the people in the mansion had quit working. So these days, I had to take a random carriage that passed by the streets. It was not in the least comfortable. It was because I always had to arrange soundproofing and protection magic. Also, given my situation, I could put the coachmen in danger. ¡°Master, why did you give out that much money?¡± I was thinking of such thoughts when Lulu, who had been clinging closely to my side, rubbed her cheek against me and asked a question in a low voice. ¡°...Those lowly commoners, don¡¯t they get happy when I give out small changes? I like looking at that sight of them.¡± Of course I gave those coins out while considering it could be used by that poor coachman to treat his family with delicious food, but I still need to put a look of a scoundrel in front of Lulu. ¡°So it¡¯s like that.¡± Lulu nodded quietly. ¡°In the future, please tell me something more about you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I tilted my head at her abrupt question. Lulu stared at me as she answered. ¡°I want to know more about you.¡± ¡°...Hm.¡± I let out a fake cough at that question. Irina, who was walking beside me, muttered in a low whisper. ¡°It is enough for a pet to just look pretty...¡± ¡°......¡± With that, both of them locked their cold gaze on each other. ¡®Come to think of it, who is the strongest between the heroines?¡¯ An amusing thought suddenly came into my mind as I watched their exchange. So, between all of the main and sub heroines, who would be the strongest person? The first person that came into my mind was Kania. If the route went awry she would become the final boss. Then, the person who was assigned the position of a fighter by the game, Irina. And lastly, Serena. With her intelligence, she could destroy everything that could possibly be destroyed. There was also Ferloche, who was formidable in one-on-one combat, Isolet, whose swordsmanship was on par with mine once she awakened as a Sword Saint, and Lulu who recently awakened her Magic Eyes. ¡°Um...¡± I couldn¡¯t really say who was the best amongst all of them, but these names were the people I could think of as the strongest at this moment. What could possibly happen if they were to fight each other? ¡°.......¡± I instantly shivered. Even by only imagining it, I felt a chill down my spine. Anyway, I needed to be especially careful to not let things go to that point. ¡°Grrrr...¡± ¡°Can I still win with just my Magic Eyes?¡± I wasn¡¯t too late right...? ¨C Knock Knock ¡°...Please come in.¡± I knocked on the door of Isolet¡¯s mansion while breaking out in cold sweat. Then, I heard an icy silence. ¡°¡±.........¡±¡± Along with that response, I opened the door and went inside. For a moment, I felt my breath hitch and stopped my track. ¡°You guys...¡± The people who had left the Starlight mansion were now standing in front of me, dressed in the maid uniform of Isolet¡¯s mansion. As a result, tremendous awkwardness ensued between all of us. ¡®They seem to be doing well. What a relief.¡¯ I heard that the people who left the Starlight mansion either went to the Imperial Palace or Isolet¡¯s mansion. I also heard that they took turns going to the hospital to take care of my father. With all the eyes on me, I couldn¡¯t go to visit my father and take good care of him. It saddened me, but I felt grateful to all of these people. ¡°Where is Sister Isolet?¡± ¡°...She is over there.¡± While bearing such thoughts, I asked them about Isolet¡¯s whereabouts. A maid then answered while pointing to the training ground at the far end of the yard. ¡°Okay.¡± If Kania wasn¡¯t by my side, that maid was the one to prepare my breakfast or serve me tea. We talked to some extent and if I remember correctly we had some small friendship... Why was she now acting like we had never seen each other? ¡°Before that, where is Aria? I want to see her...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Please ask Lady Isolet yourself.¡± While thinking of such thoughts, I then asked about Aria¡¯s whereabouts as I couldn¡¯t see her anywhere. Even before I had finished speaking, an icy response cut me off. ¡°Impudent.¡± ¡°You are no longer my Master, I am the possession of Lady Isolet. If you want to punish me, do so through Lady Isolet...¡± ¡°Ha.¡± I snorted at that response and casted a brief glance at her before I strode off to the training ground. ¡®Good, my reputation decreased properly.¡¯ Judging by the chill behind me, it seemed like my reputation had been tarnished even further, just as expected. Of course that made me sad, but it didn¡¯t matter to me now. I had always been treated like this in the first place and it was also about time I gathered more ¡®points¡¯. ¨C Creak.Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com I sorted my thoughts before I opened the door to the training ground. There I saw a familiar sight. A coarse muddy ground full of dust, yet it felt so comforting. ¡°St, Stoop! Sister, please stop!!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want tooo?¡± In that place, if Isolet would beat me down before tickling me. As a result I would be brought close to tears. She then would buy me ice cream and told me not to tell my parents... all of that now had now become a distant memory. ¡°Oho.¡± As I stepped deeper, more and more familiar things came into my view. The training dolls that were always full of sword cuts now were packed with deeper cuts. On all sides, they were full of cuts from various knives, swords, and other sharp weapons. There were also bandage wraps with basic healing spells attached to them and bottles of lower grade potion that were rolling around in the ground. Isolet¡¯s house, where I had visited at least once a week and sometimes even every three days, was still the same place I used to remember. ¡°...What the hell.¡± I was immersed in my memory of Isolet¡¯s house when I heard a familiar voice. ¡°What do you need? Why did you come here, Frey?¡± ¡°I received a letter that said you were sick. So I came to visit...¡± Hearing that voice, I unintentionally turned my head, then I froze in an instant. ¡°Sis...ter?¡± Isolet, who was drenched in sweat from her training, was tying her sticky hair while biting a hair tie in her lips. ¡°Oh, um...¡± It is fine until that part, but the problem here was what she was wearing. She was wearing nothing but a sleeveless undershirt and underpants. Moreover, she was also drenched in sweat. ¡°Don¡¯t call me Sister.¡± ¡°...Okay, but what are you doing there?¡± ¡°Exercising.¡± ¡°Looking at the state of your body, can you even resist me?¡± ¡°Eugh...¡± ¡°I want to try it just once. Excuse me just this one time, Sister.¡± As I said that to her, a pained look was evident in her face. Then, I muttered quietly. ¡®Just until the Conquest Progress decreases.¡¯ In order for the ¡®main problem¡¯ that I was worried about to be solved, it seemed like I had no choice but to do this. Because if I did this to Isolet, she would hate me for the rest of her life. It was really a sad thing. I couldn¡¯t help but weaken my resolve just at the sight of her. ¡°.........¡± I caught Isolet¡¯s hands and pushed it down the bed. She started to look at me with a gaze full of loathing. [Conquest Progress: 87%] [Conquest Progress: 86%] [Conquest Progress: 85%] Along with that, her Conquest Progress decreased. That sight made me feel sad and happy at the same time. With my hands all over her body, I opened my mouth to say. ¡°Once. I said I will only do it one time, okay? Don¡¯t play hard to get, just once.¡± With a cunning look, I started to unbutton her shirt. ¡°....Okay¡± ¡°Yeah, be obedient just like that... what?¡± I froze upon hearing the words that came out of Isolet¡¯s mouth. ¡°Frey, I beg you.¡± She raised her gaze at me. ¡°In the future, only violate me and leave the other girls alone, okay?¡± ¡°Huh, huh?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care how many times... or how you want to do it. Just make sure you do it only to me.¡± ¡°...Sister?¡± Isolet looked at me with her stiff, yet firm expression. ¡°It is part of my responsibility as a teacher that you turned out to be such a scoundrel.¡± ¡°Excuse me...¡± ¡°I want to kill you, but I can¡¯t bring myself to do it... and since I have been subdued disgracefully, I want to make you an offer.¡± Then she inwardly turned her gaze aside as she said those words. ¡°Since you have subdued me, doesn¡¯t that mean that I have been defeated? It is an obligation of a knight to grant the victor¡¯s wish.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°...What are you doing? Violate me quickly.¡± I choked upon hearing those words. ¡°...But, what and how would you do it?¡± I broke out in cold sweat as I racked my brain at Isolet¡¯s question. Her eyes and expression as she asked me the question was a complex mixture of hatred, disgust, fear of the unknown, and some other unfathomable emotion. ¡®....Right, Isolet is pretty much a holy virgin.¡¯ She only ever knew training. She met even fewer men than Irina and Arianne. In her family, she refused to be educated in how to socialize as a woman or study etiquette, which caused quite a commotion. It was no wonder that she had no sexual knowledge. ¡®No, it is impossible she would know nothing about it. She should at least know the deed.¡¯ Anyway, how should I face this kind of woman? At least for now, I had no idea. [Conquest Progress: 85%] Even the Conquest Progress wasn¡¯t decreasing. If I stayed still in this situation, she would sense that something was wrong... ¨C Bang!! In that desperate situation, the door slammed open with a bang. ¡°Please leave now.¡± Then, came a cold and clear voice. ¡°.....!¡± My eyes widened as I looked at the person who suddenly appeared in front of me. ¡°As a paladin appointed by the church and the disciple of Lady Isolet, I¡¯m warning you. If you don¡¯t get off this instant I will attack you.¡± And so, in this dumbfounding situation I managed to get out of my predicament by following those words. I slowly got off of Isolet. ¨C Bbang!!! The girl, who was looking at me with a piercing stare, suddenly pounced on me. I could only helplessly collapse. ¡°Bear this in mind.¡± After she trampled on me, she opened her mouth full of murderous threats. ¡°There are many witnesses today so I have to stop... but one way or another, I will kill you. Whatever it takes.¡± ¡°Uhuk...¡± ¡°Before I turn out like that, if I even find a chance...¡± As she mumbled something incoherent, I stared at her with difficulty. ¡°God..dess?¡± I asked in confusion. ¡°Yes?¡± I frowned and tilted my head to the side. That girl had a mystifying appearance. ¡°Why are you here...?¡± I asked her that question. She answered with a cold look on her face. ¡°You called someone you just met a goddess? It turns out everything I heard was true. Was this how you have always operated?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it...¡± ¡°...If you talk like that one more time, I will kill you. You detestable bastard.¡± ¡°........¡± I stared at the girl who suddenly started cursing me with killing intent once again. ¡°Then, are you the Demon God?¡± ¡°...What?¡± She subsequently asked with a cold expression. ¡°¡±........¡±¡± Then, a short silence commenced. ¡°I am the Church¡¯s paladin. I came to this place today to become a disciple of Lady Isolet.¡± Then, when I heard her continued answer... ¡°...Shit.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but spit out a curse. ¡®Tower Master, you old hag, what kind of damn experiment are you doing?¡¯ Somehow, the Youngest Paladin of the Church had the same face as the Goddess I met in the Third Ordeal. . . . . . Meanwhile at that moment. ¡°...Who cursed me?¡± In the lofty Magic Tower at the outskirts of the Empire, the Tower Master murmured to herself as she picked her tickling ears. ¡°No wait, are they still cursing? It makes my ears itchy if someone cursed me as an old hag.¡± Instead of making magic scrolls, the Tower Master rose from her seat and sighed. ¡°What is the point of cursing an old lady who is only getting older... Hiks, uuhh...¡± She slumped back in her armchair and started muttering. ¡°Still, my life has been really comfortable lately, that troublemaker who only has her big brain is being quiet... that crazy disciple of mine seems to be dating a guy... the new disciple seems to still be sane.¡± Then, the Tower Master tiredly closed her eyes. ¡°Well, there must be a reason why I can¡¯t get along with that red haired girl.¡± Then, she started reminiscing with a smirk on her face. ¡°At first, that girl...¡± ¡°Master!!¡± ¡°Gosh Darn It!!¡± Then, someone opened a door and Chapter 201: Discipline ? Discipline ? ¡°...Then I will be in the living room.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°If anything happens, please give a shout and I will come immediately.¡± ¡°I know.¡± After she dismissed her sullen looking disciple, Isolet then started to blankly gaze at me. ¡°Frey.¡± ¡°........¡± When the door closed, Isolet called me over with a low voice, still laying on the bed. ¡°Come here and take a look.¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± My emotions were raging and I wanted to leave. But, I couldn¡¯t bear to move when I heard Isolet¡¯s voice. Because, ever since I disappointed her, I hadn¡¯t heard her calling me in such a soft voice. ¡°What?¡± While barely keeping my expression stern, I glared at her. She blankly looked at me and said. ¡°Are you not going to do me?¡± ¡°My mood is spoiled.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Because of what had happened earlier, the air turned awkward, making our conversation end abruptly. ¡°Where is my sister?¡± ¡°She went out. She said she was going to meet a friend.¡± ¡°Friend?¡± ¡°Kania¡¯s sister.¡± I was worried because I didn¡¯t see my sister in the house. Fortunately, she was just going out somewhere. Well, I would also be doing the same if someone actually came looking for me. ¡°You seemed to have thought of her a lot. But, I don¡¯t know whether you can see her...¡± ¡°I have no interest.¡± I let out a small sigh and continued to spout lies to Isolet. Then, I turned my back and prepared to leave the room. ¡°Frey.¡± ¡°What.¡± I turned my head towards her once again when Isolet called me. I had no choice but to look straight at her. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since you came to visit. In the past, you used to come all the time...¡± ¡°What do you want to say?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you return to the Frey of the past?¡± Then, she gazed at me in silence before whispering in a low voice. ¡°Lately, I have been thinking a lot about the younger you. So...¡± ¡°Why do you keep talking in circles...¡± She continued to evade the topic she wished to discuss. As such, I approached her with big strides, asking what she really wanted. ¡±...Eugh!¡± At that moment, Isolet grabbed my hand and pulled me on the bed. ¡°Keugh... Wh-what?¡± It was so sudden and unexpected that I could only helplessly get dragged down. Moreover, it was obviously a bed but why did it feel like I was thrown on a rock? The pain made me tear up a bit. ¡°Eugh...¡± Well, she was a woman yet she was offered the position of Deputy Commander of the Imperial Knights. It was no surprise that she was so strong. ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled, Frey.¡± I was thinking as such when Isolet began to talk in a low voice. ¡°No matter how sick I am, beating you down is a simple matter.¡± ¡°.......¡± ¡°And, it is only natural that you can¡¯t always be in the highest position.¡± With that, she harshly grabbed my two hands and pinned me on the bed. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you but... in this world, positions can be flipped at any time.¡± Just like what Isolet said, our position had totally reversed from before. ¡°The people you tormented before can also torment you back. The people you persecuted can persecute you instead.¡± ¡°Wait...¡± ¡°And, the people you trampled on can trample you as well. That¡¯s the law of this jungle of a world.¡± Isolet used her other hand to grab my jaws, lifting my face to meet her eyes. ¡°You still don¡¯t understand even now?¡± She continued her words with a grim expression. ¡°If you still can¡¯t understand it thoroughly, I can teach you thoroughly.¡± ¡°Wa, wait...¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Didn¡¯t you say it yourself? You told me you wanted to do it just once.¡± She grabbed my outerwear, throwing it to the side. ¡°........¡± The strength Frey used to grab her hands was nothing in her standards. And when those slender hands opened the buttons of her shirt, as she groaned under him... She could break free if she put just a bit of force. However, the boy was utterly unaware of this fact, as his smug look expressed that he thought he got the upper hand in dominating her. His hands were restricted with the little strength it had. He fooled himself into thinking that he could suppress and control her with his sickly body. And looking at such a sight of him... ¡°Ugh...¡± For some reason, Isolet¡¯s heart became warm. ¡°Eeeuu...¡± Of course, at first, she simply thought it was because of her fury and desire to discipline Frey. As such, as soon as she got the chance, she tried to beat Frey down in hopes of disciplining him. However, from that point onwards, something shifted within her. The feeble look Frey showed when he was thrown on the bed. That look wasn¡¯t the arrogant and disgusting look that Frey usually wore. It also wasn¡¯t the look he had when he attempted to rape her just moments before. It was the same expression Frey showed when he was young, as he tumbled down onto the earthen ground whenever she defeated him in a spar. Although short, she briefly felt like she was transported back in time when Frey was pinned onto the bed by her. Because of it, Isolet began to lose her reason. In order to see this side of him for longer, she continued to push the heavily panting Frey down onto the bed. And because of her forceful actions, the last expression Frey showed was... A look of complete defeat. The expression he showed was a look of total surrender. It was a frail look that was unbecoming of someone like Frey, who was accustomed to having everything under his feet. ¡°Haa...¡± Why did that face of his heat up her entire body? She wanted to make those slender arms that dared to restrain her hands know how it felt to be restrained with true strength. That frail body which dared to suppress her deserved to recognize what it was like to actually be suppressed. When Frey¡¯s arrogant look changed into that of fright, what kind of feeling would she have? And when she finally stripped him of his shirt and put her head closer to his face, what would she have done in that situation? ¡°Crazy...¡± No matter how one looked, there was only one answer. For whatever reason, she had unconsciously tried to intimidate Frey. ¡°No way.¡± And it was a great shock for Isolet. Because of the chivalry she upheld as a knight and the integrity she believed in as a teacher... Forget sex; even the mere mention of a relationship between a man and a woman would make her whole body shiver with rejection and disgust. But why was it that the same heart of chivalry and integrity couldn¡¯t resist the momentary impulse to push down such a feeble boy? ¡°I¡¯m not worthy as a knight... Nor as a teacher...¡± Isolet muttered, the cocktail of feelings eating away her conscience. ¡°How can I face him in the future...¡± Soon, she stopped talking and touched her cheeks. ¡°Ha.¡± Her cheeks were still burning. ¡°Isn¡¯t Frey the lustful one? That should have been obvious, but...¡± She should be disgusted with this situation, but her body¡¯s reaction said otherwise. ¡°...Turns out the lustful one isn¡¯t him, but me.¡± She moved the pillow on her stomach, hugging it close to her chest. She tightly shut her eyes and muttered. ¡°Frey...¡± She hugged the pillow in order to calm herself, but somehow, the scenes from before overlapped in her mind, making her body heat up even further. ¡°Heuaaaa....¡± And soon thereafter, Isolet¡¯s breath turned into even rougher pants. . . . . . Meanwhile... ¡°Haa...¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there a problem?¡± ¡°No... Nothing...¡± Somehow Frey ended up having lunch with the Paladin. He sighed briefly before staring blankly into space. [Sub-Heroines Conquest] Isolet Arham Bywalker [Conquest Progress: 90%] Details... ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do anymore.¡± ¡°.....?¡± As he recalled what happened just moments before, Frey¡¯s expression gradually turned utterly empty. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 202: Prophecy ? Prophecy ? ¡°Arghh...¡± ¡°Fr, Frey. Are you okay?¡± ¡°M...Master?¡± ¡°Wake up, Frey! Wake up!¡± I had been spacing out after being rescued from Isolet¡¯s room with both Lulu and Irina wrapped around me. ¡°...Please get a hold of yourself, Master.¡± I kept thinking of that incident with a blank expression. Then a sudden wave of clarity washed over me. ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s nothing. Really.¡± ¡°Ri, Right.¡± Lulu, with her shining Magic Eyes, was trying to talk to me. And Irina, who was beside her, nodded vigorously and tightly held my hand. ¡°........¡± But even with their support, I couldn¡¯t find my voice. Was it because what happened with Isolet had been too shocking for me? Or was it because of the strange feeling I somehow felt in the middle of that action? Normally, I could swiftly regain my emotional composure, but this time, it was different. I couldn¡¯t seem to stabilize my feelings. There must have been a reason why she decided to attack me that way. ¡°Do, do something...! Aren¡¯t you a magician?!¡± ¡°Wa, wait. ¡°Calm down, you guys.¡± While thinking so, I ordered Lulu and Irina, who were fussing in front of me, to calm down. I took a deep breath and got up from my seat. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Y-Your face turned red, Frey.¡± ¡°...I said let¡¯s go.¡± Being attacked by someone you didn¡¯t expect, especially if that someone was Isolet, was indeed too big of a shock. No, what was I thinking? Isolet was only giving me a lesson. There was no way she actually wanted to pounce me. What occurred earlier was merely an extension of Isolet¡¯s lesson about ¡®not falling into¡¯ lust when imposed on others. So, I needed to stop dwelling on it. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous... turns out it is not only amongst the four of us who need to restrain ourselves... there is danger lurking everywhere...¡± I was walking with such thought in mind when Irina, who was behind me, started muttering in a grave voice. ¡°We can¡¯t entrust Frey to that dangerous old virgin... I need to snap her awake...¡± I heard some very dangerous words. If Isolet were to hear herself being called an ¡®old virgin¡¯, no one would know who would end up alive or dead that day. Well, Isolet was still in her 20s...despite often being mistaken for a student at the academy, she was undeniably sensitive to such remarks for some reason. ¡°.......¡± I recalled being locked in a headlock for who knows how many hours after jokingly using those words with her in the past. I shook my head upon remembering that when suddenly someone appeared in front of me. ¡°Eu, euhh...¡± Lulu, who somehow appeared in front of me, seemedd to nervously want to say something. What could it be this time? ¡°M-Master. I have something to ask...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°By any chance, do you enjoy getting pounced on?¡± I was taken aback by those words. Lulu continued urgently. ¡°I, I can also be a big dog ! That.. I could pounce and lick you... or act unrestrained like a hound dog...¡± ¡°...I said calm down.¡± ¡°Y, Yes..¡± I took a deep breath and softly caressed her. With an exhausted expression I made my way to the mansion¡¯s living room. ¡°.......¡± There, a Paladin sitting modestly on the sofa entered my view. ¡°Um.¡± Initially, I thought I was hallucinating, but upon closer inspection, I am certain it was real. She has the same face as the Gods who appeared during my Third Ordeal. Of course, there were some differences. This face lacked maturity and appeared somewhat childish. But somehow, it exuded an air of mystery rather than foolishness. Nonetheless, she looked like the same person. ¡°Hmmm...¡± This made me amazed so I stared fixedly at her. She was also stealing glances at me before her expression turned cold. ¡®...With that look she also looked more like a demon?¡¯ The Sun God and the Demon God I had seen in my Third Ordeal shared the same face. Perhaps they also referred to each other as ¡®older sister¡¯ and ¡®younger sister¡¯... Then, which one of them did this girl resemble? Was it the Sun God with the foolish look, similar to Ferloche? Or was it the Demon God with the evil and wicked look? Or perhaps it was some other third being? ¡°...What could it be?¡± As I pondered this, I realized I had been continuously staring at the girl, which was quite embarrassing, considering her wariness towards me. ¡°A, Ah... So...¡± I scratched my head while thinking about it and then I asked her with an awkward smile. ¡°Would you like to join me for a meal?¡± Shortly after that, we made our way to the mansion¡¯s dining room. . . . . . ¡°...Huft.¡± I was in the midst of my meal when the notification of Isolet¡¯s increased affection popped up in the air. I pushed the system window aside with a blank look and fell into a thought. ¡®I¡¯m going crazy...¡¯ The image of Isolet pushing me down and sticking her neck in front of me kept replaying in my mind. I hadn¡¯t expected it to leave such a lasting impression on me. Was it the contrast with her usual demeanor that made it so impactful? ¡°...Nom, nom.¡± Lost in thought, I heard a strange sound coming from in front of me. I looked up and saw a rather peculiar scene. ¡°You... what are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m eating salmon? Just like that, she reluctantly broke her grip off. I came in front of her and carefully wiped her lips with a napkin. ¡°Eu...¡± At first she keenly resisted but then she stopped little by little and started to look into my eyes. ¡°Wh, what is th...is?¡± Then she asked with a shaking voice. ¡°Look, something covered your lips.¡± I slightly showed her the napkin stained with salmon sauce. ¡°But you... looked kind of pretty like this?¡± I openly smiled and approached her more. Then I started to stroke her hair. ¡°Eu, eugh...¡± She suddenly started groaning. ¡°Eu...¡± All of a sudden she faltered and started to break in cold sweat. ¡°Wh, what? What¡¯s wrong?¡° ¡°Look, look... ahead. How can this happen? I¡¯m not even praying... why all of a sudden...?¡± I bewilderedly held her, puzzled by the sudden abnormality that happened. ¡°You...¡± She kept on faltering while spouting gibberish. She suddenly looked at me with a blank look and whispered quietly. ¡°...I think it will be better if you escape now.¡± ¡°What?¡± After she said that, she lost consciousness with her eyes closed. ¡°......!?¡± I was wiping the salmon sauce off of her face when I suddenly encountered this unexpected incident. With a confused look, I placed her in the chair and checked her heartbeat. ¡°...Everything seems normal.¡± After I made sure it wasn¡¯t a problem related to her health, I quietly got up from my seat and headed to the mansion¡¯s porch while muttering. ¡°Anyway... let¡¯s go. Both of them are waiting for me in the carriage.¡± While feeling rather uncomfortable, the moment I stepped onto the porch... ¨CCreaak...! ¡°Hiiik!¡± Then someone suddenly gripped my hand. ¡°Wh, What?¡± ¡°...Frey.¡± I was startled by the unknown wet touch. Then, I turned back and what greeted me was... ¡°Where... where are you going?¡± Isolet, drenched in sweat. ¡°I¡¯m going home? Ah, before that thank you for the food.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°And, your new student is also really delicious. She was tired right now and collapsed in the dinner hall. Quickly check her...¡± At first I spoke normally but then my expression turned shameless. ¡°Crackle...¡± ¡°...Ok, okay.¡± Somehow Isolet looked at me with a frightful look on her face. ¡°Why, why did you do that...¡± I remembered the thing that happened before and unconsciously stepped back with a nervous look on my face. ¡°As I thought, it can¡¯t work.¡± ¨CKwang!! ¡°Heugh!¡± Then, Isolet who was looking at me, pushed me against the wall right next to the front door and said... ¡°I will only give you this one suggestion. In the future, find me in my house once every week.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying... just like the old times. ¡°Wh, why?¡± I didn¡¯t know why, but in this fearful situation, her reply gave off a creepy vibe. My body shivered as if feeling cold. Then, Isolet continued her words. ¡°To get rid of that arrogant behavior of yours we will undergo train, training.¡± ¡°Training? What kind of training... uhuk...¡± ¡°No need for questions. You only need to follow. If you obediently follow me, that arrogant personality will also disappear. Somehow I felt a tingling sensation and tried to get away. But Isolet grabbed my hand once more and leaned her head close to my face. ¡°Of course it is only a suggestion for now... but if you keep being like this...¡± She gripped my neck with her other hand and she finished her words with a puff of her breath hitting my face. ¡°...There is another way other than a suggestion, do you want that?¡± Then, there was a moment of silence. -Kuuugh...! I don¡¯t know why she suddenly exerted my force into the wet hand that was grabbing my neck. Then, I suddenly feel cold all over my body. ¡°... I will, I will come find you.¡± If I said anything else in this situation, it seemed like it would turn into something dangerous. So I answered in a voice resembling an ant. ¡°........¡± Isolet kept on looking at me with a subtle look. ¡°Wh, what...? Where are you going?¡± ¡°...Th, then see you next week.¡± After she heard the footsteps of the Paladin that had regained her consciousness, she came to her senses and pulled away from me. ¡°........¡± At the fact that I got pushed into the wall by Isolet and being suppressed like before, I could only put up a blank look. ¡°...Not going?¡± I was spacing out just the same when I heard Isolet¡¯s words with a look of guilt on her face. I quickly thought of going out of the mansion. ¡®What kind of situation was that? And that girl... she can¡¯t have foreseen this right?¡± I didn¡¯t know for sure, but in the future, when I found her in this house, I would have to find out what her real intention is. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 203: Small Devil ? Small Devil ? Ding-ding! Ding-ding! ¡°Hoam...¡± I opened my eyes to the blaring sound of the alarm clock and let out a yawn as I got up. ¡°Hm? The weather has started to get colder in recent days. I set aside the warm blanket and got off of my bed. Then, I tilted my head, sensing another presence beneath my bed. ¡°Huuum...¡± I bent down and the sight of Lulu in her pajamas, crouched beside my bed, came into view. ¡°.........¡± Lately, she had been coming into my room to sleep without hesitation. I had attempted to dissuade her, but she insisted that a pet should sleep by its owner. ¡°Lulu.¡± ¡°Huam.¡± The room had a slight chill. I reached out to wake her up, but instead, she nibbled on my fingers. ¡°Ow.¡± I frowned slightly in response. Then, I took a deep breath and pondered with my eyes fixed on the girl chewing my fingers. ¡®Today... is the day I¡¯m supposed to meet Aishi, right?¡± Yes, it was the day I had received a letter from Aishi, asking me to meet. ¡®And... I have to undergo training with Isolet today too...¡¯ It coincided with the day exactly one week after Isolet had made her rather blackmail-like proposition to me. If I went to see Aishi before going to Isolet¡¯s house, it would mean that I have encountered every sub-heroines I needed to encounter. Of course, there were others I still needed to observe or be aware of, but it seemed like I could feel less anxious now. ¡°Phew...¡± With that in mind, I gently pulled out my damp fingers from Lulu¡¯s mouth and carefully got up. ¡°I even prepared a new bed for you. What¡¯s so good about sleeping like this?¡± Afterward, with the blanket I had used, I carefully covered Lulu. Just in case she woke up due to the movement, I silently made my way to my desk. ¡°Master...?¡± However, despite all my efforts, Lulu, who had been sleeping in the chair, awoke. She rubbed her eyes for a moment before slowly getting up and walking over to me. ¡°Hehe...¡± She walked right behind me and started hugging me, rubbing her cheeks against my back. ¡®She¡¯s at it again...¡± These days, she has been pouncing on me too frequently. After Isolet¡¯s recent encounter, I couldn¡¯t understand why Lulu had suddenly turned aggressive. Whenever I was sitting or lying down, she behaved like a big dog and clung to me like this. Irina had a large, red pet-dog that would also pounce on me and act coquettish. Lulu¡¯s actions were even more overboard than that dog¡¯s. It left me feeling a bit drained lately and my back was a little sore. ¨CCreak Lost in thought, I started opening the envelopes on my desk when the door opened, and Irina entered the room. ¡°I-It¡¯s today¡¯s breakfast... Frey.¡± For today, She had once again placed a plate of dog-shaped omurice on my desk with a heart drawn on top. She was punctually dressed in her maid outfit and was secretly observing me. I looked at her and then asked in a roundabout way. ¡°Irina, I have something to ask you.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, just ask. I¡¯ll answer any questions you ask...¡± ¡°When is Clana coming?¡± ¡°.....!!!¡± Initially, she was looking at me with an intense gaze, but when I asked that question, her expression turned cold. ¡°Th, th, that, why are you asking that, Frey?¡± In the end, she urgently sat beside me while basking in cold sweat and asked. ¡°Well, I¡¯m just curious. You never really told me when you¡¯re leaving for the Western Continent or when Clana is coming, right?¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Hearing that, Irina¡¯s expression turned stunned for a moment. ¡°Uh, well, that... it hasn¡¯t been that long... What should I do? It¡¯s almost time for the rotation... Uh...¡± ¡°Irina?¡± ¡°My actions until now were all lacking... an impact... what should I do to create an impact...¡± Then she began muttering, looking as if she were possessed by a ghost. ¡°You contacted the Magic Tower Tower Master?¡± I asked Irina about the request I had made to her a few days ago. ¡°I, I... still haven¡¯t done it. I don¡¯t know why but she didn¡¯t respond. Maybe she¡¯s busy with something?¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± I always keep that note safely inside my outerwear pocket. With a small smile on my face I stroked the cat that was now carrying that paper. ¡°There must be some hope.¡± ¡°Nya!¡± Then, I put both the cat and the paper inside my pocket and went out of the room. ¡°Prepare the carriage. I need to meet Aishi.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°And I will also go to Isolet¡¯s house. Tidy up the house until then.¡± With an expressionless face, I commanded Alice who was sweeping the hallway. ¡°There are flowers and a letter from Roswyn... what do you want to do wi...¡± ¡°Return them.¡± Beside her stood Arianne. After answering her question, I descended to the first floor. ¡°...Irina, about the result of the examination that time, are you sure about that?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Then when I saw Irina, who was standing at the entrance waiting for me, I asked her that question. ¡°I¡¯m referring to when I asked you to examine a curse. Are you sure about the result?¡± ¡°Ah, that? Of course I¡¯m sure. I searched your body thoroughly just to be sure.¡± ¡°Um...¡± I fell into thought when I heard those words. ¡®Why is the ¡®Frozen Heart Curse¡¯ like that?¡¯ A few days before I met Aishi, I had received a comprehensive and full body curse examination from Irina. And the result that came out was a surprising one. There was a fragmented piece of ice containing the curse inside my body. Irina mentioned that it was a rare occurrence that had never been reported within magic academia. For some reason, I felt a coldness and a pain in my heart, wondering if such a case could happen. ¡°Is there a possibility of recurrence?¡± ¡°...What we can be sure for now is only that it is still in a dormant state. Apart from that, I need to conduct further research to find out more...¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± I gulped after hearing those words and then quietly retrieved a letter from my chest pocket. -Sender: Cloud Kingdom [To Young Master Frey Raon Starlight. I am aware of your appointment with Lady Aishi. I have something to discuss with you about the recent changes that happened to Lady Aishi...] I read that letter for the nth time. ¡°...I was already afraid of having to go to Big Sis¡¯s house. What is it now? What the hell is up with this girl?¡± I stepped outside the mansion. ¡°Well, I can just go there and check in person.¡± . . . . . Meanwhile at that moment, in the location of the secret meeting. ¡°Princess.¡± The Cloud Kingdom¡¯s attendant cautiously approached Aishi, who was sitting and sipping her tea. ¡°.......¡± ¡°Young Master Frey will come. He left the mansion just now.¡± ¡°You, come here.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Aishi commanded the attendant in a cold voice. ¡°Ye, Yes...¡± The attendant approached her with a slightly frightened look. ¡°Eugh!¡± Suddenly, ice formed on the ground and the attendant fell heavily. ¡°.........¡± Aishi stared intently at that attendant. ¡°...Pft.¡± Soon after, she covered her mouth and whispered with a devilish expression. ¡°You are really sloppy.¡± There was a lingering cold air in the room. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 204: Story of the Small Devil ? Story of the Small Devil ? -Rattle, Rattle...! Right now I am crossing through the street of an Empire swirling with cold air on my carriage. ¡°Hehe.¡± On one side sat Lulu, wearing the clothes I¡¯d recently gifted her, playfully blowing warm air onto my cheeks. And on my other side was Irina who was looking at me anxiously with her clenched fists and prickling ears. -Beep, Beep! In the midst of this daily occurrence, which I had grown so accustomed to, a sudden call disrupted the familiar atmosphere, taking a different turn than usual. ¡°...Ugh.¡± I grunted, thinking it might be Kania informing me that Serena, who always seemed to miss me, was pining for my attention. However, when I reached for my phone, it was none other than Isolet on the other end. ¡°Hello?¡± -Frey The memories from a week ago still echoed vividly in my mind, making my heart race as her voice reached my ears. -Did you remember... the appointment we made back then? ...I didn¡¯t know why but her voice sounded quite tired. ¡°Huh? I¡¯m not sure¡± I replied with a gleam in my eyes, seizing the opportunity to engage in a genuine conversation with her. ¡°But Sister, you sound exhausted? Are you training?¡± -Hua.. then, then... ¡°Huum, so it¡¯s like that. You used to train tirelessly without fatigue in the past. It seems age is finally catching up with you.¡± With that, the harsh sound of breathing on the other end abruptly stopped. ¡°Well, Sister, you¡¯re not in the best shape right now, are you? I wouldn¡¯t want to get training from a toothless tiger...¡± I spoke with a sly grin, hoping to avoid the impending training session. -Cheeky brat. I wasn¡¯t sure why, but I flinched when Isolet¡¯s voice turned hoarse. It was the same voice she used when she grabbed my neck a week ago. -Anyway, it looks like we¡¯ll have to postpone the training until tomorrow. ¡°Wh, why?¡± She then answered using the same tone. -I have been looking forward to today, but it seems like my body won¡¯t cooperate. I gulped hard after hearing her. -It¡¯s, it¡¯s because of your antics; my anger has built up too much. If I¡¯m not careful, I might just accidentally kill you. So, I¡¯ll need to cool off before we proceed tomorrow. ¡°If, if it¡¯s that severe then I don¡¯t need to do it...¡± Isolet repeated her words and I earnestly answered her. -If you don¡¯t come with a valid excuse, I¡¯ll visit your house as your teacher. Her answer came quickly. -And at that time... you better be prepared. She seemed out of breath and her voice trailed off, followed by the abrupt click as my phone¡¯s screen turned off. ¡°¡±.........¡±¡± The two girls that were leaning beside me then started to stare at me quietly. -From Aria. [Brother, what have you done to Sister Isolet? Why did she ask me to send her your picture?!] Suddenly, I remembered the letter I received from my sister a few days ago. As expected, it was consistent with the Conquest Progress and the conversation that had just occurred. Except for Lulu, Isolet¡¯s state was the most serious one amongst the sub-heroines. My expression grew serious as I contemplated the situation. Lulu, who clung to me, spoke softly. ¡°You can go ahead, Master. Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll be right beside you,¡± ¡°...You guys heard that? It¡¯s an emergency. Get your spirits on standby¡± Then Irina suddenly took out her communication device and busied herself calling someone. ¡°Eum...¡± Even with the two girls clinging on my sides, an inexplicable unease coursed through my body, sending shivers down my spine. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived!¡± The coachman announced as such, indicating that we had reached our destination. I gathered myself and slowly prepared to disembark. ¡°Frey, will you really be okay going alone?¡± Then Irina cautiously asked me. ¡°Every ice mage in this world has an ugly personality. It¡¯s a well-known fact among mages.¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah. Try to remember that Archmage of the Hero¡¯s Party member from a thousand years ago.¡± I unconsciously tilted my head upon hearing those words. Because amongst the things mentioned in the prophecy written by my ancestor, there was a significant portion written about the Archmage that Irina was talking about. ¡°Anyway, just be careful. If you encounter danger, just shout. Ice can never win against fire. I will melt it all.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You will really call out right? ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°The piece of ice inside your body could be activated temporarily if you meet her, so be careful. If such a thing happens, I¡¯ll handle it for you...¡± ¡°I said I will.¡± I nodded repeatedly, reassuring Irina. After the carriage completely stopped, I stepped out to turn back and headed to the secret meeting. ¡°Um.¡± Soon I saw a cafe that was not so big and not so little, but just right in size. I didn¡¯t see anyone inside, so they probably rented the whole cafe. It seemed like no matter how small the nation was, a princess was still a princess. ¨C Creaak With such thoughts, I opened the door and entered the cafe where I found Aishi sitting, sipping her tea. ¡°¡±.........¡±¡± She was sitting in her seat with a slightly guarded expression. When our eyes met, a silence filled over the cafe. ¡°Come and sit.¡± What truly allowed her to regain her freedom and life was the ¡®Slave Market Liberation¡¯ incident that happened a few months ago. She felt a sense of freedom when she finally left the solitary room she had been staying in for so long and headed for the Sunrise Empire. She also felt alive when she met her locked brothers and sisters and rescued them. And most importantly, the ¡®Frozen Heart Curse¡¯ binding her could be temporarily removed, allowing her frozen heart to gradually thaw. Her old personality began to resurface. ¡°Princess, please restrain yourself.¡± ¡°...Eu, eung?¡± However, What came back wasn¡¯t only her personality. ¡°You are the one who will lead this kingdom in the future, right? We can only tolerate so much.¡± ¡°Tolerate? Until now...?¡± ¡°Who would fall for your silly prank, Princess? Please, get a hold of yourself.¡± Believing that her curse had vanished, the kingdom restored her position as the throne¡¯s successor, her duties, and the responsibilities of a future Queen. By successfully carrying out the rescue, she regained the love of her siblings and the people around her to some extent. However, this incident caused the royal authority to weaken to the extent that she even had to be cautious around her subordinates. ¡°If you pull another prank, I will quit being your attendant.¡± ¡°Eu, euh... Sorry.¡± Even the attendant that she pulled her prank on looked at her with cold eyes. Of course the pranks she could come up with, being raised in a sheltered environment, were of a rather low standard. Nobody was fooled. The attendant thought that she was a little pitiful. However, they had grown tired of dealing with pranks that no one else would even entertain. As such, those actions were not something that even an attendant could endure. ¡°Uuu...eu...¡± So when Frey, her last hope, didn¡¯t fall to her prank, her head drooped and she started groaning. ¡°This...This isn¡¯t what I wanted...¡± Tears streamed down her face without her realizing. ¡°I only... wanted to play... and...¡± She was pressed under the weight of power and responsibility that she didn¡¯t desire, both now and in the future. ¡°I only want to be loved...¡± While crying sadly, she began to repeat the words she used to say in the past when she was locked in her room. ¨C Aiya ¡°.....!¡± Then, at that moment, she heard a sinister voice. ¨C Are you sad? ¡°Shut, shut up...¡± ¨C So you are. Somehow even though the curse in her heart had disappeared, the voice kept on haunting her. And today the voice was even softer and sweeter. ¨C Grab my hand. ¡°St, stop...¡± ¨C If you also can¡¯t take it anymore then entrust your hand to me. ¡°Stop...¡± Her eyes unconsciously started welling up. ¨C Let¡¯s have some fun just like you used to. ¡°Ah...¡± The tragedy that had befallen the Cloud Kingdom, back when she had innocently fallen for that voice, was now repeating itself in the Empire. ¡°Euagh!¡± ¡°.....?¡± And just then... ¨C Thunk Frey watched Aishi with a blank look and took a step closer to her before stumbling heavily on the icy ground. ¡°Uagh...¡± As a result, Frey tumbled in a comical manner. He attempted to rise, only to fall over himself again. ¡°........¡± Aishi looked blankly at Frey. ¡°What, what are you doing right now?!¡± With a mortified expression, she looked at the grumbling Frey and questioned him disbelievingly. ¡°Are you falling for my prank right now?¡± And it was then that an answer came. ¡°Can¡¯t you see?¡± Aishi looked at Frey while holding back her tears. ¡°Pft!¡± She unconsciously laughed. ¡°Such a dummy~? You fell for that kind of prank~¡± ¡°Wh, what?¡± ¡°Stupid~ Dummy~ Silly~?¡± ¡°Hik, Hiikk...¡± The tears that had welled inside her eyes... ¡®He is even more amusing than I thought.¡¯ Were now quietly drying, imperceptible to anyone else. ¡®Well, he did something to me the last time too. Also, he was originally a bad person... Then, today I will play to my heart¡¯s content...¡± She quietly muttered to herself with a devilish laugh. ¡®...I need to take back the curse.¡¯ ¡®After all, since I learned how to transfer it recently, I have been thinking of passing the curse to a prisoner on death row... Well I do feel like I need to do it as soon as possible.¡¯ When she saw Frey¡¯s tearful face, she tried to hide the shivers she felt over her body. ¡®...As I thought, there is a strange feeling.¡¯ She could never have known that once the curse had been passed on once, she could never take it back. Chapter 205: This Isnt It... ? This Isn¡¯t It... ? ¡°Pfff..¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°......¡± As I lay on the floor with a blank expression, I looked up to find Aishi laughing at me. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± I cried out, intentionally exaggerating my anger towards her, but Aishi simply hid her smile behind her hand as she replied. ¡°You look like such an idiot, that¡¯s why~¡± ¡°Yo-You¡¯re the one who secretly turned the floor into an ice rink!¡± ¡°Pff! Phahaha...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t laugh! Suppressing the goosebumps appearing all over my body, I went along with the atmosphere. Aishi continued to laugh, now even starting to shed tears. ¡®...What a relief.¡¯ I thought as such, watching her and allowing myself a sigh of comfort. ¡®At least I¡¯ve overcome that.¡¯ Using my mind reading skill, I could see that her emotions of ¡®Despair¡¯, ¡®Depression¡¯, and ¡®Impulsiveness¡¯ had vanished. There was more. [Stats] Name: Aishi Winter Cloud Strength: 3 Mana: 7.8 Intelligence: 7 Mental Strength: 5 Passive Status: Fragile / Demonic Aura / Corrupted (Halted) Disposition: Pensive Goodness Stat: 72 Previously, her Passive Status had a red label indicating that she was ¡®Corrupted,¡¯ but now that label was halted. I partially knew of Aishi¡¯s past from reading the Prophetic Book. In spite of being a mischievous princess yearning for love, Aishi had struggled to control the impulses that brewed within her, often leading her to destructive rampages. These episodes left her traumatized and would eventually corrupt her. As a consequence of her rampages, she was given nicknames by the public, including ¡®terminal patient¡¯, ¡®Heiress of the Ice Witch¡¯, and ¡®time bomb¡¯. This was despite the fact that all one had to do was indulge her mischievous nature. It might seem a far too simple method to avert her from becoming the Right Hand of the Demon King, thus plunging the Western Continent into a bloodbath, but it had proven to be undeniably effective. The prophecy had stated that the only thing she wished for was a quiet life filled with laughter, with someone indulging her mischievous nature. That fact remained etched in my mind, especially because she desired the same life I did. ¡°Hmm...¡± It would be nice if I knew the reason behind her ¡®corruption¡¯, but the prophecy didn¡¯t provide any insight on that. Seeing that my ancestor didn¡¯t mention anything in the prophecy, the truth might be revealed only after the battle with the Demon King or may have been deliberately concealed. Did Aishi know? I need to ask her when I get the chance. ¡®By the way, she looked very different from what I saw during the Third Ordeal.¡¯ Throughout the Third Ordeal, Aishi had maintained her icy demeanor until the very end. Her current personality seemed to diverge from what the prophecy had foretold. Did this mean that her personality went back to normal once the DLC was applied? Or did some error occur because of the Third Ordeal? Although I couldn¡¯t be sure, it could even be both. At the moment, I was certain of one thing: all the ¡®sub-heroines¡¯ began to change after the third ordeal. Was this a good thing or a bad thing? I would have to discover the answer for myself. ¡°Please get up. How long are you going to lie there?¡± ¡°Guh...¡± Snapping out of my stupor, I slowly got up off the floor as she continued to giggle. ¡®I just have to play along a little. It¡¯s like a joke compared to what I¡¯ve gone through so far.¡¯ I mumbled to myself, my legs still shaking, as I made my way to a nearby chair. ¡°...Ugh.¡± At that moment, I felt a sudden pain in my chest.. ¡°Wh-What¡¯s going on?¡± Of course, I had been dealing with chest pain recently due to my diminishing life force, but this pain felt different. Normally, it felt as though my heart were being stabbed by needles, but this time, it felt like my heart was freezing over. ¡®Can it be...?¡¯ As I pondered what was occuring, I suddenly heard Aishi¡¯s voice. ¡°Pfff.¡± Aishi, who had been staring at me blankly, suddenly began to laugh. ¡°Wh-What¡¯s so funny?¡± I asked in confusion, tilting my head. Aishi quickly responded ¡°It seems you¡¯re suffering quite a lot.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Seriously? Even after ending up in that state, you didn¡¯t notice? You really are a weakling.¡± ¡°What on earth are you saying?¡± As I continued questioning her with a puzzled look, Aishi began to smile as she got up. ¡°You really are stupid, kuku...¡± ¡°.....?¡± ¡°.....?¡± Approaching me with a seductive gaze, Aishi looked down at me as I sat there. ¡°Haven¡¯t you been feeling weak lately?¡± While leaning on my shoulder, she began whispering to me in a quiet voice. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Not only do the rumors I¡¯ve heard about you and what¡¯s being printed in the newspaper match, you look like you¡¯re about to pass out at any moment. I recommend you don¡¯t try to hide it.¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°Should I tell you why you¡¯re suffering?¡± Aishi ignored my bewildered expression and devilishly smirked as she continued to whisper into my ear. ¡®It¡¯s because you¡¯re being punished.¡¯ Of course, I was well aware why my body was in this state, so my feelings were a bit mixed after hearing this. ¡°You haven¡¯t gotten drunk at all?¡± Taking hold of the wineglass in front of Aishi, Frey asked a question. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re giving up already? You really are a weakling...hahaha...¡± Aishi, who had been enjoying a drinking game with Frey since earlier, taunted Frey, who was already half unconscious. ¡°I-I¡¯m not drunk!¡± In response, Frey gulped down the remaining alcohol, determined to prove her wrong. ¡°Ubh...gag...¡± But shortly after, he let out a guttural groan as he collapsed onto the table. ¡°Puahahahhaha!¡± Watching Frey¡¯s fallen form, Aishi laughed in joy as she spoke. ¡°How amusing~! You can only see women with those eyes of yours, and your physical and mental strength are both pathetic~!¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± With those words, Aishi got up. ¡°Moron.¡± Afterwards, Aishi closely approached the fallen Frey, leaning her head towards him. ¡°Please just die. I beg of you.¡± She grabbed his chin and lifted him, whispering into his ear in a soothing voice. ¡°Haaa.....¡± Upon hearing her words, Frey¡¯s face contorted with anguish and tears welled up in his eyes. ¡°I-I don¡¯t want to die...¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to dieeee...¡± As Frey, completely intoxicated, pleaded desperately with Aishi, her smile faded and she began to stare blankly at him. ¡°...Did you know?¡± Soon after, Aishi embraced Frey, who had been shivering due to the cold. Then, she began speaking in an unnaturally gentle voice. ¡°The reason your body is in that condition is because a wicked curse has befallen you.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°If you do nothing, you¡¯ll slowly become weaker and die.¡± As Frey heard her words, his eyes began to tremble. ¡°The thing is, Frey.¡± She cautiously patted him on the back, continuing to whisper into his ear. ¡°I had a lot of fun today.¡± ¡°I managed to beat you in musical chairs, pretended to be an ice ghost, and even used you as my footrest.¡± ¡°Eugh....¡± Whilst keeping her head at an angle that Frey could not see, she continued. ¡°...I¡¯m serious.¡± Aishi had a slightly serious expression on her face. ¡°Was that why I couldn¡¯t hear ¡®that voice¡¯ today? It was a strange experien-¡± As she continued to speak, she unintentionally said something that wasn¡¯t allowed. ¡°.....!¡± ¡°.....!¡± She instantaneously closed her mouth, but Frey¡¯s eyes, which had seemed clouded, suddenly filled with interest. ¡°Re-Regardless...¡± But as if that were an illusion, Frey¡¯s eyes returned to their hazy state as Aishi continued to speak. ¡°I¡¯m the only one who knows how to lift that curse.¡± ¡°Th-that...¡± ¡°So if you don¡¯t want to die... You should take care of me. I still harbor a lot of anger towards you, but.... you are rather fun to be around.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°........¡± It seemed as though Aishi had unintentionally added the last part. ¡°...I feel weird.¡± She made a perplexed expression and tilted her head in his direction. ¡°Anyway, you understand, right?¡± ¡°Hiii...!¡± As she spoke, she brought her finger up to Frey¡¯s chest once again. ¡°¡±...........¡±¡± ¡°¡±...........¡±¡± But silence followed her action. ¡°...Huh?¡± Breaking the long silence, Aishi began to stammer in bewilderment. ¡°S-something¡¯s wrong.¡± ¡°Wh-why can¡¯t I take it back...?¡± With a perplexed expression, Aishi continued to poke Frey¡¯s chest with her finger. ¡°Haaaaa....!¡± ¡°Ah! S-sorry, ju-just wait for a second.¡± However, her actions only increased the frequency of Frey¡¯s moans. ¡°Ai-Aishi...¡± ¡°Th-there¡¯s no way this can be happening. The curse should...the curse...¡± Despite the cold temperature in the room, Aishi remained focused on removing the curse, her forehead beaded with a cold sweat. ¡°Stop it...¡± Frey, looking visibly pale and unwell, finally spoke up. ¡°...It hurts.¡± He lifted his head slightly, wearing a pitiful expression as he spoke. ¡°.........¡± ¡°.........¡± Aishi withdrew her finger from his chest and gazed at him with a blank expression. ¡°.........Huh?¡± Before she even realized, it was already approaching noon. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 206: Heartbeat ? Heartbeat ? It was an emotion I hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. Ever since I had become the heir to the Cloud Kingdom¡¯s throne and my heart froze as a result of the curse, I had thought I would never be able to feel this emotion again. Yet, as I played with the boy before me, I could feel it tangibly The sensation of the door to my frozen heart beginning to open ever so slightly. ¡°Weakling?. You can¡¯t even handle that much?¡± ¡°Wh-what are you doing...?¡± ¡°You¡¯re my new leg rest, so just go to sleep.¡± I continued to provoke Frey, casually draping my legs over his and playfully wiggling my feet. ¡°Uh-uh...¡± ¡°Seriously? You got excited? I really can¡¯t deal with you...¡± As Frey bowed his head and let out a moan, Aishi couldn¡¯t help but stare in embarrassment. Frey had gained quite a reputation for sleeping around, but she hadn¡¯t expected to see such a cute side to him. Was that the reason she was acting like this? ¡°I¡¯m bored. Frey, tell me a story.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, just hurry.¡± Suddenly, I felt a strong desire to engage in conversation with Frey. Even now, I couldn¡¯t fully comprehend it, but I was overflowing with a longing to share a drink and talk with him. It was as though this memory had been etched into my mind, destined to happen. I persistently peppered Frey with various questions, and as our conversation deepened, it became increasingly evident that we were both quite lightweight when it came to alcohol. ¡°...So, you felt sorry for me?¡± ¡°If you put it that way...¡± ¡°Pff, hahahah! You¡¯re hilarious! You really were a weakling, weren¡¯t you?¡± Each poured their hearts out to the other. ¡°So why did someone like you, who is bound by the emblem of chastity, buy my family? Didn¡¯t you say you would use them as sex slaves?¡± ¡°...I was interested in you.¡± ¡°Ha?¡± ¡°I tried to lure you in by using your family as bait...hiii!¡± Surprisingly, their conversation was filled with enjoyment. ¡°The more I listen, the more your lies become apparent.¡± ¡°...I-I¡¯m telling the truth...¡± Still, she couldn¡¯t take his words at face value. The emblem of chastity could easily be replicated and she sensed that he was lying. Yet, the person she had encountered today was far removed from the ¡°worst villain in the world.¡± He was someone foolish enough to easily fall for my tricks. At worst, he was a ruffian that liked to have fun. However, if the reports from her informants were accurate, the image he currently projected was likely nothing but a facade. Yet, she was the type to believe only what she had witnessed firsthand. ¡°I know this isn¡¯t the situation to say something like this, but you¡¯re quite pretty.¡± ¡°...Are you using pick up lines on a girl my age? How vile, just die.¡± ¡°Our birthdays are only a year apart though?¡± ¡°.........¡± ¡°.........¡± Their banter continued for a while. In that moment, I, who had seen him as little more than a toy for torment, began to feel something beyond mere curiosity. It was as if the frozen door of my heart had cracked open, just a bit. ¡®...I can¡¯t hear the voice anymore.¡¯ It was then that I realized I couldn¡¯t hear the voice that had sought to destroy me by any means necessary. Were these strange emotions somehow reawakened by the enigmatic boy before me? After conversing with him for some time, I reached the conclusion that I wanted to grow closer to the boy in front of me. Why was it that my long-frozen and discarded emotions were now in such turmoil? And why, when that boy spoke, did it drown out the noise of that damned voice? ¡°Ugh....¡± ¡°Does it hurt a lot? You really are fragile...¡± Because I wanted to know the answers to these questions, I was planning on lifting the curse. Initially, when I first passed the curse onto him, I had intended to kill him. However, my heart has thawed considerably since then. Naturally, I still held a grudge against him, and I had even heard that he was a part of the Demon King¡¯s army. That was why I deceived him, pretending that the curse still bound him, all the while planning to secretly remove it. But... My attempt had failed miserably. I tried to retract the frost within his body, but for some inexplicable reason, it remained immovable. In fact, Frey¡¯s suffering only seemed to intensify. In the midst of this incomprehensible situation, I continued to sweat profusely as I continually attempted to recall the curse as Frey suddenly opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m...cold...¡± As I saw his pale, anguished face, I wondered if I had pushed my prank too far. Had my control over the magic faltered during my earlier jest? ¡°Ho-hold on.¡± Desperately, I dispelled the remains of my freeze magic. It was meant to be a prank, but due to the lingering grudge I held against him, I had inadvertently intensified the spell. It had clearly backfired. ¡°Ugh...¡± As the temperature inside the cafe returned to normal, Frey slowly lifted his head. ¡°That¡¯s better.¡± He wore a weary smile as he whispered softly to me. ¡°Wa-wait... hold on a second...¡±Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com ¡°I should start heading out soon.¡± I tried to stop him, but with an exhausted expression, Frey began getting ready to leave. ¡°Your offer from earlier...I¡¯ll accept it.¡± Staring at me silently, Frey opened his mouth. ¡°You really can get rid of the curse, right?¡± ¡°Huh? Ye-yeah...¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll gladly become your toy.¡± My eyes widened at his reply. ¡°Eugh....¡± Even though he was no longer near Aishi, he continued to shiver from the intense cold. ¡°Fr-frey?¡± ¡°Master?¡± Frey, still shivering, entered the carriage where Irina and Lulu were waiting for him anxiously. ¡°Y-you made physical contact with Aishi didn¡¯t you? You idiot! I told you not to do it! ¡°So-sorry.. But I had no other-¡± ¡°Idiot! Idiot, Idiot, Idiot!!!¡± Irina, rolling around the floor, threw a tantrum while emitting a chilling aura. ¡°Since it¡¯s come to this, I need to cleanse you...¡± Raising her hand, she began murmuring to herself. ¡°...........¡± ¡°...........¡± Now no longer speaking, she looked at Frey with a peculiar gaze. ¡°Ir-irina? Why are you suddenly...¡± For some reason, Frey felt increasingly bewildered by the look in Irina¡¯s eyes. ¡°Huh? Uhhhh...?¡± Before he could grasp what was happening, Irina hurried towards Frey, working to remove his clothes. ¡°Wh-what are you doing?¡± ¡°...What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°........¡± Confused by Irina¡¯s actions, Frey stood helplessly. Meanwhile, Lulu coldly inquired, but Irina remained unresponsive, continuing to undress Frey. ¡°Eugh...¡± ¡°Growl... Wh-what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Lulu, who became increasingly flustered by more and more bare skin being exposed, began to try to stop Irina. ¡°...Coo.¡± At that moment, an owl that had flown in began to coldly stare at Irina. ¡°It¡¯s necessary to dispel the curse. Don¡¯t interfere.¡± ¡°Hehh?¡± ¡°C-coo?¡± Irina emanated an unknown aura that overwhelmed both Lulu and the owl. ¡°...Th-this isn¡¯t a romantic gesture, but ¡®healing¡¯. Frey¡¯s life is on the line, so it doesn¡¯t count.¡¯ Irina spoke timidly while locking eyes with the owl. ¡°Ir-irina...I¡¯m cold...¡± In response, Irina cast her gaze downward at the shaking Frey. ¨C Tap...! Soon after, something could be heard falling from inside Irina¡¯s cloak. ¡°......!¡± Frey and Lulu¡¯s eyes widened as they saw what had fallen. It was Irina¡¯s top falling to the floor of the carriage. ¨C Snap..! ¡°Irina? What are you doing?¡± Frey, bewildered, asked as even her undergarments followed suit. ¡°I have to melt the shards of that ice bird that is embedded all over your body myself.¡± With a shy expression, Irina opened her cloak slightly and began to speak while averting her gaze, resulting in Frey staring blankly. ¡°I can¡¯t set you on fire, and ordinary cleansing magic takes too long.¡± Irina, staring at Frey, swallowed her saliva. ¡°Come here, Frey.¡± Using magic, she heated her body up as she mumbled. ¡°I need to precisely melt all the cold energy that¡¯s mixed with your body, so maximum surface contact is necessary.¡± While continuing to explain the process... ¡°...I¡¯m ready.¡± Irina gazed at Frey, who was blushing, and completed her explanation. ¡°I¡¯ll melt you, Frey.¡± ¡°.......¡± ¡°Come to me.¡± Soon after, Irina¡¯s cape enveloped Frey entirely. ¡°Uhhh....¡± Frey¡¯s bare skin made contact with Irina¡¯s as his frail, young body nestled into her ample embrace. ¡°Haa....¡± Irina tightly shut her eyes, savoring the sensation of Frey¡¯s body pressed against hers and letting out a soft moan. ¡°I-I can help too...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t! Precise mana control is required, so if something goes wrong, there will be huge problems.¡± Irina urgently pushed Lulu aside as she attempted to cling to them. ¨C Rustle... Irina used both hands to push Frey¡¯s head, which had been sticking out above the cloak, back inside. ¡°Rest well, Frey...¡± Closing her eyes as she sat back in the carriage¡¯s seats, Irina whispered to Frey. ¡°...I hope you remember this moment as a happy one. Frey¡¯s heartbeat, completely engulfed by Irina¡¯s cape, began to synchronize with hers. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 207: Lousy Teacher ? Lousy Teacher ? I had a fairly happy dream after a long time. It was a dream where, after escaping from the cafe where I had met Aishi, I was embraced by Irina, who had stripped herself bare to heal my frozen body. ¡°Ugh...¡± It was just a fleeting thought in my half-asleep state, but it felt so good. A gentle, warm, and comforting sensation enveloped my entire body. I wondered if sunbathing felt something like this. I couldn¡¯t remember well because ever since I was young, I had never enjoyed a nice sunbathing. However, I thought it might be somewhat similar. ¡®...I should get up.¡¯ But I couldn¡¯t remain lost in my daydream forever, so I should get up now. But why was I having such dreams lately? Could it be because there have been so many overwhelming things happening lately? I haven¡¯t had such dreams for a long time, so why now... ¨C Squish...! As I pondered these thoughts, I shifted my body, and suddenly, a familiar squishy sensation enveloped me. ¡°Hmm...?¡± It felt like I¡¯d sunk into a soft slime. No matter how much I thought about it, there was only one thing this feeling could mean. The dream I had was not really a dream... ¡°.....!¡± As I cautiously opened my eyes, my mind went blank and I froze. It was because Irina¡¯s body was vividly coming into view. ¡°Uh, there... Oops?¡± Confused, I tried to move my body backwards, but Irina¡¯s cloak stopped me. Consequently, I found myself wriggling within the cloak for a moment before I could cautiously poke my head out. ¡°...Hehe.¡± Then, Irina¡¯s face, which had been adorned with a happy smile while she reclined on the bed, suddenly appeared right in front of me. ¡°Did you sleep well, Frey?¡± ¨C Sssk... Irina, with a gentle smile, reached out and softly stroked my head as I poked out from the cloak. ¡°S-So, Irina? What¡¯s happening here...?¡± ¡°Oh, that...¡± Of course, since Irina and I were still wrapped inside the cloak, I asked with a slightly blushed face, but Irina avoided my gaze before answering. ¡°You had too much contact with Aishi, so the ice inside your body became much more active than expected.¡± ¡°Uh, hmmm.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I had to keep melting it all day long.¡± ¡°A-all day long?¡± Upon hearing that, I was taken aback as I was just absentmindedly listening to her words. I immediately glanced at the clock, confirming that it was indeed morning. So, did that mean a whole day had passed since I was enveloped by Irina¡¯s cloak in the carriage yesterday? ¡°...Anyway, how do you feel?¡± Irina softly inquired while I was still struggling to process the passage of time. ¡°I did my best, but there could be some side effects. So, if your body feels even a bit cold...¡± ¡°Did you stay up all night for me?¡± ¡°Huh? W-well, yeah.¡± Irina nodded, appearing somewhat puzzled by my question. ¡°...Thank you, Irina.¡± I expressed my gratitude to Irina, who had stayed up all night to melt the ice in my body without sleep, and hugged her. ¡°.....!¡± I could clearly feel Irina¡¯s accelerated heartbeat. ¡°F-Frey...¡± ¡°........¡± After burying my head in her embrace for a moment, I raised my head and locked eyes with Irina¡¯s burning red gaze. A peculiar silence settled between us. ¨C Creak, creak... ¡°Miss Irina, please... come out now... How long are you going to stay like this?¡± Lulu¡¯s voice broke the silence as she was desperately scratching at the door. ¡°W-Wait...! Frey hasn¡¯t woken up yet...¡± ¡°You know that I have the Magic Eyes, right...?¡± ¡°B-but I casted wiretapping prevention magic... Oh, never mind. It¡¯s nothing.¡± When Lulu spoke in a gloomy voice, Irina responded bewilderedly. ¡°If you keep acting like that... our cooperation... heub!¡± Lulu uttered incomprehensible words towards Irina. ¡°Uh, uh-heub! Of course, since the treatment is over, let¡¯s get up now, Frey.¡± Irina impatiently flicked her cloak with her fingers and then got up from her seat. By the way, the cloak seemed quite stiff before she flicked it with her fingers... Or maybe that was just my imagination? ¡°...Lord Frey.¡± While I was having such thoughts, someone from outside started speaking. ¡°Arianne? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll report... heut.¡±¡± I realized it was Arianne¡¯s voice, so, with my clothes loosely on, I opened the door. However, as she was about to report from her position outside the room, she froze upon witnessing the scene inside. If anything, the Conquest Progress should have decreased instead of going up. This situation was really strange. ¡®Should I just complete the Conquest Progress?¡¯ While contemplating this for a while, a sudden thought crossed my mind. ¡®Since the version update, there¡¯s been a strange aura surrounding this ¡®Affection System.¡¯ I had been so busy that I forgot to experiment with it, but it was indeed still bothering me. What if there were special rewards when the Conquest Progress reached 100%? ¡®However, it¡¯s somewhat vague with how it works...¡¯ I wasn¡¯t entirely sure, but the day all the servants left my house marked the moment when Lulu¡¯s Conquest Progress changed. However, the moment Lulu¡¯s Magic Eyes changed was when Miho attacked me. There was a slight time gap between these two events. ¡°...Lulu, when did your Magic Eyes change?¡± ¡°Oh, well... It was... when I desperately wanted to protect you, Master.¡± I asked Lulu the question with a serious expression, and she softly replied. ¡°How desperately did you want it?¡± ¡°...I wanted it enough that I was willing to sacrifice my life.¡± Staring at her wide-eyed look as she answered my question once again, I silently made a deduction. ¡®Could it be that I triggered something when I completed the Conquest Progress for the heroines, causing their latent abilities to awaken?¡¯ That was a plausible assumption. It applied to Lulu as well. Each of the sub-heroines possessed unique abilities or talents. Could it be that the hidden element my past cycle self mentioned in the Third Ordeal was related to this? If that was the case, then it was definitely worth it to complete Isolet¡¯s Conquest Progress. ¡°So... should I s-seduce her or something?¡± I blurted out, my face turning red, as I thought aloud. Beside me, Lulu, who had been fidgeting, looked at me with a blank expression. ¡°Master...? What are you doing...¡± ¡°No, nothing.¡± ¡°......¡± After my nonchalant response, Lulu, who had been watching me with anxiety, closed her eyes and went back to nuzzling. ¡®Well, I do want to complete her Conquest Progress, but...¡¯ I muttered quietly to myself as I held Lulu¡¯s hand and stepped out of the room. ¡®...It¡¯s impossible to do it right away now.¡¯ If I were to try to seduce her now, I had no idea how she might react. Additionally, the highly anticipated ¡°Fourth Ordeal¡± was on the horizon. Many people were bound to get entangled in it and that was already a source of concern for me. Trying to seduce her and making her ¡°worry¡± could become a significant issue. ¡®However, I can¡¯t hold out forever in such a situation...¡¯ Isolet¡¯s Conquest Progress was already at 95%. In other words, even a small mistake could complete her route. ¡®...Indeed, I need to do something about this....¡¯ So, before her route gets completed, how could I reduce the Conquest Progress? Was there a good way? Originally, making sexual jokes or engaging in sexual acts would help lower her affection, but now it seems to have the opposite effect. ¡°Something Isolet would dislike... something she¡¯d dislike...¡± I pondered for a while ¡°...Ah-ha!¡± Suddenly, I clapped my hands together and muttered inwardly. Among the students, Isolet used to dislike Aishi the most, right? In the prophecy written by my ancestor, there was a ¡°Character Relationship Chart¡± that outlined the relationships between the characters in Dark Tale Fantasy 2. Whether it was Kania and Serena being polar opposites, Clana initially being unable to resist Roswyn but managing to put her underfoot after an awakening, or Arianne being best friends with Irina. In this organized chart, Isolet and Aishi¡¯s relationship was the worst. The reason was that what she disliked as much as promiscuity was ¡°arrogance.¡± It was a fact I had confirmed through my own experiences. She detested arrogant nobles or troublemakers and had made a habit of putting them in their place. ¡°Alright... I can solve this.¡± Having found a way to deal with Isolet, I arrived at the entrance with a smile. ¡°......¡± Lulu was by my side, Irina waited at the entrance, the birds were perched on her shoulders, and the cat doll peeked its head out of my coat pocket. At that moment, they all began to tense up. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± As I walked ahead, leaving them behind, I approached the entrance with a self-assured expression and muttered to myself. ¡°...If I just mimic what Aishi does, it should work.¡± . . . . . ¡°Hi, Sister?¡± An hour later. ¡°Just as always...¡± Frey Raon Starlight, one hand covering his mouth, smirked arrogantly, just like how Aishi did yesterday. ¡°You¡¯re flaunting your ¡®old virgin¡¯ status today as well...?¡± Frey placed his hand on Isolet¡¯s shoulder as she gloomily and blankly gazed at him when she came out to welcome his arrival. ¡°...You really look pathetic.¡± Grinning mischievously, he stood on the tip of his toes and whispered softly into her ear. ¡°Lousy teacher.¡± You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 208: Secret of the Affection System ? Secret of the Affection System ? ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you making that face?¡± Isolet¡¯s expression, looking down at me, began to sour. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re upset? Really?¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°Or... did I hit a nerve?¡± I stuck close to her, trying my best to mimic the actions Aishi had done to me inside the chilly cafe. ¡°Right? I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I? Silly Sister Isolet.¡± For instance, I looked up at her with a playful smirk and playfully poked her side with my finger. ¡°You always huff and puff when you call me, how do you plan on training with all that wheezing?¡± I walked around her in circles with my hands behind my back. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just go and look for a husband?¡± Then, I stood in front of her and whispered with a mocking smile. ¡°...Ugh.¡± Observing my antics, Isolet, who had been scowling continuously, began to grit her teeth silently. It seemed like my actions were having the desired effect. According to the records in the prophecy, even when the end approached after facing countless challenges, the relationship between Isolet and Aishi would never improve. Isolet, with her upright and righteous personality, could never accept such a fickle and ill-mannered personality. Like water and oil, perhaps? Anyway, I took advantage of that relationship. Since I had continuously disappointed her with my various misdeeds, if my usual behavior became solidified this way, she¡¯ll undoubtedly detest even just looking at me. Now she was glaring at me, breathing heavily. Was I about to get hit? No, I actually wished she would. At least that would guarantee a drop in her affection for me. ¨C Swoosh... While I was lost in thought, Isolet, who had been coldly staring at me, began to reach out with her trembling hand toward my neck. ¡°What¡¯s this? Are you going to hit me?¡± I steeled myself, thinking she might genuinely hit me. ¡°Ah, hello...!¡± ¡°I¡¯m coming in!¡± Suddenly, Lulu and Irina rushed into the mansion and grabbed my arms. Due to that, I was dragged away without understanding what was happening, and I kept looking at Isolet, who had her hand in the air while quietly looking at me. ¡°.........¡± She stared back at me with a grim look in her eyes, her hand still outstretched in the air, even as the front door closed. ¡°Uh, where are we going?¡± ¡°¡±........¡±¡± While internally celebrating my successful tactic, the two girls were silently leading me somewhere strange. ¡°Why are we heading to the bathroom?¡± They were taking me to the mansion¡¯s bathroom. ¨C Clank...! ¨C Shush... As I entered the bathroom with puzzled expressions, Irina quickly locked the bathroom door and even cast a spell. ¡°Master, why did you do that?¡± Lulu looked at me with a startled look and asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Why did you suddenly try to seduce Professor Isolet? Is there a reason for doing so?¡± ¡°.....?¡± Standing beside her, Irina quietly nodded with an agreeing expression. ¨C Did a sudden quest appear? You said you wouldn¡¯t do that. Why did you do that? Soon after, receiving such a message from Irina, I began to quietly recall my plan. ¡°...Sigh.¡± When I shared my plan, she scoffed. ¨C I¡¯m going crazy, do you think that will work... ¡®You know it too, right? Professor Isolet hates Aishi. You saw it in the previous regression, right?¡¯ ¨C But... ¡®The affection level didn¡¯t even increase. If it seemed like I was seducing her, the affection level would have gone up instantly. It even increases on its own when left alone.¡¯ However, as I logically explained, her expression began to distort. ¡°What, what is it...? What are you two talking about ignoring me?¡± ¡®If the affection level rises even a little, I¡¯ll immediately stop the operation. That should be acceptable, right?¡¯ ¡°Sigh... But still...¡± I continued speaking cautiously, and just as Irina was about to interject, we were interrupted. ¨C Knock, knock, knock...! ¡°Is anyone there?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go out. You two come out a bit later.¡± When a paladin knocked from outside the door, Irina opened it and quietly spoke to the birds perched on her shoulder. ¡°Be ready to intervene anytime.¡± With that, the door closed, leaving just me and Lulu. ¡°Master...¡± Lulu, wearing a somehow sullen expression, nuzzled her cheek against my chest. Looking at her, a sudden thought crossed my mind. ¡®...Can I revert a heroine, who has already been won over, back to before?¡¯ If I won over Isolet and she became worried about me, reverting it might be the solution to everything, right? ¡°Lulu, how would you feel if I abandoned you?¡± Therefore, I decided to conduct a little experiment. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s say, I¡¯m no longer interested in you and want to abandon you. How would you feel?¡± I contemplated the possibility of distancing myself from Lulu, who was already completely won over. ¡°............¡± ¡°Ah, Lulu?¡± However, there was a problem. For the first time in a while, Lulu¡¯s eyes lost their spark. ¡°...Then, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll find any meaning in life.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°So, I¡¯ll just die. So as not to damage your reputation, I¡¯d go to a remote place and quietly...¡± ¡°Ah...¡± I had momentarily forgotten, as I¡¯d grown accustomed to her cheerful and cute demeanor, that Lulu was a being who relied entirely on love. ¡°Are you growing tired of me, Master?¡± After saying that, she buried her face in my chest and asked with a trembling voice. ¡°If, if that¡¯s the case, please feel free to tell me anytime. I don¡¯t want to be a burden to you...¡± Soon after, I looked at Lulu who spoke with a terrified expression on her face. ¨C Flick...! After a long pause, I took out a brooch and quietly infused it with mana. ¨C Ssshhh... Then, black smoke began to rise from the brooch. ¡°...Huuk!!¡± In that very instant, Isolet charged at Frey with astonishing speed and struck him with her sword. ¡°...Ugh!¡± As a result, he was sent several meters back and crashed into a wall. Though the protective barrier had kept him perfectly safe, he wore a stunned expression. ¡°You brat...¡± Isolet was looking at him while breathing heavily. ¡°...Today, I¡¯ll teach you a lesson.¡± She whispered in a chilling voice. ¨C BOOM!!! Shortly after, an overwhelming sound began to echo throughout the training ground. . . . . . ¡°Crack...! Crunch...!¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± Frey, who was crouching and panting, looked up in surprise at Isolet who was standing in front of him. ¨C Sizzle...! ¡°Listen carefully, Frey.¡± Isolet began speaking with a stern voice after thrusting her sword toward Frey. ¡°First, I am not pathetic.¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± As she said this, Isolet stepped on the fallen Frey, causing him to let out a small groan. ¡°Second, I am your teacher. You are not in a position to disrespect me.¡± Once again, she struck with her sword, causing the protective barrier around Frey to tremble on the verge of shattering. ¡°Third, if anyone¡¯s pathetic, it¡¯s you.¡± ¨C CRASH...!!! Isolet delivered the final blow and the barrier shattered into pieces. ¡°Huff...¡± Then, she straddled on top of the fallen Frey, pressing him down. ¡°Surrender.¡± She whispered softly into Frey¡¯s ear. ¡°You¡¯ve been defeated by me. The power over your life and death is in my hands. No one here will say a word, no matter what I do to you.¡± Isolet spoke in a chilly voice as she wrapped her hand around Frey¡¯s throat. ¡°This is reality, Frey. So, wake up. Wake up from your dream and face reality...¡± Initially, Isolet had the expression of a strict educator as she lectured Frey beneath her, but... ¡°........¡± ¡°Ah, anyway... Take today¡¯s defeat... as a lesson... and strive harder...¡± Frey¡¯s once cheeky demeanor was nowhere to be seen, and he was knocked down to the ground due to her attack. He had his pristine white clothes dirtied by the dust of the training ground she had spent her entire life on. Then suddenly, Isolet began to stutter. ¡°Oh, my body feels hot... Why is this happening......¡± Then, as she tightly gripped Frey¡¯s neck, she bowed her head deeply. ¡°...Sister?¡± Frey, who up to that moment thought the operation had failed due to the unchanging affection level, posed a question to her in a soft voice. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The unexpected term ¡°Sister¡± combined with the genuine curiosity triggered Isolet to start trembling. ¡°... When the barrier broke, I couldn¡¯t attack you.¡± Isolet spoke with a shaky voice. ¡°I wanted to punish you, beat some sense into you... but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to attack you.¡± ¡°Oh, there...¡± ¡°Was it fun to continuously seduce me, Frey?¡± ¡°What?¡± By this point, her grip had loosened, and her gaze had softened. ¡°...Forget everything I said earlier, Frey.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°All the scolding, all of it. I have no right to say those things to you.¡± She continued speaking with a trembling voice. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m not worthy of being a knight.¡± ¡°Um...¡± ¡°Nor am I qualified to be a teacher. Not as your master, nor as a noble lady.¡± ¡°What are you talking about...?¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Seeing Frey¡¯s frightened expression, Isolet almost lost her composure for a moment. ¡°Ugh...¡± She bit her tongue and squeezed her eyes shut, using her incredible mental strength to regain control of herself. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡¯ She looked down at him with trembling eyes, as he lay beneath her with an expression of utter confusion. ¡®If I can just make this vulnerable child my family... I don¡¯t care what happens.¡¯ She swallowed hard, murmuring to herself quietly. ¡®That has been my wish since I was young.¡¯ ¨C Ding! At that moment, a system window popped up in front of Frey. [Sub-Heroines Conquest] Isolet Arham Bywalker [Conquest Complete] Affection System Notification [¡®Details¡¯ function has been added!] Frey stared blankly at the system window, Affection System Notification [Reward: Latent potential of the heroine is awakened and...] ¡°Huh...?¡± His eyes widened. Affection System Notification [...19+ Event Unlocked (Conditions Not Met)] That was what the system window displayed in front of him. Affection System Notification [Currently, a total of one heroine meets the condition.] ¡°Err...¡± ¡°I knew it, let¡¯s go in.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t Dark Tale Fantasy 2...¡± In the meantime, Irina dragged Lulu, who had her Magic Eyes shimmering, and hurried into the training ground. ¡°...Age-restricted as 15 years old and above?¡± Frey muttered in a desolate voice. Before long, the sun was already high up in the sky. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 209: Her Conclusion ? Her Conclusion ? ¡°........¡± A few minutes after the brief incident in the training ground. Frey found himself lying on the bed in Isolet¡¯s room. ¡°Um, Sister...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me Sister.¡± Of course, this wasn¡¯t something Frey wanted to do. ¡°I¡¯m okay though...¡± ¡°Rest is essential after training.¡± Despite silent protests from Irina and Lulu, Isolet was insistent. ¡°Especially for someone frail like you. You need this much rest or you could strain your body.¡± ¡°Um, maybe I shouldn¡¯t train...¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t train, you won¡¯t get stronger. How long do you plan on staying weak?¡± ¡°Huu.¡± Upon hearing Isolet¡¯s words, Frey closed his mouth and took a deep breath, pulling the blanket up. ¡°Hmm.¡± Pulling a chair up to the bedside, Isolet, who was watching him, unconsciously reached out to touch him. ¡°Kwoo~!¡± ¡°Chirp! Chirp!¡± ¡°Meow...¡± At that moment, the animals around the room cried out all at once. ¡°Heh... Heh...¡± ¡°Ugh..¡± The next moment, the red dog that Irina introduced as her pet hopped onto the bed and burrowed under Frey¡¯s blanket. ¡°¡±.........¡±¡± A brief silence followed. ¡°Animals seem to love you.¡± Isolet, who witnessed such a peculiar scene, received cold gazes from around her. ¡°That, that¡¯s true... wait, you didn¡¯t bring a dog with you, why...¡± ¡°Heh heh...¡± She scowled as the red dog wriggled further beneath Frey¡¯s blanket. ¡°Has that dog been neutered yet?¡± ¡°I wanted to, but Irina told me not to.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± As she said this, Isolet unintentionally shot a cold look at the dog, causing it to droop its ears and appear frightened. ¡°...What was I even thinking just now.¡± After a while, Isolet shook her head, lightly smacked her cheek, and then rose from her seat to walk over to a corner of the room. ¡°Hmm.¡± She then opened a cooling magical device in the corner. ¡°Pfft.¡± When he saw that it was filled with beer, Frey covered his mouth with his hand, bursting into laughter. ¡°What? You¡¯re really like an old virgin. Do you drink alone at night because you have no one to share a drink with, Sister?¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°You¡¯re really pitiful. Should I drink with you...¡± He spoke, mixing in laughter, but soon trailed off. ¡°Ah, um...¡± This was because he noticed Isolet¡¯s eyes darkening once more, reminiscent of when she had bested him earlier. And he was reminded that his tactic had failed. ¡°So, sorry...¡± Frey shyly averted his gaze and offered an apology. Upon seeing this, Isolet unconsciously swallowed hard. Even though he had been acting arrogantly just moments before, seeing him vulnerable while lying on his bed somehow stirred something within her. She hadn¡¯t thought about it when she turned her eyes earlier, but regardless, she knew she shouldn¡¯t harbor such feelings towards her first disciple. For some reason, over the past few days, every time she thought of Frey, her body became unbearably hot. Isolet felt that she had to draw a clear psychological boundary,otherwise she wasn¡¯t sure what she might do. In other words, the implication that he was her first disciple was the last line of defense for Isolet. ¡°Calm down...¡± Isolet closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She reached into her magical device, which emitted cold air, and retrieved something. ¡°Uh...¡± Frey¡¯s eyes widened upon seeing it. ¡°That... It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen that.¡± What Isolet pulled out was ice cream, a treat they used to share after training when they were young. ¡°But why...?¡± As Frey asked this, looking at the rather large container of ice cream that isolet had brought, she replied in a soft voice. ¡°It¡¯s a.... a reward.¡± Her words were based on facts. Lately, both the Imperial Family and the Church had urged her to join the ¡®Hero Party.¡¯ Given her exceptional skills and high standing, she had access to a wealth of information related to the ¡®Hero Party.¡¯ Among the facts she uncovered was that the person the Hero Party warily considered as the ¡®Demon King¡¯ was none other than Frey. Moreover, the Imperial Family and the Church continuously requested sensitive information about Frey from her. ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°But if you become my family... I can protect you.¡± Considering these facts, Isolet¡¯s eyes brimmed with an unusual enthusiasm as she made her proposition to Frey. ¡°You foolishly used the covenant already, but there¡¯s still an opportunity left to use a covenant for family members if you become a Bywalker.¡± Isolet, saying this with a triumphant smile as if she¡¯d found a way out, gently patted Frey¡¯s head, who was wearing a blank expression. ¡°You probably know it already. The attacks against you have already begun. The empire¡¯s media outlets have united in their assault. It won¡¯t be long before your mansion is raided or investigators summon you.¡± She leaned in closer to Frey, who laid on the bed, and whispered with a menacing expression. ¡°What do you think, Frey?¡± She gazed at him for a moment, and upon seeing his fearful expression, she couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡®Yeah... this is to protect my first disciple, and at the same time, it¡¯s a punishment for myself for failing in his education.¡¯ She quietly mumbled to herself. ¡®...So, I have no choice. I have no ulterior motives.¡¯ After a long deliberation, she decided to make Frey a part of her family. It was her fault as his teacher that her first disciple had fallen this far. While she had tried to sincerely end his life multiple times, she somehow couldn¡¯t bring herself to do so. Furthermore, since she couldn¡¯t even bring herself to attack him, let alone kill him, her simple reasoning led her to the conclusion that if she couldn¡¯t punish and rehabilitate him, she had to take responsibility. ¡°Frey? Answer me.¡± Isolet¡¯s last line of defense, the idea that she couldn¡¯t harbor inappropriate thoughts toward her ¡®first disciple,¡¯ crumbled pathetically in the face of her self-rationalizations. ¡°What do you think?¡± She swallowed hard. ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility.¡± She persistently implored Frey, who wore a vulnerable expression, for an answer. ¡®Now that I think about it, the reason Frey initially approached me... also revolved around the subject of marriage.¡¯ She closed her eyes for a while, reminiscing about their first encounter. A child, who was only as tall as her waist, tilted his head asking, ¡°Are we getting married?¡± Of course, the marriage proposal fell through for various reasons. Perhaps, this was meant to be. From the beginning, she was destined to be with Frey... ¡°...So, you¡¯re saying you¡¯ll adopt me?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Isolet, whose daydream had quickly escalated to a scene where Frey was entrusting himself to her with a blushing face, snapped back to reality at Frey¡¯s words. ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re going to adopt me, right now?¡± For some reason, upon hearing Frey¡¯s words as he broke out in a cold sweat, Isolet felt as if she had been struck on the head with a hammer. ¡®...Why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡¯ One way to become family was indeed through adoption. Yet she, for some reason, just assumed... ¡°That¡¯s not happening.¡± Lost in thought, Isolet was brought back to the present by Frey¡¯s resolute statement. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be your son.¡± Having said that, Frey quickly rose from the bed and headed for the door, accompanied by the animals. ¡°I had fun today, Sister.¡± ¨C Click...! Just like that, Frey swiftly exited the room. ¡°.........¡± After that, silence enveloped the room for a moment. ¡°Now that it¡¯s come to this... what can I do?¡± Isolet¡¯s gaze wandered during the silence. ¡°Should I just lock him up in the mansion? If he stays out there... he¡¯ll undoubtedly become everyone¡¯s target...¡± She muttered softly. ¡°I, I¡¯m his mentor, so I must take responsibility. I have to educate him from time to time. Feed him... That¡¯s better than him going to prison or dying...¡± Isolet bit her lips. ¡°...Heuk.¡± Suddenly, she reached for the drawer beside her, feeling an eerie sensation. ¨C Sssk... A moment later, she took out a picture of a frail-looking boy from the drawer. Isolet then silently crawled onto the bed where Frey had been lying just moments ago. ¡°Ah, no. First... I need to calm down...¡± Feeling the warmth and scent left behind by Frey on the bed, she felt lightheaded and squeezed her eyes shut tightly. ¡°Heung...¡± Shortly after, heavy breathing echoed from her room. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 210: A Particularly Warm Day ? A Particularly Warm Day ? ¨C Flapping! As I emerged from Isolet¡¯s room, drenched in sweat, the birds overhead began to circle me. ¡°Meow...¡± ¡°Pant pant...¡± At my feet, a cat doll and a puppy tugged at the hem of my clothes, dragging me backward. ¡°Ouch, that hurts! Stop it!¡± Caught by the sudden commotion, I waved my hand, causing the puppy to suddenly widen its eyes. ¡°W... woof!¡± The puppy then barked awkwardly before running off somewhere. ¡°What... what¡¯s going on?¡± As I watched it go, puzzled, I felt someone approach and poke me on the sides, prompting me to turn to see who it was. ¡°Ma... Master...¡± Lulu, with an anxious look, came into my view. ¡°We need to get out of here. This place is weird.¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean...¡± ¡°Hurry...¡± Before I knew it, Lulu had grabbed my arm, and together with the animals they began dragging me away. I looked at her with confusion when her eyes began to glow ruby red. ¡°...Quickly.¡± She glanced towards Isolet¡¯s door with her Magic Eyes, blushing suddenly, but soon spoke with an anxious expression. ¡°We really need to leave as soon as possible...¡± ¡°.....?¡± Was Lulu using her Magic Eyes to peek inside Isolet¡¯s room? If so, I could somewhat understand. She might be thinking she could lose the affection I give her... ¡°You might be taken if you¡¯re not careful...¡± Lulu¡¯s expression, which had been fixed on Isolet¡¯s room, transformed into one of fear. ¡°Um...¡± A crease formed on my brow as I was wordless pulled along, muttering under my breath. ¡°Well, I think I need to stay a little longer...¡± Unlike my last visit, my younger sister was here, and the ¡®Youngest Paladin¡¯ was perfectly fine as well. So far, I had only seen my sister¡¯s face and while I had entrusted Serena with some tasks, I still needed to conduct some investigations regarding the Youngest Paladin. ¡°Um, ahem. Frey.¡± Lost in my thoughts, I suddenly spotted Irina emerging from a corner of the mansion, clearing her throat and as she approached me. ¡°Irina? Where have you been?¡± ¡°I... I was looking for my pet dog. I just found him and tied him up outside.¡± She answered, avoiding my gaze. ¡°Um...¡± Then, her countenance turned colder as she began to walk towards Isolet¡¯s room. ¨C Perk up, perk up. Irina halted in front of Isolet¡¯s door. Closing her eyes, she perked up her dog-like ears, listening intently. ¡°You¡¯re the one at fault... You seduced me first... You were the first to speak provocatively... responsibility...¡± After a brief period of deep concentration, her eyes tightly shut, she unintentionally repeated the words she had overheard from within the room, her face now ablaze with embarrassment. ¡°.......¡± Moments later, the gazes of Irina, who was listening at the door, and Lulu, who was peering inside, met. They exchanged silent nods of agreement. ¡°Frey, shall we go now?¡± With that, Irina, having approached my side, cautiously asked. ¡°Master, let¡¯s go home. Pet me at home.¡± At the same time, Lulu pressed herself on my side, pleading with me. ¡°........¡± Amidst this chaotic situation, I rubbed my throbbing temples and summoned the system window in the air. [Sub-Heroines Conquest] Lulu [Conquest Complete] Detail... ¡°...Hmm.¡± I looked towards Lulu glued to my side before I carefully activated her Affection System Details. Affection System [Latent Potential Awakening Completed: Awakened Magic Eyes] ¡°Ohh.¡± It was only then that I became certain. The purpose of the Affection System was to ¡®unlock the heroine¡¯s latent potential.¡¯ ¡®Wait, is that right? For some reason, there¡¯s too much emphasis on 19+ events...¡¯ Reading the details, I forcibly averted my eyes from the shining, prominently highlighted 19+ events and delved into my thoughts once again. ¡®Anyway, it¡¯s fascinating. Latent potential.¡¯ I somewhat anticipated it from Lulu¡¯s awakening of her Magic Eyes, but seeing it first hand was still intriguing. ¡®So, by any chance...¡¯ I tilted my head as I pondered. ¡®Do the main heroines also have latent potential?¡¯ It was a possibility, but I couldn¡¯t confirm it at this time. Unlike the detailed information about the sub-heroines, the main heroines¡¯ details remained locked. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true. Everything there is my doing. Why? Are you disappointed? You are, aren¡¯t you? I don¡¯t even seem human to you, do I?¡± With a pale expression, Frey tightly closed his mouth, and his eyes glistened and he quietly nodded in response. [...The Imperial Family has ordered a full investigation into Frey on charges of violating slave laws, suspicion of child exploitation, and possession of a large number of illegal sex slaves.] Having read through the entire newspaper, Isolet quietly crumpled it and threw it away. ¡°See that, Frey? Was I not right?¡± Then, she took another step closer to Frey. ¡°In a little while, investigators might storm your mansion. Perhaps by tomorrow, you could even be arrested.¡± As always, Isolet was drenched in sweat, and she cautiously extended her trembling hand to Frey. ¡°So... Come live with me.¡± After a brief moment, as she clung closely enough to Frey to press her body toward him, she began to mutter with her eyes turned. ¡°Sis, sister...¡± ¡°No one... I¡¯ll make sure no one can lay a hand on you.¡± As she said this, she noticed that Frey was beginning to tremble and she closed her eyes tightly and started to breathe heavily. ¡°It might feel a bit coercive... but it¡¯s all to protect you. I won¡¯t do anything strange. R-Really. Truly.¡± ¡°Ah, um...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be good. I¡¯ll take good care of you. It might be a bit dark, but I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re hydrated and fed... and also...¡± In Isolet¡¯s embrace, he was stammering with a blushing face. ¡°I, I should go now!!¡± ¡°...Fr, Frey?¡± Seizing the moment when she let her guard down, Irina and Lulu quickly pulled Frey away, causing Isolet to lose her grip on him. ¡°Ah, this won¡¯t do. I need to lock him up... no, no, I need to hide him...¡± In the split second Isolet hesitated, Frey headed towards the entrance with the two girls. ¡°.......¡± Just as he was about to leave her house, he came face to face with his younger sister, Aria. ¡°...Die.¡± She had read the newspaper distributed in the Empire. ¡°....I want my brother to die.¡± ¡°.........¡± Frey, who was being dragged along by the animals and the girls, stopped for a while and stared at her. ¡°....Okay.¡± Then, he smiled slightly. ¡°What, what¡¯s... with that smile...¡± Aria flinched at his smile, then she tried to talk to him. ¡°... Goodbye, Aria.¡± With those words, Frey left Isolet¡¯s mansion, barely having enough time to speak. ¡°¡±........¡±¡± Just like that, a long silence ensued inside the mansion. ¡°Cuckoo!¡± ¡°......?¡± In the midst of the silence, a pigeon wearing a stupid look flew into the window of the mansion and Aria tilted her head. The pigeon, which had disappeared somewhere without following Frey into his room, had come to fulfill its role as the ¡®Church¡¯s carrier pigeon¡¯ after a long while. ¡°Now that it¡¯s come to this... I¡¯ll have to come up with a plan. I have to secure Frey somehow. I¡¯ll protect him...¡± ¡°Huh?¡± And so, leaving Isolet behind who started mumbling to herself, Aria took the letter from the pigeon. ¡°........Ah.¡± Soon, her complexion started to turn pale. . . . . . ¨C Shocking News! Frey Raon Starlight, Your Time is Up? Not long after the Empire published the newspaper across the nation about Frey, the Church published its own. ¨C Saintess Ferloche¡¯s shocking revelations. Frey Raon Starlight has less than two years left to live? Somehow, instead of Frey¡¯s misdeeds, the news on the headlines were like that. ¨C While Frey dismissed the reports as false, there are multiple sources stating that... While it didn¡¯t have the same impact as the Imperial Newspaper, it did manage to shock some people. ¡°.......What?¡± These people included Roswyn, who was standing on the front porch of the Starlight mansion, holding the letters and flowers that was given to her by Frey... ¡°You¡¯ve been joking these days, haven¡¯t you, Princess? That¡¯s a good attitude. In the future...¡± ¡°Woo, waaaahh....¡± ¡°Princess?¡± ¡°This is not it... I didn¡¯t mean for any of this...¡± And a pale-faced Aishi, who had been in contact with the Kingdom¡¯s wizards all day. ¡°Time...limit?¡± ¡°What should I do... Maybe...¡± It was a particularly warm day, even though it was early winter. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 211: What Have I Done? ? What Have I Done? ? After escaping from Isolet¡¯s house, I surprisingly managed to have quite a few comfortable days. Of course, there were some hiccups. System Updating... (Affection System Restructuring) [You cannot use system functions until the update is complete.] ¨C Estimated Duration [7 days] ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± A few hours after escaping from Isolet¡¯s house, a system update window popped up with a message about restructuring the ¡®Affection System¡¯. ¡°Fr, Frey! What¡¯s this about how you have limited time...¡± ¡°...Call security.¡± While I was resting at the mansion, Roswyn knocked on the front door, shouting something. ¡°Are you, are you in pain today?¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°Do, does it hurt a lot? Are you really sick?¡± ¡°...Cough, cough.¡± ¡°Ah, it seems like you¡¯re in pain. In that case... I¡¯ll come back later.¡± Since my ¡®curse¡¯ resistance hadn¡¯t returned yet, I continued to decline Aishi¡¯s requests, but she even paid a visit to my house. ¨C Frey, I know you¡¯re feigning illness. You are, right? Just admit it. Isolet, who usually had neat handwriting, sent me a hastily written letter as if she were drugged. For the record, I explained to Isolet that I was ¡®pretending to be sick¡¯ for my own benefit, even going as far as making up false evidence. Although I had already won her over, this was an attempt to somehow lower her affection level. If I had admitted it was real, I was afraid of how Isolet would react. ¡°Lord Frey! Please say something!¡± ¡°Is it true that evidence has been found regarding the violation of slave laws?¡± ¡°You dismissed claims of your limited time, but according to the information we¡¯ve gathered...¡± ¡°Will you respond to the Hero Party¡¯s summons with the qualifications of an adviser?¡± In addition, reporters had densely filled the mansion¡¯s yard for several days, causing a ruckus, but they eventually left. Well, by this point, it might seem a bit far from the ¡®comfortable days¡¯... but for me, they were quite alright. Without risking my life wandering somewhere or fighting with someone and simply resting peacefully in the mansion, life felt very satisfying. ¨C Ding dong, ding dong! ¨C Knock, knock, knock...! However, an incident this morning disrupted those peaceful days. While I was having breakfast in the mansion¡¯s dining room with Lulu and Irina, the doorbell suddenly rang, and there were urgent knocks on the front door. ¡°...Huh!¡± Curious about what was going on I tilted my head. Lulu, whom I was feeding with her eyes closed, abruptly opened her eyes wide and gasped. ¡°I can feel murderous intent...¡± Simultaneously, Irina started to exude the atmosphere and expression of someone getting ready for battle, instead of her usual clumsy self. ¡°Wh, what¡¯s going on...¡± Seeing their reaction, I nervously reached for my walking cane which I had placed next to my chair and quietly activated its surveillance feature. ¡°Ha.¡± Immediately, I was able to grasp the situation. ¡°The Imperial Knights, the Paladins, and the investigators. Their intentions are clear.¡± The entrance of the mansion was filled with two knights representing the Empire and the investigators. They stood in a serious formation, ready to charge in as soon as the door opened. ¡°Hmm... What should I do?¡± Since there was no response to their repeated knocking, the intensity grew, causing me to grasp my head in thought and mutter. ¡°I wasn¡¯t prepared...¡± The search order was issued sooner than expected, so I hadn¡¯t finished turning the mansion into a sinister space. I had initially planned to disguise the succubi of the Demon Army as sex slaves and lock them in the basement. If that plan had succeeded, I would have earned a mountain of points. ¡®If they search the mansion now, they won¡¯t even find a speck of dust... Wait, on second thought, they might find something.¡¯ As I pondered this, I recalled that I had hidden incriminating documents and black magic tools throughout the mansion in case of an unexpected search. This made me feel somewhat relieved. Of course, it was just a backup, so it might be slightly lacking... but I believed it was enough since their primary intention was to label me as a criminal. ¡°Lord Frey, we request your cooperation.¡± ¡°This is an Imperial Order.¡± As I calmly opened the front door, the Imperial Knights and the Deputy Commanders of the Paladins entered the mansion with fierce expressions. ¡°The Imperial Knights will handle the basement and we will interrogate the staff. The investigators will search the mansion.¡± With that, the team of investigators swiftly stormed into the mansion. As I stood there, somewhat dazed, I exchanged a subtle nod with Lulu, her Magic Eye concealed behind her, and then turned my attention to the Deputy Commanders blocking my path. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry! I can¡¯t just let this slide!¡± Then, the Chief Investigator beside them cheerfully said that as he passed by me. Thinking about it now, that guy had always been like this. I needed to throw him in jail someday. ¡°Excuse us.¡± ¡°Please cooperate.¡± While I was lost in thought, the Deputy Commanders who were looking down at me grabbed my arms. ¡°Why aren¡¯t the Commanders here, and why are you here?¡± Of course, I could easily break free from these restraints, so I decided to play along, feigning immobility while keeping a keen eye on the situation. ¡°Stay still, Frey.¡± ¡°Just think of it as stepping in shit.¡± ¡®Looking at it... this might be an opportunity?¡¯ As the situation took an unexpected turn, I sat there, quietly hoping for a chance to turn the tables and negotiate with the Knight Order. ¨C Swoosh... Then, they started to undress me. ¡°.....!?¡± I was momentarily stunned by their actions. ¨C Swish...! ¡°Do not resist.¡± The female knight, brandishing a knife near my throat, issued a chilling command, and I tensed up in response. ¨C Rustle...! ¡°...What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Seems like there¡¯s someone outside. We need to check.¡± Suddenly hearing a noise from somewhere, the knights left the room. I stopped tensing up and began to listen intently. ¡°............¡± Then, a rather long silence ensued. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ It was an exceptionally cold day, and as I shivered, I contemplated whether I should attempt to free myself. ¨C Creeaak... Someone entered the room. ¨C Thud, thud. Soon after, an unidentified person approached and since I sensed no immediate threat, I relaxed and observed the situation in silence. ¨C Thud... Moments later, the person stood directly in front of me. ¨C Tap. The person grabbed my shoulder. ¡°Uh...¡± And then, they suddenly started trembling and let out a moan. ¡®Firstly, it¡¯s a woman...¡¯ Judging by the moaning sound, it was definitely a female. Could it be that the Deputy Commander who had been threatening me earlier has returned? ¨C Rustle, rustle... As I thought this, she slowly pressed her body against my side. ¨C Slide... Soon after, she started untying the ropes that bound me with her trembling hands. ¡°What the...¡± I couldn¡¯t help but mutter with a wry smile. ¡°Lulu, is that you?¡± The only one who would press her body against me and rescue me simultaneously had to be Lulu. ¨C Lick. After a moment, she cautiously licked my face, confirming my suspicions. ¡®It¡¯s Lulu.¡¯ As expected, it was surely Lulu. . . . . . ¡°Lulu, it¡¯s ticklish. Stop licking.¡± Frey said with a playful smile. ¡°.........¡± She looked at Frey¡¯s smile. ¡®Uh, ugh...¡¯ Isolet had quickly rushed to Frey¡¯s house, faster than lightning, after obtaining information about the Imperial Family and the Church¡¯s operation against Frey. This was possible given her status as the commanding officer of the Hero Party. ¡®What have I done...¡¯ She had inadvertently licked Frey¡¯s face when he called her Lulu. ¡°Did you use your Magic Eye? You weren¡¯t hurt, right?¡± Swallowing hard, she quietly looked down at Frey, who was still tied to the chair and smiling brightly. ¡°...Gulp.¡± Soon, her gaze began to waver immensely. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 212: What Is This? ? What Is This? ? ¡°Lick, lick.¡± ¡°Hehe... Didn¡¯t I tell you to stop?¡± I chuckled as Lulu continued to shower my face with licks, trying to stop her. ¡°Haah.¡± ¡°...Heh.¡± Ignoring my request, she withdrew her tongue from my face only to gently bite my ear. ¡°Nibble, nibble...¡± She gnawed it lightly. ¡°Ow, ow...¡± Usually, she knew the perfect pressure for her nibbles since she had often indulged in it, but for some reason, she seemed clumsy today. ¡°Lulu? It kind of hurts?¡± Her hand was resting on my shoulder when I gently reminded her and she stopped using her teeth, opting for tongue instead. ¡°...You¡¯re especially persistent today?¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Thanks to that, I spoke with a slightly troubled tone while she slowly released my ear. ¡°...Wo, woof.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Lulu emitted a soft puppy-like whimper. Consequently, it melted my resolve to scold her and I responded with a gentle murmur. ¡°For days now, you¡¯ve been making these puppy sounds... Have you become a real dog?¡± ¡°Woof.¡± ¡°Hahaha...¡± Indeed, over the past few days, whenever Lulu caught sight of me she would snuggle up, wearing a mischievous grin, and emitted puppy noises. Such behavior was quite adorable, so I just let her be. But considering today¡¯s incident with the Imperial Knights and her overuse of the Magic Eye... It seemed like she had become excessively loyal to me since then. Well, I couldn¡¯t deny the comfort of having an ally without any drawbacks... Still, there was a part that worried me. ¡®If she becomes too loyal... what if Lulu gets hurt?¡¯ That notion sent my heart racing abruptly. ¡°Haah... ha...¡± ¡°Woof...?¡± I breathed heavily and Lulu, possibly startled, began to caress my face. ¡°Haa... It¡¯s okay, Lulu. I just felt a bit uneasy for a moment...¡± Even though I reassured Lulu, a tight grip seemed to clutch my heart. ¡°...Ugh.¡± Biting my lip, I lowered my head deep in thought. ¡®I don¡¯t want anyone... to get hurt because of me...¡¯ Things that seemed distant and unlikely were becoming reality. Just today, the Imperial Family and the Church raided the mansion, putting me in this current state. Moreover, Lulu and Irina, and even Alice and Arianne, were interrogated by the investigators. There was no need to mention Serena, but it was only a matter of time before Kania, Clana, and Ferloche¡¯s association with me came to light. And if that happens, all of them would become targets of the Demon King. ¡°...Ugh.¡± It was not without reason that the higher the number of Penalties, the lower the chances of success. Should any of the main heroines meet their demise, it was an instant game over. And if any of the sub-heroines were to suffer the same fate... Moreover, Ferloche distinctly mentioned a ¡°limit¡±. Even the last resort, ¡°Retry,¡± seemed to be an option we couldn¡¯t rely on. ¡®Calm down, just relax...¡¯ As the number of people to shield grew, so did the immense weight of responsibility and pressure. Just when I was on the verge of being overwhelmed, I remembered the DLC-marked note that Serena had gifted me. I began to take deep breaths. ¨C Shhh... At the same time, a sense of calm washed over me. Of course, thanks to my high mental strength, my mental state was automatically restored. Yet, for some reason, despite feeling better, my heart continued to race uncomfortably. ¡°Lick.¡± While I was in deep thought with a complicated expression, Lulu licked my face. ¡°........¡± Feeling an unexpected sense of stability and comfort from her action, unlike usual, I merely closed my eyes and allowed her to continue. ¡°...Hey.¡± After what felt like a long time, I pushed my heavy feelings aside and whispered softly to her, who had been carefully licking my face. ¡°Thank you for saving me. And...¡± I believed it was crucial to emphasize it to prevent her from heedlessly endangering herself in the future. ¡°...I love you.¡± It dawned on me just how deep my affection for her had grown. ¡°So, don¡¯t get hurt. Don¡¯t act impulsively. From now on, follow my commands.¡± I thought about how devastating it would be if she, or anyone else got hurt because of me. ¡°Please.¡± I whispered with sincerity. ¡°Hmm?¡± At that, she suddenly stopped licking. ¡°¡±............¡±¡± Silence enveloped the room. ¡°Ha, haa...¡± A moan, heavy with emotion, echoed in the room a moment later. . . . . . ¡°Lulu?¡± ¡°Hah... Haa...¡± Seeing Frey with an inexplicably anxious expression, Isolet, without even realizing it, began licking him in an attempt to comfort him. ¡®Hold on, I must hold on...¡¯ Though his eyes were covered by a blindfold, she had just heard his pure and heartfelt voice whispering words of love right in front of her. And then, silence ensued. ¡°Hoo...¡± In that stillness, the only sound that resonated through the room was Isolet¡¯s slow, deliberate breaths, as if she were trying to imprint his scent into her memory. ¡°.......¡± Frey appeared visibly troubled in the situation. ¡°Lulu, is it because of that?¡± He asked a question. ¡°Because you didn¡¯t make your wish when you took the Oath of Death?¡± ¡°......!?¡± Isolet, pretending to be Lulu and burying her head in Frey¡¯s chest with an exhausted expression, flinched at his words. ¡°You don¡¯t need to feel guilty. It was my choice.¡± ¡®Oath of Death...? What is he talking about...¡¯ When the term ¡®Oath of Death¡¯ was mentioned again, her eyes quivered and her thoughts spiraled. ¡°I won¡¯t die. I¡¯ll do everything in my power not to.¡± ¡°.....!¡± Hearing Frey¡¯s sorrowful words, Isolet stared at him with wide eyes. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a way to extend my lifespan. I haven¡¯t found it yet, but don¡¯t worry. I will definitely find it in the end. That¡¯s how it was meant to be.¡± ¡®...Didn¡¯t you promise not to lie to me.¡¯ Observing Frey¡¯s earnest efforts to console what he believed to be Lulu with a smile, Isolet found herself in a bewildered trance. ¡°So, promise me. I¡¯ll try not to die, so you shouldn¡¯t be careless either.¡± He spoke in a gentle voice. ¡°Hurry and promise me...¡± ¡®...Fr, Frey.¡¯ She hugged him without realizing. ¡®Really? Does he really have limited time? Truly?¡¯ With newfound composure, she began to consider various possibilities. ¡®Then, why did he lie to me? Why did he disclose such a thing to the press?¡¯ ¡°Umm...¡± ¡®Frey, what on earth...?¡¯ Thus, while she was immersed in her thoughts and looking at Frey in her embrace. ¡°...Who are you?¡± ¡°.....?¡± As Frey suddenly posed the question in a gloomy voice, she tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Lulu doesn¡¯t have such a large chest...?¡± ¡°...Oh.¡± Her expression turned blank. ¡°Also, Lulu has short hair.¡± In that situation, as Frey fiddled with her hair and commented again, her face finally began to turn pale. ¡°...Is this enough? Let¡¯s go in.¡± ¡°Ha, even the Deputy Commanders are providing us with resources.¡± ¡°Is the camera ready? Start preparing for immediate distribution.¡± Simultaneously, signals from the investigators outside, following orders from the Imperial Family and the Church, began. ¡°One... Two...¡± ¡°It¡¯s not working.¡± Investigators prepared to rush in, and whether the rope was loose or not, Frey tried to get out of his chair in a desperate situation. ¡°........¡± Isolet, submerged in silence, made a quick judgment. . . . . . ¡°Which Order are you from?¡± ¡°I¡¯m from the 456th...¡± ¡°I¡¯m from the 455th...¡± ¡°Rookies.¡± With a menacing expression, Isolet stared at the Deputy Commanders kneeling against the wall with their hands up. ¡°What you did just now was a clear act of manipulation.¡± ¡°Um, can we talk separately for a moment...¡± ¡°Ahem, well... We didn¡¯t do it because we wanted to...¡± ¡°Quiet! I can dismiss you immediately using my authority.¡± ¡°...That¡¯s an abuse of power!¡± According to her explanation, the Imperial Family and the Church plotted to bring me down. Meaning, all the licking and affection until now were from the Deputy Commanders. ¡°It¡¯s unfair! I fainted here...¡± ¡°Quiet! I don¡¯t want to cause a conflict of authority, so retreat for today.¡± However, certain things still felt amiss. ¡°You can¡¯t do this!¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± First, why was Isolet¡¯s face red? 19+ Event Unlocked! [A total of 3 19+ Event Routes have been unlocked for Isolet Arham Bywalker!] Second, why did the Affection System in the system window, which had just updated a while ago, notified me about her event unlocking? [This event has a low-priority designation.] Third, if Isolet¡¯s event was of lower priority, what even was the top-priority event at this point? Hidden Quest Quest Content: Remove Serena¡¯s Curse of Familial Subordination Reward: ???, ???, ???, ???... And lastly... [...Serena¡¯s 19+ Event Unlocked: Top Priority Designation] What is this? GIVE 5 STARS ON NU OR ISOLET WILL TIE YOU UP. LOOK AT HER. YOU DON¡¯T WANNA MESS WITH HER. RATE/REVIEW HERE. Chapter 213: Competition ? Competition ? ¡°Hmm...¡± Isolet was sitting in front of me and sipping her tea. ¡°¡±........¡±¡± Right beside me, Lulu and Irina shot cold glances to Isolet, clearly displeased. ¡°Um... Sister.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°How long do you plan on staying here?¡± Upon being subtly questioned, Isolet raised her eyebrows. She then turned to me, a puzzled expression on her face, as if she did not understand what I meant. ¡°The aroma of the tea is really nice.¡± ¡°When are you leaving?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the name of this tea?¡± ¡°......¡± This situation has been going on for a while. Ever since the investigation team left, for some reason, she began to closely follow me around and has been staying in my house for hours. ¡°Um, Fr... Frey, I¡¯d like to take a look at your room.¡± ¡°Okay? Well, it¡¯s fine, I guess. Then...¡± ¨C Bang! ¡°...Huh?¡± She had subtly averted her gaze and asked to see my room. As soon as I granted permission, she entered and closed the door behind her. ¡°...What are you doing?¡± ¡°Ah... Ah! No, I mean... You have a comfortable bed. For someone as delicate as you, nothing¡¯s as important as a comfortable bed, so I just tested it.¡± ¡°.....?¡± She remained inside for quite some time, making me wonder about what was happening. Eventually, I used my emergency key to unlock the door and found her lying on my bed, tucked under the blanket, curled up. ¡°Why is the closet drawer... No, forget it.¡± ¡°I, I didn¡¯t do it. The investigation team... They were the ones who did it.¡± There were clear signs that the closet drawer in my room had been opened. ¡°So this is the famous Starlight Mansion¡¯s... basement.¡± ¡°So, how long do you plan to stay here?¡± ¡°...Uh.¡± ¡°Hey?¡± Next, she said she wanted to see the basement. We went down together, and for a few l minutes, she gazed at me in silence with a dark look before finally making a move. ¡°........¡± ¡°Do you like it that much? Want one?¡± ¡°No, no... I don¡¯t particularly need it...¡± She stared, mouth agape, at the pictures in the hallway ¨C one of a young me smiling, another of me sweating during sword training, and another in my academy uniform. ¡°Come to think of it, you said it back then.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I love Sister! I¡¯ll marry her when I grow up!¡± ¡°........¡± Isolet murmured with a distant look on her face in the training yard of the mansion. Anyway, after entertaining her, as she roamed around the place without a care about the time, she was now leisurely drinking tea in front of me. It did stir up some awkward feelings, but... ¡®Well, she did help me today.¡¯ It was undeniable that she helped me today. In the first place, Isolet was a remarkably skilled knight. She had been offered the role of Deputy Commander in the Imperial Family¡¯s Knight Order, and she had even been offered the position of Commander by the Church. Furthermore, with many Knight Orders recently reshuffled due to the emergence of the Demon King, most of the knights in the investigation team were either her juniors or subordinates. Additionally, she was the only daughter of a prestigious Marquis family, and not too long ago, she was even nominated as the Commanding Officer of the Hero¡¯s Party. Given all this, the Deputy Commanders leading this investigation team had little chance to match her in terms of strength or authority. So, after their failed attempt to scare me, they had no choice but to sulkily endure her reprimands for a while. Naturally, this wouldn¡¯t be the end of it. Many dark magic tools and records of corruption had already been submitted. While Isolet intended to leverage today¡¯s ¡®incident¡¯ for negotiation, it remained uncertain whether it would work. ¡°Phew.¡± For me, it didn¡¯t really matter either way. If Isolet succeeded in her negotiations, it would provide me with some respite to prepare for the next potential attack. And even if the negotiations failed, I wouldn¡¯t lose any points, so there shouldn¡¯t have been a problem... ...But was there really none? ¨C Thump...! ¡°Ugh.¡± Suddenly, a sharp pain hit my heart. ¡°Frey?¡± ¡°Master!¡± When I held onto my chest and turned pale, Lulu and Irina rushed over in shock. ¡°Ah...¡± At the same time, Isolet, who had been sipping her tea in front of me, froze in place. ¡®...This is annoying.¡¯ Lately, it felt like I had been experiencing these heart pains far more frequently. Given that painkillers weren¡¯t helping, was it a psychological issue? ¡°Ma, Master...¡± While I was lost in thought, Lulu approached me with a terrified look on her face. ¡°Lick.¡± Suddenly, she lightly licked my lips with her tongue. ¡°Lick, lick.¡± With an anxious expression and a firm grip on my arm, she meticulously licked every nook of my lips before tremblingly whispering into my ear. ¡°Do, don¡¯t worry...¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll find a way somehow...¡± She continued her conversation for a while before hanging up and looking at me somberly. ¡°It seems like I have to leave now.¡± Then, Isolet rose from her seat, looking regretful. ¡°...In a week, come to my house. We can continue our training and pick up our unfinished conversation then.¡± Even though I took great pains to explain to her once again that my time wasn¡¯t limited, for some reason, she didn¡¯t seem convinced. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll be going...¡± ¡°Wait, Sister.¡± Watching her head toward the entrance with a gloomy expression, I finally vocalized the question that had been bothering me for a while. ¡°...What¡¯s that thing you¡¯ve been holding onto since earlier?¡± ¡°.....!¡± At that, she stopped in her tracks, looking startled. ¡°This, this thing...?¡± Then, she carefully took something out. ¡°You, you didn¡¯t give this to me?¡± ¡°......¡± What Isolet revealed were my photo albums, the same ones she had been staring blankly at earlier. ¡°I... see...?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. There¡¯s no issue with that.¡± Nevertheless, her belly was still noticeably bulging. She was someone who had undergone intense training her whole life and had never once had her belly protruding like that. ¡°By the way, why did you open my closet earlier...¡± ¡°I, I must go now.¡± As I tilted my head and took a step closer to her, she hurriedly rushed off to the entrance. ¨C Slam. Just like that, she swiftly left the mansion. ¡°...Phew.¡± I felt a sense of relief as Isolet vanished from the premises, but simultaneously, a peculiar sense of longing washed over me. ¡°...What?¡± Feeling conflicted, I sat down on the sofa. Then, Irina, looking puzzled, stood up with furrowed brows. ¡°Clana... already arrived? Why? How?¡± ¡°.....?¡± She seemed to be talking without a communication crystal. Could it be... she was using telepathy right now? ¡°...Hmm.¡± While I blankly stared at her, who casually performed a groundbreaking magical feat, she began to nibble on her lip. ¡°Frey, I believe I need to leave for a while.¡± ¡°Uh, okay...¡± ¡°If you feel like you¡¯re in danger, send me a message immediately. Or tear this scroll. I¡¯ll come to help you right away.¡± With that, she handed me an armful of scrolls. ¡°You broke our promise... Clana!¡± She shouted angrily as she left the mansion. ¡°What on earth...¡± Feeling an inexplicable chill, I blankly watched her retreating figure. ¡°...That¡¯s right, Serena was supposed to come.¡± Today, I was expecting Serena to come over with the results of the task I had entrusted to her. ¡°Master...¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Lulu, who had been quietly sitting next to me, glanced around briefly and then gently wrapped her arms around mine, causing me to tilt my head in curiosity. ¡°Now, it¡¯s just the two of us left, right?¡± Lulu had been staring at me intently. ¡°I have something to tell you, Master.¡± She said in a soft voice... ¡°Please listen.¡± . . . . . Meanwhile, at that very moment... ¡°Hehehe~ Heh~¡± ¡°...Sigh.¡± Wondering what had made her so happy, Serena entered the Starlight Mansion with a giddy smile accompanied by Miho, who wore a thoroughly dissatisfied expression. ¡°I¡¯ll see Frey~? We¡¯ll have a date~? Hehe...¡± ¡°Human, are you a genius? Or are you a lunatic?¡± ¡°Hehehe, hehe...¡± Despite Miho¡¯s question, Serena kept laughing as she crossed the mansion¡¯s yard. ¡°...?¡± Soon after, she tilted her head in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± She spotted some unknown movement in the bushes near the mansion¡¯s window, prompting her sharp gaze to become focused. ¡°...Hmm?¡± Serena¡¯s usually innocent-looking eyes sharpened. ¡°Bl, blood... he¡¯s bleeding... Ugh, ugh...¡± Aishi, who had come to check on Frey¡¯s condition that day under the pretense of wanting to hang out, had witnessed Frey¡¯s bleeding and was now sobbing alone. ¡°Frey has limited time... It must be a fake illness. Yes, yes.¡± Meanwhile, Roswyn, with an anxious expression, kept glancing around while hiding in the mansion¡¯s bushes. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 214: How Impressive ? How Impressive ? ¡°........¡± Lulu looked up at Frey with lustful eyes. ¡°Lulu?¡± Cradling his arm gently, Frey, who had been quietly observing her, tilted his head and called her name. ¡°Hah...¡± Lulu, who had been nuzzling his arm, paused and exhaled softly while resting her cheek against his arm. ¡°I love you.¡± Then, she spoke with a tense voice. ¡°I love my Master, no...¡± Frey¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as she held onto his arm and forcefully pulled him towards the sofa. ¡°I love you.¡± With eyes full of desire, she whispered once more. ¡°Uh, um...¡± It had been a while since Lulu addressed him without using the title ¡®Master,¡¯ perhaps the first time since all the servants had left the mansion. ¡°I, who is just a pet, dared to fall in love with my Master.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I should only receive one-sided attention and love from Master... but I dared to make it mutual.¡± Seeing Frey¡¯s puzzled expression, Lulu, who had been leaning against the sofa and rubbing her body against his arm, spoke. ¡°So, please scold me.¡± ¡°What?¡± She stared intently at him. ¡°Please punish me. Harshly. You can hit me, starve me, even choke me.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°Please, Master.¡± After saying that, Lulu tightly closed her eyes and began to tremble. ¡°Hmm...¡± Frey, who had been blankly staring at Lulu, stretched out his hand with a slight smile. ¡°...Ouch.¡± A moment later, Lulu, who had received a light flick on her forehead, flinched and cautiously opened her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s your punishment, Lulu.¡± Gazing at Lulu, Frey whispered in a soft voice. ¡°Is that enough now? Let¡¯s get up. We need to prepare for our guests...¡± ¡°Master.¡± Lulu rubbed her slightly pained forehead with her hands and contemplated what had just transpired. ¡°Can I... truly love you?¡± She asked him with a trembling expression. ¡°... I can, right?¡± At that, Frey paused briefly, then nodded quietly. ¡°Oh. Ah...¡± Lulu looked at him with shaky eyes. ¡°...Waaah!¡± With an awkward cry, she pounced on Frey, who was propped against the sofa. ¡°Lu, Lulu?¡± ¡°.....?¡± Lick, lick, lick. Despite the flustered expression on Frey¡¯s face, Lulu continued to lick his face. ¡°Ma...ster...¡± After a moment, with her tongue still sticking out, she began to speak slowly. ¡°It was you... who saved me. You rescued me. You revived me. You dyed me in your color. So, I am yours. Only you can control me. You can dominate me.¡± ¡°Uh, um...¡± ¡°My life, soul, fate, future, life... Everything is in your hands. I will be your pet for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°I can do anything. If you ask me to bear a curse in your stead, I will. If you tell me to sell my soul, I will. If you tell me to die, I will do so willingly.¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care how evil you are. If you tell me to kill someone, I will. If you tell me to torture them, I will give them terrible pain. If you tell me to fight against the empire, I will. Do you find the Hero Party bothersome? I¡¯ll infiltrate them as a spy for you.¡± Lulu whispered with a submissive look. If she had a tail, would have definitely wagged it vigorously. ¡°As you have sworn to me, no matter what happens... I will always be your pet.¡± After speaking for a while, Lulu finally finished. ¡°...Ha ha.¡± ¡°.....!¡± When Frey gave an awkward smile, she trembled all over and whispered in a low voice, ¡°Master, I¡¯m sorry...¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Then, her eyes gleamed. ¡°Please, pet me a little more...! It seems you haven¡¯t petted me much lately...!¡± With an expression full of guilt and immorality, she whispered in a low voice. ¡°¡±.........¡±¡± And then silence ensued. ¨C Swish, swish... As Frey began to pet her with a perplexed look, Lulu tilted her head. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s going on?¡± Then, she mumbled softly. ¡°...Why aren¡¯t my eyes hurting?¡±Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com The terrible pain that usually came whenever she used her Magic Eyes, for some reason, didn¡¯t come this time. Frey hadn¡¯t explained it to her intentionally. ¡°Th-That¡¯s strange...?¡± Startled, Lulu clung to Frey and whispered. ¡°Please, like me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Her Magic Eyes didn¡¯t hurt. ¡°Please, please love me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Still, her Magic Eyes didn¡¯t hurt. ¡°I, just as I am... please love me with all your heart!¡± ¡°...I will.¡± With her Magic Eyes no longer in pain, Lulu was overjoyed and Frey, gazing up at her, nodded with a wide smile. And she, too, was content to be his pet; Rather, she took pride in it. She was delighted to be treated that way for the rest of her life. Now, however, she realized something. The most a pet could ever dare to feel for its owner was ¡®love.¡¯ She shouldn¡¯t expect anything more than that. If she wanted more than that, their relationship could be ruined. And that meant... ¡°Mmm...¡± Lulu¡¯s body began to heat up. She wondered what was wrong with her. A new emotion, one she had never experienced before in her life, had abruptly taken hold of her. ¨C Swoosh, swoosh... In this situation, Frey was literally ¡®holding¡¯ her. Even though she was grateful and happy... ¡®I¡¯m sorry... Master.¡¯ Lulu was now a bad girl. An ungrateful child who yearned for more than just love from her master; From the master who had saved her. From the master who possessed complete control over her. ¡°Let me, let me, let me...!¡± She was about to say something to Frey, who was smiling at her and holding her in his arms. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, trembling while feeling ungrateful and guilty. ¨C Boom!!! ¡°Haaa...!¡± Suddenly, she heard the sound of something exploding outside, and leaped to her feet, startled. ¡°...What was that?¡± And, at the same time, she looked at Frey with sharp eyes. ¡°You stay here, it¡¯s dangerous!¡± Worried that Frey might be in danger, Lulu hid him under the couch. ¡°What... What...¡± Lulu¡¯s previously warm body suddenly turned cold, and she directed a frigid glare toward the source of the noise. ¡°...Growl.¡± She growled and stomped towards the window, which was oddly slightly ajar. . . . . . Meanwhile, at the same time... ¡°Uhh, uhhh!¡± Roswyn, who had been hiding in the grass and quietly watching the mansion, jumped to her feet, startled by the magic that had struck her. ¡°No, no way...¡± Realizing that her hair was disheveled and her clothes were in disarray, Rosewyn began to pale as she recalled the person who had often cast this spell on her. ¡°What are you doing there...?¡± ¡°......!!!¡± She froze, unable to even think about running away as Serena approached her. ¡°Hmmm...¡± Serena scrutinized her from head to toe. ¡°I heard you were taken and questioned by security the other day, but apparently it was because you wished to give flowers...¡± Serena whispered, looking annoyed. ¡°...Would you mind not sticking your nose into other people¡¯s men?¡± Hearing that, Roswyn began to sob. ¡°Oh, no... This is weird...¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Frey... I... he liked me... but...¡± For a while, she had been trying to convince herself that what Lulu had done was something that Frey had coerced her into doing. Just a moment ago, she had witnessed Lulu and Frey in a genuine act of affection, and she had panicked. ¡°Why? What¡¯s going on? It¡¯s weird... I don¡¯t understand...¡± But, as usual, she tried to find another answer, to somehow avoid the conclusion that she had already come up with. ¡°I knew it...¡± At that moment, Lulu, who had appeared from the window, glanced at her with a cold expression and whispered. ¡°...You should have done better.¡± ¡°......!¡± Hearing that, Roswyn froze in place. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± And after a moment. With her head down, she broke into a cold sweat and rushed across the yard. ¡°.......¡± Serena gaze followed her. ¡°...You¡¯re going as well, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, yes...¡± She pushed Aishi away, who was watching with a frightened expression from the bushes beside her. ¡°...Hold on, I¡¯ll go open the door for you now.¡± ¡°Okay, thanks.¡± She looked at Lulu as she rushed up to the front door and thought to herself. ¡®...How impressive...For a pet.¡¯ At least compared to Kania, the thieving cat who tried to steal Frey from her all the time. If Lulu didn¡¯t cross the line, Serena might be able to tolerate having her around after she married Frey. ¡®She was good enough to be a watchdog for the house,¡¯ Serena thought to herself and was actually quite pleased with Lulu. ¨C Squeak... ¡°Hey, you...¡± Lulu opened the front door, as Serena tried to talk to her. ¡°Ha?¡± But stopped abruptly and began to stare at her. ¡°...Ugh.¡± She opened the front door and stood before her, every inch of her body covered in Frey¡¯s hair, scent, and markings. ¡°¡±.........¡±¡± A moment later, Serena¡¯s moonlight eyes met Lulu¡¯s ruby ones in a cold stare. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 215: Identity ? Identity ? ¡°Hmm...¡± Serena, who entered through the main entrance, was staring coldly at Lulu. ¡°......¡± Lulu, unfazed by Serena¡¯s piercing gaze, stared right back. Their silent standoff persisted long after the entrance door had swung open. ¡°Hello...¡± For some reason, amidst this suffocating atmosphere, it was Lulu who unexpectedly broke the silence, bowing her head. ¡°... Master¡¯s fiance?e.¡± However, her voice was slightly more sharp than usual. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet the fiance?e of the master I serve.¡± ¡°Hah.¡± Serena smirked while looking at her. ¡°...Are you only being polite to me out of loyalty to your master?¡± ¡°.....¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite amusing, aren¡¯t you?¡± A moment later, Serena delicately masked her mouth with a fan and approached Lulu with light steps. ¡°Thank you for the compliment.¡± ¡°...Haah.¡± Serena, after a brief pause, inclined her head once more and shot Lulu a searching look. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be this amusing.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Serena whispered in a soft voice. ¡°Do you want to know what happened to the people I found amusing?¡± She radiated an intimidating aura, capable of making most people¡¯s knees tremble with fear. ¡°If you¡¯d rather not know, I suggest you keep things mundane when you¡¯re around me.¡± ¡°.....¡± ¡°Abstain from playing word games I can easily see through or provoke conflicts you can¡¯t handle. Just remain unremarkable. Then, perhaps, I might be inclined to show some leniency.¡± Whispering softly to the slightly startled Lulu, Serena made her point clear. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you believe, but this epitomizes my mercy. I am the fiance?e, and you are a subordinate. The hierarchy between us is crystal clear.¡± ¡°So, you better think carefully... whether you wish to be tamed or kicked out ...¡± ¡°...Serena, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Hehe!¡± But at that moment, Frey¡¯s impatient voice sounded from behind her. ¡°...Hehe.¡± She, who had deliberately avoided seeing Frey¡¯s face, suddenly loosened her expression and began to laugh softly as she caught sight of him. ¡°It¡¯s Frey... Hehehe...¡± For some reason, she seemed very pleased and forgot all about her earlier sternness towards Lulu. Her attention was now entirely fixed on Frey, who stood behind her. ¡°Move aside.¡± ¡°Eek!¡± At that, she pushed Lulu who was standing in front of her to the side and rushed towards Frey and spoke. ¡°Hug me....¡± But just as Serena was about to embrace him, Frey took a step back with a cool expression. ¡°Why are you acting like this?¡± And then, Frey looked at Serena with a straight face. ¡°Master.¡± In the meantime, Lulu quietly approached Frey¡¯s side. ¡°...Lick.¡± Casting a timid glance at Serena, Lulu extended her tongue and gave Frey¡¯s face an affectionate lick. ¡°Smooch...¡± Usually, she licked Frey shortly and neatly to show her loyalty and obedience. But for some reason, today, her tongue licked every nook and cranny of Frey¡¯s face with an exceptionally long and sticky motion. ¨C Slurp, swish... After a moment, she swallowed the lengthy trail of saliva from his face, closed her eyes tightly, and began to rub her cheek against Frey¡¯s with an affectionate expression. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll... go now.¡± Then, after glancing at Serene for a moment, Lulu quickly went up to the second floor. ¡°¡±..........¡±¡± A brief silence ensued between the two. ¡°F, Frey...¡± Finally breaking the silence, Serena opened her mouth timidly. ¡°I, I can lick well too.¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious. 101 Ways To Satisfy A Man... no, no, I mean, anyway, I¡¯ve studied extensively Seriously...¡± After saying that, she timidly approached Frey. But... ¡°Ah, uhh...¡± As she stood before him, she began to falter, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Her behavior was typical of a bookworm who had gained knowledge about love and affection solely through books, with no real-world experience. ¡°......¡± However, Serena had felt threatened after witnessing Frey¡¯s lingering touch on every intimate corner of Lulu¡¯s body and the adept display of affection between the two. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking. When I transform, I can swallow you whole. Deliciously. Without leaving a trace.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. If it weren¡¯t for the constant surveillance and hat human who¡¯s clever but lacks social skills, I would have devoured you in an instant.¡± Of course, she¡¯d been scolded by her father, the Chief, for freaking out at the sight of animal blood, let alone human meat, but Miho was doing her best to scare the hateful man in front of her. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to be inside my stomach, would you? It¡¯s cramped, damp, and pitch-black.¡± ¡°Hey...¡± ¡°So, if you don¡¯t want to end up in my stomach...¡± With that, Miho stroked her stomach and bit Frey¡¯s neck with her teeth, drooling all over him while trying to drive home her point with her broken pronunciation. ¡°...Get down.¡± ¡°Gasp!¡± Lulu¡¯s cold voice from the second floor made Miho instantly drop to her knees, still holding onto Frey¡¯s neck with her mouth. ¡°Spit, spit him out! Spit out what¡¯s in your mouth!¡± ¡°...Ptew.¡± At Lulu¡¯s flustered command, Miho quickly spat out Frey. ¡°...Master, should I kill her?¡± Lulu, who had quickly come downstairs, saw Frey¡¯s neck, unharmed but covered in someone else¡¯s saliva, asked the question with a cold tone. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Should I enslave her, then? Or perhaps, mold her to your liking......¡± ¡°Ee, eek...¡± At that, Miho, who was actually quite timid, began to tremble. ¡°...You have five tails?¡± Frey, who was looking at her, shook his head and muttered. ¡°Four would have been the maximum until the original ending, but...? What...¡± ¡°Shall I torture her? She dared to hurt my master, she needs to be taught the consequences of her actions. Shall I do it myself?¡± Frey shook his head with a bitter smile upon hearing Lulu¡¯s bold proposal. ¡°No, she¡¯s useful. She might even extend my life. So...¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What?¡± Seeing their reactions, Frey quickly altered his stance. ¡°...In any case, she belongs to Serena, so don¡¯t touch her.¡± ¡°Master, what did you just say...!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Upon hearing the unbelievable statement, Lulu asked excitedly and behind Frey, who had a troubled expression on his face, Serena appeared, wearing a bottle of expensive perfume on her body. ¡°...We¡¯ll talk later.¡± With that, Frey stopped talking and made his way to the sofa. ¡°......¡± ¡°Heh, heh.¡± Lulu began to stare at Miho with a strange look in her eyes. ¡°.....???¡± Serena, who was filled with the anticipation to tease and mess with Frey, began to tilt her head with a sullen expression. Before she knew it, the time was approaching 12 PM. . . . . . ¡°Hmmm, hmmm!¡± ¡°.......¡± Serena, organizing the papers in her hands with an expectant expression, and Miho, who had a terrified look on her face, came into my view. ¡°...Grrr.¡± After a brief moment of eye contact with me, Miho bared her teeth once again. ¡°...Ha?¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± Lulu, who crouched beside me, rubbing her cheeks together, glared at Miho coldly, who promptly bared her teeth and lowered her head once more. ¡°Alright, I found it!¡± Amidst this commotion, Serena, who smelled so alluring that it made me slightly dizzy, handed me a piece of paper. ¡°Is this...?¡± Upon seeing that document, I felt as if my brain, which was soaked in the fragrance, suddenly awakened and my eyes widened in surprise. ¨C Sun God Confinement Plan [Classified Level 1: Accessible only in the Grand Archbishop Conference] ¡°So... what is this?¡± Serena¡¯s question was answered in a low voice. ¡°The thing you asked for.¡± He stared at her quietly, and Serena replied with the most serious expression he had ever seen in a long time. ¡°The identity of the Youngest Paladin.¡± You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 216: Firm Resolve ? Firm Resolve ? ¨C Swish, Swish. Upon receiving the document from Serena, I began to sift through the papers with a frown. ¨C This document is top secret. For the next 1000 years, only the Pope and the representative bishops are allowed to access it. ¨C Violating this rule will result in divine punishment. As I read, a chilling statement on the first page grabbed my attention. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just the usual nonsense from the Church.¡± Somewhat taken back, I turned to Serena, who responded with a relaxed smile. ¡°They can¡¯t perform miracles. The only one capable of communicating with God and performing miracles is Saintess Ferloche, not the Church.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°The power they employ, for instance, is simply one of the natural laws of the world, not a divine gift. It¡¯s no different from mana or aura.¡± ¡°Do you realize how dangerous it is to say such things?¡± ¡°But I proved it years ago, didn¡¯t I?¡± With that, Serena enthusiastically began writing down various formulas. ¡°See, there is no fundamental difference between the elemental composition of ¡®holy power¡¯ and ¡®mana¡¯. It¡¯s all about how much miraculous power is added...¡± ¡°Enough, enough.¡± ¡°If we delve deeper, the lunar mana I use, the stellar mana you use, and the solar mana Clana uses are actually more sacred since they¡¯re bestowed by God...¡± ¡°I said enough!¡± Lulu and Miho, seemingly discovering a profound secret of this world, stared blankly. In consideration of them, I hurriedly covered Serena¡¯s mouth, but she just playfully kissed my hand. ¡®...Could it be that she planned that move?¡¯ Feeling somewhat played by her, I tapped the table with my finger and continued reading the document. ¨C For this document to be activated, the consent of at least three bishops is required. Additionally, permission must be granted by someone of equal status to the Pope. ¡°You see, if these people were truly holy... they would have sought divine retribution if these conditions were violated. But they specifically mentioned ¡®magic.¡¯ This alone speaks volumes about the kind of organization they are...¡± ¡°Alright, but how did you get past these conditions?¡± Upon hearing my question, Serena¡¯s eyes sparkled as she answered. ¡°The three bishops... My friends applied a bit of physical pressure, accompanied by my gentle persuasion, and Miho¡¯s unique talents proved invaluable.¡± Upon her somewhat ambiguous answer, I turned to Miho, who stood with her arms crossed and she replied bluntly. ¡°Her fellow humans kidnapped and tortured the bishops. Of course, they weren¡¯t easy to deal with. But two of them were forced to renounce their faith when this crazy girl debunked their doctrine.¡± ¡°Mi, Miho.¡± ¡°But the last one resisted until the end, so I drained his life force to the brink while torturing him. It took a week, but he finally relented...¡± Miho, who had fled from a peaceful village in a remote valley due to boredom, now enjoyed her days as Serena¡¯s detective assistant. And thanks to that, Miho was enthusiastically recounting their thrilling operations from the past few weeks. ¡°...Eek.¡± She stopped short when Serena pinched her side. Shivering, she shut her mouth. ¡°All three of them were trash. Involved in child abuse, human trafficking, and tax extortion, they deserved death...¡± ¡°You¡¯re not any better... ack!¡± ¡°...Anyway! That¡¯s not the important part. Turn to the next page.¡± Hearing her words, I was about to flip the page, which was charred from the deactivated magic circle, when a sudden question sprang to mind. ¡°By the way, how did you get the Pope¡¯s permission?¡± ¡°...I gave him banana milk.¡± ¡°What?¡± Seeing my incredulous expression, Serena covered her mouth with her fan, her eyes twinkling with mischief. ¡°He then cheerfully said, ¡®Please, feel free to read as much as you want!''¡± ¡°...The Pope?¡± ¡°Of course not. If he did, he might have been stabbed with a dagger by now, given the circumstances.¡± The more she explained, the more confusing it became. Holding my head for a moment, my eyes then sparkled as I asked a question. ¡°Wait, the condition says ¡®someone of equal status to the Pope¡¯?¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± ¡°So, did you use Ferloche?¡± As I inquired, Serena turned to Miho, who stood nearby with a sulky expression, and grinned. ¡°See, my fiance?e may act like a fool, but he¡¯s actually a genius, isn¡¯t he? He¡¯s going to be my husband.¡± ¡°I already knew that much. And he¡¯s not your husband yet, is he?¡± Listening to their playful exchange, I turned my attention back to the document, and posed another question. ¡°But why specify ¡®someone of equal status to the Pope¡¯? They could¡¯ve simply said ¡®the Pope¡¯. This unnecessarily compromises security.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± After I finished speaking, Serena turned her gaze to me with astonishment and murmured. ¡°You¡¯re so smart...¡± ¡°Is that something for you to say, Human?¡± ¡°Hehe... You¡¯re so cool... That¡¯s really good, Frey...¡± Her tone suggested that there was a hidden meaning behind her words. However, since we hadn¡¯t been making much progress, I interjected. ¡°Anyway, does someone ¡®equal to the Pope¡¯ exist within the Church?¡± Suddenly, Serena¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Using Lady Ferloche was a mere stunt. They, of course, meant someone other than the Saintess.¡± ¡°Are you certain?¡± ¡°...You¡¯ll see once you read further. Lady Ferloche has no connections to the dark side of the Church.¡± With that, Serena crossed her legs and spoke with a serious look. ¡°Anyway, if someone ¡®equal to the Pope¡¯ exists, but their identity is unknown, and they can access this top-secret document... Who could they be?¡± ¡°It must be the main antagonist.¡± ¡°Exactly! Miho, my fiance?e is truly a genius!¡± As I responded with a lifeless tone, Serena, who had been clapping like a seal, returned to teasing Miho. After looking at her carefully, I refocused my attention on the document. ¡°¡±.............¡±¡± Some time passed. ¨C Thud...! A sharp pain shot through my head. What did I just see? Too much information had inundated me all at once. ¡°Are, are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to inspect your mansion now!¡± She spoke with a cheerful expression, before muttering excitedly as she began to walk away. ¡°Frey¡¯s house... How many years has it been...? Well, I need to memorize the layout now... Since I¡¯ll be the lady of this mansion someday, I should become familiar with its structure...¡± ¡°...I didn¡¯t give you my permission.¡± ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped! I have to fabricate and manipulate all the corruption and wrongdoings you¡¯ve done! It¡¯s essential for data collection!¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°There are some things that the investigation team hasn¡¯t taken yet, right? I¡¯ll clean everything up for you. So that no one will dare touch you...¡± I listened to her receding voice with my eyes closed. ¡°...Lulu, help Serena.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming along?¡± ¡°...I¡¯m leaving, Human.¡± With a soft voice, I saw the two girls out of the living room and embraced the ensuing silence. ¨C Thump...! Was I momentarily shaken earlier? ¡°Hmm.¡± For some reason, my heart began to ache once more. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment. ¡°Co... cough...¡± ¡°Haah, haah...¡± Within the Imperial Palace, on a training ground exclusively reserved for the Imperial Family. ¡°You¡¯re quite something...Aren¡¯t you, Clana?¡± ¡°.......¡± Looking down at the Second Princess, who was battered and collapsed under her, Clana declared in a cold voice. ¡°According to the terms of the duel from yesterday, I¡¯ve just risen to the 3rd rank in the line of succession. Do you agree?¡± ¡°...And if I refuse?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you.¡± Upon hearing those words, the Second Princess quickly raised a white flag, signaling her surrender. ¡°I surrender, I surrender. I never wanted to fight with you in the first place... I¡¯m not even interested in the throne. I just wanted to live in peace...¡± Clana stared at her coldly, wiped the blood from her face with her hand and then licked it. ¡°Ugh, eek...¡± The aura she emitted was so intense it made the Second Princess¡¯s attendants flinch. ¡°Following the oath, from now on, you all will serve under me. Any objections?¡± ¡°¡±...There is none.¡±¡± After securing her complete victory, Clana smiled quietly. ¡°Miss Irina is approaching.¡± ¡°...Damn.¡± She ground her teeth and murmured bitterly as her attendant quietly whispered to her. ¡°For someone with just a big chest... How dare she approach Frey... When I haven¡¯t done more than a kiss...¡± She looked down at her chest, gloomily. ¡°And also, the First Princess invited Mr. Frey to her birthday...¡± ¡°Damn it...¡± Hearing that, her eyes flashed, and she whispered coldly. ¡°...Should I kill her?¡± The attendant¡¯s face turned pale upon hearing that. ¡°......!!¡± And it was the same for the other servants in the room. Regardless of the implications of her statement, Clana¡¯s aura was terrifying. ¡°Ah, and lastly...¡± In the suddenly chilly training ground, Clana¡¯s attendant hesitated before reporting. ¡°The medicinal herbs and elixirs you ordered...and the ones you asked to be particularly careful with, the ones good for... vitality... They have just arrived at the port...¡± ¡°...Send everything to the Starlight Mansion.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± When her attendant looked puzzled, Clana quietly looked away and murmured. ¡°Buy everything available on the market right now and send it.¡± ¡°Umm...¡± ¡°Also, search the entire imperial storehouse.¡± ¡°.......¡± ¡°Hurry up. In any case, send all the good stuff.¡± With those words, a moment of silence followed. ¡°May I ask why you¡¯re doing all this...¡± ¡°There¡¯s a very important reason. Just follow my instructions.¡± She answered the utterly perplexed attendant. ¡®I¡¯ll save you by any means... Even if I have to use all my power.¡¯ After speaking coldly and turning away... ¡®But just in case... I must seize this opportunity...¡¯ As Clana confidently walked towards the exit, lost in thought... ¡®...I will bear the child who will become the next Emperor of this country.¡¯ ...Her face turned red. ¡°In a single attempt.¡± You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 217: Key ? Key ? ¡°Hmm-hmm~?¡± Master¡¯s fiance?e was singing joyfully for some reason as she casually strolled around the mansion. ¡°¡±.......¡±¡± Following behind her were her pet and me. ¡°...What are you looking at, human?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a pet, you know?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Like you, I¡¯m also a pet. I¡¯m not a human.¡± ¡°.....?¡± Seeing her behavior, I recalled Master¡¯s words about how ¡®human pets¡¯ were like among the nobles. I found it strange, as I hadn¡¯t seen people walking around with ¡®human pets¡¯ on the streets, but it seemed like it was a hobby among high-ranking nobles. ¡°So are you... also a beastkin?¡± ¡°Huh? I¡¯m Master¡¯s female dog, you know?¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯m a fox beastkin. From your behavior, I guessed you might be a dog beastkin and it seems like I was right.¡± After hearing my answer, the fox girl responded arrogantly. ¨C Twitch, twitch. As she did, she perked her ears and wagged her tail. Upon closer examination, they weren¡¯t fake ears and tails made by a suspicious magician filled with ill intentions but real ones. ¡°Did you undergo surgery? I want it too.¡± ¡°What? How dare you suggest that! Do you think I underwent that barbaric procedure of cutting into my body for treatment!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Never mind, I don¡¯t wish to converse with someone ignorant about medical arts. I¡¯m... annoyed right now.¡± In broken imperial language, she indignantly exclaimed before hurrying ahead to chat with her master. ¡®That girl... seems to have found a good master.¡¯ Though she appeared timid, there were no signs of abuse. It seemed she had a master who didn¡¯t punish her severely, unlike my previous master¡¯s friends. Speaking of which, I wonder how those girls, whom Master gave me as maids, were doing. I heard they¡¯ve been studying at the academy recently. Once they reach the second year, I should go and visit them. ¡°Then, next... to Frey¡¯s room! Let¡¯s go to Frey¡¯s room!¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± As I walked, lost in thought, Master¡¯s fiance?e excitedly asked me to guide her. ¡°Miho... slap me. This isn¡¯t a dream, is it? Entering Frey¡¯s room, after so many years... Ouch! Why did you bite me?¡± ¡°Grrr...¡± When I first met her, I honestly imagined her as an evil woman. Her sharp gaze, the way she covered her lips with a fan, her cold demeanor... she seemed just like a villainess from a romance novel. But looking at her now, she seemed to be quite a good person. After all, she treated Master so well, and my new standards were that anyone who harmed Master was a bad person. I guess it was true that the world was not a romance novel. Growing up with no parents, no teachers, no friends, and no one to love me, my only refuge was romance novels. Those novels in which a poor commoner girl, who had nothing, and a detested girl shared a forbidden love with a troubled noble. Such novels were a good tool to lose myself in fantasy and forget reality. However, it didn¡¯t take long for them to lose their meaning, and I threw away all those novels. They were just stories; events that would never happen. I believed that I would remain unhappy forever, unlike the protagonists in those novels who overcame adversity to find love. I used to believe that, but... No heroine or hero from any novel could ever be as happy as I was, nor as magnificent as my master. I was living each day as if it were the happiest story. But then... ¨C Squeeze... Suddenly, I became worried. A maddening worry. Without realizing it, I gripped my hands so tightly that they lost blood circulation. ¡®Can I... save my master?¡¯ A novel was just a novel. The heroine in romance novels could overcome illnesses, enemies, and curses with the power of love. However, this was reality. Until just a moment ago, my master had undoubtedly looked distressed. Perhaps he didn¡¯t want to show such a face to either me or his fiance?e? Knowing that you were dying was more terrifying than anything else. I felt this deeply just a few months ago. Even though he said otherwise, in such fear and dread, my master... ¡°Excuse me... how far are you going?¡± ¡°Ah, I apologize.¡± I was so lost in thought that I almost passed by my master¡¯s room and reached the end of the hallway. ¡°It¡¯s over here.¡± ¡°Hehe...¡± Regaining my composure, I pointed to Master¡¯s room, she entered with a big smile. ¡°.......¡± As it turns out, she always had that reaction whenever she entered any part of the mansion. ¡°This is the kitchen of the mansion.¡± ¡°Mhm, I see. Just a moment.¡± ¡°...What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m memorizing the layout and kitchen tools. When we get married, I will personally prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day.¡± She eagerly ran around the kitchen, trying to memorize everything like a puppy who had found water. ¡°Ah, ouch!¡± ¡°...You aren¡¯t good at cooking, are you?¡± ¡°No, I am! I¡¯m a good cook!¡± She had borrowed the kitchen for a moment to make Master¡¯s favorite sandwich, but then she cut her finger and threw a tantrum. ¡°Well, my attendant... said it was delicious...¡± She stared blankly at what she made, unsure whether it was a sandwich or a pile of vegetable buns. Even though she had such a cute and fierce reaction, when it came to matters related to Master... She was indeed a terrifying person. ¡°The basement of the Starlight mansion... This is where Frey committed a crime, right?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m erasing traces of people. While I¡¯m at it, I¡¯m also planting lunar mana. This should neutralize the smell of blood, so he can comfortably commit crimes here.¡± ¡°.......¡± She made such a terrifying remark in a calm manner. ¡°There¡¯s dust...? Frey already has weak lungs... Who¡¯s in charge today?¡± ¡°...I apologize, we only have four servants right now.¡± ¡°Huh? Where did the old ones go?¡± After learning that all the servants had left... ¡°I see...? Is that so...?¡± She murmured with a chilling expression. ¡®Indeed, she seems like a good person.¡¯ However, I liked that about her. I no longer cared about moral notions. Now, my only moral standard was Master, who fully owned me. All my decisions and definitions were based on him. His words were my justice, law, discipline, and rule. Those who violated it were evil and those who didn¡¯t were good. ¡°Hehe, hehehe...¡± While I was lost in thought, suddenly a foolish noise rang out. ¡°Oh, I love it, Frey...¡± She muttered with a restless look. ¨C Bang...! ¡°Human! Wait...¡± Just as Serena swiftly exited the mansion, Miho, taken aback, tried to follow her. ¡°Cough...¡± At that moment, Frey, who had been holding back the blood that he was coughing up, hunched over with his eyes tightly shut. ¡°.....?¡± Startled, Miho halted and widened her eyes. ¡°Ma, Master...!¡± Lulu rushed to him with a horrified look. ¡°Cough... ugh...¡± In that situation, Frey, covering his mouth and vomiting blood, looked at Lulu with faint eyes and murmured as she supported him. ¡°I¡¯m glad I sent Serena away... That fox wouldn¡¯t worry about me anyway... Lulu might... know a way... If that power is... a superior power of the Stone of Domination...¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t! Don¡¯t die!¡± Lulu, thinking that Frey was leaving his last words, shook him desperately. ¡°You, you! You¡¯re a doctor, right?¡± ¡°Are you talking about me, dog beastkin?¡± ¡°Yes, you! Come quickly!¡± With a sense of urgency, Lulu called Miho over, desperately watching Frey. ¡°Examine him! Quickly!¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Following Lulu¡¯s urgent request, Miho began her examination with her hand. ¡°...Oh my.¡± A moment later, after removing her hand from Frey¡¯s body, Miho muttered with a trembling voice. ¡°There¡¯s no hope.¡± ¡°......!¡± A brief, devastating statement shattered Lulu¡¯s heart. ¡°A year at most? Maybe two. Unless a miracle happens.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°Moreover, his condition has worsened recently. His time was already limited, but something happened, I don¡¯t know what... but it was fatal.¡± ¡°........¡± Miho¡¯s words felt like a stake was driven through Lulu¡¯s heart. ¡°How did he manage to not scream, when even breathing must have been excruciatingly painful for him?¡± ¡®...How has he not died?¡¯ As Miho performed the role of a doctor, delving deeper into Frey¡¯s condition, Lulu muttered to herself with deadened eyes. ¡®I might as well die together with Master. Or do I even have the right to? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just go somewhere remote and die alone?¡¯ With no reason left to live without Frey, she repeated these thoughts with hollow eyes. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°What, what is it?¡± Suddenly, Lulu looked at Miho with a haunted expression. ¡°Master... said you were the key.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You, you can save him. You must save him! Save Master!¡± ¡°Why, why are you acting like this? Stop it!¡± But, Lulu, having lost her sanity, grabbed Miho and screamed at her. ¡°Even if the head of the clan came... or a divine healer, they can¡¯t save him! The issue is fundamentally...¡± ¡°Save him.¡± ¡°Ugh, ugh...¡± As Miho frowned and grimaced, Lulu, using her Magic Eyes gave her a command. ¡°...Ugh.¡± Suddenly, Miho began to feel nauseous. ¡°Ughhh...¡± After a while, a glowing white bead appeared in her mouth. ¡°Even if I use this, it won¡¯t work. The energy in his body is fundamentally blocking the treatment...¡± ¡°Heal him.¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± Miho, hesitant to use the bead in her mouth, reluctantly obeyed Lulu¡¯s firm command. ¡°My life energy... I¡¯ve been gathering morning dew for ten years to create this... Without this, my nine tails will... Ugh.¡± Finally, she forcefully kissed Frey. ¨C Shaaaa... It felt like an eternity for both Miho and Lulu. ¡°...Pwah.¡± Having poured all her life energy into Frey, Miho collapsed, utterly exhausted. ¡°Ma, Master!¡± Lulu then rushed to Frey, who appeared slightly better. ¡°Huh?¡± Miho watched Frey and Lulu with teary eyes. ¡°Why did... it work?¡± She mumbled with confused eyes. ¡°..........¡± After examining Frey, Lulu turned her gaze to Miho. ¡°You, what did you say your name was?¡± ¡°Mi, Miho... It¡¯s Miho, but...¡± ¡°No.¡± Miho replied in a trembling voice, perplexed by the strange look in her eyes. ¡°From now on, your name is...¡± Lulu whispered with shining eyes, ¡°...Servant No. 3.¡± . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment. ¡°...How far have we come?¡± ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± A carriage bearing the Imperial Family¡¯s seal was heading towards the Starlight Mansion. ¡°Lady Rifael, why are you suddenly going to the Starlight Mansion...¡± ¡°...I have a good reason.¡± The carriage was not carrying Clana, but her sister. Chapter 218: The Fox and The Vixen ? The Fox and The Vixen ? ¡°Ubeub... Uuh...¡± ¡°.......¡± Miho, who had climbed on top of Frey, pressed her lips against his, tears streaming down her face. ¨C Smooch, smooch... After moving Frey to his room and onto the bed, Miho hovered over his body. She tightly closed her eyes and fed him her fox bead. At some point, Frey¡¯s body, who had been moved to the bed, was covered by her; in such a position, she closed her eyes tightly and melted the fox bead in her mouth to feed him. ¡°...Gulp.¡± She swallowed the unknown energies flowing out from his body along with his bodily fluids. ¡°Puha... Puhe...Puheee...¡± After a while, Miho detached her tongue from his mouth and slumped in exhaustion. ¡°...Slurp, slurp.¡± After collapsing on top of Frey for a moment, gasping for breath, Miho, with a tearful expression, retrieved the small shrunken bead that had been inside Frey¡¯s mouth. ¡°I, I put it all in... Not even a drop left. All completely...¡± Completely worn out, Miho only managed to turn her head with much difficulty and spoke in a hollow voice. ¡°So, please... let me stop this now... I feel like...¡± ¡°Come down.¡± ¡°Ugh, uheuk...¡± Lulu¡¯s order made Miho tremble, and she slowly moved away from Frey. ¡°Haa... Haa...¡± After struggling for a while, Miho, lying next to Frey, covered her eyes with her arm and gasped heavily. ¡°Heugeuk, huhuu...¡± Soon, she burst into tears. ¡°You don¡¯t know how much I¡¯ve gone through to collect all of that... I really, really tried so hard to become a ¡®nine-tails¡¯... but for that kind of person...¡± ¡°Come down to my side.¡± ¡°Eiikk...¡± Miho slid off the bed at Lulu¡¯s command without even having a chance to cry out. ¡°How is the result? Will he recover?¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± Lulu asked her while holding Miho¡¯s shoulders, who was still in a daze. Miho, who had been staring blankly at Lulu slowly responded. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. I can¡¯t predict the outcome. Even if there¡¯s a possibility, it¡¯s still something that isn¡¯t supposed to happen. But, for now, he has certainly recovered at some point....¡± ¡°So, in any case, the treatment worked, right?¡± ¡°Y-yes. It was impossible, but his vitality has recovered at some point. Yet, I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s permanent...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so negative.¡± ¡°...At the very least, he has narrowly escaped the threshold of death.¡± Only after saying those words could Miho escape from Lulu¡¯s grip. ¡°Puhe... Puheeet...¡± Miho struggled to regain her composure even after being released, and she soon became aware that Frey¡¯s bodily fluids had entered her body. ¡°Ugh, uuh...¡±Fo?llo?w new stories at novelhall.com She sobbed as she realized that the fox bead she had diligently accumulated over the past ten years had been transferred to her enemy in an instant. ¡°...Did you call it ¡®fox bead¡¯? To develop it, you need to accumulate ¡®vital energy,¡¯ right?¡± Lulu questioned her like that. ¡°So, how do you accumulate vital energy?¡± ¡°........¡± Miho unkindly glared at Lulu for a moment in response to her question, but then, overwhelmed by Lulu¡¯s authority, she quietly lowered her eyes and began to explain. ¡°Th-there¡¯s a way to accumulate it by collecting dew. The morning dew is rich in the earth¡¯s mana, making it ideal for accumulating vital energy.¡± ¡°...How long does it take?¡± ¡°I-it takes about a year to accumulate enough to be useful.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too long...¡± Lulu, who frowned at that response, asked another question. ¡°What¡¯s the second method?¡± ¡°I-I have to have intercourse with a male...¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°Eikk... Th-that¡¯s to... To transfer the fox bead... I have to have... intercourse... with the person I intend to give it to...¡± ¡°Next.¡± Lulu¡¯s voice was ice-cold as she forced the information out of Miho, her Magic Eyes exerting their power. Miho, her eyes brimming with tears, continued hesitantly. ¡°L-lastly... I extract life force directly from people. With my ability, I grab the target¡¯s heart and squeeze it out, like squeezing milk.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°This was the method Serena requested to torture... I mean, persuade the bishops. It¡¯s very painful and agonizing.¡± Upon hearing this, Lulu flashed a bright smile and grabbed Miho¡¯s hand. ¡°So, if you extract from more people, the bead will grow faster?¡± ¡°Y-yes, that¡¯s right. But I... I only extract from bad people! For example, the person lying there right now...!¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°I-in any case, I can¡¯t just extract from anyone. Not many can endure the process, so it¡¯s reserved for criminals...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll provide them.¡± . . . ¡°Phew...¡± After a while. ¡°What an ordeal this is...¡± Miho, who had left Frey¡¯s room, sighed deeply and descended to the first floor. ¡°Perhaps, Could it be that Serena was... looking for this?¡± She muttered with a desolate expression. ¡°...She¡¯s been asking me to extract from her heart every night since a few days ago?¡± Then, she suddenly burst into laughter, shaking her head with a wry smile. ¡°Nah, that can¡¯t be. No matter how much of a genius she is, this isn¡¯t something she could just foresee. There¡¯s no way she could do that.¡± Saying that, as she continued down the stairs, she suddenly stopped and furrowed her brow, murmuring to herself. ¡®No, perhaps it¡¯s possible...¡¯ Recently, Miho had been spending quite a long time with Serena. In fact, except for Serena¡¯s confidant and Frey, she had developed a more unspoken connection with her than anyone else. Also, because of that, she had noticed that Serena was different at night. In the morning, Serena would display a slight tendency towards showiness as well as her cute side. However, at night she would transform into someone dark and full of secrets. During those nighttimes, Serena could handle unsolved cases from the day and come up with amazing strategies or ideas in an instant. ¡°What the hell... is she actually?¡± Thanks to this, when Miho, who had experienced quite a few strange things after leaving the Eastern Continent, thought about this, she couldn¡¯t help but shake her head. ¡®Now that I think about it, what¡¯s the true identity of that Lulu, that dog beastkin? She narrowed her eyes. For a while, Lulu had been murmuring while licking Frey. Then suddenly, Lulu looked out the window and began growling. Miho turned her head toward Frey¡¯s room, in the direction Lulu had been facing. ¡®That energy... It was definitely the same as the intense feeling I had in the slave market.¡¯ When she transformed into a mid-boss at the slave market, it was undoubtedly another time of her going berserk, possibly by someone else¡¯s influence. Why did she feel the same malicious ruby-colored energy and intense feeling from Lulu, who was looking down from the window? ¡°Is there something outside the window?¡± Thinking that perhaps there was someone outside the window sent to assassinate that scoundrel, Miho quietly approached the mansion¡¯s window once she arrived at the first floor and gazed outside. ¡°Hmm.¡± However, what entered her sight was not an assassin. The area around the mansion was crowded with protesters. ¡°How pitiful.¡± Miho unconsciously whispered to herself as she watched how these people of the fiefdom, whom Frey most likely had never seen before, were engulfed in collective anger, throwing stones and shouting. ¡°Huh?¡± Soon, she made a perplexed expression. ¡°W-What? Did I just say how pitiful...? For that trash?¡± Of course, if the frail-looking handsome boy was coughing up blood and collapsed on his last legs, it was only natural to feel pity. But as far as she knew, he was the greatest scoundrel in the empire and a villain. There was no need for sympathy...Yet why did that thought suddenly arise? ¡°Purrrr...¡± Shaking her head vigorously, Miho reasoned it must have been a groundless thought due to past concerns, like being forced into a kiss or lying atop him. She was about to fall from the window in her turmoil when... ¡°Hngg?¡± She suddenly tilted her head. ¡°...What¡¯s going on there?¡± All the protesters gathered in front of the mansion suddenly knelt and lay prostrate. ¡°.....???¡± Observing the bizarre sight unfold, she wondered if some strange occurrence was taking place, like the peculiar events with Serena on their journey. Perking her ears, Miho carefully surveyed the situation. ¨C Ding-dong...! Ding-dong...! ¡°Huh? Is that Serena?¡± When the mansion¡¯s doorbell rang, she approached the entrance. ¡°We should probably get out of here quickly. This place is very dangerous.¡± As she opened the door, ready to leave this house, Miho, who had always thought of Serena as eccentric, couldn¡¯t help but feel quite cheerful at the thought of meeting Serena, whom she had unwittingly come to rely on. ¡°Ah...¡± Soon, she froze in place. ¡°Oh my, a cute fox beastkin, isn¡¯t it?¡± It was the second in line for the imperial succession, the First Imperial Princess. ¡°...Hiccup.¡± At the same time, she was also on the top list of dangerous individuals that the Nighttime Serena had compiled. 1st place: Rifael Solar Sunrise [In summary, a vixen.] [Her benefactor was none other than Frey and yet she was an idiot who was unaware of this and had fallen into corruption] And that very person was standing right before her. She had a stunningly beautiful appearance, yet for some reason, Imperial Princess Rifael gave her an inexplicable shiver. [She¡¯s on the same level as that damn fool Rose Bitch.] You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 219: Broken Gaslight ? Broken Gaslight ? ¡°Excuse me? How long do you plan on sleeping?¡±Fo?llo?w new stories at novelhall.com.¡± My drowsy consciousness was jolted by a sweet voice. ¡°Ughh...¡± I pulled myself from the bed, shielding my eyes from the blinding light, my heart racing. My current condition felt different from the norm. Well, the only way to further improve my condition was through the ¡®Protection of the Stars,¡¯ which was influenced by the total amount of life force. In that sense, something like that was naturally bound to happen. Still, the pain had fortunately lessened since before. Was it just a temporary situation earlier? ¡°Excuse me.¡± It hadn¡¯t been long since I woke up and I struggled to focus my groggy brain. But once again, that voice echoed. ¡°...Huh?¡± As I turned towards the source of the voice, a rather familiar face came into view. ¡®Damn.¡¯ It was the face of the woman I despised as much as the Demon King, a woman whose name I preferred not to utter. ¡°Are you finally awake?¡± ¡°........¡± Her appearance here meant that the official manipulation regarding me had begun. Though I had enjoyed several blissful weeks recently, it appeared those days were now behind me. I wish I could have enjoyed them a little longer. I didn¡¯t expect her to move this quickly. ¡°Do you remember our promise back then?¡± As I sat on the bed with these thoughts, I furrowed my brow, and she whispered with a seductive smile. ¡°To join hands with me, remember?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°An alliance proposal.¡± Upon hearing those words, memories resurfaced in my mind. It was a recollection of my birthday during the first-semester break when she had watched with satisfaction as Clana trembled in fear, admitting defeat under the influence of the Second Ordeal. She extended her hand towards me while wearing the same seductive smile as before. ¡°What did I say back then~?¡± ¡°You had told me to become yours, to empower you so you could become an empress, and you even mentioned offering the position of the Imperial Consort. I remember you explaining that it would be quite advantageous for me to accept your proposition.¡± ¡°You have a remarkable memory, don¡¯t you?¡± She still threw that question despite knowing it all. Her rhetoric was frustrating, so I answered in detail, and she responded as she sharply raised her glance. ¡°However, Frey.¡± And from that moment, her reaction changed. ¡°... If you do it like this, things become a different story, doesn¡¯t it?¡± She exhibited the same kind smiles and expressions she typically displayed in public, her alluring and beautiful demeanor. ¡°Don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°Ekeuk...¡± Mockery, annoyance, disgust, dominance, superiority. She wore a twisted smile and conveyed these emotions while gripping my chin. ¡°If you continue like this... what does that leave me...?¡± ¡°.........¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± With her hand holding my chin, I gazed silently into her golden eyes. ¡°I¡¯m... sorry...¡± I spoke softly. ¡°Pftt.¡± Upon that, she suddenly burst into laughter. ¡°You do possess some common sense, huh? Or maybe you¡¯ve already figured out the situation?¡± She slowly pushed me down while I was sitting on the bed. ¡°It¡¯s the end for you, Frey. Politically and socially.¡± She whispered in my ear. ¡°You¡¯re no longer the distinguished gentleman you once were. You¡¯re just a weak, sickly, fallen noble.¡± With those words, she yanked open the tightly closed curtains of the room. ¡°Now, take a look.¡± ¡°........¡± As she unveiled the view, the mansion¡¯s exterior was swarmed with protesters. The sight was oddly reminiscent of a bustling colony of ants, and it set my heart racing once more. ¡°Hmph... I see. Even the mere sight of it makes your heart tremble?¡± I stared out of the window with a vacant expression, while she, with her hand resting on my chest, soon revealed a cold smile. ¡°Well, I suppose, given that you¡¯ve drawn the curtains tightly and even cast soundproofing magic, you must already be worn out from such disturbances.¡± Honestly, her appearance was exceptionally beautiful. She bore a striking resemblance to her mother and was considered one of the most beautiful women in the empire. ¡°...Grind.¡± But why did I feel overwhelming disgust when such an exquisite face displayed such a beautiful smile? ¡°...Huh.¡± Because of that, I unintentionally failed to control my expression, so she strengthened her grip on my chin. ¡°Frey, stop denying it. You¡¯re no longer the great scoundrel you once were at your peak. You¡¯ve become a feeble recluse rotting away in this back room.¡± Then, she eased her hold slightly and settled herself on the edge of my bed. ¡°But, do you still not understand your situation?¡± She suddenly reached out her hand toward me. Of course, I don¡¯t. I really hate it. Despite her beautiful appearance, she wasn¡¯t the heroine; she was the villain. So, why would I want to be her puppet, especially when she was the final boss in the third-year scenario, if I follow the normal path? Granted, I was currently on the Path of False Evil, so I might not even make it to the third-year scenario. However, I still don¡¯t like it. The reason I hadn¡¯t informed the heroines from the start was to manage this obligatory event quietly, without their knowledge. I didn¡¯t think she would go as far as coming to my house. ¡°...I will pledge my loyalty.¡± ¡°Good.¡± As I contemplated these thoughts, I tightly shut my eyes and said that. She flashed a bewitching smile and pulled me along. ¡°...Grind.¡± Seeing her like this, my heart darkened. What Rifael was aiming for with me was the ¡°gaslight effect.¡± She intended to slowly chip away at my self-esteem and make me reliant on her. I knew this all too well, which was why it disgusted me, but there was nothing I could do. ¡°Aren¡¯t you following me?¡± For the time being, I had to bite my tongue and endure it. . . . . . ¡°M-Master...¡± ¡°.......¡± Stepping out of Frey¡¯s room, Rifael noticed Lulu and Miho standing right outside the door, and she tilted her head. ¨C Scratch, scratch, scratch... Tears streamed from Lulu¡¯s eyes as she vigorously scratched her own arm, where the faint Stigma of Misfortune remained. ¡°It¡¯s because of me... It¡¯s my fault... My...¡± ¡°Lulu.¡± Frey held Lulu¡¯s arm and offered a gentle smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be gone for a short while.¡± ¡°Uh, uh...¡± ¡°Take care of the house well.¡± After saying that, led by Rifael¡¯s hand, Frey soon left the corridor. ¡°No...¡± ¡°Pfft, pfft...¡± Watching Lulu collapse as if she had lost everything, Rifael stifled a laugh. ¡®Finally... Finally, I¡¯ve got Frey in my hands...¡¯ Contrary to the disdain she had shown earlier, she now wore an extremely excited expression and muttered to herself. ¡®Ever since that day, I¡¯ve been coveting to have you somehow... I never thought I¡¯d get an opportunity like this.¡¯ ¡°Eugeuk...¡± ¡°Sigh. Come on, hurry up and walk. You trash.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°You are such a useless piece of garbage.¡± She looked at Frey, who had stopped in place, holding onto his heart, and condemned him while muttering to herself once again. ¡®Don¡¯t make that kind of expression, Frey... I¡¯m saving you, after all.¡¯ In Rifael¡¯s heart, she was a hero. ¡®The world hates you and wants to kill you anyway. So, from now on, just look at me.¡¯ Of course, to anyone else, she appeared to be a rather twisted hero. ¡®Naturally, to make that happen, I¡¯ll need to tame you properly.¡¯ And so, she left the mansion, feeling the greatest happiness in her life. ¡°...Huh?¡± Soon, she furrowed her brow and tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s going on here?¡± Her own Imperial Guards were engaged in a tense standoff with the Imperial Palace Guards. ¡°What are you doing right now...¡± Filled with the thought of swiftly taking Frey to her room now that she had him, she was on the verge of losing her temper. ¨C Kugugugugugu...! ¡°Huh?¡± Suddenly, the sky and the ground quaked violently, creating a massive shockwave that made her involuntarily take a step back. ¡°Uh, ugh... And it was the same for the others. ¨C Gooooo... It was like standing in front of a tiger or a dragon. The indescribable fear and uncertainty caused by the overwhelming aura swept Rifael and the others away for a moment. ¡°...Huh?¡± Then, she widened her eyes as she saw a figure appearing amidst the Imperial Guards positioned on opposite sides. ¡°Oh?¡± The same reaction occurred with Frey, who had been wearing a vacant expression until then. ¡°...Clana?¡± Emerging from the gap between the Imperial Guards, for some reason, Clana, who had just finished her awakening, blocked their path with a terrifying expression. ¨C Swish...! A moment later, Clana¡¯s handkerchief flew towards Rifael¡¯s face. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 220: No Hope ? No Hope ? ¡°...Puha.¡± Rifael removed the handkerchief from her face and silently gazed at Clana. ¡°Why are you doing this, Clana?¡± The princess adjusted her expression, feigning innocence as she asked with a tender voice. Unlike when both of them were alone, the expression she publicly displayed at this moment was even more detestable because of how fake it was. ¨C Step, step. Clana advanced slowly toward Rifael, who was showing such a demeanor. ¨C Crackle... Crackle ¡°.....!¡± With each step, a tingling sensation pervaded the senses of those in her vicinity. ¡°W-what the hell... is this energy...¡± The complete form of the ¡®Aura of Domination,¡¯ known to have unified the Western Continent a thousand years ago, was emanating from Clana, enveloping the courtyard of the Starlight Mansion. ¨C Srrrring...! As Clana approached, Rifael¡¯s Imperial Guards drew their weapons, attempting to block her. ¡°Impertinent.¡± Looking at them, Clana spoke with a dry yet dignified voice. ¡°What authority do you have to point your weapons at me?¡± The Imperial Guards, accustomed to seeing Clana in a submissive role to Rifael, were taken aback. ¡°Even now, executing you all to death would be legally permissible.¡± As Clana quietly gathered a substantial amount of Solar Mana, the Imperial Guards hesitated and slowly retreated. ¡°........¡± Normally, Rifael would have harshly reprimanded the Imperial Guards without hesitation, but at this moment, all she could do was dryly swallow her saliva. Clana appeared remarkably different from her usual self. While typically exuding an air of laziness, she now presented a terrifyingly imposing demeanor, surpassing anyone else when she was serious.Nne?w n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com Clana emitted an overwhelming presence and charisma, characteristics usually associated with the Emperor. These were the only things that Rifael feared, and she felt them emanating from Clana more intensely than ever before. ¡°It seems like you have something to say, my dear sister.¡± However, she couldn¡¯t back down. In this place, with the attention of so many people, including her supporters and the Imperial Guards, focused on her, she couldn¡¯t afford to appear weak. ¡°But could you wait for a moment? There¡¯s something I have to do right now. So...¡± Despite the perplexing situation, she tried to maintain her composure and lead Frey towards the reporters. However... ¨C Boom, boom, boom! ¡°Agh!¡± Clana¡¯s Solar Mana flared at that moment, causing extreme pain to an absent-minded Imperial Guard who foolishly aimed his weapon at her. ¡°...What manner of behavior is this?¡± Rifael¡¯s innocent expression cracked as Clana, with the suffering guard rolling in agony, approached right in front of her. ¡°You must know what it means to throw a handkerchief in someone¡¯s face.¡± In response, Clana began to answer with a cold tone. ¡°That... Of course...¡± ¡°...Let¡¯s have a duel. For the second position of the imperial succession.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, the surroundings fell into an eerie silence. ¨C Click, click! ¡°Princess Clana, what in the world are you talking about?¡± ¡°She just challenged Princess Rifael...¡± ¡°Princess Clana was ranked 4th in the imperial succession until yesterday...¡± However, soon after, a commotion began to stir in the area. ¡°There is no way that you¡¯ll refuse me, right?¡± ¡°...Grind.¡± In the midst of the commotion, Clana, who was at its center, responded to the crowd¡¯s sentiments by taunting Rifael, who gritted her teeth in silent frustration. ¡®This was... the golden opportunity to completely make Frey mine...¡¯ Then, she secretly looked at Frey, who was standing beside her. ¡®If I don¡¯t save you... you won¡¯t last long...¡¯ Soon, she began to look at Frey with pity. ¡°So, are you going to her?¡± After gazing at Frey for a while, she finally asked in a low voice. ¡°Choose wisely. Whether you become my puppet or align with that foolish Clana...¡± ¡°.........¡± However, much to her surprise... ¡°W-what¡¯s... going on?¡± Frey, who just moments ago had lifeless eyes and mindlessly followed behind her, now widened his eyes and looked at her with astonishment. ¡°Clana is... already awakened?¡± An unfamiliar sound escaped Frey¡¯s lips as he suddenly donned a sardonic smile. ¡°...Then, there¡¯s no reason for me to yield to you anymore.¡± With that declaration, Frey released Rifael¡¯s hand, which had been holding onto his arm. ¡°What does that...¡± Rifael was puzzled by Frey¡¯s unexpected reaction. ¡°Are you leaving me?¡± ¡°...Like that would ever happen.¡± Clana, who was beside her, approached her while biting her lip as she once again spoke like that. ¡°Such a nuisance...¡± And then, Rifael shot Clana a fiery look. ¡®If things continue like this, nothing good will come out of this...¡¯ Clana, who had been looking down at her until just a while ago, slowly approached Frey. ¡°On my birthday, you protected me.¡± Upon arriving in front of Frey, Clana grabbed his hand. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll protect you.¡± With those words, she gently embraced Frey. ¡°This isn¡¯t... this isn¡¯t what was supposed to happen...¡± Rifael¡¯s expression contorted as she watched them. ¡®Everything was going according to plan... I have done everything according to plan...¡¯ Clana, whom she had always looked down on so much, was now wearing a happy expression. Clana embraced Frey, who had just moments ago been broken by Rifael herself, and silently led him into her arms. Not only that, Clana also defeated her in front of so many people. ¡°Why? Why did it turn out like this?¡± Rifael, who could have had everything she wanted, was deeply shocked by her failure to obtain what she wanted. ¡°.........¡± She stared blankly at Clana, who held Frey for a long time while muttering something. ¡°Alright.¡± She came to her own conclusion. ¡°I... must have lacked power.¡± She pulled out a strange pill given to her by a woman she had met in the past, who introduced herself as the Demon King. ¡°Maybe you came across it by chance somewhere...? If that¡¯s the case, I might have one too...¡± While unknown to the public, all the members of the Imperial Family except Clana were already aligned with the Demon King. They had pledged their loyalty to the Demon King instead of gaining power by consuming the pills she offered. Of course, Rifael, with suspicions and a cunning personality, never took the pill until now. Eventually, she made her choice. She decided to offer herself to the Demon King. If sacrificing her soul was what it took to have the power to tear Clana apart, who stood in front of her, and to manipulate Frey into becoming her puppet, then she considered it a small price to pay. ¡°Heh, hehe...¡± A pitch-black pill writhed in her hand. Was this pill genuine? Such doubts didn¡¯t matter to her. ¨C Ssk.... Her possessiveness had long blinded her. ¡°...Haup.¡± With that, she put the wriggling pill into her mouth. ¡°Princess Rifael.¡± And at that moment, Frey appeared in front of her. ¡°Your clothes are disheveled...¡± ¡°.....!?¡± And suddenly, he began to tidy up her disheveled clothes as she had become a mess after rolling on the dirt ground. ¡°...Are you going to eat that?¡± As Frey continued to fix her clothes, he asked in a low tone. ¡°You¡¯ll regret it. For real. You know how it was made, don¡¯t you?¡± Of course, she didn¡¯t give any response since she had pills wriggling inside her mouth. ¡°...Do you remember what happened that day?¡± Frey continued whispering to her. ¡°If you truly remember that moment, please spit out that pill into my hand.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°Please hurry.¡± A strangely sorrowful expression crossed Frey¡¯s face. ¡°...Why should I?¡± Looking at Frey in this state... ¡°Why should I even listen to the likes of a scoundrel like you?¡± Her tone dripped with disgust until the very end. ¡®Taking this pill is the only way I can save you, you know?¡¯ She thought inwardly. ¡®Be grateful towards me. Don¡¯t embrace the likes of Clana, and praise me as your savior.¡¯ Ultimately, she held onto the hope that Frey would grasp her intentions and feel gratitude. ¡®Because there¡¯s no one else who will save a person like you except me.¡¯ ¡°...Gulp.¡± With this conviction, Rifael swallowed the pill that had been squirming in her mouth. ¡°Tch.¡± And in that moment... ¡°I can¡¯t believe this. Originally, you were supposed to take that power-up item during the 3rd-year final boss battle, but suddenly you used it now? It¡¯s really baffling.¡± Frey¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°I knew you were beyond redemption, truly trash. I didn¡¯t expect much, but I was willing to give you one last chance before imprisoning you for life...¡± Frey was looking at Rifael, who could not see his expression, as she fell asleep with a happy smile while imagining the strength that would soon come to her. ¡°...I guess, indeed, there¡¯s just no hope for you.¡± He muttered coldly as he distanced himself from Rifael. ¨C Shaaa... In the meantime, Rifael¡¯s entire body had turned purple. ¨C Crackle...! Shortly after, ruby-colored horns sprouted from her head. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 221: He Is My Fiance ? He Is My Fiance ? ¡°Haah... Haah...¡± Rifael gasped for breath, her eyes cautiously fluttering open as she took in the unfolding scene before her.. ¡°W-what is this...?¡± A hint of realization dawning in her eyes as she surveyed our expressions¡ªlacking fear, but filled with a cold detachment ¡°.....?¡± Her gaze then shifted down to her own body, a silent confirmation of the profound transformation she had undergone. In her widened field of vision, the grotesque sight of purple skin, wings sprouting from her back, and menacing ruby-colored horns protruding from her head greeted her. ¡°No, this can¡¯t be...¡± She must have been bewildered. She desired power, but she didn¡¯t expect her outward appearance to change so drastically. When her family members had consumed similar pills for strength, they had only complained of minor discomfort. That was why she took the pill without any worries. However, the pill given to her by the Demon King was a bit unusual. The Demon King had woven enchantments into the pills, ensuring the ability to kill those who betrayed her by dedicating their souls. However, Rifael¡¯s pill carried an additional magic¡ªa corruption that twisted the very essence of the one who consumed it. The Demon King¡¯s obsession with destroying beautiful things must have triggered this. But there was no need for that. It was because her outward appearance might have been beautiful, but her inner self was terribly wicked. ¡°This can¡¯t be happening... This...¡± ¡°Live with it for the rest of your life.¡± There was no reason to respect something that was no longer human. So, I spoke coldly while looking at Rifael, who was moving her eyes frantically staring at her transformed body. ¡°This was your choice, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°For... your interest...!¡± As I finished speaking, she rose to her feet and rushed toward me. Simultaneously, ruby-colored magic radiated from her hands. Just the sight of it made me feel repulsed. ¨C Boom, boom, boom...! While contemplating this, Clana¡¯s golden mana clashed fiercely with Rifael¡¯s ruby magic. The collision created a massive cloud of dust and stone fragments around us. In a situation that felt like de?ja? vu, I patiently waited for the dust cloud to settle. ¡°Why, why...? How...¡± The outcome was all too predictable. No matter how much power Rifael had gained from the demon, she stood no chance against the awakened Clana. It was a foolish idea from the start to confront the most destructive of the three special mana with her newly awakened feeble magic. In fact, it could be considered a miracle that she managed to maintain her form after consuming the one-time power-boosting pill. ¡°Euhehehe... ehehehehe...¡± Rifael, who had been gazing at her hands burned by Clana¡¯s solar mana, suddenly burst into maniacal laughter. ¨C Shaaa... ¡°It¡¯s not over yet... I just have to become stronger and return...¡± She began spewing out ruby-colored energy from her entire body while uttering third-rate villain-like lines. I should remember this line; it might come in handy. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going...!¡± Clana took a step closer to the fading Rifael. ¨C Thud...! ¡°Frey?¡± However, I grabbed her arm and stopped her. ¡°Frey... Do you know what...?¡± And at that moment, Rifael, her eyes gleaming, whispered in a chilling smile. ¡°...There¡¯s a way for you to survive.¡± Clana¡¯s eyes widened upon hearing those words. While she had a vague notion of what Rifael meant, she decided to listen further. ¡°Take my hand. Come with me...¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Go there and just like I did... offer your soul to the Demon King.¡± Seeing my expression morphed into a frown after hearing that, she extended her hand towards me and continued speaking. ¡°If you become a subordinate of the Demon King, you can spare your life, you know? If you don¡¯t like that, you can simply just offer your soul. It¡¯s not that difficult! Just make a blood oath...¡± ¡°Th-that...¡± At the same time, Clana, who had been looking at me, began to waver. ¡°...Does offering your soul to the Demon King guarantee your survival?¡± With a trembling voice, she then approached me. ¡°If, if that¡¯s the case... If that¡¯s the case...¡± ¡°Do you think my pathetic little sister over there can extend your life?¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± In response to Rifael¡¯s mocking tone, she found herself unconsciously biting her lip. ¡°When you¡¯re dead, it¡¯s all over, isn¡¯t that so? I know that your lifespan is barely two years left. Therefore...¡± Gradually, Clana¡¯s expression grew paler. ¡°...Let¡¯s go to the Demon King together.¡± Suddenly, Clana began to look at me with a determined gaze. ¡°Is there really no way for you to survive... other than that?¡± ¡°Frey...¡± And a moment later, she spoke to me in a low voice. ¡°I wish you could have lived...¡± Unbeknownst to me, tears welled up in her golden eyes. . ¡°Do you know? You don¡¯t have to carry everything by yourself.¡± Clana, with a calm expression, looked at Frey and began to speak. ¡°You already have my soul. I¡¯ve already given you everything. So when you offer your soul to the Demon King, you can offer my soul instead.¡± Her expression oddly brightened as she conveyed this. ¡°Deceive her by offering my soul instead of yours. Pretend to submit to the Demon King for a moment and receive life.¡± ¡°Clana.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s okay if I¡¯m the only one who falls into corruption. You can stop me, right? Even if I turn into a canary or end up confined in the underground prison, it¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°Clana...!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mean to sacrifice my soul right away, but look into it carefully. I have no intention of tricking you into losing your soul. When you are certain about everything, you can offer my soul.¡± As Frey, who had been holding her shoulders, exerted force, Clana emitted an aura of domination from her entire body and said. ¡°This is a command, Frey.¡± Startled, Frey cautiously backed away from her. ¡®Perhaps, I could withstand the corruption to some extent. Of course, the Demon King could threaten him using my stolen soul, but he can just simply turn a blind eye and pretend to surrender.¡¯ Clana murmured softly as her gaze fixed on Frey. ¡®I just need to ascend to the throne of the Empress. Whether I descend from it or not, I¡¯ve upheld my covenant.¡¯ Watching Frey, who succumbed gradually to her aura of domination, Clana spoke. ¡°I hope you live a long, long life, Frey. That¡¯s my only wish.¡± A slight smile played on her lips. ¡°So... if those words prove true, if there¡¯s concrete evidence, present my soul and bow before the Demon King, if only for a moment.¡± After the erosion of the aura of domination ended, she tried to turn towards Rifael while saying this. ¡°... I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That will never happen, so give up on that idea.¡± Upon hearing Frey¡¯s determined voice, which easily resisted the fading domination, Clana halted in her steps. ¡°The only entity that can dominate me from above is you.¡± ¡°.......¡± ¡°The only person I¡¯ve pledged undying loyalty to, the one who commands me, is you. I will be in your service until my last breath.¡± Frey spoke like that. ¡°I¡¯d rather die as the Empress¡¯s vassal than a Demon King¡¯s dog.¡± Leaving those words behind, he moved toward Rifael.. ¡°That¡¯s right... Take my hand, Frey! Grab my hand...!¡± ¨C Ssk... Frey soon clasped Rifael¡¯s hand, despite the crazed look in her eyes. ¡°Yes, as promised, I will speak well about you to the Demon King. However... you¡¯ll have to yield to me a bit.¡± Frey stared at her as she excitedly rambled on. ¨C Crackling... ¡°Kyaacck!¡± He infused his stellar mana into her hand. ¡°T-this, this bastard...!¡± Rifael lost her sanity upon seeing grotesque scars and marks spreading all over her body, launching into a wild rampage. ¡°Because of you... Clana spent over a decade in hell.¡± Frey, feeling the tightening grip on her hand, muttered icily, ¡°You should experience the same.¡± ¡°Aaaack!¡± For a while, smoke billowed along with crackling sounds in the courtyard. ¡°Ugh.¡± As Frey observed Rifael¡¯s increasing grotesqueness, his brows suddenly furrowed. It was due to the escalating pain in his heart. ¨C Crumpling...! ¡°Hehe, ehehe...¡± Seizing the opportunity, Rifael began infusing her magic into Frey¡¯s arm, merging her hand with his. ¡°Clana, my foolish little sister...¡± Watching Clana desperately reaching out to them, she whispered. ¡°Your fiance?, I will take...¡± ¨C Swiiing...! However, she couldn¡¯t finish her whisper. ¡°Keeeugh...¡± A fan-shaped assassin¡¯s weapon flew in from somewhere, severing the arm that held Frey. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but...¡± With a sigh of relief, Clana looked toward Frey, who wore an indifferent expression as he examined his left arm. Suddenly, he shifted his gaze and widened his eyes. ¡°Is it unpleasant?¡± Serena, carefully carrying a basket filled with vegetables, greens, and cooking ingredients she must have gathered, approached with a neat dress and apron. ¡°...Frey is my fiance?.¡± She was approaching with an expression she had never shown in front of Frey. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 222: I Should Have Done Better ? I Should Have Done Better ? ¡°Aheug, ugh...¡± With her arm severed, Rifael staggered, rendered incapable of even screaming. ¨C Sizzle...! At the same time, she, surrounded by a powerful ruby-colored aura, murmured through clenched teeth. ¡°Be ready... Frey... You...¡± But before she could finish speaking, she disappeared from the mansion¡¯s yard. ¡°...Frey?¡± Clana, who had fixed her gaze on Rifael until the end, finally spoke while looking at Frey. ¡°Why, why did you stop me?¡± She could have easily vanquished Rifael. Her fist held a sufficient amount of solar mana, and she had ample time to strike before Rifael disappeared. All she needed to do was extend her fist and pierce through Rifael¡¯s heart, now in disarray from Frey¡¯s attack. ¡°Why...?¡± However, after blocking Clana¡¯s punch, Frey¡¯s hand, which was small and fragile but heavily calloused, wrapped around it. As a result, the attack didn¡¯t reach Rifael, and she successfully escaped. ¨C Sizzle... It left a gruesome mark on Frey¡¯s left arm, merging it with her own. ¡°Could it be... you simply let her go like that?¡± Lost in thought, Clana posed the question, gauging Frey¡¯s reaction. ¡°Are you giving her another chance?¡± Under normal circumstances, she wouldn¡¯t have asked such a question, but the person in front of her was Frey. A naive and kind-hearted boy who, even after numerous regressions, could only harbor resentment after directly manipulating his own mind. ¡°No, not at all.¡± However, her concern proved unfounded as the Frey before her exhibited a cold expression. It wasn¡¯t the false, exaggerated, comical expressions of anger he usually showed. This was a genuine coldness, reserved for moments of true anger. ¡°The place where she escaped to... is the Demon King¡¯s army.¡± ¡°Demon King¡¯s army? That¡¯s even worse... Ah.¡± Only upon hearing those words did Clana grasp the situation. The current leader of the Demon King¡¯s army was none other than Frey. In other words, Rifael had escaped to Frey¡¯s headquarters. ¡°B-but why bother? It¡¯s troublesome, isn¡¯t it? And... why go so far as to make your arm look like that...?¡± ¡°Oh, this arm is fine. No problem at all.¡± With a shocked expression, Clana touched Frey¡¯s arm, and he smiled and turned his arm to show her. ¡°When I treated Kania a long time ago, the nerves were severed here. So, no matter what happens, it doesn¡¯t hurt here. So don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°Oh, and this is a secret from Kania.¡± After standing still for a moment with a blank expression upon hearing those words, Clana began to examine Frey¡¯s face as he carefully concealed his blackened arm with Stellar Mana. ¡°...Clana, have you forgotten?¡± Frey then grabbed her shoulders and began to speak. ¡°That girl made your life feel like hell.¡± ¡°Well, yes, but...¡± ¡°Do you know how much my blood would boil when I had just to watch that happen in the previous and current regressions?¡± Frey¡¯s expression turned cold again as he spoke. ¡°You¡¯ve corrupted your soul as you pleased and fallen so far. Now it¡¯s time for you to pay for all the misfortunes you¡¯ve brought upon yourself. But we can¡¯t just let you die like this. It would be a waste.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have a talk with the Demon King¡¯s army about it. It¡¯s entirely up to you on how to dispose of her. If you want to kill her, then kill. If you want to torture her, then torture. I don¡¯t care.¡± After saying so, Frey smiled faintly. ¡°It¡¯s not enough as repayment for saving me, but this is all I can do right now... I¡¯m sorry.¡± He tried to smile after saying that. ¨C Drip... Then, a single tear rolled down from Clana¡¯s eyes. ¡°...But why did you talk about that just now?¡± Frey swiftly wiped away the tear, a frown forming as he posed the question. ¡°Don¡¯t utter such words. Haven¡¯t I emphasized this repeatedly? There will be chances ahead.¡± ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry... Frey.¡± As she looked at Frey in that manner, Clana spoke with a teary voice. ¡°I know that too... but I was anxious. I was so anxious. I don¡¯t even know why I¡¯m like this...but whenever I think about you disappearing... it¡¯s driving me crazy...¡± With those words, her expression turned visibly uneasy. ¡°It¡¯s not just me. Others also feel the same... Kania, Irina too. Why is that? I really don¡¯t know why... but it feels like you¡¯re going to disappear. That¡¯s too scary.¡± They were the ones who had directly possessed their past selves during the Third Ordeal and had felt the greatest remorse among countless regressions. The consequences of the manipulated Third Ordeal, orchestrated by Ferloche, had left a lasting impact on them, intensifying their emotions far more than the other heroines. It was only natural for the deep-seated feelings within their souls to erupt. ¡°Frey, I... We wanted to make you happy during this vacation.¡± With a trembling demeanor, Clana gently took Frey¡¯s hand and continued speaking. ¡°So, to ensure we don¡¯t disrupt your rest, we decided to take turns taking care of you during this period.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± ¡°If we all stayed by your side constantly, we wouldn¡¯t get any work done... and the attention from those around us would be overwhelming.¡± Clana paused in the middle of speaking and quietly examined Frey¡¯s expression. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°B-but... because of the constant incidents involving you, I¡¯m starting to think it might not be a good idea. Perhaps we should gather everyone now, and, even if it feels a bit uncertain, leave the investigation to the assigned team?¡± Hearing that, Frey chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I saw the investigation team this time... they¡¯re not up to much. In the end, I can only trust you guys.¡± Frey, having said that, fixed his gaze on Clana without uttering a word, and she found herself lost in contemplation under his scrutiny. ¡°Frey, I have a question.¡± ¡°Mhm?¡± Then, in a low voice, she asked a question. ¡°You don¡¯t mind we are doing this, do you?¡± For someone who had awakened as the Empress, the one to rule the empire, she had a rather cute fearful expression. ¡°After all, we¡¯re doing this because we want you to be happy... It¡¯s not that you dislike what we¡¯ve done, right?¡± ¡°.......¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, we¡¯ll stop right away. There¡¯s no reason to do it if you¡¯re not happy. Or perhaps you¡¯d prefer all of us to attend to you? I-I can convey that to them if you wish.¡± Frey was listening to her words like that. ¡°...Okay.¡± He said with a light smile. ¡°...Is that Roswyn over there?¡± ¡°Ah, no way. Do you think she would wear such filthy clothes? She¡¯s probably a punished sex slave.¡± After being hit by Serena¡¯s bombardment magic, she ran to the far end of the yard with her hair disheveled and her clothes in shambles. Some time later, as protesters and reporters inundated the courtyard, she found herself sitting blankly behind a large tree, opting for obscurity to avoid recognition. ¨C Tingling, tingling...! ¡°W-what¡¯s going on...?¡± Even after the protesters dispersed, she continued contemplating the words Lulu had shared. Suddenly, a tingling sensation coursed through her body, prompting her to rise unsteadily. ¡°Come with me... Frey...¡± ¡°.....!¡± Right after that, what she saw was Rifael, who had turned into the form of a demon, emitting such a powerful magical energy that even she, with her meager amount of Solar mana, reacted to it. ¡°What in the world is going on...¡± Afterwards, before Rifael could even react, her arm was cut off by Serena. Because of that, Roswyn watched, almost entranced, as Rifael fled and then observed Frey and Clana engaging in an affectionate conversation. ¡°What in the world... huh?¡± Then, she widened her eyes. ¡°T-that¡¯s...!¡± Through the binoculars, she recognized the item Clana had retrieved from her chest pocket¡ªa magical device Roswyn always carried. It was undoubtedly familiar to her. ¡°Do you remember this? You gave it to me on your birthday, the canary flower that I foolishly refused to accept.¡± As Clana spoke those words to Frey, Roswyn¡¯s speculation solidified into certainty. ¡°It¡¯s that flower petal.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this? Where did that come from?¡± ¡°Although there¡¯s only one... this should be enough.¡± That flower was a gift she had ¡®received¡¯ from him on his birthday. Roswyn had secretly chuckled when she witnessed Clana preventing the foolish stomping of the flower and, with a trembling hand, retrieving the flower petal. Roswyn had carried it in her hair for a few days, eventually discarding it due to the bother of the missing petal from the canary flower. As it turned out, the petal from the canary flower she had cast away was the very thing in Clana¡¯s hand. ¡®That thing until today...¡¯ Roswyn harbored a sense of regret, wondering what it would have been like if she had continued to keep that flower¡ªthe one she had held onto the longest among those received from Frey. Roswyn, who had instantly figured out its identity, pondered with a blank expression. ¡®...She still kept it all this time.¡¯ Her gaze was fixated on the yellow canary flower petal, which looked almost identical to how it had been back then. ¡°Huff.¡± ¡°.....?¡± However, something strange happened. Suddenly, Clana grasped the petal in her hand and blew on it. ¡°Uh, oh?¡± Then, the petal that had flown into the air was soon carried away by the winter wind to the other side of the yard. ¡°...Ta-da! The petal disappeared.¡± With a bewildered expression, she watched the petal float away, her arms wide open as she spoke. ¡°...It¡¯s an interesting magic trick.¡± Observing the petal carried by the chilly winter wind in the yard, Frey chuckled and looked at Clana. ¡°So, what was the meaning of that action just now?¡± Soon after, he asked with a face full of curiosity. ¨C Flutter, flutter... Even at that moment, the petal continued to flutter in the wind, drifting aimlessly around the yard. ¡°Th-that¡¯s right... that thing. If that¡¯s it...¡± At the same time, Roswyn¡¯s eyes started to move frantically. ¡°It¡¯s the flower I ¡®received,¡¯ isn¡¯t it? T-that¡¯s right... So, if I take that with me, he¡¯ll listen to my words. Yup, yup.¡± Filled with hope, Roswyn, previously resigned to despair and helplessness, reached for the petal flying toward her. ¡°Look at that. It¡¯s not too late yet. I can still turn everything around. I can completely change everything...¡± She even started smiling as if she had expected it all along. ¡°Hehe.¡± The flower petal carried by the wind came close to in front of Roswyn¡¯s nose. ¡°What should I say? Well, for now...¡± By chance or perhaps miraculously, Roswyn began to reach out for the flower petal that had conveniently paused in mid-air. ¨C Crackle! ¡°Kyakk...?¡± And just before it made contact with her hand, a spark suddenly emitted from the petal. ¡°W-what¡¯s going on.¡± Surprised by the sudden sparks, she involuntarily retracted her hand and continued to gaze at the petal that kept sparking with a vacant expression. ¡°Chirp~?¡± ¡°.........¡± Within those sparks, a tiny canary was born. She looked at the bird with a blank expression. ¡°Chirp~ Chirp~?¡± Intentionally or not, the canary flew towards Clana, singing a sweet melody. ¡°Phew... I thought it failed.¡± Continuing to stretch out her arms with cold sweat, Clana eventually smiled. She lifted the canary in her hand and then extended it to Frey as she spoke. ¡°It¡¯s a gift made from the canary flower petal you gave me.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± ¡°Would you like to raise it? It¡¯s not that hard to take care of. O-occasionally it would be good... if you could pet her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with it. But to suddenly receive something like this as a gift...¡± For some reason, as Clana posed that question carefully, observing Frey¡¯s reaction and when Frey responded with an apologetic expression, she embraced him before their tongues entwined in silence. ¡°...Smooch.¡± ¡°Puha.¡± Time passed like this for quite a while. ¡°Th-this is enough to repay me...¡± Soon, with a flushed face, Clana looked away from Frey. ¡°Chirp chirp~?¡± The canary chirped sweetly while perched on Frey¡¯s shoulder, nuzzling his cheek. It had been a day filled with many events and crises, but the end of that day was peaceful and beautiful. ¡°...¡± Roswyn continued to watch them with a stupefied expression. ¡°...Egeuk.¡± Recalling Lulu¡¯s words about how she should have done better when she still had the chance, Roswyn couldn¡¯t help but shed a tear, even though she wasn¡¯t someone who would cry easily. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 223: Departure ? Departure ? ¡°Um...¡± It was morning, a few days after the incident with Rifael. ¡°Do you like it, Frey?¡± ¡°Yeah, as always.¡± I sat in the mansion¡¯s dining room, savoring an omelettes prepared by Irina. ¡°I¡¯m sorry... the only thing I can make well is an omelette... are you tired of it now?¡± Ever since Irina took charge of preparing meals, breakfast had consistently featured omelettes and milk. Of course, I never really had an appetite in the morning and usually just had a sandwich and coffee, but it seemed Irina thought differently. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. It really is delicious.¡± But the omelette she prepared was always delicious. Looking at the various heart and puppy patterns sprinkled on top of the omelette was also a delight. And after tasting the dish that Serena made for me a few days ago, the omelette Irina prepared seemed even more delicious. ¡°So, I won¡¯t be able to eat the omelette you make for a while?¡± It was regrettable. Irina was departing for the western continent that morning, accompanying Kania¡¯s group on an investigation in place of Clana, who had returned home earlier to assist with an investigation. It was unfortunate, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. Having too many people in the mansion could draw attention. I just hope she takes care of herself. ¡°Frey.¡± While I leisurely enjoyed my omelette and contemplated, Irina caressed my cheek and whispered. ¡°Just wait here for a moment.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be quick.¡± With that, she stood up and made her way to her room. It occurred to me that since her return to the mansion, Irina had been immersed in some kind of research... What was that strange noise I heard from there? ¨C Rustle... After wondering for a while about Irina¡¯s intent, I unintentionally looked down due to a noise below. ¡°Ah, hello... Master...¡± There was Lulu, lying flat on the floor. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°To... eat...¡± Lulu answered quietly, lowering her eyes. ¡°...Nom nom.¡± She placed her bowl on the floor and began eating silently, her actions oddly more exaggerated than usual, radiating a sense of pitifulness that had persisted for a few days. She had trembled when Clana came home. Was she intimidated by her status as an Imperial Princess and lost her confidence? Or was there another reason? Surely, she doesn¡¯t think that the incident was her fault? Her stigma had been deactivated for a long time. ¡°...Hmm.¡± With these thoughts in mind, I observed her, my expression furrowing. The day before, I had discovered numerous scratch marks on her shoulder, faint remnants of the Stigma of Misfortune. After scolding her for seemingly forgetting our promise not to self-harm, I took the time to wrap her injuries in bandages. However, today, I noticed the bandages were slightly unraveled. ¡®Trauma, perhaps?¡¯ ¡°Eek...¡± As I reached out to her, Lulu flinched, tightly closing her eyes. Seeing this, it became apparent that erasing the Stigma of Misfortune from her was one thing, but healing her trauma might prove to be a much more challenging task. Just like ink that spreads more the more you try to wipe it off, trauma becomes more pronounced the more you try to forget it. ¨C Tight...! Therefore, looking gently at Lulu, I softly stroked her head and tightened the loosened bandage around her. ¡°Did you sleep well last night? Nothing happened?¡± And then, I conveyed the words I tell her every day. ¡°I love you, Lulu.¡± I couldn¡¯t pinpoint what triggered her trauma again or why she looked up at me with eyes filled with guilt. But there was plenty of time ahead. Even if I couldn¡¯t erase it all at once, with continuous effort, perhaps someday I could completely heal her trauma. ¡°... I love you too, Master.¡± Maybe she sensed my thoughts, for she cleared her bowl and crawled over to me, leaning gently against my legs. ¡°......¡± And then Lulu gently closed her eyes. ¡°Sigh.¡± There¡¯s something inherently calming about her expression. She probably feels a sense of security as a pet. Our relationship might be seen as unconventional, even undesirable to some. But right now, all that mattered was her happiness. However, once everything is settled, I¡¯m determined to establish a normal relationship with her. ¡°F, Frey.¡± Lost in thoughts, observing Lulu who had fallen fast asleep against my legs, Irina reappeared after having gone to her room.Fo?llo?w new stories at novelhall.com ¡°Huff huff...¡± ¡°Whoa...¡± As the front door closed, my expression hardened, and I lowered my head. ¡°...I¡¯m worried.¡± Anxiety and heartache surge within me once more. ¡°It¡¯s just getting started...¡± That¡¯s right. Today marked the commencement of the ¡®Verification Ceremony¡¯ where Ruby, the Fake Hero, would be officially unveiled to the world. In other words, I would be heading to a place full of people who are likely to laugh at me, scorn me, attack me, and even try to kill me. Even in a country where I¡¯ve grown accustomed to such scrutinizing gazes, it was difficult not to succumb to fear and sadness. Lately, the pace at which I¡¯ve been earning points has stalled a bit, and I don¡¯t know what would happen if I don¡¯t go. ¡°Still... I¡¯m not completely alone.¡± I muttered, forcing a smile as I gradually stood up from my seat. ¡°This is better than before... Yeah...¡± Still, I couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy. It would be easier if I was the only one in this. I was so worried about the people I care about who would be in the Demon King¡¯s sights after today. ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°...Ah, Lulu.¡± Calming my anxious heart, I suddenly noticed Lulu. She, now realizing the absence of the leg she had been leaning on, absentmindedly caressed the chair. ¡°Looks like I have to leave her behind.¡± I didn¡¯t want to put her in danger. I had no intention of placing her dangerously as a spy, nor did I want to take her to the Verification Ceremony as a servant as she requested. If Lulu, who hadn¡¯t responded to the Hero Party call, was spotted with me by Ruby, who was eagerly eyeing her Magic Eyes... I dread thinking of the harm she might face. So, the servants I would bring to the upcoming coronation would be... ¡°The preparations are done.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s set off.¡± None other than Arianne and Alice. It was clear that I was forcing them to be with me, so even if I used them as servants, they wouldn¡¯t be harmed. I also wanted to bring Miho, whom Lulu strongly recommended as a servant. Still, since the negotiations with Serena hadn¡¯t concluded yet, I decided to leave her out. ¡°...Right.¡± However, there was a minor problem. [Alice¡¯s Current Emotions: Disgust, Anger, Killing Intent] It seemed like these two were plotting something against me today. Naturally, they would conceal their animosity and devise a strategy in secret. ¡°Frey, something¡¯s off about them... please investigate...¡± Serena, who had ruined a dish a few days ago and was writing an apology while sobbing, couldn¡¯t help but sense that something was amiss when she encountered them during her interrogation by the investigation team. ¡°¡±........¡±¡± As I pondered this, the gazes from those around me became even colder. ¡°Ugh...¡± Of course, I had already planned for it. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Not just for them, but also for the Verification Ceremony. Wasn¡¯t it unfair to be taken advantage of when you see it coming? . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment. ¡°Hero, are you feeling better now?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ve completely recovered!¡± Ruby, emerging from the hospital, greeted an Imperial Court Minister and a Bishop of the Church with a smile. ¡°Well, let¡¯s set off. We¡¯re running short on time.¡± ¡°Yes~!¡± Ruby climbed into the carriage in a friendly atmosphere. ¡°Ah, there¡¯s a special escort for you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± She tilted her head at the Bishop¡¯s benign expression. ¡°What do you mean...¡± And then, her eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Hello!!!!¡± ¡°.......¡± For some reason, Ferloche was seated in the front, smiling with her distinct naive smile. ¡°My friend, Ruby!!!¡± ¡°.....Ugh.¡± A small crack appeared in Ruby¡¯s otherwise joyous expression. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 224: Sincerely ? Sincerely ? ¡°...Heave-ho.¡± Mistaking the chair leg for Frey¡¯s leg, Lulu fell asleep, her drool wetting it as she snuggled against it. Carefully lifting Lulu, Frey laid her down on the bed in her room. ¨C Swooosh... Carefully, he tucked away the strand of hair she had in her mouth behind her. ¡°Hehe...¡± Frey gently stroked her hair, ensuring she wouldn¡¯t wake up. Even in her sleep, Lulu seemed to revel in his touch, flashing a content smile. ¡°For now... I need to keep you hidden in the mansion for a while.¡± Looking at her with affectionate eyes, Frey adjusted his attire and headed towards the door of her room. ¡°...That damned woman shouldn¡¯t have targeted you from the very start.¡± Worried that she might wake up and cling to him, asking to come along, Frey quickly left Lulu¡¯s room. ¡°Go down and get ready.¡± ¡°¡±.........¡±¡± ¡°It seems my words mean nothing to you.¡± Speaking in a cold tone to Alice and Arianne, who had been waiting quietly outside the room, Frey continued. ¡°I can send you back to jail at any time. The verdict allows for it. If that happens, not only will you be expelled from the academy, but you¡¯ll also face severe consequences in prison.¡± At the mention of expulsion, the two girls flinched. Frey gazed sharply at them, walking between the two. ¡°Just follow my orders quietly. Don¡¯t even think about anything stupid.¡± ¡°¡±...Yes.¡±¡± Reluctantly responding to his words, the two girls followed Frey as he began descending the stairs. ¨C Swoosh... Withdrawing his gaze from the girls, Frey pulled out his walking stick. The two girls briefly exchange glances, subtly trying to close the distance between them and Frey. ¡°...Have you called for the carriage?¡± However, Frey, with a brief jolt in the hand holding the walking stick, turned to the girls and asked a question. ¡°It should be waiting outside.¡± ¡°Did you affix the family crest? I worry if lowly girls like you would have done it properly.¡± ¡°...There should be no mistake.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯ll see.¡± Frey, looking pleased with the respectful addresses from the two girls, resumed walking. ¡°Ah, wait...¡± Arianne, surprised by Frey¡¯s unexpectedly faster pace, attempted to stop him, but... ¡°...Never mind.¡± Alice grabbed Arianne¡¯s arm. ¡°Let¡¯s be clear.¡± ¡°........¡± Arianne, hesitating with trembling eyes, looked at Alice. ¡°You stay out of this, I will handle it alone.¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°I just found out that you can¡¯t kill people. Unless it¡¯s to protect and defend.¡± Lost in thought, Arianne was interrupted by the cold voice of Alice, who fidgeted with the dagger in her arms. ¡°After it¡¯s done, make sure to clean up well. If you don¡¯t want to get involved, you can use a protective barrier around the area.¡± ¡°I, I¡¯ll help too...¡± ¡°Do as you wish. But don¡¯t get in the way.¡± Before long, Alice transformed from the upright and intelligent representative of the commoners into a skilled assassin from the Moonlight family. ¡°Welcome, Frey.¡± Alice hastened her steps and left behind the gloomy Arianne, and accompanied Frey out of the doorway and into the carriage. ¡°The destination is...¡± ¡°Go to this place.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Soon after, the woman naturally took a seat beside him. ¡°I¡¯ll rest a bit until we arrive.¡± ¡°...Understood.¡± Leaning slightly towards her with closed eyes, Frey murmured after responding in a soft voice. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Frey. You won¡¯t be arriving there.¡¯ Each time she was set to assassinate a target, her homicidal urges would surge and for some reason, they were even stronger now, consuming her entirely. ¡®...Forever.¡¯ A moment later, the carriage set off. . . . . . ¡°......Mmmm.¡± ¡°............¡± Inside the carriage, which was moving rather slowly towards the destination Frey had mentioned, Alice sat rigidly. ¡°Hmm...¡± On her shoulder, Frey was nodding off, his head resting against her. The very target she was to assassinate today, the prey she needed to hunt, completely defenseless, was entrusting his body to her. From the perspective of a skilled assassin like her, this situation resembled a well-prepared feast just waiting for her to indulge. She felt an overwhelming urge to dig in. ¨C Rustle... Whileontemplating drawing the knife she held and aiming it at Frey¡¯s throat, she yearned to partake in the feast. He was known to be the one responsible for imprinting the ¡®Curse of Familial Subordination¡¯ on her and her associates. She harbored a desire for revenge against Frey, knowing he could control her with just one word. ¡°........¡± Yet, Alice suppressed such urges. That wasn¡¯t the plan. Killing him now would implicate the innocent girl standing before her. So, she exercised transcendent patience, awaiting instructions secretly conveyed through the curse. ¡°Hmmm...¡± But something was off today. Her patience, usually a well-honed tool during her assassination missions, had been wearing thin. ¡°What the... What...? Every time Frey breathed against her shoulder, two emotions raced through her, clashing fiercely against each other. One of them, of course, was murder. The disgust she felt for Frey, the man who had created the ¡®curse¡¯ that had turned her and her comrades into puppets of the Secret Lord. The displeasure and disgust she experienced in the morning when she woke up to find him standing in front of her with a meaningful expression, threatening to turn her into a sex slave on an imaginary day. Furthermore, the various other negative emotions she felt when he did his various evil deeds all came together to give her a very strong sense of ¡®killing intent¡¯. For some reason, it was worse today. ¡°Hmmm...¡± The unknown emotion that accompanied that killing intent puzzled Alice. The cold-hearted woman, both outwardly and inwardly, had been artificially trained not to feel most emotions during assassinations. What she was feeling now was quite ¡®disturbing¡¯. ¡®I wonder what...¡¯ Deciding that it was time to analyze the cause, she diligently analyzed her emotions. ¡°I don¡¯t know...¡± However, after quite a while, she couldn¡¯t draw any proper conclusions. For some reason, every time she looked at Frey¡¯s pale face, she hesitated to kill him. It was impossible to pin down her ambiguous state to a single emotion. ¨C Swish...! Alice, engrossed in the greatest challenge of her assassination life, suddenly turned her gaze as the flow of air changed. Then, she spat blood-stained saliva at Frey. ¡®Kill me... Just kill me...¡¯ It was a provocation, desperately wanting him to end her life. ¡®Please...¡¯ However, failing the mission triggered the Curse of Familial Subordination, casting a web of excruciating pain upon her and her companions. Simultaneously, dreadful consequences loomed over the children she cherished as younger siblings. To avert this fate, she faced a grim choice: either take her own life or be killed before the curse¡¯s activation. ¡°Just kill me already...!!!¡± Amidst her cries and pleas, Frey gazed down at her and, unexpectedly, took a different course. ¡°Heave-ho.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± In an instant, he lifted her and settled her beside him. ¡°Want to make a bet...?¡± ¡°A bet?¡± Then, Frey smirked. ¡°My power weakens every week.¡± ¡°What?¡± Alice¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Chuckling, Frey opened a window, casting a thoughtful gaze outside as he continued his story. ¡°So, try to kill me every week.¡± ¡°What do you mean by...¡± ¡°No, to be precise... Attempt to assassinate me with all your might, every week.¡± Alice wore a baffled expression, unable to comprehend Frey¡¯s words. Arianne, pinching her cheek, wondered if she was in a dream. ¡°Any attempt during that time, I won¡¯t hold you accountable. You can legally kill me.¡± ¡°What...?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll even leave a will to ensure your safety. Moreover, people might actually appreciate it. If you succeed in killing me, you¡¯ll probably be treated as a hero.¡± Frey¡¯s cryptic proposition continued, and Alice, glaring at him with a small pool of blood in her mouth, spoke in a cold voice. ¡°Why me...? For what reason...¡± ¡°Instead, if you fail to assassinate me...¡± ¡°...I knew it.¡± Hearing Frey start to lay out his condition, Alice displayed a disgusted expression. ¡°I¡¯m not your plaything. So...¡± ¡°For a week, serve diligently as a maid, without complaining.¡± ¡°.....?¡± But the words that sprang from Frey¡¯s mouth were not what she had expected. ¡°Sincerely, just like a maid who has served me for a long time... be a rather diligent servant.¡± ¡°.......¡± ¡°In return, I¡¯ll give you the chance to assassinate me every week.¡± As Frey finished, the atmosphere inside the carriage turned silent. ¡°What do you think?¡± The offer, naturally weakening him week by week and allowing her to legally kill him, was quite tempting to Alice. No, it wasn¡¯t just tempting. It was an offer she absolutely had to accept. If she periodically attempts to assassinate him, the pain caused by the constant command to ¡®kill Frey¡¯, which persists even if the master dies, would cease. The same would go for her colleagues. Additionally, she could become a hero by killing Frey, who she believes was not only the creator of the ¡®curse¡¯ that made them like this but also the worst kind of villain. ¡°Why...are you making such an offer?¡± Thus, Alice posed the question again. ¡°What do you gain from it?¡± Alice asked, attempting to grasp the underlying motives behind this remarkably advantageous proposal. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Hearing her, Frey shrugged in response. ¡°It seems fun?¡± Hearing that, Alice frowned. ¡°...Or maybe, I miss the servants?¡± But when Frey said those next words, Alice unknowingly relaxed her expression. For a fleeting moment, a sad expression crossed his face. ¡°Well... you guys can figure it out.¡± ¡°M, me too?¡± ¡°Yes, you too.¡± While Arianne posed another question to Frey with a surprised look, Alice spoke with a blank expression. ¡°Alright.¡± Suddenly, her expression turned cold as she declared, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to, or what your story is... but I¡¯ll kill you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to, or what your story is... but I¡¯ll kill you.¡± ¡°Alright, it¡¯s settled then.¡± Frey smiled slightly upon hearing it, then he opened the curtain with a pleased expression. ¡°.........¡± The surroundings of the carriage were still surrounded by protesters waving signs, causing Frey¡¯s expression to darken instantly. ¡°...Ugh.¡± Then, Frey clutched his chest abruptly, his body trembling. ¡°Whew...¡± Despite the palpitations, he made a deliberate attempt to peer outside, maintaining an impassive expression. ¡°...Anyway, today¡¯s assassination attempt was a failure.¡± His voice carried a touch of loneliness as he continued to fix his gaze on the outside world. ¡°So do me a favor.¡± ¡°What favor...?¡± ¡°Can you wrap this in bandages?¡± Saying this, Frey extended the arm that Alice had attacked. ¡°.........¡± Alice observed him in silence. ¨C Swoosh, swoosh... She began wrapping Frey¡¯s arm slowly and then flinched momentarily. ¡°Um...¡± As she glanced at Frey, who remained focused on the furious mob brandishing signs, she found herself grappling with the emotions that stirred within her. The feelings she felt for Frey were... Similar to the familiarity she felt towards the Hero of Money she¡¯d recently been dining with regularly. And guilt, as well as self-pity, which she couldn¡¯t quite understand. ¡°.........¡± These sentiments were ones an assassin should never entertain. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, Frey. If I beat you, I¡¯ll subject you to brutal torture before ending your life.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t fall for your intentions. If I see any hint of you using me... I¡¯ll just kill myself.¡± ¡°Do as you wish.¡± ¡°And, today¡¯s assassination attempt isn¡¯t over yet. Be prepared.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Attempting to quell her emotions, Alice adopted a harsh tone, but Frey seemed unfazed. ¡°.......¡± In the end, she closed her mouth and continued to wrap the bandage around Frey¡¯s arm in silence. ¡°...I sincerely wish you¡¯d just drop dead.¡± Hidden Quest Quest Content: Remove Serena¡¯s Curse of Familial Subordination Progress: 20% Reward: Annihilation of the Secret Lord, ???, ???, ???, Serena¡¯s 19+ Event Unlocked, Top Priority Designation A system window popped up in front of Frey, who was smiling softly as he looked outside, and it was only after she said those words that he realized she was done bandaging him up. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 225: Irregular ? Irregular ? ¨C Squeak...! The carriage screeched to a halt, battered on all sides by stones and eggs, at the designated location prepared by the Imperial Family. ¨C Thud! With a resounding thud, Frey emerged from the abruptly opened door. Limping slightly and holding his walking stick, he made his way toward the guards. Alice and Arianne followed him, their expressions a mix of complexity and pale discomfort. ¡°Frey Raon Starlight enters.¡± A servant announced as such, the words echoing through the grand ballroom arranged by the Imperial Family. ¡°..........¡± A chilly silence enveloped the ballroom. ¨C Step, step. In this silence, Frey moved quietly. His eyes were solely fixed on the place where his name tag was placed. ¡°Hmm.¡± Receiving curious, openly hostile, and cold glares, Frey approached his seat, and then soon frowned. ¡°What is this?¡± To his surprise, his seat was situated at the very edge of the main hall. According to tradition, as the eldest son of a duke, Frey should have occupied the frontmost seat. Even if that weren¡¯t the case, it was customary not to place anyone at the very last seat. Yet, unmistakably, Frey¡¯s name was positioned in that spot on a simple name tag, the kind typically used for barons. ¡°.......¡± Realizing the intention behind this arrangement, Frey cautiously scanned his surroundings. ¡°Hehe, heh...¡± ¡°...Is he going to flip it out? That would be entertaining, right?¡± Most of the nobles observed with anticipation, curious about his reaction. In the past, such a situation would have been unimaginable. However, among the nobility now, Frey was no longer someone they felt compelled to respect or even acknowledge. Undergoing daily public scrutiny, investigation by both the Imperial Family and the Church, and even facing disregard from commoners, Frey was destined to lose both power and wealth in the surprise hearings following the Hero¡¯s Verification and Inauguration Ceremony. ¨C Swish... So, when Frey, with a gloomy expression, took a seat at the very end and bowed his head, the nobles discreetly turned away, covering their mouths to hide their smiles, while the maids chattered amongst themselves. ¡°If Frey becomes a commoner... what will happen?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure... but I bet the noblewomen will torment him a lot?¡± ¡°Should I take him in and raise him? If he doesn¡¯t obey, I might whip him a bit.¡± ¡°You must be joking. What if you get targeted too?¡± The hushed murmurs of the young maids, recently initiated into service at the Imperial Palace, reached Frey, seated at the far end. Frey was no longer a public enemy; he had become public prey. His usual confident expression, playful smirk, and the arrogant look were conspicuously absent. Instead, he appeared anxious, desolate, fearful, and utterly defeated. For those familiar with his past demeanor, witnessing Frey in such a pitiful state brought a perverse sense of satisfaction. The impending title of the Disgraced Young Duke, soon to be bestowed upon him, held a strange allure, causing several onlookers to salivate at the prospect of controlling someone who had fallen from the highest pedestal. Thus, despite his wretched appearance, Frey became the subject of explicit stares and remarks for quite some time. However, there were a few exceptions. ¡°...He doesn¡¯t look well.¡± ¡°Right, he looks worse than the last time I saw him...¡± Whispers exchanged among the Starlight Mansion servants, cautiously discussing behind Alice and Arianne. ¡°¡±..........¡±¡± Pitiful glances from several young ladies observing Frey. ¡°Mentor, who is that man? We were told not to sit there, weren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°...Sigh. I didn¡¯t want to come.¡± A cute-looking girl spoke, having just arrived at the ball while holding her mentor¡¯s hand. . . . . . ¡°Frey~! Hello?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Seated miserably at the very end, Frey was addressed by someone. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you here.¡± ¡°.....?¡± Turning around to respond, Frey tilted his head in confusion as noble ladies with heavy makeup gave him sly grins from behind. ¡°Would you like to come over to our table? It must be quite uncomfortable for you here.¡± ¡°Yes~ Come over to ours~¡± As the grinning ladies tugged at Frey¡¯s sleeve with their offer, he inquired. ¡°Who are you?¡± At his question, the young ladies¡¯ laughter faltered. ¡°Hehe... You don¡¯t remember us?¡± However, the apparent leader among them remained composed, whispering with a smile. ¡°We were in the same class.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, of course...?¡± It was because the Magic Tower Master of the empire was standing there with a stern expression. ¡°¡±..........!¡±¡± The rumored presence of the Magic Tower Master¡¯s apprentice drew the attention of the nobility to the edge of the room. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± However, with a single word from the Magic Tower Master, their gazes turned back. ¡°Well, we will... take our leave...¡± In that situation, the young ladies chose to retreat for the meantime. ¡°...We¡¯ll be back later. Be prepared.¡± Whispering coldly into Frey¡¯s ear, they quickly walked out to the hallway. ¡°¡±..........¡±¡± A brief silence followed. ¡°Excuse me.¡± The girl broke the silence with a gentle question directed at Frey, who still had his head lowered. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°Hellooo~?¡± With no response from Frey, she leaned over to get a better look at his face. ¡°Hmm...¡± She stared at Frey¡¯s face for a long time. ¡°...Mind your own business, kid.¡± However, Frey, without even glancing at her, responded with an icy tone. ¡°........¡± Undeterred, she looked up at Frey, who had already turned his attention to the Verification Ceremony, nearly at its end. ¡°Why did you just let them treat you like that?¡± ¡°.......¡± ¡°Why?¡± She persisted with her question. ¡°...Do you not recognize me?¡± ¡°I do? I just heard about you from my mentor.¡± ¡°Then, why do you continue to talk to me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°Haah.¡± Frey slightly frowned and sighed, glancing back as he muttered. ¡°I didn¡¯t need to be considerate of idiots who can¡¯t understand even when told to stop.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°But...¡± Frey shifted his gaze to the girl, who tilted her head. He raised an eyebrow and posed a question, ¡°...Who are you?¡± On the girl¡¯s left hand, a ring sparkled. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment... ¡°Ah, ahhhh...!¡± From beyond the corridor door, the young lady, who had earlier been pressing Frey¡¯s shoulder with her nails, found herself caught between Serena and Clana. ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry... I¡¯m sor... Arghh...!¡± Serena and Clana, with cold expressions, had each seized one of the girl¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Do you remember the ones who ran away earlier?¡± ¡°I remembered all of them. Both their families and names.¡± ¡°Is today¡¯s announcement prepared?¡± ¡°Yes, perfectly.¡± They were talking calmly. ¡°But... who¡¯s that little girl?¡± ¡°She¡¯s the disciple of the Magic Tower Master.¡± ¡°I see. She originally wasn¡¯t supposed to come... she must¡¯ve arrived unexpectedly and didn¡¯t have a seat. If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s a relief...¡± With a slightly tense expression, Clana, who had posed the question to Serena, breathed a sigh of relief at her response. ¡°...Wait, the disciple of the Magic Tower Master?¡± Soon, she furrowed her brows and directed her attention to the girl in the robe. ¡°In the previous regression, the disciple of the Magic Tower Master was... only Irina, though?¡± You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 226: A Light That Shines On Its Own ? A Light That Shines On Its Own ? ¡°She is my disciple.¡± ¡°...Hmm?¡± Frey, on the verge of questioning the young girl beside him, turned as he caught the voice from behind. ¡°So don¡¯t think about doing anything strange.¡± ¡°.........¡± Upon realizing the Magic Tower Master was behind him, Frey fell silent at her words. ¡°Are you sure you want to be there? You can follow me...¡± ¡°I want to watch from here!¡± ¡°Goodness, didn¡¯t you come here to see the Hero? Why did you suddenly change your mind...¡± Meanwhile, the Magic Tower Master, who was speaking while looking at Glare, shook her head in disbelief at the audacious girl and moved on. Despite being often labeled an eccentric witch or a peculiar wizard, her disciples consistently described her as soft-hearted. ¡°.......¡± Once again, Frey sank into silent contemplation as the Magic Tower Master departed. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Glare, observing Frey, cautiously moved closer to him and posed a question. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Frey¡¯s shoulder was stained with blood, thanks to the young lady who had dug her fingernails at him earlier. ¡°...Mind your own business, kid.¡± Nevertheless, Frey responded coldly to Glare, redirecting his focus on the Verification Ceremony. ¡°Do you swear, here in this place, that you have received a decree from the Sun God?¡± ¡°...Yes!¡± In his line of sight was the bishop, asking with a solemn voice, and Ruby, answering with a serious expression. ¡°¡±.........¡±¡± However, the gazes of the nobles were fixed on Frey, not on them. Most of them, of course, were looking forward to seeing Frey, sitting there with a sullen expression on his face, his shoulders stained with blood but not quite as fierce as before. ¡°I declare! Her words are the truth!¡± The nobles, who had been staring at Frey for some time, now turned their attention forward, applauding vigorously as the bishop made his proclamation. ¡°Ugh...¡± Frey averted his eyes from Ruby, staring down at the ground and biting his lip. ¡°Hmm.....¡± Glare, meticulously observing Frey, cautiously extended a hand towards him. ¡°What?¡± In response, Frey recoiled like a wary cat, shrinking back. The gesture appeared both amusing and somewhat pitiable. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you. Come here for a moment.¡± ¡°........¡± Glare approached Frey, who wore a puzzled expression, retrieved a crystal vial, and placed it on his shoulder. ¨C Shaaaah... His shoulder instantly began to recover. ¡°Ouch.¡± Biting his lip slightly because it hurt quite a bit even though he denied it, Frey cautiously questioned Glare, who continued to scrutinize him. ¡°Why are you... doing this to me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°...Why are you being nice to me?¡± As Frey spoke, his expression resembled that of a wounded cat whose pride had been bruised. ¡°Well...¡± Glare scratched her head, feeling a bit puzzled, but then recalled her mentor¡¯s words. ¡°He was the meanest bastard in the Empire, and he¡¯s probably going to be stripped of his status today, right here, in front of everyone.¡± ¡°Oh, you mean that Frey they¡¯ve been talking about in the papers...?¡± ¡°What, you know him?¡± Glare, who had decided to secretly assist the Hero, naturally had some information about the notorious Frey. But, why? The man she¡¯d met today, Frey, didn¡¯t seem as bad as the newspapers had portrayed him. In fact, he seemed a little pitiful. ¡°Hey, Oppa. Put this on.¡± ¡°...What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an ointment my mentor developed, good for wounds.¡± With that, Glare retrieved the healing cream her eccentric mentor had created and handed it to Frey. ¡°There, I thought your arm looked a little worn out...¡± True to her word, the bandage on his arm, which had been stabbed by Alice, was covered in blood. ¡°What are you doing? Aren¡¯t you taking it?¡± ¡°.........¡± Frey glanced down at the cream Glare held out to him, then turned away with a cold expression.Fo?llo?w new stories at novelhall.com ¡°I don¡¯t need your help.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your help.¡± In a self-mocking tone, Frey uttered the words. ¡°Don¡¯t try to pity me. I feel offended.¡± ¡°.......¡± ¡°If you understand, get out of my way. Just go somewhere else before you get targeted.¡± ¡°You¡¯re like a wary cat, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...Shut up.¡± ¡°Hehehe...¡± Watching Frey twitch like a cat grinding its teeth, Glare couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°What, are you really... Huh?¡± Frey looked at her with a dumbfounded expression, then furrowed his brows as he caught a glimpse of her face through her robes. ¡°I think I recognize you from somewhere...¡± And then, scratching his head, he muttered. ¨C Sssk...! And then, on top of Frey¡¯s bandages, Glare smeared some cream. ¡°Oppa, are you a bad person?¡± She asked. ¡°...Yeah.¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Frey responded, swatting Glare¡¯s hand away while she applied cream over the bandage. ¡°So you¡¯d better not get involved with me.¡± ¡°You sound nice when you say that...¡± ¡°I¡¯m a bad person.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± After uttering those words, Frey shifted a seat to the side as if to ignore Glare. ¡°Hey, Oppa, you go to the academy, right? Do you know this?¡± ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m not looking for sympathy...¡± His voice trailed off as he closed his eyes. ¡°...Cheer up.¡± As she spoke those words, he fell silent, visibly taken aback. ¨C Clatter. At the same time, the wound-healing cream slipped from Frey¡¯s arms. ¡°........¡± Was it because it had been so long since a complete stranger had offered him some warmth? Frey stood there for a moment, feeling a pit in his stomach. ¡°You have such kind eyes... It¡¯s like, you look like him, and that¡¯s quite...¡± She continued to stare at Frey, muttering to herself before offering a suggestion. ¡°If...If you ever become a commoner... I¡¯d like to invite you to come to the Magic Tower. My mentor¡¯s been in need of an assistant lately, and it¡¯s a hard enough job that it exists as an imperial punishment, so I¡¯m sure it¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°.........¡± ¡°It seems like you¡¯ll get beaten to death at this rate, but that¡¯s better, isn¡¯t it? My mentor might overwork you, but you won¡¯t die. So...¡± ¡°...You, what¡¯s your name?¡± While Frey attempted to slip away into the corridor, intentionally ignoring the little girl, he eventually posed the question in a hushed tone. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll remember it.¡± Hearing his reply, the little girl somehow felt pity for Frey. ¡°My name is Glare.¡± She tilted her head in an odd manner. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Glare. It means a shining light.¡± With that, she turned to leave. ¡°My parents, who I can hardly remember now, named me that, wishing me to be a light that shone in this dark world.¡± ¡°.....!¡± ¡°Well then, goodbye.¡± With those words lingering, Glare vanished from her seat in an instant, as if she had employed magic. ¡°...Glare?¡± Frey stood still for a while before speaking, ¡°Could it be... that girl from back then?¡± Flustered, he murmured. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°What do you mean, really?¡± And at that moment, an arrogant voice echoed in front of Frey. ¡°My thin and poor Frey...¡± His once naive countenance was now nowhere to be seen. ¡°You didn¡¯t come for so long that I had to find you myself...¡± With a proud and excited expression, the Demon King Ruby swung open the door to the main hall and approached Frey. ¡°Would you like to have an intimate talk, just the two of us?¡± Wrapping her arms around Frey, she whispered in a hushed voice. ¡°Okay~?¡± . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment. ¡°Ah, hello...¡± Roswyn, having taken extra time for her glamorous makeup and consequently running late for the Verification Ceremony, hurriedly arrived at the entrance of the Hero Party¡¯s waiting room. ¡°I¡¯m a bit late, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Ah, no...¡± ¡°Well then, excuse me...!¡± Concerned that the Hero might be disappointed due to her tardiness for the ceremony, she ignored the knight¡¯s explanation and entered the waiting room. ¡°...Huh?¡± Soon, she tilted her head. ¡°Is this the right place?¡± She asked the knight beside her. ¡°There¡¯s no one here?¡± To her surprise, the waiting room was empty. ¡°I... I don¡¯t know...¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°We have to check... right now, only you, Miss Roswyn, have arrived...¡± Her expression turned blank upon hearing this. ¡°What should I do...? The Hero is coming this way now. How do I handle this...¡± ¡°Roswyn, please sit down first!¡± ¡°Wh, what?¡± The knight seized Roswyn¡¯s arm and ushered her into a chair. ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere, stay put!¡± ¡°........?¡± After seating her, the knight vanished. ¡°What on earth is going on...¡± She murmured to herself, puzzled as to why the Hero Party hadn¡¯t arrived, despite her being late. ¡°Woah!!!¡± ¡°...Eek!!¡± A spirited cheer erupted from the side, causing Roswyn, who had almost teared up from the shock, to turn her head. ¡°Hello!!¡± ¡°...Huh, huh?¡± Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ferloche, who had been taking a break after devoting herself to Ruby. ¡°Ni, nice to meet...¡± ¡°You are... You¡¯re so ridiculous!¡± ¡°...Excuse me?¡± Roswyn, who had been trying to calm her nerves and extend her hand to Ferloche, looked puzzled by her words. ¡°Then welcome to the Hero Party you have joined for all eterinty!¡± Ferloche grabbed Roswyn¡¯s hand and shook it vigorously, wearing a silly grin on her face. ¡°Seriously!!!¡± Ferloche spoke once more, gazing straight at the bewildered Roswyn. ¡°...Roswyn is so ridiculous!!!¡± You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 227: I Shall Corrupt You ? I Shall Corrupt You ? ¡°.......¡± ¡°Frey, why the silence? Share a fun story or something.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± As Ruby strolled down the corridor, she said that with a smirk, and Frey retaliated with a glare. ¡°How cute. Even the glare. It¡¯s like a wounded cat is staring at me.¡± ¡°I said shut up.¡± Ruby, smirking at Frey, patted his head, but he pushed her hand away. ¡°Why not try to get along with me a bit, Frey?¡± But at that moment, thanks to the newly formed system¡¯s defense, Frey¡¯s hand was deflected. ¡°After all, in a few months, you¡¯ll be seeing me so much at the academy that you¡¯ll get tired of me?¡± Ruby continued to stroke Frey¡¯s head, who gritted his teeth and moved to the side. ¡°Come here, Frey.¡± Ignoring Ruby, as Frey tried to move aside, Ruby¡¯s tail suddenly curled around his arm. ¡°No matter how much you struggle, you can never escape from me.¡± In her true form, Ruby used her tail to pull Frey towards her. ¡°What do you think about this look? You seemed to dislike my childish appearance... How about this voluptuous form?¡± ¡°.......¡± ¡°Do you regret it? Not becoming my subordinate back then? But it¡¯s too late. You¡¯ve already missed your chance...¡± ¡°You look hideous.¡± Ruby, who was full of confidence, frowned when Frey looked at her with disdain. ¡°What exactly is your taste? Could it be...¡± ¡°I hate it because it¡¯s you. No matter what you look like, you always look hateful.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ruby smiled at his response. ¡°How about now?¡± Suddenly, Kania appeared in front of Frey. ¡°My lord, I¡¯ve prepared your meal.¡± Uncharacteristically, Kania wore a wicked smile as she poured coffee into a cup. ¡°How is it, my lord?¡± ¨C Bang!! Frey, unable to restrain himself threw a punch at her. ¡°...Sigh.¡± Staring at the fist that halted right in front of her face, the Demon King reverted to her form as the Hero Ruby. ¡°If you had become my subordinate, I could have played multiple roles for you.¡± Ignoring Ruby, Frey caressed his knuckles as he continued down the corridor. ¡°Take your time. There¡¯s no need to rush...¡± Ruby, who had been observing Frey with an affectionate gaze, suddenly turned around with a frown. ¡°.....Hmm?¡± Her expression shifted immediately, and she glanced back. ¡°.......¡± After staring at the same spot for a moment, Ruby turned to Frey and asked in a cold voice. ¡°You seemed completely indifferent... you must have been bothered about me too, huh?¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Lately, I constantly feel someone¡¯s gaze on me. What have you done? Even I can sense it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± As Frey answered curtly and walked down the corridor, Ruby smirked. ¡°...Of course, you wouldn¡¯t.¡± With those words, she quickened her pace. ¡°Hello, Hero! Greetings!¡± Walking down the hallway, she soon reached the waiting room, where a knight promptly saluted her. ¡°Hello~ You¡¯re doing great!¡± Ruby warmly greeted the knight. ¡°Frey, watch closely.¡± With a broad smile, she whispered into Frey¡¯s ear. ¡°The ones you love, the ones you like, the ones you wanted to protect...¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°They will be smiling at me, praising me, and swearing loyalty to me.¡± Having said that, Ruby looked up at Frey, who was deliberately avoiding her gaze. ¡°I want to see the look on your face as you fall apart.¡± She added such words, her smile growing more mesmerized. ¡°Miss Ruby, please wait a moment...¡± ¡°...Hmm?¡± However, her escort knight, whom she had sent into the waiting room earlier, blocked her path, speaking to her in a rushed whisper. ¡°Well, the thing is...¡± Startled, Frey attempted to free himself, but Ruby restrained him with overwhelming strength. ¨C Crack...! Frey¡¯s slender arm was forcefully yanked by Ruby and she swiftly brought him down to the floor. ¡°Ahh...¡± Tears welled up in Frey¡¯s eyes, and he gazed at Ruby, who lay on top of him, firmly holding his arms, his eyes trembling. ¨C Squeeze... With Frey¡¯s arms in her grasp, Ruby, now unconsciously asserting dominance, began speaking through gritted teeth. ¡°I want to see you break, Frey.¡± ¨C Groan... ¡°If I could have just attacked you... I might have killed you halfway, let people see you dying and betray you until the truth came out, and then enjoyed their belated regrets.¡± Ruby, saying so, spoke with a regretful expression. ¡°But... unfortunately, our System seems to interfere with attacks.¡± ¡°Wh-why...¡± Hearing Ruby¡¯s words, Frey, wide-eyed, asked with eyes wide open. ¡°Why are you... perfectly fine even though you¡¯re attacking me?¡± ¡°Well, I learned recently from some stupid girl who kept hurting me.¡± Then, Ruby spoke with a smirk. ¡°I think the prohibition on attacks between you and me... depends on the intent of the aggressor.¡± ¡°What do you mean...¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t an attack, Frey.¡± The next words out of Ruby¡¯s mouth left Frey¡¯s eyes wide in shock. ¡°...According to the System, this act is considered an act of affection.¡± ¡°.......!¡± Upon hearing those words, Frey began to sweat profusely, and Ruby, looking down at him, whispered softly while licking her lips. ¡°Right here right now, I shall corrupt you, Frey.¡± . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment. ¡°I knew it... something¡¯s going on...¡± Glare, with arms crossed, was pacing around the waiting room. ¡°There¡¯s definitely something... I¡¯m sure of it...¡± The man named ¡®Frey¡¯ that she had just met kept catching her attention for some inexplicable reason. Why was that? Each time he received criticism or cold glances from others, or encountered betrayals, she felt a pang as if it were happening to her. Of course, she had always felt sad when she saw starving people during her time on the streets. But this time it felt a little different. ¡°Hmm...¡± The disgraced noble, Frey, whom she had only heard about. Despite hailing from a ducal lineage, he appeared accustomed to the people¡¯s disdain and criticism. When she encountered him earlier, he had stoically weathered the harsh judgments from those around him. And he seemed so different from the rumors she had heard about him. ¡°........¡± It wasn¡¯t just that. For some reason, his expression shifted strangely upon seeing his adversary, Ruby, or the way he treated her when he spotted her and promptly turned away. What was going on in the waiting room right now? ¡°...Maybe I should take a quick peek?¡± In some unexplainable way, she felt a sense of sympathy for Frey as he was forcibly led away by Ruby, looking unexpectedly vulnerable. ¨C Snap! After pacing outside the room for a while, Glare quietly flicked her finger. ¨C Crack! A corner of the opaque window of the waiting room broke just a tiny bit. Glare¡¯s destructive ability had become so refined that she could control it to such minute details. ¡°.....Gulp.¡± Approaching the small gap where light seeped out, Glare took a deep breath and peeked inside. ¡°......!!!¡± She immediately covered her mouth. ¡°St-stop... let go...¡± ¡°Stay... still...!¡± ¡°Let go...!¡± Ruby was on top of Frey, holding his arms, and Frey was struggling with all his might. ¡°...What is this?¡± No matter how you look at it, it was a situation where Frey was about to be attacked by Ruby. You can rate/review this series here.?iscover new chapters at novelhall.com Chapter 228: From Coincidence To Inevitability ? From Coincidence To Inevitability ? ¡°Le-let go...!¡± ¡°A-ah.¡± Ruby, tightening her grip on Frey¡¯s struggling arms, peered down at him with a serene expression. ¡°...Lick.¡± In the next instant, her moist tongue grazed Frey¡¯s neck and traced along his cheek. ¡°Haah...¡± Feeling the damp and chilling sensation, Frey tried to turn his head, but Ruby, pressed intimately against him, kept her cheek against his. ¡°...Nip.¡± Starting at his neck and leaving a lingering trail up to his cheek, Ruby moved upward, twirling her tongue around his ear and eventually taking his entire ear into her mouth. ¡°Eek!¡± And at that moment, Frey twisted his body with all his might and kicked Ruby in the abdomen. ¨C Fizzle... Yet, as Frey¡¯s foot made contact, a protective barrier materialized around Ruby. ¡°How adorable.¡± Simultaneously, Frey¡¯s leg went limp. Seizing the chance, Ruby, wearing a gentle smile, secured his leg. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so aggressive.¡± Then, Ruby wrapped Frey¡¯s leg around her waist. ¨C Squeeze... Ruby, once again enveloping Frey, exerted a powerful force. ¡°Don¡¯t! Stop it! I don¡¯t want to!¡± Frey, looking at Ruby with a pale expression, began to kick and scream in desperation. Frey, his face drained of color, resorted to kicking and screaming in a desperate attempt to break free. ¡°...Accept me.¡± Ruby, casting a cold gaze down at Frey, swiftly silenced him by pressing her mouth against his. ¡°...Gulp, gulp.¡± Ruby began to share her saliva with Frey, her tongue gently entering his mouth. ¡°Uh...¡± Overwhelmed by the softness of Ruby¡¯s tongue and the sweetness of her saliva, Frey felt a wave of dizziness. ¡°........¡± As Ruby¡¯s saliva continued to flow into his mouth, nearly suffocating him, Frey¡¯s eyes glazed over, and his body began to tremble. ¡°Phew...¡± Just as Frey¡¯s eyes were on the verge of closing, Ruby lifted her head slightly. ¨C Drip... At the moment the thin strand of saliva connecting them finally broke, Ruby tenderly brushed her fingers against Frey¡¯s cheek. ¡°Frey.¡± She directed a question to Frey, who still had a blank look. ¡°...How does it feel to have been invaded like this?¡± Ruby spoke softly as she gently caressed Frey¡¯s stomach, where their mingled saliva lingered. ¡°You¡¯re already tainted by me.¡± As Ruby spoke with a smirk, Frey¡¯s expression turned as if he found it revolting. ¡°...Ptew.¡± In the next moment, Frey, still held by Ruby, spat on her face. ¡°...Lick.¡± Undeterred, Ruby focused on Frey, licking off the saliva he spat. ¡®First goal achieved... Now, I just need to wait for the effect to spread.¡¯ With a blissful look in her eyes, she continued to caress Frey¡¯s abdomen, waiting for her saliva to completely invade him. ¡°...Hmm. This wasn¡¯t originally part of the plan.¡± Then, Ruby¡¯s attention was drawn to a ring on Frey¡¯s hand. ¡°Seeing things like this makes me want to cross the line.¡± In the midst of their struggle, a white glove was peeled off, unveiling a white ring on the ring finger of Frey¡¯s left hand. To Ruby¡¯s knowledge, the ring was undoubtedly crafted from the ¡®Stone of Purity.¡¯ ¡°No, no!¡± Frey, realizing Ruby¡¯s intentions, desperately kicked at her. ¨C Fizzle... Sizzle... Of course, his kicks were blocked, and Ruby once again wrapped his weakened legs around her waist. ¨C Swish... With one hand, Ruby tied Frey¡¯s arms above his head, and with the other, she grabbed his shirt. ¨C Rip...! In a single, swift motion, she tore his shirt open. ¡°Urk...¡± Buttons scattered and his shirt lay in tatters. ¡°Haah...¡± With a ragged breath, Ruby reached for his bottoms pressing her abdomen against his. ¡°...Good.¡± His abdomen was hot. No doubt, the saliva she had inserted was doing its job. ¡°Look at this.¡± With everything falling into place, a contented Ruby began to taunt Frey. ¡°In the end, whether you willingly align with me or I force you to, it¡¯s just a matter of choice, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°.........¡± ¡°Your eyes are still alive?¡± However, Frey¡¯s eyes continued to blaze with hatred and loathing. ¡°Wonderful.¡± To Ruby, the unwavering intensity in his eyes, regardless of the circumstances, held a beauty all its own. ¡°Truly...¡± The anticipation of the pleasure she would derive when those eyes eventually dimmed already coursed through her. ¡®Yes, Frey. Since it¡¯s come to this... Beyond isolating you here, I¡¯ll completely...¡¯ Ruby looked at Frey, who had been glaring at her throughout, and with that thought in mind, she dug deeper into him. ¡®...Break you.¡¯ ¨C Fizzle! ¡°...Huh?¡± At that moment, a barely perceptible barrier appeared. ¨C Swish... Frey¡¯s legs, which were wrapped around Ruby¡¯s waist, slipped away, the warmth on Ruby¡¯s abdomen disappeared, and Frey¡¯s arms became free. Warning Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com [Your current action is classified as an ¡®attack¡¯.] [You can blind me all you wish, but you can not get any further than that.] Then, a red message appeared in front of Ruby. ¡°...I got too excited.¡± Feeling a sense of loss, Ruby knocked on the delicate barrier separating her from Frey and spoke. ¡°For now... Let¡¯s calm down... and then...¡± She spoke with a smile. ¡°Open the door!¡± ¨C Bang bang bang! ¡°...Hmm?¡± Ruby widened her eyes upon hearing the commotion at the door. ¡°...I did set up Anti-Recognition Magic, didn¡¯t I?¡± She was confident that, when locking the door, she had also cast a spell to prevent anyone from discovering this location. What was going on... ¡°.....?¡± The door handle was shattered, likely from an external impact. Who would dare bypass her magic? Moreover, to completely shatter it? ¡°The door... seems to be open...?¡± ¨C Creak... Seeing the situation, Ruby realized that someone was opening the door. ¡°...Tsk.¡± She quickly made a decision. She had to speed up her plan of isolating Frey. . . . . . ¡°...So.¡± The atmosphere in the room went cold. ¡°What is going on here?¡± Ruby¡¯s escort, Vener, leading a group of passing maids, knights, and a few nobles, posed a question amid the tense situation. ¡°That, that is...¡± Ruby, her clothing somehow disheveled, responded with downcast eyes and a trembling voice. ¡°I was just having a conversation with Frey and...¡± ¡°...And?¡± ¡°He, he suddenly...¡± She stopped there, bowing her head deeply. ¡°...That¡¯s enough.¡± Vener placed a hand on Ruby¡¯s shoulder, draping a cloak around her. ¨C Step, step... She began to approach Frey with a cold expression. ¡°You know very well what you¡¯ve done.¡± ¡°I... Cough!!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The Young Master... pounced on the Hero!¡± ¡°...I¡¯m not even surprised now.¡± Voices reached him from a gap Glare had opened earlier. ¡°...When will that brat die?¡± ¡°........¡± Realizing that the voices belonged to the servants who once worked in his mansion, Frey quietly bowed his head. Hidden Quest Quest Content: Corruption A system window appeared before him. Hidden Quest Reward: Everything This system window shone more than ever. Hidden Quest Do You Accept: Y/N ¡°.........¡± While watching the prompt, with a hand covering his mouth, Frey subconsciously tried to clear his throat. ¨C Screech... Hearing a noise ahead, he closed the system window and quietly looked ahead. ¡°...Ah, hello.¡± When the door opened, it revealed Glare with a trembling expression. . . . . . ¡°Eek...¡± ¡®What... What did I do?¡¯ Upon seeing Frey in the room, his dark expression and unconscious throat-clearing caught Glare¡¯s attention, prompting her internal reflection. ¡®What... What exactly?¡¯ Just before entering the room, she had unintentionally overheard Frey¡¯s conversation, where he seemed indifferent. The echoes of his retching and the hushed discussions among passing maids in the hallway lingered in her mind. Now, she was looking at the pitiful state of the young man before her. ¡°Um, Oppa.¡± After a thoughtful pause, Glare cautiously approached him. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡± Then, she bowed and cried. ¡®Back then, I should¡¯ve insisted more...¡¯ She was filled with regret. ¡®I was so stupid...¡¯ She lamented not being more assertive earlier when Ruby had accused Frey. ¡°.........¡± But, in reality, Glare had no choice. Ruby had scrutinized her with suspicion. If she became Ruby¡¯s focus, possessing a magical power so potent it unnerved even Glare herself, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to assist the Hero or find a way to thwart her. Taking a stronger stance seemed impossible. Of course, thanks to Ruby, who was impervious to photographs and magical recording devices, the mere fact that she went that far without any evidence was already remarkable. ¡°Hey, Oppa.¡± With her hands clasped together, Glare approached Frey cautiously. ¡°Why-why didn¡¯t you tell the truth?¡± ¡°What?¡± Frey¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I, I... I saw, the Hero, she said you...¡± Glare spoke to Frey, with a serious look on her face. ¡°Get lost.¡± ¡°.....!¡± Frey pushed her away, his eyes widened. ¡°...Don¡¯t get involved with me.¡± Frey glanced at the ring on her left hand. ¡°¡±........¡±¡± Then, silence enveloped them. ¨C Step, step. Glare¡¯s eyes narrowed, and she started moving slowly. ¡°Don¡¯t act like you know me. Go away... Ugh.¡± Frey attempted to push her away again, but he recoiled in confusion as Glare bent down and reached in front of him. ¨C Swish... But Glare merely placed her hand on his cheek. ¡°...The cream, I told you to use it.¡± A moment later, Glare¡¯s soft, warm fingers were gently rubbing his cheek. ¡°It¡¯s gonna hurt, hold still.¡± Glare rubbed his cheek, seemingly unperturbed by any residue from the drool. ¡°My dream... is to protect others.¡± She spoke with a trembling voice. ¡°Once upon a time, my life was in danger... and there was someone who saved me.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°He gave me this ring, too. See, it¡¯s really nice, isn¡¯t it?¡± She lifted the radiant ring from the ring finger of her left hand up to his face, and Frey¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°So, just like him... I wanted to protect someone...¡± Glare observed him with her head bowed. ¡°...I guess I don¡¯t even deserve it.¡± She looked at Frey, who was at a loss for words. ¡°Were you threatened? Or is there another reason...¡± ¡°...It¡¯s because I¡¯m bad.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Because I did something wrong, something very ugly and disgusting. So, what happened was justified, and there¡¯s nothing wrong with it.¡± After watching Glare in silence, Frey stood up. ¡°So forget about today, kid, and don¡¯t get involved with me anymore.¡± Leaving those words behind, Frey staggered toward the room¡¯s exit, leaving Glare alone. ¡°..........¡± Due to this, Glare lowered her head with a deflated expression. ¡°Hero... I...¡± With trembling eyes, she clutched the ring on her little finger. ¡°By the way.¡± Just as Frey was about to step out of the door, he stopped and looked back. ¡°...Thanks for the cream.¡± Then, he offered her a genuinely gentle smile, one that hadn¡¯t graced his face in a long time. ¡°Thanks for the help, kiddo.¡± Leaving those words for the wide-eyed Glare, Frey quietly opened the door and left the room. ¡°..........¡± A moment of silence filled the room. ¡°...Sure.¡± Glare, who had removed the ring and now placed it back on, murmured, breaking the quietude. ¡°Let¡¯s start with helping. It¡¯s nonsensical to claim to protect someone if you can¡¯t even help.¡± With a determined expression, she mumbled. ¡°So, I have to help that man... somehow.¡± She contemplated her newly set goal. ¡°And, also...¡± Of course. ¡°...I have another goal, too.¡± Touching the ring on her left ring finger, she reflected on the wish she had been too timid to express earlier. ¡°I owe a great debt to the Hero.¡± That day, Glare shone exceptionally brightly. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that very moment. ¡°...What¡¯s this?¡± Frey, paying little attention to the curious glances of others, headed towards the restroom to rid himself of the remnants of Ruby¡¯s saliva. ¡°This is.....¡± Upon seeing the window that appeared right after he declined the Corruption Quest, he was genuinely perplexed. ¡°What on earth?¡± Quest: DLC Quest Content: ??? Completion Conditions: ??? Reward: ??? He was looking at a brilliantly ¡®gold¡¯ window with a design he had never seen before. It was a moment when coincidence led to inevitability. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 229: Alibi ? Alibi ? ¡°...Whoa.¡± After what felt like an eternity, a wide-eyed Frey opened the restroom door and stepped out. ¡°¡±.......¡±¡± Those around him were discreetly watching, feigning indifference but keenly observing Frey¡¯s actions. The nobles had always admired and envied those in high places, and watching someone fall from the top was more entertaining than anything else. ¨C Step, step... Perhaps sensing the stares of the nobles, Frey lowered his gaze and trudged down. ¡°Ugh...¡± Suddenly, Frey covered his mouth with his hand. The shock from earlier still evident, he gasped for air with a pale face. ¡°...Pff.¡± ¡°Puha.¡± The nobles and maids stared in disgust at the sight. Rumors of Frey¡¯s attack on Ruby had already spread like wildfire, so his behavior was simply ridiculous to them. ¨C Kiririk... Kirik... ¡°...Ah.¡± And with that, Frey found himself shivering alone amid the penetrating gazes and mocking sneers. ¡°Hey...¡± A maid passed by, pushing a cart of liquor, and he called out to her. ¡°May I help you?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like a drink...¡± As Frey said this and extended his hand to her, the maid responded with a cold expression. ¡°I apologize. I have orders not to serve alcohol to Mr. Frey.¡± ¡°...Really?¡± ¡°Yes, so please excuse me.¡± Upon hearing this, Frey, who had been covering the corners of his mouth, frowned. ¡°Well, then, even if it¡¯s weak alcohol...¡± He began to say, but with a nervous glance, he followed her as she hastily pulled the cart away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m a little busy at the moment.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that, the drink...¡± ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t want to be punished.¡± With those words, she spoke, her voice trembling, as she pushed the cart along. True to her word, quite a few nobles were watching the scene, so there was nothing a mere maid could do about it. ¡°.......¡± But Frey¡¯s heart ached unusually. It was due to the coldness in the maid¡¯s eyes as she glanced back at him while leading the cart and the realization that she had once served at his mansion. ¡°...Huh.¡± He lingered for a while, a gloomy expression on his face. Eventually, his shoulders slumped, and he turned towards a nearby drain. ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°.....?¡± A girl had been watching Frey¡¯s misery and unfair treatment until then. ¡°Give me a drink.¡± She stopped the maid who was pulling the cart and spoke in an imposing voice. ¡°...I think you¡¯re too young to drink.¡± It was none other than Glare who stopped the cart. ¡°Oh, no, I¡¯m not! I like to drink!¡± ¡°.......¡± ¡°I, I¡¯ve picked it up on the street a few times... I¡¯ve even sneaked some from my mentor... Anyway, I drink well!¡± With crossed arms and confident speech, she might have seemed brave to herself, but to others, she appeared undeniably cute. ¡°I¡¯m troubled...¡± However, this perspective was solely from the onlookers. From the point of view of the maid who had to take responsibility for it, it was troublesome. ¡°Um... Why don¡¯t you bring your guardian?¡± The maid rolled her eyes slightly. She planned to leverage the presence of Glare¡¯s guardian to intimidate this seemingly inexperienced young noble. ¡°Mentor... should be checking on the Hero by now...¡± ¡°What?¡± But there was something she wasn¡¯t expecting. ¡°Oh, my mentor is the Magic Tower Master.¡± Glare¡¯s guardian was indeed the Tower Master. ¡°Oh, uh...¡± She whispered in such a low voice that the others didn¡¯t hear her, but the maid looked confused and began to stammer. For a maid who wasn¡¯t even a maidservant, the Tower Master, known to be even more eccentric than the Frey she once served, was too high of a barrier. ¡°Well, then... What would you like to drink?¡± Chewing her lip, she asked, her voice trembling. ¡°Hmmm...¡± With her hand on her chin, Glare peered intently into the ice basket. ¡°This, and this, and this. And this one!¡± Lately, just thinking about Frey, especially considering the need to ¡®protect¡¯ him, had been making her heart race. It was always accompanied by the sensation that something was trying to force its way through a tight spot. ¡°...Ugh.¡± As she stroked her heart, she thought of Frey, sprawled out on the floor, with swollen cheeks, eyes wide. ¡°Vener... that bastard...¡± She recalled Frey, who until a few days ago, had been smiling wickedly, calling her a wimp, telling her lewd jokes, and cheekily flirting with her. And when he was subdued, she recalled him looking horrified and even hiccuping, as if he hadn¡¯t even considered it. ¡°Even if I get scolded... I¡¯m going to punish her...¡± He was punched in the stomach by Vener, causing him to fall flat on his back and drool into his hand. She grabbed his arm, slapped him, and even strangled him. In the end, he lay on the ground with his hair disheveled, scorned by those around him. This was how badly he was treated, a boy who blushed at the slightest hint of fear. ¡°........¡± His cocky little devilish demeanor was gone. When he entered the room, he didn¡¯t display his usual cockiness. Instead, he bowed his head with a blank expression, as if he had become a different person. It was quite an adversity to witness the once cocky child reduced to such a state. ¡°...Anyway, I need to do some research on the Hero.¡± Isolet, who had remained silent until then, clenched her fists and muttered. There were too many questions in this case. Apparently, the girl who had summoned everyone earlier had said that the Hero was attacking Frey. She hadn¡¯t been able to elaborate, but she mentioned pressing him on the floor. But why did the Hero say he was on top of her and why were her clothes so loose and tattered? This so-called hero fought a battle and couldn¡¯t even defeat Frey, whom she could have easily subdued in a matter of seconds? Moreover, there were clear signs of Frey being restrained all over his body. Crucially, there were witness accounts that Frey had tears in his eyes and was gagging. ¡®It seems very unlikely, but... But maybe...¡¯ As Islolet organized this information, a possibility flashed through her mind, and she clenched her hands together. It was a far-fetched theory, even for her, but perhaps there was some truth to it. Frey, who had been acting strange lately, and Ruby, who had suddenly appeared in the world. The truth about both of them. ¨C Step, step... Isolet chewed on her lip for a while, her heart racing, her head pounding, and her lips bleeding. ¡°Sigh...¡± She grabbed the strong liquor she had purchased earlier to cool her head and headed to the empty waiting room. ¡°This is the strongest liquor I¡¯ve ever had... It¡¯s not for girls...¡± She entered the waiting room and was about to take a seat when she saw the weak alcohol. ¡°Who, who...?¡± ¡°......?¡± At the sound of the familiar voice, she began to look dazed. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Noona...¡± ¡°Uh, uhm.¡± In front of her, Glare was sweating profusely as she stuck a straw in her drink and sucked it. ¡°Lousy Noona...?¡± ¡°.......¡± ¡°We should make this together...¡± Frey, who had torn up a strange scroll and placed it in front of him, sipped on a strong drink as he entered the room. ¡°...What do you mean?¡± Smiling wryly at himself, Frey recoiled in horror as she took a step forward. ¡°Oh...¡± But then he looked up, silently, with the same glazed look he gave everyone when he was being scorned. ¡°An alibi...?¡± He whispered in a timid voice, watching her closely. ¡°.........¡± She didn¡¯t know exactly what he meant, but Isolet¡¯s eyes were shaking wildly as she observed Frey. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that time. ¡°..........¡± Ruby, who was waving to people from the center of the stage, was silently breaking out in a cold sweat. ¡°Goo, good to see you all~¡± Amongst the people who had gathered to welcome the Hero Party, there were some very familiar faces. ¡°...Hoo-hoo.¡± It was the Combat Executives of the Demon Army, led by the second in command, Dmir Khan. You can rate/review this series here. Chapter 230: Vow Chapter 230: Vow ? Vow ? ¡°Ugh...¡± Frey continued to drink the strong alcohol with wide eyes. ¡°..........¡± And Glare was blankly staring at him. She had arrived with the intention of aiding him in some way, but sharing drinks with a man she had just met left her feeling tense. ¡°Um, excuse me.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°Which of these do you like the most...?¡± ¡°All of them.¡± ¡°Ah, then I¡¯ll give you all of them.¡± Despite her initial determination to help him, upon entering the room with Frey, she found herself quite flustered. ¡°Excuse me, Oppa. About what happened earlier...¡± ¡°I told you to mind your own business.¡± Unintentionally, she brought up the earlier incident and faced his rebuke. ¡°...This is soda.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s mine...¡± ¡°¡±........¡±¡± Repeated small mistakes, like handing him a soda, made the atmosphere increasingly awkward. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have...¡¯ As Frey continued to drink in silence, Glare found herself speaking less, simply sipping her soda. ¡°...Oppa.¡± Unconsciously, she spoke. ¡°Can I be on your side, Oppa?¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Frey, upon hearing this, spewed out the drink he was sipping. ¡°...Whew.¡± After setting down his drink and taking a deep breath, he turned his gaze to her. ¡°Little girl.¡± ¡°Y-yes?¡± He beckoned to Glare, who had been quietly sipping on her drink with a straw in her mouth, and then mumbled something in a low voice. ¡°You... are you strong?¡± ¡°...What?¡± Upon hearing the unexpected question, Glare¡¯s eyes darted back and forth. ¡®W, What should I say...?¡¯ Her mentor had explicitly instructed her not to reveal her abilities to anyone. However, wouldn¡¯t he recognize her strength as a disciple of the Tower Master? With that thought, Glare clenched her fists and shouted. ¡°I, I... am strong! Very strong.¡± ¡°...Liar.¡± Frey looked at her and smirked. ¡°What¡¯s so strong about a little girl like you?¡± ¡°It, it¡¯s true...¡± ¡°Then, show me some magic.¡± ¡°.........¡± She, capable of annihilating everything with a mere snap of her fingers, hesitated because of her mentor¡¯s words. ¡°I, here I go...!¡± Raising one hand high, she discreetly hid the other behind her back and snapped her fingers. ¨C Crackle...! In an instant, a steel statue shattered to pieces. ¡°It¡¯s an Invisible Magic Missile. I developed it.¡± Frey looked at her with a dazed expression. ¨C Swoosh... He muttered quietly, drawing out a scroll created by Kania that induces intoxication in its user. ¡°Not bad.¡± He spoke with a gleam in his eyes. ¡°...At least, I can take care of myself.¡± Several minutes later, Isolet entered the scene. . . . . . ¡°...Lo, lousy sister.¡± Frey, glancing at Isolet sitting next to him, quietly placed his hands on his lap and lowered his head. ¡°Why are you here...?¡± ¡°Frey.¡± ¡°Did... did they call me from above?¡± Frey asked with a fearful expression. ¡°Am... am I... being arrested? Right? You¡¯re here to take me?¡± ¡°.........¡± Watching him, Isolet unknowingly clenched her fist tightly at the sight of the swelling on his face and the wound on his neck. ¡°...Take me.¡± Frey quietly extended his arms to Isolet. ¡°You came to arrest me, didn¡¯t you... right?¡± ¡°Frey, I...¡± Isolet, trying to explain everything to him, halted mid-sentence and glanced at his arm. ¡°...This.¡± Clear handprints adorned his arm. ¡°Sister?¡± In an instant, Frey, with his arm held mid-air by her, looked up at Isolet through the gap between his arms. ¡°Tsk.¡± Isolet looked for a moment into Frey¡¯s fearful eyes and then opened her mouth with a click of her tongue. ¡°...I¡¯ve resolved this matter.¡± Even though it had actually been covered up from the higher-ups, Isolet told this white lie. Naturally, there was a hint of self-interest in her words. ¡°So, rest assured. Don¡¯t cause any more trouble and get out of this place...¡± Isolet sought to comfort Frey and take him away from this cruel place. ¡°Hehe.¡± Isolet paused as the intoxicated Frey bursted into an innocent laughter between the arms she held. ¡°I really like Sister.¡± Frey, trying to hug her but realizing his arms were restrained, quietly buried his head into Isolet¡¯s embrace. ¡°Thank you... Sis.¡± He spoke with a trembling voice. ¡°...For saving me earlier when I was being strangled.¡± Isolet, still holding Frey¡¯s arm, swallowed hard as she looked down at him, his head buried in her embrace. ¡°Um...¡± Glare was watching the scene with an uncomfortable look. ¡°...Give your thanks to that kid over there.¡± Frey noticed Isolet¡¯s demeanor turning cold. ¡°All these actions stem from my selfishness. I¡¯m the one who attacked the Hero. Really.¡± Efficiently concealing his emotions, he pressed on. ¡°You must be terribly disappointed in helping someone like me, right? Right?¡± ¡°.........¡± Listening to Frey¡¯s words, Isolet slowly closed her eyes. ¡°So... hate me.¡± Frey whispered, gently holding her face. ¡°I will dismantle the Imperial Family, shatter the Hero Party, bring down this empire... the entire world...¡± He masked the sorrow threatening to surface. ¡°Oppose me as you once did.¡± ¨C Shaaaa... Frey even revealed his left arm, holding it out in front of her. ¡°I am your enemy.¡± Frey took a deep breath as he saw Isolet, who had now opened her eyes and was blankly staring at his arm. ¨C Swoosh... A moment later, a sword was drawn from Isolet¡¯s waist. ¡°...Hh.¡± Examining the sword handed to him, reminiscing about playful childhood jokes of wanting to be family with Isolet, Frey braced himself to block her impending attack. ¡°Huph.¡± And Isolet, preparing to thrust her sword into Frey. ¡°.........¡± In an instant, silver and sky-blue eyes met. ¨C Clang!! The room echoed with the sound of metal striking. ¨C Zing... Followed by the reverberating hum of the sword. ¡°...Haah, haah.¡± Isolet, still brandishing her sword, panted heavily. ¡°...Sister?¡± Her strike once again narrowly missed. ¨C Brrr... Shivering, her black dagger touched the marble floor right next to Frey¡¯s face. ¡°Damn.¡± In this tense moment, Isolet, displaying a relieved expression, began to whisper in a hushed voice. ¡°I couldn¡¯t kill you again this time.¡± ¡°Sister.¡± ¡°I should be punishing you for becoming part of the Demon King¡¯s army... How did it come to this...¡± Saying so, she withdrew her hand from the blade, and, positioning herself over him, she took Frey¡¯s hand. ¡°...Ah, there was this method.¡± ¨C Press... Applying pressure to keep Frey in place, she carefully began to remove his gloves. ¡°Where did you learn something like this?¡± Then, she playfully stared at the purity ring adorning his left ring finger. ¨C Swish... She closed her eyes briefly, then clasped his left hand with both her hands. ¡°...Chu.¡± She gently pressed her lips to the ring resting on his ring finger. ¡°Um, hey...¡± Frey, taken aback by her actions, began to squirm. She, still astride Frey, exerted pressure with the strength of her legs to ensure he couldn¡¯t move. ¨C Lick. With closed eyes, she ran her tongue from the base to the tip of his ring finger, encompassing the ring. ¡°...Haph.¡± Then, gazing down at Frey, she slightly bit the tip of his ring finger. ¡°Ouch.¡± Her bite drew a small amount of blood from Frey¡¯s finger. ¡°This right now...¡± After ingesting a small amount of blood, Frey observed Isolet using mana to halt the bleeding. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me...?¡± He asked, eyes widening in surprise. ¡°I haven¡¯t sworn a vow to anyone yet. Not to the Imperial Family, not to the Church, not to the Hero.¡± ¡°.....!¡± ¡°If one swears a vow to someone, they understand it¡¯s a commitment that lasts forever, exclusive to that person.¡± Looking down at Frey, Isolet, having finished healing the finger, gently embraced him and began to speak. ¡°...I swear.¡± Hearing those words, Frey¡¯s mouth fell open. ¡°From today on, I, Isolet Arham Bywalker, will become your exclusive knight.¡± Isolet held Frey¡¯s hand and brought it to her cheek. ¡°I will serve you as my lord until I draw my last breath.¡± After making this declaration, Isolet sensed her mana intertwining with his as a result of the vow. ¡°...This is your punishment, Lord Frey.¡± She gently bit Frey¡¯s ear, who was looking at her with trembling eyes, and soon pressed her lips to his. ¡®With this... I can use the vow.¡¯ Feeling her mana rotating faster due to this, she quickly thought. ¡®There¡¯s also a way for me to go below...and become family.¡¯ She contemplated how she should sternly educate Frey in the future. ¡®But for now...¡¯ She narrowed her eyes, tensing her muscles. ¡®It¡¯s about time...¡¯ Just as Frey led the Demon King¡¯s army today, the Imperial Family and the Church had brought assassins to kill him. Unintentionally, Frey had defended himself. ¡®...How can I help Frey escape?¡¯ At present, not only the Demon King¡¯s army but also assassins targeting Frey lurked outside. Even for Isolet, facing such formidable adversaries would prove quite challenging. However... ¡°Uh, um...¡± Entangled below, their hands clasped and tongues entwined, Isolet met the flustered gaze of Frey. ¡®In the end... I¡¯ve caused trouble.¡¯ Isolet quietly vowed. ¡®This brat.¡¯ Somehow, she would protect her young lord in this situation. ¡®Once we get out of here...¡¯ The solitary knight, who had never served anyone. ¡®...I have to scold him.¡¯ As of today, she would be serving one person. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 231: A Knights Resolution Chapter 231: A Knight''s Resolution ? A Knight¡¯s Resolution ? ¡°Haah...¡± Our tongues, Frey¡¯s and mine intertwined gently. ¡°Hmm...¡± Just days ago, this act was a distant thought. I anticipated my heart would race when the moment arrived. ¨C Thump, thump. But when I actually did it, it wasn¡¯t like that at all. My heart now beats rhythmically, synchronized with Frey¡¯s breathing. ¨C Hooo... Frey¡¯s mana and mine blended seamlessly. The point of contact between his abdomen and mine, the meeting of our chests, and the union of our tongues became conduits for accelerated mana flow. ¨C Zzzz... Merging wasn¡¯t an accurate term. It felt disrespectful. This current act was a binding process¡ªan entwining of myself with Frey. I was no longer a teacher at the academy. Nor his mentor. Nor a noble lady. Nor the eldest daughter of the Bywalker family. From this moment onward, I am but Frey Raon Starlight¡¯s servant¡ªhis subordinate. Simultaneously, I was reborn as a knight solely dedicated to him. Pledging allegiance to an individual, as opposed to a nation, a concept, or an organization carries profound significance. While a wizard may make a ¡®Blood Oath,¡¯ a knight, on the other hand, makes a ¡®Vow.¡¯ ¨C Thump, thump, thump. Therefore, labeling this act as a ¡®merging¡¯ would be misleading. It is more fittingly described as a ¡®binding¡¯ or ¡®subjugation.¡¯ I forsake the unique heartbeat and breathing patterns that have accompanied me since birth, aligning myself with the rhythm of my master¡¯s heart and breath. Similarly, I abandoned the distinctive arrangement and uniqueness of the mana coursing through me, replacing it with the pattern of my master¡¯s mana, etched into my very being. All these actions serve as a declaration before my young lord. I cease to be Isolet Arham Bywalker, the eldest daughter of the Bywalker family. I renounce all that I was, overwriting with his essence. This declaration marked the complete redefinition of my identity¡ªnow simply Isolet, Frey¡¯s possession. No matter how foolish Frey might be, he would understand this meaning. It was clear that I was becoming entirely his possession. ¡°Puhah...¡± ¡°Haa, haa...¡± Lost in contemplation, I disentangled our tongues and lifted my head slightly, catching a faint sound from below. ¡°...Stay still.¡± The binding was not yet complete. It would be disastrous if Frey broke free now. ¨C Press... Thus, I gripped both his hands, extended his arms, and pressed down firmly. ¡°Si, sister...¡± Frey, his gaze fixed on my face, addressed me with a restrained intensity and an odd fervor. ¡°Frey.¡± Every time he called me ¡®Sister¡¯, a warmth surged within me. The same happens when I call him by his name. ¡°...Lord Frey.¡± And, for the first time, I addressed him formally. ¡°I am your knight.¡± ¡°.....!¡± The expression on the intoxicated Frey was something I¡¯ll never forget. Yes, this was what I wanted, irrespective of his identity, our relationship, or the circumstances. I simply yearned for a connection with him... ¡°...Hmm.¡± Gazing into Frey¡¯s blushing face and silver eyes, I suddenly shook my head. ¡°What, what...? What was that memory...?¡± As I regained my senses, I muttered. What was that overpowering memory and emotion just now? It seemed akin to the present situation, yet it held a profound sadness. ¡°...Sister.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± As Frey gazed at me, his eyes wavered, and suddenly my eyes shook. ¡°Did you really think I couldn¡¯t beat you?¡± In an instant, I found myself pinned beneath him. ¡°...Sigh.¡± True to his words, my attempts to resist proved futile. Frey, that delicate and seemingly fragile boy, now held me in a dominating position. ¡°...Do you know?¡± I was struggling to adjust to this sudden turn of events. ¡°Sister... I made a mistake.¡± Just like I had done earlier, he secured both my arms, and looking down at me, Frey began to speak. ¡°I... I¡¯m truly a bad kid, you know? Making a pledge to someone like that, what are you thinking?¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°I... I¡¯m not as pure as you believe. I¡¯ve been rotten for a long time. There¡¯s no redemption for me.¡± As Frey spoke, he applied even more force on my arms. Simultaneously, his expression turned fierce, growling like an angry cat. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re in big trouble now. You have to obey my orders. Even if I command you to commit heinous acts, assassinate noble heroes, or engage in vile deeds, or even self-harm or suicide, you must comply.¡± With those words, Frey lifted my arms above my head with one hand, and with the other, he reached for my clothes. ¡°And, even if... I do such things...¡± Even though he tried to use his drunkenness as an excuse, his voice faltered as his hand touched my chest. ¡°Sis, now you... must obey me...¡± He began to undo my buttons slowly as he spoke. Come to think of it, A similar scenario unfolded a few weeks ago, where I had exerted control over Frey. In hindsight, that marked the inception of this journey. The reason why I tread this path. ¡°...Isolet, you are mine.¡± Even though my buttons were almost undone and I hadn¡¯t shown any reaction, Frey tried hard to smirk and speak. ¡®...Could he be trying to upset me?¡¯ His expression left little doubt; it was undoubtedly a provocation. In such situations, Frey¡¯s words typically elicited a look of disgust from those with a personality akin to mine. Yet, considering his inebriated state, perhaps he couldn¡¯t discern this. Does he truly not realize? That most people would be thrilled to hear him say those words? ¡°You¡¯re mine. From now on, I¡¯ll use you to do vile things. Right now even...¡± ¡°...I understand.¡± ¡°What?¡± Exhaling deeply, I gazed up at him pinning me down. ¡°Now, I belong to you.¡± Frey¡¯s eyes wavered in response. ¡°I realize it¡¯s challenging to meet the pure you. I understand I can¡¯t redeem you.¡± ¨C Woo-woong... Then, the mana inside me resonated with him. ¡®...So this is what a vow is.¡¯ The moment of the vow I always imagined when I was a girl, my heart fluttered even thinking about it. Becoming a knight of the Imperial Family, having a sword placed on my shoulder, receiving a baptism from the altar, or if not, I thought I would vow to myself. I never imagined I would vow to a man. It almost felt like a romance novel. ¡®Well, does it matter...¡¯ Ultimately, it didn¡¯t matter now. I was finally bound to him. From this moment on, I was Frey¡¯s possession and his protector. ¨C Swish... With that thought in mind, a shy, soft smile tugging at the corners of my mouth as I released my embrace with Frey. ¡°........¡± Even as I let go, Frey, still lying on the ground, looked at me with drunken eyes and a complex expression filled with various emotions. ¡®...I have to protect him.¡¯ Observing him, so adorable as he shyly covered his face with his hands, putting away the cheeky look he usually showed. ¡®I must save him here.¡¯ I soon shifted my gaze toward the desk. ¨C It¡¯s an order. Prepare for battle. ¨C Confirmed. The increasingly unsettling sounds of the radio. And at the same time, her heart became fiercely hot. ¡°...Huh.¡± The fluttering romance ended. Now, I must struggle for survival as his knight. ¨C Woo-woong... Gently stroking my sword, creating a pleasing resonance, I turned my gaze back to the desk. ¡°Hmm...¡± The disciple of the Tower Master had left several scrolls that could prove helpful in this situation. Since they were made by the Tower Master, they should be useful. ¨C Single-use Shield Magic ¨C Electric Whip Magic ¨C Fluidization Magic ¨C Doppelga?nger Magic (30 second duration) ¨C Radar Magic ¡°Quite useful.¡± Indeed, it was stocked with items suitable for battle and high-quality resources fit for warfare. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll take them all... huh?¡± As I was carefully picking out the most useful things. ¨C Miniaturization Magic [Animal Transformation] ¡°........Oho.¡± Discovering an old scroll, I squinted. ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it, Sister. Once we join up with the Demon King Army...¡± I seemed to have found a way to keep Frey safe. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment. ¡°Thank you for the warm welcome~!¡± Ruby was greeting everyone at the celebratory party for the Hero Party nearing its climax. ¡®...You guys, what are you plotting?¡¯ Sweating nervously as she looked at Dmir Khan and Lemerno, who had been watching her with suspicious smiles since earlier. ¡®What on earth...¡¯ Ruby had been concentrating her nerves on the impending unknown attack and pondering for quite a while. ¨C We are investigating what¡¯s going on. So, please do not worry too much. ¡°...Hmm.¡± When Serena, whom she believed she had turned into a subordinate by taking her soul a long time ago, transmitted that radio message, she withdrew her gaze from them and brightened her expression again. ¡°From now on, I will protect all of you and this world! So, please don¡¯t worry and enjoy your life!¡± ¡°Waaaaaaaa!¡± Ruby declared to everyone. ¡®Frey, no matter how much you rack your brain...¡¯ As the lights went off, she envisioned the idiots who had just been praising her. ¡®...It still won¡¯t work against me.¡¯ She murmured to herself with a chilling smile. ¨C Fizz... At that moment, all the lights in the main hall went out all at once. ¡°Kyaa?¡± ¡°What, what¡¯s going on...?¡± In the now darkened main hall. ¡°...Hmm.¡± She scanned the surroundings with a scowl. ¨C Groooo... ¡°......!¡± As the tightly shut door creaked open and someone came in, her eyes widened. ¡°W, what...!¡± ¡°.....!¡± Others shared the same reaction. ¡°Uhh....uhh...¡± The First Princess, Rifael, appeared at the Validation Ceremony of the Hero Party in an utterly terrible state. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 232: A Great Turmoil Chapter 232: A Great Turmoil A Great Turmoil Ugh, ugh Distracted and unfocused, Rifael entered the main hall, glancing around slowly. Whats that? Is it a demon? No, does she belong to the demon clan? Sporting a half-broken ruby-colored horn on one side of her head, purple skin, and a black tail protruding from her back, she tried to dispel the misconception. No, Im not a demon or a devil. Looking at her transformed appearance, Rifael approached the crowd with a trembling voice. I am a princess of this country. Kyah! No, stay away! Watching Rifaels grotesque form, the result of Freys scorching influence, people recoiled with screams and frowns. Oh, ah Once praised for her beauty, now abandoned by those who fled from her altered appearance, Rifael trembled as she examined herself. I cant accept this! Why do I have to suffer this humiliation?! She shouted through gritted teeth, her frantic screams resonating in the main hall and drawing the attention of onlookers. Take care of her. Empress Ramie ordered coldly from the stage. Yes. The Imperial Familys knights, once at her command, approached with weapons drawn, making her step back in fear. No, dont come near! In a sudden burst, she released magic, wreaking havoc as desks, chairs, and chandeliers were destroyed. Kwa-jik! Kwa-jik! Cough!! Argh!! Immediately execute that devil spawn, for she has found this hidden place. Oh, Mother! As the Imperial guards and knights closed in under Ramies order, Rifael let out a terrified scream. Its me, Rifael! Your daughter!! What? Ramie squinted, finally focusing on the disfigured girl before her. That drug! After taking it I became like this. ! Rifaels revelation, a guarded secret, hardened the Empresss expression. Frey and Clana! Theyre responsible for all of it! Seeing the Empresss reaction, Rifael hurriedly tried to explain herself, but someone suddenly lunged, seized her hair, and slammed her to the ground. Whaah! Cough! You, you Stunned, Rifael, holding the back of her head, attempted to speak to Clana, who looked down at her with cold detachment. Shaaaaa Aaaaaah!!! Clanas solar mana exploded abruptly, making Rifael scream in anguish as she released purple and ruby smoke clouds into the air. Everyone, pay attention! As the crowd acclimated to Rifaels screams and the billowing smoke, Clanas voice cut through, cold and resolute. This is Rifael, my elder half-sister. What? What are you saying? Impossible Why would the Princess be a demon? But that face Its really Miss Rifael, isnt it? Individuals skeptical initially could only nod as Rifaels demonic facade unraveled beneath Clanas solar mana. Ugh, Clana You you bastard The glaring with disdain at her younger sibling was undeniably Rifael. Capture her, but dont kill her. Yes, y-yes? Quickly! Ah, understood Witnessing this, Empress Ramie promptly directed nearby soldiers. Prepare a carriage. Yes. First, secure Rifael and evacuate. Shrouding her face with a fan, she motioned her attendant to carry out the orders. Halt! Clana pointed and exclaimed. Everyone, theres something crucial you must understand! Ugh Cradling the fading Rifael, her consciousness waning from the excess absorption of solar mana, Clana surveyed the surroundings with a grave expression. The Imperial Family has become corrupt! The weighty proclamation hung in the air. .. Though a significant revelation, the nobles expressions remained indifferent. The empire was well aware of the Imperial Familys corruption, rendering Clanas statement almost mundane. Hence, instead of being shocked, they looked at Clana with an expression that conveyed: this is old news. All Imperial Family members, except myself, have pledged allegiance to the Demon King! Clanas brief, accusatory gaze at Ruby triggered a noticeable shift in everyones demeanor. The corruption within the Imperial Family wasnt a small issue, as affiliating with the Demon King severely threatened everyones safety. The Imperial Family is now under the power of the Demon King! Theyve forsaken humanity, bartering their souls for personal safety! As Clana continued, unrest spread. Do you possess evidence for such claims? Gulp. Thinking over and over, Isolet eventually swallowed hard. Swoosh Meow? She tucked the silver cat into her embrace. Ah, uhm However, she soon hit another roadblock. When the cat snuggled against her already ample chest, it looked peculiar. If she were an enemy, she would likely attack that suspicious spot first. Uhm Due to this, while contemplating in front of a mirror, she muttered with a trembling voice. Then I have no choice down there Swish Saying that, she began to move the cat. Meow No, not that. As the cat, having slipped from her grip, peeked out from under her clothes and let out a gloomy meow, Isolet scratched her head, deep in thought. After all, theres no other way. After considerable contemplation, the cat found itself positioned between her chest and waist. Meow! Well, it cant be helped. Its for your safety. Having transformed into a cat, Frey stretched his arms and legs, embracing her waist. Isolet secured him by tying a rope around her waist. Now then She adopted a cold expression while drawing her sword. Meow. Eep! She flinched as Frey wriggled. She looked down at her stomach. Meow Meow Hmm. Gently caressing Freys back as he twisted and meowed in her clothes, Isolet felt maternal affection, protective instinct, and warmth in her heart and lower abdomen. I will protect you Frey. Lets go. With a warm smile, she picked up his clothes and underwear from the sofa, her hands trembling. Hyaaah! She shattered the waiting room door with a single sword strike and bolted outside. The target is running away! Wait! Its not Frey! Search the room first! You guys follow that woman. Ill search the room. Thus commenced a life-or-death chase. Whirl! Amidst the chaos, a canary made of flower petals, crafted by Clana, fell from Freys robe pocket where it had been sleeping. Chirp~ After hovering around for a while, it began to fly away, singing a sweet melody. . . . . . What was that? What on earth Roswyn muttered, her fists clenched. She was in the bathroom and had just finished washing her face. I-I was chased out like that How, how can While the introduction party for the Hero Party was in full swing, she had discreetly slipped out after hearing rumors about the recent incident involving Frey. Why only me Wandering around, she accidentally witnessed a romantic scene between Isolet and Frey through the waiting room door, now enveloped in panic. Whoosh . She kept her head down under the running water for a long time. Grumble. She quietly gritted her teeth and raised her head. Youll regret this, wont you, Frey? she murmured, looking in the mirror. I I am now a part of the Hero Party. A team that will remain in the worlds history, supporting the hero. Ill handle crucial information among them. Whoosh Well, feel free to ignore me. I have the Hero now. All I need is to get along with the Hero. She sought solace in her words. That brat caused another incident today, right? No matter how I think about it, its a waste on my part. Yes, it actually turned out for the best Haha. She smiled and tried to leave the bathroom, her voice trembling as she muttered. Yeah, whats so great about Frey? He is nothing special. Does he think hes some kind of hero or something Chirp! Huh? Suddenly, a familiar canary flew into the bathroom, and her eyes widened in surprise. Chirp. The canary, which had just been singing a beautiful melody, flew toward her and stared at Roswyn. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 233: Awakening? Chapter 233: Awakening? Awakening? Gasp Gasp Keep it down. Our target is nearby. Damn them. Isolet gripped her sword tightly, breathing heavily. Annoyance furrowed her brows as shouts echoed from the stairs. These assassins are too skilled Each ones abilities rival a Commander of a Knight Order. Sweat covered her body, numerous small wounds marring her form. Who are these guys? She ensured not a single wound was on her lower abdomen. Meow Frey, shush. Inside her clothes, Frey, transformed into a small silver cat, clung closely to her belly. Meow? They cant find out about you However, a small problem arose. Lick. Huh? The Tower Masterhailed as the mightiest before Irina appearedhad created the miniaturization scroll that could flawlessly morph its subject into an animal. Meow F Frey? The issue was its perfection. Due to the prolonged effects of the scroll, the individual undergoing transformation experienced a diminishing of rationality, giving way to heightened animal instincts. Lick Lick ! Frey, becoming more cat-like in instincts, rubbed his face against Isolets bare skin, licking her belly. That stop iiit Already flustered by Frey squirming against her belly, Isolet shivered at the sensation, her face reddening. If you keep doing that Frey continued licking, and Isolet felt her legs begin to unravel. ..Umm. Her expression soured, and she glared at him coldly. Im not taking chances. Just as she spoke, she looked toward the stair entrance. Shashasha! Swish! Multiple shadows, about half a dozen, whisked past her, initiating a silent battle. Fizzing! Screech! In a one-versus-many handicap match, Isolet, shedding her earlier flustered demeanor, showcased her prowess as the upcoming Sword Saint. As Isolets sword traced an elegant path, two masked assassins dropped to their knees. Subsequently, the remaining assailants cautiously began to retreat. The elimination of all the front-liners targeting Isolet caught them off guard; they hadnt anticipated her strength. Haa Haa Isolet appeared visibly fatigued, so she refrained from an immediate counterattack and instead assessed the situation. Should we retreat? What a foolish thing to say. If we retreat now, were dead too. The assassins engaged in a discussion among themselves. But that woman shes too strong. Hmm After thoughtful contemplation, a shorter manthe apparent leader at the backspoke. Everyone, target her abdomen. His eyes gleamed as he continued. She was wary of her stomach when attacked. There must be something there. Thats right, her behavior seemed unnatural. Come to think of it, it feels like something is wriggling Upon hearing his words, the assassins, nodding in agreement, turned their cold gaze toward Isolet. Maybe its a baby. When the short man timidly suggested this, everyone stared at him intensely. When have we ever cared about that? Have you ever killed a pregnant woman? Well, that is As the man hesitated, the assassins gave him a cold, piercing look. Seriously, I cant believe we have to fight alongside these newbies. Ignoring him, the leader stepped forward. Inflict a fatal wound and capture her alive. We need to find out Freys whereabouts. With that directive, they advanced toward Isolet. Damn Bastards. Isolets heightened senses allowed her to hear their whispers; her eyes burned with fury as she watched them. . . . . . Haa Haa Isolet, with a strained expression, collapsed heavily onto the ground. . The corpses of the assassins were strewn around her. Uh, ugh Among those who had attacked her, only the short man remained, clutching his knife with both hands and trembling on the ground. Grrrrr Ah, ahh! After encountering and fighting the assassins targeting Frey several times, she had grown quite exhausted. Hmm However, as she wandered further, her head cooled down, and she noticed oddities. She shone light from her hand toward the door she had opened numerous times. Whats this? She soon realized this door was distorted. Whoosh.. Could it be? The door and the space inside were both distorted. She murmured through gritted teeth. Spatial distortion She stared in horror at the terrifying trap her mentor, the archenemy of Dmir Khan, had told her abouta trap she couldnt escape alive. Oh, this cant be.. She murmured with a sad face. I need to help the Hero I need to help that poor person too She felt terrified, worried she might be trapped here forever. Ah, ahh! Snap! Desperate, she snapped her fingers while looking at the distorted space. Zzzzap!!! Eek! A huge shockwave came with a loud noise. Ouch Huh? For the second time today, she had landed on her buttocks. She gently rubbed her butt with tears in her eyes; suddenly, her eyes widened. What, whats this? The space shattered. Gasp. She had even broken Dmir Khans distorted space. Its fascinating every time I see it. Huh? It seems to take up energy but its not magic. In this perplexing situation, she recalled what her master had said when she shattered a five-layered barrier with a snap. Its not divine power, nor sacred power, nor martial arts It doesnt even seem to mix with miracle power. Then, what is it? I dont know either. She looked at her hand. Your power is not from this world. She stared at the ring on her left ring finger; it had been shining for a while. Swish Lets go. She stood up and stepped into the broken space with determination. Oops. Then, in a flash, she arrived in the next space. I did it I made it! The thrill of reaching a new place delighted her, prompting her to cheer and smile. Now thenHuh? As she increased her pace, she noticed an open door beside her, and her eyes widened. Excuse me? A girl lay unconscious in the bathroom. Chirp! Chirp! A canary was furiously pecking at the girls forehead. Huh? Above the girl, a buzzing window floated. Whats this? Glare was familiar with this opaque window. Helper System Congratulations! You have been awakened as the Heros Helper! However, this window was slightly different from the one she had seen before. Helper System > Identity of the Hero The identity of the Hero, as you know [System Error] [System Error] [System Error] > Functions > Store > Achievements Critical System Error Detected Error code: 998, 999 (Suspicion of Abnormal Awakening / Doubt in Users Ownership Eligibility) The Helper System window crackled and buzzed with strange messages due to a malfunction. What on earth Glare observed the situation intently and cautiously reached out to the window. [System Error is being fixed.] [Recovery: 1% Completed] A message appeared at the bottom. Umm Roswyn, the unconscious girl, began to open her eyes. Huh? Whats this? Roswyns fierce voice soon echoed in the bathroom. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 234: A Huge Twist Chapter 234: A Huge Twist A Huge Twist Chirp! Whats going on? As Glare approached the bathroom, Roswyn vented her frustration at Frey while staring into the mirror. Ouch! Hey, what are you doing Ouch! A canary pecked at her forehead, and she instinctively swatted at it. Chirp! Chirp! Argh, ack! Relentlessly, the canary continued its assault on her forehead. Ugh Roswyns eyes welled up from the weak but fierce attack, which also left a slight scrape, drawing blood. This is In a foul mood, she summoned solar mana and aimed it at the canary. Chirp~ Huh, what? Despite Roswyns attack, the canary trilled a beautiful song and flapped its wings. Roswyns weak solar mana was no match for Clanas fully awakened mana. In fact, the canary absorbed the mana. Really Why.. Why cant anything go right for me lately!! Bang! Bang! In frustration, Roswyn unleashed random shots of solar mana. Chirp! Ah! Due to her actions, scraps from the broken ceiling struck the canary. Wincing, it lunged toward Roswyns forehead again. Got you! Chirp!? Roswyn, anticipating the attack, caught the canary just before it could peck her forehead again. Zzzzzz!!! Kyaaaaaaah!! Then, something unexpected happened. Chirp, chirp? Usually, her Helper System would activate with the flower given by Frey, but it oddly triggered when Roswyn grabbed the petal-turned-canary. Unbeknownst to her, even the effects of the [Closed Conquest Route] were active. Ugh Thud Overwhelmed by the side effects, Roswyn collapsed onto the bathroom floor. After a while, the canary managed to escape her grasp. Peck, peck, peck!! Looking at the momentarily unconscious Roswyn, it angrily pecked at her forehead. Chirp! Chirp! This continued until Glare entered the bathroom several minutes later. . . . . . Ugh It was dark all around. Where am I Clutching her throbbing head, Roswyn rose and muttered in the gloomy space. Is this my room? Despite the deep darkness, the unmistakable signs of her room surrounded herthe walls adorned with her favorite flowers and albums featuring pictures of the Hero she adored. But I was in the bathroom just now Roswyn was puzzled over how she had transitioned from battling a fierce canary to sitting in her room. Am I dreaming? She entertained the thought for a moment and cautiously took a step forward. Surveying the room, she hoped to awaken from this perplexing dream. Huh? However, as she moved, something hugged her foot. Ah! Startled, she looked down and screamed at the sight before her. .. Beneath her was a girl, her head bowed. Wh-who who are you Maintaining a guarded expression, Roswyn approached the girl cautiously. Gasp. Recognition struck her when she saw the girl, and her eyes widened in shock. Oh my God The girl was none other than herself. Hehe. Yet, she looked different from her present self. A dazed expression lingered on her face, with visible traces of dried tears. Her hair, a tangled mess with some parts falling out, held an unexpected silver hue. Hero? Eek! Staring at her own image, Roswyn recoiled at the sound of her own voice and fell to the floor in shock. Th Quickly, she opened her mouth, scanning the surroundings. Oh my The walls had scratch marks, and numerous photos of Ruby and flowers received by her were scattered on the floor. But what about the photos and flowers currently hanging on the walls? Star flowers? Upon this realization, Roswyn glanced back at the wall, recognizing that all the flowers adorning her room were star flowers. She took a slow step back. So the photos? Gradually sensing that something was off, she looked up. A familiar face met her gaze. Why? It was a once-familiar face, one she believed she would have forever. But now, it seemed like something she might never have again. Hehe, he. As her consciousness waned, Roswyn heard her own laughter echoing as she stared at the photo. Whats going on? She closed her eyes and pondered the inexplicable situation. Th, this Upon waking up and opening her eyes, she was greeted by a floating system window. Ruby surveyed her surroundings. She saw Vener, sobbing but still showing great loyalty, the paladin moving her shield lifelessly, and Ferloche shouting at the top of her lungs. This is madness. She muttered softly and drew the Fake Heros sword. Crack!!! She attacked with overwhelming force. Hmm? However, Dmir Khan easily dodged her attack. Thats strange Dmir Khan mused, looking down at Ruby with a curious expression. You dont seem as strong as when we fought before Is it true that youve fallen ill, or is there another reason you cant attack me seriously? Tsk. Could it be, itd be problematic for you if I die? From Rubys perspective, it would indeed be problematic. After all, Dmir Khan was a crucial asset in the Demon Army, and it was imperative to keep him alive. How did this happen She knew that such a situation could arise, which was precisely why she had the genius Serena as her subordinate. But the scenario she had dreaded the most had finally unfolded. Bang!! Heroooo!! What now? The tightly sealed doors shattered, and Roswyns voice echoed. The Demon King gritted her teeth and muttered. Hero! Its me, Roswyn! Oh, I see. Roswyn, panting heavily after hurrying to Rubys side, received a grimacing response. Ive awakened! Now, I can help you, Hero! What? Taken aback, Ruby questioned as Roswyns eyes sparkled. Oh my God! Why are you so hurt?! Ha, haha As you can see, the situation is What should I do? Hero! Roswyn, looking at the heavily injured Ruby, spoke. Im fine, so please take shelter over there Somewhat irritated, Ruby gently whispered and pushed her aside. Here, drink this! What? Roswyn handed over a bubbling potion, and Ruby looked puzzled. Its a special potion only the Hero can take. Drinking this will increase your stats and heal you! Hmm. Ruby, suspicious, took the potion bottle with a slight smile. Well, if thats the case. Soon after, she took a sip of the potion. Wow!!!!! Ferloche, watching the scene blankly from the side, rushed toward her with a silly smile. You did amazing! Truly impressive! Yes, uh-yes? This is insane!! Miss Roswyn! Shortly after, someone grabbed either Roswyns collar or shoulder and shook her vigorously. Ugh. Having taken a sip of the potion, Rubys face twisted in distaste, and she tilted her head. What is this? Suddenly [Compatibility Assessment Completed] Huh? A system window emerged in front of her. [Assessment Result: Unqualified] ..? Roswyn stared blankly at the incomprehensible word. [Solution: Transfer control to the one most helpful to the Hero] What, what did you say? Upon seeing the alarming message, she muttered in confusion. [Transferring.] Huh? Wha? It was already too late. [Transfer Complete] Uh.? In front of her, the words Transfer Complete lingered for a while. [Transferred Function: Helper System Window Control] [Concurrently Owned Function: System Window Summoning] [Functions Not Transferred: Detection Penalty Invalidation, System Notifications, Achievement Notifications, etc.] .. Roswyn stared blankly at the system window for a long time, remaining silent upon seeing the words written. [Control Locked] What, whats this? With a lock icon, she realized her system control was blocked, muttering in a resentful voice. Hero! Dont worry! I will protect you! I never thought Id get an invitation to the Heros Party. I never even dreamed of it. Although Im a secret member with this maybe I can effectively restrain Frey. Behind Roswyn, Vener, still loyally shouting, Arianne, still dazed, and Alice, still looking cold, approached Ruby. Crack! Hmm? A window appeared before the eyes of Glare, who had been watching the whole scene. Helper System > Identity of the Hero The identity of the Hero, as you know [Error] [System Error Being Fixed.] Whats this? It was the moment she recalled the opaque window that she had always seen. [.Restoration: 5% Completed] You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 235: Fear Chapter 235: Fear Fear Cough Ugh He, Hero!? Ruby unsteadily gasped for breath, bending forward. Whats wrong!? Hero! That cough Hero! Vener rushed to support her with a distressed expression as she lost her balance and fell. Get a hold of yourself! If the Hero dies now, the empire has no chance! Uh Vener shouted desperately, looking down at the dazed Ruby. Im losing my mind. Feeling her body contort, she closed her eyes tightly. She must be in shock from losing so much blood. Even without that, she was injured enough to lose consciousness at any moment. Even though the Heros Armament hasnt fully awakened she pushed herself to fight Witnesses pitied her condition, but the reality was a bit different. What is this sensation? Ruby, typically resistant to most attacks, had pretended to be injured to gain trust. Her plan was to feign weakness and then make a decisive move. Whats this nauseating feeling in my stomach? Unexpected side effects had come from the healing potion Roswyn gave her. Since the potion granted extraordinary healing to the Hero, it was evident what would happen when consumed by the Demon King. Groan As a result, Ruby experienced a gut-wrenching pain for the first time, retching on the ground. Gag Similar to how Frey had felt moments ago because of her, tears welled up in Rubys eyes. Escort the Hero! If she dies, its over for all of us! Vener shouted, unsure how to help Ruby. Her shout made others gather around them. Hero, was this another scheme by that Frey? Did he curse you irreversibly when he attacked earlier? Ill definitely break that guys neck. For justice! Vener was a knight who escorted the Hero and revered justice. Ive summoned shields nearby. They should hold for a few minutes. I, I also summoned a barrier Hmm. The still spiritless Paladin, the flustered Arianne, and the stoic Alice spoke as such. . For some reason, Roswyn stood apart, looking lost and dazed. Ill heal you!!! So, please bear with it!! Cough!?iscover new chapters at novelhall.com Finally, the pure-white Saintess, Ferloche joined. The Hero Party, humanitys last hope, had finally made their presence known to the world. Frey that deceiver resorting to such schemes However, the crux of the issue was that the main hero was, in fact, a hypocrite. Then I cannot simply go along with it. Cough, cough. Under Ferloches divine healing, Ruby rose with a cough tinged with blood. Ugh Ruby! Vener, steadfastly at Rubys side, offered unwavering support. Youre correct Vener. Ruby whispered to the assembled Hero Party members. Actually, this is Freys doing. !!! Silence fell over the surroundings. I had sensed it beforehand and tried to persuade Frey But he attacked me instead. Is that true!? Still, I tried to convince him till the end I never anticipated it would come to this. I truly feel ashamed before all of you. As Ruby trailed off, Vener gritted her teeth. I will find Frey and kill him. No, you mustnt. Freys still Gripping her sword firmly, she spoke with a trembling voice. The responsibility is mine. But when Vener uttered those words, Ruby fell silent. In this situation, I didnt order the assassination The System cant intervene. Evaluating her cunning plan with a smile, Ruby continued. Do we simply need to eliminate Frey? You mean, kill him? Can we But I only know defensive magic Provide support from the rear. Ill take care of his throat. Around her, the Paladin and Arianne spoke in hushed tones. Alice was also present. Frey, the true battle begins now. Ruby gazed at them with a solemn expression. This is merely the start. The current members of the Hero Party are weak. However, many out there hate Frey, so I can always replace them whenever. Smirking to herself, she murmured. So your torment is only just beginning. Um, so She attempted to inquire with a trembling voice. Are you Th, thank you Roswyn. Ruby, suddenly grabbing her hand, began speaking with a smile. Thanks to you, I survived What? Actually, I had contracted a fatal disease, just as the rumor suggested Upon hearing this, Roswyns eyes started to waver. I couldnt mention it casually but after consuming your potion, it seems the disease has fully healed. This is part of the healing process. It was such a serious illness haha. Ruby made such a reveal. Once this incident is over, I will acknowledge you as the one who has contributed the most among the Hero Party members. Ah, um So, for now, leave. Youre useful no, I value you. Saying this, she pushed Roswyn toward the exit. Join the Hero Party pursuing Frey. Youll be safe with them. Ah With a dazed expression, Roswyn began making her way toward the exit. Miss Ruby. She halted in her tracks. Um, I have I have a question With her face turning pale, she asked. Er, the name Ruby Yes? Is it, um, an alias? Hmm? Ruby, taken aback by the unexpected question, tilted her head. My name has always been Ruby. She answered with a clear and innocent voice. Ah, oh, I see Hearing her response, Roswyn started shaking uncontrollably. .. Ruby narrowed her eyes and fixed her gaze on Roswyn. Roswyn? Yes, yes? What are you looking at? Ruby inquired of Roswyn, who had been staring into space with her eyes trembling since earlier. Ah, its nothing Responding softly to Ruby, Roswyn started to walk away slowly. Sigh sigh She looked up into space with a face full of fear. System Notification! [ Achievement Unlocked: First Step ] Decides to help the Hero. Intelligence +1 Courage +1 Floating in the air was a system notification that had somehow appeared while she was talking to Ruby, but Roswyn focused on something other than that. Helper System > Identity of the Hero The identity of the Hero, as you know, is [F ] [.Restoration: 5% Completed] The slightly fixed system error revealed a tiny part of the broken characters. Helper System [F ] . Seeing this, an indescribable, immense fear began to engulf Roswyn. . . . . . Meanwhile Weve arrived! Why did you leave me behind I was only thinking of biting off the neck of the Hero Party for my master With a displeased face, Lulu murmured in a low voice as she disembarked from the carriage. Huh? Then, she froze upon seeing an unusual sight. Whooshhh The building where the Heros Inauguration Ceremony was supposed to be held emitted intense demonic energy. Grrr. Lulu snarled, baring her teeth. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 236: The Light And The Candidate Chapter 236: The Light And The Candidate The Light And The Candidate Sizzle sizzle Exhausted, Isolet walked down the corridor, her sword dragging and creating sparks along the ground. Haa Haa Numerous wounds marred her body, concentrated mainly on her chest and arms. Frey During the intense battle with the group of assassins, she had successfully blocked most attacks aimed at her abdomen. Ouch. Yet, that didnt mean she could avoid all strikes. She had nearly awakened her swordsmanship skills, but that didnt make her opponents any less skilled. They also had a numerical advantage. Isolet allowed herself to be hit in the abdomen only three times while shielding Frey, located near her belly, from severe injuries. I will protect you. Undeterred, she pressed forward. Every opened door complicated her path, with assassins persistently emerging. Having sworn allegiance to Frey, she served as his exclusive knight, determined to ward off all threats. Slurp. Mm. Perhaps due to the deep connection between their hearts, Frey, who had been closely nestled against her abdomen, resumed licking her belly. Lick, lick. . Initially startled by his slightly rough yet gentle tongue, she accepted it after witnessing silver dust seeping into her wounds, easing her pain. Thank you. It feels good. There was a reason why she felt oddly warm and pleasant whenever he licked her belly. Frey, by the way, you After allowing Frey to stay on her belly for a while, Isolet, now resting, peered into her clothes with a worried expression. She was drenched in enemies blood and her sweat. She worried Frey might catch a cold. Meow Hmm? Unexpectedly, Frey grabbed her clothes, emitting a sorrowful sound. Ugh. With some effort, Isolet lifted her clothes, clenching her teeth immediately. Serious wounds marked the back of Frey, now transformed into a silver cat and crouched on her abdomen. Lick Even then, Frey appeared unfazed, persistently licking the wounds on her abdomen. Squeeze. Meow? While gazing at Frey, Isolet shielded him with her clothes and enveloped him tightly with both arms. Ill protect you Ill surely protect you She began to stroke her belly, overwhelmed by maternal instincts and a fierce desire to protect. Fzzzt! Huh??iscover new chapters at novelhall.com Then, a golden aura erupted from her protruding belly. Damn, its almost time. Startled by the situation, Isolet realized the Miniaturization Animal Transformation Scrolls usage time was nearing its end. Its okay I still have one more Miniaturization Scroll left. In this tense moment, though moving to a random location, Isolet had kept an eye on the building entrance drawing closer. So, just a little more hang in there a bit more She started to move, clenching her teeth. Sizzle, sizzle From her sword, a stronger aura emanated. Unaware, Isolet had reached a level surpassing the strongest sword energy she ever produced during training. Now, she stood on the cusp of awakening as a Sword Saint. Sizzle Sizzle Whats that? As she continued walking, she heard a buzzing noise near her ears. Ah, ah. Frey! Can you hear me? Anticipating another enemy transmission, she tensed up. However, upon hearing a gentle female voice, she breathed a sigh of relief. Im taking the kids with me now~! Hang in there a little longer~! I am feeling relieved after hearing from the Demon Kings army; I must be at my wits end. Frey had given her this tiny magical communication device when he had agreed to her strategy while blushing; this confirmed his affiliation with the Demon Kings army. Um excuse me Huh? Who is this? Reluctant to accept this fact, Isolet cautiously spoke. Who are you? Shouldnt you answer me first? Im Freys exclusive knight. There was a moment of silence on the other end. Well, theres no way he wouldve had his transmitter stolen, right? After a brief pause, the woman mumbled cheerfully. Im the third-ranked Combat Executive in the Demon Kings army! I dont have a name! She proclaimed confidently. A third rank Combat Executive? Frey commands someone of that rank? Isolet was surprised. .Anyway. Glancing nervously at Frey, who began to lick her navel as their eyes met, she muttered with a smirk. You cheeky little guy. Frey used to bravely challenge her every day, only to lay defeated on the ground beneath her, sobbing and covered in dirt. I, I too want to defeat Sister Hmm. She felt sympathy for the boy, finding him adorable as he struggled. During their training, she spent more time overpowering him than crossing swords. Consequently, she always rewarded him with ice cream after their sessions. Frey, seeming to forget his earlier defeat, happily munched on the ice cream, looking up at her with a beaming smile. Now, that same Frey had become the biggest bastard in the empire, joining the Demon Kings army and commanding Combat Executives Caught in this stark contrast, she stood there holding Frey for a while. Well, even if he joins the Demon Kings army He wont be mistreated. Clank! As her eyes grew cold and she stepped forward, the visor of the armors helmet opened. .. A long, heavy silence ensued. Ahem. Breaking the silence, Isolet, inside the armor, spoke. I was fatally wounded by the enemy and had no choice. Blushing for some reason, she continued. The armor I originally wore inside my clothes is busted. So, I had no choice but to change into this armor. For a knight, armor is as important as life. But that looks purely decorative Ah, anyway, we have to get out of here. We need to leave this place quickly Flinching, Isolet closed her eyes tightly when she felt a sudden chill and stepped forward. Rummmble!!! The entire building shook violently. What? Vener was startled by the unusual trembling. BOOOOM!!! Agh!! Damn it!! The dagger the Church had prepared had found its place in the building. Ahhh! Its a bomb! Its a trap! We have to get out of here now! No, we need to save the people first! The Heros Inauguration Ceremony was hurtling toward disaster. Move! Do you know who I am? Ahhhh!! Damn. The greedy nobles shouts, the terrified screams of the maids, and the Empress grinding her teeth because of a falling pillar added to the chaos. We prioritize rescuing Lord Frey, thats final. Even if we die here, we will take down Frey. Thats final. The Demon Army and the assassins moved even more efficiently after receiving the orders. Finally The era of the Church has come! The Pope observed the collapsing building from a distance with his followers. It was a time of massive panic. Haah, haah Yet, no matter how deep the darkness, there was always light. [100m to reach the Hero] [Guiding Automatically] Caution: This function can be used only once a month when the Hero is in danger The Hero is in this building! With a pale and horrified expression, Glare sprinted with all her might, eyes fixed on the navigation. . . . . . . Meanwhile, at that time, in the relatively less damaged lobby on the first floor. Gulp. Dmir Khan, Lemerno, and numerous Combat Executives anxiously observed someone. Before them stood Lulu, wearing a cold expression. Its a pureblood, right? High legitimacy and succession rights. Moreover, the magic pattern in those eyes Mm What do we do now? Im not sure. This situation is out of my expectations. In response to Lemernos question, Dmir Khan replied nervously while adjusting his glasses. But one thing is certain. He whispered in a hushed voice. If we dont clarify our position Freys standing could be at risk. Upon hearing this, all the executives tensed. Kneel. Glaring at them, Lulu commanded in a chilling voice, her Magic Eyes glowing. Ugh Eurgh. This is indeed To everyones surprise, most of the executives knelt. So In this unprecedented situation, Dmir Khan did not kneel with the Combat Executives. Whats your relationship with Frey? He asked in a nervous tone. Me? Lulu replied. A pet. She answered without a moments hesitation. What? I am Freys pet. Dmir Khan looked at her in shock as Lulu proudly displayed a collar with a name inscribed on it. ..Huh. Dmir Khan stared blankly at her. The pet Frey occasionally boasted about He murmured to himself with indescribable emotions. Was another Demon King Candidate? Lulus eyes, shining a ruby light, met his gaze directly. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 237: Record Chapter 237: Record Record Rumble! Rumble!! In the crumbling structure, the Hero Party faced difficulties advancing. We must find a way out. If things continue like this, well all be trapped here. With closed eyes, the Paladin prayed, and a brief silence enveloped them. We cant abandon the Hero! Vener exclaimed, breaking the quietude. Were the Hero Party! Ready to sacrifice ourselves for the Hero at any moment! Vener shouted passionately. Even if we end up buried, we must stay by the Heros side until the end. The Hero will be safe even if the building collapses. The Paladin and I have taken precautions. Arianne interjected, halting Veners fervor. Our priority should be to ensure the safety of the remaining survivors. Arianne shifted her attention, addressing the frightened maids who stood apprehensively in the background. Nobles have evacuated, but many maids remain scattered. We must aid them. Who oversaw the Inauguration Ceremony today. They are from the Starlight Mansion, chosen for their experience, came the response. Hmm, if its them, it wont be a hassle. Most of the maids rescued from the building by the Hero Party were indeed servants from the Starlight Mansion. But its still too much to drag them around in a situation like this. However, no matter how competent they were, they were still quite far from the battle. Were left with no alternative. Our priority should be escaping rather than pursuing Frey. Recognizing the difficulty of continuing the pursuit of Frey, Vener clenched her teeth and addressed the group. Rumble!! Another powerful tremor rattled the building, interrupting her speech and causing her to collapse. We cant die like this. In the escalating tension, Alice coldly tapped the wall distorted by the spatial distortion spell and muttered. I must confront Frey. Her chilling words briefly captivated everyones attention. I must Yet, no one contested her statement. After all, only a few people actually liked Frey. Your name is Alice, right? Yes? However, the building housed a sizable crowd. So, why do you harbor such resentment against Frey? Isolet, clad in heavy armor and steadfastly moving with the Hero Party amid the collapsing building, posed the question to Alice in a gentle voice. Uhm Alice was looking for an exit with the group, but when she heard Isolets somewhat probing inquiry, she fell into deep thought. He oppressed the commoners, stripped away my freedom, and raped me every night. She spoke in a chilling tone. Each night, he comes into my room with those creepy eyes I cant bear the revulsion. Hmm. When I avert my gaze, unable to meet his eyes eventually, I lose consciousness. And when I wake up, its morning. Overwhelmed with shame, Alice bit her lip so intensely that it bled. I cant shake the thought of Frey snapping his fingers at me with a relieved expression as he watched the sunrise. I dont know what happened in the gap between those memories, but Im clueless about anything else. She concluded. An air of solemnity enveloped the surroundings. The rumor about Frey coercing the servants has been circulating. Its a common topic among the mansion servants who recently joined the Imperial Family. I expected as much. In that silence, Vener muttered with a smile. Its almost like a ghost story. Isolet contested her statement. Excuse me for a moment. Wearing a displeased expression, she quietly handed something to Alice. Why? What are you Hm? Unintentionally accepting what Isolet offered, Alice began to look puzzled. What is this? She held a white ring in her hand. Hmm. It was the Ring of Purity that Isolet discovered from Freys clothes when he was miniaturized. Few knew, but Isolet, who had been tested with the purity stone as a candidate for leading the Paladins, understood how the ring worked. Unbelievable. If Frey had violated her in any way, the ring would have instantly turned black. However, the ring on her hand still shone white. The most suitable place to hide him was inside her large decorative armor. Initially, she had intended to keep Frey there temporarily. However, when the Hero Party wanted to inspect the armor, she had mistakenly claimed she was wearing it and missed her timing. Hmm Inside the armor, still bound to Isolet, Frey clung to her waist, their bellies pressed together. . Awakened by the continuous movement, he looked at Isolet from within the armor with a languid expression. Even if its stifling, bear with it a bit longer, Frey Isolet gazed down at him with trembling eyes and whispered, mindful of the Hero Party following her. I found a way out. If we continue like this, we can escape this building Meow. ..!? Frey, looking up at her, let out a cats meow with a bright smile, leaving her bewildered. What, what is this Isolet, not particularly skilled in magic, was unaware of one crucial fact. After the miniaturization spells duration was over, reusing it without any break affected the target as a side effect. Grrr During the cooldown period, he would act like the animal he transformed into. Huff. However, unaware of this, Isolet displayed extraordinary patience and walked forward. Slurp. ..Ugh. Inside the armor, Frey, clinging to her, closed his eyes tightly and gently licked her, making her stagger once more. Watching her, Vener and Alice, having received the tracking map from Arianne, exchanged glances. . . . . . Haa Haa Her face pale, Roswyn pushed through the collapsing building, breathing heavily. What is this Although the spaces were still distorted, many had been destroyed due to the collapsing building, allowing Roswyn to move more quickly. What on earth is going on Yet, her heart remained in a state of chaos. .. The system window suddenly popped up, something Roswyn had been waiting for. Ruby was still speaking to her with a chilling expression, but her mind was elsewhere. The ineffective potion Those photos in my dream and that wall. Helper System [F ] Ugh The window with a portion of a name that had terrified her since earlier; though short, it carried radical power. Could it refer to Ferloche? Haha. She forced a smile and mumbled to herself, but she already had a hunch. B, But that doesnt make sense However, she couldnt accept it. Just today he attacked the Hero, didnt he? Therefore, she leaned against the window and muttered once more. [Automatically Recording Evidence1%] Hm? She tilted her head upon seeing the message that appeared before her. [Recording the truths of the world observed by the Helper. The recorded scenes will help drive away the darkness in the distant future.] W, What? And then, as she blankly stared at that message. Stop Stop it Stay still! Upon seeing the scene that appeared before her eyes, she looked shocked. This is.. In the video from the waiting room, Ruby was on top of Frey, pinning him down and licking her lips. I dont want this! .. Roswyn was left speechless as she heard Freys pitiful screams in the video. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 238: Where There Is Darkness, There Is Also Light Chapter 238: Where There Is Darkness, There Is Also Light Where There Is Darkness, There Is Also Light Everyone, move away. Isolet lifted her sword with a keen gaze. Buzz Simultaneously, energy started gathering on her sword. Better step back. Everyone sensed a chilling sensation, not from her usual smooth mana but from a mana that felt purely deadly. They listened to her advice. Boom! When she released her sword energy, walls crumbled loudly. It was her 11th time breaking a wall. Huff Huff Yet, due to the aftermath, Isolet again dropped to one knee. Are you alright Im good. Isolet stood up and addressed the nearby maid. Just one thing. She questioned a noticeably shorter and younger-looking maid. Is it really rumored among the servants that Frey assaulted them? What? The maid, with bruises on her arm, tilted her head. That rumor is going around. The maid then spoke with a serious expression. Whispers, scary tales, and jokes have been going around for a while but not many believe it. Really? Yes he always seemed to hate us, the servants, and never bothered with us. He never touched anyone As the maid bowed her head, Isolet pondered. But lately, rumors are spreading everywhere. What kind? Maybe after the investigators checked the mansion. They asked strange questions then. Like what? Isolet asked sternly, making the maid speak fearfully. Have you been taken by Lord Frey at night? Do you have memory gaps? Questions like these were common, and some maids were even directly asked if they were assaulted And what did they say? Most servants denied being assaulted. They only spoke about verbal abuse or threats. .. Isolet fell silent, and the maid cautiously continued. But some malicious servants exaggerated the story. I understand. Some even took bribes. They were all recruited by the Hero Party. Isolet clenched her teeth upon hearing this. Those who spoke well or defended him ended up with tedious tasks for the Imperial Family. This is frustrating. Most of the rescued maids, who were stuck in the building and couldnt evacuate, were those assigned by the Imperial Family. After explaining, the maid discreetly stepped back, noting Isolets lack of reaction. Servants of the Hero Party, investigators from the Imperial Family and the Church I explicitly told them to get my approval Isolet, standing still, mumbled with a puzzled expression. Ill kill them. A menacing aura surrounded her, directed at those spreading false rumors about her lord. Vener. Yes. After pondering for a bit while emanating a fierce aura, she finally spoke. If you ever bring up unconfirmed rumors again, you wont be against a wall but buried underground. I understand. After warning Vener, she began to walk forward slowly. Step, step. Isolets enormous armor caused her footsteps to echo all around. Sigh Isolets anger hadnt completely subsided. So. E, Eek! Isolet spoke abruptly while walking briskly. A young maid, unsure when to leave and seeking cues, looked terrified by her side. What did you say about Frey that got you here? Well, you see Isolet softened her expression and asked, prompting the hesitant maid to speak slowly. I I said he wasnt entirely bad What? No, no I mean, hes bad, but not arrest-worthy bad Why did you think that? When Isolet inquired, the girl tightly closed her eyes and started explaining. I used to sell vegetables in a back alley with my younger brother. Sell vegetables? Yes, Ruby was a regular customer. She always gave us a gold coin. Hmm Isolets gaze sharpened at the mention of Ruby. Whenever she came, we felt happy but business was always bad for some reason. Unaware of Isolets reaction, the young maid continued her story. So, my sick brother couldnt get treated One day, some thugs almost took us but Sir Frey, um he defeated them. He saved you? He took us as slaves. Isolets expression darkened upon hearing that. But life wasnt too bad. We got good food better living conditions It was better than living on the streets. Really? And, he even treated my brother. Well, Lulu did it, but it was with Freys money, anyway. Upon hearing this, Isolet asked with a puzzled look. Then why do you say hes somewhat bad? He said he saved my brother to make him work as a slave forever. Then, she puffed up her cheeks and added. Hmm Unable to hold back, she covered her face with her hand. .. Then, a brief silence followed. You, cheeky, little Isolet, dumbfounded, slightly pulled the armor with her trembling hand. If you keep doing that, in the future, during training you wont see a pretty sight Murmuring in a low voice, she looked at Frey, who peeked his head out from between her and the armor. ..Huh? Her eyes widened in surprise. Swish, swish. Frey shook his head with a frustrated expression. Meow Sigh. Trying to speak, he realized his voice only sounded like a cats. He grabbed his throat with a hand and made a sullen face. Swoosh, swoosh Closing his eyes tightly, he started licking her stomach again. What on earth As Isolet observed him with a bewildered expression, Huh? Noticing a pattern to Freys licking, she closed her eyes and focused. Letters? Is he writing? What? What letter? Soon, she realized that the lines made by Freys licking formed shapes of the imperial language. Could it be that hes been trying to convey something to me all along? Feeling the gravity of the situation, she concentrated once more. Hmm. Indeed, its suspicious. Vener and Alice, who had been observing her closely, began to approach Isolet. Come to think of it, the location of Frey on the tracking map constantly matched ours Its possible Frey used magic to mislead us, but if not They exchanged words with cold expressions and moved toward Isolet, who was shivering with her eyes closed. Isolet, wait Professor They began reaching out towards her massive armor. Trap. Isolet eyes suddenly widened. A trap on the second floor!? She swiftly released her energy in all directions, using all her strength. Everyone, fall back! Halting her search suddenly, she began to retreat, sweating coldly. I had a feeling wondering why so many assassins were coming out continuously While people were puzzled by her actions, she had already taken a defensive stance. At some point, I found it strange that they attacked without saying anything. She murmured, brandishing her sword forward. Sizzle! Sizzle!! The sword energy she was releasing bounced off something. Clank, clink. Someone appeared before the shocked Isolet and the Hero Party in that situation. . At least a hundred knights filled the hall on the second floor. Its cold. I cant feel their souls. The paladin and Isolet muttered, wearing tense expressions. Hehehe The atmosphere became suffocating from the tension on both sides. How are you all doing? From between the knights, a Bishop of the Sun Gods Church revealed himself. Whats the meaning of this? Seeing his ominous demeanor, Isolet stepped forward and pointed her sword at him. Well, the thing is if you guys escape from here The Bishop had a benevolent smile on his face at the time. it would be problematic. But his expression quickly turned cold, and he gestured. Thud! Thud! Thud! The sound of spears being brandished began to fill the second floor. This I regret this. But this is a direct order from that person, so even I cannot Soon after, all the knights directed their spears at once. The bishop, sporting a terrifying expression, tried to retreat. Everyone, kneel. At that moment, a voice came from behind them. Right now. The voice belonged to Lulu, who had just reached the second floor, her eyes shining ruby red. Chirp Chirp What, what! This is impossible! The bishop seemed flustered as he watched his puppets kneel. Master Im certain Masters mana composition is here Lulu anticipated praise and affection from Frey and looked toward where Frey should be. Master! Please, pet me Huh? Soon, she tilted her head in confusion. Grrr? Instead of her master, there was a woman in some strange armor. Lick, lick. Within that armor, something resembled a silver cat ardently licking her stomach. .!? But didnt this mysterious being have the same mana composition as her master? U, uhh huh? What? Lulu felt confused. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 239: Helpers Chapter 239: Helpers Helpers Screech screech The Churchs secret weapon Impossible. This cant be The Bishop, who had confidently appeared before the people, muttered with a pale face. The soulless knights he had brought along collapsed, emitting eerie sounds. Whats happening? Ee, eek! Noticing the Bishops reaction, Isolet swiftly approached him and aimed her sword. I could execute you right now. The Church probably wont protect you since you tried to attack the Hero Party. Uh, ugh. Fine, just lower that Terrified, the Bishop gestured with his hands and started to retreat. Grrr Quit your tricks and speak clearly. However, behind him, Lulu bared her teeth, holding her ground. Due to her, Isolet once again pointed her sword at him. Whose orders are you following? Isolet inquired, making the Bishop sweat profusely. E, eek! Swing! Abruptly, he tightly shut his eyes and swung his left arm fiercely at Isolet. Slash! Aaargh!! However, such an obvious attack couldnt kill her. So, the Bishop soon flopped on the ground after having his arm severed. My God. However, Isolet and the others attention wasnt on the Bishop. Wiggle, wiggle Strangely, the severed left arm transformed into a black, tentacle-like shape and wriggled violently on the ground. This isnt normal. Grasping the gravity of the situation, Vener frowned and approached the Bishop, speaking on behalf of Isolet. Disclose whose orders you follow. I have my suspicions Ugh Hmm? Suddenly, a change occurred in the Bishops body. Hiss Ugh The divine power emanating from the Bishops body vanished entirely, replaced by a sinister energy. Soon, his blue eyes turned red, and his once-healthy body darkened. The black sun will rise Observing the disgusted and shocked faces around him, the Bishop murmured with an empty expression. Thud Bowing his head to the ground, he breathed his last. . Silence lingered on the second floor momentarily. Shaaa It seems they prepared so he couldnt expose whos behind this. Isolet looked at the Bishop whose black eyes were bulging and stabbed him in the heart to ensure he was dead, and then she murmured. We have no other option but to keep moving forward. Isolet shrugged, and Vener, who had been biting her lip, spoke with clenched fists. This was a chance to unveil the truth about Frey. And you made sure hes dead? What are you suggesting? It could have been a clever disguise. We should have checked outside With the building collapsing, were in a dire situation. Its better not to touch a potentially dangerous corpse like that. Isolet dismissed Veners words and calmly moved forward, but Vener stopped her. You did it intentionally, didnt you? What? Dont tell me Are you trying to protect Frey? All eyes focused on Isolet. You know what, Vener? Isolet pushed away Veners hand and glared at her. Frey has always loved rye bread with butter. As Frey wriggled on her belly more noticeably, Isolet blushed while speaking. .. Lick, lick. Its kinda like that. Looking at Veners cold expression, Isolet felt the need to reprimand Frey, who had started affectionately licking her stomach. So, she tried to shift the topic and move forward. Hmm? She stopped suddenly, her face displaying a mix of embarrassment, excitement, and suspicion. Youre not behind this you say? Meow. Then could it be the Church? Licking her affectionately, Frey seemed to convey such a message. Squeak Meow Isolet, with a solemn expression, adjusted her armor and glanced inside. As Frey nodded, a deep silence enveloped her. Frey looked up at her, encircling her waist with his tail and hand. Lick. ..! Arching his waist slightly, he licked her tender spot with his tongue. Press, press Pressing her belly with his hand, he sported a playful smile. Meow Frey looked at her affectionately from inside her armor. ..! ..!!! Looking down at Frey in this state, Isolet felt the urge to keep him in this state, and then she trembled. Yes, Ill take care of you now Frey. Ultimately, her attention turned to Frey, who had no option but to rely on her. Even if I have to conceal you in the basement, miniaturize you to fit inside this armor, or follow the demon army Ill protect you till the end. She murmured her long-standing wish. Ive wanted that from the start I chose to be an educator instead of a knight for that reason. Since then, raising you has been my purpose In her thoughts, old scenes gradually reappeared. The day you lost your mother, the day you easily defeated me. You wept, expressing fear about not being able to rely on me anymorejust like now, clinging. Since that moment Ahh! I, I am Freys pet but if Frey has become a cat am I the cats pet? Is this cat my master? Is that it? Meow. Oh, Mr. Cat? . With confused eyes, Lulu stared at the cat. Li, lick lick. After contemplating for a while, she diligently licked the cat as a sign of submission. Meow. Huh? Ahh? Then, with its tail stiffly raised, the cat slowly closed its eyes and licked Lulus cheek. Please, dont lick me! Lulu wore a shocked expression. Youre my master! You cant lick me! Does that mean I am the master now? Thump, thump Feeling her heart race, the guilt and unease made her shiver. .. Lie down in front. With a trembling voice, she addressed the cat, which playfully wagged its tail and nibbled her neck. You, youre nice, right? Hes not my master, just a cat Yes, just a cat And, without daring to confirm, she bowed her head and muttered. Meow. !!! As Frey, the cat, lay on her chest, exposing his belly, Lulu momentarily blacked out. Prrrrrrrrrrrr Meowww! Lulu buried her face into his soft belly, breathing warmly while playing with his stomach. Meow Meow. The struggling cat suddenly shook his head. ..! His expression sharpened, greatly startling her. Im, Im sorry hic Unexpectedly, he came to his senses. Not knowing what to do, she started to turn pale. Huh? Frey recognized he had transformed into a cat, gazing at the ceiling with his fur bristling, displaying a bewildered expression. And the next moment. Whoosh! What, wha!? He landed on the floor from her chest and swiftly darted off in a direction. Master!! Alarmed, she hastily chased after him. Meow!!! Eek? Casting a sly look at Lulu, he crouched and hissed fiercely, emitting a threatening sound. . To anyone, it was a clear signal not to follow. Rumble, rumble, rumble!!! Aaaah!!! Simultaneously, the building violently shook. What? The building was supposed to last for several more minutes, right? Contrary to her magical analysis, it seemed the building wouldnt even last five more minutes. Could it be In this critical moment, she activated her Magic Eyes to fathom his intentions within the building. Soon, she wore a grim expression. On the upper floor, a girl stood at the forefront, accompanied by survivors yet to escape from the building. And Isolet was supporting a girl. In the main hall, the Hero lay fallen. Im not sure why he went to the upper floor While Lulu could visually confirm things, she couldnt delve into the hearts of humans or animals. Thus, she wasnt sure whether he went to the survivors group, Isolet, or the Hero. Nor did she know if he intended to assist or harm them as part of the demon army. However I should help. After all, she was Freys pet. And pets were creatures that showed unwavering loyalty to their owners. Master! Thus, she made a vow. In that instant, she resolved to be his rescue or hunting dog. And Lets go together!!! She was determined to shield him in any way possible. Regardless of his appearance or whatever befell her, she was Freys pet. . . . . . Meanwhile Huff Huff Glare still had an opaque window before her. Just hold on a little longer Struggling, she guided the injured maids ahead. Quest: Assist the Hero Quest Content: You can significantly decrease the Heros mortality rate in this scenario. Warning: Your life may be in danger. Hero A faint glow enveloped her. Ill Ill help you You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 240: Countdown Chapter 240: Countdown Countdown A few minutes before Frey and Lulu went upstairs. Damn it. The Pope muttered through clenched teeth as he observed the distant, secret building with several bishops. Its a failure The bishops faces instantly darkened. Fa, Failure? But our plan was perfect Even the Hero Party wouldve needed a considerable amount of time to deal with all the duplicates. How did they do it so quickly? They urgently asked the Pope. All the puppets were simultaneously disabled. What? I dont know the details. The important thing is weve failed. Breaking out into a cold sweat, the Pope added,. That person had called this a crucial mission Holding his head, the Pope sank into his seat. Yes, it was crucial. !!! At that moment, something appeared in the air. A-All hail the True Su! Spare the greetings. Upon seeing it materialize, the Pope paled as he fell to his knees. After scanning in every direction, the huge eyes coldly spoke. Incompetent fools. The eyes focused on the building, extending tentacles from all directions. Eeeeeeek! Once dignified, the Pope now trembled in fear. Had the god of this world not intervened, you would have met the same fate as them. The eyes that had been watching from the Churchs basement plugged tentacles into the backs of the bishops heads, replenishing nutrients as they continued to stare at the building. What do you mean? Amidst his terror, the Pope expressed his curiosity. It wasnt by chance, but destiny. The Star God, the Sun God, and even the Moon God. The gods of this dimension have done something that even Im unaware of. What? A new turning point has been engraved on the world line. The eyes answered. Inform the Demon God. They gave the Pope another chilling look. Warn her not to be arrogant, having borrowed my power to seize the sun. She wont get a second chance. Y-Yes! Understood The Star God, the creator of this dimension, is gradually regaining their influence. What? By using the Heros Affection as a detour its doing something rather amusing. The Pope, whose head had been shaking, looked up as a chill ran down his spine from the anger in its voice. Moreover, even the Moon God has been up to something recently, so Im running out of time. If nothing changes, even I, an external entity, might face defeat. The eyes blazed with fury. Thus hasten the prepared childs Advent Ceremony. !!! Make the Demon God incarnate in that child and finish everything as quickly as possible. Y-Yes, understood Let the Demon God know in advance. She will convey it to the Demon King directly. With that, the eyes began to fade. Before I go Ill leave you with a gift. A g-gift you say? Watching the Pope drenched in cold sweat, the eyes whispered. Since they broke the rules and intervened Im thinking about stepping in from now on. That was the moment the core of the Churchs prepared Collapse Magic started running amok. . . . . . Rumble! Rumble!! As if on the verge of collapse, the surroundings shook as a loud bang echoed. Thud, thud I sprinted up the buildings stairs in a flash and dashed through the corridor, observing my cat-form body while quietly mumbling to myself. Im going insane. All because of that darn alcohol. I had expected some of their reactions, but the moment I arrived at the ceremony, I was despised by everyone, ignored by my previous servants, and I even had to deal with Rubys unexpected actions. It was inevitable that even my heart would be shattered. Subsequently, I drank alcohol to execute the strategy of cutting ties with Isolet, which was the root of the problem. I thought that revealing my allegiance to the Demon Kings army and my intention to destroy the empire would turn her against me, even after I was captured. The strategy was several times more effective than I had anticipated. I never thought Id hear Isolet, of all people, say that shed abandon her knighthood and choose a different path. That, combined with my drunken state and the already confusing situation, led to a knights oath Moreover, I was also turned into a miniaturized form with a scroll Of course, according to my plan, I had to escape from here without anyone noticing, so I didnt resist the scrolls effect. However, being drunk when transforming had strengthened my animal instincts. Combined with my several penalties, the result was that I found myself licking Isolets belly after recovering from my slowed consciousness. Only to heighten Isolets suspicion of me to the limit. Sigh. By then, I was already surrounded by the Hero Party, making it very difficult for me to change back. So for a while, I had no choice but to stay in this form I cant stay like this forever. With that thought in mind, I continued to sprint through the corridor, gathering my strength. Shaaa Then, stellar mana appeared in the surroundings. It seemed that I could use Stellar Magic even as a cat. Thud! But, I didnt intend to stay in that form. Somehow, it felt like I was losing my human dignity. Frey youll regret cough I sneaked a glance at the Demon King, who had fallen and started crawling for some reason. We dont have enough time. I quickly started running to the basement. Now, the time had come to put an end to this tedious Inauguration Ceremony. . . . . . Rumble! Ugh Meanwhile, at that moment. What, what should I do Glare, who had led a group of survivors into the basement, was sweating as she stared at the rotating core of an Explosion Magic in the center of the room. This isnt good She had successfully led a significant number of people down to the first floor with her abilities. However, the entire floor was engulfed in a potent hallucinogenic fog, and she was at a loss. As a result of this, she had decided to move everyone to the underground space, but the problem was that the core of the Explosion Magic set by the Church was in the basement. If nothing was done, they would be swept away and killed by the core of the spell instead of the collapsing building. Uh With little time left before the explosion, both going to the first floor and staying in the basement meant certain death. She looked nervous in such a desperate situation. Gulp. She swallowed hard and approached the core. Im sorry Hero She had a near-suicidal plan in mind, to go inside the core and neutralize it by releasing her vast magical power. I wanted to repay you Feeling the warmth of the kind-eyed Hero who once stroked her head, she moved slowly. Everyone, step back She waved at the group of survivors approaching her and closed her eyes. Ughhhhhh! She was frightened as she tried to rush to the core. Ting! Ugh. Soon after, something blocked her way, causing her to hold her forehead and fall on her bottom for the third time that day. Not again She worried that she might not have a bottom left at this rate. Then, she looked up to see what had blocked her path. Fzzzz ..! A barrier filled with divine power surrounded the core of the Explosion Magic. Its dangerous. Ferloche, who had entered the basement at some point, looked at her intently. Navigation Complete > You have arrived at the location of the Hero! At the same time, a notification window popped up in front of her. [F ] ..Could it be? Met with the unexpected situation, she cautiously approached Ferloche. Shaaaa .! Her eyes widened in surprise as the entire basement was engulfed in shimmering mana. This, this is! A power she had felt before, different from her divine power. This twinkling power that had once filled the underground prison beneath the market alley was unmistakably the Heros. Hero Then, Glare finally noticed someone standing behind Ferloche. HeroOOOO!!! She shouted desperately and reached out her hand. Shaaaa I have a debt She was soon overwhelmed by that shimmering force, and drowsiness began to take over. To repay.. Struggling to finish her sentence, she slowly closed her eyes. Shaaaa The last thing Glare saw was the sparkling mana covering Ferloches barrier. I.. The warm touch she once felt, caressing her head. I have to.repay With those murmured thoughts, Glares consciousness faded completely. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment. ..Oh. She saw the video of Ruby attacking Frey, and she ran through the building in shock before Glare rescued her. And after that, having joined Glares party and followed them here, Roswyn stood behind watching everything. .. When Ferloche appeared and protected everyone, and the system notification indicated they had reached the Hero, she had no choice but to dismiss her previous expectations. [F ] Staring blankly at the window before her, Roswyns consciousness quickly faded. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 241: Buried Star Chapter 241: Buried Star Buried Star Uhm Glare, who had been reaching forward, slowly closed her eyes. So, why is she here? Hastily hiding my face with stellar mana, I looked down at Glare, who had desperately tried to see my face until her eyes fully closed, lost in thought. I hadnt even considered it This girl was definitely the child I rescued from the Succubus Queens underground prison in the market alley. Back then, I had just regressed after causing nothing but harm and ruining the empire. Yearning to do good deeds, I distinctly remember having taken special care of her. That was also why I gave her the Ring of Luck that came as a system reward. Swish Having thought of it, I checked her right hand when she lost consciousness, but strangely enough, the ring was not there. I was sure she showed me the ring on her finger just a moment ago. Did she lose it because of the current incident? Hmm? While holding her and looking around, I noticed something shimmering on her left hand. Thats a relief Upon closer inspection, the ring on her left ring finger was shining brightly, even in the dark underground. Wait. It was a moment of relief. The fact that it was on the left ring finger felt quite significant. I didnt notice from the shock when she showed me the ring, but it seemed like she normally wears it there What, what a cute kid. Does she know the meaning of wearing a ring on the left ring finger? Well, even if she knows, it was probably out of admiration or innocence at her age. Anyway, I was proud that she treasured the ring I gave her. It seems to have helped her significantly. The frequent mentions in the recent newspapers and the Tower Masters new disciple Irina talked about turned out to be this little girl. I was pleased at the positive changes that my actions and the Ring of Luck seemed to have introduced in the current regression. Thats why people should do good deeds. If it werent for her efforts today, we would have been in big trouble. She managed to gather most of the survivors and lead them here, allowing Lulu to quickly rescue the remaining few. The situation would have been rather complicated if many people were still scattered throughout the building. I was just thankful to this little one. But how did she get here? Then, I wondered. How was she able to get this far? The entrance and walls of the building had been twisted and distorted, thanks to Dmir Khans spatial magic and the collapse magic of the Church. Only overwhelming power, enough to even tear space, could directly destroy it. Like my swordsmanship, stellar magic, or Isolet, who was on the verge of awakening as a Sword Saint. But, did this little girl exert such overwhelming power? [Status Information] Name: Glare Stats: Error Passive Status: Error Disposition: Error Goodness Stat: Error ..!? Having thought that far, I tried to read her information, but my eyes quickly widened as I tilted my head. Why were there so many errors? While I have seen many figures with question marks before, it was my first time seeing something marked with [Error]. Hmm For some reason, the more I got to know her, the more intriguing she seemed to be. After I leave, I would have to ask Serena to investigate. Swish With that thought in mind, I slowly set her down from my arms. Ugh Inexplicably, she grabbed the collar of my shirt with her small and delicate hands. Once everything is over, lets meet again. I wanted to pamper her and buy her delicious food, but if I did, Id be bedridden for months. So, I carefully removed her hand from mine, gently stroked her cheek with a fatherly smile, and got up from my spot. Thud ..! I suddenly heard a presence behind me, and I turned to look. Whoosh! And then, a delicate hand covered my eyes. Who are you? In the darkness, I heard a whisper in my ear and I responded with a smile. Ferloche. What are you doing? With that, the hand covering my eyes slowly slid down. I? Dont know? , she grabbed my disheveled shirt and pulled it toward her. Huff. Before I knew it, our tongues intertwined in our mouths. Puff Nom. Brief as it was, I felt dizzier than ever. It was as if someone who knew me well was teasing a weakness I didnt even know about. How many times did you do that? Huh? Did she unconsciously notice what I was trying to do? Or was she misunderstanding something? I, I will sacrifice myself instead! I will undertake the mission on your behalf! Please use me!! Im your expendable item!! So please use me!! If its for you, I would be happy to die!!! Having said that, she clung to my leg with a pale and desperate face. It seemed she had seriously misunderstood. Ill commit suicide anyway if you die! So use me instead, and you Lulu, youre not expendable. Huh? I let out a small sigh, held Lulus face, who was crying and rubbing her face against my leg, and whispered with a smile. Youre my pet. Buzzzzzz At the same time, I ripped the emergency escape scroll I had. Huh? Ahhh? Before she could resist, she disappeared with the light. Rumbleeee Hmm. Having been left in the basement with Ferloche, who had trapped me inside a barrier, I looked at the dust and rock fragments falling from the ceiling and turned my head. Thud, thud Ferloche, who now had a serious expression, was heading toward the core. Huff. A moment later, after reaching the core, she took a deep breath and jumped in. Aaaaaaaaaah!!! Soon after, she began to scream in agony. Tsk. Watching the scene, I clicked my tongue and touched the barrier. Crack Crack Soon, her barrier began to crack. Even if my body had weakened, the Heros Power still had its formidable attack power. Boom! Having summoned the stellar magic in advance, I shattered the barrier and descended towards the core where Ferloche was writhing, and I muttered to myself. I cant help it Ever since the day my mother died in my place, I had loathed the idea of someone else sacrificing themselves on my behalf. So, I usually carried the burden alone, but Ferloche had already gone inside. This time, it seemed like we needed to shoulder it together. Whooosh! As I entered the core with that thought, I hugged Ferloche tightly. ..!!! Then, Ferloche, who had been writhing in pain, saw me and wore a surprised expression. Youve suffered just as much as I have, havent you? I smiled at Ferloche and whispered, then slowly closed my eyes, bracing myself for the imminent pain. But ..Hmm? For some reason, even after a long time, no pain came. What was going on? . . . . . Buzzzzzz Ugh! Lulu, who was summoned in mid-air outside the building, fell helplessly to the ground. What whats this? Oh my god Then, the eyes of the survivors, who were anxiously looking at the building, were drawn to her. You, you are At the same time, Roswyn had just regained consciousness and stood up. Is, is that the only one who escaped thats it? With her trembling hand, she pointed to the group of survivors brought out by the puppets she controlled. Master, Master!!!! Ah Lulu, realizing the situation, started to panic and ran towards the building with her mouth wide open. No, not yet She stood still for a moment in that spot but soon began to follow Lulu, staggering. Rumble!!! Master!!!!!! The building collapsed at that moment, and Lulus desperate cry rang out. No. Roswyn crumpled to the ground, helpless. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 242: Repaying His Kindness Chapter 242: Repaying His Kindness Repaying His Kindness Ma Master Lulu, looking lost, weakly knelt on the ground. Master She gazed at the tragically collapsed building. A-ah Witnessing the devastating scene, she couldnt believe it but couldnt deny it either. Clutching at the dirt, a hollow sound escaped her. Ahhhhhhh.. Her beloved master, the one who saved her, was now buried beneath the ground. Lulu struggled to accept this harsh reality. The Saintess! Princess Clana hasnt come out yet! And Lady Serena! Newly awakened survivors murmured as they were carried out, but such talk didnt matter to Lulu. Her master was more important than anything else. Sob Sob She shed tears with her head lowered and realized she was scratching her shoulder with her nails. Ah. Traces of the Stigma of Misfortune still lingered. Grip! Holding onto that hateful mark, possibly the cause of this disaster, Lulu forcefully scratched her shoulder and looked down at the ground. .. A sharp piece of glass lay on the ground. No, not yet Lulu instinctively reached for it but shook her head, standing up. I need to find Master There was a slight chance her master was still alive, making time crucial. Despite dreading the possibility of her masters death, she had to find the body for a funeral and burial. That was her duty as a pet. All all of you follow me Staggering toward the collapsed building, Lulu directed the puppets and used her Magic Eyes to scan the ground. Sizzle, sizzle Due to the overuse of her Magic Eyes, they were overheating, and sparks flew out. Ugh! Instead of being bothered by the pain from overheating, Lulu felt frustrated at the decreasing efficiency of her Magic Eyes. Zap Zap Nonetheless, she persisted, focusing on visible signs of life and digging with her puppets. Here, here? Is it here? Watching the scene, Roswyn joined Lulu with eyes wide open. Ma, Master! A human leg protruded from the debris. Through her blurred Magic Eyes, the figure seemed to match her master, unmistakably a living person. Ill, Ill get you out now!! Uh, ugh F, Frey Its, its my fault While Roswyn was panicking, Lulu felt hopeful as they both dug into the ground. Cough, cough . They eventually got the person out, and both froze simultaneously. Hmm Emerging from the rubble was none other than Ruby. Crumble! Cough. Glaring down, Lulu struck her masters foe with a stone, angered by the audacity of wasting her time. She buried her back in the rubble before standing up. Master.. With that, she left to locate another vital signal elsewhere. F, Frey I made a mistake Watching blankly, Roswyn soaked the ground with her tears. . . . . . Eh, ehuh hng After quietly shedding tears with her head bowed, Roswyn eventually staggered to her feet. Step, step Slowly, Roswyn surveyed the ruins of the collapsed building. She wished she had treated him more kindly and complimented him occasionally. There was no real reason to be so harsh. Why had she been so cruel just because she didnt like him? Thinking this way, for the first time, Roswyn deeply regretted her twisted personality. You shouldve treated him well when you had the chance. But regret wouldnt bring Frey back from the ground. As she realized that, Lulus voice echoed in her mind. I, I need to find him Because of that, she plunged into panic again, struggling to stand, and murmured. Ah, its not too late yet I should meet him, explain everything from the start, and apologize Huh? That was when she saw her. Step, step Lulu came back with her head lowered, along with numerous puppets. Over, over there!!! Forgetting the recent scornful taunt she received, Roswyn hurriedly approached Lulu. Did you, did you find Frey? She asked her abruptly. Just let me see him for a moment. Theres a serious misunderstanding No, its not that serious, but anyway, I have something to tell him, so Trying to maintain a calm voice, Roswyn looked at Lulu, who wore a cold expression. I dont have him. Huh? Confused by Lulus response, Roswyn tilted her head. You, you mean you couldnt find him? She asked. T-Theres no way he isnt there, right? Is this another one of his schemes? I dont know his intentions, but anyway I cant see any more vital signs. Vital signs? Lulu replied coldly. Among the vital signs I detected, I couldnt find Masters. Roswyn froze in her place. Perhaps, under imperial law, he will be declared missing. My master said to do so No, a noble told me. That means Its only a matter of time before the missing status changes, though. Lulu walked past Roswyn, shattering her hope of meeting Frey and clarifying everything. As Lulu disappeared, Roswyn remained still for a long time. Whish, whish As the system windows repair rate increased, she sensed the imminent fear of an unavoidable truth becoming apparent. Simultaneously, she realized it might be too late to fix everything. She gazed at the surrounding ruins, then carefully scooped up some dust from the ground. Whoosh! The icy winter wind blew away the dust in Roswyns hand, leaving her to stare at her empty palm before dropping her head in despair. Clunk, clunk! Shortly after, a carriage swiftly left the ruins behind her. . . . . . Meanwhile, in the Western Continent. In a pitch-black space, Kania was lying in the center of a complicated magic circle. Ugh, ughhh Twisting in severe pain, she soon began to bleed from her eyes, murmuring. Young Master dont worry now The magic circle surrounding her glowed in black. Ill try harder Next time, Ill bear all the pain for you After hours of research, Kania managed to unravel the curse imposed by the Demon God. She successfully shifted the intense pain that Frey experienced onto herself. The original sin committed against you and your mother, the sin of inflicting great pain on your soul, and for all the kindness youve shown me To stay conscious, she uttered her commitment with great difficulty, cold sweat trickling down. Im happy to repay, even if its just a bit, in this way. Whispering this, she eventually succumbed to unconsciousness. I love you Young Master. Despite the lingering pain in her unconscious state, a soft smile graced her face. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 243: Direct Confrontation Chapter 243: Direct Confrontation Direct Confrontation Hours had passed since the building hosting the inauguration ceremony collapsed, and the sun began to set. Lulu? Youre Lulu, right? Yes. I get it. Since youre alone here, naturally Just guide me already. Ah, got it. As I gazed at the sun, I started to walk silently alongside a demon who had suddenly materialized next to me, sweating profusely. Phew The yellow sun shifted to a reddish glow as it set, oddly giving off a lonely vibe. I stared at it momentarily, then gently blew on my hand. Next, a tingling sensation shot through my hand, frozen by the cold winter wind. Ugh. The wounds I sustained from going through the ruins started to sting. I shouldve rescued him sooner. Taking so long to find my master, I wasnt a good enough pet. Um, is there anything bothering you? Hmm? Eek While I was lost in these thoughts, the demon by my side began to speak. When I shifted my gaze toward her, she flinched with a startled expression. Were all the creatures in the Demon Kings army like this? Why assign these low-ranking demons to someone as important as Master? If I were the Demon King, Id have had at least a few high-ranking individuals by my side. Even if I were really the Demon King, I would have stayed beside my master. Wouldnt he appreciate it even more if the Demon King acted as his pet? I, I am not a low-ranking demon. The demon responded timidly as I conveyed my opinion with a displeased expression. I, Im an advisor to the Demon Kings army Lemerno. Then who were those weak-looking demons earlier? Theyre the top combat executives in the Demon Kings army and the second-in-command, Dmir Khan. Lies. Why would they tremble at the sight of me? Even youre shaking. I stared coldly at her, dismissing her ridiculous claim. She looked back at me, confused. Do you really not know? Stop talking nonsense and guide me. Yes, y-yes I had no plans to fall for the tricks of a low-ranking demon. I couldnt trust the cursed Demon Kings army, which had given such an unreasonable command to my master. My only concern was my master. Ah. Ignoring the demons sneaky glances, I noticed something in the distance. Thump, thump. My heart quickened. Despite being low-ranking demons, the Demon Kings army proved formidable. Their ability to escape through numerous guards and surveillance was impressive. Hello. Hmm. As I approached the cage with a trembling heart, a middle-aged man with glasses and their rugged-looking companion blocked my way. Move. Wasting no time, I activated my Magic Eyes and issued orders in a hushed tone.?iscover new chapters at novelhall.com Ugh Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain, as if needles were pricking my Magic Eyes. Perhaps I had overexerted myself today? Blood trickled from my eyes. Wh-what is this It appeared my Magic Eyes power hadnt diminished. The leaders of the low-ranking demons nervously stepped aside. Could they be classified as mid-ranked demons? My master deserved better treatment. Shouldnt the Demon King personally welcome someone like Frey? D, Dmir Khan? Combat executive? .. I gazed at the two silent men and the girl, her face filled with fear, then stepped into the carriage, contemplating. The Demon King will meet my master again, right? I felt a little proud and prayed that the Demon King would treat my master better, and I directed my gaze toward him inside the carriage. ..! Soon after, I couldnt help but be shocked. Ma, Master!!! Hmm Master, in a dire state, was lying in the carriage. Master, Master Seeing Master like that, I turned away from the demon soldiers staring blankly into the carriage and closed the door. Oh, youre here, Lulu? Master gave me a soft smile and reached out to me. After searching for a while, I had found my master beneath the Saintess, blushing for some reason. Swoosh So, what? I mean, huh Master looked at me as I stammered. Ill explain in detail later . You have been dancing on the palms of my hand since the start. Oh You cant even escape now. Youre in too deep. With a devilish smile, he stroked my hair. Youve fallen just like me. I was too stunned to grasp Masters words, but his last sentence stuck in my mind. Okay, sit beside me. Were leaving this hiding spot. I glanced at Master, who gently ordered me. ..Woof. I laid on his lap, exposing my belly, submitting. Good. Then, Master softly stroked my belly. Woof, woof. At this moment, my love, loyalty, and everything surpassed their limits. No words or text could express my affection for my master, who was looking at me now. My goodness the Demon King candidate is so As expected Frey is the one our Demon Kings army has been waiting for Thus, I could only demonstrate through actions. Grrr Under the moonlight, inside a carriage, and away from onlookers, I made a vow in my masters warm embrace. Id infiltrate the Hero Party and join the Demon Kings army, just like my master. I would relentlessly strive to secure a high position in both groups. All for my masters benefit. Even if it went against my nature, I would unleash my suppressed desires for control and power. I would ascend to the top in that manner. I would give my master everything, even the entire world. Grr? But as I resolved to do so, a sudden itch started on the top of my head. Whats this? . . . . . As the twilight vanished and the gentle moonlight covered the empire. Whos behind this incident! The Imperial Family is corrupted? What happened to Frey? Did Frey assault the Hero? Reporters with magical devices and officials from all walks of life fervently questioned the two girls on the ruins. The Imperial Family is corrupted. The noisy atmosphere hushed as Clana, visibly distressed, began to speak. Frey Raon Starlight is missing. However, based on eyewitness accounts, theres a high chance the bomb killed him. The atmosphere turned cold after that statement. The mastermind behind this incident is Frey Raon Starlight. Ruby, unexpectedly showing up with severe injuries, cut off Clanas statement. .. The previous coldness dissipated, and everyone wore a bewildered expression. Its not true!! And then. Huh, what? This kid Frey is innocent! As Glare, introduced to the world as the Tower Masters disciple, shouted, the atmosphere descended into uncontrollable chaos. Hmm .. Amidst such chaos, Rubys crimson eyes met Glares piercing light blue ones with intensity. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 244: Birth Chapter 244: Birth Birth Hmm Glaring at the Demon King, Glares eyes narrowed like a bowstring. Heh. Ruby discreetly covered her lips with her hand and laughed at Glare. Eek Her sly and simultaneously menacing demeanor made Glare involuntarily clench her fist. What are you talking about? Ruby, casting a condescending look at Glare, inquired with an innocent face. Eh. Soon, everyones attention turned to Glare, including high-ranking officials, Imperial Family members, church representatives, and even the gaze of the Imperial Princess and Young Duchess Serena. This was an entirely new and overwhelming situation for a modest girl accustomed to poverty in the back alleys. Thump, thump. Uhh Glares heart raced as an unknown fear slowly enveloped her. Always indifferent to life, the sudden attention felt like a piercing blade. Its just as I said! Yet, giving up was not an option. She was determined to achieve greatness to safeguard the Hero. To achieve this greatness, she aimed to start by helping others. She couldnt stand by and do nothing. If she faltered now, she feared that the ring the Hero gave her would be tainted a ring that gleamed in sunlight by day and starlight by night. What do you mean? Egh Regardless of her strong determination, there were uncontrollable factors, such as the Fake Hero Ruby, who watched her with a chilling expression. What? Even though she clearly had a spine-chilling expression, those nearby appeared strangely unaffected. Shes not ordinary So far, Glare had been secretly looking into Rubys identity while hiding her own. She didnt know much about Rubys true self or capabilities. Glare only knew that Ruby was the Heros adversary. Ruby sometimes detected Glares stealth abilities, surpassing even what her mentor could perceive. Gulp. Now, she could unmistakably sense Rubys abilities, even though the demon had only revealed it slightly. Rubys aura, targeting Glare alone, could easily overwhelm a girl her age. Frey hasnt done anything wrong! .. Still, Glare shouted with narrowed eyes. To Frey, she was just a girl with a Mental Strength of 6, a bit braver than others her age. Yet, her fervent desire to aid the Hero and her determination to stop his enemies shielded her mind. Can you handle it? ..! But Ruby wasnt ready to let Glare off easily. Step back before it becomes irreversible. Like Irina, Ruby manipulated even the laws of magic to project her message into Glares mind. Quickly The one at fault is Ruby over there! Nevertheless, Glare gathered her courage and shouted. Ruby attacked Frey I saw it with my own eyes! A momentary hush fell around them. I guarantee it. It was definitely her In the dead silence, Glare prepared to continue, fists clenched. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Hehe! Hehehe Hehehehehe Laughter burst from all directions, causing her to pause and look bewildered. That lecherous brat almost got assaulted? Kid, know when to joke. It would have been better if that happened I wonder how scared Ruby must have been. People dismissed her words entirely. Oh dear how unfortunate Glancing at the crowd, Ruby shifted her gaze to Glare. It seems another pitiful child has fallen for Frey She murmured with a sad face. I might have been brainwashed like that just a moment ago Although she murmured, her voice was clear enough to everyone. But, but! Do you have any evidence? .. Expressions of those observing Glare turned cold or sorry. Take her away. Standing next to the Hero, Vener pointed at Glare and signaled the other knights with a cold voice. Anyone who dares to lay a finger on my disciple will be considered an enemy of the Magic Tower. ..! At that moment, the Tower Master, who had been quietly observing, stood up. If you want to fight with this old woman, try it. She looked frail enough to make others think that a mere touch was enough to make her collapse. However, no one dared to approach her, thanks to her earlier transcendent battle with one-armed Dmir Khan. Hmm As things settled, the Tower Master addressed her fidgety disciple. Even though its belated, Ill offer you some guidance. Master For now, youll stay in the Imperial Palace. In the meantime, Ill look into the Heros qualifications and the truth. Lets conclude this discussion. She moved discreetly and murmured. Ugh why must my disciples be like this Um, excuse me Remember this. As Glare attempted to speak again, the Tower Master turned and said with an unexpectedly serious tone. Once a perception forms, it seldom changes without a decisive event. This holds true for magic and the human heart alike. No one paid further attention to Glare. People assumed that a kid, captivated by Freys beauty, had stirred a momentary disturbance. Attention shifted to the Tower Master, who intervened to prevent the situation from escalating. Still, remember And if you refuse to be my subordinate Uh You have no choice but to die. As her vision slowly blurred, Ruby whispered in a delighted tone. Snap! In that instant, a faint sound of a finger flick echoed. What did you do? However, the Demon King observed Glare, who was distressed, and tilted her head. Used some magic, did you? You think a kids magic will work on me? Though not magic, it was true that Glares ability did not affect the Demon King. She could shatter anything into pieces except living beings. Hmm? Her magic proved ineffective against the Demon King. You die One of the horns on her head had shattered. Aaaaaaaah!!! The Demon King screamed, experiencing an intense pain she had never felt before. You, you vermin! But she was still the Demon King. How dare how dare you! Ruby clutched her bleeding horn, which had already begun to regenerate. She conjured a grotesque spear with one eye closed as blood streamed down her face. Dieeeee!!! With all her might, she attempted to thrust the spear into the nearly unconscious Glare. Whooosh! A transparent wall materialized between them. Helper System [Automatic Defense System Activated] Simultaneously, an opaque system window appeared before Glare. Warning [As the Demon King, under no circumstances can you attack the operator of the Helper System.] The Demon King, pressed against the transparent wall, was no exception. A cold silence lingered between the two, separated by the wall. .! Ruby was the first to break the silence. Damn it. Swooosh Gritting her teeth, she fiercely struck the barrier with her spear. Youll regret what you did today Looking down at Glare, who wore a tense expression, she whispered arrogantly. Dear child. Soon after, she vanished, clutching her regenerating right horn. I will never regret Glare remembered her mentors words even in such chaos and murmured. Swish! Soldiers, led by someone, burst into the tent, and Glare quickly shifted her attention. Its, its the demons! Its an ambush!! An ambush!!! We need backup!! Having witnessed Rubys sudden appearance just before she vanished, the soldiers mistook it as an ambush by the demon army and began shouting. However, Clanas response differed. Excuse me. Pr, Princess! Ignoring her soldiers preparing for combat, she approached Glare, who was lying on the floor. That, that was Ruby. Ruby is actually! I know. Huh? Ignoring Clanas status, Glare clutched onto Clanas hem. Clana looked at her with a gentle smile. Shall we become friends? Hearing those words, Glare suddenly recognized the person before her and stood there in shock. I appreciate your words today. Huh? That person proposed to me, you see. Trying to calm her nerves, Clana blushed. Anyway, I want to repay you. Any wishes? She asked, hoping to befriend a potential ally. To perhaps become friends with a valuable ally, she presented the question. The academy. Huh? After staring at Clana for a while, Glare finally spoke. I cant give you the academy Please help me get into the academy. ..? My mentor and the dean dont get along, and Im underage. I cant be admitted. With a nervous feeling, she revealed her wish. So, please let me join as a freshman next year. Um if thats the case Considering Glares request, Clana silently calculated in her mind. Because I have to help the Hero. Hearing Glares words, Clana paused, momentarily stunned. Youre helping the Hero? Glare stared back with a determined look in her eyes. I owe a debt that I need to settle. The conclusion of the Inauguration Ceremony didnt herald the arrival of a Hero but rather the birth of an ally who would change the course of events. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 245: Emergency Situation Chapter 245: Emergency Situation Emergency Situation Hmm Rubbing my aching head, I opened my eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling. ? Still groggy from waking up, I tried to figure out where I was. Sensing something tickling my feet, I lifted my head. Hmm There was Lulu, curled up at the foot of the bed, eyes closed, breathing softly. Frey Please be alright I stared at her blankly, then turned my attention to a sound nearby. Please Clana was holding my hand, her face buried in the bed. Whats happening? Was it because I drank again? I couldnt understand where I was and why these two were acting like this. What is this Trying to make sense of it all, I looked at the bedside table and was left speechless. .. A black cat doll, a white owl, a dove, and a red puppy were gathered there, gazing down at me. A canary was also placed at the far end, crouched down and asleep. I wondered why it looked so withered. What whats going on? As I gazed at the creatures with unusually wide eyes, I couldnt help but ask. ..! Frey? Lulu and Clana glanced up at me simultaneously, their eyes widening in surprise as they rushed over. Master!! Frey, are you back to your senses!? Baffled by their strong responses, I nodded. In response, the two girls embraced me tightly. Lick, lick, lick. Lulu, making soft puppy whimpering sounds, intensely licked my neck. Sob Sniff Lulu was cuddled up to me with droopy ears and a sad expression after licking my neck. It felt like I was seeing a wet puppy wagging its tail, so I let her be. Frey, youve been unconscious for a week. What? Clana, her face buried in my embrace, cautiously met my gaze and spoke, her words lacking any reassurance. A whole week had passed? What did that even mean? Ugh! Attempting to recall my last memory, I remembered being in a carriage with Lulu, who was using my lap as a pillow. She kept scratching the top of her head, so I had gently stroked her. Then, I closed my eyes out of exhaustion. But beyond that, everything was a blank. So, I was unconscious from that moment until now? You told Lulu youd get better soon. Thats nonsense. The doctor said its a serious injury. Clana looked at me sharply when she saw my dazed expression. I used all my power to gather doctors and medicinal herbs and created a recovery room. Recovery room? Just lying here will make your body feel better and speed healing. It was only then that I noticed the rooms surroundings. Various rare herbs and potions from the Eastern and Western continents and recovery spells that seemed to have been torn apart were scattered around. This collection seemed sufficient to bring someone severely injured back to full health. .. But what touched my heart the most was the state Lulu and Clan were in. Both appeared skinny with dark circles under their eyes, as if they hadnt eaten properly while looking after me for a week. Swoosh Swoosh So, what happened over the past week? However, there was no time to dwell in sorrow. Losing consciousness and wasting a week posed a significant risk. Everyone thinks you have gone missing. Clana replied, glancing at Lulu, who nuzzled her head against my stomach. Except for your critical injury, all the plans worked perfectly. Ferloche is almost healed, so no worries. Got it. Veners leading a search party Theres heavy surveillance, but were in a secret hideout I set up. Most people think youre dead anyway. Clanas eyes had a hint of glow as she spoke. There were a few small problems but we handled them. Yeah. Lulu also looked at Clana with a similar gleam in her eyes. Together We dealt with those who would get in Masters way. Her eyes gleamed ominously. For some reason, I was starting to feel a bit scared of these girls. Get some rest, Frey. Rest well, Master. I broke out in a cold sweat, and the two girls hurried to wipe it away and gently laid me on the bed. My body is completely healed Perhaps it was due to a week of intensive treatment, but I felt fit and healthy. Of course, the penalty remained, but I felt like I could fly. I thought about just spending some time recovering, as nothing important was happening anyway. After all, I was officially missing. My plan was to announce my survival before heading back to the academy for my second year. Until then, I could savor a peaceful break. Frey, do you intend to reveal youre alive? Picking up on my thoughts, Clana looked down at me and inquired. Why not stay missing? What do you mean? The publics opinion isnt favorable. Clanas eyes were somewhat shaky as she spoke. I tried to suppress it, but there was backlash. If youre discovered alive, half the people will call for your execution, and the rest will demand your title as a noble be revoked I Ill use my Magic Eyes to brainwash all the citizens! Everyone will become your dogs! No, I am your only dog, so theyll be slaves The limit on the number of uses has shifted to a cooldown application.- Displays the thoughts the target currently holds, arranged by intensity. (Max. 4) Furthermore, I hadnt had the chance to invest in skills since all the points went into awakening the Heros Armament, but this was a no-cost opportunity. Grateful for this, I smiled at the system for the first time in a while and meticulously upgraded my skills. Master? Frey? While happily completing the leveling process, I decided to test the enhanced mind-reading capabilities when I noticed Clana and Lulu tilting their heads in confusion. [Clanas Current Emotions: Anxious/Touched/Worried/Sad/Excited/Fluttered] [Clanas Current Thoughts] I want to hold hands with Frey. I want to protect him no matter what. It is disheartening to always be overshadowed by the other girls. I dont want to make him my husband; I want to be his wife. Uh um The potency of mind reading exceeded my expectations. Swoosh F, Frey? With a blushing face, I looked down and gently held Clanas hand. Hehe. She gazed at me wide-eyed, soon closing them with a radiant smile and leaning onto the bed. I, I can do it too Observing the delighted expression on her face as she feigned relaxation, it was clear she was genuinely happy holding my hand. Hmm. With my suspicions confirmed, I turned my attention to Lulu. Originally, mind-reading could only be used once on a person, but with the cooldown period, I wondered if it could be used continuously, so I checked. [Lulus Current Emotions: Blind Loyalty/Eternal Love/Worry/Ticklishness/Desire To Be Dominated] As expected, the mind-reading worked exceptionally well. [Lulus Current Thoughts] I wish Master would pet my belly. I want to rescue Master. If I cant save him, Ill die. I want to faithfully serve Master as his pet and be laid to rest in the same grave. I want to be under the control, dominance, and restraint of Master. It worked too well, was the problem. Huh? Swish, swoosh Ah, uh Th, thank you I sighed and started petting Lulus belly gently to check the upgraded Affection System. Cuckoo! Ouch. Suddenly, a pigeon on the headboard pecked my forehead lightly, and I stared at it in confusion. Hmm? The typically clueless-looking bird was now holding out a letter with a serious expression. Whats happening With a worried expression, I accepted the letter. ? Shortly after, I tilted my head in confusion. From Clana. [Professor Isolet, please dont worry. Frey Raon Starlight is currently in our custody. To explain in more detail.] Strangely, the letter it presented was from Clana to Isolet. Huh? Thats! Simultaneously, Clanas eyes widened in shock, and she stared at the letter. Why, why is that letter there? Cuckoo Coo Eh? At the same time, the bird, referred to as Gugu by Ferloche, weakly fell into Clanas arms. It, its hurt There were several injuries on its body. Hold on. I looked at it with a flustered expression. I dont know whats going on but if this letter is here Shortly after, I mumbled in fear. Does this mean Isolet doesnt know Im alive? It seemed like I should get ready to go out. . . . . . Meanwhile Ugh Isolet was heavily drunk and sprawled out on her bed. Frey you rascal She clutched her sword, a gift from Frey, and a photo of him. Ive given my body and heart to you where on earth did you go She sobbed, her entire body soaked in tears. I cant even get married now Her room echoed with mournful cries for a long time. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 246: Date? Chapter 246: Date? Date? In a secluded building on the outskirts of the Empire Hold on a sec. Why are you here? Two guards at the entrance stopped a woman approaching unsteadily. Ugh But the woman they obstructed groaned softly, attempting to push her way through. State your purpose here ugh. What what strength is this? The guards were not ones to easily let someone through, but strangely, they were being pushed back by her. They werent ordinary guards but warriors stationed by Clana in her secret hideout. Hmm When they finally drew their weapons, the womans eyes sharpened. Clatter! !? Suddenly, all their weapons fell. I just received a message. The letter I got a few hours ago only had the location of this place. Isolet, clearly drunk, observed the astonished guards. So, I cant explain why. Even in her intoxicated state, she spoke coldly and entered the building quietly. Hmm. Once inside, she discreetly surveyed her surroundings. Theres some space expansion magic at play here. Or perhaps its an illusion. The unassuming exterior of the building belied the grandeur of a palace that awaited inside. Certainly This isnt the work of an ordinary person. An average individual couldnt achieve this. Then, who? She speculated that the sender of the letter was no ordinary person. Lost in her thoughts, she chuckled. Well, it doesnt matter now. Her expression quickly darkened. Ive already lost my purpose in life. Ive already lost everything. She came here hoping the anonymous letter might be related to Frey. Otherwise, she would have stayed confined to her room. This way, please. Hmm. Isolet bowed her head quietly and followed a maid who appeared from somewhere. Kindly wait here. After silently trailing the maid for a while, Isolet reached an elegantly adorned waiting room. Phew. Following the maids instruction, Isolet sat on a little couch in the waiting room and sighed gently. Rustle, rustle Lost in thought for a moment, she abruptly pulled something out. It was Freys picture and his shirt. She had gotten the picture while visiting his house and hadnt returned the shirt since the Heros Inauguration Ceremony. Ugh Still a bit drunk, she fussily looked at the picture while wearing his shirt inside-out, a habit she had developed for the past week. I should have I should have kept him confined then In her drunken state, she sought solace in the lingering scent and Freys energy. Then, she gazed somberly at Freys photo. I shouldve hidden him Somewhere, no one could find him So that everyone would forget The photo appeared worn even though it wasnt that old. Isolets voice darkened, just like her expression. Even as a ghost Wont you appear just once more? Just one more time? At that moment, Isolet whispered desperately. Ill take good care of you Please Growing agitated, she almost lay down on the sofa. I can even get you plastic surgery so that you dont get caught. If not, you could be my servant. And if that doesnt work for you, I had plans to escape to the eastern continent and live in the quiet countryside. I even checked out houses Her warm tears soaked Freys shirt and the photo. Sob. After struggling on the sofa for a while, she sniffed, and suddenly her eyes widened. Someone is here. She couldnt see who it was as she was draped in Freys shirt, but her heightened senses, even more acute since the inauguration ceremony, sensed the gaze. Is this another trap to kill me? Her mind settled, and she began to ponder. Well, it doesnt matter now. Eventually, she gave up, bowed her head, and whispered. Though Frey was frail, the incident wouldnt have happened if the woman hadnt been Isolet. Frey, Ill look after you. Lets live happily in the countryside. Wait If you dont want that, I can shelter you at my place. Or you can stay hidden in my clothes like last time. Ill fetch the scroll. Ugh Do you want to rebel? If you wish, try it. Please, just dont disappear Serena silently adjusted her fan while watching her soon-to-be-husband Frey, nestled in Isolets embrace, blushing and unsure. Snap. Soon after, Isolet stood up with Frey in her arms, surveying the room like a goblin who had stolen a treasure. Gyah!! Ouch. At that moment, someone swiftly burst into the room and lunged at Isolet. You shouldnt do this. Lulu had anticipated this and had been waiting nearby. Swoosh After saving Frey from Isolets embrace, Lulu politely seated him on a chair and rested at his feet. Grrr Hmm She threatened the drunk Isolet, who wasnt thinking clearly, while she still clung to Freys feet. If thats how it is, Ill let it go because shes like a protective house dog. Seeing Lulu like that, Serena smiled, happy that Lulu had followed her advice from their previous conversation. Jump! ? As Isolet sat on the chair dazedly, Lulu hopped onto Freys lap, looking confused. Grrrrr On Freys lap, Lulu snuggled into his embrace, rubbing her cheek and head against his stomach. What is this? It feels rough Feeling a scratchy sensation whenever Lulus head brushed against him, Frey naturally slid his hand inside her clothes, gently stroking her belly. .Woof Seeing the joyful Lulu making intentional puppy sounds at Frey, Serenas expression turned cold again. Hidden Quest Quest Content: Remove Serenas Curse of Familial Subordination Mission: Go on a date with Serena today Progress: 20% Hmm? At that moment, a mission popped up for Frey. . . . . . Meanwhile, at the Hero Partys temporary meeting spot Thank you all for coming. The members of the Hero Party gathered in the tent instead of their destroyed headquarters, focusing on Vener giving a briefing. Ill explain why youre all here today. Startled by the sudden summons, everyone paid attention to Veners serious words. Frey is alive. Vener dropped a bombshell. I need your help. Still in shock, Vener continued in a hushed voice. Its a risky task, so Ill take volunteers. She looked at Arianne and Alice, who were already eager. Anyone willing to join the operation to attack Frey, raise your hand Ahhh!!!! Surprisingly, the first hand raised belonged to an unexpected figure. Youre amazing!!! Saintess? Ferloche burst in as the tent flap swung open, her body covered in bandages, and she raised her hand enthusiastically. Ill take the lead!! Her eyes sparkled, just like they did a week ago. Annoying Vener!! You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 247: Preparation Time Chapter 247: Preparation Time Preparation Time Uh As I gently caressed Lulus rumbling belly, I soon fixed my gaze on the affection system window that I had been manipulating until then. Affection System Lv 4 < Details Completed Heroine Conquest Management > Isolet Arham Bywalker Worry (70%) Lust (10%) Maternal Love (20%) The Affection System had upgraded to Lv 4, allowing me to constantly know the strongest emotions she held toward me. She seems to have been quite worried about me Ignoring the two latter emotions, I turned my gaze to Isolet, who was staring at me with a blank expression. I really wanted to go to her house directly, but after realizing that the pursuers organized by Vener were scattered all over the Empire, I had no choice but to give up. Her house was prominently located in the center of the imperial capital. It was safer to have her come here than risk going to her place. Clana and Lulu, who had gone out for a while, also tried desperately to stop me from leaving. Hmm? As I remembered the devastated expression they had when I said Id go to Isolets house, I asked with a puzzled look when Lulu suddenly raised her head. Whats wrong? Lulu? I think someones here. Then, Lulu whispered with her ears perking up. Its probably the servants. It feels different somehow Despite my casual response, Lulu, who had been mumbling in a low voice, hopped down from my lap and headed for the door. Ill go check and come back. Okay. Lately, Lulus detection ability seemed to be getting better. The awakening of her Magic Eyes should have been over, but could it still be developing? Also, there were times when she took me by surprise, and occasionally, I found her quite charming. Was it because weve been so close? Ugh Sister, have you come to your senses? Lost in a peculiar thought for a moment, I turned my gaze to Isolet, who had been sipping on a hangover cure and looking dazed. Yes, I have. Isolet, with her face flushed red, nodded quietly. Current Thoughts I want to raise Frey. I want to protect Frey. Looking at her, I quietly used my newly leveled-up mind reading skill and then shook my head vehemently. I need to decrease her obsession a bit. If I couldnt stop her from worrying about me, I at least needed to decrease her level of concern. And to do that, I first need to clarify our hierarchy. Until now, Ive been trying to disappoint her to make her worry, but now I plan to do the opposite. In other words, a change in perspective. I need to make her realize that I am far above her, and she should not dare worry about me. She was a knight with an unwavering spirit after all. Get down. Wha, what? With that thought in mind, I soon spoke with a smug expression. Get down on the floor. Ah, understood Then, looking somewhat bewildered, she began to get down on the floor as per my command. Lay down with your belly up. Like Lulu. If youre my knight, show your loyalty to me. Ugh. Having made her lie down to expose her belly, I gently stepped on her stomach while I remained seated. Now that you know my identity, theres no need to hide anymore. Then I propped up my chin with my hand and began whispering to her in a soft voice. My time is indeed limited but thats because I was drawing power from the Demon King. Ugh. Extending ones life isnt a challenging task. I also hold a rather high position in the Demon Kings army. With that, I applied more pressure with my foot, mockingly glancing at Isolet. You made a big mistake. Despite having a promising future, you willingly became my servant? Sisterno, you are now beneath me. . Well, its your decision. Regret wont change anything now. Henceforth, youll be at the forefront of destroying the empire under my command I abruptly picked up the shirt she had worn. No, just stay beneath my feet for the rest of your life. It suits you. Whoosh You perverted piece of trash. I mockingly whispered and threw the shirt at Isolets face. She stared at me blankly before falling dead silent. Thank you for letting me know my place Master. After what felt like an eternity, a quivering voice emerged from beneath the shirt covering her mouth. Affection System Lv 4 < Completed Heroine Conquest Management > Isolet Arham Bywalker Worry (15%) Sigh Observing her worry diminish significantly, it appeared that I had made the correct decision. I needed to assert my dominance over her consistently. This way, I could maintain control over her for some time, right? Affection System Lv 4 Impulse (39%) Patience (41%) Desire to Teach (5%) For now, I should disregard the other emotions that have emerged. Whoosh While stepping on Isolets stomach, I turned my head quietly toward the door. Mas, Master. To my surprise, Lulu appeared shocked. Please, control only me I glanced at the flustered Lulu, tilting my head. Then, I kicked Isolet and felt cold sweat break out. Peek Someone cautiously stuck their head out next to Lulu, making me freeze in place. Whoosh! At the same time, that person hastily pulled back. Peek, Peek Squeeeze Eek Miho, seemingly upset, pinched and pulled Serenas cheek, making it stretch. What should I do? Where do I start? A storm? Do I summon a storm? No, first I have to buy an island No, wait Calm down, human. Feeling the pain, she realized this was reality; Serenas sharp mind started to overload. What should I do? What am I supposed to do? Why are you asking me, human? Well, first the very first thing I should do is um Serena went on like a broken machine. Ah. What, what is it? Suddenly, she grabbed Mihos shoulders, dragged her over to Frey, and began speaking. Miho, ask Frey for that treatment! That treatment? Yes! The spell you said was super effective on Frey! Upon hearing this, Mihos face began to turn pale. That, that is! I need to plan our date, so you need to restore Freys vitality! As much as possible!! But Please! Make him as lively as possible! However, it didnt matter to Serena, who looked like she had lost her mind. A date, my first-ever date with Frey What should I do? Can I, can I hold his hand as we walk? And other people shouldnt see Frey, so how do I disguise him With that, Serena opened the door and hurriedly ran somewhere, her mind still working overtime. . And then, a moment of silence followed. You, you dont even know what this treatment is Foolish human Hmm? As everyones gaze focused, Miho, sulking, mumbled in a low voice. I need to step outside for a bit. Until then, Isolet, who had been standing calmly in the corner of the room, tilted her head and walked toward the door. I can feel someones gaze. Similar to Lulu earlier, she sensed something was amiss. Good. Lulu was delighted when she realized that only she, Frey, and Miho were left in the room. Why would I give my life force to that kid Well, its a contract but Open your mouth, Miho. Ugh! With a cold expression, she ordered Miho. Bu The Demon King had demonized Miho; still, she had difficulty resisting Lulus Magic Eyes. Following her command, Miho slowly opened her mouth. Good job. Now that what she had to do with Frey was clear. Miho looked at Frey with disgust as if she had chewed a bug. Uhm From her outstretched tongue, her fox bead was slightly vibrating. Hmm. Frey stepped forward and saw Miho flinch with tears forming in her eyes. Gugu! ..? When Gugu appeared by squeezing through the slightly open window, she looked confused. Where have you been? Goo? Gugu, who had flown off somewhere despite her injuries and the other animals discouragements, now appeared dumbfounded. Ferloche Astellade And so must have been the sender of the letter Gugu handed to Frey. Theyre going to attack right now!! Contrary to popular belief, pigeons were smart creatures. With the Hero Party! Annoying Vener is the leader! The party members are Oh, dear. Reading the letter, Freys expression quickly hardened. Brace yourself! Lousy? Third-rate? Villain! Hu, hully! Uman! (Hu, hurry! Human!) Miho, who had been sticking out her tongue at Frey, urged him with a flushed expression. . . . . . Meanwhile What what do I do What should I do Roswyn, confined to her room, looked into the void with swollen eyes. Helper System > Identity of the Hero As you know, the identity of the Hero [Fre] System Restoration[60% completed] [ >Everything about the Hero >Everything he has done >Truths of the world >Limitations that will be applied to you >Etc. .Will be available when System Restoration is complete ] An indescribable fear was gradually closing in on her. Ugh, uhh uhhhh Beep Beep Beep The call from the Hero Party muffled her cries. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 248: Bad Guy Frey Chapter 248: Bad Guy Frey Bad Guy Frey Ugh. Miho stuck out her tongue and tightly shut her eyes as Frey approached. She had never dated or kissed because villagers considered it sacred. Touching tongues with Frey, whom she detested, felt humiliating. Uhh Despite her dislike, Miho had no choice. A contract with Frey bound her. In exchange for giving him life force from her fox beads, she had to absorb energy from the villains brought by Lulu. All her fox beads went to Frey, and she had to recollect energy accumulated over a decade for it to become whole again. Surprisingly, this contract favored Miho. As agreed, Lulu continued bringing villains with glazed looks in their eyes. The energy she absorbed from these individuals had a distinct and superior quality compared to what she got from Morning Dew. Because of just a human Despite her secret satisfaction, Miho couldnt hide her disgust as their tongues were about to touch. Slurp. I am a mighty warrior not a humans plaything! The thought continued until Freys tongue entered her mouth. Gag! Kuhk? Suddenly, Frey grabbed her by the neck. It felt harsh and forceful, like snapping a delicate branch. Eek, ugh Miho hit the wall, trying to hold onto Freys arm. Whats happening? Surprisingly, Frey didnt budge. Even though she was a fox kin and a skilled warrior, capable of overpowering about nine adult men effortlessly, she was entirely overwhelmed by the frail and thin Frey. Cheer up. Ke, Kehuk What? Serving me with that expression is unpleasant. Her trauma from the slave market, where she had been grabbed by the throat, came back. As fear took over, her expression changed as Frey had instructed, and he increased the pressure on her throat. Now, thats better. Frey, seemingly pleased with her effort, soon released her throat. He gently lifted her chin and whispered. If you frown again, Ill kill you. Ha, haha Though not usually scared of human threats, Mihos hair stood on end for some unknown reason. She forced a pale smile and nodded. Human I will kill you Miho despised Frey for defiling her as she felt the lingering touch of his hand on her throat. Should I bite him? For a moment, Miho thought about biting Freys tongue. However, with her medical expertise, she knew she couldnt kill him that way. She also understood that Lulu, glaring at her from the side, would quickly restrain her. Yet, considering the harsh treatment she anticipated from him, that seemed almost preferable. Lulu had once said, Humbly accept any affection or behavior shown by Master Frey. As per recent newspaper articles, he had a track record of using coercive methods to turn those he desired into sex slaves. No, I dont want to As if to prove it, Frey had forcefully pinned her to the wall with both hands. Swish And then, inevitably, Freys tongue entered her mouth. This is the worst Miho thought about the pain she would endure, the extent of the harm he might inflict, and if she could face the elders in her hometown. Slurp, slurp And so, Miho and Freys tongue began to intertwine. Uph? With tears forming, Miho shivered and slightly tilted her head. What is going on? It wasnt the rough and repulsive act she anticipated. Instead, it was so tender and kind that it turned out unexpectedly gentle and demure. Kkuuk However, pressing her against the wall, Freys hand exerted even more force. What, what is this? Miho looked visibly flustered, as she had expected Frey to grope her, but nothing like that happened. Slurp Freys tongue continued its gentle and sweet motion. Ugh Miho was swept away by Freys technique as the essence of the fox beads she gathered melted between their tongues and was absorbed by him. She scratched her hand with her nails to break the spell and whispered to herself. Why, why does it feel so good? She couldnt deny it. Surprisingly, kissing Frey felt good. Why? Why is that? Slurp ..? Rubys expression soured upon reading the notification. A date What a joke. She gazed at the ceiling with dissatisfaction for a while, then muttered in a cold voice. When did they introduce the concept of a Helper? Was it planned from the day I received the penalty? The existence of a Helper was unknown even to the Demon God. Not being aware of such a crucial matter that could alter the course of events for so long shocked her. Therefore, without considering the possibility of defeat and solely focusing on how to subjugate Frey or break him if he refuses to submit, Ruby felt tense for the first time at the thought that she could lose. But even then, I will win in the end. However, her arrogance persisted. And it wasnt baseless arrogance. Despite numerous overlapping penalties, countless accumulated damages, and the emergence of an unknown Helper, she remained the strongest in the world. Even lying in bed at this moment without any constraints, she could still potentially set the world ablaze with just a flick of her finger. Your date must be with Serena, right? Moreover, she had the soul of Serena, the worlds greatest genius, hostage. Despite Serenas poor performance at the ceremony, she claimed it happened because she forcibly ordered her daytime self, who didnt know about their deal. Serena said she learned from her mistake and wouldnt repeat it. However, dealing with the Demon King was challenging, and Ruby felt skeptical about Serenas explanations. Well, then Thats why Ruby had decided. Theres no choice but to ruin your date. Using this date scenario, she planned to punish Serena for daring to mock her and isolate Frey completely. She couldnt do much herself because she was bedridden. Still, she could use magic to locate Frey, who had been hiding on the outskirts for a week. She would then discreetly leak his location to Vener. And most importantly [Special Ability Attack Skill List] Villainification Lv MAX (100000pt) Description: Using the systems power, this scenario transforms the target into an evil villain. She had access to the systems Special Ability. Activated when the Hero and the Demon King recognized each others identities and accumulated special stacks, the special system typically initiated a full-scale war at the beginning of the second school year. However, the Demon God had secretly unlocked Rubys system a few days ago, granting her faster access to the Special Ability. This is self-defense since theyve made their move, so this intervention wont violate the principle of causality. Hmm? Ah, also theres something you should know about the Youngest Paladin As per the very tense Demon God, who recently appeared in her dreams and discussed a complicated situation, it was self-defense since the other side had also intervened However, Ruby wasnt interested in such complex situations. Her sole desire was to witness beautiful things destroyed and crumble by her own hands. And presently, the most beautiful thing in her eyes was Frey. Thats why Ruby yearned to see him shattered, crying, and stained with her color. Rubys guiding principle was solely that and nothing more. [Special Ability Attack Skill List] Note: If the target is too good, theres a limit to how evil they can become, but the chances of that are low. Until now, it was all just an act, Frey. Ruby tossed aside the lengthy precautions and warnings and murmured with a joyful smile. But this time, youre going to commit a truly evil act. She imagined him crossing a line and doing something genuinely evil, unlike his usual self, leaving him devastated and hopeless. [Purchase Complete] Im excited to see how youll react when youre under me, crying. Ruby used a lot of points to debuff Frey, and she smiled happily, imagining how she would deal with him now that he was all alone and had fallen to the bottom due to her elaborate plan. Ill single you out completely Frey. Her eyes gleamed like rubies. . . . . . A few hours later. How can you wear such clothes as a duchess? Arent you ashamed? Eek? Huh? What? It seems you cant even stay still. You are indeed disqualified as a fianc. Frey looked at Serena coldly. Swish, swish But his hands were busy fixing the overly fancy clothes she had put on while caught up in the excitement of the date. Youre hopeless. Serena blushed upon hearing that. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 249: Customized Frey Chapter 249: Customized Frey Customized Frey Ssrrk, ssk With an icy expression, Frey silently fixed Serenas clothes. Um, uh Frey. Serena still flustered from his unexpected touch, finally gathered herself and asked softly. Are you doing this for me right now? After being baffled for a bit, Serena concluded that Frey was doing it for her. Is it because youre worried others might see me like this if we go out? Frey had never cared about her appearance, making Serena think he might be bothered by it as he tidied her clothes with an irritated look. Regarding Frey, Serena tended to provide answers that pleased him, often lacking logic. Right, Frey? This time, her speculation seemed correct. I just didnt want my reputation damaged because of your reckless attire. Were going out in disguise anyway, so it shouldnt matter But it seems like everyones eyes Tsk. As Serena pondered further, Frey stopped fixing her clothes and bluntly said, Dont overthink it. Oookay. Serena stayed silent, her face tense, but she kept fidgeting with her toes. Cant you be still for a moment? Im sorry. Frey apologized again, and Serena suppressed her twitching lips, holding back tears. She whispered to herself, I really like you, Frey I love you, Frey Serena, who hadnt received much love and attention from him for years, felt an overwhelming excitement, and then she looked around. She wanted to share this news with her only friend and assistant, Miho. Hmm? But something felt off. ..? Her assistant, Miho, leaned against the wall with a dreamy look in her eyes. Miho, who usually teased her, now stood there with an enamored look in her eyes. It could be the afternoon sluggishness, but there was something suspicious. Somethings strange Her face was red, she had red handprints on her arms and neck, and she was drooling. How How did it turn out like this? H-human? Most importantly, when Miho looked at Serena, who was deeply in love with Frey, the usual teasing remarks were absent. Instead of mocking her, Mihos voice was tinged with guilt and remorse. Miho. Serena had a sudden realization, and her mind snapped into focus. She approached Miho with a bewildered expression. Are you With a trembling voice, she intended to ask a question while quietly caressing the arm with red fingerprints. However Can I take that girl as my servant? What? Frey, gripping her shoulder, dropped a bombshell. I want to own her, that girl. Serenas eyes widened in shock, and Miho shouted in confusion. Wh-who! Who gets to decide! I am not your possession! You Human! Hm S-so, um But when Frey pushed her against the wall again and stroked her chin coldly, Miho couldnt help but lower her tail and swallow her dry saliva. F-for what reason? The pet in my home wants that girl As Serena, regaining composure, asked with a trembling voice, Frey casually looked at Lulu and continued. Shes a fox beast kin, and since shes your friend, she seems just right to be my mistress. Ah Youre too plain. Theres nothing to see. Frey turned his head to the side after saying that. Y-you said you want to have an affair? Do you mean Im your wife? What? But Frey overlooked a crucial detail. S-So, does that mean Im the official wife?! Serena, who had become used to his ignorance, found each of his reactions incredibly romantic. Frey!! I love you so much! After multiple logical reviews with no errors, Serena smiled as she embraced Frey. Then, will my child be the next head of the family? Wait, what about the Moonlight family? What the hell are you doing right now? Well, why worry about the Moonlight family? We can pick someone suitable as the head. If I can be the Starlight Duchess, nothing matters While Serena daydreamed in his embrace, Frey looked at her suddenly. Wait, this is He contorted his face and muttered in a cold voice. Sigh. Why are you like this? Frey, who had instinctively embraced Serena, realized there was no cloth on the back part of her dress. I cant watch this anymore. Heiik! He looked at Serena with a dumbfounded expression and firmly grabbed her arm. Come with me. Eeuaaahhh Frey began dragging Serena somewhere else. .. They headed to a dressing room inside the hideout, leaving Miho, Lulu, and Isolet in silence in the living room. The silence lingered for quite some time. They had a brief training session. Lulu, what were you? Looking down at her submissive display, Frey subtly questioned. I-I am Masters eternal pet. Remember your place. Im your owner; youre just a pet. Yes! Without hesitation, Lulu responded, prompting Frey to whisper coldly. This time, Ill overlook it but be warned, it wont be as easy next time. Gulp. Hearing this, Lulu, fearing abandonment, nervously swallowed. Huuuggh! Then, her leash tightened firmly once again. Ill be stricter next time. ..! Frey, now atop her, pulled the leash, leaning in closely. I want to be with you as much as possible. But if you wander off or end up with someone else, Ill be upset. Ahh Soon, Frey gazed at Lulu with obsessive eyes. Bite. ! Frey bit Lulus neck, leaving marks. From now on, you need my permission to go anywhere. Understand? Yea Afterward, Frey stared at the marks, caressed her hair, and spoke softly. Youre mine. A dog in my house. Dont go anywhere without me. Yeeeeeessss Looking up at Frey, Lulu wore an ecstatic and happy expression. If a persons pupils could reflect their mood, Lulus eyes would have turned heart-shaped despite Frey tightening the leash around her throat. Sssk Then. Frey, who had pulled the leash tightly, began to loosen it and secured it to a nearby pillar. Take care of the house, Lulu. Woof Its dangerous outside, so stay here today. Ensuring the leash was tied securely, Frey patted Lulus head, still wearing an ecstatic expression, and left through the front door. Ugh As Frey left, his high mental strength helped him briefly collect his thoughts. What have I done Just now Hidden Quest Quest Content: Remove Serenas Curse of Familial Subordination < Date in Progress > Progress: 51% Reward: Total Elimination of the Secret Lord, ???, ???, ???, Serenas 19+ Event Unlocked, Top Priority Designation Feeling guilty, he glanced at the real-time quest progress window. Hmmm. Silently staring at the system window, Freys eyes turned cold instantly. Seriously, these Hero Party members Then, he approached Serena, who had been waiting for him in the distance for a long time, and muttered in a cold voice. Are all a bunch of idiots. And then, silence lingered for a while. Mhm, hmmm hmmm. In the secret hideout, only the subordinates remained without Frey, Serena, and Clana I guess we have to go. After a moment of silence, Isolet, kneeling on the chair, staring blankly at the seat where Frey had been sitting, spoke. Y-yes T-theres no other choice Lulu, unable to contain her excitement from being confined in this place by Frey, responded to Isolets words with a wistful voice. Ferloche Astellade [Im heading to attack Frey right now!! Im with the Hero Party! So annoying. Ms. Vener is the leader! The party members are] It wasnt just Frey who received a letter from Ferloche. I-its an emergency because Masters life is in danger Y-yes, thats right As his knight, I cant just let it slide Yup. Barely justifying their actions, the two women, with desire gleaming in their eyes, watched Frey as he headed toward the carriage. . . . . . Meanwhile What!? The communication device was close to overheating from not receiving signals for a long time. Finally, Roswyn made a connection, and her eyes widened as she shouted. Frey h-hes alive!? Her gaze shook uncontrollably. I-I have to go find him now! After a while, a young girl left her room for the first time in a week. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 250: Unexpected Situation Chapter 250: Unexpected Situation Unexpected Situation Y-youre here? It seems like it took a bit longer. Did something happen Shut up. Frey, stepping onto the carriage prepared for their date, responded with a cold tone as Serena stumbled over her words, watching his reaction. Huff. After a sigh, Frey, who had taken his seat, silently gazed out the window and sighed again. Why am I acting like this? Why? An inexplicable impulse had persistently urged him for a while now, an emotion entirely foreign to Frey. Why do I want to torment others? For the first time in his life, he genuinely wished to torment others, committing pure acts of malevolence unrelated to the forced actions during the first cycle or the current wickedness to save the world. Ugh The signs of this change appeared when the drunken Isolet had barged into his hideout. In that moment, Frey, slightly intoxicated, tried to ease her week-long worries, reassuring her that his high position in the Demon Kings army held no issues with lifespan while also emphasizing the difference in their positions. The decision itself was correct, but insulting her by calling her a doormat or lecherous wretch was never part of his plan. However, he felt guilty and exhilarated for some reason when saying those words, and the situation spiraled out of control from that point onward. He passionately kissed Miho his fiancs aide and friend who had already disliked him, intertwining their tongues and displaying possessiveness. Throwing words he didnt even mean and saying that he wanted to have an affair with Miho left his fiance, Serena, wounded and tearful as she clung to him. Earlier, he had uttered hurtful words, even insulting and sexually harassing Isolet, the second person he respected the most in the world. Lulu, always loyal and affectionate, received cold treatment, facing physical punishment through strangulation and even biting, actions that left Frey bewildered as to why he was yielding to such desires. Could it be I am under a curse? Guilt and confusion etched Freys expression as he stared out the window. Perhaps I should contact Kania After suffering in silence for a while, Freys thoughts led him to seek advice from Kania, an expert on curses, and he turned his gaze to the side. Frey. Ugh. Simultaneously, Serena, who had somehow attached herself closely to his side, sparkled with anticipation, caught his attention. I want to torment her As a result, Freys briefly tranquil mind began to be disturbed, and negative thoughts resurfaced once more. Go away. Heok. Consequently, Frey pushed Serena aside and spoke coldly. Behave, Serena. B-but I should put this on you What? Perplexed, Frey tilted his head, and Serena quietly extended something for him to see. Is this a lens? What she presented was a lens emitting rainbow colors. Yes, you should wear this so we can see each others faces As Serena explained, both of them were currently under special disguise. To conceal Frey, who was feigning his disappearance and hiding, Serena used the hereditary perception-altering magic passed down through her family, altering both their facial appearances. Thanks to this, to external observers Frey and Serena appeared entirely different Of course, their inherent charm from their original appearances remained unchanged despite the altered perception. I-Im already wearing it. When I look at our altered appearances, it feels like were having an affair F-for me, even if you beat me to death, I still like you the best Come to think of it Im the only one who can see your true appearance now Hehe. Serena, who had been mumbling timidly, suddenly spoke with a blissful look as Frey gazed at her. When Frey stared at her intently, Serena, who was timidly muttering, spoke as if suddenly reminded of something and gazed at him thrilled. I dont need that. Sorry? Id rather see that appearance than your original face, which is nothing to look at. .! But as Frey continued with his shocking statement, her previously gleeful smile vanished completely. Th-thats Now, move away from my side. U-ugh Upon hearing that, Serena looked dejected like a pitiable, drenched puppy. Without arguing, she simply lowered her head in response to Freys cold command and muttered softly. A-alright then, Ill keep this appearance today Thats right, now So she quickly realized that the owner of this drastic action was none other than Isolet, who had recently risen to the top of the file. I should revise the ranking soon Serena, who quietly elevated Isolets threat level to the maximum in her mind, gritted her teeth and soon began looking at Frey to shake off her unpleasant feeling. Are you asleep, Frey? His eyes remained closed throughout. Poke, poke. Lost in contemplation while staring at his doll-like face, Serena delicately prodded Freys cheek with her finger. Its so squishy For a while, Serena blushed as she continued to poke Freys soft cheek. ..Huh? Suddenly, as the carriage began to sway, her expression turned cold in an instant. Crash!! However, before she could react, the unexpected happened. Kyaaack!! The roar echoed as the carriage teetered as if on the verge of flipping over. An accident? No, it was a dirt path, so the carriage shook quite a bit, but it wasnt to the extent it would flip over. In the half-tilted carriage, Serena, lifted slightly into the air, started to contemplate inwardly. Then there must be an ambush. Serena, who had wiped away her foolish smile until then, swiftly assumed a cold, ruthless expression reminiscent of an assassin. Not the Imperial Family, perhaps the Church? Or maybe the Hero Party? Regardless, first While using her brain to the fullest, Serena clung to Frey, who had also floated into the air with her and took out a fan from her inner chest pocket. Her eyes began to gleam. Oof!? Taken aback, she gasped and blushed. Snatch! The reason for this was that Frey, who had woken up with a start after dozing off for a moment, unconsciously embraced Serena due to the shock. Ahhhhh? Freys bold action, which she hadnt experienced ever since he was young, left Serenas normally sharp mind in a state of disarray. Crash, thud! Just like that, the carriage, with Frey tightly embracing Serena, dramatically flipped over. What should I do, what should I do, what should I do Buried in Freys warm embrace, Serenas mind turned blank. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment. Hmm. Leaning her chin on her hands at the table, Vener quietly observed the floating projection magical device in the situation room. Cssssss The monitor displayed a carriage covered in dust, overturned. Um, excuse me In the quiet situation room where no one spoke due to the dismal sight, someone suddenly raised their hand. I-I I came here because they said Frey Frey is here? I? The pitiful, worn expression belonged to none other than Roswyn. Oh, well. Vener, who was sharply looking at her, had a cold expression and was about to open her mouth to speak. Actually Creak! .? The door to the situation room swung open suddenly, and someone entered, causing Vener to momentarily pause her words and tilt her head in confusion. What in the world? It was Freys younger sister who had become the temporary head of the Starlight family. What are you all doing? Aria Raon Starlight appeared in the situation room. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 251: Interference Chapter 251: Interference Interference Rolling One wheel from the overturned carriage wobbled down the path after the accident. If anyone witnessed this, they might have thought it was a major accident, and those inside wouldnt have come out unscathed. Despite the protective magic on the carriage, the severity of the crash suggested potential moderate injuries. Ugh Although Serena felt dizzy from the shock of the carriage flipping, she wasnt injured. Frey had acted swiftly, using himself as a cushion to shield Serena as soon as the accident happened. Hmm. Frey, gazing down at Serena shivering in his arms, cautiously extended his hand toward her. Sssk, ssk He delicately brushed away Serenas hair that obscured her face. Youre not hurt. After a brief pause, he said, still wearing the cold expression he had earlier. Frey took Serenas hand and helped her stand while maintaining his cold expression. Your face wasnt attractive to begin with, so it couldnt get any worse. Uwaah. After lifting Serena, Frey spoke softly and leaned against the overturned carriage. Why the heck arent you moving and getting out of here? What? He crouched inside the flipped carriage, took a few deep breaths, then gave Serena a cold look and spoke. Its obviously an attack. You handle it. Ah, ah okay But honestly, you couldnt even handle a small ambush as an assassin. Youre useless as a fiance. I-Im sorry The least you can do is be a meat shield, right? As Frey scolded Serena with an icy frown, her face darkened. Im sorryyy Get out there and find out whos behind this, stupid. A-alright. The joy of Frey protecting her faded as he looked at her with disapproval, treating her as if she were pathetic. Serena responded immediately, looking utterly dejected. I-Ill go out right away now Soon, with a piece of carriage debris stuck to her hair and slumped shoulders, she crawled out of the carriage. Phew Frey quietly watched Serena, then sighed, lowering his head. Crash! He lifted his left arm, concealed behind him all this while, and with an impassive expression, pulled out a piece of debris lodged in his arm. Hmm. Despite the severe wound, he showed no concern. He delicately shook his arm before fetching a bandage from his inner chest pocket. Cough. As a result of the collision and shielding Serena, he had suffered injuries, and a trickle of blood streamed down his lips. No life reactions in the vicinity He muttered in his cold voice as he wiped the corner of his mouth nonchalantly. No magical reactions either somethings not right. Quietly, he extended his mana in all directions, beyond Serenas awareness, and ensured the absence of threats. Hmm? With a puzzled expression and a grimace, Frey suddenly tilted his head at an unexpected sense of presence. Whos that? Someone had intruded into his extensive surveillance network. They werent here before. Confused by the unexpected turn of events, Frey glanced at Serena, who was carefully scanning her surroundings outside the carriage. Clang! Next, he kicked open the door on the opposite side of the carriage, stepping out quietly to investigate the potential presence. Thud, thud Frey gazed out and saw the dense forest. Who could be here? He carefully moved through the underbrush, keeping a low profile, and then extended his hands forward with a gleam in his eyes. Lets see whos that? He quietly drew on his hero power, ready to confront anyone suspicious hiding in the underbrush. However ? Uh.. ugh! Quietly, he tilted his head upon seeing the startled figure before him. W-who are you? Crouched in the thicket was a slender girl with a pale face. Is she the culprit? Frey, examining the suspicious girl, started questioning her connection to the incident while wearing a stern expression. However Its more unlikely. Suddenly, he shook his head. Uh ugh The reason was that the petite girl, curled up and in hiding, was blind. Why are you here? I-I Answer quickly. Hiiik However, Frey hadnt let down his guard. He grabbed her throat and threatened her with a cold tone. If you dont answer Ill wrench your neck. Pl-please spare me Im quite annoyed right now My date got interrupted. Frey tightened his grip, making the blind girl tremble uncontrollably. No, instead of wrenching your neck, I might just chop it off I-I was hiding here Why? As Frey tried to unsheathe his sword, the girl hurriedly replied, prompting Frey to pose another question. Saying so, the girl fiddled around hesitantly. T-then are these all also real gold coins? She took a handful of gold coins from her pocket and showed them to Serena. Hmm The girl secretly blushed as Serena stared blankly at those coins and nodded. So, who is this person were escorting? The girl asked while fidgeting nervously. I-its not a big deal I just want to know his name, but Serenas expression turned cold upon hearing that question. I-Ill tell you later. For now, please return to your duty. A-alright Then, Serena moved with an anxious expression. Serena was delighted that her fianc became more charming, but it was uncomfortable when others tried to tempt him. Determined to showcase her charm and fully captivate Freys attention during this opportunity, she approached him. F-Frey ..It was clear that you couldnt find the cause. Ah, well Useless bitch. However, when Frey shot her a cold look, her resolve crumbled, and she gave up. Whenever she faced him, her mind went blank. Th-that why did you buy that basket? So, Serena, stammering, ended up asking the question out of intense curiosity. What? What the hell are you looking at? To her question, Frey responded with indifference. I bought it to disguise myself as a farmer. My identity might be suspected if I keep acting like a noble. Th-Thats how it is? But you gave her all those gold coins .. Serena stared blankly at him and asked another question. Frey, looking quietly at the hand that had gripped the girls throat, responded nonchalantly, saying it was nothing special. I might have confused them for copper coins. Uh, well Dont bombard me with questions. Its irritating. As Frey turned his head while saying that, Serenas bright smile faded instantly, and she hesitated to speak. B-but with the carriage breaking down and the attack, should we end our date now? .. I I had a short but delightful time. I wore the dress you chose for me felt the warmth of your embrace and um Her shoulders down, Serena acted like she had lost everything. Frey began walking ahead. If the carriage broke down, we could walk to the city or whatever. Huh? Serena, looking puzzled, asked. B-but that means well arrive in the evening, and there will only be a few hours left Frey walked ahead, leaving her behind, and stated bluntly. Did you only plan for today? Huh? Serenas eyes widened as she tried to decipher the meaning of his words. What are you doing? Why arent you following me? Gulping nervously, Serena pulled a small notebook from her pocket upon hearing Freys distant words. [21 Best Music for Prenatal Education] Marche Limpide Serenade of Stars and Moons Symphony of Destiny . . . Which academy should I send her to? Is Sunrise Academy still the best for the childs future? No, maybe an academy abroad could be more beneficial Though Serena calmly flipped through the notebook, her imagination ran wild uncontrollably. . . . . Meanwhile, at a tower quite a distance from Frey and Serena. Wh-Whats happening? After receiving the order about Freys ambush and monitoring the situation through a magical tool, Alice nervously started to sweat. Who the hell is attacking them!? Their carriage had been attacked before the ambush order had been issued. I-I need to report this somethings wrong Feeling flustered by the unusual turn of events, Alice tried to speak to her colleagues behind her in a shaky voice. Can you guys please be quiet? Huh? Her words were cut off by a tense voice coming from behind. Irresponsible, Ms. Alice. ..? To her surprise, Ferloche, usually sporting a foolish expression, was sweating heavily and glaring at someone. Whats going on? After a while, the youngest Paladin, who had been the focus of Ferloches gaze, asked quietly. Is there a problem? Just a week ago, before the Church summoned her, her eyes were silver. Now, for some reason, they were shining crimson. Oh, greetings, Lord Frey. ..! Ferloche, observing her, suddenly shifted her gaze to her back and waved cheerfully. In that brief moment, the Paladins body twitched slightly. . Then, a long silence ensued. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 252: Moment of Crisis Chapter 252: Moment of Crisis Moment of Crisis What are you doing? Hmm Inside the situation room of the Hero Partys temporary residence, Aria questioned Vener with a glare. Please give me an acceptable explanation. Otherwise First, take a seat. Vener interrupted Aria and gestured toward the table. Aria, with a cold expression, reluctantly headed there. Where should I sit? Aria stopped as the table was fully occupied. Um In the escalating tense atmosphere, Roswyn timidly raised her hand, cautiously watching the situation. Um With a desperate look, she spoke. I-I got information that Frey is alive? But where is Frey? That Wedont know that for sure yet. To prevent others from responding to Roswyn, Vener silently peered at her as she replied. What? But I clearly heard Regarding that issue, Miss Roswyn, please discuss it separately with me. Could you step out for a moment? I see Roswyn, with a pale expression, nodded and left her seat. Dont know for sure? How can it be Under normal circumstances, the request should have raised suspicion, but there was no room for concern for her, as she was supposedly mad. Helper System > Identity of the Hero The identity of the Hero, as you know, is [FreX] System Recovery in progress [90% Complete] The countdown of the Helper System, be it a blessing or curse, was rapidly approaching its end. Thud, thud She staggered out of the situation room with a face pale from lack of sunlight. Why did you send her out? After Roswyn had left, Aria claimed the empty seat, her gaze fixed on Vener. To be honest, Im having doubts about her. Vener, hands propped on her chin, replied sharply. The person who gave that potion to the hero happened to be Lady Roswyn. . So, Im currently suspecting whether Frey has some connection to the Demon Kings army. Whether intentional or a mistake, Vener leaned toward suspicion. I also got a message that my brother is alive. Aria, still displeased, continued speaking, sitting askew with crossed legs. I received a message asking me to work with the Hero Party as an advisor instead of my brother. Yes, that was my request. Its Freys fault, but the Starlight family still belongs to the lineage of a former hero. I dont particularly deny that. However When Vener affirmed her words, Aria tilted her head slightly and asked angrily. An assassination operation? Isnt that going too far? Are you defending him because of blood ties? Frey is a criminal. The heinous acts he committed Vener also spoke with a slightly intense tone, leaning forward. I have no intention of defending him. When Aria interrupted her with a cold expression, she stopped speaking and quietly stared at Aria. My brother is truly beyond redemption. With those words, she took out some documents from her pocket. I found them in a hidden room when I returned to the mansion after my brother went missing. Aria pushed the documents toward Vener. Spreading the rumor that hes a terminally ill patient in the media for sympathy The real reason for his frailty is the side effect of the power from the Demon King. It seems like he failed to handle it. Probably didnt expect things to go this wrong. Aria stared at Vener, who was slowly reading through the documents, and continued while gripping the desk. My brother must face the consequences. Demotion to a commoner, confiscation of all his property and status, permanent exile from the mansion, and other things like that. He should endure eternal shame and disgrace in front of me and everyone. In other words, that will be his retribution. Aria firmly asserted and glanced at Vener, who seemed displeased. But I cant condone taking his life. Why is that? But then, as they walked together, Frey suddenly began to sway. Whats wrong! Serenas face turned pale with concern, and she quickly started checking Freys condition. Ah. Then, she quickly realized that he was quite exhausted. L-lean on me! Frey! After a brief contemplation, Serena immediately lowered her head and whispered while looking over her shoulder toward Frey. Thump, thump Thrilled at the prospect of supporting Frey, her heart thumped uncontrollably. You really dont know your palace, now do you? However, Frey said that with an astonished expression, taking a step back from her. Please, maintain your dignity. O-okay Serena, whose spirit had suddenly diminished due to Freys rejection, walked ahead with a slightly gloomy expression. .. Freys gaze was fixed on Serena, observing her unsteady walk. Huff. After a while, Frey sighed and walked toward Serena. Ssk Heiik!? Then, Frey put his arms around Serenas waist. Wh-what are you doing?? Taking it further, Frey rested his head on Serenas shoulder. Serena, nearly losing her composure due to Freys scent, asked in confusion. Lets stay at that inn over there tonight. Oh? We dont have to go all the way. Hurry up, support me properly. Y-yes! Frey strategically positioned himself for mutual support as Serena put strength in her shoulders. Carefully moving her flushed cheek to avoid his gaze, she glanced at him as they supported each other. Frey briefly tilted his head and thought as he headed toward the inn with Serena. I dont know why, but Ive had a strange feeling since earlier? Frey held Serenas waist a bit tighter. . . . . . As Frey and Serena were heading to the inn Ugh Uck Yawn Ferloche was bound by black iron chains in a distant forest, glaring at someone. R-Retr Are you serious? Are you really going to do it? She was none other than the Youngest Paladin. But you cant turn it around again No, she was a slightly different existence. Youve fooled me like a little mouse until now But now, I wont fall for it anymore. With gleaming red eyes, the paladin whispered in a cold voice. Also, havent you reached your limit? This was your last retry, wasnt it? As Ferloche quietly lowered her head, the paladin said with a chilling smile. Just stay here obediently. She gently stroked Ferloches chin. Then, as she took a step forward, she muttered. Okay, now Shall we check on our fragile protagonist? And with that, whatever had taken the form of the paladin slowly disappeared. .. After keeping her down for a while, Ferloche whispered as her eyes sparkled. Gugu, its time now. Gu. Simultaneously, her pet bird, circling the inn, swiftly descended. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 253: Descent of the Goddess Chapter 253: Descent of the Goddess Descent of the Goddess In a worn-out inn on the outskirts of the empire, along the road to the bustling city center Nom nom .. In the inns dining area, Frey wearily observed Serena enjoying her spaghetti. Why spaghetti, though? Huh? Serena looked up while eating spaghetti. Never mind. Sensing that talking to Serena might be troublesome, Frey grabbed his fork and started eating. Slurp. The spaghetti had a strong and greasy flavor, typical in such a run-down inn. While slurping noodles and looking fatigued, Freys eyes suddenly widened. Serena, chewing on the other end of the spaghetti strand he was eating, moved closer, her eyes sparkling. Maybe if I keep using this tactic, Freys heart might flutter for me one day, even if just once. Serenas strategy was intricate and calculated. Chup. ..!? Frey maintained his expression and leaned in until he finished the spaghetti strand. Lick. Eek! As Frey gently licked Serenas lips. She felt a surge of emotions as if a volcano had erupted in her mind, and she covered her face with her hands. You had sauce on your lips. I-I didnt know What didnt you know? W-well, whatever it is I just didnt. Watching Serena acting strange again, Frey playfully tapped his fingers on the table, finding her antics amusing. They acted like a new couple out on a date, so their affectionate display caught everyones attention in the restaurant. Their charm was evident, even with Serenas perception-altering magic. They created a beautiful scene just by being together. A sudden chill made them shiver, likely from the winter wind coming through the old inns gaps. Um, Frey. After enjoying a surreal time with Frey, Serena, with a slightly tense expression, eventually questioned. How should we deal with them I mean, the Hero Party? What do you mean? As Frey tilted his head, Serena, who had used soundproof magic to speak, continued with a colder tone. They are trying to kill you both socially and physically, right? When Frey didnt respond to her, she continued while getting a bit emotional. Especially that Vener bitc I mean, girl, shes the worst. Is that so? Shes aiming to attack your wealth, tarnish your reputation, and trap you, patiently waiting for the right moment to ruin you, you know? She continued to speak as if it were her own affair, breaking down her words. Afterward, she turned her gaze to Frey, awaiting his reaction before posing a question. Should I handle it my way? Actually, not only her, but most of the dangerous folks have everything set up, ready to start the operation with just a snap of the fingers Flick! Ouch. Serena winced as she took a hit on her forehead and looked at Frey. I Im willing to do anything if its for you. With determination in her eyes, she resumed the conversation. So, please dont refuse. Trust me to handle it. . If needed, I can even become an adviser to the Demon Kings army Enough, stop it. Frey responded with a cold tone, abruptly interrupting Serena. Do only what I ask. Alright Seeing Serena bowing her head dejectedly, Frey wiped his mouth with a tissue and spoke. I already have a plan to deal with her. What? I know a fatal weakness of Venera flaw that, if exposed, would bring her great embarrassment. Frey continued with a smirk, looking at Serena, who widened her eyes. Dont you dislike her? Y-yes, well to be honest Okay, then Ill ensure she disappears from your sight in the future since I dont like her either. So, dont do anything silly for now. Hehe. Despite feeling discouraged earlier, Serena suddenly burst into laughter. Flutter! Eaaaakk!! Serena hastily pulled out a fan in surprise at the sound of flapping wings near them. G-go away! You pests!! This had become a repetitive scenario where their animal friends, huddled together, intruded and disrupted their meal. It had become quite tiresome for Serena. Gu? ..? However, only Gugu had entered the shop. Looking around Serena, remembering she had left the animals confined in the mansion before leaving, cautiously started looking around like a wary cat. I-its okay if its just you alone I can handle you. After ensuring there were no more escapees, she placed Gugu on her shoulder, gently placed her hand on Freys, and whispered to him. I really love you Frey I heard you. Now step away. I love you Frey For some reason, as Serenas affectionate advances became more persistent, Frey, who had been pushing her away, soon wore a startled expression. Hehehe It was because the liquid in her glass at the table corner looked unusual. Darn it. It was alcohol. Suddenly, Serena, who became uncontrollable when she drank, gulped down the cheap liquor placed on the table for promotion. Frey Already getting tipsy, Serena slumped on the table, reaching out to Frey while floundering. Tsk. Frey looked at her, puzzled, and the faces of the people around them shifted oddly. Ding! A quest window popped up before Frey. Hidden Quest Quest Content: Remove Serenas Curse of Familial Subordination < Date Mission in Progres Completed! > Progress: 80% Sigh. Reading the window before him, Frey sighed. This is troublesome. He found himself torn between being pleased with the progress jumping from 60% to 80% after Serena consumed alcohol or feeling concerned about it. Hidden Quest Quest Content: Remove Serenas Curse of Familial Subordination < New Mission! > ..? As he shook his head while assisting Serena to stand, an unexpected notification appeared under the window. Frey instinctively reached out to press it. Zap! W-whats happening here? Before his finger could touch it, sparks suddenly flew from the system. Zap-zap! Hisssss Alright. After channeling all her energies, the Demon God finally unleashed the chains that had restrained him, letting him fall. Plop! This is your last chance. Subsequently, the Demon God showed the corruption quest for the third time and gave orders coldly. Let go of everything and take a res She couldnt finish that command. Clash! Kyak! Because Freys sword had passed through the system window and pierced her eye. I-it hurts! I said it hurts! Agh! Now that youve exhausted all the dark mana in your body Bleeding from his mouth as the price for using Heros Power, Frey spoke as the Demon God winced in pain while holding her left eye. Youre weaker than me, right? Its impossible No matter how good you are, system-wise, its impossible When her Plan B failed, too, the Demon God stared at Frey on the ground with disbelief. W-what is this? Despite absorbing centuries of dark mana into his body, there wasnt a trace of it in Freys body. Oooong! Instead, peculiar black magic circle patterns emerged on Freys body. The pattern on this magic circle was the same as the one that appeared when he had controlled the core during the hero appointment ceremony. I cant even control it? The Demon God thought Frey redirected her dark mana elsewhere, so she tried to summon it back but couldnt. Then what about me? Having lost control of her dark mana to someone on the opposite continent overnight, the Demon God looked dumbfounded. I should talk with Kania. Examining the patterns on his body, Frey muttered, then took a step ahead. Are you ready? D-dont be ridiculous To think youd really sacrifice someone Frey held his sword and moved closer with a fierce look. The Demon God, who was watching, smirked and spoke. Crack! Kyyaaack!! His sword hit her foot, making her scream. If its you, you should already understand the true nature of the Saintesss unique ability, right? Frey asked with a low voice as he looked down at her. What I mean is the power to control the soul.'' Ugh Serena mentioned that, in reality, the Saintess is not chosen by the gods; she chooses the gods with her power. I-it hurts Whether dividing her soul to connect with the gods or bringing the gods into her body, it revolves around that ability. Its likely her power thats causing peoples memories etched into their souls to resurface after the third ordeal. With clarity of mind and full control, Frey made these deductions. He smiled, speaking again while subtly turning the sword. Well, thats how it is. As he said, Frey revealed Ferloches pet, Gugu, engraved on his sword blade to the Demon God. This bird somehow entered the sword while I was holding Serena and did something. ! It was only then that Demon God realized it. The side where she was initially stabbed, followed by her eye and footall remained entirely unharmed. Ive been cutting through your soul all along. Heikkk! Of course, I cant kill you, but even if I cant strike you Smiling broadly as he conveyed this, Frey quickly raised his sword and finished his statement. But I can make you experience excruciating pain. Aaah Due to this, the Demon God, gripped by terror, managed to break the connection she had desperately maintained. She abruptly severed ties with the paladin without saying anything. However Clash, clash, clash. At that point, Freys attack, with his physical abilities maxed out, had struck her body close to several hundred times. What a miserable fellow Despite quivering due to the undeniable pain, the Demon God still defiantly glared at Frey. Real terror is coming She maintained her gaze on Frey with a chilling smile until the end. Even if its you you wont be able to withstand that either As Demon God concluded her words, the paladins eyes rolled back. Heugh. In the silent room, Frey, breathing heavily, suddenly broke into a cold sweat and slumped to the floor. Hissss As the Demon Gods illusion dissipated, Serena and the people around them gradually changed. It now looked like they had just fallen asleep. Gu? In the calm, Gugu smoothly escaped from Freys sword blade. Gugu~ Wearing a cheerful expression, it soared toward the paladin. Flash! Then, her body shone brightly. . . . . . Ugh.. After a while, in the restaurant: Im tired of the darkness now. Im tired of the chains now. .. Frey glanced down at the paladin writhing on the floor. I dont want to be helplessly trapped too. Moments ago, she had absorbed the soul of the Demon God, but she currently wore an agonized expression. I want to be of help to the world now She murmured for a while. Flick! Ouch! As Frey flicked her forehead, the startled paladin beneath her widened her eyes and stood up. And then, a moment of silence passed. L-Lord Frey? Hmm. W-Where is this? Watching Frey, who stood before her with an its been a while expression, paladin quickly started to scan her surroundings. H-huh? Where is the darkness? The chains? Strangely, her eyes were not white or red but had a burning golden color. A-am I free now? After glancing around for a while, she mumbled with a foolish expression. Frey, who had been silently observing, subtly asked. Who are you? Upon hearing the question, the paladin blinked before cheerfully responding. Im the Sun God, I think? Freys expression underwent several changes within five seconds. Really? Hiiik! Then a cold smile appeared on his face. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 254: Operation Steal Frey Chapter 254: Operation Steal Frey Operation Steal Frey Flick!! Ouch, ouch! Freys sharp tap on the forehead landed on the Youngest Paladin, a vessel of the goddess. I-It hurts She knelt before Frey, tears streaming down her face as she clutched her forehead, seemingly pleading for forgiveness. What are you saying? N-nothing In response to Freys cold inquiry, she quickly withdrew her hand, placing her head back on the floor. Thats enough. Just go sit in the chair. Y-Yes After a while, she cautiously sat in front of Frey, stealing glances at him before timidly speaking. E-Excuse me What is it? U-Uh Im, Im sorry Do you usually talk so slowly? To swiftly address Freys composed but villainous demeanor, the Sun God stuttered, shaking her head and finishing her words. I-Im sorry truly. What are you saying? I-Im incompetent Agh! Ack! As the Sun God gauged Freys reaction while speaking, she received two consecutive hits on her forehead. How did you get possessed? I-I dont know. I was lost in darkness. I dont know for how long, though. Suddenly, I saw a light, and when I opened my eyes I was here. And why were you trapped? I-it happened after losing to my younger sister. That time Her eyes began to change color as she spoke, shifting toward red. W-whats wrong? She looked around, confused. Frey? Perplexed at the people asleep around her, she spotted Frey and smiled with a chilling expression. Didnt I say? This isnt the end Suddenly, her red eyes became golden again. I-I dont want to be trapped in darkness any longer! Her golden eyes burning once again, she clutched her head with a pale expression. Did I just get possessed by the Demon God? Observing her regaining consciousness, Frey spoke quietly. How much do you know, and what can you tell me? Well after being sealed in darkness, I dont know much .. O-of course, I do know some things B-but, I cant tell yo Seeing Frey clench his fist, the Goddess hastily covered her forehead. I-Im sorry! B-but if I reveal too much, I will have no more divine power! What does that even mean? Having lost the Main God status and being sealed away by the Demon God, I also lost my power. Discovering the singularity to reshape the world almost drained my divine energy She continued cautiously, glancing at Freys fist that was still in the air. Therefore, sharing any information, even a small amount, depletes the power sustaining the Demon Kings system window. I-Im truly sorry Hmm. Frey, who had been silently observing, then asked in a low voice. Lets assume its true, but the Demon God has intervened multiple times. Pardon? Even just now, she descended, using the body youre in. She tried to corrupt me directly. The Sun God, puzzled, responded. I find it hard to believe that could happen? Hmm? If she tried that in her position, shed likely have no divine power left. She pointed at herself, tilting her head. Take me as an example changing the world took almost all the divine power I had gathered for countless years .. No matter how much she enjoys others suffering, she wouldnt harm herself. Deep in thought until then, Frey suddenly opened his eyes and muttered. Well, there must have been a reason for her to do something like this, even if it harms herself. Pardon? Come to think of it, she had an anxious look in her eyes when she tried to corrupt me just now After muttering that, Frey grabbed the alcohol bottle on the table and concluded his thoughts. As he tried to tap her forehead again, Frey suddenly tilted his head, murmuring to himself. Clearly Ancestor mentioned in the prophecy that the Sun Gods character was clumsy and filthy Th-thats slander! There are reasons for everything! The Sun God, somehow picking up on those words, tried to straighten her crumpled body, expressing a sense of unjust grievance. Ugh .! Serena, who had collapsed next to them, began to move. Wow She looks just like the real adviser of the Hero Party from a thousand years ago She was really smart Shes Serena, dont you know her? Ah. Observing the Sun God scratching her head with a foolish expression, Frey sighed and muttered. I wonder if Ferloche turned into an idiot because she had to deal with someone like her for an unimaginable amount of time. Pardon? For the time being, go inside that room. Its a room I booked. Uwaaaa Frey pushed the Sun God toward the stairs, his expression turning cold as he spoke. Lets talk in more detail tomorrow morning with just the two of us. Heik? Oh, ookayyy Upon hearing that, she got scared without any clear reason and blushed as she went up the stairs. Phew Holding her throbbing head, Frey watched her act like that, quietly looking over at Serena. Ugh She was blinking rapidly. Sskk Frey brushed Serenas lips with his finger, quite the contrast to his usual cold manner. Haub Then, Serena instinctively put his finger inside her mouth. Pftt. Frey laughed softly, gently stroked her hair, and stood up. Oh, huh? Serena, who had just opened her eyes, began to look around. Frey? Frey stood up for his seat. Staring at him, she asked a question. Why is everyone all lying down? Frey answered softly. I killed them all. Ah. Serenas gaze sharpened as she heard those words. Just wait a moment. I will immediately summon the confidants to eliminate the evidence Pfftehehe ? Frey stopped in his tracks and laughed again at Serena, who had said that promptly. Come outside for a moment. I have something to say. Huh? Then, there was silence in the inn for a moment. Wow Puzzled by the sudden change in the situation, Serena looked around and smiled as she gazed up at the sky, watching the snow falling outside the window. .. In the darkening sky, the moon representing her had risen. Hmm. Serena stopped staring at the moon as her expression suddenly changed. As planned. On her face marked with a peculiar excitement, there was a content smile. Everything is proceeding as planned. She mumbled like that and then quietly got up. Today is the day, Frey. Frey was standing quietly on the street where the first snow was falling. Serena muttered to herself as she walked toward the entrance. Today will be the day I The stars and the moon hanging in the sky were shining upon her. take away your purity. She had begun the masterplan behind the long-standing Operation Steal Frey. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 255: A Moon That Wishes To Become A Star Chapter 255: A Moon That Wishes To Become A Star A Moon That Wishes To Become A Star Step, step A woman walked along a snow-covered country road, navigating through falling snow. Beep, beep Whats happening? It was Vener, exhaling a warm breath to thaw her frozen hands. You lost contact with the Paladin and the Saintess? Vener, who had embarked on a journey to punish Frey, frowned at the urgent radio message from the dispatched Hero Party. Is this info reliable? Could the Saintess have forgotten to use the radio, or the Paladin turned it off? While it was common for the Paladin and the pure Saintess, Ferloche, to lose communication, the message hinted at a more serious issue. You mean the signal is completely gone? Even if their magical communication devices had been turned off, the signal should still be traceable. Strangely, it had disappeared entirely. I get it. Im almost there; Ill check it myself. Frowning, Vener disconnected the signal and quickened her pace, stopping shortly after. So Soon, with a tense expression, Vener reached for the sword hanging at her belt. Whats your business here? Someone stood in her way in the middle of a deserted path at night, holding a sword. Isnt it obvious? The mysterious figure in the darkness revealed herself. Its to ensure my dear disciple rests undisturbed. It turned out to be Isolet herself. Are you defying the world? Vener questioned, her expression turning cold as she stared at Isolet. Just for those insignificant memories? Isolet responded with a chilling smile, as cold as the weather. For me, those memories are everything. Youll regret this. When I return, youll lose everything, and the Imperial family and the church will chase after I dont care. Isolet interrupted Veners long speech, pointing the sword toward her. Ive given up everything and made an oath to him. What? Also, you see As Isolet spoke, Veners pupils widened at her words. Return? What does that mean? Isolet, glaring at Vener for assaulting her disciple, emanated an overwhelming sword aura. Youll never return to the Hero Party. That sword aura? It resembled the legendary Sword Saints sword aura from a thousand years ago. If you dont want to die from a single blow, draw your sword. Recognizing her strength, Vener sweated bullets and quietly drew her sword. Claaaaang! Their swords clashed the next moment. Serena that brat Amidst the massive shockwave, Isolet remembered Serena, who had hinted that Vener would come. Soon, she thought. Shes indeed a smart child. For the sake of sweet Frey, Serena and Isolet planned to remove Vener from the Hero Party. But it seems the place behind them wasnt the lodging Serena mentioned but just an old inn? Yet, even that was part of Serenas cunning plan. . . . . . Shaaa Oh. In the ruins of the Western Continent, far from the Sunrise Empire in the Southern Continent, a makeshift tent stood. This is impressive There, Kania manipulated a surge of dark mana that had suddenly entered her body. Its much stronger than the dark mana I used before At least ten times stronger Compared to the mana she used before, it had a different level of concentration and strength. But Im still at the level of a high-ranking warlock? She thought she had grown stronger, but that wasnt the case. Because she remained at the level of a high-ranking warlock, Kania needed to surpass the top level of the high-ranking barrier to manifest the new dark mana throughout her body. Even if she broke through that barrier, reaching this power level wouldnt be possible for her. In truth, she questioned whether this was genuine dark mana. Though she labeled it as such, Kania considered it something close to the origin. Well, it wont hurt if I have it for now. After rolling the black sphere on her finger for a while, Kania absorbed it and murmured. With this, I can make Young Master even happier. While black magic typically caused pain and cursed the target, it could also produce beneficial effects if used skillfully. Kania was confident in manipulating dark mana. Alright, then Lying on the bed inside the tent, Kania quietly picked up a nearby lemon candy and licked it carefully. Euuuu Despite its extreme sourness, Kania licked it as if familiar with the taste. Hes been quite active lately. Well, lets call it a night for today. Huh? Im just a little tired. .. After Frey stepped back from her and said so, she looked at him silently. To be honest. Frey calmly walked toward the inn, leaving her behind. You are, actually, not that plain-looking. He stopped walking and spoke in a low voice, his eyes meeting hers. Just keep that in mind. Having witnessed the illusion a moment ago and fearing that she might leave him, the villainized Frey finally managed to reveal his true feelings with much difficulty after relying on the power of alcohol. Step, step After delivering his impactful statement, Frey silently entered the mansion. .. Sigh. Serena, who had been watching Frey with excitement, exhaled warmly and mumbled. I cant hold back any longer. . . . . . Hufff Entering the inn before Serena, I just wanted to lay down on the bed in the room, and as the incoming fatigue creased my expression, I let out a deep sigh. Why are there no more vacant rooms? I had asked the innkeeper, still groggy and confused after waking up, but he said there were no vacant rooms. For a moment, I considered chasing the Sun God out, lying inside my room, but the cold made me think otherwise, so I just let her be. I guess theres no other way. With things as they were, I had no choice but to sleep in Serenas room. She could sleep in her bed, and I could sleep on the floor. Besides, shes my fiance, so it shouldnt matter, right? Ugh. While contemplating this, I suddenly groaned, feeling as if my head had cleared up. Lost in thought, I emitted a soft groan, feeling a sudden clarity in my head. How many times is this now? Throughout today, my mind would clear up and then cloud over again. What was this Villainization in my system window that kept popping up? I seem to have regained my senses temporarily, but it would be quite troublesome if this continued. Hidden Quest Quest Content: Remove Serenas Curse of Familial Subordination < New Mission! > Contemplating this, I decided to check the system notification that I had missed due to the recent attack by the Demon God. Huh? My eyes widened instantly. Remove Serenas Curse of Familial Subordination Mission Content: Spend the night with Serena Reward: Progress 80% -> 90% .!? Staring at the system window for a while, I was taken aback by the straightforward yet shocking content. Creak As the door opened and Serena stepped into the room, I instinctively closed the system window and spoke. Uh, hey Serena But something felt off. Frey Serena? Her eyes seemed unfocused. Click! Huh? Huh? Watching her with a bewildered expression, I suddenly widened my eyes as the door clicked shut. Our eyes met as she crossed the doorway. Hehe W-wait a minute? Serena? With a flushed face, Serena gracefully ascended onto the bed with gentle movements. Ive always wished to become a Star ever since long ago. What? Eventually, Serena delicately stroked the purity ring on my left ring finger, which had been shining white until then, and took my hand in her right hand. Ssk ..! Undoing her dress in one swift motion, she revealed her naked body, dressed only in thin undergarments, and whispered. Please, turn my family name into Starlight. As I gazed into her eyes, resembling moonlight, my mind began to go blank. Will you give it to me? It seemed that today would be the day my ring would turn black. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 256: The Moon Who Has Embraced The Star Chapter 256: The Moon Who Has Embraced The Star The Moon Who Has Embraced The Star WARNING R18 AHEAD!!!!!!!!! Read at your own risk. There is also an illustration at the end. Please dont look in public. Slurp Slurp Haah!? Before Frey could even utter a word, Serena intertwined her tongue with his as they held hands. Mmm Her tongue movements, honed every night to satisfy her fianc, were sweet enough to overwhelm even Freysomeone who had gotten quite familiar with the action recently. After a long while, as Serena slowly parted her lips, Frey gazed at her with a look of adoration, his eyes soft and full of emotion. Se, Serena Due to their passionate kiss, Serena had a string of saliva mixed with Freys. Haah Haah Despite the cold, Serena felt hot and was sweating a bit. She exhaled roughly as she looked down at Freys cute expression. It looked good on him. Squeeze! Serena firmly held Frey down with her knee, gradually increasing the pressure in her grip. With a gaze filled with love and desire, she whispered. You have no idea how much effort I put into creating this situation. Huh? In this secluded, shabby inn, theres no intrusion of animals, nor the Demon Kings army or the Hero Party, no meddling from pets and old maidens That, that means Youve been caught in my trap, Frey And with those words, she began removing the garment covering her chest. And now, theres nowhere left for you to escape to A liquid, ambiguous in naturewhether sweat or something elsetrickled down between her legs. Uh, yeah With the noticeable absence of foreplay and caressing, Frey assumed it was just sweat flowing down. You have been looking forward to this a lot, havent you? It was only when he observed that her panties were slightly wet that he realized otherwise. Hehe. Taking that as a signal, Serena smiled a happy yet enchanting smile. Shall we begin then? Uh-huh. Thus, the first night of a boy and a girl, each others first love, commenced. . . . . . Click! Serenas fair and delicate hand skillfully unbuckled Freys belt. Haah With delicate precision, Serena leaned down and breathed into Freys underwear. Uh. Pfft Is this okay? As Frey jerked and shivered from the tickling sensation, Serena asked with narrowed eyes. You shouldnt be like this already? From the moment she discovered that breaking the Curse of Familial Subordination required engaging in sexual intercourse with the person responsible for weakening the curse through their lifespan, Serena had been thinking of this moment. Therefore, she had no intention of letting tonight go to waste, considering it might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Serena was determined to make the most of it. Well, dont worry Maintaining a relaxed grip on Freys underwear, Serena winked at Frey, who was flushed. Ill make sure to control it as much as I can She recalled Freys cute little wiener that she had seen whenever they bathed together as children and the pleasuring techniques she had diligently read about every night. Huh? However, when Serena pulled down Freys underwear, the previously relaxed expression vanished. !? The naive and flustered expression on her face was unusual for her. What, whats this? You know what it is. Its a little different from what Ive seen in books? For Serena, whose exposure to male anatomy came solely from books, both in her previous and current life, Freys equipment no longer seemed small and cute. Uh, um The massive and robust pillar far exceeded her expectations and slowly overwhelmed her. Uh, hmm. But still this is above average, isnt it? Unable to let go of the reins now, she adjusted her perfectly laid plan, muttering casually. W, will it fit in? The size of his equipment wouldnt shrink, though. Yeah, thats right once I take it out itll shrink, right? Alarmed and struggling, Serena spent a long time just breathing on his pillar, teasing Frey, until she finally reached out with determined eyes. Swish, swish Look at this, Frey. Serena, who cautiously held Freys manhood with both hands, rubbed it against her cheek with a shy smile. The worlds greatest genius and the future Imperial Chancellor, a Duchess, is shamelessly rubbing her cheek against your manhood. Uh The head of an assassin family who could eliminate all imperial officials with just one word is being eternally marked as your tool. . Freys eyes started to change at Serenas deliberate and lewd comments. Well As his already erect manhood became even more swollen, Serena smiled contentedly and stuck out her tongue. Lick Ugh. Even the hero tasked with saving the world and the greatest genius of the era couldnt help but be naive in this particular moment. The impact of a first experience was bound to be profound. Swish Uh, uh A blushing Serena took Freys manhood in her hand and brought it to her entrance. Plop! Ugh. But as Freys tip touched her entrance, she stopped moving and moaned. Will this really fit? The thought made her break out in a cold sweat as her fluid moistened Freys tip. Really? Plop, plop She unconsciously rubbed Freys manhood against her entrance as she struggled to decide. Serena youre doing it again Freys manhood began an intimate dance with her entrance. Eek! ..! As his manhood accidentally slipped inside her, both Frey and Serenas eyes widened in shock. Haaa Haah Now, only Serenas thin hymen stood between them. I, Im ready, Frey. Looking down at Freys manhood, which she had engulfed, Serena said, clutching her pounding heart. Me too, Serena. Seems were a perfect match. A flushed Frey responded with a tender smile, and Serena took a deep breath and relaxed her legs. Haah! A sharp pain suddenly shot through her. Eek, ugh Serena blinked back tears as she was overwhelmed by the searing pain spreading through her, and then she quietly lowered her gaze. Drip Her virgin blood slowly traveled down Freys manhood. Shhhh At the same time, the purity ring on Freys left ring finger began to turn black. Ah And so did the ring on Serenas left ring finger. Frey. Forgetting the pain from the penetration, Serena watched the mysterious and thrilling sight. She smiled and whispered in a captivating voice. I have taken your first. I just took yours too. Serena looked down at Frey. He acted like all this had been by chance, but the shyness on his face betrayed him. We each took each others first, at the same time. She recalled their conversation on that beautiful moonlit night when she first met him in this cycle. Lets remember today forever. A smile slowly bloomed on Freys face as he heard her words. Because its the first time for both of us. Simultaneously, Serenas hips slowly began to move up and down. Hmmm Freys thick manhood stirred and twisted inside her, which had been soaking wet even before the penetration. I love you I love you, Frey Me too. The juices flowing out of her, fully enveloping Freys manhood, spilled down and splashed around. Freys manhood was fully erect, as if to satisfy Serenas lust, and was reaching deep inside her. I really, really like you. I like you more, Serena. As their movements intensified, Serenas vaginal walls, which clung tightly to Freys manhood, began to clench and squeeze him tightly. Ugh! Freys manhood began to throb violently. S, Serena, Im at my limit Feeling the familiar rise of climax from his base, Frey tried to pull back. Squeeze! Serena!? Serena instinctively clenched fiercely around Freys manhood. Didnt I tell you? Serena was also close to her climax. Now you cant run away anywhere ..!!! When Frey reached his limit, she wrapped her arms and legs around him, trapping him beneath her. So, come inside me, Frey. Her face flushed, she whispered into Freys ear. Shooot!!! Thus, held tightly by Serena, Freys manhood released everything it had into her womb. Smooch! Serena kissed Frey with a blissful smile on her face. The moon has embraced the seed of the stars. Freys first lovemaking was concluded by coming inside her. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 257: A Beautiful Night Sky Chapter 257: A Beautiful Night Sky A Beautiful Night Sky WARNING R18 AHEAD!!!!!!!!! Read at your own risk. There is also an illustration at the end. Please dont look in public. Shoot, shoot After what seemed like countless climaxes, Freys manhood became limp and lifeless inside Serena. Haa haa Unaware of this, Serena felt intoxicated with the feeling of Freys semen filling her womb. She gently caressed her lower abdomen and looked at Frey. Haa, haa Breathing heavily, she covered her eyes with her arms. Shall we take a break? Frey? Y-Yes, thats a good idea. Hearing Freys slightly weary voice, Serena began to pull his manhood out with a hint of regret. Sliding Oh my. Despite being slightly wilted, Freys member still filled her completely. As she took it out, a mix of her fluids and his semen began to trickle down slowly. What a waste. Watching this with a look of pity, Serena reached down and scooped up all of Freys semen between her legs and pushed it back inside her. None of you can escape Slick, slick Behave, your mother will take you. All of Freys seeds. She lovingly looked down at Freys semen before sealing her entrance with her hand while looking at Frey with a shy smile. Ive kept it all, Frey. Freys drooping manhood quickly became erect once more. Huh? Surprised at the sight, Serena quietly muttered to herself. Hes recovered already That cant be? Despite her efforts to exhaust Frey, his recovery speed was beyond her imagination. She broke out in a cold sweat. At this rate I might lose. There was a limit to how much she could recover by absorbing Freys semen. If they continued all night, she could pass out in the middle, unable to overcome the pleasure. Hmm, hmm Serena decided to execute her backup plan. How about this, Frey? Serena wrapped her breasts around Freys erect manhood. Is this what they call a paizuri? Ugh. I heard that guys like this, is that right? She asked cautiously as she gently rocked her breasts around his manhood. And Frey, with a bright red face, answered in a low voice. I just like you Serena. ! Serena stopped the paizuri and stared blankly at Frey.Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om Im just saying. Frey muttered softly, avoiding her gaze. Thump thump This made Serenas womb tremble uncontrollably. I-Im already full Feeling the volume of semen in her womb again, she sweated bullets and quietly buried her flushed face into her chest. Lick! Ugh. Biting the tip of Freys manhood, she played with it with her tongue while moving her breasts up and down. Shooooot! The synergy created by her soft, plump breasts and her tongue was so great that it didnt take long for him to cum again. Chew, chew Serena, savoring the semen filling her mouth, soon looked at Frey with a happy smile. Gulp. Then, she swallowed all the semen in one go. Beh She stuck her tongue out to show that she had swallowed all of his seeds. She smiled lightly, and Freys manhood, still nestled between her breasts, started throbbing again. You beast. As his manhood jerked up, breaking free from her breasts embrace, Serena grimaced and playfully poked it with her finger. Kiss She gently closed her eyes and kissed the tip of Freys manhood, showing her submission. Maybe With a strange smile, Serena brought her face close to Freys throbbing manhood and gazed up at it with a look of ecstasy. I might have already lost to this cock. Freys eyes snapped open, and he reached out to her, trembling. Just a moment. Serena, her face buried in his manhood, suddenly looked toward the wall and spoke softly. I think Im about to switch personalities. Huh? Confused by her abrupt statement, Frey tilted his head, prompting Serena to continue with a slightly troubled expression. Im not sure, but I feel someones gaze from the next room. . Frey quietly held his forehead and muttered. This is driving me crazy. He had forgotten that the Sun itself was in the room next to them. Just wait, Ill scold them No, dont. Huh? Frey was about to get up, annoyed because their intimate moment had been interrupted. However, Serena stopped him with a sly smile and whispered. Dont you want to try something different? What? I was trying to implant a subconscious in my daytime self to stop worrying about you, but this works out even better. Lets make it a point here I mean, lets go for it. What are you talking ugh. Before Frey could finish his question, Serena, with an enigmatic smile, got up and grabbed his manhood. Squeak, squeak If it becomes a problem, I can just erase my memory. Feeling immoral, Serena rubbed Freys manhood against her entrance. She slowly pushed it inside and whispered. For now, lets just enjoy. Freys eyes widened in shock. . . While caressing Serenas head, Frey gently licked her breast. Then he started to suck them slowly. I-I wish this wouldnt end With Freys manhood roughly thrusting inside her from below and him sucking her breasts from above, Serena murmured in a voice drenched in pleasure. If this werent a dream I couldve gotten pregnant Muttering to herself, she tightened her legs around Frey even more. Uh, uh? Suddenly, her eyes widened in shock. I-Im at my limit! Me too. N-No, not that! Ugh!! Frey had already slipped into his villainized state when she had teased his manhood earlier. He fucked her even harder, shutting her up with his tongue. Ugh Uh Serena pounded on Freys back with her palms in a dazed frenzy. She soon clenched her eyes shut and curled up both her feet as she felt a wave of dizziness take over her. Uuuuuh! Still kissing Frey, Serena violently arched her back. Spuurt! Spurt! Her vaginal fluids gushed out like a fountain. Shoot, shooot! Simultaneously, Frey came, pleasantly hitting Serenas womb. .. The room was soon filled with silence. Whats the use of being the greatest genius of the Empire? Completely overwhelmed and gasping for breath in Freys arms, Serena heard him whisper in her ear in a low voice. If youre mediocre down there. Hehe Unable to retort, Serena just melted into Freys shoulder, drooling. Smooch. Frey gently stroked Serenas head and left a soft kiss on her neck. Haah. As his villainized state weakened and his head cleared, Frey shook his head and looked at the wall, speaking shyly. C-Can you please stop watching now? A few seconds later, the sensation of being watched disappeared. Ugh. His face flushed, Frey looked back and forth between her and the wall. He finally lowered his head and headed for the bed. Hehe. Serena? As he lay down with Serena in his arms, she opened her eyes. You were amazing Frey. She had returned to her original self. Are your memories shared? Yes, I unilaterally receive memories from my daytime personality. Serena felt full because of all the semen in her womb. She buried her face in Freys chest and blushed as she murmured. At this rate, I might get pregnant. Freys manhood became hard again. Actually, I know ovulation magic. And many other useful spells, too. I learned them all for you. Feeling Freys manhood poking her abdomen, Serena giggled, covering her mouth. Squeak! You know what, Frey? Wrapping her legs around Freys waist and pushing his manhood back into her hole, she whispered. Its still only two in the morning. Theres still plenty of time until morning. Wrapped around his waist, her legs tightened their hold. So until then keep filling my womb with your seeds. As if the previous climaxes were nothing, she savored the feeling of Freys manhood poking her cervix again. Enough for me to get pregnant whenever I want. At that moment. Squeak! Ahhh Freys serious gaze met Serenas happy smile as their passionate lovemaking resumed. Want to bet wholl get tired first? Im voting for you. Ill vote for you. Their lovemaking continued until the next morning. . . . . . Meanwhile, in a tent in the ruins of the Western Continent. Ugh, ugh Kania, who had cast soundproofing and locking spells around the tent, quietly caressed her nether regions, tears welling in her eyes as she arched her back. W-What is this She had been overwhelmed by a dizzying, intense pleasure she had never experienced before. I-Im going to pass out again Kania had just woken up after fainting due to the dizzying pleasure. She twisted her waist and muttered with various expressions on her face. I-I shouldnt have bet I should have just pounced on him then Her hand gripped the bedsheet tightly. Ugh It was crystal clear to Kania what he was doing as she shared emotions and sensations with her master. Ah, its not over yet In that situation, Kania cast a powerful sleep curse on herself. The second time it should be me Even as she climaxed and arched her back, she muttered with determination in her eyes. Theres still a chance to bear my masters child Maybe I could even be the first one to get pregnant Ugh. With that, she slowly closed her eyes. H-He didnt cum inside did he? Thus, she fell asleep, drenched in cold sweat. Eek. Even in her sleep, she couldnt help but squirm. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 259: A Small Star And A Setting Sun Chapter 259: A Small Star And A Setting Sun A Small Star And A Setting Sun Lick, lick Hey, Lulu? Looking sad, Lulu vigorously licked my stomach. I-I am ugh I was sensitive and weary from the long night, so I couldnt push her away despite holding onto her shoulders. My face was flushing red. How did she recognize me anyway? Magic Eyes? Even Serenas flawless disguise couldnt fool them. Growl. Lulu continued to growl softly and lick my stomach. I blushed and spoke. Lulu? Growl? Lulu, her face buried in my stomach, quietly raised her head and looked at me. Uh. She quietly reached for my left hand. Lick, lick Lulu finally spoke up as she held my hand and licked the blackened ring with the same sad expression. Master do you know? Huh? Ill protect Masters baby. The statement left me bewildered. After wiping her tears, Lulu clutched my leg and whispered. I-I am Masters pet. . Masters baby is my little master. Laying flat on the floor, Lulu pressed her cheek against my leg and spoke again. When Masters baby starts crawling, Ill play next to it. If ever need be, I will throw myself in front of the baby to protect it. Lulu held onto my leg and whispered, looking up at me with teary eyes. So please dont abandon me. Please. The people around me started looking at me coldly. I-If necessary, I can stay in the yard. I can just sleep on newspapers in the yard. Ive lived like that for years. I can live that way contently. Um I-If you dont like that should I stay in the basement? I dont mind as long as I can see Masters face once a day. As I swallowed hard, Lulu became more desperate. She buried her face in my leg and continued. I wont disturb Masters happy times please. Lulu. Ill do all the cleaning. Wherever Master goes, Ill follow and do all the menial tasks and housework, so please My clear mind began to cloud again. Calm down, calm down The influence of Villainization threatened to reemerge, so I desperately tried to comfort Lulu. Lulu, its not like that I just want to see Masters face once a day and be stroked by Master once daily. I lost my rationality for a moment. Chomp. Eek!? I firmly nipped Lulus nape with my eyes closed. Lulu was startled and shivered. Um Engulfed by desire, I just wanted to tease and own her, so I continued to nibble her neck, ignoring her reaction. Ah, ahh I held onto her shoulder and nibbled on her neck for a while. She moaned, and I quietly let go of her neck. Lulu. Uh, uhh I gripped Lulus chin roughly and tilted her head up. As our eyes met, I caressed the distinct bite mark on her neck. Hmm I whispered, looking at Lulus neck as she stared at me with dazed eyes. Youve been keeping my bite mark all this time, Lulu? Yes, yes, Master Lulu curled up and answered me, looking several times cuter than usual. Good, keep it always. Feeling everyones gaze fixed on me, I managed to summon up what little self-control I had left and whispered again with a gentle smile. That is my promise never to abandon you. ..! Lulus eyes widened in surprise at my words. I will be by your side forever, Master. Then, Lulu crawled under my feet with a delighted smile. No matter what happens, forever. In the now quiet dining room, with most people having retreated to their rooms, Lulu willingly placed her belly under my feet and whispered. Ill live as your pet. She pressed her belly against my foot, looking content and happy to be dominated and owned by me. Phew. I was relieved that even the combat officers had blushed and escaped to the bathroom. I-I actually want to have your baby Huh? I-Im sorry! That was so presumptuous of me! Im just your pet and I dare to! I was the only one who heard her as she mumbled while rubbing my foot against her belly. T-The meal you ordered is ready Or so I thought. Unfortunately, the innkeepers daughter brought the food right then. She seemed to have heard Lulus muttering. Otherwise, she wouldnt have looked at me with such a flushed face. T-Thank you Feeling my mind clear again and shaking off the lingering villainization, I quietly accepted the food with a red face. Whoosh! Lulu suddenly turned her head away, leaving Serena puzzled. Hudadak! Lulu stared at Serena with bread in her mouth and quickly climbed onto Freys lap. What is it, Lulu? Frey rubbed his cheek against Lulus head, then stroked her belly affectionately as she handed him the rye bread. Is this for me? Realizing that his gaze held no resistance or worry, Serena quietly observed Lulu, who responded in a low voice. Everything is fine Hmm But my only master is Frey. Serenas eyebrows twitched slightly at her words while Lulu, looking frightened, continued quietly. I can accept everything else, but that will never change. Is that so? Serena tapped the table faster. Lulu, is something wrong? Still stroking Lulus belly, Frey tilted his head in confusion. Creak The peaceful yet precarious was interrupted by the inns door suddenly opening. ..! Instantly, the joy was gone from Freys face, replaced by shock. SisterIsolet? The newcomer was Isolet. Why are you here Grr As soon as a common enemy appeared, both the girls expressions turned cold. I-I mean Frey isnt here, see? Hes nowhere to be found. .? But they soon became puzzled when they noticed Isolet talking seriously to someone behind her. Thats enough. A familiar voice followed, and they all soon felt confused. Frey is here. I know it. Aria, Freys sister, pushed Isolet aside and entered the inn. . . . . . Meanwhile Frey is missing, presumed dead Roswyn had heard the false testimony from Vener, whom she doubted. She looked dazed until she returned to her room. His corpse is missing, but hes likely dead Facing the harsh truth that she had been denying, she stared vacantly into space. Helper System > Identity of the Hero The identity of the Hero, as you know, is [Frey Raon Starli] System Recovery in progress [99% Complete] She could no longer fool herself by thinking it was another person with the same name. No one else in the Empire had that middle name and last name. There was only one person with that name. F-Frey I-I As Roswyn helplessly reached out for the system window, she muttered in a dazed voice. Helper System [System Restoration Complete!] The moonlit window appeared before her. Helper System > Identity of the Hero The identity of the Hero, as you know, is Frey Raon Starlight! She quietly stared at the sentence and hesitantly reached down. Helper System [ > Everything about the Hero > Everything he did > The truths of the world > Restrictions that will apply to you > Others ] Roswyn clicked on Everything about the Hero, and she froze in place. Helper System He is the only Hero who can save the world, and ..Ah. It was all too late. Helper System the person who always gave you flowers and prolonged your life. NOOOOO! Roswyn covered her face with both hands and collapsed to the floor. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 260: Family Chapter 260: Family Family Aria, just relax and look around. Frey isnt anywhere nearby, right? Never mind, let it go. Aria confidently entered the inn with an angry expression. Excuse me. Y-yes, of course The innkeeper had a small and delicate stature. Facing Aria, she couldnt help but sweat and bow. How can we serve you? Aria, adorned in shining armor with a dignified gaze, embodied the image of a noble lady from a prestigious family. . Furthermore, the attendants and soldiers standing behind her with eyes wide open added an inevitable tension to the situation. Please cooperate for a moment. Aria looked at the bowing innkeeper and spoke sharply while taking something out of her pocket. Oh, whats this? Im sorry for the interruption. She handed over a pouch of gold coins. T-Thank Use this gold for compensation if the guests complain. Ill provide more than enough, so dont worry. Interrupting the innkeepers attempt to express gratitude, Aria calmly instructed and then turned away coldly. Search thoroughly. Leave no stone unturned. Make sure not a single rat escapes. Got it! Upon that command, the stern-faced soldiers fanned out in all directions. Hmm Observing the soldiers with a serious expression, Aria quietly strolled away. .!! She walked straight toward Frey and his companions. Master, whats our move? Hush, stay calm. Im still in Serenas disguise, remember? Oh! Lulu, initially frightened, relaxed. Umm.. Eek! However, when Aria approached them and looked at Lulu suspiciously, beads of sweat formed on her forehead, and she averted her gaze. Im sure she was seated on that persons lap Lulu swiftly dropped to the floor when Aria entered, but Aria had caught that fleeting moment. Am I just imagining things? Like most people, Aria dismissed it as a mistake and walked past. Phew. Sighing in relief, Lulu turned to Serena for advice. Uhh, uhm Serena was dozing off for some reason, appearing quite drowsy. Thump! W-Why are you behaving like this? Serena wobbled for a moment before slumping onto the table and closing her eyes, and Lulu asked in a panicked voice. The sunrise What? The sun rose earlier than I expected. Beside Lulu, Frey stared at the sun peeping through the window. Once Serena wakes up, lets leave immediately. Sure, got it! Frey then finished his beer. Hmm, hmmmm. ? Someone approached Frey, clearing their throat. Ill just do a quick check. Isolet, observing the disguised Frey, awkwardly murmured. . . . . . Excuse me, I need to conduct a quick check One of the soldiers, who had thoroughly searched the area, slowly approached Frey. These people are under my investigation. Oh, I see. My apologies! Seated at an empty table with a beer, Isolet said, making the soldiers salute and swiftly move away. After discreetly surveying the surroundings, Isolet whispered to Frey. Just give it a moment. Ill protect you until the inspection concludes. Frey crossed his arms and asked quietly. How did you recognize me? Ive pledged allegiance to you. Our connection is strong. Is that so? Im not well-versed in knightly oaths. Frey replied bluntly, and Isolet spoke softly. Youre my lord, Frey. Im your knight. And? Im bound to you. Thats why I can always sense your presence. So She took Freys hand, whispering. Ill always come running, no matter where you are. Are you okay? Frey. Isolet, who had been barely restraining her urges, lifted her head. Lets talk later Her voice trembled as she struggled to stand up, gripping her wobbly legs. ! Turning around, she found Aria standing beside her with a surprised expression. Brother. .. Yet, Aria didnt even glance at Isolet, her gaze fixed coldly on Frey. How did you You thought I wouldnt recognize my own brother? Aria mercilessly interrupted Frey, her voice chilling as she moved forward. I knew it was you the moment I walked in. Then why did those people Forget it, just follow me. Aria headed toward Freys room. We need to talk. She added coldly, looking at Frey beside her. Perhaps a conversation that might be our last. Leaving those words, Aria quietly walked into the room. And for a while, silence lingered in the inn. . . . . . F-Frey, are you sure youll be okay? Its fine. I-If you want to, I can join I said its fine. About to follow Aria, Frey firmly pushed Isolet away as she tried to come after him. B-But This is a family matter. Isolet, still wanting to be with Frey, fell silent at his words. Family.. Her lifes wish, set aside when she became his knight, stirred again. I also want to be treated as family by Frey Freys retreating figure looked lonely and desolate. Hmm. Frey swallowed nervously, his face reflecting an indescribable fear. Just wait a moment, Frey. Overcoming her desires, Isolet, filled with protective and maternal instincts, grabbed his arm. Take this. Whats this? M-My gift to you. Isolet then took out the long-awaited ring of oath. For a knight, the oath ring carries great significance. Losing it could lead one to consider taking their own life . Regardless this ring will protect you. So, dont be too nervous Thanks, Sister. Isolet blushed and rambled, her hopes coming true at this moment, but she fell silent as Frey expressed his gratitude. Be strong, Frey. She gazed at him momentarily, gently patting his back, and spoke softly. Wherever you are, this ring will signify that someone is there to help you. As she finished, Frey relaxed and lightly touched her abdomen, then he remarked. Not bad for a lousy sister. In that warm atmosphere, they approached the door. But, Frey which finger should the ring go on Isolet, feigning indifference, sneakily glanced at Freys fingers. !!! She was shocked. Whats wrong? Sister? She had hoped Frey would put the ring on his left ring finger, but it already had a ring. Isolet had seen this ring of purity glowing white before. The issue now was that it was Sister? Freys ring of purity had turned black. Aaah.. Well, I should go then? Isolets emotions spiraled out of control, and as Frey turned to leave the room, she reached out blankly. Click But the door was cold-heartedly slammed shut. Isolets eyes, staring blankly at the closed door, slowly lost their spark. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 261: The Big Star Who Loves The Small Star Chapter 261: The Big Star Who Loves The Small Star The Big Star Who Loves The Small Star Squeaak Frey opened the tightly closed door and gazed silently ahead. . Aria sat cross-legged on a chair in front of a desk. Excuse me Feeling Arias chilling gaze, Frey awkwardly scratched his head and asked. Who are you? His expression was of pure innocence, but Aria simply stared coldly at him. I went along with it earlier because I was startled, but I really dont know who you are. Enough, brother. Aria sharply dismissed Freys last-ditch denial. You know very well that in this entire empire, only two people are roaming with stellar mana, right? .. Understand? Then drop the pathetic act and sit down. While Freys disguise was perfect, he had not concealed his stellar mana. He hadnt expected his sister to find his hiding spot herself. Also, hiding stellar mana wasnt easy. It could be intentionally suppressed to go unnoticed by ordinary people. However, deceiving Aria, his companion for over a decade, was nearly impossible. The room was saturated with stellar mana, as he had abused the Protection of the Stars last night, making it hard to hide. What are you doing here? Aria glanced around the room filled with stellar mana, giving Frey a displeased look. . However, Frey stayed quiet, just gazing at her. Remove that disguise, will you? Staring at him coldly, Aria grumbled in a low voice while Frey slowly raised his hands to his face. In an instant, his original face returned. Who made that disguise for you? I dont know. Frey responded uncooperatively to Arias incredulous inquiry. Fine. If thats how you want to play it. Aria hadnt really expected any answer, so she glared at him in silence, getting ready to speak again. Thenhmm? She tilted her head, cautiously reaching for the window she had closed earlier. Tsk, shouldnt have bothered checking. She lifted the curtains slightly, spotted soldiers stealthily approaching the inn, and scowled. Ah, ah, Ill inform the troops. She pulled out a magical communication device and started talking. Ive received a tip about Freys location. He was spotted about five kilometers east of the inn. Investigate immediately. Aria? Shut up. Ignoring Freys attempt to speak, Aria ended the communication. She observed the soldiers retreat from the inn and then closed the curtains. Just to be clear, Im not rescuing you. Turning to Frey with an icy expression, she clarified, I just want to know the truth, so I bought us some time. Thanks for saving me, Aria. Ugh. Freys relaxed smile and provocation only fueled her irritation, causing her to clench her teeth and glare at him. Answer my questions truthfully from now on, brother. I already know almost everything. Frey nodded quietly at her. So, the first question. Youre part of the Demon Kings army, right? Yes. No matter how much you deny it, its useless Ha. Seeing Freys easy admission to her first question, Aria looked at him contemptuously. Dont you realize the severity of the situation, brother? Her rebuke cut through Frey, who closed his eyes and sat silently. The second question. The limited time it was all a lie, wasnt it? Aria glared at Frey as if wanting to kill him. She subtly asked her next question. Right? Unlike her usual tone with Frey, her voice quivered slightly. Correct. Haa. Frey nodded quietly, and Aria sighed. I knew it. A momentary relief flickered across her face. You are no longer a noble. Youre just a commoner. Frey smiled slightly at her words. Dont ever set foot in the mansion again. Following the Order handed down in the family, I decree a permanent banishment for you. Unaware of his smile, Aria gathered stellar mana while wiping away her tears. And Are you trying to kill me, Aria? Before she knew it, Aria had conjured numerous weapons made of stellar mana, all aimed at Frey. Really? Each one was sharp, potentially lethal magic. I-I wont kill you I will make you live as a commoner and suffer as much as the evil deeds youve done Aria maintained her firm stance, holding her magic in place. So, are you trying to kill me? Eek! As Frey stood and walked toward her, she readied her magic. Youll leave me half-dead and deliver me to the Church or the Imperial Family? I-Im warning you dont come any closer. Just kill me now, why dont you? Dont come any closer!! Watching his sister step back in disgust, Frey smirked bitterly. He then started to lift the evil energy embedded in his black left arm. Why dont you join me in burning the world Dont come any closer!! At that moment, her stellar mana exploded in all directions. Cough, cough Thrown against the wall by the shockwave, Frey clutched his heart and quickly approached Aria. Whew. She had fainted due to the aftermath of her stellar mana exploding. Silly girl. Having lost control, she caused a mana outburst. Or perhaps she instinctively detonated all attacks aimed at Frey. Which one it was, no one could know for sure. Im sorry, Aria. It took him a while to escape his Villainization, and he carefully lifted her, holding her in his arms, murmuring in a trembling voice. And also, thank you His eyes shook intensely as he struggled to prevent the Villainization from bursting out. You finally dont have to worry about me. That day marked the first time Aria stopped worrying about Frey. Its such a relief Arias survival rate in the Fourth Ordeal was nearly zero percent. Isolet Ill try to save her just hang on Aria was the sole surviving blood relative and the one who vividly remembered the face of their long-deceased mother. Freys face showed only joy at the thought of saving her. Ill protect you, no matter what. He pressed his face against his sisters cheek, whom he hadnt seen in a while. I love you, my sister. After receiving the prophecy, he whispered the heartfelt words he had never said before and gently laid her on the chair. His eyes flickered slightly, but no tears fell. Ill put an end to everything and then resurrect immediately to ensure you get a happy ending. Frey, well aware of how those in the Third Ordeal often crumbled, muttered with determination and left the room. I promise. And then, silence fell. . . . . . Meanwhile This is getting really complicated Even if the scenario ends, you might not be able to resurrect immediately, you know? Possessed, the Sun God observed the scene quietly from the next room, holding her head and murmuring blankly. W-What to do Its such a crucial matter; merely mentioning it could obliterate my divinity H-How do I convey this to them Consequently, the innocent paladins hair began to tear off bit by bit. Ugh The Sun God, who hated dismal situations unlike his sister, continued groaning. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 262: Absolute Ring? Chapter 262: Absolute Ring? Absolute Ring? Sigh Leaving the room, Frey sighed while adjusting his clothes and glanced around. Hmm? He observed the vacant dining table. Serena and Lulu? Oh, yes, I asked them to prepare a carriage. Initially confused by their sudden disappearance, Frey recalled instructing them to prepare a carriage for a swift departure and continued walking. Frey ..!? Someone called his name and approached him. Squeeze! Ugh. Suddenly, Isolet hugged Frey tightly. He made a choking sound as he tapped her waist. Frey you poor thing. Ke, keh Sister I cant breathe However, under the influence of the inns alcohol, she pressed Freys face harder against her stomach. Im going to die like this Sister Ah, s-sorry, sorry, Frey. As Isolet regained her senses, she slightly eased her embrace as Frey reached his limit, whimpering and murmuring. Haa Haa Frey had his face buried in her belly, breathing heavily. Hmm. Sensing Freys warmth against her stomach, Isolet recalled the Inauguration Ceremony when she had concealed him under her clothes. She embraced him once more, warming up. Squeeze! ! This time, Frey responded with a tight hug. Its warm. Just moments ago, he had lost his last remaining family member. He thought he would never experience familial warmth again. Yet, surprisingly, Isolets embrace felt reminiscent of that warmth. Its like being in my mothers arms. Though Frey was unaware, he had always accepted Isolet as a family member. This sentiment paradoxically intensified when he had to distance himself from his sister, Aria, to ensure her safety. All the familial love he had suppressed for years overflowed after todays events. Sister, you know After a long while, Frey slowly raised his head from Isolets embrace, gazing at her. Im no longer a Starlight. Isolets eyes widened in surprise. Im not even a noble anymore. Im just a commoner now. Frey spoke with a hint of fear, averting his eyes from Isolets piercing gaze as he murmured. Now, Im just an ordinary person with no wealth or status. Frey spoke with a humble demeanor. And I have no family left. Ive become a public enemy, abandoned by the family. Do you still want to be my knight? You can legally and magically retract it now. Frey mumbled sullenly. He was about to say something more, but Isolet interrupted. Frey do you remember? When you were young and visited my house, we trained and played together until sunset. Indeed, it was true. Every time Frey visited Isolets home, they played until the sun set. Isolet, an energetic training enthusiast even at a young age, shared those moments only with Frey, which partly explained her attachment. I remember everything, Sister. Frey affirmed, prompting Isolet to gently stroke his head with trembling hands and pose another question. And after we played, we used to bathe together do you recall that? Uh? Yeah Frey nodded, remembering bathing and washing with a sweaty Isolet and being tickled by her. S-See, Frey Isolet, recalling the same memories, blushed as she remembered Frey squirming in her embrace as he was tickled. Im practically like family to you, arent I? . Freys eyes widened in surprise. Now, Ill be your family, Frey. Isolets eyes softened as she held Frey and whispered, Stay at my house. No one will bother you there. Okay And even as a commoner, Ill always be your knight. Havent I already given you the ring of oath? So Frey, seated on Isolet, gazed at her with a bewildered expression and added. You are beneath me, Sister. If you try to get up, I will punish you like this. Ill remember that. Good, then Frey contemplated for a while, then turned his head and said. Figure out a way to formally include me in your family. What? Not for real, but as a facade. Circulate rumors that Im joining your family. But not now. Wait until everyone knows that Ive survived. U-Understood Sir. Good job, Isolet. Frey patted her on the head. Slurp He closed his eyes tightly and kissed her lips. If you continue performing well, Ill reward you like this. Frey wiped the drool, chuckled with a glint in his eye, and then got up. Rest here until my sister wakes up in my room. Okay. Then, clarify the situation to her and return to headquarters together. Ensure that my identity isnt immediately disclosed to the world. Understood. With a serious expression, Frey covered the ring with his hand and commanded. Thats an order. Isolet nodded with a dazed expression. Good Then. Satisfied, Frey silently glanced at the ring before heading for the exit. Master? What did I just witness Frey? The two girls waiting outside, having witnessed the scene, seemed dumbfounded. To obtain this here is Frey continued to gaze at the ring. an unexpected gain. He murmured with a satisfied smile. Click! As Frey stepped outside, he walked to the Sun God and the old inns door closed behind him. What? Isolet, with a dazed expression, quietly tilted her head. Fusion of mana? Absolute command? She stood up quietly and scratched her head in thought. Theres a misunderstanding here The ring symbolized the traditional oath of a knight, carrying significant meaning, but had no other effects. It was only used for a ceremonial kiss on the finger to indicate that a knight belonged to someone legally. Well She watched Frey approach the carriage with narrowed eyes. Maybe Ill play along for a while. She muttered. It would be fun. She smiled playfully, and her body began to heat up again. Meanwhile . . . . . Ugh Roswyn curled on the ground and, holding her head, slowly extended her hand upward. Helper System the person who always gave you flowers and prolonged your life. > Next Page At that instant, after struggling for dozens of minutes to press a button, her hand touched the system screen. Ah. A stream of information began flooding into her vision. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 263: Belated Regret Chapter 263: Belated Regret Belated Regret Uhmm Frey, whats that ring? Master? I had gained something unexpected. Ah, its nothing. The ring on my right hand was undoubtedly an oath ring. I could tell that from its design and how it accumulated mana. Per my ancestors prophecy, this rare ring allowed me to give commands to those who have sworn loyalty to me. As much as it was a powerful ring, obtaining it was challenging. One way was through Isolets route, which is notoriously tricky and must be completed before the second year. Currently, I wasnt on Isolets route, and this ring, with the lowest probability of acquisition in the game, seemed unattainable. Yet, here it was. Having it would make progressing in the game easier. But where did Isolet get such a cheat ring? Right now its at Level 1? I had just worn the ring, but I could already feel the ring accumulating mana and enabling commands to Isolet and those under the Blood Oath. However, as more mana gathered, the range of people I could command would gradually increase. Um I grinned at the cheat ring and then got lost in thought. Maybe its a trap. The fact that I obtained this ring outside of Isolets exclusive route, especially given its reputedly low probability in the game, felt suspicious. Could something have changed due to the DLC or something? When something too good happened, it was wise to be suspicious. Do you know about this ring? Ah, yes, that is um Do you know? Im sorryyy I asked the Sun God, who was riding next to the carriage, but her divinity seemed to cause issues. I-Im sorry I was wrong, so please hit me somewhere other than my forehead As I sighed, the goddess stood up and knelt on the ground. A-as expected of the master .. She was in the form of the youngest paladin.Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om This caused Lulus admiration to burst through its limits, and Serena, sitting quietly, looked at her with a disgruntled expression. Lets talk later, please stand up N-No, Ill stay like this. Im just a pathetic and incompetent woman who cant even help her own creation Feeling awkward about making a goddess kneel, I whispered in her ear to stand up. However, she began saying something she shouldnt, wearing a guilty expression. Ugh! You know your place well. Uh As I pressed her head to the ground with my foot, the trembling and weeping goddess closed her eyes tightly and bowed. If it calms your anger even a bit Ill endure it. After all, any harm to this body now goes to the one Ive possessed. No, Im fine You can treat me even more roughly Hero Then Sun Gods dangerous statement echoed in my mind. Haaa. Leaning back in my chair, I took deep breaths as the impact of my Villainization peaked. Lulus eyes glowed brighter, and Serena anxiously shifted her gaze between the goddess and me. How did it come to this? Since I couldnt reveal that the goddess had possessed the paladins body, I had to pretend I subdued her for the time being. Lulu, analyze this for me. Okay While disrespectfully stepping on the head of the Sun God, the deity of this world, I silently gave the oath ring to Lulu. Hmm this is After examining the ring for a moment, Lulu spoke quietly. I-Im not sure right now I need to analyze it with Irina. Its quite complicated It seemed the ring was indeed not ordinary. U-Uh Frey. Yeah? While I frowned at the ring, Serena suddenly shook my shoulder. W-Whats happened here? ! Turning my gaze to her, I was startled to see the blackened purity ring on her finger. I-I had a dream last night, and could it be that it was real? She had been blushing and stammering, perhaps because of this. Dont worry about that ring. Okay. I felt a bit regretful after ordering her with Absolute Obedience. It would have been a good opportunity to test if the ring of oath also worked on Serena. F-Frey? Yeah? While I was regretting the missed chance, Serena turned to me with a puzzled look. Uh, my my stomach feels strange. Then, she remembered how she had mocked him and thrown the flowers out of the window. W-What do I do Roswyns mind started to race. Was his consistent behavior over the years some kind of plea for help? C-Could it be that Everything began to fall into place. Freys last words echoed in her mind and clarified everything. Cold sweat trickled down Roswyns forehead. He was asking for help huh? Roswyn murmured, feeling dizzy, and soon widened her eyes. Lastly, the story about Roswyn. ? At the end of section 7 of the prophetic book, Character Descriptions and Strategies, Roswyns name was inscribed. You must always give flowers to Roswyn. Consistently, at regular intervals. Give flowers to me? Roswyn slowly read the text in confusion. Why, why? She couldnt fathom why the prophetic book mentioned giving her flowers, especially considering her recent incorrect deductions. So, Frey was giving me flowers regularly because of this Roswyn, accustomed to making assumptions, lowered her gaze. Roswyn will die if she doesnt receive flowers from the system holder for a certain period. Stunned by this message, she couldnt find words. Theres another reason but never mind. Its better not to know. Getting fixated on something unlikely will only hurt you more Roswyn continued reading with a vacant stare, her thoughts seemingly frozen. All those actions were to save me She recalled the day Frey had kicked open her door to give her flowers after she fell ill due to a delayed return from a stormy trip overseas. Was it the same then, too Frey didnt have his usual arrogance that day; he had seemed concerned, genuinely. Kneeling by her bed, he had given her flowers. After that, she miraculously recovered in just one day. He was trying to save me Rumors circulated that Frey had searched for her everywhere when she was away. Back then, she thought his obsession was creepy, believing it was worsening every day. I didnt know Tears welled up in Roswyns eyes. I-Im sorry Frey Her hollow voice echoed in the room. However, give her flowers with sincerity and consistently. I was wrong His act of giving her flowers wasnt a foolish gesture, like the attempts of men who often struggled around her. Frey continued because of a sense of duty to keep her alive, enduring daily contempt and persecution. Wait. Who knows? Maybe a miracle will happen. Roswyns eyes, on the verge of tears, suddenly stopped. What? Her tearful expression slowly transformed into a stunned look. Miracles dont matter. She noticed a meticulously written comment in the margins of the prophetic books copy. I just want Roswyn to get well soon. The crooked handwriting she had seen in her childhood was undeniably young Freys. Above all, being healthy is the best. For a child who knew he was terminally ill from a young age, it was a surprisingly calm statement. But those simply written notes tormented Roswyn more than anything she had read. T-This cant be Recalling young Frey giving her flowers, tears streamed down her face. This cant be true Just like that, a long time had passed. I-Its not over yet Crying and holding her head, Roswyn wiped her tears and whispered. I-Its still uncertain? He might still be alive, right? Right? She stood up and stumbled to the front door. M-Maybe hes still alive Maybe its not too late So I have to go back She left the room, sobbing and looking terrified, making her way toward the ruins still in the process of being cleared. I-Its not too late Continuously murmuring, she passed by a mailbox with a newspaper clipping. [Breaking News] Frey Raon Starlight Confirmed Dead. A shock to find his body in the ruins currently being transported to the hospital The first-ever Duke to be stripped of his nobility, becoming a nobody You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 264: A Flower That Came To The Sunset Chapter 264: A Flower That Came To The Sunset A Flower That Came To The Sunset E-Excuse me Who are you? A girl approached the ruins that were now controlled by the guards after the incident at the heros inauguration ceremony. This area is off-limits. You cant enter without permission P-Please, let me in But the girl with messy hair and a disheveled appearance was met with suspicion by the guards. I-Im also a concerned party The girl was none other than Roswyn. But the guards blocking her way did not recognize her. This Could it be? Even so, the guards recognized the Hero Partys certification she pulled out. Swoosh E-Excuse me! Taking advantage of the guards slightly relaxed demeanor, Roswyn slipped into the ruins. Let her be. If we interfere with a member of the Hero Party, well only make trouble for ourselves. But still Perhaps she lost a lover. Lets turn a blind eye for a few hours. Hmm The guards who had been talking amongst themselves noted her pitiful appearance and decided to let her be and resumed their guard positions. Maybe Maybe its not too late yet Having easily entered the ruins, Roswyn sniffled with a red nose and looked around. I might still be able to save him Despite the slim chance of survival for someone buried in the rubble for so long, she clung to the keyword missing in action. I-Ill save you Hero As she got closer to the debris, her hope grew little by little. Just wait a little longer Roswyn started to feel a faint glimmer of life as she started to pull out detection scrolls, excavation scrolls, and emergency potions from her guild. Im going to However, that glimmer faded the moment she looked at the detection scroll. Even with the best scroll that she brought, there was no sign of life detected. Ugh, uh Deep down, she knew it was hopeless. But her defense mechanisms and avoidance tendencies, which had always raised her pride, had led her to this point. But delaying the inevitable conclusion wouldnt change the outcome. I need m-much better scrolls Roswyn knew this, but still, she began tearing the scrolls she held, sobbing as she knelt down in the middle of the debris. The Hero cant die I-I never even got to thank you Y-You cant die The Hero, who had been the reason for her life and kept her alive until now, died while only receiving hatred from the world and his own helper. And she was there when it happened. She had been of no help and even delivered healing potions to his enemy that inadvertently led to Freys death. As she was about to presume such terrible and frightening facts, she desperately tried to come up with another answer. You What are you doing here? Eek!? Someone appeared next to her as she continued to tear up scrolls and mutter to herself. Who are you? How did you get here? I-I The person was none other than the chief of the Imperial Investigators. Excuse me, but could you please verify your identity No, never mind. I finally get to go home after a few days, and I dont want any more headaches. The days-long investigation finally concluded, and he, relieved to be finishing up and heading home, looked at the uninvited guest who suddenly appeared at his workplace with an annoyed expression. U-Um, by any chance about Frey. Is there any information on Frey? However, Roswyn recognized him as one of the regular patrons of her guild and asked him a question. Frey, you say? He felt a tingling sensation as Roswyn asked. Well, uh that is In fact, he had recently taken a bribe from Isolet and announced a fabricated fact about Freys death. I think you should look at this! However, as befitting a symbol of the empires corruption, he quickly put on an unfazed expression, pulled out a newspaper, and handed it to Roswyn. [Breaking News] Frey Raon Starlight Confirmed Dead. A shock to find his body in the ruins currently being transported to the hospital The first-ever Duke to be stripped of his nobility, becoming a nobody .. The newspaper contained more than Roswyn could handle. Well, will you take your leave until I get off work? . Then, Ill leave you for now. Even as the Chief Investigator scratched his head and left her side, Roswyns gaze remained fixed quietly on the newspaper. [Breaking News] Freys Body Missing. Blood, blood? Her hand was covered in blood. Uh, uhhh.. She had coughed up blood for the first time in almost ten years. I-I dont want to die! She used all her strength to get up, opened the entrance door, and rushed into the guild. M-Miss Roswyn!? When did you leave? M-Move! Then, she ran to her room with all her might. I-I must touch the flower As her room came into view, she blinked her eyes full of tears and murmured. I dont want to die like this.. Her face was smeared with the terror of facing death. The fear of death that had slowly overtaken her when she was diagnosed with a terminal illness and whenever she was on the brink of dying as a child came back to haunt her more than anything else. Ah But when she entered her room, she suddenly lost her words. . Her room was filled entirely with flowers given by Ruby. Though she couldnt identify it at the moment, it was clear that the girl was an enemy of the Hero. Flutter Even those flowers had all withered away. Thump! In such a situation, her legs gave way again and she collapsed to the floor, then she soon mumbled in tears. S-Someone please help me.. But, of course, there was no one to help her. P-Please save me There was no one to save her either. Ugh Realizing this painfully, she fell to the ground and began to tremble as the pain began to take over her body. Ah It was then that she truly understood how important Frey had been to her. Cough, cough.. But it seemed to be too late. Creak Miss Roswyn. Just then, someone opened the door to her room. Frey? As she recalled Frey, who used to visit her with flowers and a smile, she called out his name and slowly reached out her hand. A parcel for Miss Roswyn. ..Ah? But it wasnt Frey who arrived, it was a delivery man. Ill be going now. After handing her a small box, the delivery man looked at her sickly appearance with a look of disgust before disappearing. .. She flinched at a gaze she never thought she would receive again and then quietly lowered her eyes. Whats this? There was no information about the sender. The recipient was only marked as Roswyn Solar Sunset, and the date the box was packed was written on it. Year Month Day The date on the box was from about a year ago. Rustle, rustle After staring at the box for a while, she opened it with an apathetic attitude, clearly having lost all hope. .Huh? Her eyes widened in surprise. This is. Inside the mysterious box was a red flower and a yellow flower. Buzz And at that moment. Helper System > Everything About the Hero (V) Reading completed. A system window popped up in front of her. Helper System > Everything He Did The item Everything He Did shone brightly. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 265: A Regretful Sunset Chapter 265: A Regretful Sunset A Regretful Sunset What, whats this? When Roswyn saw the system window, she murmured with a puzzled expression. Why suddenly? Until now, the system window would only appear when she called it out. But why did it appear out of nowhere this time? Uh, ugh She tilted her head and groaned as she felt a pinging sensation in her head. Am I really going to die like this? Roswyn pushed the system window aside and muttered. Please someone save me The servants disliked her and had all applied for a leave of absence after she had been confined to her room for several weeks. Even the few servants left in the guild were overwhelmed by her hysteria and tried to avoid being near her as much as possible. Her compensation mentality had developed for two reasons: her improved health and her arrogance that stemmed from her belief that she was a special being under the Heros protection. Consequently, she had accumulated a lot of karma, and it seemed unlikely that help would come. So, having lost even the strength to ask for help, she grew cold in her room. Umm After keeping her head down in despair for a while, she slowly turned her gaze to the side. But this is what is this Roswyn squinted as if sleepy and muttered in a languid voice. Then she cautiously reached out. Whatever. She reached for the flowers that had just arrived in the mysterious package. Swish Though scarred in places, Roswyns fair and beautiful hand picked up the flower. She picked up a yellow rose. Ooh Caressing the flower from the unknown sender, Roswyn teared up and carefully embraced them. Frey.. She realized how precious Frey was, who had always given her flowers. Were you really sincere with me? She felt her body reverting to its terminal state. Feeling hopeless, she murmured in a soulless voice. You were trying to save my life sincerely.. Shaaa ..Huh? Then, something extraordinary happened. I-Its warm A warmth began to spread from the flowers. Why? Why? Confused by the sudden change, she tried to get up. .??? Her body felt incredibly light, unlike earlier when it had been hard even to take a step. Not just light, but it felt like she could fly away. She felt she could sprint at full speed for a long time. A-am I healed? After moving her body to test it out, doing some exercises and running, she sat down on the bed with a dazed expression and murmured. Im alive.. The fear that had been suffocating her was gradually disappearing. I-Im alive ooooh What followed was an unknown sense of relief, warmth, and sorrow. W-Why am I crying Rustle, rustle Anyway, what is this? With a stunned look on her face, she wiped away her tears and soon began to examine the small box she had been holding. The flower that can save me is from a system holder. So, it must be from Frey. Thump! Hm? As she shook and turned the box over, a letter fluttered down onto the bed. In the middle of it was a big heart, unmistakably resembling a love letter. Swish Normally, she would cringe at the love letters that she received. She would tear them up, or stash them away to read whenever she felt her self-esteem was low. Feeling strangely compelled to open it, Roswyn furrowed her brows as she opened the envelope. [From an anonymous man who fell for you at first sight.] [P.S. Always stay healthy.] The envelope had a small note written in unfamiliar handwriting. What is this She had been worried for her life until a moment ago, but she forgot all about that as she read the letter. Beep, beep Oh my, that scared me! The system window floating nearby suddenly came up to her and started to beep, and she looked at it with a startled expression. Helper System >> Everything He Did << The phrase Everything He Did was flashing much more intensely. Swoosh After experiencing so much so quickly, her mind had momentarily stopped. She reached out to the flashing words with a dazed expression. Flash! And in that instant, just like before, numerous pieces of information began to float around her. . However, Roswyns gaze was fixed only on one place. Thats It was a video of a young Frey walking somewhere familiar, holding a flower in his hand. No way Her eyes widened. pupils started to enlarge greatly. . . And that scene. What what did I say Roswyn watched that happen with utterly dead eyes. . . . . . Wow- Flowers again- Thank you so much- Uh-huh D-do you like it this time? Roswyn? Numerous video records passed; now, the video from this year was playing. Yes, well I like flowers, after all The date on the video matched the delivery date of the box she now had. But Im slightly disappointed. W-what is it? As Frey asked, Roswyn, in the video, muttered nonchalantly. I dont like yellow. What? Roses are supposed to be red, right? So next time, give me red ones Haha Frey listened to her words with a resigned smile, and then the scene moved on. What did you just say? As I said, I have only one request. Wearing a mask, Frey talked to the troubled postmaster with his hands on his chin. When the news of Frey Raon Starlights death is spread to the world, please deliver these boxes to Roswyn Solar Sunset every month. There were countless boxes behind him. Are these flowers preserved by magic? Yes. But why two each time? The postmaster always believed in ensuring the confidentiality and privacy of clients. And having received a considerable amount of money from Frey for this task, asking further could be rude, but human curiosity was inevitable. Well, you see In response to the postmasters question, Frey scratched his head and replied. I never found out What do you mean? Which color of flowers she likes more. Puzzled, the postmaster looked at the box with his head tilted. Hmm In the box, red and yellow roses were neatly placed. Probably, the countless boxes also contained numerous of these flowers. It would last a lifetime if he sent it every month, even if Frey died the next day. Uhm let me ask just one more thing With many questions in mind, the postmaster tried to ask again. Uh. Suddenly, Frey jolted and quickly stood up. Our contract is now concluded. Saying this, Frey headed toward the exit as the postmaster hurriedly asked a question. W-Why are you making such a contract? This amount could stabilize our budget, which had been lacking for decades. Why on earth Farewell. Frey left the postmaster behind and went outside. Sigh Looking up at the sky, Frey sighed and muttered. Well, because your department is the only one in the empire that hasnt been corrupted Ugh! Suddenly, he bent over. Cough, cough Frey then started coughing violently. Uh After a moment, he looked at the large amount of blood on his hand with trembling eyes and muttered sadly. I know very well how scary it is to be dying. Beep! And at that moment, the video paused. Sob, sob Sob The one who pressed the pause button was Roswyn. Im, Im sorryyyy.. She buried her face in the bed and sobbed miserably as she held the two flowers he had sent. Im sorry, Im so sorry Freyyyy.. By now, her bed was soaked with tears. I-Im the one at fault. Numerous pieces of information and system windows continued to float around her. Helper System > Everything About Frey (V) > Everything He Did (In Progress..) > The Truths of the World > Restrictions That Will Apply to You > Others Im the one whos wronggggg. The evening sunset outside the window shone on her. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 266: City Arrival Chapter 266: City Arrival City Arrival Master? Master! Umm Wake up! I woke up to the sound of someone calling me and saw a familiar face. Lulu. Hehe Sitting on my lap and gazing down at me, Lulu smiled with her eyes and spoke. Where are the paladin and Serena? Theyve stepped down for a bit to check if anyones following us! Weve arrived at our destination! Looking out the window, I saw a landscape as familiar as Lulus face. Tall, towering buildings, nobles strutting along the streets, and people looking daunted, as always. The Imperial City was still the same. Lick, lick I rested my chin on my hand and quietly observed this scene. Lulu closed her eyes and started to lick my cheek. Hmm Why does Lulu always lick my cheek? Was it a sign of obedience and loyalty as a pet? Or was it an unconscious outburst of her quite high need for affection? Or could it be that my cheek was sweet? If so, could her cheek be sweet as well? My cheeks couldnt be the only ones that were sweet, right? Lick. Eek!? With those thoughts, I licked Lulus cheek as she licked mine with her eyes closed, startling her. ??? Lulu looked at me with a dazed expression. Lick Lick, lick Uh, ugh As she looked at me cautiously and started to lick my cheek again, I licked her neck, and Lulu quickly pulled away from me, opening her mouth. M-master! You shouldnt do this! Why? This act it means submission to the master! Really? Yes, yes! You shouldnt submit to me!! Its unthinkable and disrespectful even to imagine such a thing I looked at her as she trailed off and started fiddling with her fingers. I want to tease her more I wanted to see her yell. I wanted to see her get flustered. I wanted her to never forget, not even for a second, that she was mine. This impulse was wildly taking over my mind. I wanted to control someone, to torment them to my hearts content. Chomp !!! Eventually, unable to resist this impulse, I went against Lulus earnest plea and lightly bit her neck. Chew, chew Eek! Then, I lay Lulu down in the carriage and nibbled on her bare skin. I told you I would punish you, Lulu. She trembled in fear. Looking down at her, I whispered coldly. Grab! How dare you, a mere pet audaciously loosen the leash I tied While tightening the loosened leash around her neck, I continued to whisper. Soon, Ill make you a stronger, special leash. A leash thats yours alone. One that can never be undone without my permission. M-my own Always wear it and regard it as an honor. Never forget the feeling of the leash around your neck, even for a moment, and always be aware that I control you. Yes, yes I would use my wealth to get a top-quality magic leash and tighten it around her neck. I wondered if she would tremble with joy whenever she touched that collar around her neck. I imagined her looking only at me every time I tightened the collar. I imagined Lulu wearing the leash, recognizing only me as her master, and growling at strangers. I wondered how much I could tighten the collar before she would tear up in pain. Watching her look at me with trembling eyes seemed appealing. This desire, which Ive never felt before in my life, was so Hmm~ ..!! With those thoughts, I applied more pressure on her leash and left new bite marks on her neck, and then I was startled when I heard Serenas humming. Ssshhh And with that came a feeling of clarity. Ah. And, guilt and fear. Hoo Hehe Hehe I quickly moved away from Lulu and sighed. I heard her ecstatic laughter from below. This is crazy The curse of Villainization was getting increasingly more serious. In the morning, after spending a sweet day with Serena, I could control it somehow, but now my mind was being consumed by Villainization again. This curse, which made me want to torment anyone in front of me, seemed to ignore my mental strength to some extent. He started to murmur. I want to keep tormenting people He could control it to some extent when he was alone, but when there was even one person around, the Villainization would erupt uncontrollably. Frey, who had a sad face due to this situation, glanced back at the girls. He could have hurt them with his actions. Soon, he turned into a secluded alley. Beep, beep He took out a communication crystal from his pocket and sent a signal somewhere. If its a curse Kania would know. Muttering to himself, Frey tried to reach Kania. Cooooo!! ..? Just as he was about to send her a signal, he tilted his head in confusion as an owl suddenly flew out of nowhere. Cooooo! Pfft He spat the feather out of his mouth as the owl brushed its wings against his face, a little more excited than usual, and opened the letter it had brought him. Ive ordered all the messengers heading to your mansion to be intercepted and the letters to be confiscated. [Nighttime Serena] Thats so like Serena He looked at the note attached to the letter from Serena fondly. Ugh. He soon started to break out in a cold sweat. I have something to confess to you. Lets meet up and talk. [From Aishi Winter Cloud] This letter from Aishi was dated about a week ago. Why is this coming now Coooo!! Hey, stop that Hm? Looking down at the letter with a puzzled expression, Frey was about to scold the owl, who kept poking him in the face. Coooo! Coo! The owl was pointing somewhere in the darkness with its wings. Seriously Looking at the owl, Frey sighed and stroked its head, then muttered in a low voice. I know that, too. Frey turned his gaze. Serena told me earlier. Alice, disguised using the Moonlight familys technique, was curled up on a wall like a cat. .. She fixed her gaze on Frey, glaring fiercely at him. . . . . . Rustle, rustle Meanwhile Huuu Huuu Roswyn, who had been shedding hot tears until then, was scribbling something on a piece of paper, unable to muster the courage to replay the video. Im sorry It was my fault Frey The Truth about Frey Raon Starlight [Frey Raon Starlight was actually the Hero. He was born with the Path of False Evil to save this world, and because of that, he committed numerous deceits] It was a letter about The Truth of Frey to be sent to all the media outlets in the empire. Crumple! Uuuu However, she quietly crumpled the paper as her tears stained it. I-I must let them know She took out a new sheet of paper, spread it on the desk, and picked up the pen with trembling hands. The world needs to know his truth Fizzing! Eek!? As a small system window popped up and pushed her pen away from the letter, she screamed and stepped back. Helper System First Restriction Then, what came into her view was: Helper System You cannot divulge the Heros identity in any way. The words were clear, glowing in the bright moonlight. Thud She knelt in front of the desk, her eyes filling with despair. Wooo At that moment, the video behind her started playing again. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 267: An Unexpected Attack Chapter 267: An Unexpected Attack An Unexpected Attack The sun started to descend, signaling the onset of evening. Phew In the Western Continent, Kania stared at the screen with tired eyes. Ms. Irina, what are you doing? M-me? With sunken dark circles, she looked at Irina on the screen and spoke. Irina seemed bewildered and surprised at the same time. Oh, just some magical research? It seems a bit too intense to be just magical research. The countless corpses of demonic monsters piled up behind her contradicted Irinas claim. No, no, Im supposed to do at least this much Keoooohh! Demonic bastards. She laughed awkwardly and scratched her head; suddenly, her expression changed. She unfolded a magic circle as a massive minotaur in the background stumbled and wailed. Clang! Crash! Kuuuooooogh! Kyaackkkk! A massive explosion and monstrous screams could be heard off-screen. Because of you all! The investigation team got attacked! Because of you! I had to come here so quickly for weeks!!! The explosion had given rise to a dust cloud. Irina had to restrain her temper with Frey, but now, she could finally reveal her true nature. Damn it those fucking pests Krrshaaa Her eyes glowed as she kicked the minotaur mercilessly. Her eyes rolled back; she now looked like her past selfsomeone with no regard for the nobles. Die already! Kwakwangkwangkwang!!! In the vast plain where only demonic monsters existed, she kicked the minotaur for quite a while. Irina then unleashed her specialty, area-of-effect magic, with various attributes. Finally, she put her magic to rest and calmly looked ahead. Goooo Half of it was a sea of fire, while the other portion was plagued with her other attributes. Her power spun like a tornado in the hellish landscape. She looked at it with relief, then spoke quietly. As expected, area-of-effect magic is the best, right, Kania? Uh, um Is it the best, you ambitious, little, thieving cat? What did you just say? Kania was dumbfounded. Irina, who had somehow reverted to her sleazy look from the first cycle, continued without backing down. Serena beat you to it, didnt she? . Kania felt speechless. Suddenly, someone appeared on the turned-off screen beside Irina. But I just started Princess Clana? I hadnt even started yet, actually. It ended in an instant On the screen was Clana, seated hunched in the corner of her room within the Imperial Palace, engrossed in paperwork. I tried to use money to make up for my lack of individuality, but Frey is already richer than me. And all the benefits of the vitality tonic I bought for him all went to Serena Hey Im the only one busy, so I cant get close to him its really unfair. Clana seemed melancholic as she quietly made notes on the documents with a cold gaze. Isabel Luca Vernandez [Change her sentence to life imprisonment] (Assigning an appropriate charge) Ramie Solar Sunrise [If possible, the death penalty] (Avenging everything she had done to Mom) Rifael Solar Sunrise [Life imprisonment] (Used her as a political weapon) Secret Lord [On progress looking for a way to kill him] Vener Renee Hylin [Her fatal weakness has been identified] If Vener couldnt be controlled, Frey suggested that they demote her to the position of 1st-year professor. Might as well lend a helping hand while covering the eyes That was a widely known magical list in the Empire from the previous cycle, rumored to make people disappear from the Empire as soon as their names appeared on it. Of course, it wasnt actual magic but the result of power and military force. I want to play with Frey too not with paperwork, but with Frey After Serena and Frey had gone on their honeymoon, Irina had become a delinquent, and Clana seemed melancholic all the time. Kania couldnt help but sigh. Please focus, everyone. We need a brief on the scenario for the opening of the next school year. The 2nd-year school opening? I-Ill return to you within a week, Young Master. Alright. After twisting around for a while, Kania quietly responded. Frey silently nodded and continued. But, by any chance, is there a curse that makes people turn evil? There are many curses like that. Do you have any specific information? Frey stiffened his face. For instance, a-a curse that is so powerful that even my mental strength is useless against it? .. Kania, who had frozen, quietly spoke. I will leave immediately. No, theres no need to do that. Im fine. I mean, not that Im not fine I-its actually not about me .. Watching her Young Master blabbering, Kania said with a sad expression. At least not to me. It would be better if you told me the truth instead of hiding it Young Master. .. Gazing at Kania, Frey sighed and started his explanation. It seems Ive been cursed with something like Villainization. I keep wanting to harm people just by looking at them. You, Young Master? But such feelings are not Huh? N-no, its nothing. Blushing, Kania replied, then quietly turned her gaze and buried her face in the pillow. If this continues Im afraid of hurting people I care about I want to find a solution as soon as possible. I will look for a solution. It might be ancient magic. Ill need to see you to know more. Okay, but dont push yourself too hard. Its okay to take your time coming here. Frey said that with a grin; Kania hugged the pillow tightly again. Oh, and I forgot to mention Yes? Staring at Freys face for a while, Kania attempted to lower the screen, but I have to participate in the upcoming orientation. What did you say!? Hearing Frey, Kania widened her eyes and asked again. Youre going to participate in the orientation? Yeah. No, why would you go there, Young Master? She mumbled and hastily changed the plans she had scribbled in her pocket notebook. Huh!? Paga-gak! Young Master? Freys screen suddenly started shaking wildly; he also seemed bewildered. Agh! She felt a sharp pain in her side and bent over. Aghh While clutching her side and breathing heavily, she slowly lifted her head. Iiiiiikkk! She could see Alice struggling wildly as she was pinned against the wall by Frey. Hmm L-let go of me! You monster! She stared blankly at the girl, screaming as if she were facing the devil. Kanias expression turned cold, and she muttered. I need to return to Young Master as soon as possible. The sun was setting beyond the horizon. . . . . Meanwhile What is this? Aishi Winter Cloud, with a bewildered expression, stared at a newspaper. [Breaking News] Frey Raon Starlight Confirmed Dead It was a newspaper reporting Freys death. Th-this this is a lie, right? Her eyes trembled. Didnt you come here to find a way to lift the curse? You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 268: Quest Clash Chapter 268: Quest Clash Quest Clash Ding, ding, ding! The loud alarm clock woke me up as sunlight filled my room. Plod Huh? I covered my face with the pillow to block the sunlight. Turning to the side, I noticed someone in my way, so I opened my heavy eyes. Mmmnyaa Pfftheub Serena was there, deeply asleep. She was holding me tightly, seemingly enjoying the peaceful rest. Chu She looked so adorable that I couldnt resist gently kissing her lips, making her twitch excitedly from below the abdomen. What kind of dream was she having? Since she slept quite a long, almost like it was her hobby to have lucid dreams, it would have been unfortunate if she had a nightmare. Should I wake her up? I love you Frey It seems like I dont need to wake her up. She has a happy smile on her face. Ill let her enjoy her dream a little longer. These past few days have been really nice I murmured as I got out of bed and looked at the rising sun. It had been a few days since I arrived in the city. From watching a play to eating her favorite sweets and ice cream to standing together on the street during the snowfall It seemed like I had fulfilled all the romantic fantasies she had about our dates. But now, its time to wrap things up It was fun, but I sensed the security getting tighter. Just yesterday, some mages had ambushed us on our date. My disguise wasnt quite adequate; skilled individuals could easily see through it. So, it was time to end our dates and get to work. Sssk As I quietly dressed to sneak out without waking Serena, someone abruptly hugged me from behind. D-do you know what, Frey? By the trembling voice and the level of intimacy, I could tell it was daytime Serena. If it were nighttime Serena, she wouldve already pounced on me. Lately, you look more manly. What did she mean? Under the influence of Villainization, I had been engaging in all sorts of evils. Yet, she said I look manly? Therefore honestly, Im scared of what other women might do to you eugh Todays our last date. Im going to get busier soon. Ah, okayyy I unintentionally poked her lower abdomen before heading toward the exit. Hehe. Lets forget her silly laughter that echoed out just before the door closed. After all, it wasnt like I knew the reason. Swish! A sharp light hit me as soon as I stepped out. It was a fierce attack from Alice. A few nights ago, she had attacked me but was subsequently overpowered. Therefore, per our agreement, she had been compelled to serve as my maid until now. Youve become more daring lately. Keugh! However, I had anticipated her attack and grabbed her hand, bending it at an awkward angle. Clang! Her assassins dagger fell to the ground. Are you really an assassin? Youre pretty pathetic. You monster I looked down at the dagger and then spoke with a malicious smile. Alice glared at me with a hateful expression, shivering in disgust. Youre cute. Egeuk As I gently stroked her chin, she, held up by my arms, began to falter and stumbled. She is indeed the exclusive assassin of the Secret Lord. She will become more dangerous as time passes. She might look like a weak assassin, but she was one of the top-tier assassins. Her unique ability to erase her presence was so impressive that if the target werent me, she could have already delivered a fatal blow to anyone. Well, shall I look forward to your kind cooperation today as well? I-I still have chances if we include the day you went missing Alright, do as you please. I patted Alices head and walked down the inns corridor, accompanied by her in a maid uniform. Go to hellyou pervert. I could hear Alices bitter muttering from behind. Hmmm. No, that poor girl hasnt returned yet. She believed that I had also brainwashed Lulu. Due to my actions over the past few days, most people would think the same, given Lulus loyalty and attitude. But I didnt brainwash Lulu; she was currently just staying with the Demon Kings army. Why? Because after Alice attacked me, an enraged Lulu had asked me to allow her to discipline them yesterday. According to Lulu, the lower- and mid-level demons were manageable. However, the ones she led were the Combat Officers. With everything Id been dealing with recently and the occasional strange sensations in my head, it might be better for her to stay with the Demon Kings army for now. I felt an intense desire to take her for a walk whenever I looked at her. This desire was impossible to control, and the previous incident embarrassed me. Was it too much? We have agreed that every time you fail to assassinate me, I could ask you to be my dedicated maid for a week. After thinking about Lulu, I said that to Alice, and she responded with a cold expression. I still have a chance to assassinate you for the day so theres no reason to serve you delicately The way Alice said this made her look like a fierce stray cat. And I need to give Ms. Arianne a chance Well think about that later. So, where are you going? I responded calmly, as she would find out the truth in a few hours anyway. To the underground prison. What? Its a place Ive regularly visited. Alices eyes held a murderous intent as she heard my words. Just come along quietly. Today, youll be my escort. You think Im here to protect you? Its an order. Ugh. I used the control over the Curse of Subordination I received from the Secret Lord to issue a command, and Alice bowed her head and began following me. Phew Quietly observing her, I stepped outside the inn and gazed into the space. The Curse of Subordinations Liberation Mission Quest Content: Get closer to Alice. You dont need to get close to all the children. The Sudden Quest: Get Closer Quest Content: Get close to half of the children! The closer you get to everyone, the greater the rewards! It was the first time a quest had popped up that violated another quests conditions. The quest window had a slightly different shape and color, too. Prepare the carriage. Understood sir I might not get how this would all work out, but it was time to go to the underground prison. . . . . . Meanwhile Interesting Lying on the bed and gazing at Freys image in the crystal ball, Ruby turned her gaze to the ceiling with a creepy expression. [The influence of Villainization will disappear within 24 hours] Reason: Scenario Completion Very interesting Creak At that moment, someone came to visit her. Um, excuse me Hm? It was Roswyn. I-I have something to talk about A smile formed on Rubys distorted lips. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 269: Prelude to Total War Chapter 269: Prelude to Total War Prelude to Total War Though situated in the heart of the imperial city, it was considered the farthest outskirts the back alley. Where is this? How long will you keep addressing me informally, even when youre my maid? S-shut up! I had brought Alice into the most secretive area within this back alley. In the back alleys to such a place? Alice, who was intently eyeing me from behind, seemed unaware of this place, indicating that security was rigorously maintained. Indeed, this location was where I had been most meticulously prepared for this role. Naturally, security there was thorough. Creak Creak You How much influence did you have in this empire? As I touched the sturdy and solid iron gate, as robust as the main gate of the Imperial Palace, and it began to open slowly, Alice looked at me with a frightened expression and asked. Indeed, anyone would be frightened upon seeing the vast space beyond the open door. Also, the one accompanying her was Frey, the most wicked villain, and rogue in the Empire Well, no need to say it; anyone could imagine that feeling well enough. In the end, the Moonlight Lords exclusive assassin is an ordinary woman. Just looking at this sight makes you shrivel in fear. S-shut your trap. Amid the chaotic atmosphere coming from the prison, she, drenched in cold sweat, straightened up, perhaps wounded in her pride, and confidently stepped forward. Sav save me please F-forgive me ..! However, as anguished screams echoed from all directions, her tense expression revealed a sense of nervousness. This isnt your first time seeing such a sight, is it? Kreuk. Addressing her in a calm voice, I urged her forward with my footsteps while quietly thinking. Indeed Clana. Shes quite skilled at managing things. Of course, this place wasnt intended for my amusement. It was simply a Secret Prison where we gathered and detained all the Empires trash. It was tricky to imprison them in the imperial prison since the emperor and the crown prince managed it. And, sending them to the Churchs prison was like entrusting fish to a cat. Hence, I had to create a new prison. P-please just kill me Spare me The ones screaming over there were nothing more than trash beneath human worth, not even worthy of a fresh start. Therefore, someone like Isabel, who once made a deal with the Demon King and initiated the attack on the commoner dormitory, Empress Ramie and Rifael, and my shadow friends, who used to manage the young slaves now owned by Lulu, were imprisoned here. While it might be tempting to just kill them, to fix this corrupt world, I needed to use them as much as possible. However, they seemed frail recently. Lulu often brought Miho here. So, was that the reason behind this change? So why did you come here sir? Of course, I have someone to meet here. Looking around at the wretched individuals unworthy of pity, I glanced at Alice, who had been watching my reaction and adjusting her tone to formal speech. Together, we headed deeper into the prison. Wait here. ? Why? Do you want to come with me? No. Then stay there quietly. Its an order. I left Alice outside and quietly entered the room at the far end. Ebub, eub. Before me was a miserable-looking woman. Eub! Ebub! The one with covered eyes and mouth was none other than Vener. Could you be a bit quieter? Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! Uuuuuugh! After silently observing her, I whispered something in her ear, and Vener began to thrash violently. Whats wrong, Ms. Vener, the eldest daughter of the Hylin family? !!! Upon hearing my words, she stopped and took a deep breath. If you keep thrashing around, I might reveal your secret to the world. Right, now this is better. As expected, her weakness was quite useful. Youll have to keep being good like this. It seemed like the foundation for completing the Make Friends mission had been securely in place. . . . . . A few hours before, Roswyn went to find Ruby. You are the most despicable person Ive ever known. But what are you holding in your arms? Th-th-this is a reproduction of the potion I gave you last time? I brought it for you Ah. Rubys soft expression instantly froze upon this. Is it the same as you gave me last time? The ingredients are completely identical? Y-yes, its exactly the same. O-only the bottle and color are different. Oh I see Nodding quietly , Rubys stern expression gradually deteriorated. Here, please take it You need to improve quickly since youve already improved from the previously incurable disease Hmm, I still have some of the effects of the potion I took last time, so I dont need to But still, please Looking down at Ruby with a terrified expression, Roswyn tried to forcefully give her the potion with trembling hands. Well, I said I really didnt need it, didnt I? Ouch! Oh my. Suddenly, the potion bottle she was holding shattered, and Roswyn looked dazed. The potion bottle broke all of a sudden I-is that so Thats a shame. There was no way the potion bottle would have suddenly broken. The potion bottle she bought, which cost the highest price, was so sturdy that it wouldnt break even if an entire cart passed over it, thanks to the powerful magic protection. Oh, are you hurt somewhere? Throb With a worried expression, Ruby held her hand, and Roswyn felt a throb in her heart. Ah, ah ah As a result, Roswyn quickly withdrew her hand, turned around with a pale face, and muttered. Ruby is the Demon King She was the Demon King! The pupils and facial features that were briefly visible in the last moments of the video matched the current appearance of Ruby. Because of that, the belated and horrifying shock that hit her was so great. I-I have to tell someone no matter what, I have to let anyone know Roswyns legs trembled greatly, and she broke into a cold sweat. Though she knew she had to move them, fear paralyzed her. Hmm Ruby observed Roswyn moving slowly like a tortoise, tilting her head inquisitively. It doesnt seem like youre certain? Wondering what had happened, Ruby tilted her head, her expression unscathed from not receiving any penalties. Even so, whats her plan in leaving me alone? It was because the Penalty Nullification from the Helper System also applied to the Path of Pretender system. Swish As the Demon King contemplated Roswyns stance, she quietly reached out her arms. Well then, goodbye huh? W-why wont the door open? At the same time, the door was locked. Well, Im not sure why Why would that be? Heik eh Lady Roswyn? So, with a terrified expression, Roswyn thought about going all-in by pulling out an attack scroll from her pocket, preparing for anything. I already left the information that shes the Demon King in my room but but Ding! Huh? Then, as she hesitated without being able to decide, the moonlight system window appeared before her. < Achievement: Prelude to Total War > Reward: Intelligence +1, Mana +1, Stamina +1 ! Seeing that, hope flashed in Roswyns eyes. M-maybe! Thud! ..? Then, the door opened, and someone entered. Thanks to that, just as she entertained the thought of her fate being resurrected, she looked down with a puzzled gaze. Stay behind me, sister. Eh? Go down to the first floor. I have some business here first. Wearing the robe backward, the person who entered the room pulled Roswyn behind her. Hurry up. And it was none other than Glare. Huh? Staring at the familiar system window in front of Glare, Roswyns gaze became vacant. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 270: Total War Chapter 270: Total War Total War Heuheung Ruby-colored eyes met azure-colored eyes. What brings you here? Ms. Disciple of the Magic Tower Master? Among the two girls glaring at each other for a while, Ruby spoke first. What urgent matter brings you here on your own feet like this I mean, what could make you come find me? Eyes narrowed like a crescent moon, Ruby asked as her expression changed a bit. Glare, who had been glaring at her fiercely, replied. I want to talk with you alone. Pardon? So, please send anyone unrelated out. Roswyns eyes widened, and she mumbled timidly. I-Im also related in However, she couldnt finish her sentence. Ugh Two things kept her from speaking: the fear of not knowing what might happen if she didnt leave and her doubts about whether someone like her had the right to claim any connection to him. W-wouldnt I just become a burden if I stay? But what about that little girl? She is even younger than me Hurry! Ehack! Glare pushed a trembling Roswyn out of the door, making her lose balance and tumble outside. Go downstairs to the first floor! Hey As Glare turned her head toward her, Roswyn handed over the scrolls with a pale and terrified expression. However I also have plenty of those! I can use magic without scrolls! Its dangerous here, so please go downstairs! Ah Thud! Glare glanced briefly at it and closed the door forcefully. Crackle M-Master said to do it this way W-Well, its done. After sealing the entrance with a clumsy but powerful spell, she took a deep breath and turned around. Oh my youre so cute To her surprise, Ruby suddenly stood up from the bed and approached her. Youre the first brat Ive seen who wants to destroy herself this badly after Frthe Hero The Heros enemy. Yes, thats right. I am, indeed, the enemy and old rival of the Hero. Ruby had exposed her true self. You must already know what kind of being I am, right? Her eyes were still shining with ruby-red color, and two hornsone of which was damagedwere slowly extending from her head. Next, wings sprouted from her back, and a swaying tail emerged behind her. It was unmistakably the appearance of someone from the demon race. And if anyone had even a slight interest in the history of the empire, they would have recognized that the form Ruby had assumed was that of a being who could be considered the king among the demon race. The Demon King Glare had diligently studied history to assist her savior, the Hero. I cant believe I have to show my true form to a woman Ssk Oh my, are you trying to break my horns again? With a coy demeanor and a gently swaying tail, Ruby swiftly slapped Glares hand when she reached out quietly. Syasyak The horns on her head disappeared in the blink of an eye. Tsk. Glare, frowning, quietly assumed a combat stance. So, what brings you here? While continuing to gaze at Glare affectionately, the Demon King asked in a low voice. Did you come because you wanted to see me? I came to prevent innocent sacrifices. Hmm? Werent you trying to kill the woman who was here just a moment ago? When Glare asked this question with an uncharacteristically fierce expression, Ruby smirked and mumbled. It seems like you have a way to monitor my every move? Ugh. Glare flinched involuntarily. Indeed Act tough all you want, but youre still a brat. The Demon King whispered in a low voice. I acknowledge your potential and magical power, but you still are far too lacking in experience. Shut up. Dont be quick to judge Just the fact that you came here now should be enough for judgment, dont you think? Dont make me laugh Or you can submit to me and become my subordinate. Glares eyebrows twitched upon hearing those words. Its your second chance, which even the Hero hasnt received yet. Accept it before its too late. . Ruby, who spoke to Glare gently, added with a cold expression. Do you think the Hero can win against me? Along with the cynical tone, a system window appeared in front of Glare. Helper System < The Probability of The Hero and Allies Beating the Demon King (Current) > [0%] Glare glanced at the number that hadnt changed since the night she had first awakened the Helper System. Helper System < The Probability of The Hero Winning After Successfully Awakening the Armament While Facing Death Together with the Demon King is [50%] (Subject to Real-Time Fluctuations). > < The Probability of The Hero Achieving a Happy Ending > Things like that arent my concern. Without paying attention to the text below, she muttered in a low voice. Because Im going to defeat you. Glare, with a fierce expression, once again rushed at the Demon King. Puhehehe Watching Glare acting like that, the Demon King calmly smiled and mumbled in a low voice. As expected, its easy to handle kids. And so, the long and fierce battle between Glare and the Demon King began. . . . . . Meanwhile, in the vast courtyard of the church. Hm-hm~! Hm-hm~! Ferloche was strolling while carrying a backpack and with a dove on her shoulder, humming to herself. Today~! The weather is so lovely!! She shouted like that even though there was no one around. Its such a wonderful day for a walk! Gugu. Hng? Gugu? Suddenly, Gugu, on her shoulder, started pecking at Ferloches forehead. Gu! Ouch, ack. You cant do that! It hurts! Ack. Gugu!! I-Im your owner! I can also peck you back! In broad daylight, facing Gugus attack, Ferloche closed her eyes and raised her fingers in a bird-like beak gesture. She began to fight the bird by swinging them. Ah. Suddenly, she opened her eyes wide. Gugu. Im sorry With a gentle smile, Ferloche started stroking Gugus head. Gulp. She swallowed saliva, and her face tensed considerably as she headed somewhere. Ms. Ferloche, why are you here? Saintess, its dangerous here She was heading to the underground chamber of the church. I have something to attend to here for a moment! It was an underground chamber that no one had ever come nearby after she and Frey had entered, and the entrance was now under the management of the bishops. Saintess, what kind of business do you possibly have to attend to in this place Gugu! As the bishop who managed the entrance approached with a somewhat troubled but benevolent smile, Ferloche smiled brightly and spoke to Gugu on her shoulder. Extract the soul. Gu! She wore a facial expression that no one had seen before, and then she slowly moved toward the entrance to the underground chamber. Kugugugugu As if the underground chamber welcomed her, it began to shake violently. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 271: Beyond the Unknown Chapter 271: Beyond the Unknown Beyond the Unknown Cough, cough Puhehe pfft Glare quietly raised her head while lying on the floor, wounded all over. Tak! Crash!! She snapped her fingers, and a light sound of something breaking resounded within the room. Hm-hm The reflection magic that the Demon King had cast on herself had broken. So, how long are you going to do this? The Demon King asked Glare with a sour expression. Im getting bored already. Only a small part of the reflection magic protecting her front had broken. .. Glare stood up while blankly staring at that, swaying as she did so. Thud, thud She struggled to make her way toward the entrance. Have you finally given up? Its your defeat, my dear. Glare, heading for the exit, suddenly stopped. And that applies to the Hero as well. Ruby continued watching Glare from behind. Should I tell you what comes after everything is over? Rubys eyes were filled with thrill, excitement, and anticipation. First, the Hero I dont need that. Glare firmly interrupted her. Once everything is over, only one thing will happen. Glare was severely battered, but she didnt stop clutching her ring; it didnt stop shining. She whispered in a low voice. I will have a child with the Hero, and we will lead a happy life in a peaceful world. Thats all there is. Glare tried to open the door and exit, but the doorknob wouldnt budge for some reason. No, its not With a smirk, the Demon King, still behind Glare, whispered. Once everything is over, he will stay beneath me. Glare gripped the doorknob tightly. Slightly cupping her lower abdomen, the Demon King approached Glare with a smug smile. Days, months, and even years He will stay beneath me. My color will mar him, and all he would be able to do is cry in pain. And once he is fully marred by my color, his seeds will grow inside me. The Demon King looked down at Glare with superior eyes. Imagine theres life growing within me, and to witness it with lifeless eyes doesnt it excite you just thinking about it? Disgusting. Whats so repulsive about it? Taking over from the defeated male is my rightful privilege, right? The Demon King brought her hand close to Glare, who had a terrible expression, and whispered. If the one you despise the most forcibly carries your seed within them, creating a life from equal parts of you both inside them how would you feel? Get lost An irreversible reality has been established. He will forever remain beneath me, listening to the sound of life. Perhaps he will even experience a sense of parental affection. Or maybe his mind will completely shatter. I said go away Im already looking forward to it. I wonder what kind of reaction hell have. Stay away from me!! With a serious expression, Glare shouted so, and the barrier between her shoulder and Rubys hand shattered. I see Brat, you got angry because I threatened your puppy love. Staring down at Glare with a pitiful look, the Demon King slowly stretched down her hand. But youre still just a brat. Ugh Youre too young to bear the seed inside here. As Ruby tapped Glares lower abdomen, the defense barrier reformed. Wooong However, the faint vibration caused by this was transmitted fully. Thanks to that, Glare, who had taken a step back, glared coldly at the Demon King. If you become my subordinate, I can quickly mature you enough to bear the seed. And when everything is over, I will also allow the Heros seed to be planted inside your belly. The Demon King, licking her lips, asked in a smooth voice. Isnt that your wish after all? A momentary silence fell in the area. Tak! In the quiet room, the light sound of a finger-snapping echoed again. Crash!!! As a result, the door that wouldnt open shattered in an instant. As expected you are troublesome. The Demon King had placed the strongest locking method and counterspells on the door. So, when she looked at the now-shattered door, she could only mutter in a despondent voice. Ah Last time, you poisoned the fake Hero, and now you almost got killed. Youre well aware, right? The fact that girl is the wicked Demon King. Heikk. Roswyn, who had a blank expression, looked frightened upon hearing her. Glare patted her back to comfort her. But dont worry too much. With a cheerful voice, Glare whispered. To be honest, I have been secretly helping the Hero! When Roswyn heard that, her eyes darkened with deep despair. My dream is to help the Hero and marry him after everything is over! Ah, aaaahh Thats my lifes sole goal Huh? Glare, happily thinking she had found an ally, looked bewildered when Roswyn began to tear up. Im so sorryyyy!!! Heikk!? Glare hugged Roswyn, who had started to shed tears. I, I ruined everything! Its all my fault Its all my fault E-excuse me? I hate this now! I want to turn back time just once. Even if I could only turn back time, I would want to undo it by any means Why are you like this? P-please let me work under you I dont care if its an odd job, please Seeing the girl with the same abilities and the same dream taking a different path, Roswyn deeply regretted everything. Frey Hero I messed up I want to see you again Helper System < The Probability of The Hero and The Allies Beating the Demon King (Current) > [0%] < The Probability of The Hero Winning After Successfully Awakening the Armament While Facing Death Together with the Demon King is [50%] (subject to real-time fluctuations). > However, after seeing Glares system window, she could only feel regret. Helper System < The Probability of The Hero Achieving a Happy Ending > [None] She believed Frey, whom she had abandoned and left to die, had no chance of a happy ending. Um hey Still bewildered, Glare watched Roswyn and soon muttered to herself. She obviously had a panic attack due to the Demon Kings threat. She needs to be taken to a hospital quickly Im sorry for ruining your wish my wish too Im Im such trash Ah right, this place is a hospital. Glare grabbed and dragged Roswyn, who had begun burying her head in the ground, along with her. Huh? But then, she suddenly stopped and stared into the air. Helper System [2nd-Year Episode Prologue Unlocked] The moonlight system window shone before her. Why all of a sudden Confused by the sudden turn of events, Glare tilted her head. But then, her eyes widened, and she fixed her gaze on the air. Helper System < The Probability of The Hero Achieving a Happy Ending > [??%] A change had finally occurred in the value. . Noting the miraculous sight, Glare did something for the first time. Hehe. She smiled, overflowing with pure joy. . . . . . Meanwhile, in the underground chamber of the Church. From now on, Im going to enter an unknown world that even Ive never experienced before What a shame If only I could stay longer, I could have possessed the Demon God. Its unfortunate to be interrupted at this moment. Ferloche, in the underground chamber, exerted all her strength to release her divine power. She mumbled, keeping her eyes tightly shut to avoid eye contact with the eyes in front of her. So, make your way through the unknown with your light and move forward Gugu hovered around her with wide-open eyes. By the way, the Star God is coming here. Meanwhile, as it directly faced Ferloches immense divine power, the pupil only blinked a few times and soon murmured in an intrigued voice. Its going to be interesting. Simultaneously, the underground chamber began to shake once again. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 272: Interference Chapter 272: Interference Interference Haa Haaa Alone in the dark underground chamber, Ferloche released her divine power while stumbling, losing her balance. Just a little more Just a little more Her hollow gaze quivered. If I keep going just a little longer She tenaciously stood her ground, using every ounce of her remaining strength to spread light to every corner of the underground chamber diligently. Why do you cover my eyes? Afraid you might see something? Ugh However, as the cold and chilling voice penetrated her ears, the underground chamber shook again. Srrrk After struggling until she was sweating bullets, Ferloche finally collapsed. Gugu Gugu landed on Ferloches shoulders, looking visibly tired, and stared at her tensely. Open your eyes. At the same time, the seduction from the eye started. Open your eyes and welcome me. I shouldnt open my eyes I should never open my eyes What are you so afraid of, my dear? No matter what I should never! The seduction would have made any ordinary person gaze into the eyes instantly. However, Ferloche repeatedly reminded herself to never give in to it. Srrrrr Several minutes passed, but the seduction didnt work. Suddenly, grotesque tentacles emerged around the eye and rushed toward her menacingly. Pagak! Pagagak! The tentacles mercilessly cut through Ferloches protective barrier. It was an incredibly strong defense, but they pierced it like paper. Egegeuk Ferloche had to take a step back, drenched in cold sweat, as the attacks from the tentacles grew increasingly fierce. So, it was you, the one obstructing my sight all this time. The eye whispered in a low voice while directly staring at Ferloche. With the help of the Sun and Star gods, you were also creating variables. I really shouldnt open my How many times have you gone back in time to bring this world to this point? ! Ferloche trembled and flinched. You even managed to deceive me; you are truly remarkable. The tentacles struck Ferloches last remaining defense. Heaaab!! However, Ferloche refused to go down without a fight. Kuwagwang! It had been a while since she last used the Blessing of the Sun God, but she used it expertly to destroy tentacles and rushed toward the underground chambers exit. Shaaa Ugh! While Ferloche stumbled and ran with her eyes closed, multiple tentacles rushed out to ensnare her. Gugu!! Perched on her shoulders, Gugu fiercely charged and intercepted the onslaught of attacks from the tentacles. Right at that moment, Ferloches hand reached the exit. Twisting, writhing Eaaaah!! The exit was covered with tentacles, but she still smashed the door open, destroying everything around. As she stepped outside, the eye still stared at her intently from the middle of the basement. Whew Now outside, Ferloches legs lost their strength, and she collapsed and sighed heavily. Wow! That was such an exciting and fun adventure! Soon, she reverted to her usual silly self. Well, then While wiping away the cold sweat from her forehead and wearing an exhausted yet proud expression, she prepared to take the next step. Srrrk! Ugh! Suddenly, two tentacles shot out from the ground and grabbed her arms. H-how? She was definitely outside the underground chamber, so how could the tentacles attack her? Confused, she struggled to break free from their grasp. Ah She inadvertently glanced at the sky and froze instantly. Oh, no The sun in the sky Crush The eye, quietly observing the liquor bottle, suddenly crushed it and whispered in a low voice. Isnt this a bit impolite for a first meeting? A resonant voice rang from the direction where the eyes gaze fell. Luna, can you please look at that? There is an eye in the sky! Is it transmitting well? Or am I still drunk? Is this really the time for drunken talk? Among the people present there First meeting, you say? You dont even have a face; how could this be our first meeting? It might be more appropriate to call it a first sight Could you please just shut your trap? Surprisingly, the intruder was the scroll merchant talking to someone with something like a communication crystal. Am I a bit late? The magic item merchant, the scroll merchant, the tavern keeper, the legendary artisan Rosinante, and more, all in various roles, he casually approached Ferloche with a cheerful smile. Please stay alertttt!! Dont get careless just because its not the main body!! Youll end up dyinggggg. Oh, that sobered me right up. With an expression indicating frustration, the one called Luna from the crystal ball, pounded her chest and shouted. He shook his head from side to side, mumbling. Mphm, Hmpm hem You. The person, who had been a traditional comedic character in the Dark Tale Fantasy series, cracked his neck and hands a few times, cleared his throat, and opened his eyes quietly. Shaahaah However, his eyes shone with starlight. What happens if you make a comedic character angry? As he said that, countless star fragments, twinkling spears, and shining shields materialized around him. How ridiculous With a smirk, the eye retracted its tentacles restraining Ferloche and aimed them at him. The eye whispered. To think that Creator God could be reduced to this. Suddenly, a massive burst of light illuminated the courtyard of the Church. . . . . . Meanwhile, in the underground prison W-What? After cutting his threats and training session with Vener short, Frey exited the prison with Alice and Vener. He looked around with a pale expression. . Alice, Vener, the other prisoners, the mice wandering around the shabby and dirty prisoners, and even the flies flying around here and there were all staring blankly upwards. Whats going on here? Even the people on the streets in the distance, visible through the exit, were all staring blankly at the sky. Frey wiped his cold sweat and took another step forward. Step, step .!!! Suddenly, he heard footsteps coming from behind him. Whos there? They were coming from the back of the corridor where no one should have been, considering he had just walked from there. Frey, sweating at the sound, threw the question. Well I wonder who? Huh? He opened his eyes wide to cast off the darkness and looked at the newcomer. Who do you think I am? Huh In response, Frey muttered with a low voice. That pretty big sister from back then? Oh my, big sister, you say? The woman approached him with a crystal ball in one hand and blushed. What brings Rosewins secretary here? Um, well Looking alert, Frey asked. The woman caressed the crystal ball before she replied to him in a low voice. I came to reward you for the successful 19+ event. Wait, what did you say? By the way When Frey looked puzzled by that statement, the woman looked at him as if she found him cute and asked a question. Is the Affection System somewhat useful? Her eyes, which had been smiling, were now gently curved like a crescent moon. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 274: Freshmen Orientation Chapter 274: Freshmen Orientation Freshmen Orientation Ring, ring! The alarm clock on the bedside table rang loudly. Hmm The noise abruptly awakened me. As the sunlight streamed through the window, I struggled to focus my groggy mind. Srrrk I glanced at the ceiling of the inn where Serena and I had been staying, which had temporarily become our base. We had to keep changing our location for security reasons, but we were somewhat confined with the Main God of this world bound in the corner of the inn. Should I have slept earlier? Yawning and stretching, I tried to shake off the stiffness and began regretting my decision to sleep late. Today was quite an important day. It was like the beginning of the 2nd year episode or, in other words, freshman orientation day. Planning to participate in the orientation, I had stayed up late to check my plans. Consequently, I only got about two hours of sleep. I felt a bit dizzy, yet I was relieved that the constant anxiety and pressure of the past few days seemed to have lessened. Are you awake, Master? Sitting halfway on the bed, I heard a soft voice coming from under the bed. Lulu. Of course, it was Lulu. Recently, she had been asking for my permission to leave during the day and quietly came into my room to sleep on the floor at night. Sssskk, sskk Hehe. She resembled a pet getting released and nurtured and a loyal vassal pledging allegiance to me. Proud of her, I gently patted her head, and a quiet smile graced her lips. Haub. Then, she closed her eyes after biting and nibbling on my finger, carefully wrapping it with her tongue before gently rolling it inside her mouth. Master, may I go out again today? I silently watched her familiar actions while my finger was still in her mouth. Sure, just make sure to come back at night. Thank you! Initially, I had planned to take her to the orientation today, but the presence of the Demon King thwarted that plan. Still, be sure to have breakfast before you go. Yes! I couldnt let her go without breakfast. When I gently mentioned it, Lulu, releasing my finger from her mouth, smiled brightly and replied. Ill control the lesser demons I mean, watch over the Demon Kings army with all my might today! Sure. Clearly, she had said lesser demon just now, but did I mishear her? The place she had been going to recently was none other than the meetings for the Demon Kings Combat Executives, and there wasnt a single lesser demon she could control. Whatever. Come to think of it, lately, those Combat Executives of the Demon Kings army had been oddly kind to me, and the army seemed unusually well-organized. Something felt off. What was Lulu doing there? Hoaaam Thinking about Lulu, who had gone downstairs for breakfast, a yawn escaped my mouth. Knock, knock, knock. Hmm? Being this sleepy in a scenario that could decide my fate was unreasonable, so I got up to wash my face. Suddenly, I heard a knocking sound on the door. Its me, Young Master. It was a very welcoming voice. Long time no see, Kania. Yes. It felt like ages since I last saw her. Kania stood there with a plate in hand, clad in her customary formal attire, with a smile. Is that breakfast? Yes, your favorite dish, Young Master. She had just arrived at the inn and unpacked only hours ago. Still, she was as diligent as ever. That was Kania, indeed. Did the inn let you use their kitchen? The landlady seems rather strict. Ill explain later. For now, please eat your meal before it gets cold. Following Kanias warm gaze, I opened the lid on the plate, revealing neatly placed sandwiches and coffee. Young Master, is this enough? The appetizing sight made me realize my mouth was watering. I reached out to take a bite. However, Kania calmly asked. Hm? Ill take care of the ingredients and preparations, so wouldnt you prefer a more delicious meal? Hmm During the investigation period, I learned several Western Continent dishes. Ive also learned some Eastern Continent dishes. Ill happily make them for you if youd like. The way Kania said this made her look oddly earnest. Of course, Id like to. I nodded, sensing that refusing would disappoint her. Plus, I genuinely wanted to taste her dishes. Kania secretly clenched her fist. Alright then, enjoy your delicious meal. Then, she turned around with balled fists and struck a pose as if saying, You got this to herself. Pff. Young Master? Why are you taking the plate As I chuckled at her amusing gesture and carefully stood up, holding the plate, Kania tilted her head in confusion. Ill eat with you on the first floor. Ah. Kania suddenly began to look troubled. Sigh, you know Young Master. She began to speak after sighing heavily. Right now, there are guests on the first floor. Guests? Well, its an inn, so there can be guests, right? Weve already bought this entire inn. Weve compensated the guests twice what they paid. Kanias words momentarily stunned me. What? You purchased the entire inn? Wait a minute we? You didnt come alone, did you? Confused and still tired, I fired questions incoherently. Kania responded with a furrowed brow. It would be quicker if you see for yourself. She then silently opened the door and bowed her head. I didnt know what to expect, but it seemed I had to go to the first floor. . . . . As I looked at her in amazement, Kania opened the inns door and said with an unpleasant expression. Master. While looking at the carriage with a tense expression, Lulu, who had finished her meal by now, approached me cautiously. I pray that your mission today is successful. She spoke with a determined tone. If it fails, then I will lead lesser demons to raid the orientation venue. Please, dont. I replied, fearing the consequences, but she started looking sullen. Click Afterward, she loosened the leash around her neck and handed it to me. But I am your dog. Rather than living as an abandoned dog, I would die as your loyal companion. Saying so, she slightly pulled her leash, then turned around, took a few steps, and suddenly disappeared. It seemed she used a spatial portal created by Dmir Khan around the inn. I wont say much. I quietly observed the traces left on my hand by the leash, but Clana passed by and whispered. Now I have the power and authority to protect you. .. Im only going to demonstrate that today. After saying that, she quietly boarded the carriage. How reassuring. Even though I was still quite tense, I felt my heartbeats calm down. I smiled as I walked toward the carriage. Frey. ..? Irina, who had been standing quietly behind me, suddenly grabbed me. About that girl Lulu theres something you should know. Hmm? Well, that is Wondering if it had something to do with the earlier argument with Lulu, I listened to her attentively with a serious expression. What is it? Suddenly, I couldnt help but look bewildered. Horns?! I couldnt believe it. It was so absurd that I would never have believed it if it hadnt come from her, a woman with the qualifications of an Archmage. . . . . . Several hours later, at the orientation venue for Sunrise Academys new students. Its an honor to meet you! Freshmen!!! A girl stood in the spacious outdoor hall amidst the bustling figures of the empires important individuals, envoys from across the continent, and various high-ranking nobles. I, representing all of you who are entering as first-year students in the 1001st batch this year She could see the tension and excitement of the Sunrise Academys freshmen. My name is Ruby. As the girl, Ruby, said this, the hall fell silent. And the world also calls me Hero. She added with a witty tone, prompting cheers from different parts of the hall. Before taking the oath on behalf of you all, I want to say something. Ruby continued speaking without intentionally suppressing the cheers. All of you, who will become first-year students and part of the 1001st batch Her ruby-colored eyes calmly shone. are no different than members of the Hero Party. In fact, you are the Hero Party itself. After this statement, a different type of silence descended upon the hall. Frey What do you think? How do you plan to handle a situation like this? Delight, shock, excitement, hope, fear, and worry. She wore a bright smile as she observed the freshmen reacting with various expressions and wavered at her words. I already know you have prepared something for today. But what would you show me? She shouted with joy internally. What kind of desperate act are you planning, Frey!!! Crreeeaakk, crreeeaakk! A horse-drawn carriage arrived at the far end of the outdoor hall. W-whats going on? All the participants should have arrived already, shouldnt they? S-stop right there! Reveal your identity! The guards and the knights, sweating profusely, rushed toward the carriage. They had tightened the security due to the appointment ceremony incident, yet an intruder was here. Clatter! The carriages door slowly began to open. Creeakkk The slowly parting doors, the vigilant gazes of the guards, the curious freshmen, and the subtle smile on Rubys lips all seemed part of a slow-motion scene. .!!! In the atmosphere filled with such anticipation, the intruders identity became apparent to those gathered there. It was not just the Empire; the appearance shocked the entire world. Its been quite a while for you to reveal your real face to the world. The person who appeared unscathed at the freshmen orientation was none other than Frey Raon Starlightthe same human the world had declared dead. ? In the tense and silent atmosphere, frozen without allowing any room for panic, Ruby stared with a dumbfounded expression and tilted her head. Is he crazy? She hadnt expected this, so she was also surprised. But This is kinda fun. Nevertheless, in the end, Ruby concluded that it was also amusing. Nice to meet you all. Indeed, you are very interesting. The one hated by all and the one loved by all. The False Evil and the Pretender. And thus, the full-scale confrontation between the Hero-turned-Demon King and the Demon King-turned-Hero began. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 275: Declaration of Being a Professor Chapter 275: Declaration of Being a Professor Declaration of Being a Professor I-its Frey! A-arrest him! When Frey revealed himself, the hall erupted with shouts of rage. Huh, you werent dead? I expected him to be alive but why has he come here Amidst the burst of rage, the once-frozen atmosphere in the outdoor hall had mostly shifted toward condemning and mocking Frey. What exactly are you trying to do now, Frey? Amid such chaos, Ruby gazed quietly at Frey and asked. It may be just an orientation, but its a significant event to conclude the year nonetheless. You knew that, right? Yes, I am aware. So, explain yourself? Why have you barged into this sacred and significant event? With a resolute expression, Ruby held the sound amplification magical device to her mouth and asked that question. A moment of silence spread around. Dont move, Frey! You are under arrest for treason Meanwhile, the soldiers and the knights rushed toward Frey with fierce gazes, weapons aimed at him. Zing! Urgh!! Damn, what the hell is it? Why is it so strong? Suddenly, they were pushed back by the barrier unfolding around Frey, helplessly falling due to the strong defense. They stared blankly as their weapons flew away. Hero! Please stay behind! Its dangerous! Someone may be targeting y After the short-lived absurdity ended, the soldiers climbed onto the platform and started surrounding Ruby. Please protect the students first! Ill be fine! However, Ruby urgently called out to the soldiers. Prioritize the safety of the students! After sending away the soldiers to the freshmen sitting on both sides of Frey, Ruby glared at him coldly. .. Thus began a silent exchange between the two amid the panic. Over here, Sir! I wonder what will happen in the next event. Even though its an Imperial command, your life is more important. Ill find a way to escape next time. While envoys from different countries were nonplussed, nobles accustomed to such incidents after experiencing the slave market raid and the appointment ceremony incident moved to their prearranged escape routes while exchanging jokes. They completely treat me like a sinner. However, Freythe mastermind behind this commotionwas the most relaxed person. It should be here by now Frey, absentmindedly glancing at his wristwatch as if waiting for someone. Despite being surrounded by knights filled with murderous intent, he showed no sign of panic. Clop, clop, clop Here it is. While everyone was puzzled by Freys attitude, the imperial messenger bearing the imperial seal swiftly arrived at the outdoor hall. This is the decree His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Raikon, issued! Those dumbfounded by this sight gradually knelt when the messenger, taking out a scroll, proclaimed loudly, sneaking glances at Frey. Is it trickery, perhaps? No, thats real. The magic on the scroll cannot be replicated. What kind of magic is this The knights knelt a little while keeping their weapons aimed at Frey. The envoys, still clueless, glanced around cautiously. Nobles, with their high pride and disdain for the recently destabilized Imperial Family, made displeased faces and sighed as they knelt. Similarly, Ruby and the other students also knelt. Frey, shouldnt you kneel as well? The Duke of Starlight has no reason to kneel before the Imperial Family. I know that, but havent you lost your noble status? Freys expression soured at these words. The previously silent outdoor hall resonated with murmurs. Moreover, you are currently charged with treason against the state and collusion with the Demon Kings Army. Also, I learned that you would be stripped of all your rights in the Empire. Rubys words were a fact. The current acting head of the Starlight family, Aria, had already renounced Freys disownment. Freys apparent death had only temporarily delayed the execution. Even if that was not the case, the two severe treason charges against him only worsened matters. Even if someone were to grab Frey by the hair, strangle him, and spit on his face right now, they would likely receive minimal punishment. Sssk Whether or not Frey was aware of this situation, he closed his eyes and knelt quietly. Is your action right now an acknowledgment of my words? Ruby, observing him closely, asked with a glint in her eyes. Yes. Fufu. As Frey responded in a low, formal tone, the silent outdoor hall, where one could hear the breath of the person next to them, echoed with Rubys chuckle. But thats only half true. Pardon? What does that mean? Frey said with a smile. Ruby, who was already smiling, tilted her head and asked. I admit that Ive become a commoner after being disowned by my younger sister. However, I cannot accept the treason charges. Hmm? Ruby seemed interested, but everyone else was perplexed. Over the past few months, his high treason had been widely publicized in the newspapers. After all, they were heinous acts. Even if the crimes revealed in the last investigation were considered, Frey would be doomed without being charged with high treason. Despite the presence of overwhelming evidence, Frey had just outright denied the two crimes that carried the heaviest penalties. Whats your basis for that? As the peoples confusion peaked, Ruby quietly posed a question to Frey. Do you have any evidence that can overturn all the numerous pieces of evidence, examinations, and testimonies gathered so far? Of course. Freys response plunged the situation into uncontrollable chaos. By the way, even if you are the Hero isnt interfering with the Emperors decree excessive? As Frey calmly pointed out the messenger, who had been clearing his throat softly, Ruby nodded in agreement and fell silent. Silence fell in the outdoor hall. Yes, that scholars words had subtly added credibility to my words among the people. I had planned this, buying that person in advance and having him shout at the right moment, so the effect was naturally excellent. The fact that I can already read this prophecy has been verified. My interpretation matches 100% with the ancient manuscript interpretations held by the Imperial Family and the Church. He drove the wedge in with a contemptuous expression, and the scholars wearing blank expressions suddenly started shouting again. T-the prophecy is fake! That prophecy is a fake! T-thats right! The timing is too convenient, isnt it? This is a scam! Since the Imperial Family and the high-ranking officials of the Church did not raise their heads at my words, this time, they had decided to attack my prophecy. The prophecy has already been verified. W-what kind of trick The Magic Tower Master personally supervised it, and mages from the Magic Tower conducted inspections. They checked the parchments age, examined the handwriting, and performed other magical inspections. Unfortunately for them, I had come prepared. For this very day, I had thoroughly hidden my identity and traveled between various places. So, there was no way that I couldnt refute something like that. If I may quote the esteemed Magic Tower Master directly, the parchment was precisely written a thousand years ago, with the same handwriting as the first Hero. Above all, judging from the lingering traces of mana and soul, it undeniably came from the Hero. When I said that, there was a moment of silence. Well, therefore to conclude In that silence, I shook the prophecy and spoke quietly. If its not me, then no one else can interpret the content of this prophecy. .. And if no one can interpret it, doom will befall this world. The onlookers eyes widened. Everything about how the Hero will defeat the Demon King, the events to come, and the relics to be gathered its all written there. That can be fabricated easily Ms. Ruby, in this world, there are lie-detection devices and magic. Also, note that theres dark magic capable of extracting information forcibly from ones mind and even making them commit suicide. I immediately countered Rubys attempt to interject and spoke with a chilling smile. In the testimony inspection conducted by the Church and the Imperial Family, the facts about the special method for the Hero to defeat the Demon King, upcoming events, and necessary items to secure have been proven true. But And the Magic Tower Master has also verified it. By any chance, is there someone in this empire who can match the Magic Tower Master in magical prowess? Ruby and Irina, standing in the distance, flinched but didnt raise their hands. Well, thats how it is. With a satisfied smile, I firmly clapped my hands once, then whispered into the sound amplification magical device. If I dont help, this world will be doomed. Finally, the public understood the truth, and their faces went pale. Is the actual reason behind the existence of matters difficult to determine through a summary judgment precisely that? You can think of it that way. In other words, the advisory council had no choice but to make that decision through gritted teeth? Feel free to think whatever you want. I responded to Rubys annoyed tone with a calm voice and quietly observed people around. Well, considering what Ive been through, Id love to escape to the countryside until the world is on the brink of destruction but, truth be told, Im quite a kind person, you know? Wearing a cold smile, I looked down at them. Instead of postponing the execution of the remaining 325 crimes, excluding the crime of high treason I accepted one proposal. Then, I looked at the new students, who had blank expressions, and whispered in a low voice. So, Id like to request your help, freshmen. Upon hearing that, their faces showed puzzled expressions. I am a second-year student at the academy. I am the special lecturer, Professor Frey, who will teach you for one year. Their expressions quickly soured. Here is the associate professor, Ms. Vener, who will assist me. He..llo.. Vener, a member of the Hero party who used to glare at me with disdain, bowed to greet me. Her face looked haggard, and the publics expressions sank even further. Hero and everyone, you will learn how to defeat the Demon King from me in the upcoming year. You know you can be chosen as a member of the Hero Party through the special laws, right? With a peculiar smile, I looked at the students who would be the subordinates of the Hero Party in Dark Tale Fantasy 2. So, may I ask for your cooperation for one year, future members of the Hero Party? Of course, the students gazes were incredibly cold. No, I would have counted myself lucky had they been only cold. Thanks to the peculiar circumstances of wartime, most students here had been selected without corruption, based solely on their abilities by the Empire. Right now, they were glaring at me with an intense, murderous look. . And that also applied to the second-year students and nobles standing in the back. Thats all. Then, I turned around with a light-hearted smile and whispered. This is where it begins. Ruby, who had been watching me, responded with a snicker. Then, were counting on you, Professor? My Declaration of Being a Professor, which had caused a worldwide panic, concluded just like that. . . . . . .. Meanwhile, as Frey and Ruby stared coldly at each other This is strange I cant believe that prophecy is real Ugh, its the end of the world. Hmm Glare, in her academy uniform, glanced quietly at Frey standing behind her. She stood beside the Magic Tower Master, who watched the scene while clucking her tongue. If the Pretender is the Demon King then the Hero is Her eyes, more serious than ever, sparkled. Could it be? You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 276: War of Nerves Chapter 276: War of Nerves War of Nerves Phew. After delivering the earth-shaking declaration, I returned to the waiting room. As I settled into a seat, I sighed quietly. Young Master. Kania, looking tense, hurriedly approached me. Calm down, Kania. Everything went as planned. Thats fortunate, but While I tried to soothe her, Kania spoke, wearing a frown. Indeed, theres something odd. Odd? What do you mean? The Demon King didnt seem surprised at all. I kept a close eye on her, but all she did was smile. Kanias expression darkened as she spoke. Well, if I were in her place, I, too, would have reacted the same way if the final boss were smiling like that. Dont worry. Shes the type to smile, regardless of the situation, as long as its interesting. Still Thank you for your concern, Kania. Before she could say more, I held her hand and said that. Then I turned my gaze to the side. By now, Clana is probably holding a press conference, right? Yes, she will officially announce the details regarding todays events. Well, thats settled then I quietly gazed at the reporters visible through the window. Then, I closed my eyes and muttered to myself. Now, I want to return to the inn and rest. Arent you returning to the hideout on the outskirts? That place is too far from the academy. Of course, Ive considered an alternative way to use that place. After saying so and tapping my fingers, I stood up and said. Shall we head back then? What about dinner tonight Creak.. Huh? The door suddenly opened, and someone walked in. Huh? Kanias expression turned ice-cold. Oh my, hello. The newcomer was none other than Ruby. What brings you Concerned about what she might be up to again, I frowned and wanted to pose a question. However, I decided to remain silent ultimately. I avoid the reporters and head to the waiting room with the freshmen. It was because a large number of first-year students had entered through the open door. Mr. Special Lecturer. She had started speaking humorously; after the students entered, she concluded her words with a cold and anger-laden voice. . The students behind her started casting cold glances at me, one after another. They are the same students as written in the prophecy First-year students newly admitted to the academy as the second year of Sunrise Academy began. Represented by figures like Roswyn, Aishi, and the youngest Paladin, they all had the qualities required to join the Hero Party. The Ancestor had said that their roles were similar to supporters or sub-characters. However, the crucial point is that Ruby currently held the Hero position, and the Hero Party was on the brink of disbandment. The five main Heroines, supposed to be the original Hero Party, had all refused to join. Moreover, recruiting even sub-Heroines seemed difficult. Therefore, the role of these freshmen became more crucial than initially intended. Originally, in the standard route, when a party member couldnt be selected due to their death or retirement, the most outstanding among the prospective members, the freshmen, would be chosen for the Hero Party. Even if that happened, it was impossible to avoid bad endings or total party wipes, as the most powerful characters in the game were predefined as Heroines and sub-Heroines. However, the system was designed to assist the Hero even in desperate situations. Despite my choice to follow the False Evil Route rather than the Standard Route, the Hero Party had reached a disparate state nearing disbandment. That posed a problem. The Hero Party members, with Demon King Ruby as the Hero, were freshmen, serving as reserve members to fill the vacant spot. Thats Frey He looks so annoying. The Empires enemy. The individuals mentioned by the ancestors to have received quite a bit of love for their good performance among the users already were speaking ill of me in whispers, which was looking quite nice. Glare blankly stared at him. Indeed, he does look pitiable Frey appeared quite tragic to her. His face said that he hadnt slept for several days, with dark circles under his eyes and a tired, sunken gaze. Do we have to follow a professor like him? Why should we? A loser like him? Remember what he said earlier? Well, just pretend that we stepped on poop or something. From what I heard, he even begged for his life before the prophecy was found Gossip, meant to mock Frey, rang from behind. But why does he look pitiable? She quietly bit her lips and tilted her head as she fell deep in thought. First, he seems to be a villain, but its still too early to guess Hmm The feeling that Frey looked pitiable had sunk deep into her subconscious, beyond mere impressions or thoughts. She felt an inexplicable urge to protect him. Something feels strange. Confused by these feelings, Glare stood up and muttered to herself. Let me cool down my head for a bit. Captivated by these hard-to-decipher emotions, she ignored the gazes that had turned back to her and quietly headed to the restroom. Oh, right. She took a magical communication device from her pocket as she left. I should let her know that Lord Frey is alive. Muttering to herself, she calmly smiled. I have a question. At that moment, a freshman raised her hand and asked Frey a question. How did you come across that prophecy? As Frey tilted his head in response to the girl in glasses question, another question was directed at him. Come to think of it, Im curious too~. Responding to the question, Ruby also reacted by slowly speaking languidly. How did you come across the prophecy that the expedition team found? Professor. Yes? However, as Ruby continued, she noticed Freys chilly smile and stopped, tilting her head. Did you just address me as Professor, Miss Ruby? Ah, yes. The two exchanged cold smiles, their gazes silently crossing. . . . . . Meanwhile, in Roswyns room Hero Seated in the corner of the room, hugging the two flower buds Frey had sent her, she gazed into the air with a vacant expression. I miss you once again Beside her was a partially filled-out application to become an assistant to the Magic Tower. Beep, beep Hm? She stared blankly at the application before quietly burying her face in the flower buds. Suddenly, her attention shifted when the magical communication device rang. Hellooo She answered the call with a lethargic expression, as if everything was over. ..Pardon? Suddenly, her eyes widened. W-what did you just say? Her voice was severely trembling. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 277: Subdue Chapter 277: Subdue Subdue Frey? Is Lord Frey alive? Roswyns voice trembled as she answered the call. What in the world are you talking about? Well, its hard to explain Nevertheless, hes alive! Glares cheerful voice could be heard from the communication device. Is it good? No, should I say its a good thing? Things are chaotic now that hes back! Huh? Oh? Roswyn looked completely at a loss, tilting her head. Click. She abruptly ended the call. It must be another dream Roswyn mumbled with a sunken expression. It would be nice if it were real It would have been really nice Lost in thought, she suddenly pinched her cheek hard. Ouch? Contrary to her expectations, she felt intense pain in her cheek. Its not a dream? She mumbled and swiftly grabbed the magical communication device to make a call. Hey there! I-Is that trueeee!? Y-Yes, thats right. But why did you hang up H-how? How could? He wasnt really dead? But why There must have been news Check it out! Glare rambled nonstop but still kindly responded. Roswyn hastily left the room while muttering. Please be real, please be real, please be real The few remaining servants looked at her strangely, but Roswyn didnt care. Please I beg you For her, the only important thing now was that she could meet Frey, whom she had only seen in dreams for the past few days. Sssk With a desperate expression, she arrived at the front of the guilds newspaper column and cautiously reached for the newspaper box. I-its real Its really true. After poring over the newspaper, she hurriedly ran outside the guild. C-carriage! Double the money. Someone, please stop there! Her eyes sparkled with hope for the first time in a while. Please stop right there!! Moments later, a carriage rushed toward the orientation venue. . . . . . Huff, huff Roswyn descended from the carriage, her eyes tired and red, breathing heavily. E-excuse me who Oh, Student Roswyn! The guards, already tense from the situation, tried to block her path when they noticed her disheveled appearance. However, a man stepped in, smiling as he approached her. I wondered why you didnt come. We were worried that someone as talented as you might not come to our academy The man was none other than the dean of the academy, Lionel. F-Frey!! Pardon? Where is Frey!? Roswyn asked him with a desperate expression. Lionel replied while scratching his head. He should be in the waiting room now, probably Waiting room! Waiting room!! Oh my. Roswyns eyes lit up, and she ran toward the waiting room. Over there Over there, Frey is! A little further, and she would have the much-desired reunion. Frey had appeared in her dreams over the past few days, smiling at her, and embraced the flowers she brought. Despite all the pain and suffering she had inflicted on him, Frey continued to keep someone like her a person with limited time alive, going as far as making preparations for her continued survival even after his own death. Hated by all, Frey was the only Hero capable of protecting this world. E-even now if I beg for forgiveness now She rushed toward him, desperate to ask for forgiveness like she had in her dreams. Ageuk. Soon, she collided with something and fell. Ahhhh Thanks to that, she stared blankly at the cold warning window before her as she wiped her tears and rubbed her forehead. Helper System [Warning! You cannot approach the Hero!] Why? Roswyn was momentarily bewildered. She tilted her head, fixed her gaze on the absurd message, and muttered in disbelief. Helper System [Second Restriction: You cannot approach the Hero!] The warning message left her speechless. Helper System [Since your system control has been transferred to ?#%, approaching the Hero may cause a system error.] Ah Helper System In the room filled with heaving breaths and cold sweat, Frey quietly strolled around with hands on his back and began to speak. Thats my image known to the public. He headed toward the Horizon sisters, who had just attacked him. Initially, I was going to stick to that image until the end Frey gently stroked one of the sisters chin, who had cast aside the arrogant and haughty expression from earlier and was now trembling. As her gaze wavered, he continued with a chilling smile. Although its only for a special condition, now that Ive become a teacher, I should show my true skills to you students, right? Frey looked into the sisters eyes, which were filled with tears and had a resentful look, before turning to all the students and continuing to speak. Well, you might think this situation is naturally black magic. Some students flinched. However, if youre a talented student No, if youre not an idiot, youd know whats going on right now. Following this statement, more students flinched. Im just releasing as much mana as I can. That statement was a lie. Frey intentionally controlled the release of his mana, fearing that it might damage the students mana circuits. Hm. Realizing that some students had seen through his lie by observing their changing expressions, Frey smiled faintly. Now that I think about it, youre all just a bunch of fools. Afterward, Frey spoke in a low voice. To idiots overwhelmed just because Im releasing mana, do you think you have the qualifications to join the Hero Party? Puhat! Gasp gasp D-darn it As Frey stopped releasing mana, the sound of exhaling echoed from everywhere. Regardless of status, position, or gender, everyone had a moment of just breathing to survive. . After several tens of seconds passed, all the students gazes focused on Frey. Although they were just extras, they were talents chosen from throughout the Empire. They had quickly recovered, but their attitude had changed since earlier. Of course, they no longer explicitly confronted him, but they still looked at him with hostility and cold eyes, especially the Horizon sisters, who still had tears. This is what I wanted to say at the entrance ceremony But it couldnt be helped. Looking at them, Frey spoke with a cold expression. For the next year, all of you should do your best to defeat me. The students looked dumbfounded at his words. Frey quietly lifted the corners of his mouth. Regardless of your means and methods, if you manage to defeat me within a year, Ill tell you how to defeat the Demon King. As he finished speaking, the surrounding atmosphere began to change. How about it, isnt it interesting? Observing the mixture of emotions like resentment, anger, contempt, and even murderous intent around him, Frey turned his gaze toward Ruby. It seems like you want to maximize your point acquisition, huh? Even in that situation, Ruby casually shot mental transmission at him. Do you plan to settle things within the next year, Frey? Looking at her, Frey spoke in a low voice. Of course, the same goes for you, Hero. Hmm? If you defeat me, Ill share the method to defeat the Demon King with you, Hero. Ruby frowned quietly at those words. Why would you do that? Smiling brightly at her, Frey responded with another question. Do you not have the confidence to defeat me? .. Or is there a reason you cant attack me? Frey said, revealing his smiling eyes. Ruby also responded with a smile. Lets discuss that later. Is it okay, Professor? The threatening atmosphere from the strange tension between Frey and Ruby spread throughout the room. How cool. Glare mumbled absentmindedly as she watched the scene before her. Is he the true Hero? ! Roswyn, who had been lying pitifully on the floor, felt cold sweat trickle down her back. . . . . . Meanwhile La la la~ lala~ Saintess where are you in such a hurry to go? Ferloche, cheerfully singing while looking out the carriage window, responded energetically to the nun looking at her with concern. Im going to teach Frey how to use his reward! Pardon? Despite the carriages rapid motion distorting her voice, the nun heard the name Frey and asked incredulously. Im going to meet Frey to court him? Propagation? Anyway, Im going to fulfill its request! Pardon? What in the world are you talking about!? Ill chat with Lady Serena and then feed Lord Frey a well-cooked meal! Ferloches bomb-like statement made the nuns eyes widen. She asked another question, and in response, Ferloche murmured. In preparation for the upcoming Fourth Ordeal. Its about time for me to participate as well She gently caressed her lower abdomen and gazed at the slowly setting sun, her eyes turning cold. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 278: Intimidation Chapter 278: Intimidation ? Intimidation ? ¡°W-we¡¯ve sent all reporters and civilians outside.¡± ¡°Now... you can come out.¡± A somber stillness prevailed in the silent waiting room, and two knights entered and said. ¨C Ssrrk... The student glaring at me rose from their seats and calmly left the waiting room. ¡®Indeed, the elites are a bit different.¡¯ I was seeing them for the first time, and I noticed something. Unlike my classmates among the nobles, who moved disorderly, they moved in an orderly fashion, like an army. They made Frey think that the abilities of that year¡¯s freshmen seemed remarkably outstanding. Even if the Youngest Paladin¡ªthe God¡¯s Vessel¡ªand Aishi¡ªthe Demon Princess¡ªwere... Honestly, they weren¡¯t as skilled as heroines, but they were undoubtedly the empire¡¯s top talents. ¡°Frey.¡± As I watched the students with a satisfied expression, I heard a familiar voice beside me. ¡°What, my dear little sister?¡± ¡°Shut up. I¡¯m not your little sister anymore.¡± My ever-cute and charming little sister stayed behind in the waiting room and talked to me for some reason. ¡°What did you do to the advisory committee?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. I just revealed a talent I didn¡¯t know I had.¡± ¡°Nonsense. A ¡®unanimous decision¡¯ isn¡¯t easy to get, you know? She skillfully found the gap in my sly retort. Indeed, my sister was truly remarkable. ¡°Even if others could be bribed, how did you buy someone like Vener...¡± ¡°I just did it, that¡¯s all.¡± I interrupted her sharp questioning and then calmly turned around to speak. ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Vener approached me with a shameful expression. ¡°Hand.¡± ¨C Thud...! I said that indifferently, and she blushed hard as she placed her hand on mine. ¡°Good girl.¡± I patted her head with a bright smile, and Vener, who had lowered her head, quietly accepted my touch. ¡°..... Disgusting jerk.¡± Aria, who had been watching me, became even colder. She probably recalled the rumors circulating in the empire. ¡°Prepare yourself for next year¡¯s judgment. I¡¯ll make sure you pay for your crimes.¡± She turned away as if she couldn¡¯t stand me anymore and headed toward the exit of the waiting room. ¡°Hm...¡± As I silently watched her, a sound came from the side. ¨C Relief, concern, joy, love, affection, relief... Only positive emotions gathered? Turning my gaze, I saw Ruby propping her chin on her hand and looking at me. ¨C Do you cherish your sister a lot? But I can¡¯t believe this. There is ¡®obsession¡¯ at the end, so your mental state isn¡¯t stable either, huh? It seemed she was scanning me with the ¡®Mind Reading¡¯ skill. Now that it¡¯s come to this, should I also try to probe her emotions? No, there¡¯s probably no need. Looking at that smiling face, I could guess her emotions. ¨C By the way, do you know your sister was also on the advisory committee? ¡°Shut up.¡± I whispered as I looked down at her with a cold expression. Ruby then added calmly. ¨C If I touch your sister... What kind of reaction will you show? ¡°You can¡¯t attack my sister, can you?¡± ¨C Fufu... Just now, ¡®wrath¡¯ appeared in your emotions. I didn¡¯t think responding to her was worth it, so I ignored her and turned away. Ruby also got up while wearing a sickening smile. ¡°Well then, Professor, I¡¯ll leave it to you for a...¡± ¨C Flick! ¡°.....!¡± Ruby was about to go out after saying that, but when she suddenly heard the sound of snapping fingers from somewhere, she flinched and put her hand on her head. ¡°... ¡° Then, a brief silence ensued. ¨C Drrrkk... ¡°Phew.¡± With her hand on her head, she scratched her head and went outside. My expressionless facade fell, and I sighed. ¡®Whatever happens... I must protect my sister.¡¯ My sister, Aria, is the only family I have left. So, even if the world falls apart, I must protect her. As an unfilial son who couldn¡¯t protect his parents, it was my duty to save my sister at any cost. ¡°Excuse me.¡± As such thoughts ran through my mind, I balled my fists and tried to control my emotions. Someone suddenly grabbed my sleeve and shook me. ¡°Hehe.¡± ¡°....?¡± It turned out to be someone I had given a ring¡ªthe cute little girl. ¡°Hello, Professor?¡± As I slightly loosened up my guard and cautiously looked at her, she spoke while wearing smiling eyes. ¡°You were really cool earlier!¡± ¡°......¡± She was the third disciple of the Magic Tower Master and also her current disciple. For some reason, this girl always frowned whenever she saw Ruby. She was an irregular, someone going against the norm. Surprisingly, such a prominent figure wasn¡¯t recorded in the prophecy. I had read the prophecy several times, but the name ¡®Glare¡¯ was nowhere to be found. She glared at me and quietly twisted the dagger. ¡°Uh, sister...?¡± ¡°..............¡± As the sound of something breaking rang from my left arm, her sister, who was beside her, turned pale. The others had mixed expressions. ¡°Is that so? Very well done.¡± ¡°...Ugh?¡± As I praised her nonchalantly, she looked bewildered. Her expression turned contemptuous as a black aura began to seep from my arm and quickly wrapped around her arm. ¨C Kwakwang!! ¡°Kugh!!¡± Coldly looking down at her, I grabbed her head and forcefully slammed it onto the desk. ¡°Sister!!¡± Her sister jumped from the desk, and the remaining students widened their eyes. ¡°However... remember this from now on.¡± Her arm was still enveloped in my dark aura, and I spoke in a low voice. ¡°Feel free to attack me anytime. But you have to stake your life on it.¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°The intention to kill someone is no different from putting your own life at risk. Surely, no novice will try to take someone else¡¯s life without risking their own, right?¡± Silence filled the waiting room. ¨C Nods, nods... ¡®...Ah, so cute.¡¯ I almost failed to manage my expression as Glare nodded seriously from my side, her eyes sparkling. After regaining my composure, I continued. ¡°So, any student attempting and failing to kill me in the future... I¡¯ll stigmatize them, signifying their end by my hands.¡± ¨C Srrrr... As soon as I finished, a black stigma was engraved on the arm of the Horizon family¡¯s eldest daughter. ¡°This is... sorcery...! It¡¯s cheating!¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± Her sister shouted in shock, and the eldest daughter glared at the stigma on her arm with disgust. ¡°So, is there anything wrong with that?¡± ¡°This is the forbidden stigma of slavery!! Of course, a teacher shouldn¡¯t use...¡± ¡°The adversaries you¡¯ll be facing would be part of the Demon King¡¯s Army like me, the Demon King, demonic monsters, or warlocks. What¡¯s stopping them from using sorcery?¡± ¡°.........¡± ¡°And did I just hear you wrong?¡± ¡°Hegeuk!¡±¡± Making my voice sound even colder, I looked at her with a sharp gaze, catching her chin. She seemed frightened and slightly backed away. Then, I spoke in a low tone. ¡°Cheating?¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°Do you think this is a prank?¡± The atmosphere among the students became tense. ¡°Listen, the word ¡®cheating¡¯ doesn¡¯t exist in an all-out battle.¡± ¡°Ugh... Ugh...¡± Still holding her chin, I continued to advise the kids. I lowered my gaze and whispered. ¡°By the way, your chin is quite soft.¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°In the basement of my mansion, there were a few half-elf slaves like you.¡± ¡°......!¡± ¡°Well, is it just because elven blood flows in you? I don¡¯t care either way.¡± Killing intent returned in the sisters¡¯ eyes. ¡®Indeed, they are just naive kids who have only developed their brains.¡¯ I knew some half-elves were unaware of the secret dealings between the elven and human realms, but I didn¡¯t expect them to be so oblivious. It had been several centuries since elves immigrated to the Western continent and established families in the Empire. Communication could have been disrupted during that time. ¡°Anyway, keep that in your mind.¡± After provoking the two sisters¡¯ morale, I calmly addressed the students behind them. ¡°If you want to attack me, be prepared to stake your life. At the very least, be willing to become my slave.¡± The students¡¯ expressions changed. The Count¡¯s beloved daughter, the girl wearing glasses who would become Ruby¡¯s aide, resembled her father, the ruler of the back alleys. She exuded a dark aura as she rested her hands on her chin. She was a blood relative of the Moonlight family from the collateral line, as Serena had mentioned she would pick as the future scarecrow lord. Talismans hung on her desk, and her eyes were covered by her hair, giving off an eerie vibe. Everyone silently began to engage their minds for the remaining students in their seats, and the scene vividly caught my eye. ¡°Well, then let¡¯s end...¡± ¡°Pr-Professor! Please wait! There¡¯s something I need to say...¡± Feeling awkward about staying in the front, I stepped away from the room with Glare sticking close by my side. ¨C Creak... The moment I opened the entrance and stepped outside, I couldn¡¯t help but freeze. ¡°I came here first to talk, you know, Saintess?¡± ¡°I got here first! Please yield! I don¡¯t want a head-on collision!!¡± ¡°You know it¡¯s a head-on collision. You can¡¯t trick my eyes.¡± Outside the waiting room, Serena and Ferloche were laughing while conversing. ¡°I-I was the first to come and wait... why is it... again, why only me...¡± Behind them, Clana was muttering something inaudible while slumping down. ¡°Don¡¯t be like this. How about you talk after me?¡± ¡°I came here first!¡± ¡°Oh, my. Saintess, it seems like you know something is wrong here.¡± ¡°...Really?¡± First, I needed to stop these two quickly. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 279: Advanced Notice Chapter 279: Advanced Notice ? Advanced Notice ? ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll wait in the annex!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting there too.¡± Ferloche, smiling cheerfully, and Serena, quietly covering her face with a fan, spoke simultaneously. ¡°........¡± And then, the two girls silently faced each other. I had seen Serena cover her face with a fan. However, compared to Ferloche, who smiled cheerfully, she seemed quite scary today. ¡°Uh, well... I¡¯ll wait...¡± ¡°Sure, just wait a moment.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t finished speaking...¡± Clana, muttering timidly behind them, was about to say something, but I hastily said that and quietly closed the door. ¡°Phew.¡± I had a feeling that if I followed them now, I would somehow get into trouble. And then, I discovered an interesting fact that made me want to leave this place. ¡°Professor, what¡¯s your relationship with those people?¡± As I turned around, Glare, still holding my sleeve, tilted her head and asked. ¡°...It¡¯s complicated.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I had to stop my hand as I was just about to pat her head casually. I looked at Glare. She was observing my left hand with a curious expression. I said in a low voice. ¡°Stop meddling in others¡¯ business, kiddo.¡± A fiance?e whose first cycle¡¯s memory only returned during the day, a woman I became engaged to through the covenant after abandoning the first fiance?e, and even a saintess who may seem foolish to others but knows me better than anyone else. I couldn¡¯t briefly explain all these relationships, so I roughly mashed the words. Glare, with a sulky expression, puffed up her cheeks. ¡®This is going to drive me crazy.¡¯ I was pretty weak when dealing with kids around Aria¡¯s age. Was it because I couldn¡¯t treat her well? I should have been cold to her like others, but no harsh words came out. Perhaps it was the first time in a while that I felt kindness from a stranger without any reason, and I didn¡¯t want to lose that. ¡°Get lost.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m your student?¡± ¡°...Sigh.¡± Against my will, I uttered some cold words, but the kiddo stuck closely to me, trailing behind. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Heik...!¡± Deciding to leave her alone for a while, I approached a nearby student who had lowered her head. Then I grabbed her shoulders and said. ¡°Lift your head.¡± ¡°Uh, uhh...¡± The girl, visibly trembling, cautiously raised her head. ¡°W-what are you looking at, you human?¡± A familiar voice echoed shortly after. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Surprisingly, it was Miho; she used to be Serena¡¯s assistant. ¡°Uh, well... I have, uh, reasons.¡± ¡°Did you get kicked out?¡± ¡°N-no!¡± Looking at her tailored uniform, which accommodated her large, fluffy tail, it seemed she wasn¡¯t kicked out, at least. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t want to come... but that dog beastkin threatened me...¡± ¡°Are you talking about Lulu?¡± ¡°F-forget that. Don¡¯t bother, human.¡± After saying that, she looked at me with a blush. ¡°B-but, human, w-what was that power from earlier?¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°Is a human... supposed to be that strong? Why did you hide your strength?¡± Her gaze was fierce as she asked, with a cautious expression. However, for some reason, her tail was swaying slowly. ¡°...Hmm.¡± I finally knew why she became part of the Sub-Heroines. She became a sub-heroine due to the changes in the main storyline, leading her to enroll in the academy. ¡°Y-you better be prepared, human.¡± While I pondered, Miho initiated a conversation. She sweated nervously as I stared at her. ¡°I-I¡¯ll catch you! N-no... I¡¯ll defeat you! My new friends just told me all about your bad deeds. I¡¯ll never be decei... Heik?¡± I calmly watched her as she rambled, her tail covering her face. Suddenly, Miho screamed. ¡°Wow... It¡¯s so fluffy...¡± ¡°Let go! Human! D-don¡¯t touch my tail!!¡± As Glare buried her face into her split tails, Miho struggled to push her away, sweating coldly. ¡°......¡± I watched that scene for a bit. Then, I quietly averted my gaze and continued to walk. ¡°Uh, um... W-well, you see...¡± I finally arrived at my destination and saw a restless Aishi. When she saw me, she seemed to calm down. ¡°Nice to see you again here.¡± ¡°...Uh, y-yeah.¡± Unable to discern whether to use formal or informal language with me, she began the conversation quietly after cautiously watching for my use of honorifics. ¡°Th-that, you know. About the curse I cast on you...¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°.....!¡± She spoke as she reached for my heart. Suddenly, she started to breathe rapidly. ¡°D-do you want me to get rid of that? I have been searching for a way to remove it...¡± ¡°.....?¡± When I stepped back with a frown, Aishi, looking at my reaction, began speaking. ¡°What benefits do you gain by removing it?¡± ¡°W-well... you see...¡± There was no way to lift this curse. Her expression changed when I asked her that. After all, why would she want to help someone who was everyone¡¯s enemy? ¡°I don¡¯t think you should treat me as rudely as you do others.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± ¡°W-well, I¡¯m the only one who can lift it, you know? So if I don¡¯t tell you, you, you will die.¡± As she said, she seemed a bit frightened. Aishi, scrutinizing me, turned away and spoke with a flushed face when I quietly bit my lip and began to pretend to follow along. ¡°A-alright. Are we finally on the same page? So, from now on, you¡¯ll play nice?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I love you so much, Young Master.¡± Her expression appeared quite pale. ¡°I love you, Young Master.¡± ¡°..........¡± Gently stroking Kania¡¯s back while she buried her head in my shoulder, I quietly murmured. ¡®Come to think of it, Kania has been acting suspicious lately...¡¯ It seemed like there were many things that I had to investigate. ¡°Note... Extremely popular among girls... Somehow, it¡¯s quite annoying... Caution required...¡± The kiddo, who had sneakily stuck to my back, was pouting with an irritated expression, muttering something incoherent. When did she get behind me? Did she learn stealth magic from the Magic Tower Master? ¡°Ugh.¡± As expected, preparing for the new semester seemed more challenging for the professor than for the students. . . . . . ¡°Kiddo, stop following me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to!¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± Even outside the waiting room, that kiddo was still on my tail as I walked around, occasionally jotting things down. When we arrived at the designated meeting place, the auxiliary building, I frowned and said. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± ¡°Why? Somehow, you seem like a wounded kitten... Maybe it makes me want to help you. Or perhaps, protect you?¡± As she said that, she seemed unsure about her own words. ¡®Do I really look like that...?¡¯ Scratching my head, I took advantage of the distracted kiddo and swiftly opened the door to the annex. ¡°Heiikk!¡± ¡°You scared me.¡± However, an unexpected person stood in front of me. ¡°Ugh, ugh... ugh, ugh...¡± Roswyn, who was about to leave the annex with a pale expression, noticed me and raised her guard. ¨C Ssk... Seeing her up close after a long time, I pondered how to approach her when she suddenly scowled and began to stagger. ¡°...Ah.¡± Then, Roswyn leaned on the door sill and started trembling. Since she disliked me, it was natural for her to react like that upon seeing me, especially since my reputation had worsened. ¡°...Sorry if I make you uncomfortable.¡± With such thoughts, I slightly failed to maintain my expression and spoke softly, making her stagger and step back. ¡°Puha.¡± She exhaled and collided with Glare, watching us with round eyes. I quietly closed the annex door. ¡°...Why did she exhale so heavily, though?¡± The questions in my mind stopped momentarily as I observed the two girls before me. ¡°Then, you guys can talk first.¡± After a brief moment with numerous exchanged glances, Serena slowly stood up from her seat. ¡°I wasn¡¯t in a hurry, so I¡¯ll be generous and yield first.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m overflowing with virtue!¡± She headed toward the exit but jolted upon hearing those words. ¨C Swish. Then, quietly folding and unfolding her fan, she left the room. It was an almost unfamiliar behavior, but I felt I knew its meaning for some reason, and a shiver ran down my spine. ¨C Click. Once the door closed, silence filled the room. ¡°My cute Lord Frey!¡± As I tried to sit down, Ferloche suddenly stood up and, with a foolish expression, started approaching me. ¡°What¡¯s this? Are you acting like a fool?¡± I expected her original personality to come out after the sunset, but as I tilted my head, she came closer and spoke with a bright smile. ¡°Today, I came to make an offer. Order? Advice? Something like that!¡± ¡°.....?¡± As I tilted my head at her incomprehensible words, Ferloche embraced me and whispered into my ear. ¡°Do you understand?¡± ¡°Heik...¡± At that moment, my waist was gently held. ¡°...Look, I¡¯m right. You¡¯re so cute.¡± ¡°Ah, uhh...¡± ¡°I know everything.¡± She was just burying her fingers a little too firmly into my side, yet I found myself burying my head in Ferloche¡¯s shoulder, who was shorter than me, and blushing. ¡°Today, I¡¯ll advise you on these kinds of things.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± She gently patted my back and whispered in my ear, sending shivers down my spine. ¡°Also...¡± Feeling dizzy, I closed my eyes. She caressed the collar of my clothes and whispered once again. ¡°About the Fourth Ordeal that will come soon.¡± ¡°......!¡± I snapped my dazed eyes open. ¡°You should listen carefully.¡± It might be quite challenging, but I had to keep my composure. ¡°Gugu, lock the door.¡± ¡°Gugu!¡± Could I manage to do it? You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 280: The First Rebellion? Chapter 280: The First Rebellion? ? The First Rebellion? ? ¡°Why are you so distracted?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s just...¡± ¡°Get a hold of yourself.¡± Ferloche poked my side again as she said that. My mind cleared up. ¡°Ugh...¡± I felt a tingling sensation throughout my body, making me alert. ¡°Why are you locking the door?¡± ¡°Because it would be problematic if someone overheard our conversation.¡± I glared at her and asked, and she responded in a low voice. ¡°Especially, we need to ensure our little sparkling girl doesn¡¯t sneak in.¡± ¡°G-Glare?¡± ¡°Calling her by name? Have you become close?¡± Ferloche stood on her tiptoes, pressing herself against my body with a mischievous smile. ¨C Swoosh, swoosh... ¡°Do you know, Frey?¡± She whispered. ¡°That this is your taste?¡± The thin gauze covering her belly rubbed slowly against my body. ¡°Serena seemed to have noticed already, and Kania, well, the belly part is already engraved in her soul.¡± ¡°...I¡¯m not sure what you mean.¡± ¡°Do you remember the cabinet during the rehearsal for the mission to free the slaves?¡± As I blushed and tried to pull away, Ferloche held me tightly and whispered. ¡°You say that, but your reactions were just as honest then as they are now.¡± ¡°...........¡± Feeling her belly against my body, I closed my eyes for a moment and spoke softly. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me your advice is about this?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± Ferloche smiled with a sparkle in her eyes, sat me down, and tickled my side as she spoke quietly. ¡°Take that thing out.¡± ¡°That?¡± ¡°The moonlight crystal.¡± I quietly took out the crystal. ¡°Do you know what that is?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve had it for a while, but... I think it¡¯s the fruit of my love with Serena.¡± I blushed as I recalled what happened a few weeks ago, and Ferloche looked up at me endearingly and stroked my side. ¡°But... can you keep pulling out that personality? Don¡¯t you need to rest?¡± I grabbed her hand anxiously, wary that further contact might spark trouble. She gazed at me thoughtfully and replied. ¡°There are things more important than rest.¡± ¡°Still...¡± ¡°I need to tell you something, even if it¡¯s a bit of a stretch.¡± Sweat trickled down her face as she said. ¡°That crystal is the most important item for the ¡®Awakening.''¡± I was surprised, and Ferloche gently touched the crystal. ¡°The way to use it is simple. All you have to do is feed it to the person that has bore such fruit.¡± ¡°Make them swallow... it?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s easy, isn¡¯t it?¡± The key to Awakening was swallowing the glowing moonlight crystal. It felt somewhat anticlimactic. ¡°It took a transcendent being all night to craft that thing.¡± Her words slightly shifted my perception, suggesting that the crystal could be a mythical artifact, at the very least. ¡°Love, affection, and connection with the heroine. These are the breakthroughs needed to oppose the despair, misery, and pain desired by the one behind the curtains. The mastermind.¡± ¡°I kind of get it.¡± ¡°So, you should do it with many people, right?¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± My brain momentarily froze. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to do it?¡± I knew exactly how to create this mythical artifact. All I needed to do was repeat what I did with Serena the other night. That way, I could feed it to the heroines and trigger their ¡®Awakening.¡¯ ¡®...This is crazy.¡¯ That was why my brain froze for a moment. Could it be that I have to do that with all the heroines? What would I tell Serena? Would I even have the stamina for it? Was that even possible in the first place? ¡°Well, if there¡¯s a strong mutual love and affection... or ¡®typical acts of affection¡¯ can naturally lead to Awakening.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± I finally relaxed my tense expression. After nibbling on my ear, she slowly pulled away and whispered in a soft, honeyed voice. ¡°I love you, Frey.¡± Upon hearing her words, my hand unconsciously tightened around her. ¡°.........¡± And an unusual silence began to flow. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for getting excited in an un-saintly manner.¡± Ferloche, breathing heavily, spoke softly. ¡°No, actually, maybe this is more like me?¡± ¡°Hah, ha...¡± Feeling her soft tongue in my mouth, I blushed slightly and grabbed her shoulders. ¡°Are we really going to do it here...?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m at my limit. I need to put this personality away now.¡± A cold sweat broke out on her forehead. ¡°Remember what I said, Frey.¡± She slowly closed her eyes while sitting on my lap and wrapped her words in a soft voice. ¡°Feed the crystal to Serena now... and in the Fourth Ordeal, the mastermind will intervene...¡± ¡°Who is this mastermind? The Demon King? The Demon God? Or is it...¡± ¡°And you... deserve to be happy... it¡¯s everyone¡¯s duty to make you happy...¡± ¡°Ferloche.¡± I was about to ask her a question as she laughed, thinking she was losing her mind. But I wrapped my arms around her after hearing her words. ¡°Thank you so much.¡± ¡°...Hehe.¡± She smiled happily and quietly closed her eyes. ¨C Swoosh, swoosh... ¡°...Ugh.¡± She leaned against me until the end, then eventually slumped over, resting her head on my shoulder. ¡°F-Frey... look at this... it¡¯s a mountain of cakes...¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hear about the mastermind... I didn¡¯t even get to ask about ¡®Aishi¡¯s¡¯ voice.¡± Stroking her back as she mumbled in her sleep, I muttered regretfully. Then, I helped her back to her seat and stood up quietly. ¡°...Maybe it was impossible to hear.¡± Inexplicably, I felt like I was getting closer to the unknown. . . . . . ¨C Knock, knock, knock. There was a knock at the lounge door next to the annex. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°...Gulp.¡± Serena¡¯s voice sounded flat, and Frey entered with a tense expression. ¡°Why are you so serious? Frey?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s just that...¡± Frey pondered with the crystal clutched tightly, trying to figure out how to convey what he just learned from Ferloche. ¡°Ah, there¡¯s something I need to tell you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Suddenly, Serena stood up, rubbed her lower abdomen, and tilted her head as she approached. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about what¡¯s happening inside my belly?¡± ¡°.....Ah.¡± Frey¡¯s brain stopped working momentarily. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Frey?¡± Looking at him, Serena smiled shyly. ¨C What¡¯s wrong? Frey? Meanwhile... ¡°The moment he comes out, we attack. Any objections?¡± ¡°...If we all attack when he¡¯s off guard, we have a chance. That¡¯s good enough.¡± Near the lounge, Roswyn found herself unintentionally among a group of children plotting their first ambush on Frey, along with Glare. ¨C Excuse me~? Frey? She stared blankly at the window that appeared before her. [Automatic Record ¨C The First Rebellion?] The video title in the window had an ambiguously significant meaning. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 281: His Resolution Chapter 281: His Resolution ? His Resolution ? ¡°Frey?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah. Serena.¡± My mind, which had been frozen for a while, began to function once more as Serena¡¯s touch reached my cheek. ¡°Well, uh... So...¡± No, it wasn¡¯t working, but it felt forced. ¡°S-Serena. This... Eat this.¡± Like forcibly winding a poorly lubricated spring, I found myself taking out the moonlight crystal and handing it to her. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°O-our... fruit of love?¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± My voice sounded like a broken machine, and Serena covered her mouth and responded softly. ¡°But the fruit of our love is right here, isn¡¯t it?¡± She then gently caressed the curve of her lower abdomen. ¡°Hehe.¡± She took my hand and quietly placed it on her lower abdomen. ¨C Swoosh, swoosh... ¡°Can you feel my belly, bearing your seeds?¡± ¨C Squeeze... Then, as she squeezed my hand, she grasped her lower abdomen and whispered with a smile in her eyes. ¡°Congratulations on becoming a father.¡± Hearing this, I was at a loss for words and just stared blankly at her. ¨C Swoosh... The softness of her belly under my hand felt unusually warm. ¡°It tickles.¡± As I unintentionally slowly stroked her belly, she buried her face in my neck and whispered softly while rubbing her own belly. ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s not because of you?¡± ¡°Ah, uh...¡± Startled, I tried to withdraw my hand from her belly, but Serena giggled and took my hand back. ¡°I¡¯m just kidding.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a joke?¡± ¡°Yes, It¡¯s still ovulating, and it¡¯s only been about a week anyway.¡± She looked at me with a shy expression. ¡°Remember when I told you I learned the Ovulation Spell last time? I was already ovulating to carry your seed then.¡± ¡°That¡¯s... right.¡± ¡°Is something wrong? Don¡¯t you remember because it was so intense?¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s not it, but...¡± ¡°Or maybe that doesn¡¯t matter to you?¡± At that, Serena tilted her head, and I quickly shook mine. ¡°You beast.¡± ¡°...¡±Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om ¡°It¡¯s true, you were like a beast, so I had to keep my legs crossed for days to prevent your seeds from spilling out. My legs were so numb, I thought I was going to die.¡± My face started blushing at her carefully chosen words, continuously teasing me. Finally regaining my composure from that, I tried to speak to her with a concerned look. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay, Sere...¡± ¡°Okay, take this.¡± Taking the moonlight crystal from my grasp, she quietly blushed and placed something on my empty hand. ¡°This is...¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what this crystal is, but this seems like a gift, so I should give you one too. I don¡¯t want to be a wife who only receives.¡± I quietly looked at my hand, and I was left speechless. ¡°Do you like it?¡± In my hand was a magic tool. To be more specific, it was a pregnancy test. ¡°You seem to space out a lot today?¡± Two red lines entered my vision, and as a man, how could I possibly stay sane? ¡°What about the daytime, Serena? Can you hide this?¡± As I asked while still dazed, Serena scratched her head and replied. ¡°Well, I did cast a spell on it.¡± ¡°W-What kind of spell?¡± ¡°A spell that temporarily halts its state right after fertilization, keeping it safe inside me. But, it¡¯s a bit tricky.¡± ¡°T-Tricky?¡± I have been out of it since a while ago, and I gently grabbed her shoulder and slowly seated her, to which Serena looked at me and said. ¡°This is my first time experiencing pregnancy, so the development of the spell was a bit delayed. I¡¯m not sure if I cast it correctly.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°If it¡¯s cast properly, I can use magic to control it at will, but if not... my belly might suddenly start swelling.¡± Saying that, Serena looked at my face with a mixture of joy and worry, and smiled faintly. ¡°I have Absolute Obedience Magic for this. If something happens, I¡¯ll just order myself not to be aware of it and just to cherish my lower abdomen, right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And there are plenty of ways to hide it from prying eyes. Using illusion scrolls is very sim... Frey?¡± As she continued to offer solutions, she noticed my rigid expression and widened her eyes. ¡°You stay home for a while. I¡¯ll figure out something...¡± ¡°Frey.¡± I broke out in a cold sweat, and she then grasped my hand and started speaking. ¡°Do you think I did all this without any thought?¡± ¡°...Then?¡± ¡°It was all planned, and I was prepared.¡± I could feel the strength in her hand. ¡°A few days before that night, I had already talked to Ferloche.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°She mentioned the need for a ¡®vaccination¡¯ to overcome the Fourth Ordeal.¡± Her expression darkened as she continued. ¡°Am I really unable to handle someone as beastly as you on my own?¡± ¡°...Serena.¡± ¡°Honestly, I really hate it. You are legally married only to me and frankly, I want to have you all to myself for the rest of my life.¡± She held my hand and spoke candidly, then sighed. ¡°But that would be selfish of me, wouldn¡¯t it? Monopolizing someone like you is just wrong.¡± ¡°Serena, if you want...¡± ¡°...It¡¯s been in the back of my mind since the Third Ordeal.¡± She then closed her eyes tightly and swallowed the energy she was savoring in her mouth. ¡°Bleeh...¡± A moment later, she stuck out her tongue with a twinkle in her eyes. ¡°H-How was it?¡± Frey was reminded of the incident a few weeks ago, he shyly turned away and asked, then Serena whispered with a smile. ¡°The color was like moonlight, but what was inside felt like star energy. It shimmered silver, and...¡± ¡°Yeah, I felt that too...¡± ¡°...It tasted somewhat like you?¡± Frey looked stunned, and Serena covered her mouth with her hand and whispered. ¡°Just kidding.¡± Finally unwrapping her legs from his waist, she fanned her reddened face and murmured. ¡°I feel very clear-headed.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, like my mind is spinning rapidly? Like I¡¯m getting smarter? It¡¯s hard to explain, but it¡¯s something like that.¡± Frey quietly turned his gaze toward the door while pondering what would happen if the already intelligent Serena became even smarter in this state. ¡°Seems like we have some uninvited guests? Are they planning to attack?¡± ¡°Probably just the freshmen.¡± ¡°Should I help you? Maybe show them a lesson...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t. You know that¡¯s not the right thing to do.¡± As Frey turned to leave, Serena gave him a soft smile and waved goodbye, while still trying to compose herself. ¡°Then, take care.¡± ¡°Yeah, you too, rest well, Serena.¡± Frey smiled back, then cautiously opened the door and stepped out. ¡°Good... everything¡¯s going according to plan.¡± The moment the door shut, she stroked her lower abdomen with a satisfied expression and spoke. ¡°If it goes like this... the legal wife will naturally be me...¡± Brimming with confidence, she began to mutter to herself. ¡°Coo¨Ccoo!¡± ¡°...?¡± She looked puzzled as her owl suddenly flew into the room. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, owl?¡± ¡°Coo¨Ccoo¨Ccoo!¡± On its leg was a newspaper that had just been released. ¡°What news could it be...¡± Pondering, she stopped even her surveillance of the black cat doll she had commanded, curious about the news it brought. ¡°...¡± Her expression then hardened sternly. [Isolet Arham Bywalker, Scandal with Frey... Shocking.] ¨C Is the meaning of family an ¡®adopted son¡¯ or a ¡®husband¡¯? [Clana, the Third Princess of the Imperial Family, Reveals that the Covenant Cannot be Rescinded.] ¨C Frey is still my suitor, we¡¯re already entwined by magic... [The Pure White Saintess is Actually a Dark Saintess?] ¨C Close associate reveals her and Frey¡¯s secret... The simultaneous explosion of scandalous articles would have been suspicious to anyone. ¡°Owl.¡± ¡°Coo.¡± After staring coldly at the articles for a while, she whispered to the owl in a low voice. ¡°Contact Miho. Let¡¯s play detective for a change.¡± ¡°Coo!¡± ¡°And...¡± She cleared up her space and quieted down, and for the first time in a long time, she had a menacing look on her face. ¡°...Contact the Royal Guards as well.¡± ¡°Coo!¡± ¡°I was joking earlier... but somehow, I really do feel my mind working better.¡± Her eyes glinted with a moonlight hue as she said this. . . . . . ¡°...Hmm?¡± When Frey opened the door, he saw Roswyn standing right in front of him. ¡°T-To everyone... the seed...¡± ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± She stared into space with blank eyes and mumbled something, but came to her senses when Frey started speaking. ¨C Fzzzt... ¡°Ugh...¡± At that moment, Roswyn was slowly pushed back by the system. Despite her desperate attempts not to be pushed back, she only managed to grimace and stumble backward. ¡°I-Its dangero...!¡± She was about to say something when Frey, who had been watching the scene, pulled his gaze away with a cold expression from her. ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Follow me! We need to get out of here, fast!¡± Glare appeared out of nowhere beside him, grabbed his hand, and started dragging him somewhere. ¡°Kid, where are you taking me...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll protect you!¡± ¡°What? What do you...¡± He could only stare at her blankly. [The ¡®Owner¡® of the Helper System is immune to the effects of the Fourth Ordeal.] [The ¡®Helper¡¯ of the Helper System is the sole helper in the Fourth Ordeal.] Before her, the moonlight system window was floating. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 282: Crossroads Chapter 282: Crossroads ? Crossroads ? ¡°Um, hey... kid?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a kid!¡± After being dragged by the kid and running for a while, I started to feel out of breath. ¡°...Are you getting tired?¡± Feeling my body weaken a little, Glare, who had been dragging me, tilted her head and asked. ¡°You seemed quite strong before...¡± Indeed, someone who could even take on the second-in-command of the Demon King¡¯s army heaving and panting was indeed odd. But currently, I was purposely conserving my ¡®Blessing of the Stars.¡¯ I needed to recover and save my strength for the massive battle ahead. ¡°Huff.¡± This kid, for some reason, was getting on my nerves. She could be ¡®a coincidence¡¯ or a game-changer, but right now, she was just a headache. If she kept sticking to me like this, it would be bad. She was in the prime of her youth, she could get tangled in bad rumors and face difficulties when making friends. And if she grew attached to me, this cute kid might get caught up in the Fourth Ordeal. ¡®I can¡¯t let this go on.¡¯ I¡¯ve let her be because of our past connection, and she reminded me of my younger sister, but I couldn¡¯t let this continue. For her sake and mine, I needed to draw the line now. ¡°Kid, listen.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a kid... I¡¯m a big girl...¡± I began talking with a cold expression, and she started to stammer. ¡°Listen.¡± I grabbed her shoulder and pulled her towards me, then I whispered quietly as I showed her my left arm, which had been gathering dark energy. ¡°I¡¯m not the pitiable or amazing person you think I am.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Enough, stop with your unnecessary meddling. I¡¯ve been patient enough, but there¡¯s a limit to my patience.¡± After saying that, I turned around and sharpened my gaze. ¡°Now... it¡¯s your turn.¡± ¨C Kwaang!! Immediately after saying that, I grabbed my walking stick and slammed it hard on the ground. ¡°Argh...!¡± ¡°Kugh!¡± ¡°W-What is this power...!¡±Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om The students who had been following me stealthily collapsed all at once from the shockwave. ¡°...Sigh.¡± There was no need for a finishing blow. With just one strike, all the students who were charging at me were subdued. In the first place, the strong ones would¡¯ve gauged my power and chosen not to attack recklessly, so it was only natural that only the weaker ones would be here. This outcome was somewhat predictable. But wasn¡¯t this a bit much? I was outnumbered in the fight, but I subdued them all in one hit? ¡°...¡± Feeling a strange sense of unease, I realized the students were giving me cold stares. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± As I glared back at them even harder, their heads dropped silently. ¡°You all attacked at once and still lost. Shouldn¡¯t you at least feel some shame?¡± That was the reaction I expected and was hoping for, so the corners of my mouth twitched upward. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t feel such petty anger.¡± Saying this in a mockingtone, the students started to squirm. But no one dared to step forward. Because they had just been defeated by me in a single move. ¡°How pitiful.¡± After firmly nailing down my point with a low voice to these eager yet inexperienced kids, I quietly pressed on my left arm. ¨C Sizzle... Dark energy began to flow out of my left arm. ¡°Today, I will mark each of you with a slave¡¯s seal.¡± The students, who were watching me with dazed eyes, turned pale as I said this. ¡°T-That¡¯s illegal...¡± ¨C Swish... ¡°...Ah.¡± Before they could argue, the slave¡¯s seal was imprinted into everyone¡¯s arms, leaving a variety of expressions on their faces. Needless to say, none of those expressions were positive. ¡®Now that I¡¯ve marked them with the seal of slavery, I can make them work hard.¡¯ I quietly took in their expressions, planning how to educate them when the school reopened. ¡°Hmm?¡± I felt someone running towards me from behind, so I tilted my head and stretched out my hand. ¡°Eek!¡± Suddenly, a kid popped out from nowhere. ¡°H-How did you know?¡± She clung to my arm and asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. ¡°Eek!¡± Breaking the silence, Clana hooked her arm with Glare and smiled. Then she started talking with a confident and adult-like expression. ¡°Do you remember that we agreed to be friends last time?¡± ¡°Ah... Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Frey. This cute ¡®little kid¡¯ is my friend. So, treat her right, okay?¡± She spoke with a stern look, but then shrunk under my gaze, and I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°I-If you must... to me...¡± ¡°How adorable.¡± ¡°...!?¡± At my teasing words, Clana blushed bright red, looking as if she had malfunctioned. ¡°E-Even if you say that, it doesn¡¯t make me happy at all... Ooh...¡± ¡°...A note.¡± As I watched the kid pull out a notebook with a sullen expression, I immediately sighed and gently hooked arms with Clana. ¡°...!!!¡± Clana hardened like a statue. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since... I¡¯ve been treated properly... Hehe...¡± She lowered her head, giggling. A mix of various expensive perfumes and a sweet smell wafted over from her. It seemed like she also mixed in pheromone magic. ¡°So, why are you here?¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± I asked softly and tried to soothe Clana. She, despite looking primed and proud, looks sullen after a long day at work. Then she opened her eyes wide and whispered. ¡°We need to get out of here as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Serena, Irina, and Kania are waiting in the carriage. I¡¯ll explain on the way. It¡¯s urgent.¡± Her voice was tense, so I nodded seriously, dropping the playful attitude. ¡°Let¡¯s go then...¡± ¡°Professor.¡± As I watched Clana burning with determination to protect me, and was about to walk with her towards the carriage, the kid called out to me, and I turned around. ¡°...What¡¯s that?¡± An amazing sight unfolded before me. ¡°Hehe.¡± The little kid floated my stellar mana with the slave seal in the air. ¡°Hmm... this seems difficult...¡± She tried to attach the seal to her arm, but it kept falling off due to her light, causing her to look troubled. ¡°Then...¡± After a few seconds, she looked at the seal with a determined look. ¡°Nyam.¡± In the blink of an eye, she swallowed the seal that had been floating around. ¡°It worked!¡± She then rubbed her stomach, and smacked her lips. ¡°From today onwards, I am your slave, Professor!¡± Clana, still arm-in-arm with me, flinched at these words. ¡°...Be my assistant instead.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± When I finally responded, the kid made a strange noise, scratched her head, and muttered. ¡°Is that better...?¡± It seemed like I¡¯ve gained a troublesome assistant. . . . . . ¡°That kid just now, she tore off the slave seal and floated it in the air, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess?¡± As we walked away from the square towards the carriage, I glanced back at Glare, who was following us, and asked Clana, who responded while breaking out in a cold sweat. ¡°Even Irina... can¡¯t do that, right? Or can she?¡± ¡°L-Let¡¯s ask her in the carriage later. For now...¡± Continuously looking back at Glare behind them, Clana felt something strange and began moving closer and closer to Frey. ¡°...¡± Soon, the two of them were forced to stop at a crossroad, not far from the carriage. ¡°Oh, hello there.¡± On the left path, Ruby, who was chatting with Aria, waved at us with a smile. ¡°...¡± And on the right path, Roswyn was sitting on a bench with a blank expression. ¡°...This is driving me crazy.¡± Frey¡¯s forehead began to crease. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 283: Rotten Salmon Chapter 283: Rotten Salmon Rotten Salmon F-Frey. With a flustered and pale face, Clana looked at Frey and whispered. L-Lets go back. Lets take a breather for a while But you said its urgent. Well, now that I think about it, I dont think its that urgent. L-Lets have some snacks over there Im fine, lets keep going. As Freys eyes brimmed with a lot of malice, Clana tried to move in the opposite direction. However, Frey remained calm and continued to move forward. Try this~! Its a salmon sandwich! However, Frey soon stopped in his tracks. Its delicious. Right? Isnt it tasty? He saw his sister, who quickly turned away after looking at him, sharing sandwiches on a bench with Ruby. Everyone, come and try it, too! I prepared enough for everyone to share! Ruby started handing out sandwiches to passing students, while Frey watched the scene in a daze. Wow! Its really good! Did you make it yourself, Hero? The freshmen accepted the sandwiches with bright expressions. Yes, I made them myself! Ruby smiled at each of them as she handed out sandwiches, then she crept toward Aria and asked. By the way, youre eating really well, arent you? Do you really like salmon that much? Ah, yes. I really love salmon. Wow, what a coincidence! My favorite food is also salmon! Ruby looked surprised and clapped her hands, then tapped her fingers on the bench as if she was in a very good mood and began to talk. Did you know salmon symbolizes healthy life and happiness? Really? The way they struggle against the current of the stream, trying to make their way up the waterfall, is wonderful and beautiful You can just picture it, right? The surrounding people nodded in agreement. To capture such a beautiful creature struggling for its goal and eating it is Rubys eyes twinkled as she rambled on about salmon, but then the corner of her mouth twitched up as she suddenly glanced at Frey holding hands with Clana from a distance, and she muttered. thrilling. Pardon? I find it ironic. Thats why I always resolve not to stop midway whenever I eat salmon. Ruby quickly changed the subject when the students were looking puzzled, but she soon covered her mouth and smiled when the students nodded in realization. Frey, lets go. Dont pay them any mind. Okay. Frey was oblivious to Rubys actions and was focused only on Aria quietly eating her salmon sandwich, and he only began moving after Clana had urged him to. Ah, Professor Frey! However, Ruby called out to Frey with a sandwich in her hand. A cold silence settled on the side of the street. Would you like to come over and have a salmon sandwich? Amidst the silence, Ruby asked with a bright look on her face. Frey sighed and replied softly. I dont like salmon. Oh? I didnt know that. Ruby looked disappointed after hearing his response, then she got up with her sandwich bag. Everyone, shall we sit there and eat? With that, she pulled out the mat she had prepared. Hero! Let me help you! Please give me the basket, Ill carry it. Should we prepare the food next time? It doesnt seem right for the Hero to do this The students quickly gathered around her. The Horizon sisters divided the task of carrying the basket and mat. The aide adjusted her glasses and asked a question. The Counts daughter and a group of freshmen followed behind them. Then, Vener and Alice approached from a distance and joined them, and even Aishi, who looked reluctant, quietly joined the group. Freys expression hardened slightly as the peaceful, harmonious group gave him a cold look as they walked past him. At that moment Frey slightly tightened his grip on Clanas hand as Aria passed by him with a blank face. I dont like salmon. But then, Glare, who was watching the whole scene, leaned against Freys side and spoke. I dont like people who eat salmon either! Hearing this, Ruby and Aria momentarily stopped. Is that so~? Thats a shame. Ruby responded in a soft voice. And for some reason, Aria glanced at Glare leaning against Frey with bitter eyes. But Kugugugu At that moment, as Ruby was about to speak again, Clana whispered to Ruby with a menacing look on her face. Shut your mouth before I shove salmon down your throat. Oh my, how scary. Even though Clanas Aura of Domination was directed only at Ruby, the whole street trembled. Ack!? Ahhhh As Aria and Glare were taken aback and staggered from the sudden tremor, Ruby and Clana exchanged fierce glares. Not bad for someone meant to be a sacrifice. Even compared to that fallen womans eyes Sizzle, sizzle Shes too thin. Didnt she get the flowers? What is she holding in her hand? Huh? Frey, momentarily puzzled, then quietly stared at the flower in Roswyns hand. Aha. Frey spoke with a bitter smile. It was red. Red? Hearing his words, Clana tilted her head, and Frey murmured with a wry smile. The color of Roswyns favorite flower was red. Oh, I see. Clana quietly responded with lowered eyes, and they began to walk slowly. I finally figured it out. Frey mumbled in a dry voice as he crossed the empty street across from Roswyn, holding Clanas hand. He had already noticed Rubys eyes watching him carefully and had no choice but to make this decision. Swish Roswyn had been watching Frey through the helper system without even looking up, she quietly buried her face in her knees upon seeing his choice. If its a flower from you Though she wanted to run to Frey and hold him, she couldnt approach him due to the restrictions placed on her, and Rubys piercing gaze from afar prevented her from saying anything. So, she just mumbled with her head buried in her knees. anything would be fine. Clana, whom she had always looked down upon and often talked to impolitely, was now confidently walking beside Frey. She looked exceptionally radiant to her Anything even grass would be fine The rose in her hand drooped lifelessly as she spoke. Screech Shortly after, a carriage sped away from the orientation site. . . . . . Right after Freys carriage left the orientation site. Ugh, sob Sitting on the bench, Roswyn buried her head in her knees and cried. Memo fox-eared beastkin is a potential ally consider recruiting her as an ally Hmm? Noticing her while diligently noting down her observations, Glare tilted her head and cautiously approached her. Hey, are you crying? Huuu Dont cry, please. Glare gently patted her back. Hmm. Soon, her eyes narrowed as another system window appeared in front of her. Ahhh! As Glare was about to reach for the system window. N-No!! Eek? As Roswyn exclaimed and leaped from her seat, Glare stepped back in shock. D-Dont look at it now No Ill show you later Okay? A-Anyway, go away. Just go Knowing that Glare didnt have her immunity from the penalty, Roswyn started to step back hastily. S-Stop! What followed was an unexpected chase. Pant, pant D-Dont follow me Why are you hiding it? Whats in there After some time, the two girls were getting exhausted. Hey there. ! Ruby appeared with a basket of sandwiches in front of them. Do you want to have a sandwich with us? As Ruby offered sandwiches from the basket, a brief silence fell. Alright. Then, follow me. Glare answered softly and began to follow Ruby as she held Roswyn, whose face had turned pale. I-Ill kill her, definitely Ill definitely kill her No matter what, Ill make her pay for what shes done Hmm As Roswyn glared at Rubys back with hatred, resentment, and despair, Glare stopped for a moment. Are you coming? Yes, Ill be right there Roswyn eagerly turned back to the system window and fiddled with it, then she muttered in a low voice. Rotten salmon. And so, the casual outing of the Hero-less Hero Party began. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustrtins on our discrd discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 284: Burning Hatred Chapter 284: Burning Hatred ? Burning Hatred ? ¡°Well, I mean...¡± ¡°Really? Wow...¡± Despite the sun having already set, a small picnic was being held near the orientation site on the roadside. ¡°...¡± Brought along with Glare to the picnic, Roswyn sat idly on the mat, observing the people there. ¡°Hahaha...¡± ¡°Phfft, pff...¡± The students sitting on the mat were laughing and chatting merrily. ¡®This is... wrong...¡¯ Roswyn muttered to herself, watching the scene unfold. ¡®It¡¯s not just wrong... It¡¯s terribly wrong...¡¯ The scene of freshmen students and members of the Hero Party chatting was deceptively peaceful, but Roswyn knew how wrong it was. Because the person eating sandwiches among the students was none other than the Demon King. ¡°I should have made more sandwiches if I knew I¡¯d be sharing with so many people...¡± She tried to assault the Hero, and tried to kill him. The Demon King, who would set the world on fire, was now leisurely sharing sandwiches with the students pretending to be the Hero. Looking stunned by the disparity of the situation, Roswyn turned her gaze slowly to the students. ¡°No, it¡¯s enough for me!¡± ¡°It¡¯s really delicious, this is the best.¡± Faces she knows very well come into her vision. The Horizon sisters, the Count¡¯s daughter who had visited her guild a few times, the woman¡¯s distant relatives, and so on. There was also the coy-looking girl who was supposed to be the representative of the commoners, and the recently demoted Vener. Significant figures in the empire, all gathered in one place. ¡°By the way, Frey is still the same.¡± Roswyn flinched when someone brought up Frey in their conversation. ¡°He hasn¡¯t changed since he was a child.¡± Count Justiano¡¯s daughter said indifferently, heating up the atmosphere. ¡°That bastard... I¡¯m going to kill him. Definitely...¡± The Horizon family¡¯s second daughter, who was eating a sandwich, muttered while tightly clenching her fists. ¡°...¡± The eldest daughter bowed her head deeply at the same time. The black slave¡¯s seal on her arm created a jarring contrast with her beautiful elven features. ¡°Branding an elf with a slave¡¯s seal... While knowing full well what it means...¡± Seeing her always confident sister bow her head with a disgraced expression as she bore the mark of her race¡¯s shame on her arm, the second daughter muttered in anger. ¡°Stop it, Lenya.¡± ¡°But sister...¡± The older sister raised her head and cut her off. ¡°I¡¯m already branded... We just have to try again, as many times as needed.¡± ¡°Sister...¡± ¡°We¡¯ll make him regret his words. Just watch.¡± Her beautiful face was trembling with extreme hatred under the moonlight. ¡°Hey, excuse me...¡± Roswyn, who had been watching in silence, interrupted their conversation with a pale face. ¡°Uhm, y-you... can¡¯t kill him.¡± Everyone momentarily fell silent as she said this. ¡°I-I mean...¡± As Roswyn began to stammer, everyone¡¯s faces started to frown slightly. ¡®Frey is... the Hero!!¡¯ Looking at them, Roswyn shouted inwardly. ¡®He¡¯s the Hero who will save this world!!!¡¯ Now, she knew the whole truth. ¡®So stop...¡¯ The ¡®Truth of the World¡¯ section had revealed the secrets of this world and all the horrendous tribulations Frey had endured. And why he had shouldered those hardships. ¡®Stop it... Before it¡¯s too late...!¡¯ And recently, she was beginning to vaguely understand what her recurring ¡®nightmares¡¯ meant. ¡®Please...¡¯ The image of herself dyed in silver and going mad flickered before her eyes. ¡°Excuse me, Miss Roswyn?¡± ¡°Ugh, ugh...¡± However, Roswyn¡¯s cries merely echoed in her own mind. The helper system, which had once severely burned her, was now preventing her from revealing the truth about Frey. ¡°F-Frey is monopolizing the knowledge, right? S-So... we can¡¯t kill him. We need to figure out how to defeat the Demon King, right?¡± Thus, she resorted to mentioning the knowledge Frey possessed as the next best option. ¡°Indeed, we can¡¯t touch Frey because of that information...¡± ¡°Is there no way to decipher the prophecy? Or how to deceive Frey and steal that information...¡± Roswyn was at a loss, and her eyes widened as Aria mumbled in a low voice with a lonesome look on her face. ¡°...If he¡¯s completely changed, maybe the opposite is also possible?¡± Aria looked down at her salmon sandwich, murmuring to herself. ¡°Besides, I just found out today that my brother hates salmon...¡± ¡°...¡± Roswyn¡¯s expression cracked upon hearing this. ¡°Then why did my brother eat salmon with me with a smile back then...¡± She realized a very simple fact. ¡°Why did he... change like that...¡± The simple fact that she was not in a position to say anything to her. Aria, who she thought was walking on an irreversible path, was still longing for or at least acknowledging the changed Frey. ¡°...¡± She realized that she, who used to toy with him, was in a completely different position. ¡°Listen, I have a plan for the ¡®entrance ceremony.¡¯ A big one... Hero, would you like to hear it?¡± ¡°A good strategy is worth participating in, right? But first, I need to talk to that person...¡± ¡°Yes, then... Oh, why Aria...?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll participate too. But I¡¯ll review the strategy...¡± And so she watched, dumbfounded, as the students huddled together and began to plot their attack on Frey, and she held up a hand in silence. ¡®I have to stop them... No, I have to at least obstruct them... If not, then I have to get some information out of them...¡¯ She mumbled to herself, chewing on her lips. Alice, who was trying to kill her benefactor, Vener with her misguided sense of justice, the freshmen Frey was desperately trying to save with a 99% mortality rate, and Frey¡¯s sister, Aria. The inevitable fate that awaited them at the end was too clear in her mind. ¡°Excuse me, Miss Roswyn?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Thus, gathering her courage, Roswyn approached them. ¡°Would you like a sandwich?¡± ¡°...¡± When Ruby, who had briefly stepped away from the group, offered her a sandwich with a smile, Roswyn felt something snap inside her and she accepted the sandwich. ¡°Thank... you.¡± Then, Roswyn picked up the sandwich and started to eat it. ¡®I¡¯ll kill you, I¡¯ll kill you, die... die die die...¡¯ Her hatred blinder her eyes. ¡®I¡¯ll definitely kill you...!!!¡¯ She was a germaphobe and hated the unhygienic sandwiches, and she disliked salmon more than anyone else. ¡®Definitely...!!!¡¯ Consumed by her newfound hatred for Ruby, she forced herself to eat the sandwich while suppressing her urge to throw up. ¡®I-If I can get rid of this bitch, I can secretly poison her in her sleep or stab her... as long as I succeed...¡¯ Suddenly, such thoughts crossed Roswyn¡¯s mind, and a glimmer of hope started to grow within her. ¡®Maybe... they¡¯ll even treat me as a helper...? Wouldn¡¯t they...?¡¯ ¨C Beep! Beep beep! But then, there was a sound next to her. Helper System [The Hero is in danger!] ¡°...!¡± Roswyn¡¯s eyes widened upon seeing the system window. Helper System [Navigation activated!] [Helper, protect the Hero!] Seeing that message, Roswyn¡¯s heart started to race. ¨C Spring... But then, she quickly returned to her blank expression. ¡°The Hero is... in danger...!¡± The message was not in front of her, but in front of Glare who suddenly stood up. ¨C Tadadada... With the navigation window in front of her, Glare started to run through the darkness. ¡°...¡± Seeing that, Roswyn completely grasped the situation. ¡°That¡¯s now... her role... not mine...¡± She realized that she, with no abilities, information, or anything else, was nothing but a burden. And knowing fully well that it was too late to turn everything around, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of jealousy and self-loathing that made her eyes tear up. ¡®That was... supposed to be my role...¡¯ ¡°Miss Roswyn? I have something to say...¡± ¡°...Crunch.¡± She channeled all those emotions into hatred towards Ruby as she made her way to the group. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 285: A Chasing Light Chapter 285: A Chasing Light ? A Chasing Light ? ¨C Rattle, rattle... On an unusually bright moonlit night, a carriage was crossing the roads of the Empire. ¡°...¡± Though it was a common and unremarkable carriage for one passing through the Empire¡¯s bustling streets, the people within the silent carriage were not so ordinary. Clana, a powerful figure in the Imperial Family and is considered the closest to becoming the Emperor. Serena, who was recently successful in usurping the Secret Lord of her family and becoming the real Lord, a fact that was quietly spreading among the higher echelons. Irina, who had anonymously published dozens of new magical theories in academia and was certain to soar again once her mana exhaustion ended. And Kania, who had been overseeing Frey¡¯s secret projects and recently advancing in the underworld forces to a terrifying extent. Each one was in a position that could dominate the Empire, yet none more so than the person seated in the middle. ¡°Hey, guys...?¡± The one in the middle who quietly looked around before speaking up was none other than Frey, the hot potato of the world. ¡°So, what¡¯s going on?¡± Noticing their serious expressions, Frey asked in a low voice. ¡°The journalists tried to storm into the orientation site for the second time.¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± Clana responded while looking down quietly, to which Frey tilted his head. ¡°If it¡¯s just that, then just leave them be. I had something to say...¡± ¡°What else are you going to say? You can¡¯t.¡± Clana firmly shook her head, and Frey looked sullen. ¡°Also, we detected signs of an attack.¡± ¡°What?¡± The look in Frey¡¯s eyes changed when Serena, who was sitting next to him, spoke up sharply. ¡°Who¡¯s behind it? And the countermeasures?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t identified the mastermind yet. But it¡¯s a planned and simultaneous move.¡± ¡°So, it can¡¯t be the Imperial Family. Maybe the Church?¡± ¡°That¡¯s also unclear, but...¡± Serena spoke quietly, covering her face with a fan. ¡°We¡¯ll know when we confront them directly, won¡¯t we?¡± Frey looked surprised. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, you¡¯re luring them in?¡± ¡°These people have been nosing around recently. It¡¯s a good opportunity to sweep them all at once.¡± ¡°What if you get hurt?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Seeing Frey¡¯s worried face, Serena looked confused and pointed to her surroundings with her fan. ¡°Does it look like we¡¯ll get hurt?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Only then did Frey realize that the girls in the carriage were among the strongest in the world. ¡°...I¡¯m still worried, though.¡± But still, he couldn¡¯t help but worry. ¡°Oh my.¡± Serena smiled shyly as Frey¡¯s gaze fell on her stomach. ¡°It¡¯s okay for now.¡± Then, covering her mouth with the fan, she turned her gaze out the window, gently patting Frey¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Because it¡¯s still in the fertilized egg stage.¡± She lightly tapped her lower abdomen. ¡°Whether the magic worked or not, I¡¯m not sure, but it might stay this way for a while?¡± ¡°... That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Frey responded quietly, his face not showing his usual tired and sunken expression, but rather one filled with a strange excitement. ¡°Why? Do you find it fascinating?¡± ¡°I-It is fascinating...¡± ¡°Hehe, I see.¡± Serena took Frey¡¯s hand and gently guided it to her lower abdomen. ¡°Take a rest for a moment, we don¡¯t know when the attack will come.¡± Serena softly whispered as she gently patted her belly with Frey¡¯s hand, then Frey closed his eyes. ¡°The seed... should I just teleport it inside me?¡± After some time had passed, Irina, who had been observing quietly from the opposite seat, swallowed dryly and murmured. ¡°Theoretically, if I set the coordinates correctly, it¡¯s possible... If I carry it first and make it a done deal...¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s cheating! It¡¯s against the rule!¡± ¡°You¡¯re all so noisy. Fuck off all of you. I¡¯m going to do whatever the fuck I want.¡± Irina growled at Clana who slyly chimed in. ¡°T-Then... I also...¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. If you wanted to, you should have succeeded in today¡¯s mission, you romance novice.¡± ¡°W-Well, I have a good reason. And you¡¯ve never even held a man¡¯s hand, let alone been in a relationship...!¡± ¡°Y-Yes, I have! I¡¯ve held hands with Frey!¡± ¡°The same goes for me...!¡± Enviously eyeing Serena¡¯s lower abdomen, the two girls started bickering and trying to pick apart each other¡¯s words. ¡°...¡± Meanwhile, Kania quietly leaned her head on Frey¡¯s shoulder on her right, while observing the desperate bickering before her. ¡°Young Master, you¡¯re not sleeping, are you?¡± ¡°High Gravity.¡± ¨C Screech...! Irina began chanting with her legs crossed, and the carriage started to feel heavier with an unpleasant rumble. ¡°Gravity Regression.¡± As a result, the smoothly rolling carriage came to a stop at a secluded path on the city outskirts. Irina calmly uncrossed her legs and muttered. ¡°Is that... a chanting spell?¡± ¡°Huh? Yeah, why?¡± ¡°Is that... something humans can do? Chanting in the Imperial language, not in runes?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just... I don¡¯t know... something I¡¯ve researched recently and applied. It¡¯s not difficult once you understand the principles behind it.¡± Irina scratched her head as Clana asked her question with wide eyes. ¡°By the way, those attackers aren¡¯t ordinary...¡± ¡°Indeed, they are not just any random thugs like we expected.¡± Clana was momentarily dazed and wailing at the difference in talent. But, she quickly regained her composure and started discussing the situation with Kania. ¨C Boom, boom!! ¨C Crackle...! The girls released a massive amount of solar mana and black magic from their hands, which swirled all around and passed through the carriage door. ¡°Be careful, Young Master.¡± ¡°Stay inside the carriage, it¡¯s fortified like a fortress.¡± ¡°Serena, please don¡¯t come out.¡± With the basic line of defense established, the three girls stepped out of the carriage. ¡°If you look even a little disadvantaged, I¡¯ll intervene immediately. Keep that in mind.¡± ¡°No, you won¡¯t.¡± Frey said while tightly embracing Serena. Kania, who had stepped outside, smiled and whispered back. ¡°...¡± Then, a brief silence ensued. ¡°What¡¯s... that?¡± ¡°Not sure, but we now know where the attack came from.¡± ¡°...¡± The girls frowned upon seeing the scene before them. ¡°If it¡¯s not the Church, who else would commit such madness?¡± ¡°Seems like they¡¯re making their move. I knew it, I thought they¡¯d been too quiet lately.¡± They were humans with horrid things instead of arms. Or rather, something resembling humans was staring at them. . . . . . At the same time Helper System [100 meters ahead, the destination is in sight.] ¡°Huff, huff...¡± Glare ran wildly using her fluidization magic and was focused on the navigation display in front of her. Helper System [Warning! Stop immediately!!] ¡°Huh?!¡± When the system window suddenly turned red, she fell to the ground with a horrified look on her face. ¡°Ow... It hurts.¡± Rubbing the bump on her head, Glare stood up and looked around. ¡°...Hmm?¡± She noticed numerous thread-like lines in front of her. ¨C Crackle... ¡°What¡¯s this...¡± After tentatively throwing a stone at it, she scratched her head in confusion when it evaporated instantly. ¡°No, I don¡¯t have time for this.¡± She shook her head and raised her hand. ¨C Snap!! The next moment, the crisp sound of her fingers snapping echoed all around. ¨C Fizz... Simultaneously, all the threads blocking her path shattered into pieces and dispersed into the air. ¡°Who said you can¡¯t shatter the same object all at once?¡± Looking at it reminded her of something that happened a while ago, and she gritted her teeth and muttered. ¡°You can shatter the same object all at once, you know?¡± She then entered a path filled with trees, and started running again while shouting vigorously. ¡°Herooo...!! I¡¯m coming!!¡± ¨C Whoosh... As her vigorous voice echoed through the lush trees, a tree that had been cautiously looking around peered out and slowly moved toward the entrance of the pathway. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 286: Erosion Phenomenon Chapter 286: Erosion Phenomenon ? Erosion Phenomenon ? ¨C Boom! Boom! ¡°Haaaaa!!¡± Amidst the reverberating explosions in the pitch-black night, Clana raised her hand and shouted. ¨C Zing...! Then a thin beam of light shoots out of her hand. ¨C BOOM!!! Its power was formidable, despite the light being only bright enough to illuminate a room. When the light reached the enemies, the unidentified creatures heading towards the carriage lay slaughtered. ¡°Screech... screech...¡± ¡°Kuek...¡± However, even though their major organs and faces were partially blown away, the creatures were still shrieking and moving. They looked like an undead, and the sight was making her uncomfortable. Clana stepped back cautiously and muttered. ¡°What exactly are these things?¡± ¡°...What do you mean? They must be one of the Church creations.¡± Irina responded seriously. ¡°Were they at this level in the previous regression? They were just partially altered before, but this...¡± ¡°They did more than just modify them. It¡¯s disgusting, whatever it is... it¡¯s much worse than before.¡± Irina then kicked the half-cut creature reaching for her and sending it flying into the distance. ¡°Still, they¡¯re easy to deal with. They¡¯re extremely weak to mental attacks.¡± ¡°Right, it¡¯s like they have no mental barrier. If Frey is a 10, these creatures feel like a 0.¡± Kania waved her hands as if she was a conductor beside her, Irina interjected once more. ¡°Kugh... That...¡± ¡°Uuu...¡± Under Kania¡¯s magic influence, The grotesque creatures began to form a line in front of the advancing horde, blocking them from moving further. ¡°Hell Flame.¡± When the line was set, Irina tore a bunch of mana replenishment scrolls and whispered with her fingers raised. ¨C Crunch... The space around her finger distorted, and an unbearable heat emitted from the warped space. ¡°What¡¯s that incantation? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve actually borrowed fire from hell itself?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Eeek...¡° Clana asked in disbelief, as the flames from the warped space annihilated the enemies like a rampaging serpent. She clenched her fist when Irina nodded at her. ¡°Why does everyone have so much talent except me... Why...¡± ¡°Idiot. You have the solar ma-...¡± Irina started to retort, but then fell silent. She knew Clana¡¯s solar mana was only strong enough to burn a leaf when she was young, and it reached its current state through her relentless effort. ¡®I guess she has a right to be angry...¡¯ Thinking she could never understand such feelings, as she had always been good at magic since she was a child, Irina scratched her head and quietly stepped back. ¨C Kugugugu...! ¡°All of you talented ones... just die...¡± Clana flared her aura of domination, making the hordes of creatures fall to their knees. Seeing that, Irina mumbled with a blank look. ¡°As expected, she¡¯s in no position to say that.¡± ¨C Bang!! ¡°Ugh!¡± Then, an explosion echoed in the distance. ¡°...Again?¡± Looking anxiously at the scene, Irina muttered with a weary look on her face. ¡°How many more are there... Really...¡± Despite already decimating countless hordes after hordes of the grotesque creatures, every time the loud noise echoed, an equal number of them emerged again. Frustrated by this bizarre phenomenon, Irina approached Kania, who appears like a female warrior in her outfit¡ªwhich was torn in several places because of its constricting tightness. ¡°This seems just like that time after the Academy Siege, right?¡± ¡°...Are you talking about the erosion phenomenon?¡± ¡°Yes, that annoying one. No matter how much I think about it, this has to be the same. There¡¯s no other explanation.¡± According to national affairs, the ¡®Academy Siege¡¯ resulted in significant casualties and destroyed half of the Academy. The subsequent nationwide erosion phenomenon was enough to completely dash any remaining hopes they had. Once it began, it formed an almost impenetrable line on all sides of the empire. And it released demons and unidentified creatures from within it. The inevitable chaos, also known as ¡®Divine Punishment¡¯ or ¡®Judgment of the Sun God¡¯, had exhausted the Empire¡¯s military resources. To the point where they were unable to prevent the advance of the Demon King, thus sealing the Empire¡¯s fate. ¡°Well, at this point... shouldn¡¯t it come out soon?¡± Just as Irina was frowning out of anxiety that such a terrifying phenomenon might have started earlier than before, Kania spoke in a hushed tone. ¡°...The Demon Boss?¡± As Irina¡¯s whole body tensed up, the ground began to shake again. ¨C Everyone, please return to the carriage. We need to retreat. I¡¯m contacting the Demon King¡¯s army... Serena¡¯s urgent voice echoed in their ears. ¨C Wait, what? However, her voice soon trailed off. ¨C You¡¯re engaged in battle? Realizing the situation had gone awry, Serena¡¯s tone turned bitter. ¨C Everyone from the Moonlight Family¡¯s faction, get inside. Kania¡¯s faction on standby... You¡¯re blocked? Then bypass them through air or underground. Check the second bundle of scrolls I prepared... Serena quickly started issuing orders through multiple magical communication devices. ¡°What is... that?¡± ¡°Hah.¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing the urgent voice, the three girls watched the unfolding scene with furrowed brows. ¡°Kuee...¡± ¡°Koo...¡± The undead creatures were swarming over each other, and forming a giant sphere. ¡°So disgusting.¡± Irina spat on the ground as tiny tentacles burst out from the completed sphere. ¡°If only my mana was fully restored, this would be a piece of cake.¡± She then cleared her throat and turned her attention to the Demon Boss that had appeared. ¡°Let¡¯s make some preparations, it¡¯s already been hit hard several times, a few more should do it...¡± Despite her exhaustion, she glared at the tentacles and sighed, ready to fight again. ¨C Zing... Zing... ¡°Hmm?¡± Irina squinted her eyes and tilted her head as the flailing tentacles slowed down. ¨C Tssss... ¡°Was it just post-mortem twitching?¡± Irina scratched her head when the tentacles limply slid off her shield. ¡°We still need to work harder... We¡¯re definitely weaker than before.¡± She then turned to the girls behind her and spoke quietly. ¡°I¡¯ve been training every day and I recently had a breakthrough. The technique I just used was a new skill I gained from that.¡± ¡°I-I do image training every day, too. Fighting vigorously... w-with Frey. You should try it, it¡¯s quite...¡± Kania and Clana agreed, they too feel the need to become stronger. ¡°By the way, how about a bet?¡± Irina looked at them with a mischievous expression. ¡°What kind of bet?¡± ¡°Simple, we ask Frey who the MVP is today.¡± The girls¡¯ expressions turned serious. ¡°And whoever Frey chose... ¡° ¡°That goes against our agreement. It was supposed to be the one who made the Young Master happiest...¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t be part of this... I only taunted the enemy in the battle... Besides, I hardly met Frey because of lack of time... It¡¯s unfair... I feel like I¡¯m the most...¡± As they were about to ease the battle tension with light-hearted banter. ¨C Boom, boom...! ¡°¡±¡±...!?¡±¡±¡± As the smoke cleared, heavy footsteps were heard from behind them, making the girls turn with icy expressions. ¡°...Fuck.¡± ¡°We need to get out of here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take the front, you two...¡± Eight dark golems, each emitting a terrifying aura, were slowly approaching them. They weren¡¯t the colossal final bosses of the ¡® Academy Siege¡¯, or the large ones Frey had once faced. They were only average-sized. But the overwhelming number was enough to give them a sense of crisis. ¡°Why is it already the second wave? It¡¯s completely different from the previous regression. And why are such strong creatures appearing now?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll worry about that later. Protecting Frey comes first.¡± In the midst of this, they maintained composure and organized their situation. ¡°This is insane...¡± However, the atmosphere inside the carriage was grave. ¡°Frey! No!! Don¡¯t go out!!¡± ¡°Just stay put, Serena.¡± Frey had been trying to get out of the carriage since earlier but was hindered by Serena, who grabbed his leg and secretly cast a magic spell to prevent him from exiting the carriage. But he forced his way through with his sword drawn. ¡°I¡¯ve stayed put until now because I was sure we could win, but that thing... it¡¯s too dangerous.¡± ¡°Then I will fight too! You can¡¯t just go out and...¡± ¨C Grab...! ¡°Eek!?¡± After finally breaking through the carriage door, Frey grabbed Serena¡¯s arm and pulled her close. ¡°I¡¯m going to use my special move. Just one hit is enough.¡± ¡°...!¡± He whispered as he took Serena¡¯s hand, who was shaking her head and sobbing. Then he tied it to the carriage¡¯s handle. ¡°You¡¯ll wake up after a good rest, and we will be back to school in no time. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°No... no...¡± Serena, unable to look at him, wrapped her legs around Frey¡¯s waist. ¡°The reinforcements will arrive soon, so please...¡± ¡°I love you, Serena.¡± ¡°...Hicc!¡± But after kissing Serena¡¯s abdomen, Frey quickly untangled her legs when she flinched. ¡°Thought I couldn¡¯t get away from you...?¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°I always wanted to ¡®make¡¯ one with you, you fool.¡± ¡°Frey!!!¡± After saying this, Frey jumped out of the carriage. ¡°Frey!! Why did you come out!!¡± ¡°Get back in!! You fool!!!¡± ¡°Young Master!! No!!¡± The girls, who were quietly preparing for battle, and making a veil to block the carriage from view, rushed toward Frey in a panic. ¡°What kind of Hero receives protection from others??¡± But the wounds on their bodies only made Frey more determined. ¡°Superno...¡± Surrounded by white flames with intense fiery eyes, he lifted his sword and poised for a decisive strike. ¨C Snap!!! Suddenly, the sound of a finger snapping echoed around them. ¨C Boom, thud! Boom! Soon after, the dark golems halted in their tracks and began to crumble one by one. The cores embedded in their chest were shattered to pieces ¡°¡±...?¡±¡± This left Frey and the heroines frozen, with question marks on their faces. ¡°H-How do I make my entrance...?¡± From the dense bushes behind them. ¡°Ta-da? The Helper appears. How should I pose? Uh... I should have asked my mentor about this...¡± With a flushed expression, Glare began to ponder on how to make her entrance. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 287: Two Resolutions Chapter 287: Two Resolutions ? Two Resolutions ? ¡°What¡¯s going on here...?¡± I was dumbfounded. The golems I had fought so hard to defeat before, lay crushed on the ground like broken toys. Was it a malfunction? No, that couldn¡¯t be it. These were supposed to be the final bosses of the scenario. Just like Miho, who may be one of the strongest players upon awakening. Sure, they weren¡¯t as big as the ones I caught or when it was the boss back then, but still, fighting eight of them should have been quite a challenge. But for a boss to suddenly malfunction and collapse like this? It didn¡¯t make any sense. Could there be some kind of trap? ¡°...The cores, they¡¯re all shattered?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Still in a defensive stance with my sword raised, I finally turned my gaze to the cores after hearing Clana and Irina muttering in a daze. ¨C Shhhh... Black smoke wafted from the shattered core inside the golems. These cores were normally unbreakable by ordinary means, but can be easily destroyed when pierced with the strength of the Hero. ¨C Shaaah... Kania, who had been running towards me crying just now, was crouching in front of the golems with a disheartened look, and started to absorb the dark mana within them. Even though they were only mid-sized, the energy from the eight Dark Golems that was flowing into Kania was still immense. The concentration and accumulated energy must be immense, considering they were destroyed immediately without putting up a fight. ¡°Uh, Frey. You can stop now...?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± I had been dazed and looking around like a stray cat, and it wasn¡¯t until Clana came over and tapped me on my shoulder did I regain my senses and straighten up. ¨C Fizzle... The white flames surrounding my body were quietly extinguished. ¡°This technique... Every time I tried to use it, something always interfered...¡± The last time I went down to the Church¡¯s underground with Ferloche and was attacked by the holy undead, Irina intervened just as I was about to use this skill. Now, something unknown has helped us. It was a relief in a way, as the skill was quite taxing on my body... but it still felt unsettling. Who could have helped us? ¡°Hmm...¡± Frowning, I looked around but saw no trace of anything, so I started walking forward. I needed to investigate the entity that attacked us before the golems, which were now just empty cans, appeared. ¨C Fizzle... Walking past the golems, I came across the hideously contorted creature sprawled on the ground. It was a nauseating sight, even for someone with a strong stomach. I felt like I wouldn¡¯t be able to eat octopus for months after this. ¨C Tap tap But I have to investigate it. So I cautiously prodded the creature with my sword, and its tentacles twitched slightly. ¡°B-Be careful, Frey...¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s already dead.¡± I responded confidently. In fact, I doubted whether this thing was ever alive in the first place, but the energy that was clearly visible earlier had disappeared. ¡°It¡¯s really disgusting...¡± ¡°But doesn¡¯t it look familiar?¡± ¡°This thing? I¡¯ve seen it a few times in the sea.¡± While I carefully observed the creature, a conversation continued behind me. ¡°I think... I¡¯ve seen it in the sky.¡± ¡°In the sky? This disgusting thing exists in the sky?¡± ¡°In a way, there¡¯s something even more disgusting than this up there.¡± Kania, still absorbing dark mana, pointed to the sky with a cold expression. ¡°The sun...¡± At the same time, a word popped into my mind. ¡°I just told you to remember it...¡± That day, when I was especially harsh on Ferloche, I had a dream about a black cat doll. In that dream, a person who I presumed to be my ancestor had apparently split the sun in half. Of course, due to the revealed truths that day, I thought it might have been simply an attempt to inform me that the Demon God and the Sun God had separated ways, but... ¨C Wriggle, wriggle... What if it was literal? ¡®Kania¡¯s right... they do look somewhat similar.¡¯ The tentacles slightly protruding and wriggling from the round sphere, did they not resemble the rays spreading out from the sun? Maybe it was because Kania and I had seen more records of ancient artifacts found in the Western Continent than anyone else that we saw it that way. The sun carved on the newly excavated artifacts was black and strangely shaped. The rays were not straight but strangely twisted, just like these tentacles before me. ¡®The sun, the sun...¡¯ I was overwhelmed by a strange sense of de?ja? vu like I definitely had seen this strange creature before. Then I took a deep breath. ¡°...Damn it.¡± ¡°Young Master?¡± ¡°Frey!? What are you doing?¡± I frowned and plunged my sword into the strange creature. ¨C Fizzzz... Without hesitation, I split it in half. ¡°...!¡± Something inside it revealed itself. Or rather, it stared at me. ¨C Tzzzzz... But before I could look at it closely, it disappeared before my eyes. . . . And for that to happen... ¡°...Ah.¡± Despite my unsteady footing, my eyes were firm, but they wavered for the first time upon realizing one crucial fact. ¡®To awaken and strengthen the Heroines...¡¯ The system window I saw recently flickered before my eyes. I also recalled the information about the affection system I had acquired a while ago. ¡°...¡± As I pondered over this information, I lost my balance and staggered. ¡°Ugh...¡± Perhaps the sudden dizziness was a consequence of the special move I intended to use earlier. ¡°Frey, snap out of it. Frey.¡± ¡°Potion, we need a potion...¡± As I collapsed and was losing consciousness on the ground, the girls looked down at me with worried expressions. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s just a side effect of the special move I was about to use...¡± ¡°Y-You didn¡¯t even use it, though...?¡± As I whispered weakly in a cold sweat, Irina asked in confusion. ¡°Just activating the technique requires a lot of energy... I¡¯ll be fine after a bit of rest...¡± I responded in a faint voice. ¡°Anyway, the vacation is almost over... I should just take a rest.¡± Recalling the conclusion I just reached, I continued with a trembling voice. ¡°Can¡¯t I just fall asleep today and wake up the day before school starts?¡± ¡°¡±¡±...¡±¡±¡± Upon hearing the phrase ¡®the day before school starts¡¯, the girl¡¯s expressions began to change. ¡°B-But...Who¡¯s that?¡± Looking at them with a puzzled look, I pointed behind them and tilted my head. ¡°Eek.¡± ¡°¡±¡±...!¡±¡±¡± The girls froze as they glanced back. ¡°Oh, oh...¡± I was also taken aback. Approaching cautiously with her hands raised in the air, Glare stopped in her tracks, looking as dumbfounded as a squirrel hit by an acorn. ¨C Frey, you have the ¡®Cloak of Deception¡¯ with you! Put it on!! The girls, who were disguised, panicked upon realizing that I was not in disguise. And they quickly searched for the cloak as Serena urgently radioed in from inside the carriage. ¡°F-Found it.¡± ¡°Is.. Is that how you wear it?¡± As I quickly draped the cloak over me, I felt increasingly sleepy, and whispered softly. ¡°Anyway, cast a sleep recovery spell on me... if anything happens, make sure to wake me up...¡± ¡°Rest well, Frey.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll handle the rest, Young Master.¡± They whispered with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll become stronger...¡± In my foggy mind, I kept murmuring silently so as not to forget today¡¯s vow. ¡°And you all, I¡¯ll make you stronger too... I promise... you won¡¯t get hurt like that anymore...¡± ¡°¡±...¡±¡± As my murmuring ceased, I saw the three girls looking down at me with flushed faces just before I closed my eyes. ¡°Hero?¡± Before my eyes completely closed, Glare, who had finally reached me, started to tilt her head. ¡°Hehe.¡± As she grinned at me the way she typically did, I silently recalled the scene from earlier. Serena popped the moonlight crystal in her mouth and said it tasted like me, then swallowed it with her eyes closed. Then, she stuck out her tongue and smiled with her eyes. [Affection System ¨C Rated 19+ Version] < Serena ¨C Awakening Completed > And the system window that appeared that time. Naturally, there were plenty of ways to deal with it. Even light physical contact or emotional connection could raise the awakening level. But, there was no time. In this unknown world, where everything was unclear, time was as precious as gold. So... ¨C Swish. I quietly closed my eyes after making another vow to myself that was as important as cutting down the sun. ¡°What do you think... about what he just said...?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Hero? You¡¯re the Hero, right? Herooo!¡± Under the soft moonlight, the end of the vacation was approaching. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 288: A Crisis At Its Breaking Point Chapter 288: A Crisis At Its Breaking Point ? A Crisis At Its Breaking Point ? The long vacation was over, and it was the day before school started again. ¡°Yawn...¡± Perhaps because I had been undergoing sleep therapy for quite some time after the orientation, I yawned automatically as I woke up. ¡°Young Master, are you awake?¡± ¡°...Yeah.¡± I rubbed my eyes for a while and smiled at Kania, whom I had seen taking naps by my side every time I woke up slightly. ¡°How does your body feel?¡± ¡°It seems much better.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s good to hear.¡± It made sense, given that I have a good night¡¯s sleep every day and received various treatments continuously for almost two months. Moreover, since I had been training whenever I woke up, I might have become a bit stronger. ¡®No, I need to become several times stronger than this.¡¯ There was a limit to how much training alone could strengthen me. I didn¡¯t have enough time, and I didn¡¯t have enough strength, yet. With regular academy life resuming tomorrow, I should explore various means to strengthen myself under the guise of teaching. Maybe I should take a school trip to the Western Continent? That didn¡¯t seem like a bad idea. ¡°Young Master, you¡¯ve gained a lot of muscle.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± As I was warming up, Kania quietly sat down next to me on my bed and started poking my body with her finger. ¡°How did you build so much muscles in such a short time? You look like your usual self from the outside, but when I touch you, it¡¯s definitely different.¡± The Starlight family was a family of heroes. We had our own disciplines and efficient training secrets. I just hadn¡¯t felt the need to try them until now. Given that I now have a reason to become stronger, there was no reason not to utilize them. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Young Master. Truly the best.¡± However, Kania¡¯s gestures were a bit too bold. ¨C Swoosh, swoosh... Blushing, she began to poke around various parts of my body, and before I knew it, her hand slipped inside my clothes, gently caressing my abdomen. ¡°Your abs are really nice...¡± Observing her silently, I jokingly slipped my hand inside her clothes as well. ¡°...I apologize. Please forgive me.¡± She stiffened up and whispered quietly. ¡°Report what had happened after I slept.¡± I tapped her stomach slightly and turned to look out the window. ¡°First of all... I¡¯ll start with what happened with the sleep spell yesterday.¡± ¡°What?¡± I didn¡¯t expect such an answer. ¡°Irina made a mistake, and... there was an error in the sleep spell.¡± ¡°...What?¡± What on earth did that mean? An error in the sleep spell? And Irina made a mistake in a spell? That was as absurd as saying Kania¡¯s cooking was tasteless or that Serena was stupid. Simply put, it did not make sense. ¡°S-She was so exhausted and she accidentally drew the wrong magic circle. So, you ended up sleeping for a whole day.¡± As I was thinking that, Kania rushed in to explain. Yes, I can understand that. Even someone as perfect as Irina couldn¡¯t fight sleepiness. ¡°Then, has the error been fixed?¡± ¡°No, I temporarily interfered with the magic for now to wake you up. Irina is expected to return from the Magic Tower today...¡± ¡°Well thanks to her, I feel refreshed and great. Tell her not to be too upset.¡± ¡°...Understood.¡± Although I smiled and said this to Kania, a question lingered in my mind. ¡®I don¡¯t feel like I slept all day...¡¯ My body felt sore as if I had been training, so naturally, I assumed I had woken up after a training session. ¡®...It must be just my imagination.¡¯ After pondering for a moment, I shook my head and turned to Kania. ¡°So, what¡¯s next?¡± ¡°Yes, secondly... it¡¯s about the outside world.¡± Hearing this, I subconsciously swallowed. Since returning to the inn for sleep therapy, I hadn¡¯t been in touch with the outside world, even during the brief moments when I woke up for training. This was done solely to focus on training and to avoid any interference with the treatment. As a result, I had been disconnected from the news for a while, so I was both excited and worried. ¡°The incident from the orientation... is spreading quickly across the whole nation.¡± ¡°Really? To what extent?¡± As I frowned and asked, Kania answered with a sigh. ¡°Naturally, it¡¯s known to political figures and other important figures around the world. However, national leaders are collectively suppressing the media to delay the spread of the news as much as possible.¡± ¡°However, if the fact that I hold the secret to saving the world becomes known... it would cause global panic.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already in a state of panic, but only among the leaders and the media. A significant number of commoners, and surprisingly, even some nobles, are still unaware of it.¡± ¡°...Hmm.¡± As I pondered with my arms crossed, Kania quietly added. ¡°Obviously, such a big incident can¡¯t be covered up forever. It¡¯s just a matter of time before the rumors spread nationwide. Within a few months, everyone will know the truth.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°In the case of the academy, the sophomores and freshman students who were present that day naturally know everything. The rest are just starting to hear the rumors.¡± Pleased with her explanation, I was about to respond when Kania frowned and spoke. ¡°Why did you instruct me to let things go this way? I¡¯m worried sick about you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, if I could, I¡¯d shrink you and keep you in my pocket.¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± Unlike in the past, she now could bluntly express her feelings. I chuckled at her, and started to explain quietly. ¡°They need to hate me, not fear me. Fear lowers point efficiency.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. You¡¯re doing very well.¡± Kania patted my back. Simultaneously, my heart felt warm. Like sitting on a cozy sofa, a sense of comfort settled over my body. ¡°Young Master, is something troubling you? Please tell me.¡± She asked with a gentle smile, and as I exhaled deeply, I asked her in a low voice. ¡°It¡¯s nothing major... just that my handkerchief disappeared.¡± ¡°Your handkerchief?¡± ¡°The one my sister gave me as a gift, the one you all embroidered animals on. It¡¯s...¡± ¡°Oh, I have it with me.¡± ¡°What?¡± I widened my eyes in surprise, sounding as if I were confiding in my mother. ¡°Ferloche gave it to me last time. She said she found it at the place you were at during the orientation.¡± ¡°Ah, right...¡± Dumbfounded, I stared at the handkerchief she was handing to me, then quickly took it. There it was, the animals symbolizing the Heroines and the silver cat in the center. Even though they hated it, I could feel traces of their love that went into it, stitch by stitch. No wonder I cherished it so much... ¡°...Huh?¡± As I buried my face in the handkerchief with a happy expression, I suddenly tilted my head in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± A new animal was embroidered on the handkerchief. It was a white dove with a somewhat foolish expression. ¡°We are all gathered here.¡± My heart was racing as I stared at it in silence. Then she broke my reverie. ¡°Young Master, please remember this.¡± Lifting my head slightly, Kania had a bright smile. ¡°Just like in that handkerchief, we are always with you, Young Master.¡± Silence ensued after her words. ¡°Kania...¡± Breaking the silence, I cautiously called out her name. ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡± She responded naturally and tilted her head, looking at my serious expression. ¡°...¡± Kania looked exceptionally beautiful as she bathed in the sunlight streaming through the window. ¨C Thump, thump... Simultaneously, my heart started beating rapidly. ¡®Until now, I always thought of her like a family member...¡¯ Kania had always been by my side since I was a child, like a family. ¡®...But, it¡¯s not just that anymore.¡¯ However, recently, my feelings have inevitably changed. ¡®But how do I tell her that?¡¯ With Serena, it was relatively easy, and everything flowed naturally. But how about Kania? How should I approach her? What should I say? What kind of vibe should I set... ¡°Hey, Young Master.¡± As I pondered how to start a conversation that I must have before the day ended, Kania quietly spoke to me. ¡°There¡¯s something I wanted to ask you.¡± She spoke in a formal and rigid tone. ¡°Y-Yeah...¡± I nodded silently while looking at her. ¡®First, let¡¯s buy some time.¡¯ I thought to myself as I felt my face turning bright red. . . . . . ¡°During this vacation, who did you enjoy spending time with the most?¡± ¡°What?¡± Kania, who had been looking at Frey, began to lean in closer and asked in a low voice. ¡°Please tell me, Young Master.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s...¡± ¡°Now.¡± As Frey¡¯s gaze wavered, Kania repeated firmly. ¡®Please be me, please be me, please be me, please be me...¡¯ She frantically repeated her thoughts, as her lower belly throbbed hotly from Frey¡¯s constant touch and her heated up body. ¡®Wait, do I need an answer? Wouldn¡¯t Frey just take the initiative if things continue this way? Or should I make the move?¡¯ She thought. ¡®Or should I just put him back to sleep...¡¯ She quietly muttered to herself. ¡®...and finish what I was planning?¡¯ At the same time, the door of the room was firmly shut. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 289: A Cat Aiming For A Star Chapter 289: A Cat Aiming For A Star ? A Cat Aiming For A Star ? At the same time when Kania locked the inn¡¯s room. ¡°Sigh...¡± Aria was forlornly looking out the window in her room at the Starlight mansion. ¡°Finally, tomorrow is the entrance ceremony...¡± With weary eyes from overwork, she basked in the gentle morning sunlight. ¡°I wonder if Alice¡¯s plan will succeed.¡± Gazing at the sun, she mumbled quietly. ¡°I wish I could give that bastard a beating.¡± The ¡®bastard¡¯ she referred to was none other than Frey. Since severing familial ties with him, she avoided calling him ¡®brother¡¯ as much as possible. ¡°I thought he might at least pretend to reflect his behavior, but when he shamelessly appears like that...¡± Thinking of Frey, whom she deliberately avoided thinking about for a while, she clenched her fist and muttered. ¡®...Forget it, it will only end with my loss. He¡¯s not worth dealing with.¡¯ However, she quickly hardened her expression and continued. ¡®From now on, I¡¯ll treat him just like how he has been treating me.¡¯ Her gaze was unusually bitter for someone her age. ¡®He forgot his love for me, so I¡¯ll forget him too.¡¯ Having silently made up her mind, her expression turned gloomy. ¡°Did he ever love me in the first place?¡± Now, even the memories of their shared past were fading. Memories of Frey showering her with love were being distorted by his continuous despicable actions. ¡°No, even then... he used to be... a really great person...¡±Updated chapters at novelhall.com ¡°Miss Aria~!¡± ¡°...Ack.¡± Aria, who had been muttering to herself with a dejected expression, suddenly smiled broadly. ¡°Let¡¯s go on a picnic~!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m coming!¡± She quickly moved away from the window and left her room. ¡°Lady Aria...? Where are you going...?¡± ¡°Oh, Kadia!¡± She then encountered Kania¡¯s younger sister, Kadia, who was rubbing her eyes and wandering the corridor. ¡°I¡¯m going on a picnic with Ruby!¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°Do you want to come?¡± As Aria asked with a flushed face, the adorable Kadia shook her head. ¡°Are you sure...? Well, it¡¯s fine then. I¡¯ll be back by dinner!¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Kadia muttered quietly while watching Aria¡¯s back, who had been spending more late nights out with ruby and the Hero Party lately. ¡°Sis told me not to hang out with that girl...¡± Unaware of Kadia¡¯s words, Aria thought to herself with an excited smile. ¡®If only Ruby were my sister, I¡¯d have nothing more to wish for.¡¯ ¡°Aria~! You look cute today too~!¡± The bright sunlight coming through the open front door enveloped Ruby and Aria. . . . . . A few minutes have passed since Kania locked the door. ¡°Uh... Kania?¡± Kania, who had been staring at me without answering, started to act strange. ¡°Answer me, Young Master.¡± As she said that, she slowly placed her legs on my lap. ¡°During this vacation, who did you enjoy spending time with the most?¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± I hesitated for a moment and broke out in a cold sweat as Kania repeated her question, and then I fell silent in thought. ¡°Hmm...¡± This vacation was particularly long. Well, it was a winter break, so that was to be expected. It was filled with many events and developments, but not all of them were good. My reputation was at an all-time low right now. But I managed to get through it thanks to the people who stood by my side. From Irina, who initially took care of me, to Clana, who prevented me from being assaulted by Rifael, and Kania, who helped me move around whenever I woke up during the past two months. And Lulu, who chose me over joining the Hero Party and risking herself to become a human pet. Even Isolet, who couldn¡¯t forget about me and ended up taking the knight¡¯s oath. Moreover, I was able to reconnect with someone unexpected. Whenever I woke up to train in the past two months, there was always a cute little kid who kept sending me letters, saying she wanted to repay her debt or see my face. ¡°Young Master...?¡± As I was lost in thought about those who had helped me get this far, Kania quietly asked me a question. ¡°Y-You haven¡¯t decided yet...?¡± She asked with a hint of anticipation. ¡°Kania.¡± ¡°Y-Yes?¡± Her body flinched slightly as I called her name. ¡°You look beautiful today.¡± ¡°...!¡± Kania, who was on top of me, froze at my sincere compliment. ¡°N-No, Frey. I am...¡± ¡°Have you always been this beautiful?¡± ¡°S-Stop teasing me...¡± She blushed and looked down shyly as I added playfully. ¡°I want you to become stronger. And... I don¡¯t want you to get caught up in the ordeal.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°So...¡± ¡°J-Just wait a minute!¡± Kania quickly pulled away from me and began to take deep breaths. ¡°Whew, haa...¡± ¡°Kania? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Did I push her too hard? If that was the case, it was my mistake. ¡°I-Is it because of me?¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master, it¡¯s because of you.¡± When I cautiously asked, Kania glared at me and replied. I thought I should apologize quickly. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, if you got offended...¡± ¡°Because of you, my heart feels like it¡¯s going to burst.¡± As I was about to hurriedly apologize, Kania put her hand on her chest and spoke with a beet red face. ¡°After receiving such a sincere confession and proposal from the most wonderful man in the world... Do you think any woman wouldn¡¯t react this way?¡± ¡°Uh...¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just me, anyone¡¯s heart would also burst out of excitement. Even now, it feels like I¡¯m going to die due to difficulty breathing. Please, take responsibility.¡± After saying that, Kania glared at me while exhaling hot breath. ¨C ...! ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Anyway, it¡¯s not like it contradicts what the Young Master said, right?¡± -...!!!! ¡°I don¡¯t care, I¡¯m going to cut off the communication. Do whatever you want.¡± Then her eyes suddenly went crazy, took off something from her ear, and threw it on the floor. ¡°Young Ma... ugh!!!¡± She tried to pounce me but collapsed as her stomach collided against my reflexively raised knee. ¨C Drip... She arched her back once more, and saliva dripped from her trembling mouth and slowly soaked my shoulder. ¨C Shiver? ¡°Um, I¡¯ve always been curious... why the stomach...?¡± ¡°W-What do you mean...?¡± Confused, I held her and asked, and she answered with a sobbing voice. ¡°It¡¯s because of you, Young Master...¡± ¡°Huh? Huh?¡± She suddenly raised her hand. ¡°Uhhh...¡± I stared blankly at her. And suddenly, I was overwhelmed by drowsiness and I slowly closed my eyes. ¡°...So, take responsibility.¡± The last thing I heard before closing my eyes was Kania speaking while reaching out to me. . . . . . I felt groggy. ¡°Uh...¡± Struggling to clear my half-asleep mind, I opened my eyes to find the room slightly darker than before. ¡°...?¡± Noticing something was off, I looked around and found the windows and door were all blocked by dark, burning energy. Was the flickering golden and red light behind the door just my imagination? And why did my lower body feel several times more sore than before... ¡°...!?!?¡± Looking down, my eyes widened in surprise. ¡®What happened?¡¯ I was naked. ¨C Slide... ¡°Ah, are you awake?¡± My eyes fluttered, and Kania emerged quietly from below me, ¨C Swish... ¡°I wanted to practice a bit more, but you¡¯re already awake.¡± She whispered, while quietly wiping something off her mouth. ¡°I wanted to get used to it more... but I don¡¯t think this is something I can get used to.¡± ¡°Wait, what...¡± ¡°Shh.¡± She was already naked. ¡°I can¡¯t hold it back any longer.¡± ¡°Hey...¡± ¡°This is your fault, Young Master. How much longer will you continue to seduce me? Each night, thoughts of you ignite a fire in my stomach, and you don¡¯t even realize what you did to me. I¡¯ve restrained myself all this time... but it was you who tempted me first.¡± With eyes full of desire, she climbed on top of me and whispered. ¡°I¡¯m going to have my way with you now.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why, Young Master, please punish this naughty warlock who plunges the world in darkness. Paint this filthy warlock¡¯s insides white.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Hm? That¡¯s not enough to rile you up?¡± Her words sent a chill down my spine. And with the same wicked grin I sent towards her earlier, she pressed her stomach against mine and whispered. ¡°A secret affair with your secretary in broad daylight, doesn¡¯t that excite you?¡± I regretted not having bought some aphrodisiac at that moment. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 290: The Butler Who Has Become A Woman Chapter 290: The Butler Who Has Become A Woman ? The Butler Who Has Become A Woman ? WARNING R18 AHEAD!!!!!!!!! Read at your own risk. There is also an illustration at the end. Please don¡¯t look in public. ¡°Slurp, slurp...¡± ¡°Mmm...¡± Pressing her stomach against Frey¡¯s, Kania grabbed his arms and pulled away from the passionate kiss. ¨C Swish... Kania then pulls her body downward, with her belly still facing him. ¨C Twitch...! Frey¡¯s manhood started to twitch violently when it¡¯s pressed against Kania¡¯s belly. ¡°Do you remember when you collapsed during the third penalty and you were inside me?¡± Feeling Frey¡¯s manhood throbbing against her belly, she reached out and grabbed both of his hands and whispered in a shy voice. ¡°Back then, it was your soul, but now it will be your cock.¡± ¨C Twitch...! ¡°Either way, it¡¯s really cute how your cock twitched against my belly.¡± As she said that, she silently rocked her body from side to side, feeling every tremor of Frey¡¯s manhood. She thought to herself. ¡®I want to feel his manhood in my belly like this forever...¡¯ When Frey was inside of her as a soul, Kania could feel the twitches and vibrations in her belly. ¡°Did you like it that much? Seeing your cock throbbing under my stomach like this made me feel really good...¡± ¨C Twitch, twitch. ? ¡°...Heh.¡± Kania, who had long since become addicted to that stimulating and immoral sensation, melted into a blissful expression as she felt Frey¡¯s manhood pressed against her belly, which makes her belly throb and relive that feeling she longs for. In more ways than one, Frey had unwittingly turned Kania¡¯s belly into an erogenous zone. ¨C Spurt, spurt...! ¡°Haaaaa...¡± Kania, who had been burying her face in Frey¡¯s belly and drool on it, began to shudder as his manhood ejaculated on her belly copiously ¡°Young Master... Are you trying to impregnate my belly now...?¡± Kania¡¯s womb began to tremble violently as she said this. It was as if her body was protesting against the seed that had gone to waste outside of her body. ¡®It¡¯s so good?¡¯ ¡°Kania, did you come just now?¡± ¡°N-No, Young Master.¡± She grinned happily at the increased stimulation in her lower abdomen, and she answered hurriedly with a smile when Frey asked her curiously. ¡°I¡¯m not that perverted.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Kania was that perverted. According to her own words at least. She did come slightly when Frey ejaculated and sprayed his semen against her lower belly where her womb was. ¡°Your actions don¡¯t match your words...?¡± And now, she was using her hand to scoop up some of Frey¡¯s thick cum that was now splattered on her belly and shoving it into her mouth. ¡°This... I can¡¯t help it.¡± Hearing Frey¡¯s sarcastic remark, Kania suddenly looked prim and proper, like a formal butler. Then she continued. ¡°I¡¯ve been checking on the Young Master¡¯s health by tasting your semen every night, and I¡¯ve come to like the taste of it.¡± Having swallowed Frey¡¯s semen every night, she had grown accustomed to it. And she spoke those words as she eagerly savored it in her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re in good health, but it does taste a little sweet... Perhaps you should cut back on the sugar after all.¡± ¡°...¡± She savored his cum for a moment, and Kania added with a grin. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s a waste.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s your seed, and I¡¯d rather have it inside me.¡± With that, Kania wraps her hand around Frey¡¯s manhood. As her small, delicate palm grazed Frey¡¯s manhood over and over again, a dizzying pleasure spread through Frey¡¯s entire body. ¡°...!¡± Receiving such an intense stimulation right after he reached climax was too much for Frey. He couldn¡¯t help but to breathe sharply each time Kania stroked his manhood fervently. ¡®I-It¡¯s too stimulating...¡¯ Kania had somehow managed to minimize the curse¡¯s connection for tonight¡¯s affair, but she still felt the ¡®pleasure¡¯ just as strongly as Frey was. ¡®I-I might... really die at this rate...¡¯ Yes, she was in a state where she could feel twice the pleasure, or maybe even more. Which was why it was easy for her to lose control, despite practicing every night by secretly consuming Frey¡¯s semen. Even the sensitivity tests she had tried while Frey was asleep were of no use. It was only natural that there would be a stark difference in the level of pleasure when she did this when Frey¡¯s awake. ¡°Haa...¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± It gave her chills for a moment, but she soon closed her eyes and extended her tongue to give a long lick around the base of Frey¡¯s manhood. She was determined to satisfy her Master, even if she fainted due to pleasure. ¡°Munching...¡± ¡°Ugh, uhh...¡± Kania¡¯s soft tongue swirled around the base of Frey¡¯s manhood to the tip. ¨C Nyam... Kania¡¯s tongue settled over Frey¡¯s manhood, and his cum mixed with Kania¡¯s hot saliva dripped down the side of the veiny cock. ¨C Drip... The sticky saliva dripping down from Kania¡¯s tongue was making Frey¡¯s cock slick with the mixture of their fluid. ¡°...¡± Kania remained like that for several minutes. ¡°Uhm, Kania? For how long...¡± ¡°Pwease waid, Yhoung Mashter1(Please wait, Young Master.).¡± She persistently lapped her tongue over the tip of Frey¡¯s cock while dripping a copious amount of saliva. She closed her eyes tightly as she answered Frey¡¯s question. ¡°Are you trying to kill me?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Young Master is still abnormally hard even after cumming once. So, to completely swallow the Young Master¡¯s cock, some prep work is necessary.¡± Having said that, Kania rubbed her pussy and whispered seductively. ¡°As for my lips down there, I haven¡¯t used it yet for today.¡± Her pussy was already soaking wet and dripping her juices down her thighs. ¡°...Chuu?¡± Frey swallowed hard at the arousing sight. Kania looked adoringly at him before planting a surprise kiss on his swollen manhood. ¡°I submit to you and your cock, Young Master. Forever.¡± And then, unlike Serena¡¯s declaration of defeat, she declared obedience like an obedient butler. She could no longer hold back her desire to submit to Frey as his loyal butler and as a woman. ¡°In front of you is a butler hailed from a common background. She desires to sire your child by having an affair in broad daylight.¡± With her words, the twitching cock in her cheeks trembled even more. She gripped his cock gingerly and rubbed it against her face with a blissed out expression. ¡°So... Please... Punish this filthy butler with your cock.¡± Frey¡¯s manhood was harder and angrier than ever. . . . . . ¨C Slosh, slosh...? Her pussy, which had been clinging tightly to the cock that had been ravishing her, began to fight back, holding tightly onto him with every fold of her vagina. ¡°Kuuug...¡± The walls of her flesh tightened to a dizzying extent. Frey, who had been on the lead, began to hesitate slightly. ¡°Young Master...¡± Kania was already on the verge of fainting because of their combined intense pleasure. But, she looked at Frey and asked a question just before she lost all of her senses. ¡°How do you feel... about this affair?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Can I ask you... one question?¡± When Frey only blushed at the question, she wiped the drool from her mouth and asked again. ¡°Are you more satisfied with Serena... Or did I make you feel better... Hyahhhh!¡± Before she even finished her question, Frey rammed his cock into her vagina again. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry? for my rude remark...? Hyhhhnn...¡± Frey thought silently as he looked at Kania, who unconsciously tightened her pussy with a blissed out face. If Serena was a well-balanced pussy which was the most compatible with him, Kania was a glass cannon that couldn¡¯t be broken. Serena was powerful enough to keep Frey¡¯s virility going until morning, and she was a match made in heaven for Frey¡¯s manhood. And Kania, well, she was a natural, with tightness and sensations inside that no one else could match. ¡°Okay, I got it...¡± With that thought, Kania whispered in a low voice, holding on to her fading sanity with the last of her strength. ¡°No more, please release it... inside me...¡± At the same time, Frey felt his cum churning from the base of his cock. ¡°Please... Admonish this impudent warlock and fill this butler¡¯s sloppy pussy with your thick cum...?¡± Sensing their impending climax, Kania wrapped her legs tightly around Frey as she whispered filthily. ¨C Spurt, spurt! Spurt...! Soon after, a powerful gush of semen spurted deep inside Kania and flooded her womb. ¡°It¡¯s... So full inside...? Hehe...?¡± Kania smiled happily as she felt Frey¡¯s seed completely filled her womb. ¨C Spurt, spurt... ¡°...! ...!!!¡± As Frey¡¯s pleasure overlapped with her own, she wrapped her legs around Frey and blacked out for the fifth time. ¨C Spuuurt... ¡°Heh, heh...¡± Kania regained her senses just as a second load slammed into her womb. . . . . . Before we realized, it was already evening. ¨C Squeak, squeak, squeak! The sound of flesh against flesh echoed from the largest room of the inn on the outskirts of the city center. ¡°Ha, haaa... ugh... ugh...¡± ¡°Haa, haa...¡± Even after darkness fell, Kania and I continued. ¨C Spurt, spurt... As my cum filled her vagina for who knew how many times, Kania, who had been passing out and waking up repeatedly, opened her eyes and flinched. ¡°Haaah...¡± I thrusted my hips roughly on top of her and satisfyingly withdrew my cock as all of my semen flowed inside her. ¨C Pop...! I pulled my cock with a pop. ¨C Drizzle... Soon after, my cum began to pour out of her, but Kania instinctively clenched her pussy to keep my baby batter inside. ¡°Kania, let¡¯s rest for now... No, this should be enough... right?¡± I was sweating profusely and breathing hard as I looked at her, but when I felt a stiffness in my lower half, I looked away and started to say uncertainty. ¨C Kugwang...!!! ¡°W-What?¡± Suddenly, the door to our room shattered, and for a moment, I sat with a stunned expression. ¨C Step, step... ¡°...!!!¡± At first I thought there was an intruder, and I quickly reached for my sword under the bed, but when I saw the people walking towards me, my eyes widened, and I lost my words. ¡°You thieving cat...¡± ¡°U-Ughh...¡± Irina and Clana were slowly approaching me. Completely naked, too. ¡°G-Girls...?¡± ¡°...!?¡± I squirmed back in panic, and Kania, having just regained her senses, sat up in bed with her eyes wide. ¡°Y-You guys. How did you get in here...¡± ¡°We broke through the wall.¡± ¡°W-What are...¡± ¡°Forget it. This is against the rules, you know that, right?¡± ¡°N-No, it¡¯s not! What are you...¡± Their conversation continued. ¡°Well, since it¡¯s come to this, we¡¯ll just have to exercise our rights too.¡± ¡°Y-Yeah. That¡¯s right.¡± But then Irina and Clana¡¯s eyes turned serious, and I broke out in a cold sweat and tried to get out of there. ¡°Where are you going, Frey?¡± Clana shyly stepped up to my left side and blocked the way. ¡°You said it yourself, didn¡¯t you?¡± And with a plump breast that I¡¯d never seen before, Irina scooted over to the right side of the bed to block me. ¡°You¡¯re the one who said ¡°all of us¡±... are the ones who made you the happiest.¡± ¡°Right, so... we should ¡®all¡¯ work together to make Frey happy, you stray cat bitch.¡± Then they looked at me with eagerness and excitement in their eyes. ¡°Y-You girls... what is this...¡± Kania spoke urgently while stroking her lower belly that was soaked with my cum. ¡°...I, I¡¯m not done yet.¡± With that, the three girl¡¯s eyes began to focus on me. ¡°W-Would you like to conquer... The most noble pussy in the empire?¡± ¡°I-It will be so warm inside me, I¡¯ve already warmed it up.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m the second wife, and as per our wager, you must obey me first...¡± The main heroines are trying to kill me. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls 1 (Please wait, Young Master.) Chapter 291: Let Us Shag A Star Chapter 291: Let Us Shag A Star ? Let Us Shag A Star ? WARNING R18 AHEAD!!!!!!!!! Read at your own risk. ¡°Nyam.¡± With a dissatisfied expression, Kania closed her eyes and munched on the tip of Frey¡¯s cock. ¡°Slurp...¡± Simultaneously, Irina quickly wrapped her tongue around Frey¡¯s shaft. ¡°...Munch, munch.¡± Finally, Clana, who missed her chance and was sobbing softly, quietly put Frey¡¯s testicles in her mouth and started sucking on them fervently. ¡°U-Ugh...¡± Thus began the full-scale operation to restore Frey¡¯s manhood, which had become limp from filling Kania¡¯s womb with cum all day long. ¡°G-Girls... wait a minute...¡± Frey, whose manhood had become several times more sensitive than before, clenched his eyes shut as intense sensation coursed through his cock. ¡°Uhm...¡± The most powerful Warlock, capable of covering the world in darkness, was earnestly pleasuring the tip of his manhood with her tongue. ¡°Slurp, slurp...¡± The most powerful Archmage of all time, who could burn soldiers alive with a wave of her hand, was now earnestly licking his shaft with her tongue. ¡°Munch, munch...¡± The next Empress of the Sunrise Empire, the hegemonic nation that rules over the Southern Continent, was on her knees like the other girls, delightfully sucking on his testicles. ¨C Spurt, spurt...! ¡°Ahh...¡± Seeing such powerful figures serving him as submissively, and eagerly pleasuring his manhood, Frey was soon unable to hold back and cummed hard into Kania¡¯s mouth. ¡°Umm...¡± Kania had a blissful expression as her mouth was flooded by Frey¡¯s copious cum. ¡°You, again, all by yourself...!¡± ¨C Gulp...? The furious Irina tried to pry open her mouth, but Kania swallowed the semen with a soft smile. ¡°Could you stop eating it by yourself?¡± ¡°Munch, munch...¡± As a result, Irina frowned and started licking the remaining semen on Frey¡¯s penis, and The utterly dejected Clana started sucking his testicles even harder. ¨C Spurt...! Then, once again, semen spurted out from Frey¡¯s penis. ¡°¡±¡±Slurp, slurp...¡±¡±¡± This time however, all the girls were on their knees together and stuck their tongue out in front of Frey¡¯s penis. This way, they all could taste Frey¡¯s semen. ¡°It¡¯s so sweet...¡± ¡°Stop hogging it already, you thieving cat!¡± ¡°I-I want more... I¡¯m new to this...¡± The girls who were happily savoring Frey¡¯s semen, started bickering again at Kania¡¯s remarks. ¨C Gulp...? ¡°...?¡± Frey just watched them blankly. But then, out of nowhere, a surge of vigor suddenly rushed through him, making his penis stiffen and throbbed again. In fact, he feels a little more vigorous than before, despite already came twice in a limp state. ¡°Good, it¡¯s starting to work.¡± Irina smiled as she looked at Frey¡¯s hardening penis. Then she snapped her finger. ¨C Pop! A small bottle appeared in her hand. ¡°That¡¯s...¡± ¡°It¡¯s an aphrodisiac I developed. I had it in my mouth earlier and secretly fed it to you when we kissed. If you take all that¡¯s inside this bottle... you should fully recover, right?¡± With that, Irina opened the potion bottle and poured the aphrodisiac in between her breasts. ¡°Drink, Frey.¡± ¡°...¡± Frey broke out in a cold sweat as he noticed the strange looks of the girls sitting on both of his sides. But, after a moment of hesitation, he buried his face in Irina¡¯s cleavage ¡°Slurp... Gulp, gulp...¡± ¡°Good, good...¡± Then, Irina blushed and stroked Frey¡¯s head. ¡®Not... like this. Even if I recover to my peak, I¡¯m still facing three of them.¡¯ Feeling the aphrodisiac and the Blessing of the Stars alleviate the soreness in his lower body, Frey quickly started to think. ¡®Then... I have no choice but to use that.¡¯ Frey¡¯s eyes slowly began to glow. . . . . . ¨C Swish, swi... ¡°G-Girls... that¡¯s enough...¡± Kania and Irina, who stood on both of his sides, started to nibble on his ears and neck, while stroking Frey¡¯s penis vigorously. ¨C Wiggle, wiggle...? ¡°Ahhh...¡± Frey¡¯s manhood, unable to withstand their teasing hands, finally jerked violently and spurted another round of semen. ¨C Drip... ¡°Ugh...¡± Kneeling in front of Frey¡¯s penis, Clana had a copious amount of semen splattered all over her face. ¨C Sticky... Even in such a situation, Clana calmly closed her eyes and rubbed his semen on her cheeks as Frey¡¯s manhood rested on her face. ¨C Drip... The semen on Clana slowly trickled down, soaking her whole body. ¨C Kiss...? Clana quietly kissed the tip of Frey¡¯s penis as she enjoyed the sensation of the semen dripping down her body. ¡°I, Clana Solar Sunrise, the Imperial Princess, hereby declare that at this moment, I have been defeated by you and your penis.¡± The next empress of the Sunrise Empire, declared her defeat and submission while being covered in Frey¡¯s cum. She was the most powerful woman in the world, whom most people nowadays were too afraid to even make eye contact with. ¡°So, please use me as you see fit.¡± She placed Frey¡¯s penis on her face once more and looked up at Frey with loving eyes as she whispered. The sense of conquest was indescribable. ¡°T-This isn¡¯t... what I wanted...¡± Frey¡¯s heart throbbed, and he mumbled with a pale face. Originally, he was going to conquer them one by one. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Frey... it¡¯s a good potion, so there won¡¯t be a problem.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll lick it all up later, Young Master. So, please feel free to let it all out.¡± But the heroines weren¡¯t just going to let him get away with his slow and cunning tactics. ¨C Sway, sway... Frey, who had been sweating profusely, quietly lowered his gaze to the soft feeling below him. ¨C Swish, swish... Suddenly, Clana was lying on the bed in a doggy-style position, pressing herself against Frey¡¯s penis , gently swaying her hips. ¡°Your very own conquered imperial pussy is right here, waiting to be filled.¡± Then, she turned her head back and whispered as she blushed. ¡°So, go ahead and dominate me with your penis.¡± Frey¡¯s eyes widened and he grabbed her hips and pushed his penis in. ¨C Squeak...! ¡°Aghhh...!¡± Her hymen was ripped instantly, and the pain came rushing in. ¡°Ouch...¡± ¡°C-Clana.¡± ¡°I-It doesn¡¯t hurt at all, Frey.¡± Clana buried her face in the bed as tears streamed down her face. Afraid that Frey might pull his cock out, she started to tighten her pussy. ¡°A defeated monarch should be silent.¡± Frey swallowed silently and slowly began to rock his hips. ¡°Uh, uhhh... Aghhh...?¡± Because of her lewd words, Frey¡¯s manhood became more ferocious, and he began to fuck her roughly from behind. All the Imperial teachings she learned as a child, the charisma, and aura of domination that could make everyone kneel before her, were all thrown outside the window now. ¡°It¡¯s so good...?¡± At this moment, Clana was no longer a noble princess with a noble lineage, nor a conquering monarch and the future Empress. She was just a bitch. ¨C Squeak, squeak... And the master of this bitch was none other than Frey. ¡°Uh, ugh...¡± Feeling the immorality of violating the future empress from her rear, Frey quickly felt the urge to climax and arched his back. ¨C Squeeze, squeeze... In response, Clana¡¯s pussy quickly tightened around his penis. ¨C Squeeze...? Clana¡¯s vagina was as domineering as an overlord and as quick-witted as a monarch, but it was slightly timid compared to the previous two girls, but it was gripping him tightly. ¡°Slurp, slurp...¡± ¡°Ahh...¡± Meanwhile, Kania and Irina were still nibbling on Frey¡¯s ears and neck. ¡°...!¡± Then, as the black magic dissipated, Frey¡¯s eyes widened. ¨C Wiggle, wiggle... Kania appeared before him with black cat ears sprouting from her head and a cat tail wagging. ¡°...Meow?¡± Kania then wrapped her tail around Frey¡¯s waist and whispered with a smirk. Which makes Frey¡¯s penis begin to poke at her lower belly with interest. ¡°You¡¯re being honest down there, aren¡¯t you?¡± Kania began rubbing her belly against his penis and whispered with a smile. ¡°...¡± It was at that moment that Frey¡¯s mind began to go completely blank. . . . . . ¨C Slick, slick... The sound of flesh colliding with flesh filled the room. ¡°A-Agh... Ahhhh...¡± Kania, who was mounted on top of Frey, was furiously rocking her hips. ¡°Slurp, slurp...¡± Meanwhile, Irina was licking Frey¡¯s nipples with her eyes closed. ¡°I-I¡¯m the smallest... uhh...¡± ¡°Slurp, slurp...¡± Clana was looking at Irina as Frey was sucking her breast. ¨C Spurt!! ¡°Ahhhh...¡± Overwhelmed by all the pleasure, Frey¡¯s began to cum inside Kania. ¡°What a waste, I¡¯ll have to carry it in my womb for a while.¡± Of course, her insides were already filled to the brim, but that didn¡¯t stop Kania from creating a magical plug for her pussy. ¨C Squeeze... After a brief moment, Clana and Kania pressed their chests together while holding hands. ¨C Slick... In between their cleavage, Frey¡¯s penis was sliding in and out. ¨C Spurt...! ¡°¡±Slurp...¡±¡± Soon after, Frey¡¯s started to spurt out semen, for countless times today. Then Kania and Clana licked the semen from their breasts. ¡°To violate both darkness and light at the same time... How does it feel? Frey?¡± ¡°Who satisfied you more? Whoever is better will be in charge of the tit job with Irina.¡± Blushing, Clana and Kania asked. ¡°...¡± However, there was no response. ¨C Slick... A little while later, Clana gently lay on top of Irina. ¨C Squeak... Both of their pussies were pressed against each other, and Frey¡¯s penis quietly slipped between them. ¨C Squeak, squeak, squeak... ¡°A-Agh...¡± ¡°Ahh...ahhh...¡± The girls moaned as Frey¡¯s penis dug into their pussies. ¨C Wiggle, wiggle...? His penis, which sometimes went inside their pussy, and sometimes digs deep into their navel, began to throb in between their bellies. ¨C Spurt, spurt...! And then, Frey¡¯s came ferociously. ¡°¡±Ah.....¡±¡± They tightened both their legs as they felt the warmth of his semen hitting them on the stomach. ¨C Pop...! Kania quietly pulled out his manhood from their bellies and looked out the window. ¡°Haa...¡± It was early in the morning outside. ¡°How... is that stray cat bitch... still looks fine...¡± ¡°Haa, haa...¡± Exhausted, Irina and Clana glared at Kanina, who was still standing. ¡°Let¡¯s... stop... Kania...¡± Meanwhile, Frey, who had briefly regained consciousness after blacking out, quietly pleads to Kania. ¡°Did you, by any chance, infuse me with life force through our sex? I thought I was just adapting to the pleasure...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but you seemed to be struggling. I have recovery potions, but you don¡¯t...¡± ¡°...Really, you¡¯re insatiable.¡± Kania shook her head. ¡°Nyam?¡± She quietly made Frey bite down Irina¡¯s breast. ¨C Swish... She then placed the half-conscious Clana in Frey¡¯s chest. ¡°Thanks to you, I unexpectedly won the bet, so let me repay you, Young Master.¡± She removed the plug on her pussy and whispered quietly. ¡°I¡¯ll give you back all your life force.¡± ¡°W-What?¡± ¡°So, I want you to cum a little more inside of me.¡± ¡°W-Wait...¡± With that, Kania sheathed Frey¡¯s penis once more. ¡°If you need this pussy in the future, I¡¯ll serve you as much as you want.¡± ¡°Uhh...¡± ¡°I love you, Young Master...?¡± ¡°...Me too.¡± She then fell on top of Frey as they affirmed their love for each other. ¡°You must really like me.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Let me ask you something.¡± Kania asked him. ¡°Why do you like me?¡± She had wanted to ask about it for a long time. ¨C Thump, thump... Why did he like her, someone who didn¡¯t have a connection with him, unlike the other girls? Unable to gather the courage to ask or to look into his heart until today, she finally asked with her eyes tightly closed. Her heart began to beat rapidly like that of a girl seeing her first love. ¡°You...¡± Frey answered, turning his gaze to the side with a shy look. ¡°...are exactly my type.¡± Kania was stunned for a moment, and she spaced out. ¨C Thump, thump...? Her womb, which was filled with his semen, began to tremble violently. ¡°I really like you... Young Master.¡± ¡°...Me too.¡± Thus, the hours-long repayment of gratitude by Kania began. ¨C Spurt, spurt...! ¡°¡±.........¡±¡± Frey was completely unaware that Clana and Irina, who were softly caressing him, were gradually regaining their strength, their eyes burning with a revitalized energy. . . . . . At the same time. ¨C Squeak, squeak... Roswyn stared outside the window with listless eyes. She was quietly fingering herself while holding a rose to her chest. ¨C I love you the most in the world, Young Master... ¨C Spuuuurt... ¡°I also... want... the Hero¡¯s seed...¡± She watched as Frey¡¯s penis slid into Kania¡¯s pussy and spurted out a white fluid, and she quietly arched her back. ¨C Drip, drip... Unlike the desperation that overwhelmed her whole body, her juice slowly seeped out from her lower body. ¡°I should have just pounced on him back then... why did I...¡± Roswyn¡¯s hollow voice echoed throughout the place. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 292: Start Of A New Term Chapter 292: Start Of A New Term ? Start Of A New Term ? ¨C Chirp, chirp~! The morning had come accompanied by the chirping of birds and sunlight streaming through the window. ¡°Hmm...¡± I opened my eyes only to be hit by dizziness and soreness all over my body. ¡°...Hoo.¡± Then, the memories of last night¡¯s affair came flooding back. ¨C Smooch...? ¡°Are you awake, Frey?¡± I wondered if it was all just a dream. But when I saw Clana and Irina fumbling with their clothes next to the bed and then kissing me on both cheeks, it made me realize that last night was very real. After all, the feeling of having my vitality completely drained during two months of sleep therapy by Kania was the most obvious evidence. ¨C Jiggle...? ¡°I¡¯ve called the carriage, we should get going.¡± ¡°We¡¯re a bit late... Oh well, it can¡¯t be helped.¡± As they gently stroked their slightly jiggling underbelly, they urged me on. ¨C Wriggle, wriggle... ¡°Kania, what are you doing?¡± Feeling like I¡¯d die if I got up right away, I decided to lay down a bit more and stared blankly at the ceiling. Then I noticed something wriggling under the blanket. ¡°...¡± Then, Kania, who was wriggling under the blanket, quietly emerged. ¡°Slurp...¡± She wiped something trickling from her mouth with her hand and then put on a businesslike expression. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll prepare for our departure to the Academy.¡± She then picked up her clothes from the floor and quietly headed to the shower. ¡°What a sly cat.¡± I watched Kania retreating back with a slightly incredulous look, then turned my gaze back to the ceiling. ¡°So, it¡¯s back to school now.¡± The long vacation and rest were now over. ¡°It¡¯s time to start again...¡± It was now time to go back to the Academy and diligently carry out the main quest. [Point Investment System] < 2910400/5000000 > Suppressing the soreness, I sat up in bed and checked the points I had accumulated during my freshman year, and I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°I have to fill it up... before the end of my sophomore year.¡± To end this tragedy as soon as possible and bring peace to the world, I needed to head to the Academy. The environment for maximizing points had already been created. For the next year, I would become as strong as possible while quickly earning points to awaken the Hero¡¯s Armament. And after defeating the Demon King and the mastermind behind everything, I would spend a peaceful and quiet life with my loved ones. ¡°...Hmm?¡± Of course, to achieve that, I have to go through considerable hardships in the future. But being lazy wouldn¡¯t make it any less challenging, so I was about to get up. However, suddenly I noticed something. ¨C Whoosh... ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Near my still-naked lower body were three crystals. They were black, red, and yellow, and at a glance, they looked like ¡®Awakening Crystals¡¯, rewards from the 19+ event. Feeding these to the girls would likely awaken them, just like Serena. No, wait. Come to think of it, that might not be the case for Irina. For some reason, it seems that my understanding of her was lacking. Who else knew her more than I do? Well, now that I thought about it, there might be someone. Arianne or the Tower Master, perhaps. I should ask them about Irina when I get the chance. ¡®But where did these crystals come from?¡¯ I crawled out of bed while clutching my shaking waist. Then I gazed curiously at the crystals in my hand. ¡®Did someone leave them here? Or, did they emerge from my lower body...?¡¯ The first ¡®attack¡¯ was after spending time with Kania. Then, the second ¡®attack¡¯ was after I spent time with Kania again until dawn, only to be pounced on by the two girls who had regained their stamina. It must have been quite a while since I blacked out, but my lower body still felt numb. So, did it really come from my lower body? It seemed likely, as no one would just suddenly show up and give me something like this. ¡®Wait, but what about Serena¡¯s crystal... When and where...?¡¯ ¡°Frey? Aren¡¯t you supposed to get there earlier because you¡¯re a Professor?¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± A voice broke me out of my reverie. I quietly clutched my head and got out of bed. ¡°I¡¯m a professor now.¡± Thus began my peculiar academy life as a sophomore and a special professor for the freshmen. . . . . . ¡°Here it is... Sunrise Academy...¡± A girl stood in front of the Academy¡¯s gate, her expression tense with nervousness. ¡°It¡¯s amazing...¡± ¡°Lenya, stop it. You look like a country bumpkin.¡± Her name was Lenya de Horizon. ¡°So... how long will you keep up this act?¡± ¡°Act??? What do you mean? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡± Meanwhile, Serena from the Moonlight Family covered her face behind a fan and approached the Pure Saintess Ferloche, who wore an innocent smile. ¡°Exactly what did I concede... Huh?¡± ¡°Think whatever you like!¡± The sight of the noble ladies engaging in a meaningful verbal exchange¡ªone pair exuding powerful murderous intent and the other pair radiating a relaxed atmosphere¡ªwas quite stimulating for Lenya, who was nothing more than a Baron¡¯s daughter. ¡°I don¡¯t need a medical exam. I¡¯m just not feeling well, so please step back.¡± ¡®P-Princess Clana...¡¯ Quietly observing the scene, Lenya swallowed dryly upon noticing Clana was next to her. Lenya deeply admired Clana, the third Imperial Princess, for her effort in rising from the last to the second in line to the throne. ¡°Frey¡¯s seed... I¡¯ll protect it. Definitely...¡± ¡®I, too, will be like her... I will revive our family.¡¯ Even though Clana looked unwell and kept stroking her lower belly, Lenya still silently vowed to be like her. ¡°Indeed, this is Sunrise Academy.¡± ¡°Exactly...¡± Other formidable figures in the auditorium included the youngest Paladin of the Church, Princess Aishi of the Cloud Kingdom, and Roswyn, who looked utterly dejected in a corner. Since Lenya was a lower-rank noble, she can¡¯t strike up a conversation with these distinguished individuals. ¨C Shimmer...? ¡°H-Huh?¡± Suddenly, fairies flew towards her, making her feel a bit intimidated. ¨C Shimmer...? ¨C Poof...? ¡°Ah! Hey, that tickles. Haha, hahaha...¡± Sensing the elven blood in her, the fairies swarmed around Lenya, who ended up laughing as she flailed her arms around. ¡°...What¡¯s with her?¡± ¡°She¡¯s really pretty...¡± ¡°Never seen her before... Is she a commoner?¡± As the second daughter of the Horizon family, who¡¯s known for their elven lineage, Lenya was strikingly beautiful. ¡°Behave yourself, Lenya.¡± Her older sister frowned and pulled her back as she noticed the surrounding gaze. ¨C Thud, thud... The Professors began to enter the auditorium. ¡°...¡± In an instant, the atmosphere turned cold. ¡°...Gulp.¡± Feeling the tension, Lenya instinctively swallowed dryly and fixed her gaze to one side. So did everyone else¡¯s. ¡°Uh, ahem.¡± Frey stands quietly beside Isolet. Then he straightened his clothes and cleared his throat with an exhausted expression. ¡®I can¡¯t stand to even look at him...¡¯ She looked tense for a moment, then quietly mumbled to herself. ¡®The public enemy, the vilest villain of the Empire. That scoundrel dared to brand my sister with a slave seal... And now he¡¯s acting all high and mighty...¡¯ She then gestured subtly with her hand. ¡°Can you play a trick on him?¡± ¨C Shimmer! She whispered quietly to the fairy next to her. Even though she just met the fairy for the first time today, the instinct in her blood told her that it was possible. ¨C Shimmer...! At Lenya¡¯s command, the spirit flew toward Frey in front of the auditorium. ¨C Rustle, rustle... Just as it was about to sprinkle some strange powder on his shoulder. ¨C Clack!! ¡°Koo.¡± An owl suddenly swooped in and seized the lesser fairy in its talons. ¡°Koo!! Kooo!!!¡± ¡°Ack! W-What! What are you doing? Ack...¡± The owl glared at Lenya and flew toward her with the spirit in its talons, and pecked on her forehead, causing her to tear up and flail her arms around. ¡°H-Help! Help me...! This crazy bird is trying to kill me...!¡± ¨C Thud...! ¡°Ah, thank... thank you...¡± As she was about to thank the person who helped her for catching the bird and placing it on their shoulder. ¡°...!!!¡± Her eyes widened and she gasped. ¡°Lenya.¡± ¡°Uh, ahhhh?¡± Frey was standing in front of Lenya, glaring with an icy look on his face. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± And then, all eyes in the auditorium were on her. ¡°.......Ugh.¡± It was the moment Lenya¡¯s life at the Academy took a disastrous turn. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 293: Hazing Chapter 293: Hazing ? Hazing ? ¡°Well then, this concludes the entrance ceremony.¡±The? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n)) As always, the entrance ceremony at Sunrise Academy ended uneventfully. ¡°Please take a short break until the first class bell rings. Once again, thank you for your hard work...¡± The entrance ceremony was merely symbolic, since all the significant events were held during the orientation. However, as the saying goes, old but gold. Although it had been a long time, the entrance ceremony at Sunrise Academy, with a history of a thousand years, was as splendid as ever. ¨CShimmer...? ¡°Booo! Boo!¡± At the center of this dazzling entrance ceremony, fairies, and spirits sprinkled mysterious powders all around the auditorium after the headmaster¡¯s declaration. ¡°Wow...¡± ¡°Amazing, it¡¯s really amazing...¡± The sight of cute little creatures that had been thought extinct a few hundred years ago, smiling as they sprinkled tiny powders, was truly fascinating to the new students. ¡°...¡± However, amidst the festive atmosphere, there was someone leaning on the railing alone with a sullen expression. ¡°Is that her? The one who was trying to play a prank on Frey?¡± ¡°She has a big gut... for a commoner, huh?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think she is a commoner? That¡¯s an insignia that only nobles can wear, right?¡± ¡°Well, she¡¯s a fallen noble who was only recently reinstated.¡± After being caught and publicly shamed by Serena¡¯s owl in an attempt to embarrass Frey, she continued to hear whispers about her. ¡°Ugh... it¡¯s so annoying.¡± Due to that, she pulled out her hair angrily and deeply lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯ve been marked from the first day...¡± The fact that her target was Frey was somewhat fortunate, but these nobles with old lineage, who already disliked the idea of a new blood, were not pleased. To them, Baron Horizon, who had lost the family¡¯s old prestige and glory, was simply lacking and seen as a rootless noble family whose ancestors were not even from the empire. Seeing Lenya attracting attention in such a situation, the nobles naturally began gossiping about her. Of course, on top of that, there was also jealousy towards the first-year students who were evaluated as elite and strong candidates for the Hero Party, as well as jealousy towards her beautiful appearance due to her elven ancestry. And for the same reasons, some also secretly looked at her coyly. ¡°...Enough, let¡¯s forget what happened. Let¡¯s focus on what I have to do.¡± But she, who had promised not to be discouraged by such looks, clenched both hands tightly and turned away. ¡°Now, who should I approach first?¡± Then, scanning the somewhat chaotic lecture hall with predatory eyes. ¡°Hmm...¡± Pulling out a notebook from her pocket, she began mumbling again. ¡°I need to seize this opportunity and strike up as many conversations as possible...¡± The Horizon sisters were determined to engage in as many conversations as possible with various people during the small break that followed the entrance ceremony. Since it was an unusual occasion for the entire school to be together, it was a golden opportunity for them to build connections. ¡°For now, not her.¡± With the eyes of a predator targeting its prey, she sought a subject to engage, and with a cold gaze, she muttered while looking at Count Justiano¡¯s only daughter. ¡°No matter what, I shouldn¡¯t go to the enemy of my family.¡± Lenya shot a haughty look at the girl, who was surrounded by many people. When their eyes met, Lenya squinted her eyes and clenched her fist. ¡°...Yawn.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s really...¡± However, the girl, who briefly glanced at her, only yawned and left. ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s not bother with her.¡± Ignoring the crowd following her, Lenya focuses on her notebook, taking out the pen she had tucked away. ¨C Squeak, squeak... Then, Lenya puts a slash on ¡®Roswyn Solar Sunset,¡¯ which was written at the top. Originally, she had planned to join the easily accessible Roswyn faction, but since the faction itself disappeared, she had no choice but to exclude that option. Although her lonely figure sitting in a corner seemed a bit pitiful, it wasn¡¯t the right time to approach her, given the rumors circulating that she had recently fallen out of favor in a power struggle. ¡°Hmm...¡± After crossing out Roswyn¡¯s name, she quietly moved forward. ¡°That person, too... is ambiguous.¡± Aishi, accompanied by a large crowd, passed by her. Lenya shook her head and hurried on, knowing that Aishi was not a princess of this empire but rather from another country. ¡°Excuse me...¡± Finally, she joined the group of noble daughters, who were chatting with smiles. ¡°...Who are you?¡± ¡°Do you know us?¡± ¡°Oh, no, i-it¡¯s not that...¡± However, what came back was a questioning tone and gaze. ¡°Ah... you are that person.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®that person¡¯?¡± ¡°Since you don¡¯t even know that it¡¯s against the etiquette of nobility to engage in casual conversation with someone you¡¯re not close to, of course, you must be the young lady from the Horizon family, right?¡± ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡± As that gaze and tone turned scornful and mocking, she clenched her teeth, bowed her head in apology, and then stepped back. She tried a few more times, but their reaction to her was no different. ¡°Sigh...¡± ¡°Yes, we have only recently been reinstated.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Suppressing the tears that suddenly welled up, she let out a sigh. When a low voice reached her ears, she turned her head quietly. ¡°Wow! This person is really beautiful!¡± ¡°Could you tell me the exact timing and method of the reinstatement? I need to compare... no, to confirm something.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll cooperate with everything I got.¡± Her older sister was already engaged in a conversation with Serena and Ferloche. ¡°A-amazing...¡± Her sister was engaging in conversation with formidable figures with whom she couldn¡¯t even make eye contact with. ¡°As expected, sis...¡± She mumbled a smile at her sister¡¯s confident appearance, whom she had always been proud of and respected. ¡°...¡± Looking at the arm guard wrapped around her sister¡¯s arm, Lenya gritted her teeth. ¡°That jerk...¡± The image of her always confident older sister crying in secret in the bathroom on the day she received the stigma came to Lenya¡¯s mind. ¡°I will definitely take revenge...¡± Having made that resolution, she gathered her courage and took a step forward. ¡°To do that, I need to build connections first...¡± Alternating her gaze between the side with Clana and the side with Ruby, she pondered. ¡°Um, hello there!¡± Lenya, closing her eyes tightly, gathered courage and headed towards Clana. It was because to become an important member of the Hero Party, she decided that it would be better to expand her connections first rather than approaching Ruby to talk with her now. ¡°Stop right there.¡± ¡°Do you not know who this person is?¡± However, Clana¡¯s subordinate blocked her way. ¡°I-I just...¡± Thanks to that, the courage she had just mustered disappeared, and she stammered with cold sweat. ¡°Step back.¡± When Clana, who was observing her, issued a command to her subordinates with a sharp gaze, they quietly bowed their heads and retreated to either side of her. ¡°What is it?¡± Crossing her legs, Clana gazed at her with a sharp look and asked a question. ¡°S-so cool...¡± She unconsciously muttered as she saw charisma overflowing from Clana. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°Oh, um... that...¡± Upon hearing the praise, Clana picked up the teacup next to her and asked with sparkling eyes. ¡°Y-you look so cool that I...¡± ¡°Heh, hehe... I see.¡± Because of that, when Lenya nervously responded, wondering if she had made a faux pas, Clana silently nodded her head. ¨C Twitch, twitch... However, the corners of her mouth were clearly turning up with a slight twitch. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that bitch?¡± ¡°Hey... you didn¡¯t get an invitation to the freshman welcome party too, right?¡± ¡°I was captured there a year ago.¡± ¡°You, too...!?¡± Irina looked at her strangely at Clana, who wore an anxious expression. ¡°You¡¯re mistaken. I stand no chance. Regardless, I must now protect my position in Frey¡¯s harem and secure the status as the bearer of his baby seed...¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you are the Imperial Princess that you didn¡¯t get invited, you idiot. If you were a commoner, you would have been captured like me and sacrificed to Frey.¡± ¡°I-I see. Hehe...¡± The conversation, which would have left Lenya absentminded for the entire day if she had heard it, continued for a long time afterwards. . . . . . ¨C Ding-dong, ding-dong? The bell rang, indicating the end of the short break and announcing the approaching first class of the year. ¡°So, this is 1st-Year Class A.¡± Hurrying at the sound of the bell, Lenya found a door plate that read ¡°1st Year Class A¡± and swallowed hard. ¡°The top class of the academy, this is where I¡¯ll be for the next year.¡± With a pounding heart, Lenya stared at the door plate. Upon reaching the door, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ¡®Join the Hero Party, revive the family, and eliminate Frey. I will succeed in that plan.¡¯ ¨C Creak... Having made that determination, she entered the classroom. ¡°...¡± At that moment, everyone¡¯s gaze focused on her. ¨C Srrk. ¨C Ssk... However, soon the gazes turned away. ¨C Step, step... Scanning the surroundings like everyone else, Lenya quietly took her seat, wearing a cold expression. ¡®In today¡¯s plan... I must somehow catch Ruby¡¯s attention.¡¯ She said that to herself in her mind. The Hero Party and the freshmen had devised a grand plan to ruin Frey¡¯s first class today. ¨C Creak... ¡®He¡¯s here...!¡¯ And that plan was about to commence. ¨C Step, step... After all the students had taken their seats, Frey, who entered the classroom, slowly headed towards the lectern. The classroom was filled with a chilling silence. ¡®Will it succeed?¡¯ In that tense silence, Lenya scrutinized the situation with a nervous expression. ¡®While Alice ambushed Frey from under the lectern, the student who claimed to be skilled with a great sword will strike him down. They¡¯ve tried to simulate this trap several times already, it will definitely work...¡¯ Among the numerous tightly woven plans for the day, the first, and the most critical plan was now about to unfold. ¡°...???¡± However, something seemed off. ¡®Why isn¡¯t she coming out?¡¯ Alice, who should be hiding under the lectern, for some reason remained still. ¡®I-if she didn¡¯t come out now, the plan would be ruined.¡¯ Because of that, the freshmen¡¯s expression became uneasy. ¨C Sparkle!! The girl sitting at the front of the lectern seemed to have noticed something, and with an angry expression on her face, she hurriedly shot out of the air and summoned a greatsword made of light. ¨C Crush!!! And before a second had passed since she stood up, the massive greatsword fiercely struck Frey, who was standing at the lectern. ¡°Haa... Haa...¡± As the sharp sound of something cutting through the air echoed, the girl, who had been breathing heavily with a tense expression, smiled with a triumphant look. ¡°...!!!¡± However, her smile quickly turned into aghast. ¡°H-how...¡± ¨C Sparkle... It was because Frey, still expressionless, blocked her greatsword using only one finger. ¡°I-iik...!¡± Unfazed, she tried to exert more force on her greatsword, but Frey maintained his posture without even blinking. ¨C Ting...! He then coldly flicked his finger. ¨C BOOM!!! In an instant, the greatsword slipped from her grip and was embedded into the wall on the other side of the classroom, shaking. ¡°Th-this can¡¯t be...¡± The girl was watching the scene in terror. ¨C Gritt...! ¡°Huaak!?¡± Frey, still standing in front of the lectern, grabbed her arm and lifted her up, and she was subdued without being able to resist. ¡°Kyaaacckk!? L-let me go...!¡± ¨C Squeeze... ¡°...Aeuggh!¡± Suddenly she was put on the lectern, and as Frey forcefully pressed on her abdomen, she started to scream in agony. ¨C Chiiik.....! ¡°Kyaaaaaakkkk!!!¡± A moment later, as sinister energy emerged along with black smoke, the girl shuddered and screamed in terror. ¡°It will be easy to conceal the stigma if I carved it into your stomach. So endure it.¡± ¡°...¡± The male students had cold expressions on their faces, and the female students wore disgusted looks as they silently stared at the shocking scene. ¡®Disgusting...¡¯ Lenya, who had been blankly watching, was no exception. ¡®I will certainly bring you down, Frey.¡¯ With the strengthened resolve of Lenya and her classmates, Frey¡¯s first class began. . . . . . ¡°Uggh, ugh...¡± ¡°I have already warned you that the stigma of slavery would be the consequence if you mess with me. But you guys still looked at me with such dissatisfied eyes. It seems you all didn¡¯t heed my words.¡± ¡°Acccckk...!¡± As I engraved the stigma of slavery on the girl¡¯s abdomen, who had tried to strike me down with a greatsword, I could sense the drawer that I was blocking with my knees were shaking. ¡®I knew Alice was inside, but why was Kania also under the lectern too?¡¯ Somehow, Kania¡¯s dark mana was seeping out from the drawer. Probably, Kania was suppressing Alice. If that was the case, it would be quite troublesome if it was exposed to the students. I had to keep blocking the drawer with my knee. ¡°You¡¯re... not even human... You¡¯re a damn piece of trash that deserves to die.¡± While thinking such thoughts, I focused my gaze back on the girl¡¯s abdomen. She, with tears in her eyes, mumbled. ¡°Sigh...¡± Instead of answering, I let out a small sigh, glancing at her with hollow eyes, and thought to myself. ¡®Just added one more...¡¯ To save these students, 99% of whom were destined to die... I must engrave the stigma of slavery on each of them. ¡®...When will I finish them all?¡¯ Well, it looked like I would be quite busy for a while. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 294: Devil Professor Frey Chapter 294: Devil Professor Frey ? Devil Professor Frey ? ¨C Ssssss... ¡°Ugh.¡± As the black smoke dissipated from the lectern, the girl who was being pressed down by me let out a whimper. ¡°Go back to your seat.¡± I released my grip and stared at her coldly. Then with tears in her eyes, the student staggered back to her seat. ¡°Hurry, move faster.¡± ¡°...!¡± Following my command, she hastened her steps without even realizing it. I could issue such simple commands to those marked with the stigma of slavery. While complex orders and mental manipulation were impossible, basic requests would work on them most of the time. Hence, the efficiency was so good that in some other countries, they even operated as ¡®slave soldiers¡¯. It was because if everyone had the ¡®same¡¯ mark, you could easily control the group with a single command. One of the reasons I was marking all of them with the stigma of slavery was precisely for that purpose. If I could control them all with one command, I¡¯d be able to protect these kids from the numerous disasters that may occur in the future. Therefore, I had to hurry and mark them with the stigma of slavery... ¡°Uggh... ugh...¡± While quietly organizing my thoughts, a sobbing sound was heard in front of the lectern. ¡°Ugh...¡± Wondering who was crying, I found the girl who had tried to attack me with a greatsword there. She was now shedding tears. ¡°Seeing someone sniveling is quite irritating for me. Stop crying.¡± ¡°...Keukeuk.¡± ¡°Speaking of slaves...¡± After stopping her tears forcefully with my command, she glared at me with eyes full of loathing. I addressed her loudly, so everyone could hear. ¡°If you charge into battle with the determination to kill, you must also be prepared to be killed. Charging in thinking you¡¯ll win unconditionally will only lead you to break like this when you are defeated.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The stigma of slavery I carve is, as I mentioned before, a symbol that you have died once.¡± Whispering in a colder tone, I continued. ¡°If you always want to be prepared for real combat, there must be a penalty comparable to your life. Something like your social life or reputation.¡± Although I spoke in a low voice, all the students could hear me clearly because the classroom was as silent as the grave. However, I could roughly guess what they were thinking by looking at their eyes and expressions. Most likely, they were thinking, ¡®Who does he think he is to say something like that?¡¯ or ¡®Does he even have real combat experience?¡¯ It was a very reasonable thought, but nevertheless, they would have no choice but to follow me in the future. There was no better proof than a demonstration of one¡¯s abilities. ¡°I have a question.¡± As I was about to start the class, one of the students raised their hand to ask a question. ¡°What happens if a student, already attacked once and received the stigma, attacks again? What would happen then?¡± As she asked the question, the girl glared at me coldly. ¡®Her name is... Lenya? Is it Lenya?¡¯ To the bold question from the second daughter of the Horizon family, I rolled my pen in my hand, preparing to answer. ¡°I will impose an appropriate punishment fitting the offense. I might carve an additional stigma in more visible places, or add another type of seal. Alternatively, I could also give individual tutoring sessions...¡± ¡°...Sigh.¡± Then, she glares at me, her teeth chattering as if she were shivering. According to the prophecy, she highly valued her older sister. The fact that her sister was the first to bear the stigma of slavery probably fueled her burning desire for revenge. Of course, considering that I aimed for that, I decided to leave her alone and soon turned my gaze away. ¡°I also have a question.¡± However, someone else raised their hand. ¡°You said ¡°the determination to kill¡±, Professor, does that mean we can kill you?¡± I tried to ignore the question, not wanting to waste the time further. However, with a haughty expression, she continued to press me with sinister tones. ¡°If we¡¯re restricted to merely defeating you, the options are limited. However, if killing is allowed, we can use more lethal and discreet methods.¡±The? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n)) ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°If we were to kill the professor, would the knowledge of the ¡®Demon King¡¯ in your mind be vanquished as well?¡± After saying that, the girl, standing with her back straight at the back, looked at me. She had a gaze that sent shivers down my spine just by looking at it. ¡®She is indeed impressive.¡¯ Eurelia von Justiano. The girl also emitted an aura of darkness, just like her father, the ruler of the underworld, Count Justiano. She could be perfectly described with a single sentence, ¡®Roswyn¡¯s superior version¡¯. Why wasn¡¯t she the sub-heroine? In fact, my ancestor also mentioned that, due to that reason, numerous people submitted inquiries to the development company. Why was the useless Roswyn considered as a sub-heroine while girls like Lenya and Eurelia, with charming narratives and settings, faced horrible deaths as extras? Of course, Roswyn naturally held the position because she possessed the seemingly unattainable ability called the ¡®Helper System¡¯. However, if there were no system, perhaps the position would probably belong to Eurelia, Count Justiano¡¯s esteemed daughter. ¡°If any one of you kills me, I¡¯ve placed a spell to transmit the information in my mind to the Imperial Family and the Church.¡± ¡°How can we trust that?¡± ¡°Why in the world should I prove it?¡± I remained aloof as I pondered such thoughts, and in response to Eurelia¡¯s question, I raised the corners of my mouth. ¡°Not proving it is also a defense mechanism in itself.¡± ¡°Are you afraid?¡± ¡°I once brought your father to his knees. Why would I be afraid of his daughter?¡± Upon hearing that, she scowled. ¡°Puh, Pfft...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Ah, sorry. My apologies... Pfft...¡± Then, she gazed at Lenya, who was laughing with her mouth covered from the side, with a cold expression. ¡®Come to think of it, were those two rivals?¡¯ Scratching my head, I felt like such a setting was vaguely mentioned in the prophecy. I soon looked around at everyone and spoke up again. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s begin the first class.¡± As a result, the already cold expressions of the students turned even colder. ¡®No doubt, they¡¯ve been planning various schemes to disrupt the class.¡¯ Sounds of magical recording devices and magical documentation devices being activated can be heard throughout the room. They probably planned to record my lecture, and if I fell into their scheme or delivered a subpar lecture, they¡¯d use it for a public opinion campaign. ¡°Pay attention, everyone.¡± However, their plans today would spectacularly fail. ¨C Boom!! ¡°Wh-what was that!?¡± ¡°No way... This can¡¯t be real...¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s a scam. It has to be a scam.¡± ¡°Maybe the verification is wrong? Why is this sign here...?¡± As some students who were deeply devoted to their faith and others with limited knowledge grumbled, the youngest paladin started to sweat profusely. Then she raised her hand and asked a question. ¡°Then, what about the Church?¡± ¡°Historically, they are a fraudulent group. The self-proclaimed ¡®Church,¡¯ which claimed to serve the Saintess that appeared a thousand years ago, gradually transformed over the centuries and became a genuine church.¡± ¡°What kind of crazy...¡± ¡°The only things considered ¡®divine¡¯ in this world are the power possessed by the ¡®Saintess¡¯ and the ¡®light mana¡¯ held by the three light families. Just memorize it if you don¡¯t know.¡± Serena¡¯s devised Divine classification had unveiled the true nature of the Church to the world. ¡°First, let me explain from the stellar mana that I possess...¡± ¨C Crackle... As the students, whose ways of thinking had been completely overturned, were at a loss, Frey emitted stellar mana from his hands, prompting them to resume note-taking frantically. ¡°Ugh...¡± As the classroom reverberated with the sound of scribbling again, Lenya began to sweat coldly. ¨C Scribble, scribble... Glancing to the side, even Eurelia, who had been asserting her pride until a moment ago, had lost her composure and was taking notes. ¡®Me... what about me...¡¯ In such a situation, Lenya found herself in the biggest dilemma of her life. ¡®Ugh...¡¯ With everyone¡¯s attention captured, she worried whether she should disrupt Frey¡¯s class now. Would Ms. Ruby be angry if she did? ¡°Hmm...¡± While pondering this, she turned around, only to find Ruby¡¯s expression looked bad. After weeks of planning went down the drain, she seemed to be in a bad mood. ¡®I-if I do it... If I disrupt it...¡¯ ¡°The mana circuit you¡¯ve known is also wrong. The mana circuit is not just in your chest, abdomen, and head; it spreads throughout your body like blood vessels. You¡¯ve been wasting that vast space until now...¡± ¡®...!¡¯ Even as the students were still trying to digest the information they were given, revolutionary concepts that would turn the world upside down continued to be presented. She realized she had to take notes now. Especially right now... ¡®This isn¡¯t right. Don¡¯t I have the magical video recording device?¡¯ After hesitating for a while and breaking out in a cold sweat, she finally remembered that her magical video recording device on her chest was recording the whole thing, and she started to look relieved. However... ¨C Snap! ¡°...!!!¡± As Frey snapped his fingers, the magical video recording device around the room floated in the air and began to move towards Frey, leaving the students in shock. ¡°Recording my classes is prohibited from now on.¡± ¡°Wh-why...¡± ¡°Because it could be leaked. Guidelines regarding the written notes will be announced later, but that¡¯s the main reason.¡± Observing the students who relied too much on magic tools and now wore expressions of despair, Frey spoke with a cold gaze. ¡°And, to learn knowledge, you need to put in the effort, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¨C Ding Dong? Ding Dong? ¡°...I¡¯ll conclude today¡¯s class here.¡± Hearing the bell, Frey declared with a composed expression. ¨C Snap! ¡°Ugh, uwaaa...¡± Simultaneously, a ¡®snap¡¯ echoed in the classroom, and the complex formulas on the chalkboard, which were worth at least tens of thousands of gold, disappeared in an instant, just like before. ¡°Your assignment is to summarize what you think are the key points of what you learned today in 10 pages.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It¡¯s to assess and evaluate your proficiency levels. I¡¯ll determine the rankings based on the reports and announce them, so do your best.¡± After finishing his speech, which further despaired the already despairing students, Frey, who had finished tidying up the lectern, calmly opened his mouth. ¡°What are you doing? Why aren¡¯t you all leaving?¡± . . . . . ¡°In the end, I couldn¡¯t do anything... I am...¡± With a vacant expression, Lenya lowered her head and mumbled. ¡°I couldn¡¯t do anything right...¡± The frustration of having firmly resolved to do something yet achieved nothing, the shock brought by Frey¡¯s theories, and many more. ¡®Am I... just an incapable girl who can¡¯t do anything else...?¡¯ She was tasked with disrupting the final class, and, wearing a gloomy expression, she blamed herself for not being able to do anything. ¡°Excuse me, Ms. Lenya.¡± ¡°Hello there!¡± ¡°H-huh?¡± As noble young ladies gathered around her, Lenya made a bewildered expression. ¡°By any chance, do you know about the ¡®Freshmen Welcome Party¡¯?¡± ¡°We would like to invite Ms. Lenya... Would you be interested?¡± The noble young ladies threw a subtle glance along with the proposal. ¡°W-well, there were rumors that it¡¯s not a good place to go...¡± ¡°No~! It¡¯s a place where freshmen like Ms. Lenya and other fresh faces are welcomed, promoting friendship.¡± ¡°Think of it as a place similar to a social gathering where you can make new friends.¡± ¡°A-ah...¡± At first, Lenya had a hesitant expression, but the mention of a ¡°social gathering¡± lit up her eyes. ¡®Alright, there¡¯s still a chance. I can make up for it...¡¯ ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to, there¡¯s nothing we can do...¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll go! I¡¯ll follow you!¡± In the midst of calculating fervently in her mind, Lenya hastily stood up and shouted as the noble young ladies turned away. ¡°Oh my, you¡¯re such a lively person~.¡± ¡°Then, please follow us.¡± ¡°A-alright!¡± With those ladies calmly smiling, Lenya left the classroom with an eager expression. ¡°...¡± And at that moment, Frey, who had been blocking the drawer under the lectern with his knees, coldly observed the conversation. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 295: Salvation Of The Hero Of Money Chapter 295: Salvation Of The Hero Of Money ? Salvation Of The Hero Of Money ? ¡°E-excuse me... but where are we going?¡± ¡°To the academy annex~¡± ¡°I-isn¡¯t that off-limits for first-year students?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Watching Lenya leave the classroom with the group of second and third-year noble young ladies, I muttered to myself with a frown. ¡®Those girls, they¡¯re not good people...¡¯ During the freshmen welcome party a year ago, those girls were definitely there. Feeding alcohol to seemingly easy going guys, sticking to those with high status, and then taking advantage of them somehow... Given their previous behavior, perhaps this time, they were acting as bait to lure innocent first-year students. Maybe they were trying to exploit Lenya, who had attracted everyone¡¯s attention with her incredibly beautiful look and how she summoned spirits and fairies during the entrance ceremony. ¡°Hm...¡± Even though my influence dramatically decreased as a commoner, I still roughly knew how the welcome party worked. They started with cheerful conversations and jokes to lull them into a false sense of security, then gradually they forced people to drink. Last year, a few who couldn¡¯t handle their alcohol got into a fight, and I couldn¡¯t reveal my true colors as I was busy trying to protect Irina. There would probably be a lot of people scheming under the pretext of the welcome party. ¡°...Phew.¡± I rubbed my tired eyes as I thought that. Then, once I confirmed that not a single person was left in the classroom, I sighed and leaned back. ¨C Creak... Then, the drawer under the lectern slowly opened. ¡°Hmm.¡± Finally, Kania crawled out from within while wiping her mouth with her hand and wearing a satisfied expression. ¡°Kania, what about your class?¡± ¡°Protecting Young Master is more important. There is no problem even if I miss a day.¡± ¡°Really... that¡¯s all?¡± ¡°By the way, there¡¯s an uninvited guest inside.¡± When I asked hollowly, she opened the drawer with a sly expression. ¡°Ubeub...¡± Inside the drawer was Alice, she squirmed with a flushed face as her body was bound all over with black ropes made by Kania. ¡°How should we handle this?¡± ¡°Ubeub!?¡± When Kania, who had been coldly staring at her, asked that, she stopped squirming and her face turned pale. ¡°...!¡± Then, with tears in her eyes, Alice alternated looks of betrayal and contempt between Kania and me. ¡°What do you mean by handle her? We should just let her go... Oh, come to think of it, I needed to incapacitate her for a few days.¡± ¡°Huh? Why?¡± ¡°We need to strengthen our stance for the next few days, but if the Hero Party intervenes, it could cause problems. Just today, there have been several interruptions.¡± ¡°I see...¡± ¡°Also, there are those targeting her directly. Whether it¡¯s the Church or some new faction, she¡¯s in quite a precarious state right now.¡± In front of her, Kania and I exchanged whispers in each other¡¯s ears. ¡°Then... How about we turn the space under the lectern into a prison for Alice while simultaneously making it a secret base?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Ms. Irina and I can use spatial expansion magic and portals. That way, we can rush to Young Master at any time in case of an emergency.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± After considering various options with her for a while, I nodded silently and then lowered my head to look at Alice, who was still under the lectern. ¡°Alice, from now on, this space under the lectern is your home.¡± After I said that with a bright smile, she, who had been glaring at me with disdain, was taken aback. ¡°My Alice is a good girl, right?¡± ¡°Ugh! Uvub!!¡± I showed smiling eyes while gently stroking her cheek, and she intensified her struggle and started to thrash around. ¡°We will cast spatial expansion magic to the drawer. You can stay there as long as you want. We¡¯ll provide food and a blanket, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¨C Squirm, squirm...! ¡°Right, well done. Given that I have kept giving you chances to kill me every week... Can you be quiet?¡± Petting her head, I calmly issued the command. Soon, I started planning in my mind. ¡®I don¡¯t have to be friends with her as Frey, right?¡¯ Plans to befriend her and a blurred plan to fully regain control of the academy were slowly taking shape in my mind. ¡®If I keep her hidden here for a few days and then rescue her with that identity, I can also complete Serena and Alice¡¯s quests of breaking free from the Curse of Subordination.¡¯ ¡°Uvub! Ugh!!!¡± ¡®That¡¯s right, I also still have to rescue Lenya... today is probably the best time to make an appearance as him.¡¯ As I pondered that, I continued to smile gently and spoke. ¡°So, remain here and behave, okay, Alice?¡± ¡°Eubebbbebebub!!! Uebeub!! Eeeebbb...¡± ¨C Click. With tears streaming down from her glistening eyes, I locked eyes with her until the end, then closed the drawer, quietly locking it with a key, and opened my mouth again. ¡°Kania, it would be better if we call Irina. We should be careful as to not summon Dmir Khan when using spatial magic.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Call Lulu too. It¡¯ll be necessary for the plan.¡± ¡°...Okay.¡± Kania nodded with a professional expression in response. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± She then quietly licked her lips and left the classroom. ¡°...¡± What exactly was I entrusting to her? . . . . . ¡°...¡± The freshmen welcome party was held as usual this year on the top floor of the annex, which was originally off-limits. All eyes in the room were focused on Lenya. ¡°Um, um... H-hellooo...¡± Sitting at the end of the banquet table, Lenya nervously greeted everyone with a stammering voice. ¡°Fufu... She¡¯s pretty.¡± ¡°She¡¯s incredibly cute that I want to go out with her.¡± ¡°May I ask if you happen to be from a certain family?¡± ¡°Do you have a boyfriend?¡± Just like that, what was coming for her was numerous praises and questions. ¡°Um, um...¡± ¡°Hey, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Ah, y-yes.¡± Sitting at the foot of the table, Lenya, who was being looked at with a strange gaze by the third-year students, quickly answered the questions when the girl next to her poked her in the side. ¡°I-I don¡¯t have a boyfriend. As for my family... I am from the Horizon family.¡± ¡°Oh... there? I thought you were just a commoner.¡± ¡°W-we have just reinstated not long ago, but... we¡¯re still working hard to regain our family past glory! S-so, please take care of me!¡±Updated chapters at novelhall.com When someone said that, Lenya, who had been very nervous, started babbling. ¨C Clap, clap, clap, clap...! ¡°Oh? Huh?¡± However, overwhelming applause poured down on her. ¡°Your aspirations are great! I liked it.¡± ¡°Pfthehehe. She¡¯s really cute, right?¡± ¡°Yeah... I guess so.¡± Amidst the deluge of compliments, Lenya, who were dumbfounded, secretly smiled contentedly. ¡®Alright, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening, but it¡¯s working well. If it continues like this, I can make connections...¡¯ ¡°Here, it¡¯s a gift.¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± However, out of nowhere, a third-year student next to her handed a crystal glass to Lenya. ¡°This... Is it alcohol, by any chance?¡± ¡°Why? You don¡¯t like alcohol?¡± ¡°Uh, well...¡± Slightly troubled, Lenya nodded politely and explained. ¡°I¡¯ve never drunk alcohol before... I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡®No, it can¡¯t be... My mana isn¡¯t responding properly...¡¯ She, who was desperately trying to use her mana, became frightened as her mana control didn¡¯t work properly due to the unexpectedly strong influence of the drug. Lenya, who trusted only in magic, knew that the chance of her winning a fight against two males older than her was almost nonexistent. ¨C Creaaaak... ¡®N-No... Please don¡¯t come... Don¡¯t come here...¡¯ Knowing this all too well, Lenya trembled as the sound of the door opening grew nearer. ¡®I-I shouldn¡¯t have come here... If I knew it would turn out to be like this, I wouldn¡¯t come to Sunrise Academy...¡¯ Today¡¯s troubles and the mistreatment she had received throughout the day piled up, causing tears to well up in her eyes. ¨C Creaaaaak... ¡®Why, why is the world so unfair? Why!!¡¯ When she heard the sound of the door opening right next to her, she screamed inwardly and shed tears. ¨C Click! Click, click! ¡°H-help! Someone, please help!¡± Just before they could open the door to her stall, she desperately locked it and began shouting for help. ¡°Sigh... I knew it would come to this.¡± ¡°Give up; no one else in this annex is beside us.¡± ¡°W-What?¡± ¡°Should we report this to the seniors? If she doesn¡¯t come out, we¡¯ll break in. One, two...¡± ¡°Uh, uhuhuh...¡± However, they mercilessly crushed her last hope. ¡°Hey, let¡¯s just break it.¡± ¨C Bang! Clang! Crash!!! ¡®M-My consciousness...¡¯ Lenya desperately tried to block the violently shaking door with her whole body, but she gradually began to weaken under the influence of the drug. ¡°Sis... I¡¯m sorry...¡± Shedding tears of regret, she muttered apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being such a stupid little sister...¡± ¨C Crash!!! However, a sudden loud noise echoed through the restroom at that moment. ¡°W-What, what are you guys... Ugh!¡± ¡°Y-you...!¡± ¡°Long time no see, little punk.¡± After that, a woman¡¯s voice resounded in the restroom, and Lenya silently tilted her head. ¡°Frey, can I turn these guys into eunuchs?¡± ¡°Last year, these guys were the ones who kidnapped and smashed your face into the crystal glass to impress me. You can handle them however you like. Once the job is done, send them to the back alley prison.¡± ¡°Urrrr...¡± Though she wasn¡¯t sure what was happening, it was quite noisy. ¡°H-Help... Keughaaaackkkk!!!¡± ¡°Just die, you idiot.¡± ¡°Master, shall I subdue all those inside as well?¡± ¡°You betrayed the Demon Lord¡¯s army, so I will punish you myself.¡± ¡°They are really bad people. Then, shall I brainwash...¡± However, Lenya once again lost consciousness before she could comprehend the situation. . . . . . ¡°Hmm...¡± Lenya barely shakes off her dazed mind and slowly opens her eyes. ¡°...?¡± What she saw was a strange yet familiar sight. ¡°This is... my dorm room?¡± No matter how she looked at it, this was indeed her room, the one she visited during break times. ¡°Wait, what in the world happened just now...!¡± After briefly looking around in a daze, she recalled what had just happened and abruptly stood up with a pale expression. ¡°Kyaack!?¡± Soon, she jumped up in surprise and sat on the bed. ¡°You finally awake?¡± ¡°W-Who are you?¡± It was because there was someone wearing a cloak, sitting on the windowsill. ¡°I¡¯m the one who saved you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You seemed to be in trouble, so I helped you out.¡± ¡°...?¡± With a wary gaze, Lenya looked at him, and when the mysterious man spoke, she opened her mouth with a puzzled expression. ¡°So, it was you who intruded at that time...¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be off then.¡± ¡°W-wait!! This is the 5th floor, you know!?¡± Ignoring her, the mysterious figure jumped out of the window. ¡°I left a letter on the desk~¡± After leaving these words behind, he disappeared. ¡°...A letter?¡± Approaching the window shrouded in darkness and staring blankly down below, she soon tilted her head and headed towards the desk. ¡°...!¡± However, before reaching it out, she froze in place. ¡°I-is that... really him?¡± The letter on the desk bore the seal of someone she had been searching for tirelessly in the past few months, someone she admired as much as the Imperial Princess. ¡°The Hero of Money... is a student at the academy!?¡± It was only now that she realized she couldn¡¯t discern the identity of the mysterious figure. She hurriedly opened the letter and muttered.. ¡°And that person saved me? What in the...¡± However, her muttering came to an abrupt halt. ¡°...¡± She looked like she¡¯d seen a ghost as she stared at the letter. ¨C I will sponsor you. At the very beginning of the letter, a phrase that left her mind in a daze was written¡ªthe phrase that every academy student earnestly hoped for. ¨C Taking into account your good spirit, mindset, family situation, and talents... ¡°Ah...¡± ¨C I was quite impressed by the recent paper you submitted to the Magic Tower regarding the ¡®Artificial World Tree¡¯. I would like to offer support and additional investment for your research, but... After momentarily spacing out, an astonished gasp escaped her lips as she continued reading the letter. ¨C Lastly, I personally have a favorable view of the potential of the Horizon Household... ¡°Egeuk, uhhhh...¡± Suddenly, her astonished gasp turned into choked sobs. ¨C Always work hard, and I hope you achieve great results. I will be cheering for you. [Hero of Money] ¡°S-sis...¡± Feeling like all of her sorrow and trouble has been relieved, she collapsed on her desk, shedding tears of happiness. ¡°W-We can finally have dinner now...¡± Unlike earlier, she was filled with hope. ¡°We no longer need to do part-time jobs... no need to deal with strange sponsors... I¡¯ve finally, finally been acknowledged by someone. I was always ignored, and my paper was rejected three times, but...¡± ¡°...Hehe.¡± ¡°Is that good, Young Master?¡± Hanging on the wall under the window in Kania¡¯s shadow, Frey observed the scene with a pleased expression. ¡°We¡¯re...Thank you... Hero of Money... And for acknowledging me. Really thank...¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way it doesn¡¯t feel good.¡± After saying that, Frey and Kania disappeared into the darkness. ¡°Now that everyone¡¯s fate can change.¡± On the day the Hero of Money officially commenced his activities at the academy, the moonlight appeared exceptionally bright. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 296: Special Ability Unlocked Chapter 296: Special Ability Unlocked ? Special Ability Unlocked ? ¨C Scribble, scribble... The sound of scribblings echoed in the classroom for a while. ¡°It is widely known that the demon race cannot resist the ¡®divine¡¯ light.¡± And the gazes of the students were either directed towards the paper or towards the man standing in front of the blackboard, Frey. ¡°Of course, even that is not something truly divine, and it¡¯s just a phenomenon. Due to the configuration of the demon¡¯s mana circuit, as I explained last time, it can be fatally effective for them...¡± ¨C Ding dong? Ding dong? ¡°...Well, this concludes today¡¯s class.¡± Frey, who had been calmly explaining for a while, declared this as soon as the bell rang, and raised his hand. ¡°W-wait, just a moment!¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t finished writing everything yet...!¡± ¨C Snap! ¡°Ah...¡± Several students with slow writing screamed, but even today, the precious information written on the blackboard, more valuable than gold, cleanly disappeared. ¡°The reason that the demon race is vulnerable to divine power and light mana is due to their mana circuit... If you look at this diagram here, it¡¯ll make sense...¡± ¡°Then, is it possible to create artificial power that is fatal only to the demon race?¡± ¡°Well, who knows? Why don¡¯t you ask a question about it?¡± While some students were dazed, there were others exchanging opinions with each other. ¡°I have a question, Professor!¡± ¡°...I also have a question.¡± On the other hand, there were students like Lenya and Eurelia who asked questions with deep frowns or haughty expressions. ¡°Today¡¯s class is over. I won¡¯t take any questions.¡± ¡°When we asked during class, you said you wouldn¡¯t answer because we were in the middle of class! And now you¡¯re acting like this.¡± ¡°Well then... Oh, I almost forgot.¡± However, ignoring those girls, Frey, who was about to leave the classroom, calmly reached under the lectern and pulled something out. ¡°I will announce the results of the assignment I gave a week ago.¡± After he said that, Frey revealed a hefty bundle of papers on top of the lectern, and the classroom fell eerily silent. ¡°First place, Eurelia von Justiano.¡± ¡°Eikkk...!¡± When Frey calmly spoke, Lenya, who had a slightly expectant expression, clenched her fists and made a vexed expression. ¡°Thank you.¡± However, Eurelia plainly expressed her gratitude as if it were a matter of course. ¡°Second place, Lenya de Horizon.¡± ¡°...!¡± Hearing that, Eurelia¡¯s gaze slightly wavered when Frey announced second place. ¡°Third place, Aishi Winter Cloud.¡± ¡°Tsk, what do I lack compared to her?¡± ¡°Fourth place, Olivia. Fifth place, Lecane Luna Silvermoon. Sixth place...¡± Lenya, who didn¡¯t see Eurelia¡¯s gaze, grumbled with a dissatisfied expression. Meanwhile, Frey continued to announce the rankings. ¡°...Last place, Roswyn Solar Sunset.¡± After calling out the last-place student¡¯s name, Frey headed towards the classroom door. ¡°Today¡¯s assignment is to organize your thoughts on ways to inflict fatal injuries on the demon race. Please prepare a 5-page analysis.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And next week, we¡¯ll be heading to the Ashen Forest for the performance evaluation.¡± After leaving behind these words that plunged the relieved students back into despair, Frey quietly exited the classroom. ¡°A-Ashen Forest? They say it¡¯s in chaos these days due to the ¡®Erosion Phenomenon¡¯, right? Is he crazy?¡± ¡°He¡¯s probably trying to push us around as pawns in front of the Demon King¡¯s army. I can see it.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s say he intends to do that, but the information he gives is too valuable just to dismiss...¡± ¡°Is it all just deception? He deliberately released such information to deceive the Empire and us, with the ultimate goal of dominating everyone with the stigma of slavery. Just today, two more victims fell to him...¡± Behind him, the students were exchanging words with cold expressions. In many ways, Frey had become the ¡°Devil Professor.¡± ¡°Oh my, Frey...¡± ¡°Fufu.¡± ¡°...!¡± However, as the Devil Professor left the first-year floor to ascend to the second floor, his face turned pale, and he began to look frightened. ¡°Could you please look at us?¡± ¡°We want to have a little chat with you, Mr. Frey.¡± In front of him, there were the young ladies who, just a few months ago, were his classmates, and now they had sinister expressions. ¡°I... I¡¯m a bit busy.¡± ¡°...What?¡± When Frey took a step back and said that, the expressions of the young ladies turned icy. ¡°Pffft, you¡¯re really using honorifics now. How cute.¡± ¡°Are you, a dirty commoner, talking back to us right now?¡± And then, those girls surrounded him, muttering in cold voices. ¡°Do you still think you¡¯re a distinguished duke¡¯s son?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just a commoner now. If we say crawl, you crawl; if we say bark, you bark, you filthy commoner.¡± ¡°We know all those rumors about you are just excuses. You even dared to approach the Imperial Princess, right? You rag.¡± ¡°Frey, sit. Hand.¡± Then, the humiliation against him began. ¡°Are you so desperate that commoners are challenging you to a duel? Some nobles are the same.¡± ¡°If you do what you did for the Imperial Princess for us, we can protect you.¡± ¡°Do you want to die at the hands of commoners? Become a plaything for the high-ranking nobles? Or... play with us.¡± The young ladies proposed while grabbing Frey¡¯s cheeks, stroking his chin, or poking his side. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry...¡± Then, in the next moment, she froze, her eyes wide open. ¡°...¡± Frey¡¯s reaction was the same. ¡°What did I just hear?¡± Aria, neatly dressed in the academy uniform, glared at Frey from behind them with disgust. ¡°You disgusting bastard!¡± ¡°There was no sign...? How in the world...¡± Thanks to Aria¡¯s sudden appearance, Frey quickly retracted his foot from the desk with a bewildered look on his face. ¡°There you go, Ms. Aria.¡± ¡°...¡± Frey¡¯s expression turned sour after discovering someone coming out of the waiting room behind her. ¡°What I said is correct, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ruby, who had neatly erased Aria¡¯s presence, smiled and leaned against the wall next to the door. . . . . . ¡°So, why are you here?¡± ¡°...¡± Aria, along with Ruby, entered the waiting room attached to the faculty office. Frey questioned them with a frown on his face. ¡°Well, to enroll Ms. Aria into your class.¡± Then, Ruby, standing next to Aria, answered with a smile. ¡°Before this, there¡¯s already a precedent with someone called ¡®Glare¡¯, right? So, with my recommendation, Ms. Aria could be admitted early, too.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°But lately, I haven¡¯t seen her. Where could she have gone?¡± Upon hearing this, a letter that Frey had received came to his mind. [Hero? Hero of Money? The real Hero? What should I call you?] It was the letter from Glare that Gugu brought to Frey just before he headed to the academy, asking if she could refer to him as the ¡®Hero of Money¡¯. [I received a ¡®Helper Main Quest¡¯ yesterday! After reviewing the content, it seems to be a very important quest! So, my plan to attend the academy might be a bit delayed... But I¡¯ll try to get there as quickly as possible!] P.S. About the black ring on your left ring finger... What is it? By any chance, is it... ¡°I¡¯m not sure either.¡± Frey replied like that since he didn¡¯t know where Glare had gone. Ruby chuckled and mumbled. ¡°Of course, you wouldn¡¯t know...¡± Then, she got up from her seat. ¡°Anyway, it seems like I should leave to give you some space, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I was hoping for. I need to have a chat with my little sister.¡± Hearing that, Ruby smiled and headed towards the exit. ¡°Aria, let¡¯s have a talk...¡± Frey, who was giving Ruby a cold glare, sighed and tried to speak to Aria. ¡°Who did you call your sister?¡± Aria spoke with her arms crossed and a cold expression on her face. ¡°...¡± Upon hearing that, Frey lowered his head. ¡°I¡¯ve never considered someone like you as family.¡± The moment when Aria once again struck a heavy blow to Frey¡¯s heart. ¡°Ugh...¡± Frey suddenly paled, clutching his chest. ¡°What, what is it?¡± ¡°Gasp... gasp...¡± Then, he suddenly trembled as he exhaled rough breaths. ¡®Why am I like this?¡¯ He muttered inwardly while sporting a pale expression. [Special Ability ¨C Debuff Shop] ¨C Minimize Mental Strength LV MAX (80000pt) ¡°Fufu, fufufu...¡± Ruby, who caught sight of Frey in such a state before leaving the room, turned around with a glance. [Selected Target¡¯s Mental Strength is fixed at the minimum value for a certain period.] ¡°Still, can you endure it?¡± Satisfied, she murmured and quietly left the room. [System Notification!] At that moment, a system notification appeared before Frey¡¯s eyes. [¡®Special Ability ¨C Hero Ver¡¯ has been unlocked.] Checking the notification, Frey widened his eyes as he muttered inwardly. ¡®What on earth is she doing...?¡¯ ¨C Purchased through the use of 300,000pt Helper Points. The moonlight characters were inscribed, invading the system window. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 297: Unintended Cohabitation Chapter 297: Unintended Cohabitation ? Unintended Cohabitation ? ¡°Gasp, gasp...¡± ¡°W-why are you like this?¡± As Frey struggled to breathe, he lowered his head with a pale expression. Seeing Frey suddenly gasping for breath, Aria asked him with a slightly bewildered look. ¡®I can¡¯t breathe. I can¡¯t...¡¯ However, Frey¡¯s condition only worsened atAria¡¯s questioning voice. ¡°...Where does it hurt?¡± Aria, who had been silently observing him, finally asked quietly. ¡°N-no. It¡¯s nothing.¡± Hearing a hint of concern in her voice startled him, he bit his lip and turned his head sideways. ¡°It¡¯s strange.¡± After scrutinizing Frey for a while, she eventually tilted her head. Having observed Frey¡¯s deteriorating condition since childhood, she instinctively sensed that something was wrong. ¨C Crackle... In that situation, Frey closed his eyes tightly and exerted force on his left arm. ¨C Shaaa... Then, dark mana began to flow from his arm. ¡°...So, it¡¯s a side effect, huh?¡± Seeing that, Aria, lowering her eyes, muttered in a cold voice. ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s what it is.¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± At that moment, a cold energy once again penetrated Frey¡¯s chest. ¡®H-has the curse of Aishi recurred?¡¯ Thinking along those lines, Frey began to feel his chest, but he felt no chill. In a way, it was inevitable. It was because it was a phenomenon rooted in psychological reasons. ¡°Let me get straight to the point.¡± Aria finally spoke after silently watching Frey confusedly touching the area around his heart. ¡°I¡¯m enrolling as a first-year student starting today.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So, I came to get your stamp as the professor in charge.¡± Then, she took out a piece of paper from her pocket. ¡°I¡¯ve already received permission from the dean and board of directors. So, you have no right to refuse. Just stamp it already and stop trying to weasel out of it...¡± ¡°A-A-A-Aria.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Aria spoke with a firm voice, thinking Frey might be up to something again. She was startled when he suddenly called her name and grabbed her hand. ¡°C-Can you listen to me for a moment?¡± ¡°Wh-What are you doing right now?¡± Unfazed, Frey tightened his grip on her hand and began to speak. ¡°Please, don¡¯t enroll in the academy...¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°P-Please. I¡¯m begging you...¡± Slowly rising from his seat, he pleaded with an earnest gaze and voice. ¡°...W-what is this?¡± Aria¡¯s gaze slightly wavered as she observed his expression. ¡°What the hell are you doing...¡± It was the appearance of her older brother, whom she had longed to see again and thought she would never see again. The one who used to carry her when her legs hurt. The one who always shared delicious food, dividing it evenly onto her plate. And when she stumbled and got scratched, he was the one who would rush over, terrified, and blow on the injury before she could even cry. He was making that same expression and gaze at this moment. ¡°It¡¯s a dangerous time now. You shouldn¡¯t come.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Several worst-case scenarios could occur. There might be casualties, and in the worst case, we might fail. Right now, everything is uncertain...¡± ¡°W-wait a minute! What in the world are you saying!¡± However, the words coming out of his mouth were too difficult to understand. Scenarios? Casualties? Uncertainty? What in the world was he talking about? ¡°What kind of trouble are you trying to cause?¡± No matter how much she thought about it, Aria could only speculate that Frey, as a key figure, was orchestrating a massive incident. Then, there was also Ruby¡¯s warning of a grand conspiracy that could endanger the entire academy. ¡°You bastard!.¡± Therefore, Aria strengthened her slowly chipping determination and thought quietly to herself. ¡®Is this... effective in any way?¡¯ ¡°Uh, uh.¡± ¡®Despite everything I¡¯ve said so far, she hasn¡¯t batted an eye at all... Mhm?¡¯ Then, her eyes widen when she hears a sound coming from in front of her. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Aria...¡± Frey looked at her, trembling with a pale and aghast face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry as your brother...¡± With an expression filled with guilt and concern, he left those words behind, before lowering his head. ¡°Now you¡¯re pretending to be hurt?¡± ¡°Sorry... I¡¯m Sorry, Aria...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention my name with that mouth of yours!¡± Aria, unable to bear the strange sight of his brother trembling like a frightened cat, pushed Frey¡¯s hand away, and stood up from her seat. ¡°Heik...!¡± Frey, with a frightened expression, hunched. ¡°It¡¯s my fault...¡± Then, he closes his eyes tightly and speaks in a trembling voice. Aria watched him blankly for a moment, and when Frey, who had been looking down at the letter for a while, raised his head, she hurried out of the room. ¡°...¡± And silence filled the room. ¡°No matter how much I think about it, something feels strange...¡± In that situation, still holding onto his pounding heart, Frey took a deep breath and displayed his information in front of him. [Stats] Name: Frey Strength: 10 Mana: 10 Intelligence: ??? Mental Strength: 0.1~1 Passive Status: Terminal Illness / Mental Strength Degradation LV MAX Disposition: Hero Goodness Stat: 100 ¡°Ah...¡± Frey¡¯s complexion darkened abruptly as he checked his mental strength. . . . . . ¨C Creak... Stepping out of the waiting room and into the hallway, Frey quietly surveyed his surroundings. ¨C Ssk... Because of that, the gazes of some students and professors who were in the faculty office were now fixed on him. ¡°Ugh.¡± Frey sat down in his seat with his face turning pale, and muttered in a low voice while clutched his head. ¡°From now on until the next performance evaluation... I have to live as a second-year student...¡± Despite becoming a ¡®Special Lecturer¡¯ and obtaining access to the ¡®Professor¡¯s Dormitory¡¯ and ¡®Faculty Office Pass¡¯, Frey¡¯s official status remained that of an academy student. Having to live as a student for a week and then as a professor for the next week, coupled with this mysterious debuff, was akin to a death sentence. ¡°The next main scenario is the student council president election, and I haven¡¯t finished preparing for the performance evaluation yet... Damn it all...¡± Main Quest: Student Council President Election Quest Content: Prevent Alice from becoming the Student Council President! To make matters worse, as soon as the entrance ceremony scenario ended, the next important scenario began, so Frey¡¯s anxiety was reaching its peak. ¨C Grit, grit... Due to the traumas accumulated since his childhood, Frey had been suffering with various neurosis, mental fragility, anxiety disorders, and auditory hallucinations. Therefore, he could only forcibly suppress the desire to go crazy or give up everything by utilizing his mental strength, which was pushing between 9 and 10. However, if his mental strength became fixed between 0.1 and 1, it was clear that something drastic would happen. ¡°Look, it¡¯s Frey.¡± ¡°Is he really sitting in the faculty office? How shameless.¡± ¡°So, starting tomorrow, he will join class 2A, right? I¡¯m really looking forward to it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m dying to know how the commoners will treat him.¡± Frey glanced around nervously with a pale expression on his seat. He lowered his eyes in fear when he heard gossip about himself from afar. Just a few minutes ago, this action of his was something that would have been unthinkable. ¡®K-Kania... I should contact Kania. No, Lulu? Is Lulu closer to me?¡¯ He shuddered at the feeling of everyone¡¯s eyes crawling around his body like bugs, and began to think urgently. ¡®I should also check the special system... Maybe there¡¯s a way to overcome this. But, no matter how much I think about it, how can I find tranquility...¡¯ ¡°Frey? What¡¯s going on?¡± Amidst the chaos in his head, a familiar voice reached him from the side. ¡°W-Why are you biting your nails like th¡ª¡± ¡°Sister Isolet¡± ¡°...!?¡± Realizing that Isolet was looking at him with a worried expression, Frey urgently grabbed her hand and spoke. ¡°Why is your hand so cold...¡± ¡°Take me somewhere.¡± ¡°Wh-where to?¡± ¡°...To the faculty dormitory.¡± Hearing this, Isolet made a perplexed expression. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re acting like this, but if you¡¯re sick, you should go to the infirmary...¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Everything is so scary. I feel like I¡¯m going to go insane...¡± Isolet¡¯s gaze slowly started to tremble as Frey looked at her desperately. ¡°I want to go to the quietest place possible... I need someone who almost never gives me trauma... Please...¡± ¡°Wh-what¡¯s going on... Hik!¡± ¡°Please take me there.¡± When Frey pleaded and buried his face in her stomach, she bit her lips in concern. ¡°But, the room isn¡¯t ready yet for an unexpected addition like you...¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s an order.¡± When Frey raised the ring of oath in his right hand and summoned all the strength he had left to make a dignified expression, Isolet fell silent. ¡°Take me... right away... You can see this ring, right? Hurry up, follow my order.¡± ¡®This... It can¡¯t be helped. He doesn¡¯t seem in a good state, but for now, I¡¯ll play along...¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re my property... Isolet.¡± ¡®Mm-hmm. I can¡¯t help it. It¡¯s an emergency.¡¯ Two professors entered the quiet faculty dormitory as the day drew to a close. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 298: Mommy Isolet Chapter 298: Mommy Isolet ? Mommy Isolet ? ¡°Ugh, uuh...¡± ¡°....Hmm?¡± Late at night, Isolet, who had been peacefully sleeping in her bed, quietly opened her eyes. ¡®What¡¯s that sound?¡¯ It was because she heard a strange noise coming from somewhere. ¨C Ssk... Slightly tensing up at the sound of that voice, Isolet reached for the sword she always kept by the bed. But then she shook her head with a slight chuckle. ¡®Hfft... It¡¯s just Frey.¡¯ She stretches to shake off the drowsiness that has been taking over her since she just woke up. The one who was in her room was not a ghost nor an intruder. It¡¯s just her cute Frey. So, it was fine. ¡®But... he seems a bit strange today.¡¯ Isolet was about to lie back down, but soon shook her head and began contemplating Frey¡¯s peculiar behavior. It was because it had been on her mind ever since. ¡®Initially, I thought he was just trying to seduce me, just like in the old days, but today feels different. Somehow, it feels a bit strange.¡¯ Frey, for some reason, firmly believed in the legend that the ¡®Ring of Oath¡¯ she had gifted had a hypnotic effect. At the time when he extended the ring and, with a cute expression, issued the command for them to stay together in the same room, she thought that Frey was openly displaying his lust towards her. Therefore, she was pondering what to do if, in the middle of the night, Frey came to make a move on her, attempting to impose the ring¡¯s effect and whispering for her not to resist. Should she tightly shut her eyes and endure it, give in, or honestly tell him that the ring actually had no effect? ¡°Is there something wrong? I¡¯ve been receiving calls from Kania and Irina since a while ago...¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s fine! I said it¡¯s fine... Please just tell them that I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Still...¡± ¡°What I want right now is you, Sis.¡± ¡°...¡± When Frey entered the room and said those words desperately, Isolet was concerned that Frey might make a move on her in the middle of the night. ¡°You really don¡¯t want to have dinner first and go straight to sleep already?¡± ¡°I have no appetite.¡± ¡°But, even so, you look so frail...¡± ¡°Sleep well, Sis.¡± After Frey entered the room, he looked around anxiously and covered himself with a blanket. ¡°I can make you a sandwich...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Darn it.¡± Isolet couldn¡¯t help but to obey Frey, who flashed the ring of oath with a cute expression on his face. ¨C Step, step... ¡°Emm-hmm, hmm-hmm.¡± Her body slightly heated up at the thought of obediently doing what he wanted. Afterwards, going back and forth between their bed. ¨C Ssk, sssk... She cautiously caressed Frey¡¯s cheek as he slept. ¨C Shift... Toss... She tossed and turned her feverish body, yet nothing happened. ¡°No way... he just left me alone...¡± Before she knew it, she self-reflected on what she was thinking, questioning where her knightly behavior had gone and blamed herself for becoming so lewd. She cooled herself down on the bed and eventually fell asleep. ¡°Ugh, ugh...¡± ¡°...?¡± As the small happenings of the day seemed to come to an end, Isolet, now awake, felt there was something unusual that had happened. ¡°Frey, are you o¡ª¡± Cautiously, Isolet brought her sword in hand, just in case, and headed towards the bed where Frey was lying down. ¡°H-heikkkk!¡± ¡°...!¡± Startled, she stepped back. ¡°S-spare me... Please spare me...¡± Frey flipped the blanked and trembled as he looked towards her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry... I¡¯ll stay quiet, just please don¡¯t kill me. I¡¯ll endure any torture, anything, please...¡± ¨C Ssrk. ¡°...Ah?¡± For some reason, Frey was in a serious state of panic. When Isolet realized that his gaze was focused on the sword she was holding, she hid the sword behind her. Then Frey, who was hyperventilating due to fear, quietly tilted his head. ¡°Is the nightmare... already over?¡± Frey mumbled. ¡°It¡¯s not a dream. This is reality.¡± ¡°...!?¡± ¡°What in the world is happening?¡± Unable to watch him any longer, Isolet grabbed his hand and asked. Frey responded with his eyes wide open. ¡°S-sister? Is that really you?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°Y-you¡¯re lying.¡± However, Frey shrunk back with a terrified expression. ¡°I asked many times... every single time you said that you are Isolet... but you always ended up strangling me...¡± ¡°Frey? What are you talking about...¡± ¡°G-go away. If this is not a dream, what¡¯s the sound I¡¯m hearing?¡± As Frey raised his voice, Isolet tilted her head in confusion. ¡°I hear screams from all directions¡ª the voices of people dying, resenting me, cursing as they rushed towards me... The burning empire, decaying corpses...¡± ¡°Frey?¡± Illusions stemming from memories of past cycles continued to invade his mind. And when he heard Isolet called his name, Frey paled and shouted at her. Just like that, the night passed, and morning arrived. ¡°....Slurp?¡± Unlike yesterday, Frey was dressed neatly in his school uniform and was about to leave the dormitory. However, when he felt that his mouth was wet for some reason, he tilted his head and wiped the corner of his mouth. ¡°...?¡± And for some reason, his jaw felt stiff. ¡°F-Frey. Then... I¡¯ll see you later.¡± ¡°...Okay, Sister.¡± Isolet lowered her eyes and spoke in a strange tone while sitting on her bed and fidgeting oddly. This caused him to respond with a slightly confused expression. He scratched his head and left the dormitory. ¡®I¡¯m scared, I¡¯m scared, I¡¯m scared...¡¯ At the same time, another fear struck him. ¡®I want to go back...¡¯ He cowered like a kitten that had escaped its warm mother¡¯s embrace and was thrown into an unfamiliar place. He glanced at the dormitory behind him a few times and then took a step forward. ¡°I-I can do this... I must not fall apart here.¡± His legs were shaking with terror as he felt eyes gazing at him from all directions, but he mustered his resolve and moved forward, driven solely by a sense of responsibility. ¨C Ssk... He looked around, then took out a cloak from his pocket, and put it on. ¨C Step, step... Thus, in the early morning before the sun rose, Frey transformed into the ¡°Hero of Money,¡± striding through the deserted corridor. ¡°...?¡± Occasionally, he encountered a few students, but mostly, they just glanced and passed by, thanks to the effect of the cloak. ¡°Huft, ah...¡± Finally feeling a sense of relief in his heart, Frey sighed, thinking that he should make good use of the cloak until the situation improved. He then quickly moved his footsteps. ¡°.....Hmm.¡± However, as he walked, he suddenly stopped and began to look around. [1st Year ¨C Class A] Staring blankly at the class where he served as the professor in charge, Frey cautiously entered the classroom. Frey stared blankly at the class where he served as the professor, then he cautiously entered the classroom. ¡°That damned bastard said he would make us unable to approach this side even if he had to die...¡± ¡°What if he¡¯s hiding something?¡± Several students were chatting while banging and shaking the lectern. ¡°Did he hide a lover down there? Sometimes, during class, he would grab the lectern and start shaking.¡± ¡°Nah, no way.¡± ¡°Still... It might be worth investigating...¡± The moment a student said that and stretched out a hand towards the lectern... ¨C Bang!! ¡°...!!!¡± Watching the scene unfold, Frey forcefully swung the classroom door open. ¡°Phew.¡± Watching the first-year students scramble outside the classroom with terrified expressions due to that sound, Frey wiped the cold sweat off his forehead. Soon, he moved at a leisurely pace. ¡°Starting today, I have to live as a second-year student... I should probably bring out Alice.¡± Muttering to himself, Frey reevaluated his plan to rescue her and become friends with her while he was acting as the ¡°Hero of Money¡±. ¡°...Heub.¡± Soon, he took a deep breath and dispelled the magic circle attached to the lectern. ¨C Creak... A little later, the drawer beneath the lectern started to open after being locked for a week. ¡°Ebeub... eub...¡± As the drawer opened, it revealed Alice clinging to the door despite the spacious space behind. ¡°Ebeub! Eeeeebeub!!!¡± When the drawer swung open, Alice collapsed to the floor with her entire body bound up. She began flailing around on the floor. Tears welled up in her eyes as she finally saw the light for the first time in a while. ¡°...Ebeub?¡± Then, she realized someone was standing in front of her. ¡°.....!!!¡± Alice, who admired the ¡°Hero of Money¡± more than anyone else, quickly recognized his identity. With trembling eyes, she began looking up at him. However... ¡°Uu, uuu uuu...¡± For some reason, he stared at her with a terrified expression, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead. ¡°Eub? Uuubebb!¡± ¨C Srrrk... ¡°H-Hero of Money! Perhaps, did you come to save me...¡± Sensing that something was off, she sat upright, looking at him with a puzzled expression. When the Hero of Money removed the gag from her mouth, she crawled to him on her knees and asked him a question. ¡°H-heiiiik!¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± As he continued to gaze at Alice, still with a terrified expression, he let out a scream of horror and fell backwards. Then, once again, confusion dominated her expression. ¡°P-please... spare my life...¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± And his expression... ¡°J-just spare my life... please......¡± ¡°H-Hero...?¡± For some reason, the Hero of Money began to beg for his life while holding her left arm, and he started to become rigid. ¡°Ah, it hurts... Hegeuk...¡± ¡°...¡± The final moments of the people she had dealt with so far flashed before her eyes. For some reason, the panic-stricken appearance of the Hero of Money overlapped with them. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 299: Lick Me A Bit Chapter 299: Lick Me A Bit ? Lick Me A Bit ? ¡°E-Excuse me...¡± ¨C Srrrk... Seeing the Hero of Money diligently untying the black rope that bound her, Alice extended her freed hand towards him. ¡°Ugh.¡± At that moment, he stopped untying the rope and flinched. ¡°B-by any chance... Have you ever seen me before?¡± Seeing him in such a state, Alice, unsure of what to do, asked hesitantly. ¡°...N-no. I haven¡¯t had such an experience, but...¡± Frey, the Hero of Money, immediately shook his head vigorously. ¡°Forget about that. We need to leave here quickly. There¡¯s no time to waste.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know when the one who imprisoned you will return.¡± Soon after, he lifted Alice and spoke. ¡°You¡¯ve been trapped here, right? I¡¯ve been searching for you since you went missing. Fortunately, I found you.¡± ¡°...?¡± A slightly calmer demeanor replaced the trembling fear from earlier. Perplexed by the sudden change, Alice looked at him bewilderedly. But she eventually turned her gaze away. ¡°Uh...¡± Then, the space where she had been confined since she was attacked by someone hiding in the corner after she attempted to assault Frey a week ago suddenly came into view. ¡°...Disgusting.¡± She muttered as she recalled the events that had happened within the past week, but then she looked at the Hero of Money in front of her and tried to express her gratitude. ¡°Thank you, Hero of Money...¡± ¡°Uh, uh. Uh, uh, uh.¡± ¡°.....?¡± For some reason, hearing her voice filled with cold hatred made him tremble again. ¡°E-excuse me...¡± Seeing that sight, Alice felt her heart sink once again. Though it was incredibly difficult to discern his face, he was clearly gripped by fear. Alice had witnessed people being terrified countless times. The expression he made was similar to the one she had seen many times when people heard her words filled with cold hatred right before she took their lives. No, I¡¯ve only killed those who deserved to die. I¡¯ve never attacked the Hero of Money in the past. ¡°Uh, Hero of Money... are you a student at the academy?¡± As those people¡¯s expressions continued to haunt her, Alice thought hard to ask the question. ¡°...It¡¯s a secret. Well, it¡¯ll soon become public knowledge anyway.¡± Then, the Hero of Money led her out of the classroom and answered softly. ¡°By the way, is there something wrong? Why are you so...?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m feeling a bit unwell right now. I¡¯ve caught a severe cold, so it¡¯s better not to touch me.¡± Reaching out to him again, Alice tried to touch his hand, but he quickly withdrew, and started to nervously chew on his lips. ¡°Here, take this.¡± ¡°What is this...?¡± While they were walking down the corridor, Frey took something out of his pocket and handed it to her. ¡°You must be hungry, right? I made a lunchbox for you.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± It was a lunchbox containing rice with a smiling pea drawn on it and various side dishes.The? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n)) The lunchbox consisted of the most delicious foods the Hero of Money had enjoyed when eating with the second-year commoner students. ¡°I-I made it myself. I hope you like it.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± At that moment, the realization dawned on Alice that the ¡®Hero of Money¡¯ had just saved her life. ¡°Th-thank you. Thank you so much...¡± So, she set aside the troubled thoughts from earlier and bowed with a grateful heart, tears pooling in her eyes. ¡°I-I thought... I would be trapped there forever...¡± Simultaneously, fear and sorrow burst forth out of her. ¡°Frey trapped me there... He said that place would be my home from now on... No matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t get out...¡± Tearfully, Alice spoke with choked-up emotions. ¡°Th-thank you for saving me. I want to repay you, but...¡± ¡°Then, be my friend.¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± When the Hero of Money cautiously held out his hand and made the request, she looked at him perplexed. ¡°I want to be friends with you, Alice.¡± Gazing at Alice, the Hero of Money closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and spoke again. ¡°I... don¡¯t have an ordinary friend I can open up to and share my thoughts with.¡± ¡°Ah...?¡± ¡°So, I want to be friends with you and share our thoughts with each other.¡± Saying that, the Hero of Money cast his eyes downward, twirling his foot timidly. ¡°W-will you be the one I can talk to about my story?¡± ¡°...¡± Alice¡¯s expression slowly began to stiffen. . . . . . ¡°I-if you don¡¯t want to, you can refuse. I would never force you.¡± The Hero of Money, holding Alice¡¯s hand, desperately added while staring at her. Observing him, Alice thought to herself. Alice thought he was such a strange person. Despite having so much wealth, he seemed happiest when sharing various stories with his commoner peers. All the rich and powerful people she had encountered so far were despicable individuals. The Secret Lord who cursed and manipulated her, the worst scoundrel Frey, Count Justiano, who occasionally entrusted her with tasks, the sponsors who tried to devour the commoners a few months ago, and many more. In the end, poor people like her and her friends were inevitably crushed by such people. However, what about the Hero of Money, who was now extending a lunchbox and wearing a shy expression towards her? The price for his hefty sponsorship was simply him asking about their well-being, recent hardships, life in the academy, studies, and friendships¡ª just casual questions. He was someone who considered these kinds of things the joy of life. Moreover, occasionally, after such Q&A sessions, students who had complained about their parents¡¯ illnesses or bullying would miraculously see improvements in their condition the next day. Their Parents¡¯ conditions would improve, special medicine would be delivered, or noble students who had relentlessly bullied them would quietly pass by with lowered eyes. Of course, the commoner students not accustomed to such favors were initially skeptical, thinking it was a scheme to manipulate them. Yet, until they reached the second academy year, he had never initiated any physical contact, let alone made any personal requests. He had requested water only once when his throat was dry, but this repayment was too meager to be considered a fair trade for the hefty sponsorship funds. As expected, this person is... At first, she had thought of him as just a strange, eccentric person. Perhaps it was just a noble hobby of an old man who had earned too much money or he simply did it for fun. However, after seeing his true nature and finding out that he was a student at the Academy, Alice completely changed her mind. He must have been lonely. Regardless of who the Hero of Money was or what his identity was, he seemed like someone who was quite lonely. For some reason, he was unable to share conversations with his peers, but he was sincerely happy just to engage in conversations with commoner students. He was an outcast in desperate need of a friend. ¡°...Sure.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be your friend.¡± Having willingly accepted his request, Alice silently observed the Hero of Money. ¡°Thank you.¡± In the morning, it was Frey who told everyone that he had been cursed, but it was nothing special and that everyone shouldn¡¯t be worried. Of course, that was a lie Frey had decided to tell to hide his curse, to prevent the pain that the main heroines would feel if they found out the truth. Sensing Frey¡¯s determination to conceal his curse, Kania couldn¡¯t bring herself to lift her feet. She looked at Frey, who still smiled brightly, even though he was slightly trembling as he looked at her. It¡¯s just a weakening of mental strength. In that situation, Frey muttered with closed eyes. Other than that, nothing has changed. There are no problems... Although he thought so inwardly, it didn¡¯t seem very convincing, considering that Frey had been holding onto his wrecked mind with just his mental strength for as long as he could remember. ¡°Frey...¡± Meanwhile, Irina, who hastily headed to sit behind Frey, made eye contact with Frey and froze, unable to move her feet any longer. ¡°W-what kind of curse have you been subjected to...¡± Smiling as if nothing was wrong, Frey just shrugged his shoulders. ¨C Shiver... However, the trembling arms under the desk couldn¡¯t be hidden. ¡°Who the hell cursed you like that...¡± That scene resembled the moment when he killed a werewolf attacking Irina with a club. It looked eerily similar to the scene of young Frey sitting in the mansion¡¯s waiting room, his arm trembling and his face ashen, several hours later upon realizing the truth. ¡°...Grind.¡± Therefore, Irina had no choice but to sit away from Frey¡¯s sight, grinding her teeth and quietly analyzing Frey¡¯s mana system. ¡°Frey...¡± And the same went for Clana. ¡°I- I need... I need to help...¡± Clana couldn¡¯t sit next to him in the first place. It was because of the recent scandal between Frey and her; he strongly requested that she be hostile towards him when there were other people around. Of course, she could sit next to him and still show some hostility, but she was quite quick-witted. After observing his reactions to Kania and Irina, it was easy to anticipate how he, cursed with an unknown curse, would react upon seeing her. ¨C Sssk... Suddenly, when the three girls couldn¡¯t approach him... ¡°...Lord Frey?¡± The crowd of students began to surround him. ¡°No, should I call you Frey now? You¡¯re just a commoner, right?¡± ¡°Why did you still crawl into the academy? No way. Do you think we¡¯ll treat you the same as before? Really? You¡¯re so stupid, hehehe.¡± ¡°Hey, punk. How does it feel to fall from grace? Do you understand our feelings now?¡± Soon, the verbal abuse began pouring down on him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you scared? Your face is completely pale.¡± ¡°Look at this motherfucker. He looked like he was about to cry. Is he really Frey? Not a stand-in?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he might have sent a stand-in because he wants to graduate from the academy. Let¡¯s assume this one is a stand-in. Why does he tremble so much?¡± ¡°Oh, cute... You¡¯re so cute...¡± Thanks to this, Frey, who was truly frightened, closed his mouth and lowered his head in fear. The ladies who were pinching his cheeks and the students who were watching him began to whisper. ¡°So, who¡¯s going to be his seat partner? We should decide his owner.¡± ¡°Commoners, step aside. We¡¯ll play with him for a bit and then let you enjoy it afterwards.¡± ¡°Why not just change seat partners every first period? Except for that crazy professor, all the professors are basically on our side anyway...¡± Amidst the ongoing murmur among the nobles, the commoners whispered with a chilling tone. ¡°From the second year onwards, you know that you can freely request dueling, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re screwed, Frey.¡± ¡°Come to the restroom during the break. If you don¡¯t... it¡¯ll be fun, you know?¡± Even though he was truly terrified hearing all those words, Frey just kept his mouth shut and his head down, looking quite pitiful. ¡°...He looks a bit pathetic.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because he¡¯s a fallen noble. He probably feels like he has lost everything.¡± ¡°No way, no matter what, he¡¯s still Frey.¡± The sympathy that arose because of him started to wither around the time someone said, ¡°He¡¯s still Frey.¡± ¡°Everyone step aside.¡± In the classroom, a chilling voice echoed. ¡°What... huh?¡± ¡°Uh, uh...?¡± Students, who were frowning with displeasure at the sound even though their revenge hadn¡¯t started yet, soon collectively wavered. ¡°D-don¡¯t push! You lowlife! Where do you think you¡¯re putting your hands...¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m not pushing!¡± ¡°Kyaak!?¡± Students who were trying to move aside as the words commanded eventually lost their balance and began to fall in all directions. ¡°Get lost, all of you.¡± A new command was inflicted upon those students. ¨C Grrrrr... Immediately after that command, all students, wearing bewildered expressions, retreated like a receding tide. ¡°...¡± And then, silence engulfed the classroom. ¨C Srrrrkk... The one who commanded the students slowly approached Frey. ¡°...!¡± Frey, who eventually looked to the side, widened his eyes. ¡°Ah...¡± Frey, not displaying the same terrified expression as before, smiled brightly with a sense of relief. ¨C Srrkk... Lulu slowly sat next to him. ¡°...Woof?¡± Lulu quietly leaned on Frey¡¯s shoulder and licked his neck. ¡°Grrrr...¡± Then, Lulu started growling loudly, as she stared at the students who were escaping the classroom in the distance. ¡°Wh-what¡¯s... the relationship between you two?¡± One student who, having tripped over a bag on the floor and couldn¡¯t leave the classroom, looked at the two and threw a question with a bewildered expression. ¡°I am...¡± However, when Lulu was about to open her mouth to provide the obvious answer. ¡°Master¡¯s p¡ª¡± ¡°Girlfriend.¡± ¡°...Grr!?¡± She looked at Frey in surprise when Frey urgently grabbed her hand and spoke next to her. ¡°She¡¯s my girlfriend.¡± Staring at Lulu¡¯s reaction, Frey held her hand even tighter. ¡°Lulu.¡± As his body began to slightly tremble, he whispered to her in a low voice. ¡°...Lick me a bit.¡± Her mind, which turned completely blank and broken, began to rapidly fill with another color. ¡°Hurry up.¡± ¡°...Really?¡± The newly filled color inside her mind was the same deep pink as her hair. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 300: Whatever Anyone Says, Master Is Still Master Chapter 300: Whatever Anyone Says, Master Is Still Master ? Whatever Anyone Says, Master Is Still Master ? ¨C Lick, lick... Lulu¡¯s gentle tongue traced the line of my neck, lingering briefly on my cheek, leaving behind a warm sensation. It¡¯s warm. It felt like my stiffening face and frozen heart, which were growing colder and colder, were gradually thawing. Her licking seemed to expel the anxiety and fear that had been overwhelming me. ¡°More, lick a little more, Lulu.¡± ¡°M-Master.¡± So, I asked her as I applied a bit more pressure to my hand that was holding her. Lulu, who was beside me holding my hand, began speaking with a trembling voice. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Was it because it was the first time I directly asked her to lick me, or did she notice something from my pale, lifeless face? Her gaze trembled wildly. ¡°...I¡¯m under a curse. It¡¯s not a big deal, just a somewhat tricky curse.¡± I didn¡¯t want to unnecessarily worry her, but I felt I had to give her at least some information. Lulu¡¯s eyes widened at my answer. ¨C Lick, lick... Suddenly, Lulu began to lick me repeatedly. ¡°You can¡¯t die... Master...¡± She said that while looking at me with teary eyes. At that moment, her declaration of ¡°If Master dies, I¡¯ll die too¡± overlapped with her tearful whisper. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can weaken the curse.¡± ¡°R-Really?¡± So, I quickly reassured her, and Lulu¡¯s eyes widened like those of a rabbit as she asked again. Seeing her adorable reaction, a smile naturally formed on my face. ¡°Just be my girlfriend, Lulu.¡± ¡°...!¡± When I said that while petting her head, Lulu looked surprised and started to glanced around nervously. Fortunately, the classroom was empty, thanks to Lulu¡¯s command. The one who had tripped over the bag and couldn¡¯t leave the classroom had also left with the bag. And the main heroines, who were strong enough to resist her command, were somehow outside too. ¡°I-it¡¯s disrespectful.¡± Lulu noticed this fact, and she felt even more embarrassed. Not knowing what to do, she stuttered. ¡°As Master¡¯s pet, how can I become Master¡¯s girlfriend? Such a presumptuous act... ¡°Please, Lulu.¡± But when I quietly leaned my head against her forehead and whispered again, she stopped talking and stared at me with trembling eyes. ¡°If you really don¡¯t want to do it, at least until the curse is lifted... Just be my girlfriend, not my pet.¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s...¡± ¡°I want to keep holding hands with you. I want to stay close to you. I want you to keep licking me, to remind me that someone is by my side.¡± ¡°U-uh...¡± I earnestly said to her, ¡°I need you, Lulu.¡± Fear began creeping in once again as the pure malice from the students outside poured in through the classroom window. Irrational fears and feelings of terror, accompanied by murmurs, teasing from the surroundings, and slanders¡ªall intensified by the sensation that someone, somewhere, was watching me. It was like sprinkling salt on healing wounds, all of my past traumas slowly crawled back. Because of that, I just wanted to give up everything. I wanted to cry out until my heart felt empty. I didn¡¯t want to think about anything. Now, I simply wanted to stop and find peace. ¡°...Grind.¡± A bitter, metallic taste filled my mouth as I gritted my teeth forcefully. ¨C Ssk... As I imprinted that familiar taste and stayed closely attached to Lulu, I quickly began to dispel strange thoughts. I couldn¡¯t afford to break down here. I had to keep my composure somehow. To do that, I desperately needed Lulu¡¯s help, who could make me warm. After all, as a professor, Isolet couldn¡¯t keep sticking with me in the classroom. Therefore, for the time being, I had to rely on Lulu. ¡°Please, Lulu...¡± Was this how it felt for Lulu to depend on and cling to me? Even if she lived as a pet, I somehow started to fully understand her feelings and her desire to dominate me. ¡± U-understood... Master.¡± In the midst of such thoughts, Lulu, who had been contemplating various things, bowed her head and replied. ¡°Since you¡¯re my girlfriend now, stop calling me ¡®Master¡¯.¡± ¡°B-but you are still my Master. I can¡¯t change that.¡± ¡°Even if we are not in a master and pet relationship but a romantic one now?¡± ¡°Still... I am beneath you. Treating you as if we are in an equal relationship would be disrespectful.¡± I spoke as I smiled faintly at her, and Lulu quickly responded, desperately shaking her head. A couple who depended on each other, it was truly ironic. ¡°...Then, I¡¯ll call you with a nickname.¡± So when I cling to her again, Lulu turns her gaze to the side, her face blushing profusely. ¡°Lick me, Lulu.¡± ¡°...Okay.¡± Upon receiving my request, she hesitantly stuck out her tongue. ¨C Ha, lick... She began to lick me again, which felt slightly more awkward than before. Yet, for some reason, it gave me a fresh feeling. ¡°Phew.¡± But it felt good either way. It felt like the fear that had dominated my body just moments ago gradually disappeared. ¨C Ding dong dang dong~? When the bell for the class rang, I spoke to her in a hushed tone. ¡°Tell them to come in now.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± As a response to my words, her ruby-colored eyes shone brightly. Then she suddenly looked at me and asked. ¡°But about that curse... who was the bastard who cast it on you?¡± I suppressed a slight flinch at the sight of her ruby-colored eyes. I chewed my lips as I responded to her question with a whisper. ¡°...You don¡¯t need to know.¡± ¡°...¡± While most nobles and students were still laughing and chatting while having a meal, some commoners looked at her with slightly surprised expressions. She was sure that they heard her just now. ...This will be troublesome. Ruby didn¡¯t know why she dropped her mask and acted unconsciously in that way, but she decided to prioritize handling the situation. I don¡¯t care whatever happens to that girl... Still, I shouldn¡¯t leave even a small seed behind. Despite her fairly high status, Lecane was naturally alienated due to her distinctive introverted and reserved personality. Furthermore, she was being framed as the puppet of the Moonlight family for centuries. However, to a large extent, Lecane¡¯s alienation was voluntary. If alienation were to occur under her initiative, she could also become a target for attacks from Frey¡¯s faction, who had an eye on her. ¡°Oh, come to think of it, there¡¯s an empty seat...¡± Therefore, Ruby urgently tried to change her expression and called out to the girl, who was on the verge of tears. However... ¡°Hero.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± At that moment, someone blocked Ruby¡¯s way. ¡°By any chance, is there a seat available?¡± It was the count¡¯s daughter, Eurelia, who was currently top-ranked in Frey¡¯s task ranking. ¡°...¡± The girl, who had been observing quietly and had never joined their group until now, was now proposing to join the table for the first time. ...Tsk. The situation was not very good. If she were to immediately invite Eurelia to sit down, Ruby could create an opportunity to absorb both her and her clique, but the words she said to Lecane might spread as rumors. However, if she claimed there were no available seats and seated Lecane, it could lead to a confrontation with Eurelia. ...Tsk. Ruby clicked her tongue and soon muttered quietly to herself. Is it frustration that I¡¯ve been feeling recently? She, who reproached her own inexplicably reckless actions that caused this chaos, quickly finished her calculations and tried to speak. ¡°For that...¡± ¨C Kugugung!! Kugung!!! ¡°Kyakkk!?¡± At that moment, loud noises echoed, and the entire classroom began to shake. ¨C Kugugugugung! Kugung!! No, the entire academy was shaking. ¡°Wh-what¡¯s happening!?¡± ¡°This... is insane.¡± ¡°E-everyone, calm down and get under your desks...¡± Thanks to this, the students, who were in a state of confusion, were distraught and scattered. [ Main Quest ] Description: [The Main Quest, the Student Council President Election Scenario, has officially begun.] Top Priority: Make Ms. Alice elected as the Student Council President. Second Priority: Maximize the impact of the academy¡¯s first erosion incident. Third Priority: Minimize Frey¡¯s influence. In front of Ruby, a system window appeared. ¨C Swishh!! She irritably swiped away the system window, then promptly stood up with a lift at the corners of her lips. ¡°Everyone, follow my lead!¡± It was an unexpected turn of events, but she was inwardly rejoicing at the chance to escape this difficult situation. . . . . . Meanwhile... ¨C Kugugung!! Kugugugung!!! ¡°Master, please stay here. I will protect you.¡± Among the second-year students who were just as confused as the first-year students, Lulu embraced Frey with a gleam in her eyes. ¡°Uh, uahh... uahh...¡± As the class began to shake, Frey, frightened, instinctively buried his head in Lulu¡¯s arms. [ Main Quest: Start of Student Council President Election Scenario ] Top Priority: Prevent Alice from becoming the student council president. Second Priority: Prevent the first erosion incident. Third Priority: Minimize the Demon King¡¯s influence. ¡°...Ah.¡± Seeing the quest window that appeared in front of him, Frey quickly adjusted his expression and stood up. ¡°No, Lulu.¡± And still, in a frightened state, Frey spoke while gritting his teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll be the one who protects you.¡± After saying that, he quietly touched his sword and his eyes began to glow silver. Also, the heroines, students, freshmen, all of them... I will protect them all. Though the last words were only murmured inwardly, the meaning was clearly conveyed in his eyes. Even though his mental strength had dropped close to 0, he was still a Hero. ¨C Shiver... Lulu held Frey¡¯s trembling hands tightly. As she caught his gaze, she gently caressed the collar around her neck. Indeed... Whatever anyone says, Master is still Master. Something sharp was protruding from her head. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 301: Her Identity Chapter 301: Her Identity ? Her Identity ? ¨C Kugugugugu...! The vibrations that had struck the entire academy began to intensify. ¡°Wh-What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°An earthquake? Is it an earthquake?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be, right? An earthquake at the academy?¡± The students¡¯ bewildered expressions turned white as a sheet . Not to mention intrusion, the Academy had never experienced any kind of natural disaster through the use of various ancient magics. As a result, despite several recent internal incidents casting a shadow on its reputation, Sunrise Academy was still considered to be the safest place in the empire. ¨C Crackle, crackle...! ¡°Kyaaack!?¡± Yet, at this moment, that academy was shaking to the point where the walls were cracking. Therefore, it was natural for the students to fall into panic. But, they shouldn¡¯t be surprised just by something like this. But that was because they didn¡¯t know anything. This was just the beginning. Would these guys have any idea how much this academy would be entangled in incidents from now on? According to the prophecy foretold by the Ancestor, the invasion of the ¡®Academy¡¯ was an inevitable cliche?, like fate. Also, as predicted, the upcoming ¡®Siege of the Academy¡¯ would lead to a large-scale invasion of the academy. Of course, I had destroyed the Dark Golem, the final boss of the siege scenario, during my first year, so I had been somewhat relieved during that time. However, if things were as they were supposed to be, shouldn¡¯t the ¡®Erosion Phenomenon¡¯ occur much later? And wouldn¡¯t that eye monsters and the intermediate Dark Golems only spawn at that time? After such events occurred haphazardly, I couldn¡¯t feel relieved at all. Therefore, I resolved to become stronger and make the heroines stronger, too. However... ¡°Master! Danger...¡± ¨C Crash...! I swung my sword, knocking away the light fixture falling towards Lulu and me. Then, I stared at her with a pale face. ¨C Ssk, ssk... ¡°Uh, eaaah?¡± At that moment, I gently rubbed Lulu¡¯s cheek with mine. So soft... I felt a warm feeling. Now I could understand why she kept rubbing her cheek against mine. ¡°I-I want to do it too.¡± ¨C Ssk, ssk... ¡°N-Now... because we¡¯re lovers...¡± After I briefly brushed my cheek against hers, Lulu pressed her cheek against mine. ¨C Nuzzling... Thanks to that, a somewhat hilarious scene unfolded as we earnestly nuzzled while embracing each other for a while. ¨C Thump, thump! ¡°D-darn it... Wh-What the heck is happening...¡± ¡°S-Save us!¡± Fortunately, the surroundings were so noisy that our reactions went unnoticed. ¡°Act slowly according to the order!¡± ¡°Hey, you there, don¡¯t run recklessly!¡± The student council and some professors began to command loudly and lead the chaotic students towards the sports field. ¨C Crackle, crackle... However, the incident seemed to be originating from the sports field. Others might not have noticed it due to the vibrations, but I could clearly see the space gradually breaking apart in the corner of the sports field. Originally, this scenario started with an explosion incident in the annex, but such variables seemed bound to occur. ¡°Hmm.¡± Thanks to Lulu, who helped me calm down, I could assess the atmosphere in the classroom. The atmosphere in the classroom was still chaotic. Even the students who wanted to bully me during lunchtime were pale-faced and trembled. ¨C Beep, beep... Although I was relieved, if things continued like this, there could be casualties. So, I communicated with Kania, Irina, and Clana, who were quietly observing the situation. ¡°Go to the sports field. It¡¯s the Erosion Phenomenon.¡± After hearing my brief command, they quietly left the classroom, being careful not to attract attention. ¡°Let¡¯s go too, Lulu.¡± ¡°Ah, yes!¡± After I watched them go, I spoke to Lulu in a low voice and held her hand before starting to move my wobbly legs. ¡°We must prevent this disaster now.¡± ¡°P-Prevent it?¡± Upon hearing my muttered words, she reacted by tilting her head. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who caused it, Master?¡± And then, she uttered the words. ¡°...¡± About to retort with disbelief, I quickly recalled that she saw me as an executive in the Demon King¡¯s Army. So, I hesitated for a while before speaking again. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me.¡± ¡°Th-Then...?¡± ¡°It was the Church. The Church is the Third Force.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Upon hearing that, she immediately nodded in understanding. Thanks to Frey¡¯s urgent shout, Lulu quickly snapped out of her daze and nodded. Analysis was her specialty. It might have been a bit challenging in the past, but now that her Magic Eyes had been upgraded, let alone analyzing the combat patterns of the first-year students, even analyzing the entire school would be a piece of cake. ¡°Also, analyze the combat patterns of Kania, Irina, and Clana. They¡¯ll be facing three mid-bosses each.¡± ¡°Ah....Understood. B-but where are you going?¡± As Lulu clenched her fists determinedly, she urgently asked Frey as he began heading somewhere. ¡°There¡¯s something I must do.¡± Then, Frey responded by fiddling with the ¡®Robe of Deception¡¯ in his arms. ¡°No matter what... I need to minimize the Hero¡¯s influence.¡± Frey¡¯s face turned pale with considerable fear as he said that. ¡°While revealing the Hero of Money for the first time, I must also protect all the first-year students. I can¡¯t allow a single casualty. I must turn this incident into a lesson.¡± ¡°Wait a moment!¡± Indeed... Do I truly have no option but to enter the gate? ¡°L-let me go with you...!¡± Lulu desperately ran towards him because, just by looking, it was evident that he was trembling so much that he appeared pitiful. ¡°Lulu, please take care of what I said.¡± Frey said that with a gentle smile. He trembled with fear as he stepped into the crowd of people who were staring at him coldly. ¨C Ssk... At that moment, the robe of deception slipped away from his arms. ¨C Crackle... ¡°Mas-Master?¡± Lulu, who was desperately trying to find Frey who was mixed in with the crowd with her magic eyes, began to break out in a cold sweat when she couldn¡¯t find him with her magic eyes for some reason. ¡°Master...¡± She stared blankly at the crowd, resembling a dog that had lost its master, and mumbled. Soon, a single tear streamed down her face as she muttered once more. ¡°Frey...¡± Lulu called Frey¡¯s name not as a pet dominated by him, but as a lover who loved him more than anyone else. At the same time, her expression began to change more seriously than ever before. ¡°Indeed, I must become at least hundreds of times stronger than I am now.¡± Lulu stood still as she clenched her fist. Then, she trembled and spoke with a fire of determination in her eyes. ¡°Wherever you are, no matter where you go, no matter where you hide... I will find you.¡± Then, this time, her tailbone tingled. She quietly twisted her legs when she felt the prickling sensation. Focus... Let¡¯s focus. Following the sensation that she felt in her head since earlier, she was now starting to feel it in her pelvis too. She ignored the prickling sensation and simply operated her Magic Eyes and began to speak intensely. ¡°...I will always find you, so that I can be your pet forever.¡± At the same time, the attention of the demonic monsters began to slowly shift towards her. . . . . . At that moment. ¡°H-Hero! What should we do now!?¡± ¡°That... Those are demonic monsters, right?¡± ¡°Keugh...¡± The students sticking to Ruby were shouting at her with pale faces. ¡°H-Hero, it¡¯s time for you to show us your strength.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Hero, you¡¯re strong, aren¡¯t you? So, just those guys...¡± ...Darn it. In that situation, Ruby was quietly sweating and gazing at what was in front of her. [Passive Status: Honesty MAX, Vulnerability MAX] Frey that bastard... In the current situation, the worst curses were piled up on her. Did he already connect to the special system? Moreover, did he willingly spend points like this? He¡¯s not that kind of guy, is he? So, what the hell is going on here? Ruby observed her own special details with an annoyed expression. ¡°...Well, playing like this would be fun too.¡± Shortly after, she murmured with a smile full of interest. ¡°As expected, you always make me happy...¡± ¨C Crackle, crackle...! ¡°.....Hmm?¡± She casually looked around to search for Frey, who might be busy running around somewhere. Suddenly, her eyes widened, and her hair stood up as she stared at something. ¡°...Sigh.¡± She let out a short sigh as she noticed the sudden and drastic change in Lulu¡¯s body. ¡°Speaking of losers, what are you going to do now?¡± As she was about to avert her gaze, Ruby noticed the intense stare directed at her. She added a brief word. ¡°...Regardless, you are always persistent, little sis.¡± The cold gaze of Ruby, who spoke so honestly, intersected with the eyes of Lulu, who had turned ruby-colored. You can rate/review this serieshere. Advanced chapters available on Illustr§Ñti§àns on our disc§àrd ¨C discord.gg/genesistls Chapter 302: Secrets Chapter 302: Secrets "Koooaarrrr!!" "Screeeeech...." The roars of the demonic monsters resounded from all directions. "Gasp, gasp..." Lulu, who was observing the scene from the rooftop of the academy, far from the sports field, breathed roughly and murmured inwardly. My body... feels hot. For some reason, her body didn¡¯t move well. Her chest, stomach, and legs felt hot, as if they were on fire. - Drip... It was not a psychological trauma. Sweat was actually streaming down from every part of her body. No... I can''t collapse here. Despite being quite bewildered, Lulu gritted her teeth and quickly stood up. I can''t collapse just because of the side effects of Magic Eyes. As she had never operated her Magic eyes with such precision before, Lulu attributed her condition to the side effects of the Magic Eyes. Magic Eyes were densely connected to the mana circuit and consumed a lot of energy after all. The things... Master asked me. Despite her head pounding from the insane heat, Lulu gritted her teeth and once again lit up her eyes in ruby color. Organize, let''s organize. I need to organize what I''ve analyzed so far. And after a while, Lulu observed the overall situation at the academy while thinking that way. Although it was a bit early, it was time to gradually deduce the results. "Koooaarrrr!!" "Screeeeech...." Her eyes, which were moving busily, fixated on the demonic monsters collapsing due to concentrated attacks. The grade of the demonic monsters coming out from the gate is approximately B-grade. It should be easy for academy students to handle them. Soon, she reached her conclusion for the evaluation. The mid-boss ones... are all at least A-grade? It would be difficult for students to deal with them. Eventually, her gaze shifted to the mid-bosses that Kania, Irina, and Clana were facing. "And...." After a while, her mumbling continued. "Indeed, there¡¯s something strange here." The demonic monsters that came out of the gate were nothing special. They were the typical form of demonic monsters mainly composed of dark mana that was running rampant throughout the empire these days. It was unclear why demonic monsters that appeared in dungeons, desolate places, and dark places were emerging from gates where space was distorted. However, she was quite relieved that she could at least analyze the patterns. "There seems to be something implanted in the heads of these monsters. Tentacles? Pupils? Whatever it is, it''s really strange..." As she continued to analyze the bodies of the demonic monsters through her Magic Eyes, she grew increasingly uneasy upon consistently discovering the same shaped foreign substances. Considering that they were mainly implanted in the heads or joints, it was probably a means to control the demonic monsters. So, was there someone commanding or controlling all these demonic monsters? "...Hehe." Though she didn''t understand much, Lulu was happy at the prospect of obtaining information that could earn her a lot of praise and pats from her master. - Crash...! - Kugwagwang!! As she snapped out of the thought of being petted by Frey, Lulu quietly turned her gaze towards the sound in front of her. "D-die!! Dieeee!!" "W-when is this going to end... Why won''t it die even if we kill them over and over again..." The second-year nobles were shooting mana or swinging weapons recklessly. They were frightened out of their wits, scattering due to the attacks of the demonic monsters. Lulu''s cold and passive reaction alone already spoke volumes about the results of their evaluation. "You two, take the front. I''ll take the rear. Is there anyone who can use healing magic? Even if you know the basics, lend a hand." "That one is exhausted from the continuous attacks! Since it has a big build, focus on attacking its legs!" In contrast, second-year commoners were quite active in this situation. Each of them had fought against the public enemy ''Frey'' for the past year, and all of them had formed a close friendship. As a result, despite having slightly weaker firepower, they were still able to overwhelm the demonic monsters with their outstanding teamwork. - Kugwagwang!! Kugwagwang!! - Crackle, crackle...!!! "Screeeccchh..." On the other hand, the first-year students were literally slaughtering the demonic monsters. Despite being a few years younger, they were elite first-year students who had been recruited through the early admission system, and each one of them was recognized by the empire. Those weapons in human form emitted sword aura, mana, and a spectacle of magic from their bodies. The sight was majestic and beautiful, like fireworks. "Ouch! Wh-what was that?" ¡°You¡¯re in the way, Ms. Lenya.¡± "B-bullshit! I knew you deliberately shot that!" However, unlike the second year, they lacked teamwork. "H-how could you send your sword aura this way!?" "You should be able to avoid that on your own... Eik." "S-sorry!" No matter how beautiful the instruments were, if each instrument plays as it pleases without a conductor, it would result in dissonance. Moreover, these kids, who had only met less than a week ago, were already bickering with each other and even engaging in faction fights. . . . . "Wh-what!?" "Shh...!" Lulu screamed as Irina, who was supposedly on the sports field, suddenly appeared next to her. In response, Irina urgently covered her mouth and looked down below. "..." Fortunately, the students below were too tense from the sudden abnormal phenomenon to pay attention. The only person looking up was Ruby. "Ptoo." After showing a sinisterexpression to her, raising her middle finger and even spitting at her, Irina then urgently grabbed Lulu''s arm and dragged her away while reciting a chant. "Disable Diabolic." - Shaaa... As a result, Lulu''s body gradually returned to normal. "Huh? Eaaaah!" The horns, which were about to grow, were gradually shrinking, and the swaying tail retracted below her tailbone. "Wh-what is this..." Only when the purple-colored skin returned to a flesh tone did Lulu realize the change in her body. She examined herself with a pale expression. "You didn''t know all this time?" "P-pardon?" Meanwhile, Irina observed her calmly with her arms crossed, then she spoke. "You''re from the demon race, Lulu." "...!?" Lulu listened to Irina¡¯s next words with a blank expression. "Not only that, you¡¯re a pure-blooded demon." At Irina''s calm statement, Lulu''s mouth dropped open. Moreover, if I were to tell her that she is the direct descendant of the first Demon King from a thousand years ago... she might faint. After swallowing her next words while looking at her, Irina, cautiously glancing at the sports field, murmured to herself. Frey, did you know about this? She questioned him, whom she couldn''t detect even with her mana search network spreading throughout the academy. The fact that the awakening of this girl is still in progress and the uncertainty of what might happen. Taking advantage of the chaos that everyone was in, Irina, scanning the area with her eyes for a place where Frey might be, muttered with a furrowed brow. ...Among the heroines, I''m the only one who hasn''t even started awakening. The red crystal Frey shyly gifted to her after their sex-crazed night contained tremendous power, even in her eyes. Kania and Clana, who had eaten crystals with their own symbolic colors, were almost at the end of their awakening. "..." In addition, Serena has already completed her awakening, while Ferloche was the one who taught him how to awaken them in the first place. - Kugwagwagwagwa!!! "This is the chance. I don''t know what it is, but... I can''t afford to miss this opportunity." Isolet, who tore apart five mid-level bosses with a single overwhelming strike, now stood at the end of the path of awakening to become a Sword Saint. "Am I... a demon? Then am I... Master''s pet demon?" And now, unexpectedly, even Lulu, who was quickly discovering her own identity, might become an entirely different existence once she completed her awakening. "Sigh..." Everyone whose hearts were connected to Frey was on the path of awakening. All except for her alone. "Why... Why can''t I do it? What''s the problem?" Thanks to that, Irina continued to gaze down at the sports field with a melancholic expression. "...The progress of her awakening is very uncertain. She might end up being devoured by Frey soon. How envious." She continued to mumble, feeling depressed. ¡°Should I ask him to devour me one more time?¡± Up until now, Irina had effortlessly overcome every obstacle with her innate talent alone. However, for the first time in her life, she felt the presence of a wall. - Ssk... Amidst her chaotic thought, Irina calmly soothed her depressed heart by quietly caressing her lower abdomen, where the tight feeling had been prevalent in her for a week. "...!" However, Irina soon noticed something and widened her eyes. "What''s wrong with them?" Ruby was leading all the first-year students into the gate. - Shasyak... Quickly following them were someone in a cloak and Alice. "...Bite." As so many people disappeared into the gate, Irina''s pupils began to glow red. - Tzzzz... The incident that would later be named the Academy Erosion Incident was heading towards its last /genesisforsaken Chapter 303: The Day The Star Met The Sunset Chapter 303: The Day The Star Met The Sunset "W-What is this place... It feels unpleasant." "Uh, ugh..." The first-year students who entered the gate looked around with displeased expressions. - Goooo... Inside the gigantic gate that encompassed the entire academy, an unknown white noise and hazy smoke filled the air. "Hyaaatt!" The first-year students hesitated to advance in such a gloomy atmosphere. Ruby, who was at the forefront, swung down the sword she held with all of her might. - Kugogogogo!! The dense mist blocking the way split in half as Ruby''s sword struck, gradually revealing the path ahead. "A-Amazing!" ¡°As expected of the Hero...¡± Some students who saw the feat of power were astonished and praised Ruby with astonished expressions. "Gasp, gasp..." However, instead of responding to their praise as usual, Ruby only breathed heavily and stared ahead. What a pain. The ¡®Curse of Vulnerability¡¯ caused her to gasp for breath just by using this little force. Combined with the ''Curse of Honesty¡¯, Ruby had become the most honest version of herself throughout her life. Therefore, if she were to open her mouth and respond to them now, she would undoubtedly say, "Isn''t it laughable that you guys casually babbled such words without even knowing you¡¯re actually walking into hell?" On top of that, even though she was from the demon race and had a considerably long lifespan, Ruby was well aware that things could gradually become more dangerous on days when she had penalties. That was why she kept her mouth shut and adopted a strategy of speaking only when necessary. "So, uh, where are we... going?" "Oh, Ms. Olivia." Olivia approached Ruby, who was sweating heavily after she swung her sword. With black glasses and a distinctive ponytail, Olivia was proficient in handling paperwork to the extent that Ruby had chosen her as her aide. "We''re going to destroy the ''core'' of this gate." "The core?" "Yes, we have to destroy it to resolve this situation.¡± After Ruby spoke with a smile, Olivia tilted her head and asked another question. "But how do you know about that, Hero?" "Actually, I saw this situation in a dream before." "...Huh?" Olivia still looked puzzled by Ruby¡¯s serious answer. "Could it be... was it a divine revelation from the Sun God?" When she asked again, Ruby simply smiled without saying a word. Well, I didn''t lie. What she said was entirely true. Ruby couldn''t lie because of the Curse of Honesty. However, it was not a divine revelation from the Sun God... Ruby, who muttered in her mind, calmly smiled and looked at the students following her. ...It was actually the Demon God who whispered to me in the dream. But what she said about destroying the core to resolve the situation was also entirely true. Now, I should gradually choose the ones that are useful. However, her intention was not to do good as a hero. I''ll just leave those who suit my taste. This is a good opportunity to get rid of the trash. It came from meticulous calculations stemming from pure malice. "Ms. Eurelia. Are you okay?" "...Don''t worry about me." Let''s see, Eurelia... that child will stick with me once her faction disappears. It would be a waste to kill her. Thus, Ruby''s ruthless selection began within the advancing group of students inside the gate. "Gasp, gasp..." "Lenya, are you okay?" For the Horizon sisters... let''s keep only the elder one. The younger one undoubtedly has potential, but she''s too far from unleashing her light. Once she had quietly decided the sisters¡¯ fate, she encouraged everyone with a serious expression and then continued her selection. Lecane Luna Silvermoon is... interesting, but not really my taste. Olivia, of course, stays, and also... Only after she had processed the selection of 2/3 of the students in her mind, Ruby wore a satisfied smile. - Uuuung... "Ah! Look over there!" And the gate''s core began to appear in front of them. "Look at that. I was right, wasn''t I?¡± Enjoying the unfolding events, Ruby opened her mouth and pointed to the core, which glowed black in the distance. "Everyone, aim for the core!" The students'' eyes lit up as they raised their weapons and began casting magic circles. "On the count of three, all together, target the core! We all need to combine our strengths!" After encouraging them, Ruby slightly raised the corners of her mouth and started counting. "One..." The students holding cold weapons like swords and spears began slowly gathering their sword aura. "Two..." The eyes of the students casting spells sharpened. "Thr¡ª" Ruby smiled brightly as she was about to finish her countdown. She imagined the events that would unfold with a blissful expression. - Fuzz... "...!?" Suddenly, someone appeared in front of them. "W-what is this?" "Oh my gosh!" As Ruby stopped counting due to the abrupt appearance, the students behind her retreated in bewilderment. "...Sigh." After a brief moment, Ruby, who stood tall and stared ahead, let out a short sigh. "You finally came." Before the second wave comes, I have to shatter this core. Only then could I fully deflect the damage from the gate. I must not accept help from anyone. Did I not commit such an act to the main heroines for this? This will be a practice for the Fourth Ordeal. That¡¯s what I should do... Normally, I would have swung the sword without hesitation, but for some reason, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do so at this moment. - Uuuung... The gate core vibrated as if mocking me. I had to strike it now. If I delayed even a little, I wouldn''t be able to save those students trapped in Ruby''s trap. It would have also made it difficult to prepare the main heroines for the fourth ordeal and execute the plan to plunge my blade into Ruby. Anyway, I had to do it. "Heaaaaaaah!!!" I closed my eyes tightly and forcefully swung my trembling arm that was shaking in fear. - Hwik... However, the sword slipped from my hand without much struggle and flew away. Perhaps it was because my hands were too sweaty. Or maybe I had lost too much strength. "Ee, ugeuk... ugh..." My breathing gradually became labored. If I continued like this, I wouldn¡¯t be able to save everyone. That must not happen. Please. - Srrk... Before it was too late, I urgently grabbed the core with my left hand. I put strength into my left arm, which has turned pitch black. I infused mana into the mana circuit in my whole body. - Rustle, rustle... Watching the gate core, which began to heat up due to the stellar mana, I suddenly started to rummage around my pocket quietly. "..." Shortly after, I retrieved a handkerchief adorned with animal drawings from my pocket and gently wiped my face, all while closing my eyes. Just endure a little more. Just a little more. Experiencing the pure joy I felt when I received the handkerchief as a gift for the first time and the warmth of the animals drawn on it, I prepared for the gate early termination penalty. However, at that moment... - Step, step... "...!?" Suddenly, I could hear footsteps approaching in front of me. "Wh-who..." I wanted to ask who it was, but only a timid voice came out. It seemed that my mental strength, which already reduced to 0.1, had once again reached its limit. "Uh..." "...!" While trying to distinguish the person in front of me with such thoughts, I was startled and my eyes widened as I heard a sound reaching my ears. "H-Hero." Roswyn, in her miserable appearance, was standing in front of me. ... It¡¯s already starting, huh? It seemed that the early termination penalty had begun. - Ssk, ssk... It looked like it worked, and my arm seemed fine. That was a relief. It didn¡¯t seem to be a physical pain penalty. "Ugh, ugeuk..." But suddenly, countless pain, sorrow, frustration, and despair surged throughout my body. It seemed that the direction of the penalty began to take shape. Now, what did this illusion have for me? Was it going to stab me? Condemn me? Strangle me? I¡¯m scared... So scared that it might drive me insane. My thoughts were chaotic. My body couldn¡¯t move. My heart started pounding. I couldn¡¯t breathe. "S¡ª..." Completely engulfed in panic, the trembling words that escaped my lips were... "I-I¡¯m scared..." It was something I said in terror. "S-Save me." After that, everything went blank. . . . . . "Ah, ua..." An indescribable fear appeared in Frey''s eyes as he trembled and fell into a state of hyperventilation, his shattered left arm hanging limp by his side. "S-Save me..." "Ah..." Next to the shattered arm lay the broken gate core, shattered by Frey. His sword silently resonated with the vibrations in the ground. "Please..." In that situation, Frey held a handkerchief to his face as if it were a respirator. "Uh, uh..." Upon seeing Roswyn, Frey started to tremble and slowly stepped back. "He...ro..." And the real Roswyn watched that scene with a pale face. "I-I''m sorry..." It was the day when the star and the sunset, which had always diverged, met again for the first /genesisforsaken Chapter 304: Sunsets Potion Chapter 304: Sunset''s Potion "Uh..." "F-Frey." Frey was shaking as he looked at her with a terrified expression. " Y-Your arm..." His shattered left arm was dangling awkwardly, and even at a glance, it looked extremely serious. "I-I hate you." Roswyn, unable to stay still at the grotesque sight, tried to approach him. However, Frey retreated from his sitting position with a pale and frightened expression. "Don''t come closer..." His eyes were filled with unimaginable chaos. The mental stability he held on briefly with Lulu''s help shattered into pieces the moment Frey met Roswyn. "Please... don''t come..." - Drip... As Frey moved backwards, pus started to ooze out from his left arm. "Please..." Blood also trickled from his bitten lips. Of course, the damage wasn''t only from him biting his lips; it was also because he forcibly shattered the gate core. As Ruby said, the gate core could only be destroyed if all first-year students attacked it together. Frey pushed himself to the limit and destroyed the core by himself. He did it to bear the early termination penalty alone and prevent the students from receiving the punishment. "H-Hero." "......." As the amount of blood flowing from his mouth increased, Roswyn took another step forward and called out to him, but Frey covered his ears and lowered his head. "...Don''t call me a hero now, what¡¯s the use..." That was what he said. "If I heard such things from you now..." The next words from him were silently left hanging in the air. "...Don¡¯t you hate me, Roswyn?" Frey stayed silent for a moment, then clenched his fist and whispered. "Please tell me. If you don''t like me, say you don''t, and if you do, say you do." "Th-that is..." "Why did you keep giving me hope...?" Before Roswyn could respond, Frey cut off her words. "I wanted to be friends with you." Frey raised his head and began to speak in a low voice. "Since the first time I met you, who was terminally ill." Upon hearing these words, Roswyn couldn''t utter a response and just closed her mouth. ¡°I knew very well how scary and frightening it was to be terminally ill. I wanted to help you break free from those shackles." "Ah..." "And after that, I wanted to give you presents, eat snacks together, and play together." "..." "You¡¯re the only one... There was no one else but you..." He was almost rambling to himself, but Roswyn knew the meaning behind those words. She was the only one who Frey spared from any ¡®evil deeds¡¯ in the previous cycle. Frey really wanted to become friends with someone like her. E-even now... I want to embrace you... "But now... I''m scared of you." Frey looked at Roswyn with fear in his eyes before he started speaking again. ¡°I''m afraid of what to do if you reject flowers again this time... Every time you trample on the flowers, it feels like my heart is breaking... You smiled in front of me, but when I left, you looked at me so coldly, it was terrifying, almost maddening...¡± "..." "I don''t want to be friends with you anymore... Y-you''re too scary. So please, just go away..." Although Roswyn wanted to say something to him, she couldn''t bring herself to open her mouth. She had nothing to say, even if she had ten mouths. This was because she knew very well that she was the one who trampled over his feelings to the end, both in the previous and in this cycle. And Roswyn understood all too well that it would be shameless for her to ask for forgiveness or even to speak to him at all. Through countless previous cycles, she had finally succeeded in figuring out this secret before everything came to an end. "So... What brought you here this time?" "Pardon?" But when Frey looked straight into her eyes and asked, she could only tilt her head and open her mouth. "Don''t play dumb. I know you''re an illusion." Frey responded with a fiery gaze. ¡°There¡¯s no way Roswyn would refer to me as the Hero.¡± "Th-that''s... I..." "Hurry up. Start the penalty. Come on." Once Frey said that, he immediately closed his eyes tightly. "...Ugh." He was trembling as if he had encountered a ghost, like a young child. "I-I... actually... a-an awakened... helper..." Roswyn wanted to shout at Frey... That she had received his flowers and became his helper. That she now knew everything about him. "I¡¯m gonna kill you... definitely... gonna kill you..." The already palpable blind rage she felt toward Ruby intensified even further. "I¡¯m definitely gonna kill you... definitely..." Roswyn could no longer assist Frey. She felt like a burden simply by being by his side. Even in a situation like this, she could only be a bystander. The sense of shame and self-loathing she felt in such a situation began to shift toward Ruby. Her ingrained defense mechanism, developed from a young age, was once again in action. "Definitely... I¡¯m gonna have my revenge....." Roswyn muttered while tearing at her own hair, paying no heed to the trickling blood from her fist and forehead. - Rustle... She shifted her gaze when she heard something behind her. Then, she fell into silence. - Ooouung... A human figure faintly flickered and could be seen in a distorted space a bit further away. - Ssk... Roswyn looked at that space blankly for a moment, then slowly started heading towards it. "Kyaaak!?" "..." As Roswyn unceremoniously pushed her head into the distorted space, Lenya, who had been hiding inside, was startled and let out a surprised cry while Eurelia stared at her dryly. "..." Roswyn fell into silence, and tightened her grip on the vial in her hand. "Hehe, hehehe..." In the distance, Frey''s laughter still echoed. Leaving things as they were could lead to unpredictable consequences. "..." Roswyn''s revenge-filled gaze fixated on the distorted space where the two girls were. . . . . . "Hey, say something." "..." "Didn''t you say it''s a perfect plan? Didn''t you say we would split the credit evenly?" "...Shut up." Eurelia spoke up, interrupting Lenya''s incessant complaints. "Regardless, the core has been destroyed." "Was that your doing?" "..." Mumbling these words, Eurelia ignored Lenya and examined the vial handed over by Roswyn. "If you can make Frey consume all of this... I will share all the guild''s information." "So, what are you going to do? Are you going to feed it to him or not?¡± ¡°...You¡¯re noisy, forest pest.¡± "W-what?" After responding to Lenya¡¯s irritating behavior, she soon approached Frey, who was trembling in front of her. "He seems to have gone mad from improperly handling the core. Wouldn''t it be better to just kill him here? Why bother taking him outside?" "Sigh." When Lenya asked again, she sighed and shook her head. "Indeed, a forest pest like you is stupid." "But this...!" - Pop! She then quietly murmured while still ignoring the agitated Lenya behind her. "Let''s feed him half for now... By then, we can see what happens and confirm the effects. Since the potion seems to take full effect only when fully consumed." Eurelia administered half of the potion into Frey''s mouth as she said that. - Shaaaa... As a result, the energy of the potion began to envelop Frey, who was in a state of panic. "So, why are you trying to take him outside... Ugh!" "...Let¡¯s pick him up and follow me." "Why, why me!?" After observing Frey intently, Eurelia responded to Lenya''s indignant question with a dry expression when the girl unexpectedly had to pick him up. "...If you don''t want to die here, shut up, pick him up and follow me." Having said that, she began to walk quietly. "Th-that rude bitch..." Lenya glared at Eurelia, and staggered forward. "...Thankfully, he¡¯s not that heavy, huh?" Soon, she noticed something slightly protruding from Frey''s pocket and tilted her head in confusion. "This is...?" Her gaze fell on the ''Cloak of Deception'', which slowly swayed due to the tremors within the /genesisforsaken Chapter 305: Escaping The Gate And… Chapter 305: Escaping The Gate And... - Thud, thud... Eurelia and Lenya, with Frey on her back, were walking through the collapsing gate. "Pant, pant... Hey, Eurelia." With Frey on her back, Lenya struggled to keep up with the hastening Eurelia. She frowned and asked her a question. "Why on earth are you insisting on taking Frey out of here?" ¡°...¡± She asked bluntly, but Eurelia didn''t respond, causing Lenya''s frown to deepen. "I¡¯ll leave him here if you don¡¯t tell me." ¡°...sigh.¡± Hearing this, Eurelia finally stopped walking and glanced briefly at Lenya before speaking. "We can''t leave this place without him." "...What?" "We''ve long figured out the structure inside the gate. The moment we entered, we were practically trapped inside." Hearing that, Lenya''s eyes widened in surprise. "Didn''t you see the massive energy barrier forming when we entered?" "...Yeah." As Lenya nodded quietly, Eurelia sighed and continued. ¡°I''ve read several reports about this phenomenon, including accounts from those who have entered a gate in the past.¡± "W-What do you mean? Do you know about this phenomenon?" "...This phenomenon is already happening all over the world, though the Empire keeps it hushed up." "How do you know about it if the Empire is keeping it... Ah." Lenya asked with a puzzled look, but suddenly something came into her mind, and she spoke coldly. "...Of course, your father being the Empire¡¯s mastermind, it¡¯s only natural for you to know.¡± "Shut up." Eurelia responded in a frightening tone. ¡°Don¡¯t carelessly talk about my father.¡± A chilling silence fell between them for a moment. "Anyway, if we destroy the core, we can stop the onslaught of monsters early. But the one who destroys it will face a significant penalty." "Penalty?" "Yes, the penalties vary... but it''s never good." Eurelia then glanced at Frey, who was being carried by Lenya. "His seizure earlier was probably due to that." Lenya''s eyes flickered slightly. "The only chance to leave the gate is when someone with the authority obtained by destroying the core exits. That''s why we need to get Frey out alive." When Eurelia explained all of this with her usual calm demeanor, Lenya questioned her again. "...How do you know all this in such detail?" "I told you, I read the reports..." ¡°But it¡¯s too detailed. It¡¯s not like large-scale incidents like this occurred frequently.¡± To those words, Eurelia responded with an irritated expression. "Sometimes, the end justifies the means." ¡°You people... You haven¡¯t changed at all.¡± Lenya glared at Eurelia with a cold expression. "How many people have you sacrificed for this?" "...Because of that, you, and I, and everyone else are alive, aren''t we?" Eurelia simply responded. A long silence fell once again. "If what you say is true, what was the Hero''s role in all this?" Lenya glanced at the ground, looking somewhat dejected. And Eurelia replied in her usual composed manner. "Speculation without adequate information is dangerous. I won''t make any conclusions until everything is clear." ¡°...Tsk.¡± Lenya clicked her tongue in frustration. "...Let''s rest for a bit." Lenya suggested as she wiped off her sweat. "As light as he is, it''s still tough..." "This place is collapsing in real-time. We need to get out as fast as we can." Eurelia dismissed her suggestion and quickened her pace instead. "Anyway, we''re almost at the exit. So..." - Booom...! ¡°...Damn it.¡± Suddenly, an intermediate Dark Golem emerged from a distorted space right in front of them, causing Eurelia to curse under her breath. "This is why I wanted to get out quickly." "W-What is that thing!?" "It''s a Dark Golem. It lives inside the gate. Fighting in this state is difficult, we should slip through the side..." Eventually, she laid out her countermeasure in a calm but much urgent tone. - Booom!! Boom!!! "Kyaa, Kyaaak!?" ¡°...¡± Eurelia¡¯s composed expression began to crack as another golem appeared right behind them. "W-What do we do...? They look really strong..." - Zing!! ¡°...Ack!!¡± Lenya broke out in a cold sweat and dove to the side as the Dark Golem shot a black laser. - Zing! Zing!! Once more, a barrage of lasers was unleashed toward her. - Zzzzng...! "U-Ugh..." She hastily conjured a shield, but she was unable to block the overwhelming attack, and she was sent flying toward Eurelia. - Screech... Eurelia looked grave yet still managed to keep her composure. She quickly raised her hand and started to cast a spell. - Whoosh...! Whoosh...! Then, the two Dark Golem, which was turning its head towards her, was tightly bound by a rope and lifted into the air. - Snap... ¡°...Ugh.¡± However, the golems didn¡¯t stay still and began to break the ropes with its immense strength. "U-Ugh..." - Ping! Ping! As the ropes binding the golem in front of her began snapping one by one, cold sweat trickled down Eurelia¡¯s pale face. - Swish...! Then, the golem behind her completely broke free and swung its massive arm at her. "...Ah." As Eurelia struggled to maintain her magic, her eyes began to waver. - Zing...! Suddenly, a burst of starlight filled the gate. - Crackle... It cut through the golem''s arm like butter. - Boom!! "That was pathetic." An arrogant voice emerged from the cloud of dust as the golem''s arm hit the ground. "...I could have handled it by myself." Hearing that voice, Eurelia¡¯s expression became composed once more and she responded. "Knowing you, you should have already grasped my intention." "I had already anticipated all of this, so I devised the most optimal plan, and even collaborated with others.¡± Then, Frey emerged from the cloud of dust and continued speaking with his usual arrogant expression. "Even then, you still failed." ¡°I can¡¯t accept that. Give me a convincing reason.¡± Eurelia turned to Frey, whose left arm was still so damaged that some of his bones were jutting out, but his panic from earlier had completely disappeared. Then, Eurelia asked Frey in an uncharacteristically intense voice. "...It''s simple." Frey, lifting his sword, looked away and spoke. ¡°Your comrades aren¡¯t tools.¡± - Swing...! Simultaneously, the golem that was trying to trample on Lenya, who had collapsed next to them, was cut in half. "W-Wait... enhancement magic? You imbued magic into your sword...? How''s that possible...!" After trembling from the fear of death for a moment, Lenya cried out in shock as she realized the true nature of Frey¡¯s attack. But he ignored her and instead looked straight at Eurelia. "You weren¡¯t collaborating. You just used the students and Lenya as tools." "Is that wrong?" "Completely wrong." "How can you say that for sure? If so, why?" Eurelia asked, glaring coldly at him, and Frey smiled. "...Because I''m stronger than you." "Ack." Frey whispered quietly as he pulled Eurelia into a hug, cutting down a golem who was about to shoot a laser at her. ''Though there''s more to it than that.'' Frey, knowing the future and having memorized the Book of Prophecy, could only offer a wry smile. "You''re weird." "I get that a lot." "...Let go of me." "I¡¯d rather not." Eurelia frowned slightly at Frey and tilted her head at his words.. "What if I pounce on you and assault you now? Could you resist?" Frey asked, looking at her with sincere eyes. "...Trash." "I¡¯m not joking. We''re alone here, with no witnesses. I could easily cover up the evidence and say you died." ¡°...¡± "E-Everyone, get out! Frey is leaving, and the barrier is temporarily neutralized! It will close soon, so hurry!!" Lenya''s voice echoed from behind. How did she figure that out? I expected Eurelia to say it, but this was a surprise. It seems Lenya was gradually showing the qualities of being a loving focal point for her comrades. That made me, as a professor, slightly happy... "T-they¡¯re coming out out!!" "S-Surround him!" As I stepped out with a smile, all the students and the faculty outside had their weapons and magic circles aimed at me. "...?" What''s this all about? . . . . . "Frey, release the Hero peacefully!" "Did you think you could get away with this?!" As accusations poured in from all directions, Frey looked confused and tilted his head. "C-Calm down, everyone! Everyone¡¯s safe now, so let''s just calm down!" Ruby, who was held by Frey, broke free and shouted with a panicked look on her face. - I knew your plan would fail, and I already told everyone beforehand that you were the one behind it. Ruby''s voice echoed in Frey''s ear. - How do you like my gift, Frey? Cold stares from the whole school and faculty members were on Frey. "...Ugh." Frey began to sweat profusely. "Haa, haa..." He started to breathe heavily and showed signs of anxiety. Fiddling with his treasured handkerchief, he began to contemplate silently. If my mental strength hadn''t been temporarily restored, I would have been in serious trouble. Even when the curse had been lifted, he still felt rather anxious. Frey gritted his teeth. He didn¡¯t want to imagine what would happen if the curse had not been lifted. "...He saved us." ¡°T-To say that Frey was behind all of this is...¡± Eurelia and Lenya muttered in a low voice as they looked at Frey, who was trembling under the cold stare of the whole school. "...What?" Ruby looked at Frey with a slightly puzzled expression when things didn''t go as she planned. Sudden Quest: Corruption Reward: Everything Do You Accept: Y/N A quest window with a black glow appeared before Frey. "So this was your plan from the start, Ruby. You aimed for my corruption instead of a huge amount of points.¡± Frey stared at the system window with a cold expression and then extended his hand toward Ruby. - Fizz, fizz...! "...!?" Suddenly, cracks began to appear in Frey''s system window. - Crack, crack... "W-What''s this...?" Frey stepped back in confusion at this unprecedented situation. - Whirring... ¡°...!¡± Tentacles and spinning orbs emerged from the cracked crevices. "Is this... an eyeball...?" Frey''s face turned pale at the sight. - Fizzle... Suddenly, Frey''s system started to fizzle. [You¡¯ve@%?@accepted%?...] "...!" As the system window displayed that message. [The Fourth Ordeal] A bright red message appeared below. "W-What''s this!?" Frey exclaimed in panic. "The Fourth Ordeal... isn''t that supposed to happen during the second year!!" [Beginning the Fourth Ordeal...] Despite his protests, the system mercilessly continued to display messages. "...Huh." Frey, who had been watching blankly, met the eyes of the youngest paladin who had blended in with the crowd of students. "Ah." A short exclamation escaped his mouth. "Damn it." Her eyes turned pitch black, just like when she was possessed by the Demon God. "Then, enjoy your Ordeal." "You...!" The Youngest Paladin bowed respectfully and extended an arm in a gesture. Frey reached out to her. "It''s too late..." The dark-eyed paladin looked at Frey with a mocking look and touched the sword at her waist. - Fizzzzz... "Uh?" Suddenly, her pupils dilated, and a dazed sound escaped her lips. - Whoosh... Then, in a split second, her pitch-black eyes began to glow golden again. - Swish... And with that, she swung her sword. - Sizzling... A golden sword aura sliced through the system, splitting the wide-open eyeball in half before it closed. "..." Then, a brief silence engulfed the area. [An unknown error occurred] [System rebooting] [Time remaining until reboot: 0 minutes 53 seconds...] "Phew..." As the Fourth Ordeal, which had started so abruptly, ended successfully, Frey collapsed with a pale face. "...Ugh." He felt dizzy due to the blood loss from his completely shattered left arm. "Uh, hmm..." Meanwhile, the golden-eyed paladin was staring at him blankly. "T-This incident... is not Frey''s doing!" She declared loudly with an awkward expression, looking around at everyone. "This erosion phenomenon... it''s the work of the Church!!" As she finished, a silence spread throughout the Academy. "S-Such ungratefulness! Those people! I... No, they''ve angered the Sun God, definitely!" She added, sweating profusely. "Young Master!?" "Frey!!" "Damn it..." "Quickly, we must..." Frey watched quietly as the scene unfolded before him. Before long, he turned his head at the murmurs of Kania, Clana, and Irina, all of whom were staring at his shattered left arm in horror. "...I need to finish the girls ¡®vaccination¡¯." Frey lost consciousness after finishing his statement. . . . . Meanwhile, in the snowy mountains of the Western Continent [Lunar: Sister! Declare it with more authority!! Don¡¯t add weird remarks!!] [Stellar: The Outer God must be pretty desperate to do such a crazy act. It must be a heavy burden for them.] "Hmm..." As she swung her legs atop the shattered Ice Dragon¡¯s head, Glare stared at the peculiar conversation before her. The system window appeared when she activated the ¡®guide function¡¯ of her helper system. "What''s this...?" She tilted her head in curiosity, fidgeting with her tiny fingers. And then, after a while. [Glare: Hallo?] A message popped up in the system window. "Wow, amazing!" Glare''s eyes sparkled as she saw her message appear on the system window, and she started to shake her legs excitedly. [Lunar:?] [Stellar:?] [Solar:?] Question marks started appearing in succession in her system window. [Lunar: How did you access this?] [Stellar: What???] [Solar: Greetings, may I ask who you are...?] "But... who are these people?" As questions poured in, Glare simply tilted her head with an amused expression, murmuring /genesisforsaken Chapter 306: Crossed Letters Chapter 306: Crossed Letters 28 minor injuries, and 3 serious injuries. Additionally, a substantial amount of property damage. This was the conclusion of the ''Academy Erosion Incident,'' which had turned not only Sunrise Academy, but also the Empire upside down. "That concludes the damage report." In the vacant faculty room, Kania gave her report with trembling eyes. "Young Ma..." "Are you absolutely sure there were no fatalities?" "...Yes, that''s correct." I let out a quiet sigh as I heard Kania¡¯s confirmation. "I feel like I''m going to lose my mind." I couldn¡¯t fully grasp the situation back then, as I was affected by the ¡®Curse of Mental Weakness¡¯. However, looking back at it, it was truly a close call. Monsters invasion outside the Academy Siege... It was a miracle there were no casualties. Had it not been for Kania, Clana, and Irina¡¯s quick response, the situation would have spiraled out of control. "Phew." Fortunately, we gained quite a bit from this incident. Firstly, Kania and Irina, who previously had limited influence in the academy, started to make a name for themselves. Even days after the incident, their fame showed no signs of diminishing. Furthermore, the media also highlighted their contributions and spun it as the emergence of new heroes, which further boosted their fame. Thanks to all of that, Clana¡¯s popularity also soared in the election, while Alice¡¯s popularity plummeted. It seemed my plan to portray Alice as my ally had worked quite well. Of course, Clana¡¯s performance during the incident also played a big role in this. Given the huge gap in the votes, it was very likely that Clana would be elected as the student council president. If things continued like this, the first main quest of the second year would be my victory. "How''s Ruby''s condition?" "She''s currently in the infirmary. No significant reactions so far." This incident also cast doubt among the students about Ruby''s behavior. Initially, the freshmen looked at me with murderous intent. But their expressions changed when I dragged out the intermediate Dark Golems I slaughtered inside the gate. Except for Isolet, even the academy¡¯s staff would be hard-pressed to defeat those intermediate Dark Golems. For the students, it was impossible for them to defeat it unless they engaged in a group raid. In other words, despite my personality and character, my skills were undoubtedly proven. "Indeed, it must be a lot of trouble." Ruby failed to demonstrate her abilities in the incident. She fell victim to the ¡®Curse of Vulnerability¡¯ I had cast with my special ability. Even if her abilities were meticulously proven in the ¡®Inauguration Ceremony¡¯, her lack of contribution in the real combat scenario was a significant flaw to her facade. Of course, it wasn¡¯t a big issue for her at the moment, as she was resourceful and had many followers blindly following her. However, the seed of doubt had already been sown. Furthermore, according to Kania¡¯s reports, Eurelia had begun to investigate Ruby¡¯s actions. If Ruby''s faction split or clashed with hers, the benefits were obvious. "Sigh..." "You''ve been sighing a lot these past few days, Young Master." As Kania pointed out, I found myself sighing deeply, then lowered my head, rubbing my eyes. If only that was the end of it... Though there were many gains, a significant problem arose. The forced initiation of the ''Fourth Ordeal'' at the very end of the incident. I couldn¡¯t get that scene out of my head. What were those tentacles and eyeball? And why did the Fourth Ordeal abruptly start? If the Sun God hadn¡¯t intervened... The thought alone sent chills down my spine. "It''s nothing." I reassured the worried Kania, but in truth, there was a more pressing matter. The fire incident in the annex, which was part of this scenario, changed into the erosion incident. How did a simple fire with no casualties turn into a major invasion event that threatened the students'' lives? Moreover, that eyeball... "...Uck." I felt frustrated. It felt like I was being pulled and watched by something. I really hated this feeling. - Bang...!!! Unknowingly, I slammed my hand on the desk in the faculty room, and Kania looked at me with a startled expression. "...Sorry." Even though the Curse of Mental Weakness was ¡®paused¡¯, it felt like my mental state had truly been weakened because of it. The feeling of everyone''s cold gazes, and the terrible memories that surfaced every time I looked at my loved ones... it was the worst. Honestly, I had wanted to commit suicide several times because of it. If it wasn''t for Lulu, who felt similar impulses, I might have made an extreme choice. This sucks. But what was more irritating was that the curse was just ''paused.'' There was no telling when it would be reactivated. Ruby had been under both the curse of vulnerability and honesty for a while now, so it might last a long time for me too. but when exactly would it restart? - Bang! Bang!! I bit my lip as I slammed my desk again in frustration. Catching on my frustration, Kania silently pulled me into a hug "Calm down, Young Master..." "..." I wanted to calm down too. But I couldn¡¯t get the memories of terror and fear out of my head. I hated those who mocked and trampled me. I had never felt this way before. Was I finally starting to reach the limit of my mental strength? Hopefully, it was just an after-effect of the curse. "Otherwise, your left arm will get even worse..." I clenched my teeth for a long time in Kania¡¯s embrace. I snapped out of it when I heard Kania¡¯s tearful whisper. "It''s fine, my left arm is fine." ¡°...Irina and Ferloche said otherwise.¡± "I told them not to tell you." "I''m your assistant." Kania spoke through clenched teeth as I shrugged off my condition. "They said you have to cut off your arm." ¡°Is that really necessary?¡± "If you don''t, it will spread toxic energy throughout your body. Regeneration and recovery magic won¡¯t work due to the unknown energy from the core." Kania then glared at me and said. "Why did you have to break it with your arm?" ¡°I wasn''t in my right mind at the time, and it was necessary to do more damage to Ruby. It''s all for the future..." "What about your own safety!" "Everything will end within a year anyway." I spoke with a gentle smile, and she looked at me in disbelief, angry for the first time in a long while. "This arm, it''s no big deal. Even if I go blind, become half-disabled, or paralyzed, as long as I''m alive, it¡¯s fine. The moment I put on the Hero''s Armament, I can still fight at a hundred percent until my strength runs out." "..." ¡°So... uhm.¡± I spoke triumphantly at first, but then I quietly averted my gaze at Kania''s teary expression. "..." Then, I noticed a note stuck on the corner of the desk, which I hadn''t seen until now. - Die, you piece of trash. P.S. Ms. Rosinante sends her regards! He looked at her warmly as if she were his sister, and muttered to himself after reading the note below. "I was going to request an upgrade for my cloak of deception. This timing works out well." Frey thought that the fact that the cloak was sticking out of his clothes when he was out of his mind was a problem, and that his strength was weakened when he was wearing it. "Hmm..." Stroking the cloak he always carried in case of emergencies, he turned his gaze and smiled again. There were thank you letters from the children of the orphanage he established, written in clumsy and uneven handwriting. Next to them were letters from the boy and girl he had saved in the market alley. "Corruption, huh? Ridiculous." Frey smiled warmly at these letters. Then he closed his eyes in frustration and murmured. "It''s just ridiculous..." The final moments of the Academy Erosion Incident, and the unrest that followed, weighed heavily on Frey''s mind. "I need to prepare quickly. I don''t know when the fourth ordeal will come." Murmuring anxiously, he suddenly began to write a letter. - Swish... Soon, two letters he wrote were carried away by the academy''s postal magic. "...So, why did you come to see me?" Frey leaned back in his chair, then he spoke calmly. The notes and letters on the wall had vanished as if they were a mirage. "You knew I was here?" A flat voice came from his side. Eurelia, with her usual calm and soulless expression, appeared in front of Frey. "You¡¯ve been here since I started talking about the Emperor, right? So I cast an anti-eavesdropping spell.¡±. "Are you planning to overthrow the Imperial Family?" "Even Kania didn''t notice you. Did you know she was tailing you?" "Are you on Ms. Clana''s side or the Emperor''s side?" Her question remained unanswered for a long while. "Are you planning to tell on me to your father?" "I''m naturally curious about who will hold the power in the Imperial Family. And, I have no intention of crossing you.¡± "Why is that?" Eurelia answered, looking intently into Frey¡¯s eyes. "Because you are more dangerous than I previously thought." "Hmm." "When do you plan to overthrow the Emperor?" Eurelia¡¯s eyes shone, contrasting her monotone voice. "Think about why your father remains silent." "..." "You''re still too inexperienced to meddle in these matters.¡± Frey added, his eyes were also shining. "I just wanted to show you that I can do this much.¡± ¡°To me? Why? You can just hate me like other students.¡± "I wonder." Eurelia seemed slightly discouraged by his response, but she persisted and continued the conversation. "I saw the memo stuck on the corner of your desk." "Really?" "And I saw the look on your face when you saw that memo." She muttered with a calm expression. "I don''t agree with what was written in it." "Why''s that?" "Because you have the power." Frey frowned at her words. "Let''s end this pretense and get to the main point." "...My father wants to meet you." "Really? Tell him I agree. I''ll let you know where and when." "Understood." The conversation, which seemed like it could go on and on, ended abruptly. "Well, I''m busy. So, I''ll be going." As Frey stood up to leave the faculty room, Eurelia, who had been watching him quietly, spoke in a low voice. "Your sister is coming to our class during the last period today." ¡°...¡± Frey paused for a moment upon hearing this. "You do care about your sister, don''t you?" Eurelia asked quietly, watching Frey''s reaction. "Don''t meddle in other people''s family affairs." Frey sharply replied with a cold look. Eurelia flinched and started to break out in a cold sweat as his response reminded her of what happened inside the gate. "The part about not agreeing with the memo." Eurelia glanced back at Frey, who was at the door, and murmured quietly. "...I meant it." Whether he heard it or not, Frey didn''t respond and left the room with a sigh. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that time. "...Ah?" Lulu, who was looking curiously at the horn that grew on her head in the mirror, quietly looked down at a letter she had received. [Do you have time tonight, Lulu? If you¡¯re free, please respond. I need you to do something.] - Frey "Master...?" Lulu looked at the letter with a puzzled expression, then started to write a reply with an innocent expression, thinking about playing late at night with her master. "...Damn." And at the same time. "There''s... too much to deal with." Isolet was wearily writing a report on the ¡®Erosion Incident¡¯ in her dormitory when she received Frey¡¯s letter. [Do you have time for a ¡®vaccination¡¯ tonight? Sister? The preventive one I talked about before.] - Frey "I need to finish this quickly..." But, preoccupied with the mountain of reports, she failed to notice the /genesisforsaken Chapter 307: The Conquest Of The Heroine That Could Not Be Subjugated Chapter 307: The Conquest Of The Heroine That Could Not Be Subjugated Time passed, and it was the final class period of the day at Sunrise Academy. "So, when I thrust the sword into that monster, it..." ¡°What? Did you say something? If I remember correctly, you were so scared and had to attack the monster from behind!¡± "T-That''s not true!" Even though quite some time had passed since the last bell rang, the chatter of the first-year Class A was still ongoing. Until recently, they used to be at odds with each other. But after the ¡®Academy Erosion Incident¡¯ a few days ago, there had been a shift in their dynamic as both nobles and commoners faced challenges together. Of course, this didn''t mean that their social status or relationships dramatically changed, but now there were students who grew closer to each other and some who even became friends. "..." Amidst the chatter, Eurelia sat at her desk, silently watching others with a detached expression, her chin resting on her hand as she was lost in thought. Rebellion, rebellion... She was certain that Frey was plotting something against the Imperial Family. The problem was, she wasn¡¯t sure which side he was on. She had tried to find out whether Frey intended to overthrow the Emperor, but all she saw was a cold, murderous intent. Eurelia knew too well that this wasn''t just a threat, but a warning that he could go for her neck at any time. Doesn¡¯t it matter if I heard about his plan...? And she was the one who had most accurately analyzed Frey''s abilities among the freshmen. Or did he deliberately let me hear it? So, she pondered. There was no way he didn¡¯t notice her. She wasn¡¯t sure, but he may have known that she was hiding in the faculty room from the very beginning. Even with her skills in stealth honed from a young age, completely concealing herself from Frey, who had demonstrated overwhelming skills, was near impossible. Why? What''s his intention? But then, too many questions arose. Why would Frey let slip such information to her? Did he already anticipate her actions and the outcomes from it? I don''t understand. I can''t read him. Till now, Eurelia could easily read people¡¯s intentions, and due to this ability, she sees others as tools for her to use But, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t get a read on Frey. On the contrary, it felt more like she was the one who got read by him, perhaps even being used as a tool... But... I don''t think I''m a mere tool. She thought about it for a moment, then she shook her head and muttered to herself. That expression... he was serious. The hurt look he had when reading the memo stuck to the desk, and the genuine smile as he looked at the various memos on the wall. These two expressions were something she had never seen in Frey before. Could that be the real him? Or was that all just an act? Could those lively expressions, a stark contrast to his usual expression, were staged just for her to see? "Ugh..." "Ms. Paladin! You were really brave!" "Ah, yes..." With her nonchalant attitude, Eurelia quietly lifted her head at the exclamation. "To confidently speak up like that, it was awesome! I admire you!" "Right! I¡¯m seeing you in a new light!" "Th-thank you... haha." The Youngest Paladin in the 1000-year history of the Church was surrounded by students and being asked questions. Exposing the recent Erosion Incident as the machination of the Church had made her the hottest topic in the Empire. "But, what''s your name, Ms. Paladin?" "Ah, um... well, I''m not sure?" "...What?" However, there were suspicious things about her. For instance, she didn''t seem to have a name, her eye color changed occasionally, and her behavior varied depending on the color of her eyes. When her eyes were black, she appeared quite displeased; when they were golden, she seemed quite naive; and when they were silver, she appeared very innocent. "Solar... ah, no, just call me ''Light'', please..." "Light? That''s a nice name!" While it seemed the other students hadn''t noticed these peculiarities yet, now that she had gained attention, it was only a matter of time. "Hmm..." Should she recruit her as an ally or not? While pondering over this as she tapped her desk, Eurelia quietly turned her gaze to the side. "..." She then noticed Roswyn with sunken eyes and her head down. She had thought Roswyn was pushed off in a power struggle in the guild, but for her to hand over all the information she had was an unexpected variable. - Swish... And what about this bottle she got from her? Eurelia had it analyzed, but she couldn''t even identify its components. What exactly did Roswyn intend to feed Frey? "...Sigh." After gazing at Roswyn for a while, Eurelia slowly turned her attention to the other students. Aishi, who was chatting and laughing with her mouth covered, Miho, who was curled up with her tail and sleeping, and the rest of the students. Then, she sighed and shook her head as she noticed one person missing. "Ruby... something''s definitely off about her." Then, with a glimmer in her eyes, she muttered to herself. "Tools... no, I need to gather more allies." Almost subconsciously referring to them as ''tools'', Eurelia glanced in the direction of the faculty office and muttered. "Um, excuse me?" "...?" At that moment, someone tapped her on the shoulder. "...Forest pest." ¡°S-Seriously...! I shouldn¡¯t have helped you back then...¡± Upon seeing Lenya standing behind her, Eurelia spoke indifferently, and Lenya muttered in exasperation in response. ¡°Hah... Forget it. I have a favor to ask.¡± "You, to me?" "Yes, you wretched... no, I shouldn¡¯t stoop down to your level.¡± When Eurelia stared at Lenya, who spoke with a smug expression, Lenya cleared her throat and spoke. "I need information on the Hero of Money." "Why the Hero of Money?" "Well, you see..." At Eurelia¡¯s question, Lenya glanced around and whispered softly. But, then... - Slide... The classroom door opened, and someone entered. "We have a new student in our class today." Vener, neatly dressed in her assistant professor outfit, stepped into the classroom and announced loudly. She had been in charge of the first-year Class A during the week when Frey had to be a second-year student. "Please welcome her with applause." As she finished, someone slowly walked into the classroom. - Step, step... The newcomer looked around for a moment before approaching the podium, and the noisy class fell silent, fixing their gaze on her. "...Hello, everyone." Gazing at everyone, the new student spoke. "I am Aria Raon Starlight, the temporary head of the Starlight Duchy and a new student of the 1001st class.¡± Small in stature due to her young body, with beautiful white hair and a cute face like a doll, her flushed cheeks due to nervousness added more charm to her appearance. All of that comes together in one single package called Aria, who was beautiful beyond her years as she dressed in the Academy¡¯s uniform, bowing gracefully as she finished her introduction. "I hope to get along well with all of you." Then, silence fell. - Clap, clap, clap!!! Soon, thunderous applause and cheering began to pour from all sides of the classroom, causing Aria''s face to blush even harder. "..." Amidst this atmosphere, Eurelia quietly observed Aria. "...Surprisingly, he seems to really care about his sister." With a sharp gaze, she muttered to herself and turned her gaze out the window. "...!" Suddenly, her eyes widened in surprise. "Really?" Outside in the hallway, Frey walked by the window and looked into the classroom. Her whole life was filled with hurt and abandonment. Her mind was in shambles with what-ifs. And before she knew it, she gazed at Frey fearfully. "I¡¯m... actually." She closed her eyes tightly and shouted. "I''m a demon!" At the same time, small and cute horns popped out of her head, along with a demon''s tail. "M-Moreover, I¡¯m a pure-blood demon! Without any human blood, a pure lineage!" She shouted once more and began to tremble with her eyes tightly closed. "I-I wanted to let you know..." After a long silence, she opened her eyes and muttered timidly.. ".....Ah." She then looked at Frey with a dazed expression. "Master." Frey was smiling. It was the same smile that he gave her on the first night she came to the mansion. She recalled that gentle kiss he gave her when she was terrified, thinking she was going to be raped. The smile that completely changed her life. "You''re cute, Lulu." Frey spoke in a low voice, wearing the same smile. "And lovely too." Lulu was left speechless upon hearing his words, and then she continued. ¡°I... I¡¯m not a human. I¡¯m a pureblood demon that everyone hates!¡± ¡°I¡¯m also hated by everyone. Some even treated me worse than a demon.¡± "My awakened state is dangerous too. If I go berserk, I could disgrace you, or even harm you." ¡°It¡¯s the master¡¯s duty to discipline his pet. We can work this out together.¡± "And, and......" Lulu, who kept confessing her shortcomings without being asked, began to stutter. "Ugh..." Eventually, tears started to well up in her eyes. "U-uuuh..." Once they started flowing, her eyes began to water uncontrollably. "M-masterrr..." She felt so foolish for worrying about being abandoned just moments ago. The man in front of her still unconditionally loved her. Since the first day they met, until now. That love had never changed, it never wavered, not even a little. "Ugh... Uh..." And it never would. "W-why are you so nice to me......." She asked, tears streaming down her face. She was overwhelmed by the bitterness she had felt in her life, the relief of not being abandoned by her master, and the love she had for Frey, all bursting out at the same time. "Once you pick up a pet, you''re responsible for it until death." "T-Then... why did you take me..." Frey answered without hesitation. "Because that pet was very lovely." At his answer, Lulu broke into a bright smile, even though her eyes were still covered in tears. "Me too...!" It was an expression she couldn''t have imagined showing a year ago, not even knowing how to. She was designed to live only by being loved, but she was never designed to be loved. "I like my master the most in the world!!!" She exclaimed with the happiest smile on her face. It was nothing short of a miracle. "Well then, it''s my turn to talk." "Ah, yes!" As Lulu happily wagged her tail at her master, she froze and focused on him when Frey began to speak. "Uhm... actually, there''s a way to stabilize your awakened state." "R-Really?" As Frey scratched his head, she responded with shining eyes. "And... this is also for your own good. Consider it akin to a form of vaccination." Frey looked at Lulu, blushing slightly. "I''ll take it right now!" Lulu responded eagerly, her eyes sparkling. Her unstable awakened state was her last remaining anxiety. If stabilizing it meant she wouldn''t harm her master, Lulu was willing to do anything he asked. "Where should I go? A hospital? Medical facility? Or is it somewhere illegal? I don''t mind that either! Just tell me where..." "It''s here." "What?" But when Frey quietly pointed to his lower body, Lulu looked puzzled. "You need to get the injection... but the needle is this." "...!?" Lulu''s eyes widened as Frey calmly explained. ¡°So, in other words... we have to spend the night together.¡± Frey added in a low voice, his gaze fixed on Lulu. "...A-A night." Lulu blushed uncontrollably and stammered, her mouth wide open. "I didn''t know the play was that kind of play... It''s like a romance novel." "Yeah, it does... seem like a novel. But it''s real..." "...Right." Lulu nodded in understanding. "Ever since the first day I met you, Master, every day has been like a romance novel." "..." "So, I will follow you wherever..." Just as Lulu started to move, she looked at Frey with a hesitant expression and asked. ¡°B-But, I¡¯m your pet... Is it really okay for me to be with you...¡± Lulu muttered with a trembling voice, and Frey looked at her with a flushed face and whispered with a smirk. "Is that request from back then still valid?" "What?" Lulu tilted her head slightly. "You''re still my girlfriend, for now." "Ah." Upon hearing Frey''s straightforward response, Lulu clapped her hands quietly. "..." Then, the heat rushed through Lulu''s body. - Step, step... Soon after, Lulu''s tail began to wag lazily as she approached the bed where he was while looking at him with eager eyes. - Swish, swish... She slowly started to undress. Eventually, Lulu revealed her heated naked body to Frey. - Whisk...? She wrapped her tail around Frey''s right arm, pulling him towards her, and placed something in his hand. "..." It was the leash connected to her collar. - Swish... As Frey quietly wrapped the leash around his hand, Lulu, kneeling before him, opened her mouth and made a familiar puppy sound. "...Woof?" Then, with an expectant look, she gazed up at Frey, panting. "Pant, pant...?" It was the moment when the unapproachable heroine, known for inevitably committing suicide in every route, offered up her virginity for the first /genesisforsaken Chapter 308: The Pet That Became A Bitch Chapter 308: The Pet That Became A Bitch WARNING R18 AHEAD!!!!!!!!! Read at your own risk. There is also an illustration at the end. Please don''t look in public. "Haa, haa..." Lulu used her mouth to unzip Frey¡¯s pants as he sat on the edge of the bed. He could feel her hot breath on his exposed lower body. - Rub, rub... Then she rubbed her cheek against his underwear, as if trying to remember the shape of his cock. - Lick...? Then she gently licked around Frey¡¯s cock through his underwear. "Hmm..." She fervently licked all the way to the glans, then she seductively looked up at him. Lulu''s mouth curled up into a smile. She seemed to be very happy at this moment, smelling Frey''s scent and nibbling his cock. - Rustle... Frey¡¯s scent was imprinted strongly on her body as she nibbled on his glans for a while. Feeling the intense lust in the air, she finally couldn¡¯t take it anymore and urgently pulled down Frey¡¯s underwear. - Wobble...? "...!" Then, his huge cock sprung before her eyes. "You''re so big... It was huge when she''d seen it at the Hero¡¯s Inauguration Ceremony, but now that it was filled up with his blood, it was many times bigger. - Rustle... Looking up at Frey''s manhood with trembling eyes, Lulu grabbed it with trembling hands and rubbed her cheeks against it. - Jiggle, jiggle...? And then, Frey''s penis began to grind wildly against her cheeks. The shape of his manhood, its size and thickness, and its scent were imprinted on Lulu''s cheeks. "Master..." After Lulu finished showing her affection towards Frey, she placed his throbbing cock in her face. "Thank you for making me your pet..." With Frey¡¯s cock in front of her, she placed her hands on her knees and opened her mouth while looking up at him. "As your pet, I will serve you wholeheartedly today." - Drip... "I don''t care what happens to me, please be rough with me." With that said, Lulu lightly licked Frey''s pole with her tongue and then kissed it, causing a small amount of pre-cum to leak out from his glans, soaking her forehead. - Kiss... kiss...? To further please her master, Lulu kept kissing Frey''s tip and his glans. "Tonight, I want you to treat me as a pet slave, not a person." "What?" Lulu whispered softly towards Frey, who was still holding her leash. To further demonstrate her love for her master, she kissed his glans and gently teased it with her tongue. "Feel free to indulge your sexual fantasies on me, Master." "..." "Chomp." Shortly afterward, Lulu instantly swallowed Frey¡¯s cock all the way to the hilt. "Kugh, ugh..." Having swallowed Frey¡¯s huge manhood, which had left unforgettable memories to every heroine that he had slept with, all the way down her throat, Lulu began to twitch as her nose touched with his pelvis. "Kughhh..." "Hey, Lulu. Don''t push yourself too hard..." Seeing her shed tears and drool uncontrollably, Frey, overwhelmed by pleasure, tried to pull back. - Grab...? He failed as Lulu shook violently and clung harder to Frey¡¯s legs. At the same time, her tail, which had been wrapped around Frey''s arm until now, pulled back his arms, tightening the leash on her. - Tremble, tremble...! With that, she closed her eyes, savoring the sensation of his throbbing cock and the tightening leash on her throat. "...! .....!" Then, even though she could no longer breathe, she still maintained that position, lost in pleasure. Her focus began to waver. - Spurt, spurt...! It feels like I¡¯m suffocating...? Finally, Frey¡¯s cock reached its limit and began unloading his first load down her throat. But still, she continued to deep throat him, losing herself in the pleasure that burned through her body, slowly losing her consciousness. - Spurt...! And then, just as she was about to faint, Frey pulled his cock out of her throat forcefully. "Puhhhh...! Fuha... Haa...!" Due to the sudden movement, she flinched and coughed cum. "L-Lulu, why did you do that?" "Master, your cum, it''s so... delicious." Frey asked worriedly as Lulu continued to struggle to catch her breath. Seeing the dripping cum, she gathered all of it and licked it all clean. She happily scooped up Frey¡¯s semen for a moment, savoring the last of it in her mouth, but then, with a wistful look in her eyes, she gulped it down and spoke again. "And... I''m your pet slave tonight." Lulu''s eyes widened in ecstasy as she felt Frey''s sticky cum slowly slide down her throat. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, I want you to be rough.¡± With that, she kissed Frey''s glans once more, which hadn''t shrunk in the slightest. "You''ll do it, won''t you, Master?" Frey''s eyes, burdened with stress from the past few days, began to tremble violently. . . . . . - Slick, slick... Frey''s manhood slid in and out between Lulu''s thighs. "Mas...ter..." "Lulu." Lulu was being hugged by Frey from behind, her eyes wide as she reveled in the feel of Frey¡¯s hard cock against her thighs. She rubbed her cheek against his with a blissed out expression. Her leash was being pulled tight by Frey. - Squeeze...? When Frey, who had been fucking her thighs for a while, began to shudder, Lulu tightened her legs with a smile. - Spurt, spurt...! As Frey spurted his load between her thighs, hot cum trickled down between her legs. "It''s so hot... I think I''m going to get burned." Lulu looked down in silence at her legs and her own cunt, covered in cum and juices, and then whispered with hearts in her eyes. "Is there anything else you want to do?" Frey had already tried almost every variation of sex except penetration with her. Every inch of her body was already marked by him, including her breasts, armpits, hair, and feet. "If not... Hmm?" In response, Frey grabbed her shoulders and slowly lowered her down. Then, she tilted her head. ¡°This is the third time you¡¯ve used my mouth, including the 69 position...¡± Eventually, she had a puzzled look on her face. "Huh!?" Lulu¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as Frey grabbed her by the horns and slammed her down ruthlessly on his cock. - Flinch, flinch...! Due to the sudden movement, tears began to gather in her eyes. But soon, her eyes rolled back, and she started to twitch uncontrollably due to the intense pleasure. For demons, horns were their vital point. For some demons, horns were also an erogenous zone. And for someone like Lulu, whose horns were just starting to grow, the sensitivity was beyond imagination. - Umph... I-I¡¯m going to die! I¡¯m going to die from pleasure...! She thought to herself as Frey bit the tip of her tail, another erogenous zone for demons. Her head turned blank due to the overwhelming sensation. She wanted to say it out loud, of course, so that Frey could hear and be pleased, but with his glorious cock deep in her throat, she couldn''t even whimper. - Puck, puck, puck...! "Ku! Kugh, kugh!" With that, Frey began to quicken his pace. - Nibble, nibble... "Kugh..." Still reveling in the pleasure of having her throat filled to the brim and her horn being pulled, she finally reached her limit when Frey continued to nibble the tip of her tail. - Squirt! Squirt..! Finally, Lulu arched her back and squirted her juice out of her pussy. - Spurt, spurt...! At the same time, Frey also pulled out his cock and unload his cum to her face. - Spurt...Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com Lulu¡¯s deep-throat was so intense that Frey continued to cum long after he pulled out of her throat. Frey''s cum coated Lulu''s face as she knelt, completely melted with pleasure. - Lick, lick... Lulu subconsciously collected the cum on her face and licked it off. Seeing that scene, Frey smiled gently at her. "...bite." "Huh!?" Then, he nibbled the tip of Lulu''s tail with his back tooth. - Kuk...! Frey¡¯s cock, which had driven every woman he¡¯d ever fucked into a sex-coma, began to thrust furiously inside Lulu. "Uhh, huh... Uhh?" Lulu moaned in pleasure like nothing she''d ever felt before, her eyes widening as Frey tugged on her tail. "M-Master...! Now... AHHHHHH..." But before she could finish talking, Frey licked her tail with his tongue. - Swish... Lulu panicked and tried to pull her tail away, but Frey grabbed it and wrapped it around his neck. "Haab..." "Ack, eek... Eek..." Then, with her tail back in his mouth, Frey looked down at Lulu and continued to piston away, her thoughts overtaken by a chilly sensation that made her stop thinking. "I-I''m going to break! I''m going to break, Master!" She whispered urgently, and Frey flinched, seeing her expression. "...W-Well, you¡¯re my master, you can break me." Then, Lulu whispered that in a timid voice and turned her gaze to the side. ¡°Please... Break me more.¡± - Kukk...! At the same time, her pussy unexpectedly began to tighten around his cock. "....!" Feeling the pressure of the situation, Frey plunged his cock all the way inside her and fell down on Lulu''s body, touching each other''s navels. - Licking...? Frey then licked the horns on her head from the bottom to the top. "Kahang... Kahang...?" - Squirt... With that final blow, Lulu¡¯s whole body convulsed, and her love juice squirted from the cunt that tightly gripped Frey¡¯s cock. - Spurt, spurt...! At the same time, Frey matched her rhythm as he copiously cum directly into her womb. - Drip, drip... Both of their love juice mixed together, multiplying the pleasure and satisfaction they both felt. "Haa, ha..." And so it went on for a long time. After they had come down from their climax, they began to embrace each other tightly, breathing heavily. - Thump, thump... As their chests touched, they could feel each other¡¯s heartbeat. The first affair between the Demon King candidate and the Hero ended with a decisive victory for the Hero. "...I thought you were done playing rough." Lulu, who had been feeling the lingering effects of their sex for a while, held Frey''s hand with a gentle expression and opened her mouth. "Still, we should try something different." - Swish... Lulu then brought Frey''s hand to her throat. "Please choke me like this, master." "..." "Please choke me...?" Simultaneously, Frey''s cock inside her vagina began to throb once more. - Tremble, tremble...! "Kugh, kuh...?" And so, their long night together began in earnest. . . . . . - Spurt, spurt...! "Haaa..." Lulu kept shaking her hips while sitting on Frey''s legs, and then she arched her back. "Haa, ha..." Then, Lulu let out a harsh breath and smiled bashfully, looking at Frey sitting on the bed. "This position... is good, master." "I see." After cumming for what seemed like the umpteenth time with Lulu perched on his leg, Frey tugged hard on the leash around her neck. - Tug... And around his neck, Lulu''s tail was coiled and taut. "Next time, in what position...?" "Hmm... how about this." After looking at each other for a while, the two began to switch positions. "This... It''s kind of exciting." "...Yeah." This time, they were in a doggy position. It was the perfect position for the bitch, Lulu, and her master, Frey. - Sway, sway... "Hurry up and put your cock in my pussy, Master." Lulu, lying face down on the bed, rubbed her pussy against Frey''s cock, then she mumbled with her tail swaying lazily. "...Bang!" Then, without hesitation, Frey shoved his manhood into Lulu''s pussy. - Pak, pak, pak...! "Aaahhhhhhhhhh..." Then, Frey grabbed her hips and began to thrust back and forth vigorously, the sound of flesh slapping and moaning began to fill the room. "Huu, huhh..." "Ugh..." In the midst of all this, Frey had a blissed out expression as he tugged at Lulu¡¯s leash. - Clack, clack...! "...!" Suddenly, he heard the doorknob of his room turn, and he froze, staring at the door. "W-Who... No, the door''s locked..." Muttering to himself, Frey realized that the door was locked and began to look around for a place to hide Lulu. - Creak, creak... ""...!!!"" When they heard the key turn, they both looked alarmed. - Drrrr! "T-This is crazy!" - Whirrrrr...! With a look of disbelief, Frey didn¡¯t even have the time to pull out his cock when the door opened, sohe quickly pulled the covers over Lulu and himself. "Hah... Finally, I¡¯m done with the paperwork.¡± A cold sweat broke out all over Frey''s body as he saw Isolet walk through the open doorway with her hair tied up. - Sway, sway...? "...Ugh." Lulu, who was still in the doggy position with his cock inside her, widened her eyes and shut her mouth as he began to move again. "Frey." "Yeah, Si... Sister." "So about that vaccination... Hmm?" With that, Frey hugged the blanket, his face red and restless. "Are you sick?" When Isolet began to approach him with a suspicious look in her eyes, he looked up at her, unable to control the tremor in his eyes, and he spoke. "No, Sister, not at all... Heuk." - Thrust...? However, it felt too good inside Lulu to pretend nothing was wrong. "S-Sister...? There, That''s right...?" "Ha?" "Hmmm..." Isolet''s expression crumpled even more, and Frey had to cover his mouth to stop himself from moaning. "....?" However, that couldn''t hide the flushed expression on his face. "..." Isolet''s eyes turned cold, and she quietly reached for the sword at her side. "W-Wait. Wait, Sister... I mean, this is..." Feeling the outrageous murderous intent from Isolet, Frey was flustered and began to sweat profusely. - Swish...! When Isolet finally pulled the covers away, he squeezed his eyes shut. ""..."" For a moment, the room was silent. - Spurt, spurt...! "..." Isolet just silently looked at the scene in front of her as Frey shot another load into Lulu¡¯s womb. Feeling mortified, he muttered with his eyes tightly closed. "...Ring of Oath, help me." Immediately afterward, Frey pointed the ring finger on his right hand to Isolet. "Huuu, huu..." Lulu, who had buried her head in the bed, drooled, soaking the /genesisforsaken Chapter 309: The Sloppy Teacher Who Embraced The Star WARNING R18 AHEAD!!!!!!!!! Read at your own risk. There is also an illustration at the end. Please don''t look in public. "Isolet?" "..." Frey swallowed dryly and called Isolet''s name, but there was no response from her. "Isolet...? Sister?" With an uncertain expression, Frey called her again, but even then, she remained silent, prompting Frey to finally heave a sigh of relief. "...We survived." - Plop...? Frey¡¯s cum poured out of Lulu¡¯s vagina as he pulled out his cock. "...Lulu." "Wo-Woof." Watching her blankly, Frey tugged Lulu''s tail and muttered. "You can¡¯t use this." "Whimper..." With a whimper, Lulu brushed her hip against Frey''s penis. "Never mind, we couldn''t have hidden it anyway, since Isolet came in so suddenly." "Heuk..." Pressing her stomach with his hand, Frey sighed quietly, then turned his gaze to Isolet and muttered. "Well, now what..." Originally, Frey had intended to spend the night with Isolet. However, for some reason, she didn''t reply, and instead, Frey spent the night with Lulu, who did reply. "What a mess..." Judging from what Isolet said when she entered his room, it was clear she was looking forward to the night Frey had promised her. Unless she noticed his intention along the way here. "How did you enter the roo... Ah." Grasping his head in frustration, Frey looked at the key in her hand with a dejected expression. "Where did you get my room key?" Of course, there was no answer. "Ugh..." "Well... let¡¯s take a breather for now..." Just like that Frey ruffled Lulu¡¯s hair and kissed her belly. Then he tried to get up. "As expected, Sister, next time..." He murmured as he felt the soreness in his lower body. "...I will serve you." "...!?" Suddenly, Isolet, who had been as still as a statue, began to speak as she undressed. Her eyes lit up with anticipation. "Where are you trying to escape... No, I will carry out your command." "Huh? Uh..." "Hurry up and give me the vaccination, my lord." Watching Isolet speak mechanically, Frey looked at her dumbfounded, then muttered as he tapped the ring of oath. "Oh, did an error occur? Why is this happening?" Watching the confused Frey, Isolet inwardly muttered with a sly smile that no one noticed. I don''t know what''s going on, but for now, I¡¯ll play along. You cheeky little brat. . . . . . "S-Sister." "Yes, Frey." Blushing deeply, Frey rested his cock on Isolet''s head. "This... Do we really have to do this?" "A penis oath is essential before establishing a relationship." Although Frey clearly had the ¡®Ring of Oath¡¯ that could forcefully control Isolet to his heart''s desire, for some reason, she was in a trance and uncontrollable now. Initially, Frey had intended to send her back to her room, even resorting to using the ring, but due to Isolet''s killing intent, he reluctantly decided to have sex with her in her hypnotic state. "Whimper..." By the way, Lulu lay face down beside the bed, moaning, with her collar tied. Frey had also tried to send her back, but she decided to stay just in case Frey might be in danger. "...I''ll have to come up with something to say later." - Chuu? "Ugh." When he looked at Lulu, Isolet took the opportunity to kiss his glans, making him flinch in surprise. "S-Sisterr..." Frey had been prepared enough to establish a relationship with Isolet. However, having admired her since childhood and treated her as a mentor, Frey felt a sense of immorality as if he were engaging in a forbidden relationship in this situation. "Slurp..." "Ugh..." While he was having that thought, Isolet wrapped her tongue around his penis, making it erect once again. Frey trembled with the immorality of it all, recalling the scene where she guided his swordsmanship. "Smooch, Smooch, Smooch...?" "Haa, haa..." Unfazed by Frey, Isolet took his penis in hand and began to kiss every part of it. Moving from his glans to his shaft, to the root, and even his testicles. "Nibble..." "Ugh, uh..." After marking his penis, Isolet sucked on his testicles, causing Frey to squirm. "Slurp..." Then she licked his cock from the base to the glans before putting it in her mouth - Spurt...! Spurt...! After repeating this several times, Frey''s penis began to throb violently, spewing a copious amount of semen. "Haa..." Not missing a beat, Isolet placed Frey¡¯s cock on her head once more. Then, she whispered calmly as his cum overflowed from her head and streamed down her body. "With this, the cock baptism is complete." "...What?" "Now, I am both your knight and slave of this magnificent cock." - Spurtttt...! Even though he had already ejaculated enough to cover her head and body, Frey¡¯s penis erupted again at her suggestive words. This time, Isolet swallowed his cumming cock with her mouth. "Gulp, gulp..." Thank goodness I took the aphrodisiac. "...It''s really delicious, Lord Frey." Seeing Isolet swallowing the semen she had held in her mouth and then licking her lips, Frey muttered inwardly. The effect of Irina''s special aphrodisiac was evident from the amount of semen baptizing Isolet¡¯s body. "Now, please do as you wish, my lord." "What?" Thanks to Isolet''s encouragement, Frey regained his confidence. Then she placed her hands on his knees, and spoke. "As the eldest daughter of Marquis Bywalker, the swordswoman known as the strongest knight of the empire, and a professor at the academy, I hope you will thoroughly ravage me." "..." "I have sworn my allegiance to you and your cock, I will obey all of your command." Then, she added that to show her loyalty. She closed her eyes and started to kiss his glans with sincerity. -Smooch, Smooch...? Seeing her in this state, Frey felt a rush of conflicting emotions¡ªimmorality and admiration for her, as well as a surge of masculine pride¡ªall at once which he had harbored for her for some time. Then, with a trembling voice, he issued a command. "Isolet, it''s an order. Act like you usually do from now on, like an older sister." "Undershood." Then, with her hands on his knees and a careful kiss to his glans, she replies in a hushed voice. "Have you ever masturbated while thinking of me?" Frey blushed as he extended the ring of oath to her, asking the question. "...Yes." In response to Frey''s teasing question, she turned her gaze aside shyly. "How often?" "Every, every night... Almost every night, I masturbated more than three times without fail, thinking of you." "Is that so...?" Contrasting her previous mechanical demeanor, Isolet''s embarrassed expression as she confessed to using him as a fantasy aroused a strange sense of confidence in him. He lifted his head to her with newfound confidence. "Do you like me that much?" "I like you, Frey." "Say it as I command, not in that stiff tone." "I like you, Frey." As Isolet whispered sincerely, Frey''s body heated up. ¡°Go to bed and do exactly what you did last night.¡± "...Okay." When Frey gave the order with a mischievous smile, Isolet lowered her head, her cheeks flushed with desire, and her body hot with anticipation as she made her way to the bed. - Rustle, rustle... "...?" But then, Frey tilted his head as Isolet suddenly rummaged through her clothes on the floor - Swoosh... "Ha..." Frey was taken aback when he saw what she brought out. "You''ve been using that until now?" "Yeah..." What Isolet took out was none other than Frey''s underwear that she had stolen from Frey''s mansion a few months ago. "So far, I¡¯ve been using this underwear along with pictures of you for my nightly masturbation." "...?" "I don''t have the pictures now... Should I go get them?" Isolet seemed to be on the verge of tears as she asked those questions while holding Frey¡¯s underwear. Seeing that scene, something snapped inside him. "I''m right here now... Wouldn''t seeing me directly suffice?" "Ah... Well, I guess..." "So, hurry up and masturbate as you usually do, you lascivious whore." "...!" With that, Frey started mocking Isolet, imitating Aishi''s arrogant demeanor from the past. "Can¡¯t you hurry up? Could it be, is your pussy so old and dusty that you can¡¯t even masturbate properly? As Frey spoke, poking Isolet''s abdomen, her eyes shook wildly. ...I thought she''d be happy if I did this? However, thinking she might be upset, Frey decided to stop his unconvincing act if it didn¡¯t work. Clearly, the last time I did this, her response was explosive, so why isn''t she reacting now? Is she in a bad mood? - Swoosh, swoosh... "Ugh, uh..." As Isolet slowly began to caress her own fold, Frey swallowed dry saliva, lowering his gaze. - Squelch, squelch... Isolet''s white hands move in and out of her pink, hairless, squishy pussy. "Uh, haa... Haa..." As her fingers became moist with her love juice, Isolet let out a sigh and pulled up Frey''s underwear, moaning softly. - Rub, rub... "The reason I masturbate every night!! The reason I spent so much money on scrolls!! It''s because you relentlessly wag your tail without giving me a moment''s rest!! You brat!!" Mercilessly, Isolet slammed her pussy down Frey¡¯s throbbing cock and unleashed the pent-up frustration she had been accumulating. "You were like that even when you were young! You! Always sticking to me, even when I¡¯m drenched in sweat! Smirking at me! Intentionally getting close to me!!" "Uh..." "And then you say things like, ''I want to beat Sister too, you know?'' You lecherous brat!!" Isolet''s pussy clenched around Frey''s penis without mercy as she spoke. "You tempt me like that, so why did you fuck me so late? You stupid jerk!!" "T-That...?" "Don''t make such a lewd face!! You always showed that expression to others, only to be mercilessly taken advantage of in the end!!" "Uh..." Thanks to this, Frey''s cock reached its limit. - Spurt, Spurttt... Frey began to cum wildly inside Isolet¡¯s pussy. "Ugh..." At the same time, Frey, who had still been held by Isolet''s arms and legs, arched his back. - Spurtt...! "Uh..." However, Isolet once again slammed her pussy onto Frey''s penis, pinning him to the bed. "S-Sister! Wait a min...!" "From now on, I will teach you, Frey." Isolet forcefully squeezed Frey''s cock with all of her strength, which was about to go limp after just ejaculating, and began slamming it again. "P-Please stop for a moment! Not now! Give me some...!" "First of all, I''m not old. I''m still in my twenties." And with that, Isolet¡¯s lesson began. "Second, my pussy is not old and dusty! I always masturbate every night while thinking of you, so it''s very clean and warm." - Spurt, Spurtt... "Haah... Haah... Sister, please stop... Uh!" Even though Frey begged with a pale face as he began to cum once more, Isolet''s assault continued. "Third, my pussy is not sloppy nor a third-rate! I can tell just by looking at your blissed out expression right now." - Spurttt, Spurttt...! After countless rounds, Isolet''s grip finally began to loosen. - Splurtt... Frey had his head turned to the side, his body shaking as he once again filled Isolet¡¯s womb and pussy. "Haah... Haah..." Looking down at him, Isolet blushed and whispered. ¡°Do you understand now? Frey?¡± Sweat poured down her face. "You can''t beat me..." Even in that satisfied state, Isolet, who had been murmuring contently, soon lowered her gaze with a dark expression and muttered under her breath. "...In the end, you''ll probably end up disliking this foolish me." "..." "Yeah. I don''t know why you asked me to do this... But compared to someone much older like me, your peers would be better for you. So, let''s end this relationship today..." "Sister." "Frey?" Noticing Frey looking up at her, Isolet tilted her head. "Even so, I still like you, Sister." "...Ah." Isolet closed her mouth upon hearing Frey''s words and seeing his smiling eyes. "So... Do you want to end this?" "...Huh." Upon hearing the following provocation from Frey, Isolet snickered while looking down at him. - Chuckle... Suddenly, Frey''s flaccid penis began to throb violently, filling her vagina. "I can still go all night." Frey, who had already experienced all-night sex, still managed a gentle smile despite his tired complexion. "...Cheeky brat." Looking down at him, Isolet smirked to herself. In fact, I''ve already gone several rounds. But inwardly, she muttered with a trembling voice. At this rate... I might lose to this brat. Was it because of the cock baptism? Her uterus subconsciously recognized Frey''s cock as her master. Thanks to that, even now, with his glans poking at her cervix, Isolet''s uterus was trembling with anticipation. "Sister, so what should we do..." - Thwack! "...Heukk." But unwilling to lose the upper hand, she gritted her teeth and thrust her vagina onto him again. - Thwack, thwack... "I, I love you, Frey." "I love you too, Sister." And so, a long night began to unfold. . . . . . - Thwack, thwack, thwack...! "Heuk, ah, ah..." Moans of pleasure echoed throughout the room. ¡°If you keep moaning doing this, the other professors will hear your moan, Sister.¡± "You, ah, noisy..." However, the recipient of those moans was slightly different this time. "Ahh..." Isolet, who was being penetrated by Frey in a doggy style position, soon blushed and muttered. "But, really, you didn''t use any contraception spells?" "I didn''t." "...Why are you so vigorous then?" To Isolet''s incomprehensible question, Frey whispered with a hoarse voice, burying his head in her neck. "I''m going to impregnate you today, Sister." "...!" Isolet''s pupils dilated upon hearing those words. - Spurt, spurt... "Oh, there it goes." Simultaneously, while still impaled on Frey''s cock, Isolet squirted copious amounts of love juice. "Ugh, ugh..." "You finally came. I was getting worried you couldn''t." You... have ejaculated more than I do... you idiot. Seeing Frey muttering to himself while wiping the sweat off his forehead, Isolet, who had tightly gripped his cock with her vagina, looked at him incredulously and muttered to herself. "Is it because I feel so proud to be able to devour the sister I''ve always respected and looked up to from the back?" "Y-You talk too much..." As she blushed and murmured those words to Frey with a sheepish grin, she suddenly stopped mid-sentence. "...Grrrr." "Ah." At that moment, Lulu, who had been tied up all this time, managed to cut her leash with her teeth and growled as she approached them. "You said you would make me pregnant too, Master." "Huh, that''s... You¡¯ve already had enough..." "Not yet. I haven''t reached my half of my limit yet." "T-That, that can''t be..." Frey muttered with cold sweat, looking at her. "...Pets shouldn''t interfere." Isolet chuckled and muttered. "Get the kid out of the room." Upon hearing Isolet¡¯s sarcastic remark, Lulu''s eyes gleamed ruby-red as she responded. "Master fuck me first." "..." Thus, the two girls began to stare coldly at each other. ...This is an opportunity. Watching them, Frey had actually been at his limit since earlier. - Plop...? As he quietly removed his penis from Isolet''s pussy, he started to sneak out of bed. "Where are you going, Frey?" Isolet, immediately turning her head upon feeling the cum dripping from her pussy, looked at him coldly. "Master... Please don''t go... I''m lonely..." With Frey frozen in place, Lulu pounced on Frey, and knocked him down on the bed. "Little brat, step aside for a... Huh... are you a demon?" "Master... is mine..." "Ah, ah..." Watching them both reaching out to him simultaneously, Frey closed his eyes tightly, feeling a familiar sensation he had experienced that day with the main heroines. . . . . . "Ugh, ugh..." Meanwhile, at that time... [And what happened next was obvious.] With a hollow gaze, Roswyn was busy jotting something down in her notebook. [Isolet and Lulu were entangled, pressing their navels and lower lips together, while Frey inserted himself into between the two...] - Squelch, Squelch! - Ah, ugh...! This cheeky brat... - M-Master, please, me first... With a vacant stare, Roswyn continued jotting down her observations as she watched the scene unfolding in front of her. - Squelch, Squelch... Pausing for a moment, Roswyn whimpered as Frey thrust into the women, aligning her movements with his rhythm. "Why am I even writing this down..." Eventually, as the two women climaxed, she also arched her back. "Even this... could be considered indirect intercourse with the Hero." Roswyn murmured with a distant expression as she felt her love juice gushing like a fountain from her own pussy. ¡°I want to get fucked too...¡± Then, she puts the notebook aside and looks at the video. "I, too, can provide a satisfying squeeze... I, too, can enjoy the taste of semen... I, too, have my virginity intact... I''ve kept it all this time..." Watching Frey''s member thrusting into Isolet and Lulu''s vaginas alternately, she continued murmuring with dead eyes. "I, too, want to be impregnated by the Hero..." Unbeknownst to her, the day was /genesisforsaken Chapter 310: Lets Shift The Perspective Chapter 310: Let''s Shift The Perspective - Ringggg, Ringggg...! The morning dawned. "Hmm..." Frey opened his drowsy eyes, then he looked around the room. For some reason, the blanket that covered his body had swelled, like there was a lump underneath. - Whoosh...! He quietly lifted the blanket, and two women came into view. Lulu and Isolet, with their eyes wide open on either side of Frey, were staring at him. "Frey." "Master." Frey, who had been staring blankly at them for a moment, felt stiffness in his lower back and got up from bed when the two women called him. "Seems like there''s a lot to explain." Isolet blearily opened her eyes and muttered. Well, she had a point. Despite spending the night talking about the vaccination and stabilizing demonization, Frey still hadn''t provided a clear explanation to them. - Rustle, rustle... However, sometimes it''s necessary to gloss over things rather than to give precise explanations. Actually, Frey preferred the former, but it was inevitable in this situation. "What''s that?" "...?" When Frey took out a scroll from the clothes strewn next to the bed, Isolet and Lulu tilted their heads. - Squeeze... "What are you doing, Frey?" And when he tore the scroll in half and poked their lower abdomen with his finger, their gaze at Frey became somewhat strange. Yet, despite the somewhat suspicious behavior, they just watched without saying anything. It was a testament to their strange trust in Frey. "It''s a magic that stops ovulation and puts pregnancy on hold." ¡°"...?"¡± A special magic developed by Serena and supplemented by Irina. At Frey''s explanation of the magic he used, Isolet and Lulu made confused expressions. "My seeds and the eggs that are now filled there will continue to be nurtured inside until that magic disappears." "Could it be... this is one of your weird fetishes?" "No." After answering Isolet, who had asked a question out of curiosity, Frey stood up and began to get dressed. "Wait a moment, Frey. What on earth is this girl? Why does she have a tail and horns? Is she a demon?" "Master, uh... is everything stabilized successfully?" Urgently throwing questions at him, the two women awaited Frey''s responses. "She''s a demon I''ve been raising, Sister." Responding to their inquiries one by one, Frey began to talk. "The stabilization went well. Now you can awaken safely without the risk of going berserk. I''ll bring the crystal to you in a few days, and you just have to swallow it." With a gentle smile, Frey continued speaking and then turned around. "It''s a surefire way to stabilize you using magic. So, there will be no problem even if you carry on as usual." Grasping the doorknob, Frey turned back quietly and whispered in a low voice. "But... remember." Isolet and Lulu flinched at the sight. "It''s just a temporary halt. But the fact that you¡¯re pregnant doesn¡¯t change. Last night, I definitely impregnated both of you." "..." "The fruits of our love are now inside both of you." Frey''s expression was quite cold. It was a sincerity that Isolet and Lulu hadn''t seen before, and it made their hair stand on end. "So, from now on, take good care of yourselves. Don''t rashly expose yourselves to danger, and don''t make any unnecessary sacrifices." Addressing them with such a cold tone again, Frey continued. "Remember, you''re no longer alone. Keep in mind that the moment you die, the baby dies too." "But..." "Got it?" Isolet tried to say something in response to his ominous tone, but Frey firmly cut her off and asked again. "Fine, then..." Finally, as the two women nodded quietly, Frey, now reassured, softened his expression once more and spoke again. "...You must be tired. Rest well, it''s the weekend, after all." After finishing his words, Frey stepped out of the room and added in a subdued voice. "I love you." And then, there was a moment of silence inside the room. "Hey." "Yes." Isolet, who had been holding her hot and bloated lower abdomen and Lulu, who had been gently caressing her belly, turned to each other and spoke. "Let''s put aside the talk about your true identity for now... We have to talk about Frey. Just now, he was too strange." In response to this, Lulu remained silent, looking at Isolet without saying anything. "It felt like... he was trying to do everything by himself. And he looked like he didn''t care at all that he would disappear soon." "How can you make such detailed judgments just from a glance?" As Lulu spoke, Isolet gazed quietly at the closed door where Frey had just left. "I once saw the same look on someone. That person had the same look as Frey just now.¡± ¡°...¡± Listening to her words, Lulu just closed her mouth. The reason was that she had been experiencing the same sentiments constantly these days. "Let¡¯s cooperate." "What for?" "To investigate Frey." "That''s blasphemy! How could I investigate Master behind his back, as a pet I cannot..." "Would it be okay if your master disappears?" At Isolet''s words, Lulu''s face paled momentarily, then she shook her head vigorously as she spoke. - Thud! Upon arriving at the alley where the group had gathered, I witnessed a quite memorable scene. "..." "Why won''t you answer? Huh?" "Are you mute? Why don¡¯t you speak?" Killian''s faction had surrounded a student, slapping her on the cheeks, spitting on her, grabbing her by the collar, and hurling insults. "Did you forget what the prince said? You''re a puppet. But you can¡¯t even do that properly too?¡± "..." "Damn it, answer me!!" - Thud!! The girl¡¯s head, who had been looking at the group with lifeless eyes, suddenly turned. "...Heh." Seeing her like that, I felt slightly perplexed. The student in the middle right now was none other than Lecane Luna Silvermoon. Serena''s distant blood relative. Of course, I''m well aware that she was introverted, withdrawn, and secretly ostracized by her peers. However, wasn''t that purely voluntary on her part? And, Killian''s puppet? What did that even mean? Did they have any contact with each other? - Thud, thud... I tilted my head for a moment, then I started to approach, scratching my head. "If you don¡¯t listen, I have no choice but to punish you." The student standing in front of Lecane, who wore a lifeless expression, started unbuttoning her clothes and began to assault her. Why are there so many dicks for brain bastards in this academy? "Who are you?" As I walked forward with these thoughts, the students'' gazes were fixed on me. "What''s up, ¡®Professor¡¯ Frey?" "Why are you here? Who called you?" "That can¡¯t be true. Who would call a worn-out scum like him?" And then came the expected, completely unsurprising sarcasm. "...?" Meanwhile, Lecane slowly began to tilt her head in confusion. It seems like she doesn''t quite understand the situation. "Go away." With everyone staring at me, I arrived in front of her. The student who was unbuttoning Lecane looked at me with a cold gaze and spoke. "I won''t say it twice." He was one of Killian''s close aides, playing the role of his bodyguard. ¡°...Does ¡®Professor¡¯ Frey also can''t hear my words?¡± Hearing the goon speak informally yet still using honorifics to show me respect moved me to tears... Truly. - Tsuzuzu... Hmmm... maybe not. Seeing him emit sword aura, I wasn''t that grateful. - Thud! "...?" With that thought in mind, I grabbed his shoulder and immediately thought. Saving Lecane here would be a good thing, right? The reason I didn''t reveal my power until now was to maximize my point gain. Another reason for my hesitation in doing something like this was the concern that the person being rescued might perceive me as a good person. I really wanted to do good deeds, but I would face penalties if I did so. "But then, looking at it from a different perspective, the answer becomes clear." "What?" A few days ago, when the fourth ordeal was about to start abruptly, I lost all patience with the system. That damn false evil. That damn point system. It annoyed me. I just wanted to vent it all out. - Crackle...! "Ughhhhh!!!" As I exerted force and crushed the boy''s shoulder, a bone-chilling scream echoed through the alley. "W-What is this guy..." - Thud! "Ughhhh...!" When the bewildered boy tried to release his sword aura, I punched him in the ribs. It was self-defense after all. "Ughhh..." - Crunch...! "...!" As he grabbed his stomach and collapsed to the ground, I stomped on the hand who was trying to unbutton Lecane''s clothes. Since had done so many bad things, it wouldn''t hurt for him to be stomped like this for once. "Pl-Please..." - Squish! Only then did he start begging for mercy, clutching my leg with his other hand. I kicked him to knock him out. He should be thankful; I just knocked some sense into his dick filled brain. "..." After finishing my duties as a professor, I raised my head to survey the surroundings, the eyes of the students looking at me were trembling. "Am I kind?" While looking at them, I casually threw a question to Lecane, who began to look frightened. "It''s a joke." If you wanted to perform good deeds without being perceived as a good person, you simply had to do something so crazy that you don''t look like a good person. "Attack him!!" "Ahhhh!!!" Changing perspectives made everything so much easier. I should''ve done this /genesisforsaken Chapter 311: Let Me Educate You Chapter 311: Let Me Educate You - Crack...! "Aaargh!!" A large figure shrouded in sword aura, who was charging at Frey, flew into the air. "You shouldn''t just rely on brute force and charge recklessly like that. It makes you vulnerable to counterattacks." "Argh!!" Frey, staring intently at the fallen student, swiftly kicked him in the waist as he fell to the ground, slamming him against the wall. "And just emitting sword aura isn''t enough either. There are plenty of people in this world who can do that. It seems like you haven''t put any effort into honing your skills since awakening your powers, am I wrong?" "..." "...Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?" As Frey ¡®lectured¡¯ the gasping student pinned against the wall, he tilted his head, noticing the lack of response. "Am I funny to you?" "Ughhh..." Then, Frey snapped one of the student¡¯s fingers and asked. "Why aren¡¯t you answering? Do you need further explanation? Should I explain again from the beginning?" "N-no, no! I understand! Please..." "Ohh... you finally answered. But..." Only then did the silent student desperately begin to speak. Frey nodded, then raised an eyebrow, posing another question. "What did you say in the hallway earlier?" "Uh, um...?" ¡°What was it again? Didn¡¯t you say something like... When you twist her finger? What does that mean? "Th-that''s... augh!!!" However, this time, before the student could respond, Frey began to break the fingers on his other hand. "...Since I already know the answer, you don''t need to say anything." - Crack...! Looking at Frey with eyes filled with fear, the student could see Lecane''s hand. At first glance, her hands looked fine, but from Frey''s perspective, all of Lecane''s finger joints were abnormally bent. ¡°D-die!!¡± Frey, who was breaking the student¡¯s fingers in the same way that Lecane''s finger were bent, muttered with a puzzled expression when another student from behind him tried to hit him with a sword. "By now, some of you should be trying to escape, right?" - Sizzle...! "...Grrgh!!" Without even turning back, Frey aimed at the student¡¯s hand and blasted a burst of stellar mana that pierced his hand. The student fell to his knees, trembling. "Some call it cowardly, but surprise attacks are actually the most effective means of attack. Especially when aimed at the opponent''s weak points, it can bring down even someone much stronger than yourself." "M-my hand...! My hand...!"Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om "But, it also comes with risks. Firstly, the opponent might anticipate the surprise attack and already have countermeasures prepared. Secondly, the opponent might be too strong for the surprise attack to work. In your case, you fell victim to both." "...Aaargh!" After finishing his ''lecture'', Frey stomped on the student''s pierced hand, applying more pressure as he began to interrogate him. "What harm did you inflict on that kid?" "I-I... mostly kicked her knees!" The pale-faced boy hurriedly shouted. The students writhing in agony behind Frey perfectly illustrated what would happen if he didn¡¯t answer Frey¡¯s question. "B-but I always gave her potions... Aaargh!!!" "That¡¯s good to hear. But I don¡¯t like it when you talk unnecessarily." Unable to bear the fear, the student attempted to make an excuse, but eventually, his knees were shattered by Frey, and he collapsed, foaming at the mouth. "And, trying to intimidate a housemaid from the academy a few days ago wasn''t a smart move either." "Y-Yes? How did you... agh...!" "Why are you bothering the kid?" After delivering a powerful kick to the student crotch, Frey lightly poked him and spoke in a low voice. "Hey, I remember your face." "..." But the student had long since fainted, foaming at the mouth and exposing the whites of his eyes. "Are you listening? Well, it doesn''t matter." Scratching his head with a puzzled expression, Frey stood up and turned around to address the other students, but... "Well then..." However, he quietly closed his mouth. "...Huh." There were no students standing anymore. "Ugh, ugh..." "Agh... agh..." There were only bugs writhing and squirming on the ground, soaked in blood. It was an overwhelming defeat for the Killian faction, who had wielded unbridled power over not only academy students but also some professors for a while. "Was I a bit harsh?" Watching the scene blankly, Frey wiped the blood off his face with his hand and murmured. "Or perhaps... Did I get too caught up in acting crazy?" As he pondered, he summoned his information window. "...Guess not." Then, he quietly nodded. "My mental strength is still at 10. If there were any issues, my mind would''ve cleared up." With that, Frey clapped his hands and came to a conclusion. "Everything seems normal, then." With lighter steps, Frey began to walk away. "Hiiii..." "Hmm." He eventually stopped in front of the terrified Lecane. - Swoosh... And then, Frey reached out with his bloodied hand to her. "Ugh, ugh... huugh..." Lecane, who had been watching the whole events unfold, burst into tears in panic upon seeing him. - Click. "Uh, huh?" However, what she expected didn''t happen. - Click, click... Instead, Frey was gently buttoning her torn uniform, one piece at a time. . . . . "F-Frey!" "Yeah?" That evening, while Frey was quietly organizing documents in his office, someone came to see him. "What''s this all about?" "What do you mean?" Clana stood next to him, looking quite flustered. "I heard you''ve crushed the Killian faction. Is it true?" "Yep." "R-really? Without any tricks or deceit... really?" "Yeah." Clana, bewildered by Frey''s nonchalant demeanor, sat down beside him and continued. "The academy is in chaos right now!" "Is it? I see." "You have to be serious about this, Frey!" As Clana spoke, she pulled her chair closer to Frey and started explaining. ¡°Even if it happened in a narrow and dark alley, there were more than a few witnesses passing by. Moreover, there are several magical documentation devices, so the evidence is solid." "I see." "Moreover... there were too many people who saw you walking around the academy covered in blood." "I just bought two lunch boxes at the lounge." "See! That''s the problem!" Seeing that Frey didn¡¯t seem to grasp the seriousness of the situation, Clana hit his chest and exclaimed. "Tomorrow is parent parent-teacher conference day, you know? Do you even know what that means in the academy?" "Hmm... Isn''t it a day when the parents of noble students come and use their power to intimidate or threaten the professors?" "You know it well! All the parents of Killian faction students will come after you! The key leaders of the Emperor - Crown Prince¡¯s faction will come to attack you while having the perfect excuse!!¡± Originally, the academy was quite strict about restricting the entry and interference of outsiders due to ancient magic. Of course, the dean had some discretion to allow a certain degree of freedom, but the current dean was a very ambitious person. As a result, since the incident where the academy almost fell into the hands of sponsors, the academy had become even more closed off than before. However, the corrupt empire found one loophole to interfere with the academy as much as they wanted, and that was the parent-teacher conference system, one of the rules protected by magic. "No wonder so many of them said their parents wouldn''t stay quiet." "We need to come up with a plan right away. I''ll do my best to protect you, but Frey, you..." Although only people of the same lineage or the same family could enter, even that was a significant threat to the commoner Frey, so Clana thought she should mobilize all her power. But... "You intentionally escalated the situation." "What?" "You did those things on purpose, didn''t you?" As Frey leaned back in his chair and responded calmly, Clana tilted her head and asked. "Why would you do that?" Although Frey was unaware of it, Clana, a genius of effort, knew very well that he was a natural prodigy. In the first place, there was only one person in the world who could play child¡¯s games with Serena and even enjoy them, and that was Frey. Of course, if she said that, the two of them would tilt their heads because they didn¡¯t understand what she was talking about. They were truly a well-matched pair. "I... I know, but... still, I want to hear your explanation." Thanks to that, even Clana, unaware of her inferiority complex showing up, blushed and turned her gaze to the side as she asked, to which Frey responded with a gentle smile. "You heard what I conveyed through Kania, right?" "...Yeah." When the ¡®rebellion¡¯ was mentioned, Clana regained her composure, her eyes gleaming as she nodded. "I''m planning to execute the first scenario tomorrow." "W-what does that mean...?" "Think about it differently. It''s not that the Emperor - Crown Prince faction is invading the academy; but that they are just walking into our territory.¡± Clana''s eyes began to tremble upon hearing those words. "I see. Thinking of it that way... It might be a bit early to say, but it does seem like we could catch them off guard. They couldn''t have known they''d be attacked so soon." "It''ll be quite amusing, won''t it?" "...B-But there''s a problem." Then, Clana spoke urgently. "Of course, it was a good thing that you took down those bastards, but because of that, they have the justification to retaliate. So legal attacks against you can''t be stopped..." "Don''t worry, that won''t be a problem." Frey whispered softly in Clana''s ear. "...Is that so?" Clana''s eyes widened as she murmured. "In the end, they''re entering the enemy''s lair without even realizing their weapons are rusty. All we have to do is set the trap." "W-Wow..." Eventually, Clana''s eyes lit up as she looked at Frey, who was smiling softly. "I... I honestly thought you had finally lost it. Running around the academy covered in blood... I thought I should contact Serena... But it was all part of the plan." "I just changed my perspective. That''s how I found the solution." As Frey gently stroked her head, he murmured. "Anyway, pretending to be insane isn''t exactly easy." Feeling completely relieved after hearing those words, Clana leaned her head on Frey''s shoulder and asked softly. "But, what about after that?" "Hmm?" "Once the parent-teacher conference begins, what''s the next plan?" Upon hearing this, Frey smiled brightly. "We''ll educate them." "What?" "What could the children have done wrong? It''s the fault of the parents, who taught them poorly." With a cool smile, Frey added. "They learned from watching their parents, so the parents should be treated the same way I treated the students, don''t you think?" Upon hearing this, Clana recalled the exhilarating yet horrific scene she witnessed in the infirmary. "..." Not sure what''s going on, Clana resolved to contact Serena as soon as /genesisforsaken Chapter 312: Parent-Teacher Conference Day Chapter 312: Parent-Teacher Conference Day The day after Frey sorted out the Prince Killian faction, tension began to fill the air at the Academy. This was because today was ''Parent-Teacher Conference Day.'' Of course, if it were just an ordinary parent-teacher conference, the Academy wouldn''t have been enveloped in such a chilly atmosphere. However, parent-teacher conferences were practically the days when imperial nobles pressured the Academy under the guise of consultations. It was a common event, almost like an annual ritual that had been happening for decades, but today, the scale and intent were slightly different. - Clack, clack... The sight of soldiers and knights from each family surrounding the Academy, with several lords of the house from the Emperor - Crown Prince''s faction standing in front with visibly angered expressions, was reminiscent of a battlefield. "Lestric, you''re here too." "Well, of course, I should be here." It had only been a day since the incident occurred, but their purpose in coming to the Academy, even resorting to teleportation magic, was unanimously aligned. "My son has been injured by that scoundrel, and I cannot stand idly by." To take revenge for their child, who had been seriously injured to the point where their bones were crushed by Frey, and was still writhing in agony in the hospital. ¡°And also, it would be good if we¡¯re able to tame that unruly Princess.¡± Furthermore, they had to restore their children''s honor and influence. If they succeed, they would prove their abilities to the Emperor and the Crown Prince, and they might even weaken the Clana¡¯s faction. It was a mixture of personal emotions and political maneuvers, typical of the big figures in political circles. "Lestric, Count Saint. You''re here too." "Marquis Hecrane? Nice to see you here." "We could have handled this on our end, why did you have to come all the way here?" Even among the lords of the houses gathered here, the gathering of the three leaders drew everyone''s attention. They were Marquis Hecrane, the leader of the Emperor - Crown Prince¡¯s faction, and Count Lestric and Count Saint, who were the Crown Prince''s right and left arm, respectively. Until recently, when the Starlight Ducal family, which had been reigning at the pinnacle of imperial power and was even being discussed for the grant of a grand duchy, had fallen, there were hardly any people who could oppose them, excluding the Count Justiano. This was even more so with the Moonlight and Sunset Ducal families maintaining a superficial neutrality. And the sight of the three powerful figures, with expressions filled with anger, was a rare sight. "If we keep staying in the background, we''ll lose influence. That''s why sometimes we need to personally intervene in such troublesome matters. Don''t you agree?" "As expected of Marquis Hecrane. Your cunningness knows no bound." "We should start moving in soon. The longer we wait, the more prepared that unruly princess will be." While Lestric flattered Marquis Hecrane, Count Saint gazed at the Academy with sharp eyes and muttered. Although not as formidable as the Bywalker family, known for their sword, Count Saint was rumored to be on par with the knight commander of the Imperial Knights in terms of skill alone. His intuition was sharp and tingling. "I have a bad feeling about this. Let''s not be complacent and proceed cautiously." "I knew you''d say that. That''s why everyone brought their family''s knights. The Academy won''t be an easy opponent after all." However, Marquis Hecrane waved his hand dismissively. "As much as I''d like to lead the troops myself, the ancient magic of the Academy is too formidable." "Well, even the Magic Tower Master can¡¯t dispel it.¡± Despite bringing their family soldiers for a political show, the ancient magic of the Academy remained robust. Thus, only the kin of the students could enter for the ¡®conference.'' And when the Academy caused trouble for a student, as Frey did this time, up to three guards from their family could accompany them. Though they were outnumbered, what mattered was not quantity but quality. The reason why the Sunrise Empire was still referred to as an ''empire'' despite its corruption was because it possessed an unparalleled number of ''knight commanders'' compared to other Countries. In an ordinary kingdom, there were only about three knight-commander-level talents who had successfully awakened their own sword aura. When a war broke out between nations, the knight-commander-level talents were such a crucial factor that the first thing assessed to predict victory or defeat was how many knight-commander-level talents each nation possessed. And such talents were monopolized by the parents of the students at the Killian faction. The reason the Killian faction wielded absolute power was precisely because of this. And this was also the reason, despite Clana''s overwhelming momentum in raising her power and influence, she had yet to secure hegemony. "Even the nine knights we have as guards are enough to easily destroy a whole kingdom on their own. Add to that the escort knights of the other lords, and it would be too much even for the Princess, no matter how resourceful she is." "Indeed, that''s true." Thus, as the Marquis spoke with confidence and moved forward, the two Count also nodded and followed. "So, what are you going to do about Frey and the Princess? Since it''s a secluded space, whatever you do won''t leak out." "I will break every bone in Frey''s body. The information in his brain is useful. And for the Princess... it might be a good opportunity to educate her to our liking." As they passed through the Academy''s barrier, their sinister plans began to pour out. "According to the information, it seems she has fallen for Frey, but our sons would be better than such a lowly commoner. Of course, after staying at the Academy and completing the ''proper education.''" "Now that I think about it, the Academy maids are quite beautiful. We could give them as rewards to the knights while we''re here..." "Let''s use this opportunity to either win over the dean to our side or replace him, so we can overhaul the sponsorship system. Of course, all sponsors will be from our families. They will consider it an honor to serve." With their escort knights in tow, the three corrupt lords entered the Academy, revealing their dark intentions with a smile. "Stop." However, someone blocked their path. "From now on, we will guide you." "Hmm?" Isolet, with an even colder gaze than usual and accompanied by faculty members, stood in their way. "Well, do as you please." "I¡¯m sure Frey and the princess are doing well, right? I want to go to the conference room quickly." Initially, Marquis Hecrane and Count Lestric looked at Isolet with slightly wary eyes, but after glancing at the knights behind them, they smiled and began to follow her. "...What?" Only Count Saint, a knight-commander-level talent, was sweating profusely with a pale face. "Is it just my imagination?" When he faced Isolet, although it was only for a moment, he could distinctly feel it. A pure sword aura, unlike anything he had seen in his life, emanating from her. "..." He felt completely overwhelmed. There were only two moments where he felt like this. When he witnessed the Emperor''s fury when he was young. And when he had sparred with the imperial knight-commander. For the first time in a long while, he felt a sense of powerlessness he hadn''t experienced since those moments. "My Lord?" "Ah, yes. Let''s go." As he stood rooted to the ground, drenched in cold sweat, the call of his knights brought him back to his senses, and he began to move again. ...I need to be fully alert. If she could emit such an aura in a split second like that, he needed to be fully alert to suppress it. So, as Count Saint tensed his body in preparation, a thought struck him, causing him to stop in his tracks again. What if it wasn''t just a split second? What if the difference in rank was so great that he could only sense it for a split second? Ah, surely not. That couldn''t be. They couldn''t miss the opportunity to take control of the Academy. The sight of the fresh students and maids was tantalizing. And it was the perfect chance to get their hands on the insolent princess. Rather than handing her over to the smug and pudgy Marquis and his son, she would surely prefer his son instead. "If need be, we can use the knights as shields." Count Saint shook his head, he began to hasten his lethargic steps. "..." And there was Isolet, giving him a cold, fleeting glance. . "So, you can''t arrest me, or immediately make Clana a witness. My crimes will have to be dealt with at the trial in a few months." "Still, an investigation..." "Why investigate? I''ve already admitted to all the crimes. The cause and effect are clear, and all the evidence has been submitted. There''s no reason to investigate." "This...this bastard..." As Frey mimicked the Count''s arrogant expression, Count Lestric erupted in anger. "Do you not know that the Emperor is behind us? A decree like that means nothing..." "You''re the ones claiming that. In reality, the Emperor isn''t on your side, is he?" "...!" The Count, who was trying to assert the Emperor''s authority, widened his eyes upon hearing that. "The Emperor gave up on everything because of laziness, didn''t he? He didn''t stop you from claiming to be the Emperor''s faction, but he didn¡¯t consider you guys to be on his side and didn¡¯t even listen to your request." "..." "In the end, you''re just the faction of Crown Prince Killian. You''ve only used the indifferent Emperor as your shield." "Shut up! That''s just your delusion! If you want, I can send a letter to His Majesty right now¨C" "Go ahead." With a sigh, Frey spoke. "I''ll wait as long as you want." Frey knew all too well about the cursed Emperor, who had been indifferent even when his throat was slit in the previous cycle. He told Clana that the pact he had made was unusual, and the fact that the Emperor wouldn''t react to their petty political squabbles. "Th-th-this is..." The Count''s face was flushed with anger, but he was unable to refute a single word that came out of Frey¡¯s mouth. Frey just looked at him coldly. "Excellent, Frey." He turned his gaze to the Marquis, who had been observing the situation until then. "But, there''s one thing you''re overlooking." The Marquis, who was looking at him with a delighted expression, smiled and spoke. "The legal interpretation isn''t really that important. I already knew how it would turn out if we delved deeper, this would happen." "Is that so?" ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to point it out perfectly. Anyway, the important point is...¡± The Marquis stood up, looked around, and continued his speech. "Because of your mistake, we have led numerous knights and invaded the Academy." At that, the Count''s face, which had been flushed, sat down with an expression of realization. ¡°Do you really think we will step down if the legal issues are not resolved?¡± "Mhm." "From the moment we entered here, the game is already over. Everything until now is just a formality. Even if the packaging is a bit messy, the fact that we''ve won doesn''t change." Then, the Marquis looked at the silent Count Saint and said, "Handle him." However, something felt off. "..." "Saint?" Yet, Count Saint remained silent. "Ha, haha..." "Is something wrong?" Looking at the pale-faced Count Saint sweating coldly, the Marquis tilted his head and asked. "A trap..." But Count Saint murmured without paying any attention to the Marquis. "It''s a trap..." His gaze lingered on Isolet, Lulu, and Irina. "Wh-We need to leave here quickly¨C" "Enough, I can''t take it anymore!" But before Count Saint could finish his sentence, the enraged shout of Count Lestric, who suddenly burst out, drowned his voice. "Beat Frey here and now, and bring the princess out! Hurry!" As he said this, he drew his sword from his waist and took the lead in front of the advancing knights. "Huh? Bring out the princess?" Frey said brightly. "Is this counted as treason?" "Shut up!! You demon... Kwah!?" And the next moment, the Count opened his eyes wide and clutched his stomach. "Keh..." Blood poured from his mouth. "Isn''t insulting the royal family a crime?" Looking down at the Count, Frey murmured quietly. "Oh, but murder isn''t included among my 325 crimes... Killing is a bit much." "W-What are you doing right now..." "Instead, I''ll educate you." "Aaaaghh!!!" And with that, Frey mercilessly broke the Count''s arm. - Thud...! "Do you know? Now, even if I commit any crime other than murder, it will be suspended until a few months later." Frey, who had smashed the Count¡¯s arm to pieces, wiped the sweat from his forehead and spoke in a pleased voice. "Regardless of your high status, you can''t punish me." "Attack him." "Isn''t it strange?" Frey, who had broken the Count''s waist, looked at the knights approaching him under the Marquis¡¯ command, he muttered. "Why didn''t you understand even after I warned you?" As soon as he finished speaking, the three knights charging at Frey lost consciousness and collapsed. "Oh, by the way, I heard some interesting discussions at the gate earlier.¡± Looking around at the lords, who had opened their eyes wide at the scene, Frey continued. - Squelch...! "Gahhhh..." He crushed Count Lestric¡¯s crotch and asked a question with a bright expression. "Are you all lacking education?" - Squelch, Squelch, Squelch...! The expression on Count Lestric¡¯s face as he was repeatedly trampled by Frey began to turn miserable. "Why aren''t you saying anything? We need to have a discussion. Count Lestric?" "... Cou... Saint, please." "..." The expression on Count Saint¡¯s face, who had heard the Marquis¡¯ command, also turned /genesisforsaken Chapter 313: The Hymn of Humanity - Crackle...! "Kheuk!!" "Eugh..." As Frey''s sword aura swept through the auditorium, the knights rushing at him collapsed. "W-What on earth is this..." The Marquis cried out in disbelief and took a step back as the knights they brought, capable of toppling a kingdom, fell like leaves in the wind. "Why don''t you just put down your weapons and surrender? I have no intention of harming those who surrender." Frey, surrounded by the knights, approached them with a blank expression. "Did you make a deal with the Demon King? You demon..." "I happen to know the Demon King''s Army well, and even they click their tongues at the sight of the imperial nobles. And believe me, to be something that even the Demon King''s Army finds disgusting was not an easy feat. Haha." Then, Frey added with a broad smile. "So, who''s next?" He was standing there, twirling his sword leisurely. At first glance, his stance was full of opening, yet no one came forward. "Keuhh..." "Ah, it hurts... Eugh..." The groans of the knights writhing in pain behind him filled the auditorium. Already, half of the knights brought by the lords of the houses had fallen. "Count Saint! Please do something!" Feeling the danger of the situation, the Marquis desperately shouted and pushed Count Saint forward, causing him to stagger in front of Frey. "You... were hiding your skills..." Count Saint glared at the Marquis, but soon realized that there was nothing he could do and drew out the sword from his waist. - Crackle...! "...Keuk." At that moment, Frey''s sword, emitting a flash of starlight, rushed forward. - Crackle, crackle... "Grrr..." Count Saint was among the strongest in the empire, so he wasn''t subdued in a single attack, but his hand was already violently trembling from blocking Frey''s sword with his own. - Crack... Crack! "W-What...?" Even then, as he desperately tried to push Frey''s sword away, Count Saint soon wore a terrified expression as his sword began to break. "This can''t be..." It was incomprehensible. No matter how strong Frey was, his sword aura was clearly blocking Frey¡¯s sword. Then, why was his own sword breaking? "M-Mana...?" Even in his utter panic, the Count''s face was soon filled with shock as he detected a trace of magic entwining his cracked sword. "Infusing mana into sword aura? That''s impossible¨C" - Clang!! "M-My God." An impossible occurrence was unfolding before his eyes. Mana and sword aura couldn¡¯t coexist. That was an absolute rule that had not changed for a thousand years. "Sorry, but I need to finish this quickly." Yet, here in front of him, Frey broke that rule with ease. Frey murmured as he drove his sword into the Count''s shoulder. "Please excuse me." - Crunch!! "Kheuk..." After saying that, Frey coldly gazed at the Count kneeling before him and shattered his leg with a kick. "I-I surrender. I surrender." "I-I came here unknowingly. I''m innocent." "M-me too! I was just used..." As even the mighty Count Saint crumbled, the knights guarding the Marquis began to abandon their weapons and surrender one by one. - Crack...! "Aargh!!" "Why, why! How... Eugh..." However, as Frey passed by the surrendered knights, he suddenly broke the arms of two knights. "Innocent? Used? Who were those people earlier who were soliciting the lords of the houses to sponsor the female students?" "Y-You said you won''t harm those who surrender..." "Ah, I''m sorry. I apologize for that." Frey, wearing a slightly apologetic expression, passed by the trembling knights and stood before the Marquis. "P-please... T-Think carefully. No, I hope you do think carefully. Frey." The Marquis, who had shown an arrogant attitude just a moment ago, clasped his hands and spoke politely. "If you attack me, there''s no turning back. People will see you as a demon, a villain. So please calm down..." "They already do, don''t they?" "What?" Frey interjected him with a puzzled expression. "All the people in the world already see me as the empire''s greatest villain, don''t they?" "Ah." "There''s nowhere further for me to fall, is there? Wouldn''t they rejoice when rumors spread about me overthrowing the corrupt nobles?" "..." Frey''s eyes were filled with chaos. "Eugh..." It was a look that the Marquis could neither understand nor tolerate, since he was always in the position of power since birth. "P-please spare me..." "By the way, what did you say you were going to do to Clana earlier?" "Hiiii...!" The gaze from Frey, which had been looking down on him, suddenly turned into a kinder gaze. "I, I must have lost my mind. Th-then..." "What right does a wretch like you have to my woman?" With eyes full of killing intent, Frey spoke. "I-I''m sorry!! I was foolish!! I''ll never do it again... Ahh!!" Only then did the Marquis begin to beg earnestly, clasping his hands, but Frey kicked his hands, shattering them. "''I won''t do it again.'' Hah! You shouldn¡¯t have done it in the first place. Isn''t it like killing someone and then saying you won''t kill again?" "P-please spare me..." Even so, the Marquis grabbed Frey''s leg with his trembling, shattered hands. "The sex slaves dying in your dungeon have probably repeated those words countless times. Aren¡¯t they?" "H-how do you..." Frey looked down at him with disgust and whispered. The Marquis'' eyes trembled as he heard the word coming out of Frey¡¯s mouth. "Nothing''s changed from last time, Marquis." "W-what?" "Unfortunately, your mistake will be discovered, and you pinned the blame on me for the dungeon." "Ah, ahh..." Immediately after those words, Frey''s foot struck the Marquis''s crotch. "Ugh..." "Why are you fainting? You''ve magically forced unconscious slaves awake, haven''t you? Are you trying to avoid the situation?" "Uwaaa!!" ¡°You were the one who spread the human pet culture to the nobles, didn¡¯t you? Why do you make innocent girls your pets? Are you crazy?¡± Frey looked down at the Marquis, who had fainted, foaming at the mouth. He muttered and twisted the Marquis¡¯ shattered arm. The Marquis regained consciousness with a blood-curdling scream. - Crackk... "Why are all the imperial nobles like this? I really feel like killing them all. Should I just pretend to be insane and kill them all?" "You, you''re... already insane..." - Crack! "Guhhhh..." Frey broke the Marquis¡¯ another arm, then whispered to the trembling Marquis. "I''ll throw you into the basement of your mansion like this." "W-what..." "Of course, I''ll also release all the slaves in the basement." Terror filled the Marquis'' eyes upon hearing this. "What punishment could I give you? The punishment should be carried out by those innocents who have lost their freedom. Isn''t that right?" "I-I... Geuh" Frey stomped on the repulsive, squirming Marquis and walked away, then quietly looked back. "...I guess that''s enough." The nobles of the Killian faction, the shields that had protected the corrupt Imperial Family, who had been running rampant without facing any repercussions, were finally decimated. Suddenly, Frey interrupted with a serious expression. "Today, the nobles of the Killian faction became like that because Frey went insane. It was solely due to one person, Frey, without anyone else''s interference." "Frey!" "Don''t downplay it or cover it up. Let it be known throughout the Empire that Frey, who had been hiding his power, finally went insane." Ignoring Clana''s outburst, he continued. "It was you who stopped the insane Frey. Spread that fact around as well." "You¨C" "I''ll say it again, don''t try to remedy it. It''s all because of the madness I brought upon myself. Understand?" "But¨C" As Clana continued to intervene, Frey grabbed her shoulder and whispered in a low voice. "You becoming the Empress is one of my top priorities, Clana." Leaving those words behind, Frey quietly moved on. "Well then, shall we go finish the rest of the tasks?" Watching his retreating figure quietly, Clana, clutching the letter in her hand, muttered. "... Foolish Frey." [I''ll go right now.] - Serena. The cold breeze coming in through the open window enveloped her and the letter. P.S. Frey will never fall into corruption. . . . . . - Scribble, Scribble... Several hours after the incident that would later be known as the Killian Faction Purge Incident, Frey continued his paperwork with a bright smile on his face. "... My arm hurts." He murmured as he stretched his trembling right arm, which had been shaking ever since. "Weird." For some reason, his right hand still had a white glove on, and strong alcohol littered the desk. - Ding! As Frey worked on his paperwork for quite some time, he tilted his head and turned his head at the cheerful sound in front of him. "..." And at that moment, Frey froze for a while. "Ha." Then, after some time had passed, joy lit up Frey''s face. "Haha... Hahaha!! Hahahaha!!" Soon, Frey put his head on the desk and burst into laughter. "Puhahaha...!! Hahaha... Haha!!" He erupted with laughter that seemed like it would never stop. "Puh, puhaha... hahaha....." His eyes were full of tears because he was laughing so hard, and they were filled with the chaos from earlier. His appearance was reminiscent of a madman. "Heh... Heh..." However, [Name: Frey] [Abilities: Strength 10 / Mana 10 / Intelligence ??? / Mental Strength 10] Floating next to him, his mental strength was fixed at the maximum. [Passive Status : Terminal Illness / Lost Left Arm / Mental Strength Degradation LV MAX (Paused) / Mental Deficiency] And there, except for a mental deficiency, no other mental issues were listed. [Disposition: Hero] His disposition remained that of a hero. [Goodness Stat: 100] His goodness stat remained at 100. "Heh..." I''ve done enough... Even the Demon God must have been fooled. Frey, who was shaking his head, quietly muttered to himself. I won. He silently declared to himself. "Professor." "Hmm?" Suddenly, someone came to him. "Please stand up." Quietly poking Frey''s side was none other than Eurelia. "Aren''t you scared of me?" Looking at Eurelia, Frey asked with a smirk. "Well..." Then, with her characteristic calm expression, Eurelia replied. "Professor, by destroying the power structure of the Killian faction, you allowed my father, Count Justiano, to seize control of the Empire. So, I should be grateful, shouldn''t I?" "Hmm." "And honestly, it was kind of cool." Listening to her calmly composed words, Frey smiled brightly. "So, what brings you here?" "... That''s the thing." Then, a dignified voice came from behind her. "Today is the parent-teacher conference, Mr. Frey." Eurelia''s father. The ruler of the empire¡¯s back alley. And standing behind her was none other than Count Justiano, who had just become the most influential figure in the Empire. "Ah, it was about the parent-teacher conference, then?" Frey replied with a cheerful smile. "I''ve heard from Eurelia. I wondered when you''d come, and it turns out it''s today." "..." When Count Justiano, who had been silently watching him, adjusted his tie and was about to speak... "Oh, right, there''s something I wanted to say first." Frey adjusted his posture and spoke. "...Go ahead." Count Justiano nodded calmly, resembling his daughter in demeanor. "Let''s start a rebellion." But the words that came out of Frey''s mouth were enough to break the poker faces of the father-daughter duo. "I¡¯m bored, so why not overthrow the emperor?" Looking at the two with a joyful expression, Frey added with a bright smile. "I made you the most powerful figure in the empire, so you owe me, right?" Count Justiano, looking at him, muttered with a hollow smile. "You''re insane." Frey replied with a smirk. "Because I already won." System Notification [Notification - The Conditions For the Hidden Route Have Been Met.] In front of him, the system message that had made him burst into laughter a moment ago was floating around. System Notification [Main Quest - Rebellion Against the Imperial Family Scenario Unlocked] [Overthrow the Current Emperor and Make Clana the Empress.] The absolute good that would not be corrupted even if he went crazy. The absolute line that symbolized Frey, the decisive reason he became the Hero, remained unchanged. And Frey''s maximized mental strength and disposition prevented him from going mad. Thanks to that, Frey, who had never relaxed his mind, suffered greatly while committing acts against his beliefs, all while maintaining his goodness and disposition intact. "Why? You don¡¯t believe me?" Nevertheless, he did not abandon his duty as the Hero until the end. "Try changing your perspective and think about it." Of course, now, he had a very slight change in perspective. "Once again, you¡¯re insane." Again, it was just a very slight change in /genesisforsaken Chapter 314: The Mastermind and the One Behind the Shadow Chapter 314: The Mastermind and the One Behind the Shadow "Why the long face, Count Justiano?" "It''s nothing." Count Justiano, looking down at Frey with a tilted head, replied in a subdued voice. ¡°I just think it¡¯s going to be quite a headache in the future.¡± "You''re coming off quite humble, more than I expected." Frey said with a puzzled expression.. "Isn''t it the situation that calls for it?" Count Justiano answered in a polite tone, but without seeming servile, and smiled at Frey, who was staring at him intently. "I''m not like the other foolish nobles. I''ve risen to this position solely through my wit and observation." "Hmm." His words were indeed true. Count Justiano family had been deeply connected with the darkness even before the empire began to decay. Thanks to that, although he was despised in the past, he successfully changed his image to a prestigious dark noble family after the empire started to corrupt. He was different from the corrupt nobles filled with lust and vanity that Frey always clashed with. "Although I may not know everything, I am well aware that any hint of disrespect or arrogance from me will earn me a broken shoulder." The Count, bearing a calm expression similar to his daughter''s, quietly bowed his head. "What do you really want from me?" Simultaneously, his eyes gleaming. "Hmm..." Looking into Frey''s ever-innocent eyes, the Count thought. What on earth are you planning? Despite the Count''s rather humble approach to Frey, the title of Emperor of the Back Alleys wasn''t given for nothing. The count hinted that he was aware of Frey''s actions a few hours ago through his daughter''s meticulously calculated remarks and his comment about not wanting his shoulders crushed. If Frey had tried to conceal this fact, he would have reacted in some way. I can¡¯t read his intentions. However, Frey was simply looking at him with innocent eyes. It''s been a while since I''ve encountered a situation like this. The Count, who always held the upper hand in his relationships, found this situation rather bothersome. Even when there was a gap between status, he was the type to flatter upfront and stab in the back to secure his benefits. The only ones he had not been able to gain an upper hand over were the Emperor and the Hero of Money. The Emperor possessed overwhelming force, managing the state affairs of the Empire for decades without being dethroned, and the Hero of Money was an entity whose identity he couldn''t uncover no matter what. But even with them, the Count had at least maintained a somewhat equal relationship. The Emperor, cursed with apathy, didn''t care what the Count did as long as he wasn''t bothered, he had a contractual relationship with the Hero of Money that was at least nominally equal. But now... "Count Justiano." "Yes." "I can hear the gears turning in your head from here." "..." The Frey sitting in front of him right now was different. "You seem to be having a hard time. Should I think on your behalf?" Frey began to emit his killing intent with a bright smile. "Hmm." Then, Eurelia''s eyes widened in shock, and she started trembling. Although Eurelia was a cool-headed kid who had received a lot of training as the next lord of the family since she was young, she was still too young to withstand the killing intent emitted by someone like Frey. "Fortunately, there''s filial affection." Frey murmured with his hand on his chin as the Count cautiously hid her daughter behind him, silently enduring Frey¡¯s killing intent. "You''re lucky, Count." In a way, it was truly strange. The target most sought after by the public, designated as the number one target for removal by the Hero Party, and numerous assassins. Moreover, he, who had recently been stripped of his title and reduced to a commoner, was now blackmailing the count. "...I apologize." However, the count bowed his head to him. "Let''s drop the trivial thoughts." - Snap...! At the same time, Count Justiano forcefully bent his own finger. "Huh, why are you doing something I didn¡¯t ask you to do?¡± "F-Father." Seeing the count''s abrupt action, Frey scratched his head in confusion, while Eurelia¡¯s expression turned pale. "May my daughter leave?" "Sure, whatever." Unfazed by the situation, Count Justiano requested calmly. In response, Frey nodded with an indifferent expression. "You go first." "But..." "Hurry." With a cold voice, Count Justiano ushered Eurelia out of the office. I could lose my life. Afterward, the Count briefly summarized the situation he found himself in. The escort knight would be useless. It was actually a good thing I didn''t run away. Even if I had fled, it would have been only a matter of time before I met him. Frey''s hidden power, as reported by the informant he planted in the Crown Prince faction, was beyond imagination. Indeed, hadn''t the Crown Prince faction been entirely decimated by Frey? Frey could probably destroy him right here, right now. Furthermore, even with all of my influence, I''m lagging behind. In a situation where combat power preceded influence, discussing influence was futile, he would only end up just like those nobles in the auditorium. Nevertheless, it was truly an absurd situation to be outdone like this. Thinking so with a relieved expression, the Count suddenly glanced back. "It''s scary when the one who''s been lying low raises their head." What he saw was a smiling figure waving his hand, a huge variable that would shake the empire. "But, it''s strange." The Count, who kept glancing at Frey, eventually tilted his head and muttered. "Is he pretending to be crazy, or has he really gone mad?" Although he had desperately analyzed while dealing with him, he couldn''t come up with an answer. ¡°...Did he completely lose his mind?¡± With an ironic yet seemingly close-to-the-truth guess, the Count, holding the doorknob, murmured. But still, I''m lucky. There''s still a chance for me to survive. He murmured inwardly, his eyes shining. I''ll escape overseas. The empire is now his. Our family will soon be discarded like trash. Although he was old, the resourcefulness of a man who had risen to the top with nothing but his silver tongue was still sharp. If it''s the Cloud Kingdom, I can quickly establish a foothold. There''s reliable information that a mine has been discovered recently. I''ll buy up all the land there and apply for a refuge. His brain was working vigorously. The Cloud Kingdom has the potential to grow into an empire. It wouldn''t be bad to become a power-house there. I have enough connections and wealth. Plus, they say the court wizard there is excellent, so maybe they can lift Eurelia''s stigma of slavery. In less than a few seconds, the Count, who had checked all the scenarios, turned around and bid farewell. "Well then, goodbye..." - Crack...! "Ah!" However, at that moment, he suddenly felt a terrible pain in his arm, and he collapsed to the ground, closing his eyes tightly. "Why do something so obvious? Are you crazy?" "W-What..." "If you run off to the Cloud Kingdom, do you think I can¡¯t catch you? Count, do I look like a fool to you?" "...!" As he spoke, Frey approached with a sinister smile. Is it witchcraft? No, that would be impossible, right? Because his greatest weapons were the tactics and information stored in his head, he was more thorough than anyone else when it came to preparing for the possibility of mind reading. Thanks to this, when Frey read his mind, he uncharacteristically lost his poker face and became flustered. [Current emotions of Count Justiano - Confusion, fear, despair]Priority 1: He''s just a crazy guy after all.Priority 2: Flee to the Cloud Kingdom and establish a power base there.Priority 3: What kind of witchcraft is he using? I''m curious. I want to know. Of course, Frey was only demonstrating his LV2 Mind Reading skill. Frey had never intended to underestimate Count Justiano, who was as cunning as a fox and as deadly as a viper, from the beginning. Utilizing his Mind Reading skill was crucial when confronting him. Even now, he tirelessly sought out countermeasures. "Why did you do that back then?" "W-Well..." Thanks to this, the Count, who was looking up at him in a cold sweat and trembling, silently swallowed when Frey opened his mouth. ¡°About 10 years ago, why did you give two warlocks a document with instructions on how to create an artificial warlock?¡± "Ah." ¡°I heard it was something that has been passed down in your family for generations?¡± It was karma. The countless karma that Count Justiano had sown, the karma that he believed would never come back to haunt him in his youth, were coming back to haunt him exactly as he had feared. If he hadn''t thought about ''his own karma¡¯ just now, they might never come to light. But it was another truth that had been revealed through Frey''s Mind Reading skill. "...It was a ploy to weaken the Starlight family." Count Justiano, who was about to lie, knew very well what happened to people who tried to lie. Moreover, his daughter was at the academy that Frey had practically taken over. "But I never thought such a disaster would happen... No, it''s over." As he attempted to add pointless remarks, he caught the look in Frey''s eyes and immediately shook his head. With a sigh, he muttered under his breath. "Please spare my daughter." "..." "I will give up my family and myself. So please." Looking down at him, Frey tilted his head and murmured. "To tell you the truth, I wonder if the world has gone crazy while I''ve just been staying still." It was a remark that hit the nail on the head. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment. "Heh, hehehe..." The Crown Prince Killian, who had been relaxing in his villa with his maids by his side after attending the academy, looked down at the letter that had arrived with shining eyes. - The mission is successful, Prince Killian. "A blessing in disguise, isn''t it? I didn''t expect things to turn out like this." He got up from his seat with a twisted smile. "The fun is over. Get ready to leave." "Yes?" "We¡¯re going to the academy. Now that things have turned out like this, father will surely approve." As his maids, guards, and attendants tilted their head at his words, Killian, unusually light on his feet today, continued. "It''s time to become the Emperor." As he spoke, Gugu, who had delivered the letter, watched him with a dumb /genesisforsaken Chapter 315: Let’s Slaughter a Pig! Chapter 315: Let¡¯s Slaughter a Pig! - Crack...! "Ugh..." Following the crushing blow to his head, Count Justiano''s right arm also shattered into pieces, his blood trickled to the floor. "Ugh..." The count could only groan and squirm in pain on the ground, his swollen black eyes soon turning towards Frey. - Shaaa... And then, dark mana started to swirl around his body. Count Justiano finally revealed the hidden artificial dark mana that had been passed down in his family. - Shaaaah...! In the blink of an eye, the dark mana filled the room. ¡°If I were to die like this and lose both my family and daughter, it would be better to at least try to resist.¡± The count murmured with a lifeless tone and gazed at Frey with his dark, swollen eyes. "I thought getting hit would sober you up, but it seems like your brain cells have died. Next time I beat someone, I''ll avoid touching their head." Seeing the state of the Count, Frey chuckled and reached out his hand. "Count, have you forgotten who I am?" At the same time, the dazzling stellar mana spread in all directions. - Crackle...! Like stars scattered in the night sky, the stellar mana sparkled around the room. Soon, they burst all at once, emitting starlight throughout the room. - Bzzzzzz... A dazzling light that dispelled all negativity, abnormality, and darkness. It was not the fake divine power widely spread by the Church propaganda, but rather the sacred stellar mana bestowed by God and passed down through generations to those of the Starlight bloodline. Weaker than the solar mana and less enduring than the lunar mana. But if one burned their own life force... For a moment, it emitted a light more dazzling than anything else, akin to a supernova¡ªa sacred power more noble and divine than any other in the world. "...Damn." Hence, despite Count Justiano''s proficiency with the dark mana obtained through experiments, there was no way he could fight back. "...I¡¯m outclassed." To think that the dark mana that he used at the expense of permanently damaging his own body could be dissipated so easily... The count looked at the scene with a disappointed expression. "I didn''t know you could handle stellar mana so well." "..." ¡°Was the rumor about the stellar mana wrong after all?¡± All the past heads of the Starlight family were good people. There was not a single evil person. Whether it was due to the noblest mana, the stellar mana, or the lineage of heroes flowing in their blood, it was not clear. In a way, it was natural since the Starlight family could only harness the true power of the stellar mana, which was regarded as the power of a hero, by ¡®sacrificing¡¯ their own life force sincerely for others. "I wonder if it¡¯s a mutation." Remembering the prophecy written in the ''settings'' section of the prophecy when he was young, Frey chuckled and replied. "Anyway, do you know? Count?" Then, with a curious expression, he approached the count. "That I killed my own mother by smashing her head with a club." "..." Watching the blood flow from the shattered head of the count, Frey whispered in a subdued voice. "But the system didn''t count that as murder. It just treated it as hunting down a monster, didn''t it?" "What... are you saying... now... Keuheuk...!" When he was startled by Frey''s sudden words, Frey suddenly broke the Count¡¯s trembling fingers one by one. "So I had to commit another atrocity in the previous cycle. That time was really..." Looking down at him with cold eyes, Frey quietly leaned in, and muttered to the count. "What on earth are you talking about..." "Well, it''s not like it would make sense to tell someone who knows nothing about it. Sorry, my bad. As you''ve noticed, I''ve been having delusions lately. Sometimes I blurt out nonsense like this." Frey burst out laughing and muttered. Then, his expression changed abruptly to a cold one, and he asked. "So, how will you pay the price for tearing apart my family?" Only then did the count tightly close his eyes. "There''s a perfect solution for times like this." Whispering in his ear, Frey murmured softly. "Just as you did, I will also ruin your precious family." "No, you can''t!" "Why can''t I? This is rather strange. You did such things solely for the benefit of your family, yet I''m not allowed to do the same?" As Frey tilted his head with a puzzled expression, Count Justiano pulled his body from the brink of unconsciousness and grabbed his leg. "Please, just torture me... Torture me for a hundred or a thousand years!!" "Why should I? It would be better to ruin your family and take your daughter as a slave, wouldn''t it?" "Ugh..." Upon hearing those words, the Count gritted his teeth and reached out towards Frey, but suddenly¡ª - Thud...! Frey struck him hard on the back of his head. "Ugh..." Count Justiano slowly closed his eyes due to the impact. "I will raze your family to the ground and torment your daughter to the brink of death." "Ah..." The words Frey whispered in his ear before he lost consciousness echoed vividly in his mind. "That''s why you shouldn''t have done something you''ll regret." "Ah..." The Count, who had lost everything and couldn''t even protect his daughter, slowly lost his consciousness, consumed by fear for the first time in his life. Karma... Is it? All the evil deeds he had committed for the sake of his family and daughter flashed through his mind before he lost his consciousness. Eurelia... Filled with regret, lament, and despair, the gaunt old man fell unconscious in the faculty office. "..." Quietly observing the Count, Frey began to poke him with his foot. "Young master." "Oh my god!" Suddenly, another figure appeared beside Frey, startling him. "Haaa, okay. Did you hear everything?" Kania, who had been lurking in Frey''s shadow all day in anticipation of a situation like this, now stood beside him. "Get rid of him. Take him to where the nobles from the Crown Prince faction are imprisoned." "...Yes." Frey spoke with no expression as he continued to poke Count Justiano with his foot, and Kania quietly nodded her head. ¡°Well, now I have to go and do what I just said.¡± "...?" Kania''s eyes widened in surprise as she heard what Frey said next. "Oh. When Count Justiano regains his senses, continue to remind him what I just said, whether through words or delusion. Keep him struggling with his own sins." "..." "I''m busy, so I''ll take my leave." Frey patted her shoulder cheerfully before leaving the office, leaving silence in his wake. "...Sigh." In that silence, Kania, with a pale and distressed expression, murmured quietly while looking at the unconscious Count Justiano. "I can''t deceive you, young master." Eurelia said with a trembling voice. "...From now on, I will do my best to kill you." Those were the words she left behind before leaving. "From now on... I will... do my best... to kill you... memo..." ¡°What the-!¡± Discovering Roswyn, who was squatting next to the office door writing something, Frey exclaimed in surprise. "..." Then, as the office door closed, Frey was left alone again in the dark office. "Young Master." "Yes." Lost in thought for a moment, Frey responded as he heard Kania''s voice from behind, her eyes lit up as she spoke. "When have you ever been scared?" "I¡¯m just kidding. There are too many scum in the world who do things like that to children... They need to be killed." Frey grumbled, putting his feet up on the desk, then opened his drawer and took out a bottle of alcohol. "I''ve cast an illusion on Count Justiano. Until his last breath, he will suffocate, buried in his own sins in the world of illusion, just like you ordered me to." ¡°Okay, good job.¡± Frey took another sip of the strong alcohol, then nodded at Kania¡¯s report. "So, why did you make this decision?" "Hmm." Responding to Kania''s question, Frey smiled and began his explanation. "Kania, I decided to change my perspective when the Fourth Ordeal was about to start abruptly." "...Yes." With a solemn expression, Kania nodded, and Frey continued speaking while drinking. "So, I decided to go crazy." "Why would that happen..." "But going crazy doesn''t mean I''m being corrupted." "..." Thinking of the corrupted quest that had been suppressed, Frey continued with an unpleasant look in his eyes. ¡°It was Count Justinian who was at fault, not his daughter Eurelia.¡± "..." ¡°There is no punishment more barbaric than collective punishment, right?¡± At that, Kania''s eyes trembled slightly. "She grew up not knowing anything about her family''s heinous and disgusting crimes, she just thought of her father as a cold-blooded enforcer of the law. It''s not right to punish her for what her father did." "..." "She''s a child who could become good or evil depending on who leads her. So, the future is more important." "Young Master." "Sometimes, the truth is too harsh. A child with only 3.1 mental strength would collapse the moment she realizes the truth." The look in Frey''s eyes as he said that was one she was familiar with. "She also has the right to know the truth, so I won''t stop her from investigating. But until she can handle that truth, it might be good to return her anger." "..." "And she''s still just a child." This year''s first-year students included children who were a few years younger than the usual recruitment age. Of course, extreme cases like Glare and Aria, who were significantly younger, were rare, but due to the emergency conscription issued worldwide, there were many children who applied to the academy at an early age. And Eurelia was one of them. "Don''t touch the kids." Frey muttered his own principles, which he considered as important as his beliefs as the Hero, and then quietly turned his gaze to Kania. "Young Master, you haven''t changed after all." "Really? I''m not sure." And then, just as he was about to respond to her soft smile with his cheeky smile... "So, I have something to tell you." "Hmm? What is it?" Kania opened her mouth with a relieved expression. "Right now, Prince Killian has arrived at the Academy gate." And at that moment... "What?!" Frey, who had been relaxed, jumped up from his seat. - Swoshh...! "That fat pig really came? Did he lose his mind? Where are his advisors?" "Y-Young Master." Withdrawing his sword hanging on the wall, Frey spoke with excitement. "Kania, let''s hunt a pig!" "..." As Kania began to wear a blank expression... - Thud... Suddenly, Frey lowered his sword to the ground. "Hmm~" He then hummed a tune and headed for the exit of the office. "Young Master? Are you going like that?" "Oh, that''s right." With a sunny smile, he began to answer Kania''s question. "Isolet said so. She said she uses the sword to protect people. But I haven¡¯t been able to do that lately.¡± "Y-Yes. You should be a little more careful..." As Kania spoke with cold sweat, Frey began to clench and unclench his fists with a bright smile. ¡°So, what if I just beat him until he dies? Is that okay? Isn¡¯t that fine?¡± "While you''ve changed..." As Kania looked at him urgently and took out a communication crystal, she muttered quietly. "Kania, I''ll teach you how to stir fried-pork today! It''s a popular dish in the Eastern Continent..." "...You''ve completely lost your mind." It was the sharp judgment of an experienced butler. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment... "Hurry up and open the gate!!" "Your Highness, please calm down! First, let us explain...!" "The handwriting of the letter is the same, the voice of the Marquis is the same. I even confirmed his appearance reflected in the crystal. What''s the problem!" Prince Killian, accompanied by his attendants, was shouting fiercely in front of the tightly closed gate of the academy. "Why can''t you open it?!" "Your Highness!!" "Shut up, who do you think I am?!!" His face was so red that he really looked like a pig. "I am now the Emperor of this /genesisforsaken Chapter 316: The Black Pig Chapter 316: The Black Pig - Creaaaakk... The entrance to the Sunrise Academy, which had been sealed off from the outside world, creaked open with a grim sound. ¡°Hmm... This is how it should be from the beginning.¡± The Crown Prince, who had been yelling moments ago, finally wore a satisfied expression as he began to walk inside. "Your Highness, please wait a moment." However, someone blocked his path again. ¡°Why in the world are you acting like this?¡± As the Crown Prince expressed his annoyance and momentarily paused his step, one of the royal attendants, the Lord Chamberlain, widened his eyes and spoke. "Do you also have doubts?" And then, with a smirk, he began to explain. "The secret code agreed upon when the rebellion is successful was written in the letter. Moreover, the handwriting is identical to that of the Marquis. This is clearly sent by the Marquis." "Yes, I confirmed that as well." "So what''s the problem? Now all that remains is for me to become the emperor.¡± "...It¡¯s just that everything is progressing too smoothly and fast." Smiling at the Crown Prince, the Lord Chamberlain said. "After entering the academy, it took only a few hours for a letter to arrive stating the success of the rebellion." "So what? What does that matter?" "Princess Clana won''t crumble so easily. Even if she had limited time, she would have prepared thoroughly, even if there was only one day for her. It''s suspicious that she fell in a matter of a few hours." Having said that, Lord Chamberlain quietly stroked his chin and added. "According to my expectations... I anticipated at least several days, maybe even a week, of intense battle..." "Chamberlain, spare me your nonsense." However, Prince Killian coldly interrupted his words. "You and other staff officers, the entire empire, are exaggerating the abilities of that lowly bitch too much." "Your Highness..." "Until a few years ago, she was nothing but a lowly bitch, groveling at my feet. Yet you''re trying to tell me that a bitch like her single-handedly set a trap that could destroy half of the empire''s power just because she gained a little support?" "That''s..." Although Lord Chamberlain was about to say something, Killian glared at him coldly and murmured. "Or perhaps you just want to put in two cents whenever I say something." "Your Highness...!" ¡°Shut up, you''re so noisy with all your nagging and preaching, always meddling in everything I do." With that, Killian turned sharply and walked into the academy with his back straight. "Even if it''s a trap, it doesn''t matter." "Pardon?" When the Lord Chamberlain asked with a furrowed brow, The Crown Prince flashed his eyes. "I have the power given by that person... what is there to fear?" "..." "All the escort knights, stick close to me. We will march into the academy from now on." As he commanded, the Crown Prince''s escort knights swiftly surrounded him. "...After he got a taste of power, it seems that the fat pig has lost sight of anything else." Watching Killian move farther away, Lord Chamberlain suddenly changed his attitude and muttered coldly while making a gesture. "Yes, Lord Chamberlain." Approaching him with a bowed head was the vice commander of the Imperial Knight Order. The gaze of the vice commander suddenly turned cold, much like that of the Lord Chamberlain. ¡°Even if it¡¯s not a trap, the battle is undoubtedly still ongoing. Princess Clana is likely still holding her ground on the sports field.¡± "Yes." "As I mentioned earlier, there''s a high probability that it''s a trap. The moment the Crown Prince enters, they''ll capture him and use him as a hostage. That''s their strategy." Having said that, Lord Chamberlain whispered to the vice commander. "Between Isolet and you, who is stronger?" "Until recently, our skills were quite evenly matched, but..." "Then, if the Crown Prince gets injured during the confrontation, it can''t be helped, right?" "Pardon?" A sly smile appeared on Lord Chamberlain''s face. "Inflict some trauma on him. Turn the Crown Prince, who always thinks of himself as superior and knows no fear, into a feeble-minded individual." "..." "At the same time, make him rely on you, who always protects him. I''ll help drive him to think like that. This way, both of us will become the de facto rulers of this empire." It was a ruthless scheme. Despite being overwhelmed by the current emperor''s formidable power, Lord Chamberlain was a man with a thirst for power. So, when the next emperor was about to be decided, he, who had been restraining his ambitions all this time, decided to openly reveal his desire for power despite the warning from the Crown Prince. "Does that mean... you''re suggesting I seduce the Crown Prince?" "Don¡¯t you have ambition? This is an opportunity for you to rise higher than the vice commander, higher than the knight commander." "...I see." Hearing his words, the vice commander silently nodded in agreement. She originally planned to request Frey as a trophy and make him her slave. However, the opportunity to become the secret lover of the foolish Prince has unexpectedly fallen to her laps. She was equally driven by ambition and a thirst for power. And she thought that it would be great if she could crush Isolet, who had been a thorn on her side since her days as a knight candidate.. - Gooo... In fact, she had recently awakened her own pure sword aura. Since she already reached the level of a knight commander, she judged that she had no reason to lose to Isolet, who was of equal skill compared to her before. "Hahaha! Hahahaha!!" "...?" However, as the Lord Chamberlain and Vice Commander entered the academy, they could only widen their eyes and tilt their heads in confusion. "That''s right! What did I say!!" There was no ambush and no Clana in sight. "Prince Killian~!" "You''re so cool~!" There were just students in uniforms, maids, and a massive cheering crowd. "Euhahaha!!" "...What''s going on here? "Hmm." Something was definitely amiss here. . . . . As the blood from the Crown Prince''s mouth stained Frey''s hand, he stared at the pig with a disgusted look, and silently raised his head to glare at the Crown Prince attendants. ¡°I know you guys were there for quite a few of those disgusting moments.¡± "...!" The Crown Prince''s attendants started to break out in cold sweats. Their bodies were frozen by the succubi, who were disguised as students and maids, as they slowly drained the Crown Prince of his stamina and power. "Ah, it hurts. It really hurts..." ¡°I only mimic the vile and inhuman deeds that come from your mind, so why are you hurt?¡± "You bastard...! I, I am the ruler of..." ¡°You throw those girls away like trash after you play your sick game with them... The vacant eyes of the children in my orphanage... All because of your sick game. As Frey finished speaking, the back door of the banquet hall opened. "As you wish, I have brought Clana here. Your Highness." "...!" Soon, Clana and Isolet slowly approached with a cold expression. "However, the one who will be stripped naked and tightly bound with a rope... will be you." "Y-you all... conspired against me from the beginning... Keuarrrghhh!!!" The prince, trembling as he watched both women, let out a scream and collapsed when one of his fingers was bent. "It hurts! It hurts!" Having been overly protected by his mother all his life and never even pricked by a thorn, the pain of his finger breaking surpassed his imagination. "We''ve just begun, Your Highness. It''s too early for you to act like this." "C-come here!! Someone, come save me!!" Panicking, Killian screamed. "I''ll give you everything!!" Saliva flew out of his mouth as the pain from his broken finger became too much for him. "I swear on my throne and name! To the one who saves me... Kwack!!" Frey forcefully kicked away his hand. ¡°How does it feel to plummet to the depth of despair right after achieving your greatest ambitions?¡± "Ugh..." Frey asked that question while thinking of the children at the orphanage who had lost the light in their eyes, and then added with a smirk. "No, actually, you''ve never even achieved anything... but I wonder how does it feels to delude yourself into thinking you did?" "Aaaaaaah!!!" As soon as he uttered that, Frey ruthlessly stepped on Killian''s hand. "As expected, it was a trap." "...?" Hearing sounds from the front, Frey quietly tilted his head. "Succubi who are fatal to men, and moreover, they were top-tier ones. It would have been a big problem if I hadn''t prepared beforehand." The Lord Chamberlain, leading knight escorts for the Crown Prince consisting only of females, spoke to Frey with narrowed eyes. "Frey, let¡¯s make a deal." "..." "You must know well where my position is within the Imperial Family.¡± Lord Chamberlain was the one who held the true power behind the imperial family. He was an ambitious man, and he had quietly expanded his power bit by bit from the shadows. Engaging in an affair with Empress Ramie, wielding power in the name of the emperor, the shadow lurking beneath the Imperial Palace. "Capturing the Crown Prince alone won''t be enough. Even if Clana ascends to the throne, she''ll only be a half-decent empress unless she can get hold of the whole country, the information I possess, and the connections I have." With a composed smile, he continued speaking. "With the Empress gone and the Emperor letting go, who is the one truly moving the Imperial Palace now?" "..." "But I, too, actually couldn''t stand that fat pig from the beginning." The eyes of the vice commander of the knight orders, who was at the back, quietly gleamed. "We might make a good team, Frey." The Lord Chamberlain black eyes sparkled with a gentle smile. "You and I, are on the same¨C" "This makes me angry." Frey, who had been thoroughly stomping on Killian until then, tilted his head and mumbled. "What did you just say..." Right after that, Frey''s fist landed on Lord Chamberlain¡¯s face. "Why are you speaking informally? Do you want to die?" "Keu... keuuuh..." The Lord Chamberlain, struck directly in the face with a punch, groaned with a broken nose. "Why do these manipulative bastards never consider the possibility of them getting beaten up?" "W-wait, let''s make a deal. Ugh, urg..." ¡°Even someone hidden in the shadows would turn blood-red if they got beaten up, don¡¯t you think?¡± "This bastard, how dare... keuck..." ¡°And why do you always have a smile and squinted eyes? And why do people find that annoying look cool? Should I also start squinting from now on?¡± Frey continued to punch Lord Chamberlain¡¯s face, unfazed by the shocked knights, who were unable to react to the sudden event. Then Frey muttered. "Come to think of it, the one who framed Clana''s mother was also you, right?" "Urg...?" "Of course, it all makes sense." "This bastard...!!!" "...?" Hearing coughing sounds behind him, he turned his head quietly. - Shaaa... ¡°D-Do you think I didn¡¯t expect something like this!!!¡± Killian, covered in blood, staggered and emitted dark mana from his entire body. ¡°I will judge you here and now for the high treason of insulting the royal family!!!¡± ¡°I''m also currently holding off on another crime of insulting the Imperial Family. I can''t pass judgment right now.¡± "Shut up!! You devil!!" Shouting in this manner, Killian''s entire body began to turn pitch black. "The power of the one above will judge you!!!" The grotesque transformation Rifael had revealed at the Inauguration Ceremony a few months ago was gradually manifesting itself in Killian. "Wow." As he silently observed this transformation, Frey''s assessment was simple. "It¡¯s a black pig." - Beep beep...! At the same time, power surged into the magical documentation device attached to Frey''s chest /genesisforsaken Chapter 317: What the Fuck Chapter 317: What the Fuck "Huahaha, hahaha! Hahaha!" After completing his transformation, Killian opened his arms wide and cackled maniacally. "Indeed, that being is truly remarkable. Such power, such energy!" Incomprehensible, mysterious power overflowed within him. The moment he was twisting in agony as the succubi drained his energy seemed like a lie. - Crack, crack!! "Kyaaak!" Killian, smiling maniacally, stretched out his hand forward, and the glasses and windows in the banquet hall began to shatter all at once. - Boom, boom, boom...!! Enjoying the sight, Killian threw a punch forward, and with it, a black wave surged, sending broken tables and debris hurtling towards Frey. "..." Frey watched the whole scene calmly. As the black wave was about to reach him, he extended his right hand. - Boooooommmm...! The black wave reached Frey, sending black clouds everywhere. "You bastards..." The Crown Prince, who was convinced that Frey had been torn to pieces by his attack, turned his gaze to where the Lord Chamberlain and vice commander were and gritted his teeth. "How dare lowly bastards like you... mock me?" "..." The Lord Chamberlain and vice commander¡¯s gazes were trembling. "How dare you towards this Killian Solar Sunrise!!" Faced with his dramatic transformation, it was evident that they were frightened, and they instinctively tucked their tails in. I should kill the Lord Chamberlain and spare this vice commander bitch. Her face is fairly so-so. - Whoosh...! "...!" Killian was internally satisfied after deciding the fate of those who dared to betray him. Suddenly, a plate came flying from the side, and he widened his eyes and batted it away. "The black pig is pulling off mysterious tricks, huh?" "...You!" Frey, emerging from the clouds, approached with a grin. ¡°You impertinent bastard!!!¡± Killian, who has acquired incredible power despite his lack of experience in combat, shouted at Frey with an arrogant expression. "If you kneel and beg now, I might consider killing you quickly!¡± "Sorry, but your neck is too fat; I can''t quite make out what you''re saying." With a soulless face, Frey mocked the Crown Prince. - Boom, boom, boom...! Frey¡¯s taunt worked, and Killian became so enraged that veins sprouted on his fat neck, and he punched Frey with all his might. - Grind... grind... "...!?" However, Frey casually raised his right hand and blocked Killian''s punch. "Wow, it''s pig trotters.¡± "T-This bastard...!" Soon, upon hearing the mocking words Frey uttered, the enraged Killian began to exert even more force into his grip. "I haven''t unleashed all my power yet! I will tear you apart..." "But this one is still raw. It¡¯s not cooked at all." "What?" However, Frey, who was still mocking the Prince, soon spoke with his eyes shining silver. "Pork needs to be cooked." - Sizzle...! "Kyaack!" At the same time, the stellar mana pouring out of Frey''s hand enveloped the Crown Prince''s arm, and for some reason, he started to writhe in pain. "What should I do now? I was planning to teach Kania how to make stir-fried pork." Watching this coldly, Frey muttered with a frown. "The ingredients were spoiled." "Y-you... What have you done to me...!" ¡°I can¡¯t even use this to feed a dog.¡± Watching the Crown Prince glow in front of him Frey soon infused his stellar mana into his foot and kicked the prince right in the chest. "Kkkeuk!" The Crown Prince flew into the air. - Crash!! The Crown Prince was sent flying, completely destroying the table he landed on before crashing into the wall. "Kkugh... Kkughk..." ¡°I guess you have no idea what happened to you?¡± Frey spoke mockingly to the Crown Prince. He threw something towards the Crown Prince, who breathed heavily due to the kick to his chest. "Why don''t you check it out yourself?" "...!"Chee?ck out latest novels on The Crown Prince''s expression stiffened as he absentmindedly looked into the object he casually picked up. "This is..." What Frey threw at Killian was none other than a mirror. "W-What is this...?" Looking at his reflection in the mirror, Killian''s eyes began to tremble. "How did this happen...? "You ask how? Of course, you''ve got fucking screwed." Instead of the usual face he was always proud of, Killian now saw a grotesque and hideous monster in the mirror. The sight was so nauseating that he wanted to vomit just by looking at it. - Crash!! "T-This is a trick!" Killian, who broke a cold sweat and threw the mirror aside, quickly got up and walked somewhere. "How dare you use such a lousy item on me..." Desperately crouching over a plate lying on the floor, he stared at his reflection. "..." However, his hideous face remained the same. "T-this can''t be. Illusion magic? Did you use Illusion magic on me!?" "Why? You look even better now." "Shut up! This repulsive and hideous appearance can¡¯t be me!!" Prince Killian, who was muttering with a trembling voice, shouted angrily at Frey''s words. ¡°That¡¯s what happens when you carelessly believe in the Demon King.¡± "W-what?" "You offered your soul and the empire to the Demon King in exchange for that power, didn''t you?" Killian widened his eyes when he heard what Frey was whispering. "H-How did you..." ¡°When activated, that power will bring out your true self. It¡¯s a technique that generates powerful forces using the energy when that happens.¡± "K-keeekk...!" After delivering a gut-wrenching punch to his stomach, Frey continued his story while looking down at the tearful Prince. ¡°Your insides must have been so ugly that your body couldn¡¯t stand it. Your body is already starting to collapse.¡± "What... what are you saying...?" "You''ll die in less than a few months. Because of the unbearable reality of your hideous inner self, your body won''t be able to endure it any longer." Killian''s face paled upon hearing those words. "S-Save me...¡± "What bullshit are you spouting? You are the one who received that power in exchange for your soul, the empire, and the poor citizens to the Demon King, and you used that power, right? So, why are you asking me to save your life? As Killian finally uttered pleas for mercy, Frey spoke as if he had been waiting for it. "P-Please... Please....!" "You''ve completely turned into a demon. How hideous must your inner thoughts be for a human to become a demon? Even Rifael also ended up as a demon." Frey, who had been observing Killian with a curious expression, tilted his head and muttered. "Understood." After instructing her attendants, Clana, who watched Killian squirm like a bug with a disgusted expression, took a deep breath. "And as you''ve heard... We will be heading to the imperial palace tomorrow." Her attendants froze upon hearing the next words from her. "Y-you...! What in the world did you do..." "Come to think of it, on the day the mansion was searched, you were planning to tie Frey to a chair and attempt to violate him, right?" "Kkuhk!" "...Anyway, it''s finally time." Isolet knocked down Killian¡¯s escort knights and the vice commander. Although it was a petty revenge, Isolet looked satisfied. "I will inherit the throne from my father." Under everyone''s gaze, Clana, who made the declaration once again, realized that, somehow, the way people looked at her had changed. She quietly moved away. Clana declared once again under everyone¡¯s gaze, and before she knew it, she realized that the way the people looked at her had changed. She quietly moved away. However... What does Frey mean with the word he said earlier? But then Clana suddenly stopped and muttered to herself. ...It bothers me. Before anyone realized it, dusk had fallen. . . . . . - Step, step... Just like last time, Frey, covered in blood all over his body, walks down the hallway with a calm expression. "You all will get penalty points. Students shouldn''t be out this late." Frey smiled and addressed the students still filling the corridor. "The academy is currently entangled in political struggles, making it quite dangerous. So..." Frey said that to the students and some faculty members, who were looking at him with fear. "Professor Frey." "...Hmm?" When his student, Olivia, approached, Frey tilted his head. ¡°Ms. Ruby says she desperately wants to see you.¡± "...Where is she?¡± "Right next door, in the infirmary." "Oh-ho." Soon, upon hearing that, Frey followed Olivia to the infirmary right next to the banquet hall with an interested expression. And a while later... - Crash!!! "Kyaahhh!??" The infirmary door shattered, and Ruby, still wearing a patient gown, hurtled out with her entire bed into the corridor. -Booomm!! "Kyaaack!?" "T-this¡¯s crazy!" "Hero!!" Ruby crashed into the wall of the corridor along with her bed. The students screamed and scattered in all directions. "Cough, cough... Professor? What are you..." Ruby crawled out from between the broken wall and the infirmary bed, her face fixed in a bewildered expression. Then, Frey exited the infirmary through the hole in the wall and exclaimed. "Hero!! Let''s spar!!!" - Swish!! Simultaneously, Frey infused a curtain rod he picked up from the infirmary with stellar mana and swung it at Ruby. "K-Kyaaa...!" "What in the world is this...?" As a result, the students were frightened out of their wits. And Ruby, watching this absurd scene, just dumbfoundedly sat on the ground... -Booommmm!! "I''ve been curious since a long time ago, Hero!!" Frey struck Ruby with the rod with all his strength and began yelling. "Why won''t you fight me!!" - Booommmm!! "You''re the Hero who will defeat even the Demon King!! It should be a piece of cake for you to defeat someone like me!!" - Booommmm!! "But why? Why won''t you subdue me!!!" The students, who were trembling at that insane sight, gradually began to focus on Frey''s words. ¡°If you win, you can get me expelled from the academy!!! Not only that, but you could also obtain information to defeat the Demon King!!!" "That¨C" "But why!!! Why do you always avoid direct confrontation with me and sneakily slip away!!??" "..." "Could it be that there''s a reason you can''t attack me...?" Ruby, who had kept her mouth shut, furrowed her brow at Frey''s words. "For example... perhaps you''ve fallen in love with me at first sight?" -Boommm!! "Or maybe..." - Whack...! Frey continuously struck Ruby until the rod broke, then gazed at her with a chilling expression before he asked. ¡°...Are you scared of me?¡± "That''s enough, Professor." With her words, Frey''s rod shattered into pieces. "I don''t know what this is about, but if you keep doing this..." Ruby, who shattered Frey''s rod with a finger snap, calmly smiled and approached him. - Woooongg... Frey was gradually pushed backwards by the invisible barrier that separated them. To outsiders, this scene looked like Frey was being overpowered by Ruby¡¯s momentum. "...I won¡¯t stand still any longer." When Ruby declared with a confident expression... System Notification [Frey has purchased the skill ''Remove the Rank Badge and Fight''.] A system window appeared in front of her. - Bzzzz... bzzzz... At the same time, the barrier blocking Frey and her started to glitch. ¡°He... purchased that? How? Unlike me, I¡¯m sure he shouldn''t have any points left... Did he give up on the Hero¡¯s Armament awakening?" Ruby muttered in disbelief at that sight, and she took a step back as she saw Frey starting to look at her with a terrifying expression. [Passive Status: Curse of Vulnerability MAX / Curse of Honesty MAX] The curses placed on her still haven''t been lifted. If they were to fight now, there was no guarantee about the outcome. [The ''Remove the Rank Badge and Fight'' skill removes the barrier that separated the Demon King and the Hero during a single duel, providing minimal safety measures.] [Of course, safety measures are still a must, and they will protect you against fatal injuries.] "Then don''t hold back!! Hero!!!" When Ruby woke up from her sleep and heard that Frey was nearby, she immediately ordered Olivia to call him. However, she didn¡¯t expect things to turn out like this. [Probably.] "Let''s have a fight here!!!" Ruby, who was taking a step back while looking at the system window that kept popping up in front of her, muttered as she saw Frey approached her with a menacing expression on his face. "What the fuck." A drop of cold sweat was flowing from her /genesisforsaken Chapter 318: Isnt This Fun Chapter 318: Isn''t This Fun - Whoosh...! "Keugh." Ruby twisted her body to dodge Frey¡¯s powerful punch. She gnashed her teeth as he looked at him "You dodge it, huh?" Then, Frey approached her while tilting his head. "If you dodge carelessly, the students around you could be in danger, you know?" "..." "Well, There¡¯s nothing you can do, right? It''s better for a few kids to get hurt or die than for the Hero, who was the only one capable of defeating the Demon King, to be in danger!" As Frey spoke, he began to gather stellar mana in his right hand, causing Ruby''s expression to visibly frown. The gazes of the students around her were wavering. Even though the students knew that Frey¡¯s was spouting nonsense, they couldn''t shake the doubts and anxieties that began to grow in their minds. "Damn, this drives me crazy." As a result, Ruby muttered while gritting her teeth before slowly opening her mouth to speak. ¡°That¡¯s not what I wan- ugh.¡± However, Ruby quickly blocked her mouth, preventing herself from speaking further. Due to the curse of ¡®Honesty¡¯ that Frey placed on her, her words came out unfiltered. The situation was so dire that she couldn¡¯t talk her way out of this, let alone instigate the surrounding students, which was one of her main strong points. Should I use the kids. Therefore, Ruby quietly shifted her gaze to the students around her. Most of her faction, consisting of first-year students, was not present, probably due to the late hour. However, quite a few students still lingered in the corridor. Just in a short time, Ruby had managed to gather fanatical followers in the academy. They were righteous but foolish kids who would jump into a fire pit if she told them to. However, there was no way to ask for help. Asking for help now would damage her reputation significantly, and there was a high chance she would shout, "Someone sacrifices yourself for me!" without meaning to. "Tsk..." In the end, she was like a rat in a trap. Initially, she thought Frey was going crazy indiscriminately, but that wasn''t the case. It was a well-thought-out plan where his every move was perfectly calculated. There was precision embedded in his every move, something that a truly insane person wouldn¡¯t be able to do. Wait, then... However, a way to turn the situation around seemed to appear. Since it¡¯s calculated madness, he won¡¯t harm the students, right? Slowly adjusting the angle of her body towards the students, Ruby silently took a step. Also, come to think of it, it¡¯s not that different. Simultaneously, there was a surge of fighting spirit within her. How dare you belittle me, the Demon King? The system couldn¡¯t even measure her strength. She couldn''t help but recall how she laughed when her stats were initially displayed as . However, trapping someone like her in a mere curse already made him feel triumphant, huh? For this offense, she would make Frey suffer. What she wanted was to see something so beautiful and pure, like him, being broken and wither. She didn¡¯t want to see him going crazy. Perhaps she needed to correct him once again. "Heab!" With that thought in mind, Ruby stomped the floor with her foot, drew her sword from her waist, and swung it forcefully toward Frey. It was a thoroughly calculated move. Even if Frey dodged, it wouldn''t harm the students too much, but the attack itself was quite powerful. So, surely, this attack would land... - Crash...! "...?" Ruby''s triumphant expression didn''t last long. -Boom...! "U-Uwahhh!!" The shockwave and the sword aura generated by her strike were heading towards the students behind Frey. If it continued like this, they would undoubtedly suffer severe injuries. "D-darn it."Reaad the latest stories on The Demon King had never tried controlling her strength in her entire life because there was no reason to, as there have never been a moment that required it. She was the Demon King, she would destroy all obstacles in her path with her overwhelming power. Even the slightest attack triggered by a slight twitch of her finger was a disaster for ordinary people. Moreover, her strength had diminished exponentially thanks to the curse. So, she swung her sword carefully, thinking that it would be okay. However, even with all of that, it still turned out to be way stronger than what she expected. - Clang...! Seeing the result of her attack, the Demon King began to sweat profusely. She sighed in relief as Frey swiftly moved to block the attack with his right hand. "As expected, I knew you would..." "I see, Hero! I understand now!" However, even that relief was short-lived as Frey''s voice echoed through the corridor, causing Ruby to quietly tilt her head. - Crackle...! "...!" And in the next moment, Frey''s fist, surrounded by stellar mana, charged into her abdomen. "...Ugh." Urgently trying to deflect Frey''s fist with her sword, Ruby swallowed her breath as she observed the mana waves surrounding his fist. Frey''s fist was wrapped in explosive mana. The students behind her would be caught in the explosion if she deflected that with her sword. Of course, whether the students got hurt or not didn¡¯t matter to her. However, if the students were harmed due to her poor judgment, Frey would undoubtedly use that against her. That was definitely what he was after. "Tsk." Ruby, who momentarily halted her sword at that thought, looked at Frey with a chilling gaze and swung her sword once again. - Crackle! Crackle...! The mana surrounding Frey''s hand began to flicker upon contact with Ruby''s sword. "Did you think I would hesitate, fearing that the students might get hurt like you, Frey?" As Frey''s gaze turned to his hand, Ruby started whispering to him in a low voice that only he could hear. "Instead, I''ll deflect it with my whole strength." The ruby-colored sword aura emanating from Ruby''s sword started intertwining with Frey''s flickering energy. "...Those kids, you¡¯re the one who hurt them." She swallowed her saliva when she saw her sword aura intertwined with Frey¡¯s energy. It was like her aura corrupting Frey¡¯s pure and divine energy. With a renewed vigor, she tightened her grip on her sword. -Booom!! However, before she could finish her sentence, Frey kicked her once again, sending her flying into the corridor wall. "Some crazy person is rampaging..." "Hero!!!" "...Keuh." Ruby coughed up blood as her back violently collided with a wall. Before she could catch her breath, Frey kicked her once again with a roundhouse kick. -Boom...! Simultaneously, along with the wall, Ruby was thrown out of the corridor. "Heuk..." She rolled and bounced all the way to the sports field. Trembling, she looked up. - Pour...! Dark clouds covered the sky, obstructing the stars and the moon, and rain was pouring down like a torrent. "What¡¯s wrong...?" Before she knew it, Frey had descended to the sports field through the gaping hole in the corridor. He approached her with his silver eyes shining brightly. ¡°Isn¡¯t this what you want? It was you who had been driving me to the edge, wasn''t it?" "..." "But why are you so surprised and flustered?" He must have liked the piece of glass from earlier, so he brought it along and asked while tilting his head. "...Ha, haha." Looking at him acting like that, Ruby''s eyes started to glow ruby red. "It seems you''re getting a little carried away, Frey." At the same time, a ruby-colored energy started to blaze from her body. "You shouldn''t have brought me here." The sports field was a wide open space, different from the narrow corridor. With no students or structures around, she could exert her full power without worry. "Frey, whatever it is... let me correct you." The moment when Ruby was about to charge at Frey with sword energy and mana blooming all over her. "Hero!!!" "Ms. Ruby!!!" "...!" She heard familiar voices from behind her. "W-we came!" "Now you can relax..." The first-year students who heard the news late were rushing to the sports field. "Oh." Frey wore a smirk upon seeing other first-year students start to fill the sports field. "From now on, this will be a joint class, okay, Hero?" "...Damn." "But what¡¯s with the long face??" Holding her lower abdomen, Ruby''s expression gradually soured. "Hey, everyone, come over here!!" "Calculated madness, my foot." She muttered as she saw Frey shooting his stellar mana into the pouring rain, signaling the first-year student to come over. ¡°I guess he must have really lost it.¡± "Now, group up!!!" In front of her eyes, Frey''s information window was floating. . . . . . Meanwhile, at the Sunrise Empire Imperial Palace. "That''s the end of the report." Sitting on the top floor with an indifferent expression, the Emperor received the report from his attendant. "You need to prepare quickly, Your Majesty. The situation is different from before. So, please..." The attendant broke into a cold sweat as he observed the Emperor¡¯s indifferent expression. "Pfft, hehehe..." "...Your Majesty?" The Emperor began to laugh. "Pfft... Hahaha..." The Emperor rarely laughs; the number of times he laughed this year could probably be counted on one hand. "Interesting." After laughing for a while, the Emperor stood up and mumbled in a chilling voice. "Interesting... Very interesti¨C" - Crash...! "...!" However, at that moment, the windows of the Imperial Palace shattered, and something fell in front of the Emperor''s feet. "Hoot~!" "Gu-guards! Guards!!" The bewildered attendant urgently stepped back, calling for guards. Meanwhile, the Emperor calmly lowered his gaze, unaffected by the quickly fading hoots of the owl. He fearlessly picked up the delivered item. Perhaps, are you now muttering, ''Interesting, Very interesting¡¯? The delivered item was a photo and a letter in handwriting very familiar to the Emperor. Then, I present this to you. As the Emperor read the letter and shifted his gaze to the photo, he burst into laughter. I made a stir-fried Pork. ".....Hmm." Soon after, his eyebrows started to twitch uncontrollably. Is this also interesting to you? Frey¡¯s letter gently fluttered in the cold breeze coming through the broken /genesisforsaken Chapter 319: The Real Education Chapter 319: The Real Education "Hyaaah!" Olivia rushed fiercely and swung her sword down at Frey. - Crack...! "...!" However, Frey grabbed the sword with an expressionless face. - Clink!! "O-oh my, goodness." Olivia was shocked as in the next moment, her sword shattered under Frey¡¯s grip. - Boom...! "Eheuk!" Frey just looked at her silently and quietly reached out and unleashed stellar mana upon her. "Olivia. Your attacks are too predictable." "Ugh..." As a result, Olivia stumbled and fell backwards. Frey grabbed the shattered sword and threw it back to her, then he started to charge at her. ¡°As with the last evaluation and at the Erosion Incident, you¡¯re too rigid. There¡¯s no room for discretion, trickery or improvisation.¡± "Release the hero!!!" "If your skills were well-developed, you could have a distinct style. But if your skills are lacking, it''s just arrogance." "Keheuk!!" Olivia managed to defend herself against the attacks, However, she was suddenly struck by a surprise attack from the side. She clutched her waist and collapsed to the ground. "Olivia, 5 minutes 49 seconds. Disqualified." Frey grinned and approached her, dark mana slowly began to pour out of his left arm into his right hand. "Back off!!!!" "I don¡¯t want to!!!" Witnessing this, Olivia screamed with a pale expression. Similarly, Frey shouted back. ¡°I¡¯ve already said it before, right? When you attack me, you should be ready to put your life on the line...¡± Seeing Olivia appalled, Frey coldly extended his hand and whispered. "At least being my slave suits you." "Back... off...¡± - Seep... "...Huk, hegeuk." Olivia tried to resist until the end by squirming. However, as soon as the stigma of slavery was engraved on her lower abdomen, tears streamed down her hollow eyes. "Well, who''s next then?" With blood-stained hands, Frey kindly wiped away her tears and gently patted her belly before standing up.. "Is there anyone else who wants to protect Ruby? No one?" "..." However, no one else stepped forward. After all, the majority of the students had been subdued and defeated by Frey. The remaining students focused solely on holding out, and none dared to confront Frey. "Why is no one stepping up? If Ruby takes any more hits here, the world will be destroyed." Frey, who had been silently looking at the students, tilted his head and shouted at them. ¡°Just a moment ago, didn¡¯t you all want to challenge me? You were even shouting nonsense at me. Where did those murderous spirits go? Why did you guys suddenly turn into drenched, pathetic puppies?¡± Still, there was no response. Unless they were too young, all talented kids on the continent were gathered here. They were the strongest freshmen in the whole continent, and the Empire even acknowledged their talent as the best of the best. However, this also meant they had never experienced such a crushing defeat. It seemed that the students, who had already been dominated by the overwhelming power and threat of Frey''s existence, had no will to resist anymore. ¡°Did you think I wouldn¡¯t touch any of you guys? Why shouldn¡¯t I? I¡¯m the evil villain after all¡ª I¡¯m the enemy of The Hero, and I work for the Demon King¡¯s army.¡± "H-He¡¯s coming.¡± "If you don''t come to me, I''ll come to you. Try to endure until the end of class if you can." Frey kicked off the rain-soaked ground and started running towards a small group of students. "W-wait, just a moment...!!" But at that moment, someone jumped out in front of Frey. "Hmm?" Thanks to that, Frey stopped, and a girl soaked in rainwater stretched out her arms and shouted. "I-I''ll face you!" Despite shivering in the cold, Lecane Luna Silvermoon loudly shouted for the first time in her life. "Therefore, please, stop!" She stood firmly on her ground, contrasting with her fearful gaze that seemed to want to surrender immediately. Seeing her like this, Frey spoke with an amused expression on his face. "For self-sacrifice, plus 1 point." "Uh, uh..." "But you''re too much of a coward. Minus 1 point." Frey ruthlessly gave and deducted points, grabbed a rod from the ground, and swung it at her. "Uh..." The courage she had finally mustered shattered into pieces, breaking apart under the crazed laughter of the blood-soaked Frey. Seeing the impending attack, Lecane couldn¡¯t help but shut her eyes. - Crackle...! Green flames erupted in front of her. "Heeeuuuaaa!!" Lenya''s older sister, Lea, with her green eyes glowing, blocked Frey''s sword strike with her own sword, her hands trembling. - Seeep... As a green sword aura bloomed from her sword, Frey''s eyes lit up. ¡°Get away from my sister...!¡± And at that moment, a fierce attack came rushing from behind Frey. - Crackle...! Crackle...! Crackle...! "You bastard!!" Lenya, along with spirits and fairies circling around her, was casting magic against Frey. It was what they called triple casting. Triple-layered spell that was only heard of in a legend. Unless you were a Spirit Summoner who could control both spirits and fairies, the complex technique could only be used by dragons or high elves. And that legendary technique was being reproduced on the sports field for the first time in centuries. "Bonus points for rare magic, plus 10 points, but since you cursed at a professor, minus 15 points." Frey was briefly fascinated when he saw the sight, but then he used his stellar mana to block her spell. It was a situation where it was hard to determine who was more impressive: Lenya succeeding in a triple-layered spell on her first attempt, or Frey effortlessly neutralizing it with his own mana. - Shaaa... Suddenly, an arrow made of black mana spiraled and flew towards Frey. "Die." The one who cast the spell was none other than Eurelia. The students were amazed to witness Eurelia employing black magic. After all, it was a secret weapon she guarded closely. "Ugh." Frey looked at it with cold sweat before blocking it with his left arm. "I never thought you''d reveal that part of your personality here." Frey asked as he looked at Eurelia, who had abandoned her calm demeanor and was fighting wholeheartedly for the first time. "Have you decided to trust these kids?" "...Shut up." With those words, Eurelia fired black magic arrows from all directions. At first, the students were perplexed by the sight. However, soon they realized that Frey''s mana, which had been oddly blocking them, weakened. In response, they began to exert even more strength. "J-just giving strength won''t work..." Lecane, who had just been too scared to speak moments ago, spoke up. "...We have to resonate everyone''s mana." As the students looked puzzled at her words, her eyes lit up with moonlight color, and she shouted. ¡°E-everyone gather your mana to one spot...! Not as much as Serena, but her blood, which carried the same lineage, was not for nothing. In response to Lecane''s words, who would become the next Chancellor of the Empire if Serena were absent, the students hesitated but began gathering their mana. - Woooong... Finally, as Lecane mustered courage until the end to extract her lunar mana and resonate it with everyone''s mana, the area around Frey began to shake. "I-it''s a mana resonance phenomenon. I-I researched it all the time. When ''special mana'' overlaps and overlaps again with others, t-then t-tremendous power..." "Cut off the explanation! I roughly get it now!!" "If we succeed in this, even Frey won''t be able to withstand it. We can save the Hero." "...Die, Frey." Frey wore a broad grin as he observed the hopeful students concentrating on ''mana resonance''. ¡°Hahaha... Indeed, things only went smoothly because I suddenly decided to act crazy.¡± The only way to save the lives of the freshmen was unfolding. A miracle that could only be achieved by pushing the students to their limits. Mana resonance was treated as an ¡®ultimate move'' in the system, like the Hero''s Armament, Ferloche''s ''Sun God''s Blessing'', and Irina''s ''Ultimate Magic'', which is no different from a suicide move. Now, one of those ultimate moves was about to occur right before his eyes. ¡°To be honest, I was uncertain how to explain this part of the lesson. Yet, as expected, the Ancestors¡¯ teaching style proves very effective.¡± - Rumble, rumble, rumble... "And, most importantly, finally, I could see some teamwork." Frey smiled brightly as he witnessed the technique that would normally take months or even years to achieve, accomplished in one go. "But I can''t let you all succeed like this." However, Frey''s expression changed to a chilling one. - Crash...! Crash...! At the same time, Frey''s stellar mana aggressively infiltrated the mana resonating among the students. ¡°Did you truly believe that enemies in a real battle would simply stand still and allow you to complete that technique?¡± Seeing the students bewildered by his interception, Frey spoke with a chilling smile. "T-try to maintain it somehow!" "N-no, it''s wrong. It can''t be maintained. The stellar mana is too overwhelming..." ¡°Eeeeuuuu...¡± The students desperately tried to stabilize the surging mana, but they couldn''t overcome Frey¡¯s overwhelming mana. - Crack, shatter...! - Boooomm!! Eventually, the students'' mana shattered into pieces, emitting shockwaves in all directions. "This is not a fairy tale or a heroic saga, kids." Frey observed the dejected and frightened students who were flung away by the shock wave, their faces looking as though they had just lost their souls as they vomited blood. He spread his arms and began to speak. ¡°You face an overwhelming opponent and struggle, but eventually you awaken something and defeat the enemy. That kind of development is so boring, don¡¯t you think?¡± "Uh, uh..." "Lecane, the Horizon Sisters, and Eurelia. 10 minutes and 39 seconds." "Are you really just trying to break me? Are you really that crazy of a bitch? For real? So, that''s the only damn reason I have to put up with all of this fucking nonsense?" In response, Ruby, who was still inflicted with the curse of honesty, replied in a low voice. "I... want to devour you." "What?" ¡°More than anything, I wanted to isolate you, break you, and swallow you up...¡± - Thud...! "...Eugeuk." Frey punched her side, deeming that her babbling was not worth hearing any further. He leaned forward and began whispering menacingly. "Ruby, I hope you remember this very moment." "..." ¡°I hope that, like me, every time you lie down, every time you enter a closed room, and every time you have a nightmare, today¡¯s events will be engraved in your mind.¡± "Ugh..." ¡°I want you to be reminded of today just by looking at my face.¡± - Thud...! After finishing his words, Frey pierced the glass into her heart. "Since you left your bodily fluids inside me... I''ll leave my mana in you." "W-wait a moment..." He started pouring his stellar mana onto the glass shard. System Notification [Accumulated damage has reached a certain threshold, automatic recovery skill is activated.] "...!" At the same time, a system message appeared before Ruby''s eyes. - Shaaa... "F-Fuck...!" Ruby cursed as her body began to heal, while the glass shard remained lodged in her heart. "Hero!! Perhaps you''re not aware of it!! But every hero should have at least one weakness like this!!!" To prevent her from struggling, Frey pressed on her chest with his right hand. "You''ve enjoyed an easy time until now!! Our Hero should get fucked like this at least once!!¡± "You crazy bastard..." "You made me go through such hell just because you were bored! You''re the crazy one!!" "Keugh..." Perhaps due to the side effects of the glass shard in her heart, Ruby vomited blood, and at the same time, Frey, who pushed himself too hard today, also vomited blood. "Does it hurt? Well, it should. It took me ten years just to get used to this pain." "Keheuk..." ¡°Experience for yourself what it feels like to have pain taking over your entire body with every breath you take, you crazy bitch.¡± After saying that, Frey staggered to his feet. - Shaaa... "..." Frey smiled as he felt the system restoring his body. "Let''s go for another round, Ruby." With her right hand, which has just begun to mend, Ruby clutched her chest. Her face started to pale when she heard Frey¡¯s words. . . . . . - Crack! Crack...! "The neck isn''t broken. And your horn is still intact... That¡¯s too bad." Frey, still on top of Ruby, murmured with a disappointed expression. - Slap...! "Why are you losing consciousness? I got slapped without losing consciousness that time." Seeing her starting to lose consciousness, Frey slapped Ruby¡¯s cheek fiercely. ¡°Why does everyone struggle so much when I give them a taste of their own medicine? You¡¯ve done this several times to others, you know? Do they not think about the pain of the person they''ve hurt?¡± Despite his words, there was still no response. He continues muttering while tilting his head. - Boom, boom, boom... "Ouch." But at that moment, stellar mana bursts on Frey''s back. "..." Frey''s eyes immediately turned gentle as he turned around to see who was attacking him. "S-stop it..." It was Frey¡¯s younger sister, Aria. She spoke with her hand extended towards him. "Aria, there''s a reason for all this." "I said stop it..." "Actually, I''m the Hero, and Ruby is the Demon King. So, I''m just doing my duty. How is it? Do you understand?" Frey stood up and cheerfully spoke to her. Seeing the eerie scene, Aria quietly took a step back. "And actually, I still love you. Look, I didn''t attack you and left you alone. In a way, it was a privilege...¡± "...M-monster." "..." With just one word from her, Frey stopped laughing and strode towards her. "Aria Raon Starlight, let¡¯s count it as... 1 hour and 23 minutes for you." "U-ugh..." Frey whispered as he extended his hand towards her. "...Oh, you got the first place.¡± Catching his unconscious sister as she collapses after a flick on her forehead, Frey gently placed her on the ground and muttered. "This level of corruption should be fine, right?" A soft smile unexpectedly appeared on his face. "Frey.¡± "...!" Hearing a very familiar voice from the side, Frey opened his eyes wide and turned his gaze. "Serena!" In front of him stood Serena, his fiance?e. "Once I get a bit crazy, everything gets done at lightning speed!" Frey started speaking to her and boasted proudly. "The Crown Prince¡¯s faction was dealt with in an instant, and I even turned that chubby guy into stir-fried pork! And I also destroyed Ruby." "..." "Now, all that''s left is to advance to the Imperial Palace tomorrow! I should have changed my perspective a long time ago. Why didn''t I do this sooner..." "...Honey." However, upon hearing Serena''s words, Frey immediately fell silent. "Take a break for today." Then, Frey quietly lowered his head and slowly embraced her. "Why did you come here? It''s not good for the baby." "...Because I missed you." Hearing this, Frey, who closed his eyes in silence, sighed and muttered. "I should only show this side of me in front of Clana." "Is there anything you can''t say in front of me?" "...Then, I''ll go to sleep now!" Then, he opened his eyes and started moving away. "Frey..." "Serena, you know too, don¡¯t you?" Responding to Serena''s call, he spoke in a low voice. "Now is the opportunity." "..." "There are things that can only be done when your perspective changes. You have to do as much as possible before your mind clears up, just in case." Finishing his words, Frey headed towards the dormitory, humming a tune. "Ugh, ugh..." Serena watched Frey¡¯s retreating back blankly. Her gaze turned cold as she saw Ruby writhing on the floor, groaning in pain. "Don''t look at it. It''s dirty." Saying that, Serena gently stroked her stomach. "Our family has a different way of fighting." Then, her gaze turned even more chilling. "You''ll learn it soon." The white owl perched on her shoulder turned into a dot as it flew across the night sky. . . . . . "Those bastards dare to..." Several hours later, in the barracks of the Imperial Knight Order. "They are traitors. It''s the emperor''s strict order to eliminate them all." "Of course! I will personally execute them all!" The Commander of the Imperial Knight Order, who received the news of rebellion from the express messenger, was shouting furiously. "Gather all the knights!! It''s a mobilization order!! Those who refuse...!" The moment he shouted so loudly that his face turned red and the blood on his neck started to protrude, - Clink!! "What, what¡¯s going on!?" "Hoooot!!" An owl broke the window, flew in, and threw a letter at him. "What''s this..." The Knight Commander, bewildered by the events, soon froze on the spot after reading the contents of the letter. The Slaves hidden in the villa and your relationship with the Vice Commander. Does your wife know about it? "...Fuck." The Knight Commander''s anger turned into terror in an /genesisforsaken Chapter 320: The Imperial Civil War Chapter 320: The Imperial Civil War "Gasp, gasp..." Ruby clutched her heart and breathed roughly. She slowly opened her eyes under the glaring sunlight. "..." When she opened her eyes, it was already morning. It seemed like she had been unconscious after Frey tried to cut her horn. "Hero! Hero!!" "Are you okay!?" The first-years surrounded her. Despite looking battered, with injuries all over their bodies, they still looked at her with worry. - Ssk, ssk... She quietly touched her head and felt relieved to find her horns still intact. Thankfully, she had used her magic to hide them, so the surrounding students couldn¡¯t see. "Ugh..." However, the pain still lingered in her head. It wouldn''t have hurt so much if the horn had been completely severed, but due to the wishy-washy protective measure from the system, she endured several minutes of sawing on her horn. "I... Cough! Keheuk..." "Kyaaa!?" Thanks to that, Ruby still felt like her head was pounding. As she tried to say something to the students, her eyes suddenly widened, and she vomited blood. - Thump, thump... Darn it. She felt a foreign presence near her heart¡ªA needle-like pain pierced her heart and lungs with every breath she took. It felt like bugs crawling and gnawing on her heart, slowly eating her from the inside. "Huff, huff... huff..." Looking at her struggling to breathe and gasping, the students'' expressions turned even more worried. Worries? From others? Me? She couldn¡¯t believe this... To receive sympathy and concern from someone.... She was someone who took pleasure in seeing others suffer as they slowly drown in overwhelming fear. For Ruby the expressions the students were making now were nothing short of humiliation. "Ha, haha everyone." Despite the profanities bubbling up at the tip of her tongue, Ruby displayed transcendent patience and wore a compassionate smile on her face. Some of the students looked at her with suspicion and disrespect. Of course, if they were just ordinary students, she would have ignored that suspicion. However, among them was Eurelia, who possessed quick wit and sharp intellect. Therefore, she needed to avoid attracting attention as much as possible. Everyone had already seen her hit rock bottom in the recent battle. If she revealed her true nature in such a situation, it was clear what would happen. So, for now, it was time to reassure the students. "It hurts so much." However, the words that came out of Ruby''s mouth were completely opposite to what she intended. "N-no... That''s not what I meant..." As a result, the students'' expressions turned pitiful, and Ruby''s expression crumpled completely. The curse of honesty and the curse of vulnerability still affected her. If it weren''t for these two curses, she wouldn''t have been so miserably defeated by Frey. ...Damn it. But it was true that it hurt. It felt like she had been beaten to death by Frey all day long. His punches relentlessly hit her stomach, his fingers cruelly digging into her mouth and his teeth sharply biting into her neck. All of it was still vivid in her mind. She would forever remember the moment that bastard stabbed a glass shard filled with stellar mana into her heart, and the moment he forcibly tried to cut her horn off. "Uh, ugh..." As she thought about it, her body automatically shrank. A feeling she had never experienced in her life began to dominate her body. What was this? This eerie and uncomfortable emotion that made her heart beat rapidly?? "The Hero got scared..." "Crazy bastard. He must have tortured her so much." "That piece of trash." Ruby, who was shaking and clutching her head, came to her senses after hearing the students¡¯ whispers. Before she knew it, she was curled up and shaking when she thought about how she had been beaten by Frey. ...N-No. She quickly shook her head, and tried to get up. However, the chilling sensation in her heart, the lingering discomfort in her stomach, and the still vivid pain throbbing in her head compelled her to sit down again. The students¡¯ expressions became even more filled with pity as they watched her. In the eyes of the students now, she was the Hero¡ªan innocent, pure, and righteous country girl¡ª who had suffered severe torture and been broken by the evil Frey. If it had happened to someone else, Ruby would have been drooling in excitement, but since the subject was herself, it was far from pleasant for her. "...Grrr." Ruby gritted her teeth. Although she had some physical and mental aftereffects from experiencing that much pain for the first time in her life, she had Mental Strength of 10 and the title of a Demon King. Come to think of it... why did he change so much? As Ruby gradually regained her senses, she began to question Frey¡¯s action. He had changed so much since the Erosion Incident. He was not the Frey that she wanted¡ªthe one who made her body burn with desire to devour him whole. What she wanted was for that pure and noble boy to be slowly corrupted by isolation, to be broken and worn out. He looked more like a madman who stared at people with a glint in his eyes and crushed them. She wanted to scream at Frey to come back to his senses, to become the pure and noble Frey she desired. Surely, according to the system... "...Heuk." Ruby, muttering to herself as she recalled the information window she saw while being beaten by Frey, soon let out a groan and lowered her head. Taking a deep breath, she felt like a needle pierced her heart. Was this the pain Frey always felt? It seemed absurd. He must have exaggerated it. Or was it just the ramblings of a crazy person? I will definitely pay you back for today, Frey. Ruby, who was gritting her teeth so hard that blood started to flow from her gums, muttered inwardly. Even though he went crazy, it seems like he still had love for his younger sister. Did he do that on purpose? What benefit could he get from revealing his weakness like that? Coming in her view was none other than Aria. For the past few months, she had been meticulously preparing a trump card, and the weapon capable of delivering the most significant blow to Frey was already in her hands. He might pretend to be fine when he acted like a lunatic, but it won¡¯t be like this forever. When the time was right, Aria would deliver the final blow to him. In the end, she would become the winner. [The Curse of Vulnerability MAX''s duration has ended] [The Curse of Honesty MAX''s duration has ended] Thinking that, Ruby, who had been muttering to herself, showed a chilling expression when the message she had been waiting for appeared before her eyes. I will take revenge for what you did today... Without these two curses, Frey could not defeat her. Even with this broken body, she still could find him immediately and carry out her revenge. Definitely, as much as I suffered today... So, despite her broken leg and fractured waist bone, Ruby forcefully staggered to her feet. System Notification [The duration for the skill ''Remove the Rank Badge and Fight'' has ended.] "...Eh." However, as if to deny her revenge, a system notification came up. [Did you enjoy sparring with the Hero?] "Hero, it''s okay. We''re here for you." "Pardon? How come?" As Anne spoke calmly, the young maid tilted her head and asked. ¡°Because even if they declared a war, that doesn¡¯t necessarily mean that war will immediately occur.¡± "It is true that during the battle at the academy, the Princess and Frey''s faction emerged victorious. However, that doesn''t mean they can charge into the palace immediately.¡± With an arrogant expression, Anne began lecturing. "In the Imperial Capital, there are at most 100 to 200 soldiers of the Princess. It''s a far cry from the numbers needed for a full-scale war." "B-but... I heard that they have talented individuals that can defeat even knight commander-level talents, right?¡± Upon hearing that, Anne rolled her eyes for a moment, then folded her arms and continued her response. "That power likely belongs to Professor Isolet. Being born with the blood of a Sword Saint, she probably awakened her powers by chance. Even if she is of the level of a knight commander, there¡¯s still a chance that she would lose.¡± "Th-then that''s still a big problem. Even a knight commander-level individual can destroy a kingdom alone... Eiikk!" The young maid, who was creating a fuss with her words, received another hit on her forehead. "That''s only on the level of minor kingdoms. Do you think the Empire¡¯s elite knight orders and soldiers are that weak?" "Ah..." "The Imperial Family has an abundance of knights at the level of a knight commander. Moreover, there are elite soldiers capable of facing someone at the knight commander level with just three of them. On top of that, with a simple mobilization order, they can assemble a massive army and various ancient magics. The empire is not something that can be easily toppled, unlike the Academy.¡± Talking boastfully as if she were the Emperor himself, she then glanced around quietly and cleared her throat. "Ehm, Hmm hmm. Unlike the Empire, the military forces and knight order belonging to Clana''s faction are scattered throughout the empire. So, to gather them all, it would take at least a month." Saying that, Anne touched the Imperial map hanging on the wall, drawing a line between the academy and the Imperial Palace. "In the end, the war that will be known as the ''Imperial Civil War'' will likely become a long-term conflict. The academy is a strategic focal point with as much ancient magic as the palace." "Oh..." "Clana''s faction will use the academy as their base, and the Emperor''s faction will use the palace. A fierce battle will continue in the future." Anne, who recited the conjectures derived from the all night long analysis of the imperial strategists and advising staff, spoke with a confident expression. "So, this war will probably take at least 2 to 3 years." "Then... what happens after that?" A voice mixed with worry emerged from the lips of the young maid. "That''s not my business." Responding with a cold tone, Anne turned away. "By the way, it seems like you haven''t cleaned anything until now. There''s no break time today." "Ah, uwah...!" "Hurry up and clean. Don''t worry about unnecessary things." "T-That! The place I cleaned... ugh..." Saying this to the young maid, she smiles coldly and walks briskly down the hallway she had painstakingly cleaned. "That¡¯s right, it''s not my business." Then, Anne muttered in a low voice. "It''s good for me if the Imperial Family wins. I get to witness the execution of that disgusting bastard." The corners of her mouth quietly twitched. "If they fail, I can just go to the Church. I have made a deal with them, so it will be fine. I can go to another kingdom as well." - Flap, flap... "I¡¯m admired by women from all over the world. Wherever I go, I¡¯ll be treated well... Hmm?" These days, she couldn''t help but constantly seek out the world''s media and magazines clamoring about her, which had become a distinctive feature of her life. Therefore, Anne walked with a graceful stride, strolling down the corridor with the thought that it didn''t matter how things turned out. But, soon, she tilted her head. "Hooot!!!" "W-what is it?" Right on the window beside her, an owl was flapping wildly. "That''s..." During her time as a maid at Starlight Mansion, there was a white owl used to frequently visit the mansion, almost too often. One day, in a fit of anger, without anyone noticing, she struck it with a dust cloth, and it was that very bird which had pecked her forehead, leaving a scar. - Crash! "Kyaaack!" As she stared blankly at the owl, the window suddenly shattered as the owl flew in, causing her to crouch down. - Thud...! "...?" After dropping a letter in front of her, the owl glanced at her disdainfully before disappearing. "H-Head Maid...!" "Are you okay?" Hearing the voices of young maids running towards her from a distance, Anne opened the letter with trembling eyes. "...!!!" After a while, she stiffened and her eyes widened in shock. [How have you been, Anne?] A very familiar handwriting caught her eye. [You betrayed my father, who picked and raised you, and now you''re living luxuriously in the palace.] The distinctive handwriting, that particular silver ink... there was no mistaking it, it was from him. [By the way, I read the autobiography you published.] "Uh, uwaa..." [I feel really sorry for violating you with my gaze all these years.] As Anne continued to read the letter, beads of cold sweat started to form on her forehead. [So, I decided to apologize in person.] At the same time, Anne slowly turned towards the window. "Ah..." Seeing the forces boldly advancing through the main gate of the Imperial Palace, her eyes filled with terror. [So, where are you right now???] At that moment, her gaze met the chilling smile of the silver-haired boy standing at the forefront of the forces next to Princess Clana. - Toot...! Toot...! "It¡¯s the enemy troops! Close the gates! Lower the castle gates!¡± ¡°It¡¯s an emergency!!! The Princess has breached the gate!!! Each unit, take positions!!¡± Trumpets and shouts echoed loudly throughout the imperial palace. "Uh, uwaaah...." "Head Maid!" Anne watched the chaotic scene and collapsed to the ground, still clutching the letter in her hand. "Th-this can''t be...." ¡°It¡¯s an attack!!!¡± This was how the imperial civil war, which went far beyond the expectations of the imperial strategists, /genesisforsaken Chapter 321: The Emperor… Spoke Back? Chapter 321: The Emperor... Spoke Back? - Toot! Tooot...! "We¡¯re under attack!! All troops to your positions!" The imperial palace soldiers, upon spotting the rapidly advancing princess''s army, started yelling at the top of their lungs and moving about busily. "Close the gate!!" The Imperial Knight Commander raised his sword high, and prompted the slow closing of the palace gates. - Woong... Woong... Simultaneously, countless magical circles began to emerge on the door. The ancient magics that had made the imperial palace an impregnable fortress for a thousand years began to exert its power. - Crackle, Crackle... The quintuple-layered magic, known to have been wielded only by the Ice Witch, an Archmage from a thousand years ago, embroidered the sky above the palace, creating a majestic scene. Just as the soldiers from Clana¡¯s army were captivated by its beautiful yet overwhelming appearance, the entire palace grounds shook as if hit by an earthquake, revealing ancient characters on the slowly closing gates. - Shaaaaaa...! Soon after, a stream of cold air rising from the depths of the earth took the form of a dragon, and began to breathe its icy breath onto Clana''s forces. "Tch." Irina, who had been riding her horse beside Clana, frowned at this scene and jumped down to the ground. Then, facing the ice dragon, she began to draw a magical circle. "Dragon Flame." She chanted with her eyes glowing bright red. - Grrrrrr...! Flames burst forth from her, taking the shape of a red dragon and darting forward. - Clash, Clash...! Soon, the two dragons clashed, biting and fighting each other. The scene was so realistic and ferocious, it was as if they were watching a battle between real dragons. "This is strange. It''s too similar to my signature magic." Irina quietly observed the ice dragon. She tilted her head and muttered. "Only the element is different, otherwise it''s completely identical." As she mumbled, Irina began to quietly draw another magic circle with her other hand. - Crackle... The mythical quintuple-layered magic was reproduced so easily in Irina''s hand. "Now, let''s infuse it with mana." Not long after, having swiftly completed the reproduction of the magic circle, Irina looked alternately at Clana, Serena, and Frey. "Is this... how it''s done?" "..." "You didn''t expect to be able to directly break through the ancient magic, right?" Once activated, this ultimate ancient magic cannot be canceled by anyone except the person who activated it. However, there was, in fact, a way to forcibly terminate the ancient magic. To prevent those trapped inside from being trapped forever should the person who activated the spell die, the three individuals who had cast this magic on the imperial palace in ancient times had set a special rule. The Sun, the Moon, and the Stars. The three lights that symbolize the empire, the three most sacred families under the sky. If three individuals possessing the complete mana of these families decided and enforced their will on the magic circle, most of the ancient magics could be stopped. The owner of the empire, the Sunrise Imperial Family. The Starlight Ducal Family, with power no less than the imperial family. And the Moonlight Ducal Family, who had always advocated neutrality. It was nearly impossible to carry out such an action, as it required a unanimous decision from these three families, in the complex political landscape of a civil war. - Kugugugugu... "Alright, the deactivation has begun." However, the seemingly impossible was happening right at this moment. This was the reason why the Sunrise Imperial Family could never ignore the two ducal families. They possessed absolute and legal royal prerogative, acknowledged by the First Empress. It was a terrifying moment in history, as the theory that if the two families were to change their minds, they could overthrow the current emperor by appointing someone with royal blood, became a reality for the first time in a thousand years. "It feels different this time." Serena, observing the scene, murmured with a somehow nostalgic expression. "In the past, it was us who activated it, but now, we''re in a position to deactivate it." As she spoke, she waved her fan, causing her lunar mana to spread rapidly. - Crackle... Then, her mana clashed with the lunar mana of the Lord of the Moonlight family from a thousand years ago, spreading out from beneath the palace gates and beginning to annihilate it. Having activated the ancient magic once before to protect the palace, they were well aware of how to counter it in reverse. "Next is the divine power of the First Saintess, perhaps?" "No, it could be the super ray of the First Empress or the light magic of the White Mage." "I will handle the light magic. Young Master, you should conserve your strength." Thus, the heroines began dismantling the ancient magic slowly while conversing calmly. "What in the world..." The Knight Commander, watching them from afar, muttered in disbelief with a dazed expression. "Were ancient magics something that could be so easily dispelled?" The magic protecting the palace was cast by the Hero Party who had defeated the First Demon King. Although its original power has diminished over time, its strength was still overwhelming enough to face most armies. Yet, such ancient magic was being dispelled by the Princess army of barely over two hundred. No, most of them didn¡¯t even do anything yet, only some that he presumed to be the Princess¡¯s executives made a move against the ancient magic. "...Is the reinforcement still far?" "We... haven''t received any communication yet." "What?" The Knight Commander turned to his Advisor with widened eyes. "No communication? They have a duty to protect the palace. Not answering at a time like this is nothing short of treason!" "There may... be a reason for that." "What?" The Knight Commander''s eyes widened as he saw what the Advisor retrieved from his pocket. Would the world know that your parents were actually traitors to the empire? "Did you not receive such a letter?" For some reason, the letter emitted a subtle, eerie aura. "But, just because of such a letter...?" "They are individuals who value their honor and dignity over their lives. Rather than helping in a civil war that would bring no benefit, they have chosen silence." "Pathetic fools..." "Of course, there are those who did not give in to the threat and responded, but even if they were to arrive now, with the current combat power..." "...Tsk." As the Advisor finished speaking, the Knight Commander, with an irritated expression, began to put on his armor. Those fools only know how to talk. In this era of peace, those fools who only ever studied war through documents and literature often boasted as if they were seasoned strategists. In a rebellion and civil war, swiftly suppressing those who dared to oppose the ruling body was vital. The Emperor decided to ignore his advice to advance to the Academy. Instead, he chose to be on the defensive. This decision was simply incomprehensible to him. "...Escort His Majesty to safety." However, even as he had such thoughts, the Knight Commander ordered the evacuation of the Emperor. Of course, it wasn''t out of loyalty. Should the emperor be captured, it would mean victory for the Princess. It was purely a strategic judgment. "He seems indifferent." "Indifferent?" Another unexpected lesson from his ancestor, who had given him the clue to split the sun, made Frey, who had reached the peak of his power, realize the direction he should pursue. "Hail to the ancestor." Frey, who had been slightly irritated by his ancestors due to a recent shoddy prophecy, muttered quietly, let go of his anger, and took a step forward. - Gulp, gulp... As he did, he took out a vial from his pocket and drank from it. "Pu-ha." Then, Frey''s tired face began to come back to life. "Miho, she¡¯s useful as expected." After capturing all of Killian¡¯s attendants yesterday and ordering their imprisonment in the Academy basement, he instructed Miho to drain all of their energy before he came to the palace. "Should I ask her to periodically supply life force in the future?" Hunting villains with the life force extracted from other villains, and then replenishing his life force from those villains and hunting other villains. Wasn''t this the true virtuous cycle of life? At least, that''s what Frey thought at the moment. "...What are you, scum?" "Knight Commander. Aren''t you afraid of your wife?" Having regained his strength, Frey looked at the Knight Commander and his troops, who appeared through the crack in the magic circle. "Why are you alone?!" "This bastard has an affair with his own Vice-Commander, everyone!! Moreover, he locked a slave who was about his daughter¡¯s age in his basement...¡± "S-Shut up!! You demon!!" The Knight Commander, genuinely confused when he saw Frey was alone, drew his sword and started to approach him. "This scum is my opponent. So, all of you go and investigate the whereabouts of the Princess..." And then, just as he began to shout at the imperial knights behind him. "Frey, I''ll take care of this place." "What? You haven''t gone yet? Sister?" "You go help Clana." Isolet, who had been quietly staying behind without following Clana, grabbed Frey''s shoulder who looked at her coldly. "Sister, I told you to go first." "..." "No matter how strong Sister is, you can''t face this army alone..." Soon, Frey''s expression softened as he began to persuade her with a worried look. - Rumble...! "Ah." As she started emitting her own sword aura, Frey stopped speaking. "If they want to face me now, they¡¯ll need to bring back the Sword Saint from a thousand years ago, Frey." [Affection System - Rated 19+ Version] [Isolet Arham Bywalker: Awakening Completed] Last night, she had completely completed her awakening as a Sword Saint. The noble sword aura handed down through generations in the Bywalker lineage was transforming into her unique and pure sword aura. "What are you doing here, Isolet? Why is a slut like you here..." "I can win against the likes of them with my eyes blindfolded." Frey nodded quietly at her words. . . . . . -Rumble... Rumble...! The throne room was located on the top floor of the Imperial Palace. "..." Legend has it that even from the throne, one could overlook the entire empire, such was the majestic nature of the space. "Haa, haa..." The Princess¡¯s army, who had entered the throne room, were catching their breath. "Hmm." In contrast, the Emperor is looking down with his chin resting on his face with a very bored expression. "Have you come, my daughter?" He spoke in an apathetic voice. "W-Who¡¯s... Your daughter." Clana was emitting her ''Aura of Domination'' with all her might to avoid being overwhelmed by the Emperor, but before she knew it, her legs were shaking. "To have such an attitude in front of the Emperor. Audacious." "U-ugh...?" "Hmm..." As the Emperor gazed at her with glowing eyes and emitted golden mana, the army behind Clana began to kneel all at once. "Ikkk..." "Oho." But even as Clana started to break in a cold sweat, she didn¡¯t kneel. Looking at her, the Emperor smiled slightly and whispered. "Now it''s getting a bit interesting, my daughter." "S-Shut up!" Enraged, Clana summoned a golden lance from thin air and threw it, but the Emperor simply waved his hand, causing it to dissipate. "My daughter." As he looked at her with lifeless eyes, the Emperor spoke. "Even if you take just three steps forward, I''ll abdicate the throne to you." "S-Shut up..." "Is that too difficult for you? Then at least try to graze my clothes. If you succeed in hitting me with your magic or sword aura, then I will crown you as the new Empress..." As the Emperor spoke, a sly smile spread across his lips. - Crash!! "...?" The sound that had echoed in this place a few hours ago reverberated once again as someone burst in. "Father-in-Law! I''ve come to pay my respects!!!" - Crackle!! As the Emperor turned his gaze sideways at the sound, Frey, who had destroyed the palace walls and leaped inside, had already thrown a sidekick at the throne with his body weight and stellar mana. - Rumble!!! ¡°Did you receive your son-in-law¡¯s gift well!? Stir-fried pork is a commoner dish, so I don¡¯t know if you liked it!!¡± As Frey shouted, the Emperor, still seated on the throne, flew to the opposite wall and was crushed by the fragments of the collapsed wall "..." For a few seconds afterward, suffocating silence engulfed the throne room. "You''re audacious, aren''t you?" "What audacious? Bullshit!" As the Emperor quietly rose from the debris and brushed off his clothes while muttering, Frey, glowing with excitement, replied as he took a step forward. "Even the Sun God kneels before me, yet you said I¡¯m... audacious?" "...You¡¯re amusing." "Clana!! It seems my father-in-law has dementia, so I''ll give him physical therapy!!" The terrifying aura emitted by the two men filled the /genesisforsaken Chapter 322: An Intimate Family Meeting Chapter 322: An Intimate Family Meeting "Frey." "...?" Frey¡¯s killing intent swept through the throne room as he approached the Emperor. Suddenly, he heard a voice calling him from behind. "Let me deal with this." Clana pleaded to him with trembling eyes. "Clana." Frey frowned as he looked at Clana. Though he felt sorry for her, he had to take charge of this battle. Clana¡¯s father, the Emperor of the Empire, was one of the strongest in terms of strength. However, he grew weary of his strength, finding everything bothersome. Of course, being inherently flawed, Frey didn''t even attempt to reform him. Defeating him was quite easy, as in the previous cycle, the Emperor merely sat on his throne with a listless gaze as Frey slit his neck. However, in this cycle, the Emperor began to show interest in Frey after he used an oath to propose to Clana. Of course, that interest was only natural in the ¡®False Evil Route¡¯, but it was unusual for him to emit such killing intent directly. The boss of the Hidden Route that Frey found by messing with the Demon God and the Outer God was none other than the Emperor. "You can¡¯t." Thus, Frey grasped his sword and spoke in a subdued voice. "I must be the one to confront him." [ Status Info ] [Name: Raikon Solar Sunrise] [Abilities: Strength 10 / Mana 10 / Intelligence 9.5 / Mental Strength 10] [Special Details: Apathy Disorder / Blessing of The Sun / Emperor''s Aura] [Disposition: Emperor] [Goodness Stat: -100] The Emperor''s information window reflected in his eyes. It was a formidable status that could rival even those of the strongest. "Stay back. Anyway, his interest is solely on me. So..." Frey thought Clana''s role ended with nullifying the security of the throne room, which was as strong as the Ancient Magic. "Frey, you said you''ll make me stronger." However, Clana didn¡¯t back down. At Clana¡¯s word, Frey¡¯s gaze flickered. "You shouldn''t be the only one that gets stronger. We all should, including me." "But..." "My awakening isn''t complete yet. It feels like it''s almost there, but I can''t grasp it fully yet." Clana murmured while staring at the Emperor, who paid no heed to her. "And, there''s a formidable opponent right in front of us." "...Hmm?" ¡°The person I wanted to reach my whole life, the person I wanted to hit even just once.¡± The Aura of Domination emanating from Clana began to grow. Then, her aura came into contact with the Sovereign Aura and began to resonate. ¡°Hmm...?¡± Feeling the resonance, the Emperor, who only had eyes for Frey, tilted his head and turned his head towards Clana. "...Alright, Clana." Slowly opening his mouth, Frey walked towards Clana''s soldiers. "Give it a try." And with a gentle smile, Frey whispered. "I''ll be watching from behind." That one statement was all Clana needed. - Thud, thud... One step, two steps. And finally, three steps. "...Your Majesty, the Emperor." Continuing forward beyond the required three steps, Clana, looking ahead, addressed the Emperor, her father. "I''ve come to test your qualifications." "Fuhuhu..." With a smile in his eyes, the Emperor approached Clana upon hearing her words. . . . . . - Crackle...! Crackle...! "Euk...!" A rough groan escaped from Clana''s mouth. "Ugh...!" "Hmmm." What is surging in front of her is none other than the solar mana unleashed by the Emperor. Clana gritted her teeth and fought through the mana that seems like it could easily engulf and burn her at any moment. "My daughter." The Emperor, having watched Clana with interest, finally spoke quietly. "It''s already an incredible feat that you''ve managed to take three steps closer to me. But why won''t you accept the throne?" "Ugh, Geuh..." "Don''t tell me it''s because of what I said earlier? That was a joke." With that, the Emperor increased the output of his mana even further. "You couldn''t possibly reach me." The Emperor said with a tone and expression that suggested it was something natural. There was not a hint of malice or ridicule in his tone. "Arghhh...!" That, on the contrary, made Clana even angrier. - Bzzzz, Crackle... He was a father who never paid attention to her throughout her entire life. Even when her mother was kicked out of the Imperial Palace by Ramie''s scheme, and even when she was murdered by her. Not when she was locked in a dark, solitary confinement room for weeks as a child by Killian, nor when she suffered hellish humiliation at the hands of Ramie''s daughters. And even when she overcame all of them and became the first in line for the throne in the previous cycle. "How interesting, my daughter." "Shut up!!!" Today was the first time the Emperor, her father, ever looked at her properly. In a life-or-death situation where she was risking her to kill him, and he only looked at her with intrigue. Clana, despite having already given up hope of any fatherly role or familial affection, felt a pang of heartache nonetheless. - Rumble!!! "Keheuk!?" Yet Clana, who kept moving forward despite this, lost her balance as the ground shook violently. "See? It''s impossible." The Emperor''s ¡®Sovereign Aura¡¯ spread in all directions. The ¡®Sovereign Aura¡¯ was said to be able to dominate all things in existence, it was a level above than her own ¡®Aura of Domination¡¯. "...Damn." In the last cycle, Clana hadn''t been able to awaken the ¡®Sovereign Aura¡¯. Moreover, she couldn''t even reach the Emperor''s domain. "Damn damn damn..." She wanted to reach him more desperately than ever. She wanted to land a punch on that arrogant face of his. The person who let the empire rot, who neglected his innocent mother, who treated his daughter like a ghost - she wanted to make that soulless expression flinch, even for a moment. "Just give up now and take the throne." But the being in front of her was too strong. "Thanks to you, the situation has become quite interesting. I want to lay everything down and live leisurely." Despite her full effort, she couldn''t even get close to him, let alone touch his robe. "If this continues, I might get bored." The Emperor''s cold words sank into Clana, who was trembling from the aura and mana that were increasingly constricting her. "So give up now." The Emperor''s command solemnly. Not just in authority and words, but an actual oppressive force was urging her to bow her head to the ground right then. What would Frey have done? With that thought, Clana, who had been flinching with her eyes tightly shut, quietly recalled his face. The man who alone blocked the strike of the First Hero that seemed impossible to stop. Not just that, but a man who is determined to save the world with a noble spirit that neither she nor anyone else in the world could match. If she were Frey, what would she do in this situation? "You damn bastard." Before she knew it, Frey was right in front of her, blocked the Emperor''s sword with his own sword and raised it up. . . . . . "You''re quite rude to meddle in family matters, Frey." As I blocked the sword and raised it, the Emperor grinned and whispered to me. "...Ha." Seeing him like that, I was speechless and let out a cold laugh. "Frey..." Clana muttered with a dark expression as she looked at me. "As expected... I was mistaken." As she muttered with a trembling voice, I felt a surge of blood rushing through my body. I had been analyzing the Emperor''s thoughts with my ''Mind Reading¡¯ skill all this time. The reason he stopped the sword at the end wasn''t because Clana was his daughter, it wasn''t for such sentimental reasons. Wouldn''t life become even more boring if I killed this girl? And, if I keep doing this for a little longer, won''t that Frey intervene? These damn thoughts were coming from my father-in-law. It appeared that my father-in-law was nothing but a despicable cretin who couldn¡¯t even be called a human. "Clana, you did well." "Frey, but..." "Now, get some rest." How could someone like Clana, who managed to break through her own limitations and showed concern for me despite her dire circumstances, come from such a person? I just couldn''t understand. "Are you going to fight me?" "..." With that in mind, I looked at Clana, who had been rescued by her attendants and was heading towards the soldiers, and then turned my attention to the Emperor at his words. - Rumble...! - Crackle...! And the next moment, our swords clashed fiercely. - Clang, clang... Everyone was gaping at the clash, so overwhelming that it went beyond the throne room and cracked the entire wall of the imperial palace. Then, amidst the clash, the Emperor spoke again. "I''m sorry, but you can''t beat me." "Why is that?" "Your left arm is completely broken, and your whole body is rotting and falling apart." Then, he continued with a composed expression. "If you were in perfect condition, I might have lost. But now..." "Did you know?" "Hmm?" But when I interrupted him and started talking with a smile on my face, his expression changed. "I absolutely hate shitty parents." "..." Silver smoke rising from my body as I spoke. "...What''s this?" The Emperor broke out in a cold sweat. - Crack...! "...Heok." My foot struck the Emperor''s right leg, causing him to stagger. "What on earth?" "Don¡¯t you have arthritis? So I got rid of your joints." "...How can you suddenly?" "Oh, this?" The Emperor, staggering and holding onto his leg, asked, and I replied with a gleam in my eyes. "It''s my ultimate move." "What?" His eyes widened at my words. ¡°It''s time to use it now. Since I''ve decided to go all out, why save it? I''ll finish you off with style. Every time I attempted to use this move, something always stopped me. It was incredibly frustrating.¡± "...Now that I see it, you''re completely insane." Seeing my condition, he hesitated and took a step back. "Your Majesty." But it was already too late. ¡°Let¡¯s have a family meeting.¡± It was time to have a private conversation with my father-in-law. . . . . . - Rumble...! "Cough...!" As Isolet''s sword aura surged, the imperial Knight Commander approaching her groaned. "I-Isolet you bitch... How did you become so strong?" "I have no idea." She had already penetrated into the royal garden alone. The imperial knights supposed to defend the palace had all been defeated by her, leaving only the Knight Commander. "...Alright, I admit it. You are strong." As he gasped for breath with his sword stuck in the ground, the Knight Commander began to speak with a smile. "But do you think you can defeat His Majesty the Emperor?" "..." "Even I can''t touch a single hair of His Majesty. He would be able to subdue a bitch like you with a wave of his hand." Infuriated by the situation, the Knight Commander squinted his eyes and muttered. "Why not join us instead?" Hearing this, Isolet raised her eyebrows. "From now on, you are the imperial Knight Commander. No, perhaps you could attain an even higher position. The title of ''Sword Saint'' comes with a lot of power." The Knight Commander continued his words as he sensed that there was a possibility to persuade her.. "You''d prefer that, wouldn''t you?" Spreading his arms wide, he burst into a maniacal laugh. "After all, nobody can defeat His Majesty the Emperor!!" "..." "Nobody can even touch a single hair of His..." - BOOOOMMM...!!! "...!?" At that moment, a loud noise echoed throughout the palace. "What the..." Wondering if reinforcements had arrived, the Knight Commander turned his head. "...Ah." He then uttered his last words with a stiff expression. - Hisss... The Emperor, thrown from the top floor of the palace to the ground, was rolling outside the garden. "Father-in-law!!! Where are you going!!!" Watching in a daze, the Knight Commander saw Frey, who had jumped from the top floor to the ground and was chasing after the Emperor with a bright smile. "Our meeting isn''t over yet!!!" "What are those two... What the hell?" Watching the scene with a hollow expression, the Knight Commander burst out laughing like a madman. In front of him, Isolet tilted her head and asked a question. "...Too much, indeed." The Knight Commander''s forehead wrinkled as much as the parts of him that would soon /genesisforsaken Chapter 323: The Emperors Fear Chapter 323: The Emperor''s Fear "Ugh..." "Where are you rushing off to, Your Majesty?" As the Emperor, who had fallen outside the palace garden, writhed and put his hands on the ground, Frey, who had followed him, tilted his head. "What''s the hurry? Wasn''t your majesty, the Emperor, always indifferent to everything?" "...Hmm." Upon hearing this, the Emperor, staggering to his feet, immediately lowered his gaze. "This is surprising." His legs were shattered and wobbling. Looking at his legs with curious eyes, the Emperor started speaking with a smile. "You''ve become incredibly strong in a short period of time." - Roar... Frey, emitting silver smoke all over his body, was remarkably powerful even to the Emperor who had reached the peak of his strength. "But how long can you maintain that state?" Despite him approaching, the Emperor spoke with a calm expression. "There is no way that a technique that provides such strength would not come with a price. It can''t last forever." "..." "Can your emaciated body withstand it? At most, maybe for one minute. Isn''t that right?" "...Ugh." As the Emperor finished speaking, Frey staggered and fell to his knees. "To be honest, it''s disappointing. I thought you''d show something a little more interesting." Looking at him with cold eyes, the Emperor raised his sword. "I misjudged you." "..." "Goodbye, Frey." Watching Frey, who had sunk to the ground with his head bowed, the Emperor swung down his sword. - Crash...! "...Keuk!" Frey''s fist struck the Emperor''s jaw squarely, right where Clana had struck the Emperor. - Crack... The sound of a jawbone slowly breaking resonated throughout the space. "Ueuk..." "Why are you playing god when you¡¯re just a human?" As the Emperor recoiled, holding his jaw, Frey began to approach him, his eyes flashing silver. "It''s not you who inherited the abilities of the Empress from a thousand years ago, it''s Clana. You are merely the catalyst that made her awaken. Did you not notice what happened earlier?¡± "..." "Or perhaps you simply refused to acknowledge it?" There was cold anger on his face.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com "The fact that you neglected the Empire after reaching your peak... Whether knowingly or not, you even destroyed it with corruption... Did you even realize that your child could surpass the peak of your strength?" "Ugh..." "Why on earth did you let the Empire deteriorate to such an extent? Tell me with that proud mouth of yours." Hearing that, the Emperor, moving his shattered jaw slowly, began his tale. "Imagine that you... fell into a great sense of lethargy." "Of course." "No, it''s not that simple. It''s a feeling of living through endless boredom and suffering, where every day is too monotonous and painful, just living itself... Well, no one will understand anyway." The Emperor, who initially attempted to explain but then appeared annoyed, eventually yawned. "Anyway, in such days of agony, right before my eyes, a beautifully constructed toy village appeared." "..." "For a thousand years, generation after generation, tiny dwarves happily lived in that village day by day." Frey looked at the Emperor with a vacant gaze. "However, time could not be defeated, and it slowly began to break down. Without repairs, even a slight touch could make it collapse immediately, don''t you think?" Looking at Frey with amusement, the Emperor asked a question. "Let me ask you one thing. Have you ever destroyed an anthill when you were young?" "Why would you do such a thing?" "I have. It was so much fun." The Emperor''s eyes sparkled as he continued. "It''s their entire lifetime dedication, their village, their country. If that collapses due to one creature''s whim... Isn''t that thrilling?" "..." "With one move, their lives were denied! Their entire lives were nullified by my mere step!" The Emperor''s expression as he shouted was incredibly serious. "Then let''s go back to the earlier story. If the toy village, which has prospered for generations, collapses... How great would that thrill be?" "Hmmm..." "It will be beyond your imagination. Because of me, a thousand years of history will be erased. And it''s not even something that ends quickly like the anthill; it will crumble and rot away thoroughly over decades." "Aha." Frey, who was quietly observing the Emperor, clapped his hands together and muttered. "He''s just a senile perverted bastard." "Think what you want. I''ve been enjoying myself enough so far. Actually, I''ve always had fun. I was just hiding my laughter; I was never bored." The Emperor was truly insane. In fact, as he claimed never to have been bored, behind his calm expression, there was a deep-seated desire. ¡°So that¡¯s what true madness is like... I can¡¯t even compare. I shouldn''t casually call myself crazy anymore. It''s disrespectful to the real lunatics." Chuckling at the sight, Frey continued as he raised his scabbard. "Anyway, a lunatic like you needs a little beating." "So, when does your time limit end? By my estimate, it should be around now... Gah!" With that, Frey struck the Emperor''s abdomen with his scabbard, then grabbed his legs and spun him around before hurling him forcefully into the garden. "Ugh, gah, kuh..." Thanks to that, the Emperor, bouncing like a ball, started rolling through the garden just like before. "Mister!! Please catch that ball!!!" Chasing after the Emperor with a joyous expression, Frey waved to the Knight Commander, who was in the midst of a battle with Isolet. "Pass him here!! Kick him over here!!" "Cr-Crazy..." The Knight Commander, who was sweating coldly as he was toyed with Isolet''s sword which was persistently aiming at his crotch, staggered back with a pale expression upon seeing the Emperor bouncing towards him like a ball. - Clang!!! "Heh... heh... Please catch him." As the Emperor crashed into the garden''s vegetable patch, Frey rushed over and stopped beside the Knight Commander, panting heavily. "I¡¯m pissed. Why didn''t you catch him? Did you not understand my words?" "No... guh!" As the Knight Commander was trying to say that it''s not right to kick the Imperial Emperor, he was overwhelmed by the terrible pain in his crotch, and sank down to the ground. ¡°For some reason, you have the look on your face like someone who bet left and right and lost. So why did you make such a terrible bet?¡± "Keuk... Ugh..." ¡°I was planning to hire you because you were capable, but I gave up that idea when I saw the ages of the slaves in your villa.¡± ¡°Keuakkkk...!¡± Frey, looking down at the Knight Commander who was sweating coldly, kicked down again on top of the hand that covered his crotch and whispered. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to die here now than to go home and be beaten to death by your wife?¡± "..." ¡°Oh, were you still in a duel? Oh my, I almost ruined the knight¡¯s honor.¡± However, when the Knight Commander flinched but did not react, Frey took something out of his pocket. -Sizzle... ¡°F-Fuck! Fuckkkk!¡± As the reconstruction potion that Frey took out was slowly poured into the Knight Commander''s crotch, the Knight Commander let out a terrible scream. ¡°Why are you screaming? You¡¯re the Knight Commander. You should be able to endure a little sting.¡± ¡°I-It hurts! It hurtssss!!!¡± ¡°You probably made the slaves in your villa cry out, ''Daddy, Daddy!!'' So, why did you play with them like that?" Despite the Knight Commander holding his crotch and sweating profusely, Frey, maintaining his cold expression, continued pouring the potion onto it, causing acrid smoke to rise from the area of his crotch. "Now, you should finish your duel! I''ll be going now!" Kindly handing the Knight Commander a sword, Frey then tossed him right in front of Isolet and started walking away again. "Guh... guh... you bastard..." "Father-in-law!!! Why are you being so mean!!! You said life has always been fun for you!!!" "...Ugh." "Why are you doing this!! Are you really going to treat your son-in-law like this just because I shoved you to the garden!!!" Eventually, Frey, standing in front of the Emperor again, stopped laughing and whispered coldly. ¡°When Clana was kicked into the garden by her older sisters, she didn¡¯t even show any signs of anger.¡± - Boom...! ¡°You¡¯re too slow!! Father-in-law!! As soon as Frey finished speaking, the Emperor unleashed a powerful punch, sending out a terrifying shockwave, but Frey didn''t even dodge it and instead screamed and used his scabbard to strike it head on to deflect it. "...Kkeuk!" Thanks to that, the Emperor received a direct hit, both from the scabbard and his own attack. He crashed into the wall of the palace and fell inside. "Your Majesty, by the way, did you like the arthritis treatment earlier?" Entering the collapsed wall after him, Frey suddenly smiled brightly and asked. "You... Who the hell did you make a contract with?" "Don''t piss me off. Answer quickly, won''t you?" At the same time, the magical video recording devices in the shelter began to spread her words throughout the Empire. "When the situation is under control, we will hold the coronation ceremony, and those who oppose it will be treated as traitors and eradicated." As her ¡®Sovereign Aura'' began to emanate from her, the faces of those who were whispering and relaxing tensed up one by one. "All imperial knights, lords, and vassals from every region must enter the capital as soon as possible to pay their respects to the rightful successor of the Empire." With that, Clana concluded her declaration and took a deep breath, looking down. "Bring them all out." Finally, she uttered the words she had always wanted to say for so long. ¡°P-Princess?¡± "P-Princess Clana?" The people started to panic at her command, but Clana continued undeterred. "Conduct investigations and interrogations on all those involved in the Ramie incident, and initiate an inquiry into the truth behind the former Empress Claria Solar Sunrise!" "Princess!! No, Your Majesty!!!" "The interrogations shall be conducted in the Empire''s traditional manner." This was essentially an order for a purge. . . . . . "Princess Clana!! You will regret this!! History will... Keukk." The shelter was finally empty; as the Chancellor, who had held on until the last moment and screamed loudly, had his waist smashed by the scabbard thrown by Frey and was then dragged out. "Phew." Finally relaxing, Clana, approached Frey with a pale expression. "Frey, you!" "You were truly amazing, Clana. I almost didn''t recognize you." "What have you done to yourself?!" But as Clana continued to scream with a fierce expression, Frey grinned and pointed downwards. "More importantly, isn''t handling this bastard more important?" "You are more important! You fool!" "Puhaha, haha..." As Clana cried out in frustration, she heard laughter from below and looked down with a cold gaze. "Hahaha! Haha, hahaha!" Unfazed by Clana¡¯s cold gaze, Emperor Raikon continued to laugh. "It was truly, truly fun!" He cried out through his missing teeth and shattered jaw, making a whistling sound. "I never imagined such an ending! It was so entertaining!" ¡°...¡± ¡°It was the most satisfying moment of my life, Frey. Dragging the Emperor around like a dog! That would never happen in any other place!!¡± The Emperor collapsed on the floor and burst into laughter. ¡°Is that so? Now, it¡¯s time for you to die.¡± - Sringg... "Oh, do you know what, Frey?" Frey could no longer stand the sight of him and drew his sword. Unfazed, the Emperor spoke with a pleasant smile. "In fact, there is an afterlife in this world." "..." "Of course, I will go to hell. Just the thought of it gives me a thrill, hell must be such an enjoyable place!" As the Emperor cackled, Frey''s eyebrows twitched. "Hurry up and kill me. Actually, I''ve always wanted to go to hell. It was part of the reason I ruined the Empire." "You bastard, this bastard..." "Haha, hahaha..." As tears finally burst from Clana''s eyes at his unrepentant demeanor, the Emperor looked at her and began to laugh. - Swoosh! Frey mercilessly plunged his sword into him. "Then... go." At the same time, the Emperor closed his eyes peacefully. ¡°...¡± But soon, he began to twitch uncontrollably. ¡°...Puhaa!!¡± When three seconds had passed, the Emperor woke up in a cold sweat. "W-What is this?" In contrast to his usual calm and arrogant demeanor, the Emperor, now sweating profusely, cried out in confusion. "What is the meaning of this?" "Time." "...What?" In response to his words, Frey replied succinctly. ¡°What are you...¡± ¡°This is the magic I cast on Ruby during the Third Ordeal, and I was so impressed by it that I asked Irina to develop it.¡± "What on earth are you talking about?" The Emperor couldn''t fully comprehend Frey''s words, but he understood the context and the excruciating pain he felt for a moment. Desperately, he demanded an explanation. "Quickly, explain..." "It''s a curse that extends your one second into an agonizing eternity." "...!!!" "A curse that suits you very well, considering how you ruined an empire that has lasted for a thousand years just for your own amusement." With a sly smile, Frey whispered to him. "No external stimuli, no information, no one''s intervention. Just you, writhing in the boredom you hate so much for an agonizing eternity." Frey said with excitement, as the magic developed by Irina started to envelop his sword. "W-Wait... Frey." "Oh." Then, abruptly stopping the spellcasting, Frey murmured in a subdued voice. "If Clana forgives you... I could just kill you." "..." The Emperor, for the first time in his life, looked fearful, his gaze slowly turning towards Clana. "Sp-spare... no, kill me..." And then, in the next moment, a single word escaped the Emperor''s lips. "...Daughter." With trembling hands, the Emperor reached for Clana''s leg. "...Who are you again?" It was another moment of true vengeance against the true instigator of all this chaos. . . . . . Meanwhile, in the underground of the palace... "Hurry! We must dig faster!!" "Ahh!!" Anne, along with all the maids in the palace, was attempting to escape through the secret passage. She urged the young maids at the front by whipping them frantically, urging them to dig faster. "If we continue like this, we''ll all die!! Follow my orders!" As if possessed, she pushed the maids forward, accompanied by her own group of maids at the back, secretly smiling to herself. I doubt even the princess knows about this. This passage was made by me in secret. "Heh." That idiot Frey. How dare he threaten me? I''ll flee abroad and expose everything. With my influence, even that foolish princess who''s so infatuated with him would be in deep trouble... When one door closed, another opened. Continuing to pressure the maids, she entertained such thoughts. "Hoot..." "...Huh?" Suddenly, she heard a familiar sound from her shoulder, causing her to freeze and turn her gaze sideways. "Hoot~!" "Oh." A familiar owl sat on Anne''s shoulder, flapping its wings and glaring at her. "How did...!" "Hooot~!" "Uh, ugh...!" As she tried to strike the owl with her whip, she found herself being pecked in return. Holding her forehead, she muttered inwardly. Surely not? Can it be? Now way? Really? "Hoot~!" Is Frey... still chasing me even now? Her face, which had been triumphant just moments before, soon began to be consumed by /genesisforsaken Chapter 324: The End of Calumny Chapter 324: The End of Calumny "Hurry, hurry, dig faster!" "Ah...!" With a panicked expression, the head maid accelerated the whipping. Thanks to her whipping, the young maids collapsed, blood oozing from their backs and arms. "Don''t slack off! Compared to the suffering I''ve endured, this is nothing!!" "I-It hurts..." "Quiet!!" Nevertheless, Anne continued to whip wildly without any regard. "Frey is on our tail! If he arrives, we''ll all be slaughtered!" "Hooot~!" "But this damn bird...!" As the owl swiftly descended from above, targeting her forehead, the head maid, with a pale, frightened expression, lowered her head. Her forehead was already bleeding profusely. "H-Head maid..." "What? What is it?" "We can''t dig any further..." "What do you mean?" The head maid, knowing that digging this secret passage was her only hope of surviving, looked shocked upon hearing the words of the other maids, and asked. "There''s some strange barrier... No matter how much we dig, the shovels just bounce back." "This is...?" In front of them, a magic circle filled with geometric patterns appeared. Although the head maid was unaware, the ancient magic activated within the castle still prevented anyone from escaping. It was part of Frey''s scheme to only deliberately break through the magic on the front gate. "M-Move!!" "Ugh, aah..." However, the head maid could not accept that this was the end, and snatched a shovel from another maid with a pale, scared expression. - Crash, Crash... "Eek! Agh!" Then, she began to wildly attack the barrier in front of her. "Break! Break quickly!!" Somehow, feeling a chilling presence approaching from behind, her movements became more frantic. "Please! Please, quickly... Ouch!" However, it was all in vain and she stopped soon after. "Uh, ugh..." In the first place, even when she worked at the Starlight Mansion, she always made all sorts of excuses to shirk from her duty as a maid, earning glares from the other maids and Kania. Moreover, after she became the head maid, she lived a luxurious and extravagant life with nobles who were infatuated with her beauty. Her hands, which had never done any dirty work, became very soft. - Drip... "Damn... it hurts..." With no skill or technique, her hands naturally became covered in blood from the futile digging. "Head maid, what should we do?" "Y-You said we could escape this way! You said we can trust you!" "I-I don''t know either!" The head maid trembled with a dizzying sensation of pain coursing through her hands. Then when she screamed at the maids who started to rebel due to the spreading fear... - Step, step... "All of this is because you all slacked off... Huh?" From behind her, footsteps began to approach. - Step, step, step... "Ah, aaaa..." The head maid screamed her lungs out and froze in her place when she heard the approaching footsteps. But soon, she regained her senses and grabbed the shovel lying on the ground with trembling hands. "D-Don''t come any closer." A dark silhouette was approaching from afar. "Don''t, I said don''t come any closer!" Either out of sheer terror or madness, or perhaps possessed by a ghost, the head maid wildly swung her shovel at the dark silhouette. Suddenly, she stopped swinging the shovel and her eyes widened. "Hoot~!" Simultaneously, the owl above her made a pleased noise and flew forward.. "Good job, I''ll give you a treat later." "Hoot~?" Just moments ago, that creature seemed ready to tear her apart ferociously. Now, it was gently handled and perched on the shoulder by the person who had approached. "There are things I need to do right now." Thus, the dark silhouette revealed herself from the darkness while caressing the owl, bathed in the moonlight. "Lady... Serena?" It was none other than Serena. "Ah, hello...?" Believing she was doomed to a terrible fate by Frey, the head maid opened her mouth with a glimmer of hope despite her bewildered expression. "D-Do you remember me? I''m Anne, who used to work as a maid at the Starlight Mansion." "Yes, I remember you very well." "O-oh, you do. Ah, haha..." As Serena spoke amiably, the head maid began to relax and looked relieved, wiping the cold sweat from her forehead. "B-But why are you here..." - Slap...!!! "...Keheuk!!" However, the next moment, Serena''s hand flew sharply across her cheek. "I remember you... Very, very well." "Ah..." "And all the things you''ve done since you left the mansion." Anne, clutching her cheek, collapsed to the ground as Serena began to look down at her with a cold gaze. "I would have preferred to deal with this quietly by myself... but my husband insists on seeing you in person." "H-Huh?" Serena muttered to herself. "Miss Anne, the women''s rights activist, fancy meeting you here." "...!!!" Suddenly, someone revealed themselves from behind Serena. "I''m a huge fan!" "Hiiii, eek... Ikkkk..." Frey appeared all of a sudden, wearing a pleased expression as he approached her. "Could you please give me an autograph?" He was shaking a copy of Anne''s autobiography titled, [What Happened to Me That Day] . . . . . "Guh...!" Anne, utterly disgraced, clutched her stomach and gasped for breath as she sank to the ground. "I-it hurts... It hurts..." With tears streaming down her eyes, she spoke in a trembling voice. "T-This is... This isn''t right..." "What do you mean it¡¯s not right?" "Well, I''m not sure either..." Serena, who had just delivered a powerful punch to Anne''s stomach, tilted her head and asked, while Frey also mirrored her gesture and spoke. "Frey used to call me over whenever he was bored and punched or kicked me in the stomach. Once, he hit me so hard, I vomited blood and collapsed. Of course, he beat me twice as hard because I dirtied the floor that day." Then, Frey began reading her autobiography aloud. ¡°See, we just did what you wrote here, right...?¡± "Aha! I get it!" As Serena clapped her hands excitedly upon hearing his words, Frey wore a puzzled expression. - Thump...!!! "...!" However, Serena blocked her way. "W-Why are you doing this to me?!" With tears welling up in her eyes, Anne began to scream. "What did I do wrong? Frey is the bad one! He''s the worst villain in the empire, isn''t he? He insulted me just because I...!" ¡°Oh my. What happened to the young maids who were hospitalized in the imperial hospital with ¡®serious illness¡¯ or gone missing and labeled as runaways? I guess all of that was done by a ghost?¡± "..." "A person who claims to contribute to women''s rights while actually lowering them more than anyone else. What a hypocrite." But Serena''s cutting words left Anne speechless. - Crack... In fact, Serena was poking her collarbone, so much so that she couldn¡¯t talk. "Ugh....!" After being tortured for a while right in front of the exit, Anne gritted her teeth and crawled forward with all her might. If I just get out... If I just get out of here...! For some reason, there was a crowd in front of the exit. Some of them had cameras, undoubtedly journalists. They seemed to have come to cover the events at the palace today. For Anne, it was a golden opportunity. The media is still on my side... If I expose what happened today... if I expose... "Go on." "...?" Anne, who had been crawling forward while muttering to herself in anger, quietly tilted her head when Serena sighed and spoke. "I said, get out." "Eek!?" "Ugh, aaah..." At the same time, the maids who had been weeded out by Serena were also dragged into the lobby by her subordinates. "I''m relieving you of your positions. From now on, you''re no longer part of the royal family and are now commoners. Leave immediately." "H-huh?" "Well, if you want to stay here and atone for your sins, we can do that but..." Tapping her fan against her hand and murmuring quietly, Serena added with a gleam in her eye. "If you leave here, you''ll never be able to come back, no matter what happens." "..." "Now, choose." As Serena spoke with a grin, the maids who had been watching her closely all raised the corners of their mouths and began to rush out together. "I-I''ll go too...!" Seeing that, Anne hurriedly crawled out, fearing that the door might close. "Pfft... Ahahahaha" Then suddenly, she burst into laughter. "How foolish... Seriously... Hehe..." She had at least expected to lose an eyeball or suffer the disgrace of being truly raped by Frey. But just getting exiled? Rumors of Serena''s sharp intellect were definitely exaggerated. Once I''m out, I''ll hold a press conference... and then flee to another kingdom. With the profits from my autobiography alone, I can live luxuriously for the rest of my life. With a wide smile on her face as she neared the entrance, she increased her pace. And from today on, I''ll continue to write as an anti-empire. But then her gaze suddenly turned sinister. Daring to bring such disgrace upon me... Frey, Serena. I''ll never forgive you... In her mind, the plot for revenge was already unfolding. Frey and Serena, suffering backlash for her published journal. Herself stands tall as the leader of the anti-empire faction. "You''ll regret it for the rest of your life if you leave..." Thanks to her overarching fantasy, she didn¡¯t hear the chilling word muttered by Serena. - Flash... Click... However, as soon as she emerged outside, the flashes from the magical recording device began to illuminate her face, Anne''s expression instantly turned gentle. "Ugh, ugh... E-everyone..." However, as she was about to start her public opinion warfare with tears in her eyes... "Miss Anne! Is it true that your autobiography''s contents were fabricated?!" "Over ten Viscounts and Count noble families are involved in scandals, what do you think about that?!" "What''s your reason for abusing the maids and covering it up at the imperial hospital?!" When the reporters pointed their magical recording device at her on the floor and bombarded her with questions, Anne began to wear a blank expression. "Miss Anne! Please answer!" "Is it true that you committed embezzlement and corruption with Lord Chamberlain?!" "The publishing house that released your autobiography has announced a lawsuit, how do you feel?!" "What... What is this..." The reporters, who usually greeted her with warm smiles, now stared at her with cold eyes, aggressively waving their magical recording device in front of Anne¡¯s bloodless face. "...Good day." "Ah, huh?" "You really managed to entangle our son quite well." As the head of the Clana faction pushed his way through the reporters and looked down at her with a face contorted in anger, she let out a strange voice and faltered. "I¡¯ll do my to show you hell, within the bounds of the law, of course." "..." "Of course, I only speak for myself. All the families wronged by your actions are itching for it too." He spoke clearly while addressing reporters, then he walked quietly and whispered in a low voice. "See you soon, in the back alleys." "...!!!" Although it was just a few words, it was enough to throw Anne into terror. "Miss Anne! Please answer!" "Miss Anne!!" "Ugh, ugh..." Just like that, she froze in her spot, surrounded by the maids who had rushed out with her and bombarded by the journalist¡¯s questions. - Creakkk... All their gaze suddenly turned as someone opened the door and came out. "Ladies and gentlemen of the press! Let''s have an interview!" It was Frey, who had cleaned himself of the blood covering his body, but still emitted a strong stench of blood and silver smoke. "Ah..." Anne looked at him and reminisced about the past. "Waaaah..." "Hey there, why are you crying here?" "My... my mom disappeared..." "...Why does this kind of thing never stop?" In her mind, she recalled Frey''s father, who once extended his warm hand to her as she sat starving to death in the alley behind the market. "Are you my new friend? Hello!" "Hello~!" And the memories of young Frey and Aria, who greeted her warmly despite her commoner status. The only place where she felt absolutely safe, where even the debt collectors chasing her mother''s debts couldn''t reach her, and where she could eat warm meals for the first time in her life. "You spilled again? You clumsy bitch." "I-I''m sorry!" And she remembered how, despite his harsh words, Frey never actually laid a hand on her. "P-Please..." Unconsciously shedding tears, Anne reached out to the hem of Frey''s pants. "P-please save me." Soon, she began to plead earnestly. "I-I was wrong. I want to go back to being a maid... no, a slave. I-I''ll serve for the rest of my life, I promise..." "But I''m a commoner, though?" "...Ah." But by then, it was already too late. "Please ask Aria. But I don''t think she''ll take back a traitor who abandoned her benefactor." "P-Please..." "Everyone, it''s too noisy here. Let''s go over there and talk." Her life had already become a living /genesisforsaken Chapter 325: If You Dont Know, You Should Get a Beating Chapter 325: If You Don''t Know, You Should Get a Beating - Step, step... After finishing the press conference, Frey was walking down the corridor of the imperial palace with a proud smile on his face. "Good, everything went smoothly." In front of the terrified journalists, Frey revealed the power he had been hiding to the world. Now, all the press and media would rush to report about him. "The plan is perfect. Now, I just need to successfully finish the coronation ceremony." Imagining such a situation, he muttered to himself with an excited expression, then suddenly stopped in his tracks. "..." His eyes, which had been cheerful all day, were slowly shaking. "It''s rather tiring." Then, he sat down against the wall, sweating. "Haah..." The silver smoke that had been swirling around his body was gradually fading away. "This, I''m really sorry." Watching the floating message windows in front of him, Frey let out a chuckle and muttered. System Notification > A message has arrived. In front of him, a window of the Moonlight system appeared. > Glare: Hero! Where did you spend all those points!! > Glare: I was so surprised! I thought there was a thief!! "Ha ha..." After seeing the message that appeared in front of him, Frey quietly smiled bitterly. For some time now, Frey had been able to receive chats from Glare. Of course, he was in a position where he could only receive messages one-sidedly, but Glare''s cute chats were comforting enough for him. > Glare: Please save and spend wisely next time! Impulse purchase is bad! "It was a rational purchase, you know." Frey''s ultimate move, ''Blessing of The Supernova,'' would normally leave him in a groggy state for months or damage his body rather severely. However, Frey had used the points Glare had saved up to use an ''Ultimate Move Permit'' in the special ability section, and successfully overpowering the Emperor because of it. Of course, he would be bedridden for a few days once the timer of the ultimate move ended. [Tip. Accumulated helper points are used to purchase special abilities in the system window.] Although he had spent quite a lot of helper points, Frey had gained a significant advantage. System Notification [Main Quest: Rebellion Against The Imperial Family Cleared!] Reward: 100,000pt, Hidden Scenario Unlocked "I''ve managed to take control of the system window." Until now, Frey had always followed what the system and the prophecy dictated. But with this quest as a turning point, he had successfully taken the initiative from the system. Instead of the system giving quests and Frey accepting and completing them, Frey''s actions were turned into quests by the system. To induce such a situation, Frey deliberately chose ''Rebellion Against The Imperial Family¡¯ as a forced scenario. He thought that the more complex and massive the scenario, the more certainly it could be triggered. "Not only that, but I also cleared the quest in two days." The Rebellion Against The Imperial Family scenario was a long-term scenario that would take more than a month at most. Normally, clearing the scenario in just two days would have been impossible. "But I managed to clear it early." With less than a year of his lifespan remaining, time was more precious to Frey than gold. Shortening the time it took to clear a scenario so significantly was a tremendous advantage. "Yeah, clearing it is all that matters. Mhm." Muttering to himself, Frey then stood up with a smile. "...Hmm?" But soon, he tilted his head. "You go to the right, you to the left. You... just stand in the middle for now." In the distance, Serena was busy weeding through the maids. "Uh, ugh..." "Ow, it hurts..." However, Frey''s gaze was directed at the young maids squatting right in front of her. "Hello, kids." Frey, watching them quietly, approached them with a gentle smile. "Hi, eek!" "Fr-Frey!" Then, the girls, with their eyes wide open, began to tremble. "Cute." "..." Frey wore a fatherly smile at the sight, but it held a different meaning for the huddled young maids. "Hey, everyone." "Uh..." "Want some of this?" Instead of satisfaction, Frey''s expression turned cheerful as she distributed potions to the young maids. After observing the pitiful sight with satisfaction, Frey retrieved potions from his pocket, his face lit up with excitement as he distributed them to the young maids. "They''re high-quality recovery potions. You''ll be good as new in no time." "Ah... ah... thank you..." "Thank you!!" Although the maids accepted the potions from him, they hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do, before quickly running away. - Grab... "Eek!"Alll latest novels at novelhall.com Watching them with a contented expression, Frey suddenly grabbed the shoulder of a girl and called out to her. "Wh-Wh-What is it? "Here. There¡¯s a lot, so share it with others, okay?" "Ye-Ye-Yes..." Then, Frey sent the girl away with a bunch of snacks in her arms. "Doing good deeds without any limitations... it feels like a dream." With a bright smile, Frey walked forward, but soon his expression changed, and he lowered his head. ¡°Cough, cough...¡± And then, Frey vomited a considerable amount of blood. Smiling, the bishop dispatched by the Sun God Church looked at the journalists. "I am Bishop Easter, a representative sent by the Sun God Church." As he spoke with a sunny expression, flashes from recording devices started to go off. "..." However, unlike before, there were no journalists hastily throwing questions. Because of the stench of blood emanating from Frey''s body and the overwhelming aura he exuded, the journalists hadn¡¯t regained their senses. "Why isn''t anyone asking questions? Usually, you bombard us with them at times like this." The bishop looked at them with his head tilted and asked. "It''s alright, everyone. Our Church won''t beat someone to death just because you say something rude." As he spoke, the journalists started to sweat profusely. "W-What do you think about the current situation?" "The only stance the Church will take on the current situation is one." Amidst this, a brave journalist dared to ask a question, prompting the bishop to begin answering as if he had been waiting for this moment. "The new emperor must receive recognition from the Pope." At his words, the journalists started flashing their cameras continuously. "For 1000 years, there hasn''t been a single emperor who hasn''t received the Pope''s baptism." As the bishop finished saying this, he quietly raised the corners of his lips. "So, those who seek to become the new sun should rightfully welcome us..." "Did you come from that organization, which was riddled with lies? Welcome to the palace!" Suddenly, the doors of the palace swung wide open, and Frey appeared. "... Just now, what do you mean by that?" Thanks to Frey''s haughty entrance, all the journalists froze, and the bishop, pushing his glasses up, directed a question to him. "Bishop Easter. What is the formal name of your organization?" "The Holy Sun God Church. We''re also known as the Church for short." Upon hearing this answer, Frey chuckled. "You''re not holy, you don''t serve the Sun God, and you''re not even a Church, are you? Hence, you''re a group riddled with lies." "Huh?" ¡°You deceive and manipulate the people with your so-called divine laws and ''divine power'' that aren''t even divine to begin with. Instead of serving the Sun God, you''re making plans to imprison her. You''ve lost your purpose as a church and degraded into an armed organization long ago, isn¡¯t that right?¡± As he finished speaking, deafening silence enveloped the area. "Why should the emperor be recognized by a parasitic, armed puppet organization like yours?" "With those words... Are you turning against the Church?" "It''s not a Church but an armed militia, right?" "You''ll regret those words." When the bishop said with a cruel look on his face, Frey exercised patience and took a deep breath. "Please come out!" Looking at the back, he shouted loudly. - Step... step... And shortly after, someone timidly started walking towards Frey with a shy expression. "...!" The bishop''s eyes widened at the sight, and the paladin and priests behind him trembled. "H-Hello~" The Youngest Paladin of the church bowed to them. "Nice to meet you... um, is this not it?" Recently known as ''Light,'' she scratched her head, her eyes glowing golden. "Do you know them, Sun God?" "Oh, Ahhh! Those bad people...!" Then, when Frey walked up to her side and asked her, she clenched both of her hands tightly. ¡°How on earth are they called the Sun God Church?! It¡¯s supposed to be called...um, the Demon God Church!¡± "Is that so?" While the people behind the bishop were puzzled by the words of someone who was supposed to be on their side, the bishop himself, who understood the meaning behind those golden eyes, started to sweat profusely. "Excuse me, Sun God." "Yes?" "Could you disconnect for a moment?" "Yes, huh?" The paladin, who had been glaring at the people of the Church, looked puzzled at Frey¡¯s words. "B-But if I disconnect now... the Demon God..." "Yes, that''s exactly why." Eventually, the sun god began to tremble quietly upon seeing Frey''s eyes filled with chaos. "I''ll teach your little sister a lesson today." "B-But..." ¡°It¡¯s okay. My cute helper said that the Demon God has lost almost all of her strength since the last incident.¡± "Well, still... um... actually, the Church and the Demon God aren''t really related..." "Hurry up." The Sun God contemplated and wriggled her hands for a while, eventually she closed her eyes and muttered in a frightened voice. "Lunar, there''s something wrong with him... Did he eat something bad..." Then, a moment of silence ensued. "Huh... What¡¯s this? Did I already regain all of my strength..." As the paladin, who had been standing still, opened her eyes and looked around with glowing red eyes, the bishop recoiled in surprise. "Hmm?" Meanwhile, as she continued to look around with wide eyes, the Demon God locked eyes with Frey. "Hello?" "...???" The Demon God''s eyes were wide open with an expression of disbelief at the situation unfolding before her. "Do you know them?" "Uh, um?" As Frey casually put his arm around her shoulder and asked, she responded with a bewildered voice. "I-I don''t know them?" "Is that so?" Then, Frey started to smile chillingly, clenching and unclenching his fist. "If you don''t know, you should get a beating." "...What the hell." The Demon God couldn¡¯t comprehend the perplexing situation at /genesisforsaken Chapter 326: Nego?tiation Table Chapter 326: Nego?tiation Table - Swoosh... "H-Hold on. W-Wait." As Frey slowly raised his fist, the Demon God inhabiting the body of the Youngest Paladin stepped back, sweating coldly. "What¡¯s wrong? Come here. Where are you going?" "W-Why are you raising your fist..." "Leaving now will only give you temporary respite, but the pain to come will be eternal, you know?" "..." However, upon hearing Frey''s words, the Demon God cautiously glanced around before returning to her original position. "That¡¯s it. Good girl." Frey ruffled her hair with an approving expression, but soon, he wore a cold smile and asked again. "So, do you really not know them?" "Uh, um..." "They''re your followers, aren''t they? Didn''t you instruct them to come here?" Only then did the Demon God slowly turn her gaze to the side. "..." People dispatched from the Sun God''s Church were looking at her with vacant stares. She didn''t know why, but some of them were looking at her with hostile eyes, and the executives in front were pale and sweating. What the hell is going on? Since she used too much power to intervene in the system window during the Erosion Incident, the Demon God had momentarily fallen into a state of slumber to recover her strength. But when she opened her eyes, the situation was already like this. "They¡¯re yours, right?" Until recently, Frey was the most delicious prey for her in the world. The despair and desolation that Frey harbored deep within his heart were so much better than anyone else''s. Such a person was now subtly threatening her, the Demon God. - Swoosh... What was even more absurd was that she found herself actually feeling fear when she looked at Frey, a mere mortal. Even now, her legs felt wobbly when Frey placed his hand on her shoulder. How? Why did this innocent boy, her greatest source of nourishment and most enjoyable pastime, suddenly seemed intimidating? Although she suffered an accidental blow last time, she was still the Evil God of this world. There was no way she felt that traumatized by it. This is strange. The Demon God couldn¡¯t help but think so as she made a dumbfounded expression. Why is this happening? Now that she thought about it, she realized she had been unknowingly trembling whenever she thought about him. Whether it was when she meddled during the Third Ordeal and was humiliated by Serena, or when she tried to corrupt him by inhabiting this body, she had harbored such thoughts. Moreover, since he attacked her soul, she had often dreamt of being beaten up by Frey whenever she tried to recover during her slumber.Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com No matter how much she thought about it, such events had never occurred. It felt like... the fear itself was engraved on her very soul. - Crack... "Y-yeah. No, you''re right." Wearing a vacant expression and pondering such thoughts, she desperately nodded as Frey began to exert force in his grip on her shoulder. ...Why did I use honorifics? And then came the ensuing shame. Although it might have been due to just waking up from her slumber and still feeling a bit groggy, she unwittingly used honorifics to speak to a mere mortal. This was a complete disgrace to her egoistic and lofty goddess self. "Yeah, I thought so too." "Hiiii..." However, when Frey smiled and nodded in response to her words, the Demon God''s whole body began to tremble, feeling more resentment than humiliation. How is he doing this to me! Of course, she was well aware of the Sun God''s Church. She knew very well about the nobles who were politically associated with the Church and their various sinister plans, even down to how many times the Bishops washed their hands and how many times the pope yawned. As the supposed main deity and observer of this world, it was somewhat natural for her to know about them. But they¡¯re not my followers! However, the Church had no real connection to her. They weren''t her subordinates, and they never received any orders from her. The Church was an organization directly managed by ¡®that person¡¯. So there was no need for her to interfere. In fact, she would be lucky if she didn¡¯t get scolded for trying to give an order or an instruction to them. "What¡¯s wrong?" Thanks to this, she was filled with shame and shaking with resentment at the thought of someone like Frey intimidating her and pressured her to acknowledge a connection to something she had nothing to do with. "Are you feeling indignant?" Looking at her trembling form, Frey smiled gently and whispered. "My whole life is stained with injustice and irrationality." Upon hearing those words, the Demon God stopped shaking and wore a pale expression. "Who is to blame? Who turned me, who did nothing wrong, into this mess?" "..." "Who crawled out like a bug and tried to forcibly start the Ordeal despite the warning? And who provided me with the opportunity to change my perspective? Who is that gracious person?" As Frey spoke, his mouth was smiling, but his eyes were not smiling at all. It was as if... "Ultimately, aren''t you the culprit behind everything?" "..." Frey whispered as he locked eyes with the Demon God¡¯s trembling eyes. But as Frey turned his gaze forward, the Demon God regained her senses and quickly began to scheme. Right now, the body I''m inhabiting is that of a paladin. Then... I''ll first request assistance from the Church. She had to admit it. The current Frey was quite dangerous. If she continued on while inhabiting the body of a mortal with only a fraction of her power, it was quite obvious what her fate would be. Moreover, this bastard definitely had evil intentions towards her. Now that she looked at him properly, it seemed he had gone absolutely mental. So, for now, she would request protection from the Church, who was on the same side as the owner of this body, and get away from Frey. To do that... "Hey!!" "Hmm." As the Demon God quietly observed Frey, she forcefully pushed his hand away and started running towards the Church. Frey simply smiled bemusedly as he watched her retreating back. "You fool. It seems she has gone frantic. Despite her silver tongue, her judgment seems lacking." The Demon God turned her head to look at Frey, who was mumbling with a mocking sneer on his face. "...Hmm?" She tilted her head at the chill that she suddenly felt. "..." For some reason, the expressions of the Church members watching her as she ran with all her might seemed very strange. - Sringgg... Some were drawing their swords, and some even wore wicked smiles. No matter how she looked at it, those expressions and gazes were not meant to be directed at those who were supposed to be on the same side. ¡°Hey everyone from the armed puppet organization! Do you all remember the revelation made by the Youngest Paladin during the Academy Erosion Incident!? "What?" The Demon God stopped in her tracks as she felt that eerie chill again. She turned her head with a dazed expression on her face when Frey shouted from behind her. "The speech from the Youngest Paladin has already caused a stir worldwide, hasn''t it?" "What''s that supposed to mean..." "What happened earlier must be Frey¡¯s whimsical decision, correct? That impetuous youngster must have lost his mind." "..." "So, you must have prepared for the reception already, right?" With an arrogant expression, the Bishop tapped the attendant''s shoulder, then whispered in a low voice. "Please follow me." "It''s rather chilly." However, as the attendant guided him expressionlessly, the Bishop chuckled and followed slowly behind the attendant. I''ll make you regret it, Frey. Quietly, he murmured to himself. . . . . . "We have arrived." "Everything seems to be properly prepared." Accompanied by several high-ranking priests, elite paladins, and the Vice-Commander, the Bishop followed the attendant with a smile on his face. Before him lay the underground chamber that had long been used as a reception space in the palace. It was a famous place in high societies that he also visited several times during his life as a bishop. "If only you had come out like this from the beginning. Ruined by such petty pride. Tsk, tsk." However, the Bishop, still angry, muttered to himself with a sinister expression. Should I make the Princess crawl under me like a dog in front of Frey? No matter how he thought about it, he should at least do that much in order to relieve some of his anger. A princess crawling around and barking like a dog. That would be quite amusing indeed. "Bishop." "Hmm?" He turned his gaze to the Vice Commander, who had spoken in a low voice beside him. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be dangerous?¡± "What do you mean?" "Frey is powerful. I only saw a glimpse of it earlier, and even I couldn''t even measure his strength." The Vice Commander spoke nervously. "Before we enter, it might be wise to prepare for escape if things go wrong..." "It''s fine. We''re fine." However, the Bishop just dismissed her concerns, then he smiled. "As long as we play the excommunication card, they can''t touch us." "But what if..." "There are no ¡®what ifs''." "Pardon?" "...¡¯That person¡¯s¡¯ instructions have always been correct." Saying so, the Bishop became completely serious. "That person has never been wrong, even once." "Hmm..." "Surely... you''re not doubting ¡®that person¡¯ now, are you, Vice Commander?" "N-No, of course not!" As she replied with a pale face to the Bishop''s sudden inquiry, he narrowed his eyes and whispered. "Take care, Vice Commander. Doubting the true sun is a sin in itself." His expression as he spoke was eerily calm and serene. "Understood." "Very well, let''s proceed." As the overwhelmed Vice Commander nodded, sweating coldly, the Bishop, once again assuming a benevolent expression, grasped the door handle. ...I should probably conduct a ritual for the Vice Commander soon. - Squirm, squirm... While muttering to himself, his left arm quietly squirmed. "Well then, let''s see how well-prepared..." With a smile, the Bishop stepped inside without a care in the world. "..." However, he froze along with the paladins who followed him inside. "Oh! Have you arrived?" "Gah... Gehack..." Frey greeted them cheerfully from inside the room. "Stop... Stoopp." And there hung the Youngest Paladin, tied by both wrists to the deeply embedded scabbard in the wall of the grim room. Her body limply swayed back and forth. For some reason, saliva, and bile spewing from her mouth. "What is... the meaning of this.¡± "To be honest, I was surprised when you brought up the Youngest Paladin''s revelation earlier!" The bishop, unable to grasp the situation, asked, and Frey smiled in response. "It was indeed me who forced her to testify! How did you know? As expected, the Church is still the Church after all." - Whack...!!! "Gyah!" With a clenched fist, Frey punched the Youngest Paladin hanging from the wall with all his might. "Uweh... Uwek..." "Don''t worry. I''m only striking the soul within this body, so there will be no damage to the physical body!" Frey, who had been speaking excitedly to the Bishop, wiped the Youngest Paladin''s stomach, revealing the smooth and clean stomach, just as he said. "S-Save me... Keuheok!" "Gugu~!" Frey patted the Youngest Paladin¡¯s stomach for a while, then, as if to prove a point, he struck her stomach once more. Meanwhile, Gugu, who was perched on his shoulder with a dumb expression, waved his wings at the Bishop as if he was happy to see him. ¡°So why are you resisting? If you don¡¯t know, you should say you don¡¯t know.¡± "I-I don''t know. I really don''t know..." "If you don''t know, you deserve a beating." "You son of a... Keh..." Just like that, Frey punched the trembling Demon God again. "D-Didn''t you say we were going to set up the negotiation table?" "Oh." Hearing the Bishop''s words as he retreated with his paladins, Frey turned around with a bright smile. - Clatter... And then, Frey picked up the folding table from the corner of the room. - Clack...! "The negotiation table is set." With a cheerful expression, Frey charged at them and began to swing the table wildly. "Nego? Tiation!" ¡°H-his words are technically correct...¡± "For heaven''s sake, be quiet." Cold sweat began to flow from the Bishop''s bald /genesisforsaken Chapter 327: Youre Fucked Chapter 327: You''re Fucked - Step, step... Right before the Bishop and the paladins were about to enter the imperial palace for negotiations. "Hmm~ Hmm~?" "..." The Demon God closely observed Frey, who was humming next to her. She squinted her eyes and muttered to herself. This bastard... I thought he went completely batshit crazy, but it turns out it was calculated madness. Until just moments ago, she had thought that Frey had gone completely mad due to her intervention in the system. Of course. There''s no way someone with a mental strength of 10 would break down that easily. However, when the Church started threatening using ¡®excommunication¡¯ as a threat, Frey immediately made a rational decision. A crazy person couldn¡¯t control their anger, and Frey clearly made a rational decision. In other words, his ''madness'' itself was a strategy he had set. If that¡¯s the case... There''s still room for me to dig deeper. With that hypothesis in mind, as soon as the Demon God entered the room with Frey, she summoned all her barely recovered strength. - Shaaaa... "Submit to me, Frey." If Frey had been in perfect condition, or had lost his mind, she would never have done such a thing. "Hurry." But, having pushed his body hard for two days and even using his ultimate move, Frey''s physical condition was at its worst. Furthermore, her power was one that destroyed normalcy. It was a power meant to break down and stain things with darkness, hence it was more potent against a normal person.Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com "..." "You''re done for. My toy." Thus, when Frey started looking at her with unfocused eyes, the Demon God thought her power had taken root on him. "How dare a mere mortal threaten a god, know your place, you little brat." Looking at Frey, who was entranced by her power, the Demon God swung her legs back and forth with an excited expression as she sat on a table in the middle of the room. She soon quietly licked her lips. "...You look quite cute like this." Although she had awoken too early and could only exert a tiny amount of her power, he would still be entranced for two or three days. "First, kiss the top of my foot." Feeling even more excited, the Demon God looked down at Frey with a gaze befitting a queen and whispered. - Swish... Then, Frey, with unfocused eyes, carefully wrapped his arms around her foot and lifted it towards his face. "Then, lick it diligently." Finally feeling reassured, she coldly commanded while displaying the system window in front of her. This time, I''ll completely corrupt you, Frey. Her heart started pounding as she began to manipulate the system. > Would you like to deliver the [Corruption] quest to [Frey]? [Y/N] The moment you accept it... it''s over for you. All she needed was for Frey to accept the quest, and the corruption would proceed, even if he accepted it under her influence. > An error occurred! "Huh?" As she was about to press the ¡®Y¡¯, a notification suddenly popped up, causing the Demon God to quietly tilt her head. > Error Code: ??? > This quest cannot be applied to the entity. "What?" Normally, the quest would be successfully sent at this point, but suddenly numerous error messages started to pop up in her vision. > Searching for system errors... > Searching for a solution... > Search for solution failed. "Why is this happening?" After that, as incomprehensible messages continued to appear, the Demon God tapped the screen with a bewildered expression. > Error: A fatal error occurred in the program. > Repairing program... > Repair failed! "...???" > System Error: Fatal errors have occurred. > A non-existent event occurred. > A non-existent NPC was created. > You have entered a non-existent scenario. > An error occurred in expressing the state of the entity. > Unable to predict the direction of the entity''s progress. > (¨i_¨i) After continuing to spew out incomprehensible characters, the system then displayed a sad emoticon and began to buzz ominously. > The entity? is? abnormal? Then, the Demon God''s window urgently displayed slightly broken text. "What are you looking at?" "...!" The Demon God, who had been reading those windows with a dumbfounded expression, started to pale as she heard a chilling voice coming from in front of her. "H-Huh?" "As expected, you weren''t the system itself. You were also manipulating something in order to interfere with the system." "W-what? Why isn''t the brainwashing... Gah!?" The Demon God tried to take a step back in confusion. Suddenly, Frey forcefully grabbed her ankle and lifted her upside down, causing her to panic. > The entity? is? abnormal? "I-I know th... Keuheokk!!" Then, still held by Frey, her stomach got trampled by him, causing her to gasp for air. - Slap!! "Ughh." Not giving her the time to breathe, Frey suddenly slapped her cheek fiercely. Then, he took something out of his pocket and murmured. "And also, how can you attack me? According to the Sun God, if you do such a thing, your ¡®divinity¡¯ will be diminished." "Cough, cough..." ¡°By any chance, is there someone watching your back?¡± "Gugu~!" While holding Gugu, who was radiating light and flapping her wings, Frey materialized the soul of the Demon God and strangled her. "Why aren''t you talking?" Frey whispered quietly as he looked down at the Demon God, whose face had already paled like a sheet. "Cough, cough... cough..." "My words are correct, aren¡¯t they?" "Geh..." "That¡¯s strange, shouldn''t you be talking by now?" With a puzzled expression on his face, Frey unfastened his belt and began to tie her wrists. "..." "Is it because you haven''t been beaten enough yet?" Then, Frey grabbed her limp neck and dragged her around. - Crack... After reaching one side of the room, Frey drove his scabbard into the wall. He then hung the belt tied around her wrist there, causing the Demon God to swing back and forth limply in the air. "..." - Slap!! "...Gyah!" Once again, Frey slapped her cheek with all his might. "Goddess, do you not understand my word? Are the words spoken by mortals so trivial that you cannot even hear them?¡± Thanks to him, Demon God woke up trembling, and Frey, with a heartbroken expression, asked her. "Y-you... didn''t you choke me until I passed out..." "Oh yes, that did happen." When the trembling Demon God muttered timidly, Frey mockingly slapped his head. -Booommm!!! "Heuuukkkkkk..." The next thing she knew, Frey''s full-force punch struck her stomach. "Uwekkkk... ughhh..." With tears streaming from her wide eyes, the Demon God vomited black, dark mana from her mouth. "Oh, hitting the soul produces dark mana. You¡¯re like a dark mana dispenser, aren¡¯t you? Kania would love this.¡± "Guhhh..." "For warlocks, that¡¯s like their holy water. The goddess who spews holy water when she gets hit in the stomach. Isn''t it amazing?" "Why, why...? How..." As the Demon God muttered in terror at the violence she had never experienced before, Frey, who had been talking with a smile, suddenly hardened his expression. "That''s irrational, Demon God." Then, stroking her stomach, Frey whispered. "The heroines and I have lived in this irrational world you''ve created for your own satisfaction all our lives." "Ugh, ugh..." "But why are you whining about feeling irrational just because you feel a bit of pain? Isn''t that the real irrationality?" Enraged by his words, The Demon God mumbled through clenched teeth. "I just harassed some humans a little." "What?" ¡°If I speak from my perspective, you may not understand. Then, let me speak from a human perspective.¡± With a proud smile, the Demon God spoke. "At most, I just harassed some flying bugs crawling on the ground. Is that such a big deal?" "Hooo." "But then suddenly, one of the bugs trapped me inside one of them, and that bug started to flap its wings wildly while preaching about irrationality. Wouldn''t you go mad if you were in my shoes?" ¡°You¡¯re just a crazy bitch.¡± ¡°Keheukk!!" Enraged by her words, Frey couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and kicked her hard in the stomach, causing her to gasp for breath again. Stupid fool... Then, she murmured with a smile. He didn¡¯t even realize that the Church is just around the corner. Before long, the Church had indeed arrived. If they were to open the door now, she could argue that her revelation was done under duress, and she would be rescued by the Church. As I muttered and unconsciously exuded killing intent, the Bishop, who had a confused expression on his face, suddenly stood up. - Thwack, thwack, thwack!!! "Aaah!" Then, out of nowhere, the Bishop spewed tentacles from his left arm, gripping the priests. - Wiggle, Wiggle... "Wah... It''s an octopus." "This... this bastard...!" I exclaimed as he looked similar to the octopus Aria and I caught in the sea when we were young. Then, the Bishop began to speak with a sly smile. ¡°Y-You think I don¡¯t have something up my sleeves?! "Even now, you don¡¯t have any." "Gahhh!" With that, the Bishop drew energy from the priests and sent his tentacles flying furiously at me. Seeing the approaching tentacles, I calmly cut them down with the table. Indeed, the negotiation table was an excellent negotiation tool. "Geuhh..." "Ugh... ugh..." "Huh? Huh?" I was holding his arm and looking at the bastard writhing on the floor, but then I quietly looked at his back. There, I saw the priests either unconscious or foaming at the mouth, and the bewildered Vice Commander. "Their life is not in danger." - Rumble... "...Hmm?" They were all corrupted priests, so I didn''t feel much pity for them, but still, I pondered whether I should help them when suddenly, a strange sound started from behind. "Hehehe. hahahaha!" Tentacles suddenly wrapped all over the Bishop''s body, slowly dragging him into the ground. It looked like teleportation magic. Could it be that he tried to escape now? - Clang...! "It''s futile! That person saved me!" I tried to negotiate with him by throwing the table at him, but half of the bastard¡¯s body had sunk down and the tentacles around his body bounced the table away. "May the eternal sun rise..." "Gugu, use tackle." "Gu!" "Euhokk..." As I looked at him with a frown, I softly ordered and Gugu fiercely charged at him, crashing into him. - Boom!! "Aaargh..." Gugu was a top-tier spirit after all. Naturally, the bastard who was hit by such a vicious blow vomited blood and lowered his head. - Shhh... "Gu! Gugu!!" "G-guah..." Eventually, when Gugu grabbed what was left of the bastard¡¯s hair with her claw and lifted him up, he started struggling. - Swoosh... However, Gugu was unable to contend with the weight and had to let go of the Bishop. And the bastard disappeared into the ground. "Hmm." "Hi-Hikkkk..." I looked quietly at Gugu, who was making an awkward expression while holding the Bishop¡¯s hair in her claws, then I turned my attention to the Vice Commander who had been lying at my feet all this time. "Please spare me..." - Swoosh... "Ugh, ugh?" After intense negotiations, I obtained the corrupted priests and the Vice Commander as loot. - Gurgle... "Huh... Hiiii..." To prevent losing the loot, I tied her wrists with the tentacles scattered around and dragged her towards the Demon God. "Hey." And as I tied the Vice Commander to the scabbard, I whispered into the ear of the Demon God, who had been watching the negotiation with a frightened expression. "After I grab a drink, I''ll show you what irrationality means." "W-Where... are you going... Geuhhh" When the dispenser, which spat out dark mana and information, asked, I pushed her towards the Vice Commander and she gasped. "Look forward to it." "Eugeukk." As I pretended to punch her stomach, she flinched and her muscles convulsed. "Gugu, you put a feather on that bastard earlier, right?" ¡°Gu!¡± It seemed that I also acquired a remote dispenser after all. "Where is that bastard now?" . . . . . Several minutes later. "Heuk... Heuk..." In a dark forest several kilometers away from the palace. "Fre... Frey... That bastard is a son of a devil. Your Holiness." The Bishop, lying prone on the ground, breathed heavily, his eyes turning black as he spoke. "We must show that devil the power of the Church!! Your Holiness, please... Hm?" Suddenly, he quietly turned his head, sensing a presence behind him. "N-No, it can''t be. Haha." He nervously continued the conversation, sweating profusely. "But why did you give me ''dolls'' instead of elite soldiers, Your Holiness?" Suddenly, he seemed to remember something and began to ask, but before he could finish - "Found you." "G-gah!!" In the next moment, Frey appeared behind him and grabbed his collar, making him gasp for breath. "The negotiation isn''t over yet!! Where are you going?!" ¡°Keukkk!!¡± Frey swiftly unfolded his beloved table that he brought along and threw the Bishop against a nearby tree. "H-How did you..." ¡°I have no time to talk to a bait.¡± Then, he sat down at the table and calmly asked in a cold voice. "Pope, you¡¯re watching, right?" "..." "What''s your purpose?" And then, a brief silence ensued. "Gurgle... gurgle..." In that silence, the Bishop, with trembling eyes fixed on Frey, suddenly convulsed and rolled his eyes. "Hmm." With a sudden change in expression, the Bishop regained his composure. "Pleased to meet you." He then addressed Frey calmly, contrasting to Frey¡¯s excited expression. "Your Holiness, where are you now?" "How impertinent." "Don''t play dumb and hurry up. I¡¯ll hit you every three seconds." The Pope spoke in a haughty tone in response to Frey''s question. ¡°Thank you, for dancing to my tunes. You give me the perfect excuses, Frey.¡± ¡°...¡± "Congratulations. The declaration of excommunication will spread worldwide in a few hours. Of course, this includes the Princess." "Your Holiness, do you enjoy playing tag? I love it." The Pope smiled slightly after hearing Frey''s words. "I used to enjoy it quite a bit when I was young. But now it''s not as fun.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Once you realize that even if you get caught, it won¡¯t be that big of a deal, there¡¯s no thrill in playing it, and since you have multiple lives, the tagger is at a huge disadvantage. Plus, there are too many perfect hiding spots now." The Pope chuckled and began speaking with a sense of satisfaction. "You''ll never find me. So, you can''t stop the declaration of excommunication. But, if you follow my instructions now..." "123¡ã 24¡ã 76¡ã." "...?" Frey, who was looking straight into the Bishop''s black eyes, muttered with a spine-chilling expression. "Found you." -Sizzle... Then, when Frey lifted the hand that had been on the Bishop''s head, silver smoke rose and the Bishop went limp. "Hide well, Your Holiness." "...?" "In my game of tag, you only have one life." With a satisfied expression, Frey said his farewell and disappeared in an instant. "..." The Pope, who quietly watched the scene from his hiding place, opened his eyes and immediately asked the priest next to him. "Where does ''123¡ã 24¡ã 76¡ã'' indicate?" "Um... Let me see for a moment." Taking out a map from his robe, the priest began calculating slowly. "...It¡¯s here." "Hm." Hearing the response, the Pope stood up quietly and muttered. "...This is bad." The Pope unexpectedly found himself in a horror movie /genesisforsaken Chapter 328: Rational Judgment Chapter 328: Rational Judgment "Found you!! Your Holiness!!" As Frey charged with a smile stretching to his ears, he drew his sword and shouted loudly, his voice echoing throughout the alleys. "You hide quite well!!" Frey, who had entered the forbidden area in the back alleys of the empire, was literally going wild. - Roarrrrr!!! As he plunged his sword into the ground with all his might, a terrifying roar began to resonate everywhere. "When did you create a hideout in such a place again?" After hitting the innocent ground for a while, Frey sheathed his sword and whispered, as a secret space appeared before him. "How could a person who has nothing to be afraid of prepare so well? I don''t think someone who proclaims himself as a god within the Church would be scared of me." Seeing the secret space revealed before him, Frey smiled and sheathed his sword when he saw the defensive barrier protecting the secret place slowly cracked open. "Aha!" To fasten the process of cracking the barrier, Frey started hacking at the barrier with the table that he brought. In the middle of swinging the table, he realized something. "Despite what you said, you actually enjoyed playing tag, didn''t you?" - Crack, craaack... "Indeed, there''s nothing quite as thrilling as playing like a child, right?" - Crash!! Finally, the barrier was destroyed, and Frey entered the underground building. "But, isn''t this level of defense too shoddy? I thought you were confident in your hiding skills..." Frey muttered with a puzzled expression. ¡°Are you one of those types who always thinks you¡¯re good at the game? Haaa... Whenever you play with someone, there is always that one guy....¡± "...What''s going on?" Meanwhile, the Pope, who was watching the scene through divination magic, stood up with a twisted expression. "How could he infiltrate so quickly...?" This place was not a shoddy hideout constructed over a few years. This was an invincible fortress secretly built by the Church over hundreds of years. Layers upon layers of divine power and miracles were compounded in the barrier, and even top-tier defensive magics from some corrupt mages of the Magic Tower were densely intertwined within the barrier. Yet, such extreme defense measures were being sliced through like butter with a single swing of a sword, and worse, smashed to pieces by a plain folding table. He simply couldn''t understand. How could this be happening? "...It''s useless anyway." Growing increasingly restless with sweat in his palms, the Pope tried to calm himself down and muttered, "This underground hideout itself is like a labyrinth. Even if it''s him, reaching this room would¨C" However, he couldn''t finish his sentence. - Boomm!! Booommm "..." Through the divination magic, he saw Frey, with his gaze fixed on one spot, rushing towards one direction by smashing through walls. All the carefully prepared traps, undead soldiers, and barriers were useless. That madman charged straight towards the room where he was in. He demolished everything in his path with that godforsaken sword aura infused table of his. "I-Is the teleportation ready yet?" "I-It''s almost done. Just a little longer." "Damn. Damn..." Both the Pope and the priest were shaking uncontrollably. Hearing the priest¡¯s answer, the Pope clenched his fist, and muttered. "If I make it out of here alive... I must find more sorcerers. Definitely..." Traditionally, the Church had extremely poor relations with the Magic Tower. They had a longstanding rule of not allowing ¡®mage¡¯ into the Church at all. Of course, it was possible due to the existence of priests within the Church who were referred to as ''sorcerers'' that performed ¡®miracles¡¯ instead of magic. However, for the first time, the Pope deeply regretted maintaining such tradition. "Those mages from the Magic Tower could do this in five minutes! Why are you taking so long!!" "W-We are priests... Your Holiness. There''s a big difference between sorcery and magic..." "...Damn it!" For performing complex tasks like spatial teleportation, the structured magic was more advantageous than the unstructured sorcery. "From now on, we''ll enlist mages as operatives!" "Y-Your Holiness! That''s..." "If you don''t like it, then finish the sorcery quickly!" Feeling an unintended thrill, the Pope muttered as he felt the vibrations getting closer. "What... What in the world is going on?" He was the leader of the Church that not only dominated the Empire but also had deep roots across the world. The Empire was already in his hands, and one by one, the kingdoms of the West Continent were adopting the Sun God as their state religion. Even now, as he reached out to the East Continent, the land of martial arts and righteousness, the Church was thriving more than ever before, and he could establish a theocratic nation within a few years. Yet, that impregnable fortress, and he as its leader, was about to be entirely defeated by some lunatic. "...This is maddening." Originally, the Pope thought he could handle someone like Frey. He himself had been directly bestowed with power by ¡®that person¡¯. And not only him, but all the executives and even the Paladin Commander of the Paladin Order had received power from ¡®that person¡¯. So until a few days ago, the Pope had nothing to fear except ¡®that person¡¯. But everything changed after Frey brought down the Emperor. The Sunrise Empire Emperor, Raikon Solar Sunrise. He was someone who found everything annoying and even dared to yawn in the presence of the Pope. Yet, despite his nonchalant demeanor, his strength rivaled that of the world''s strongest. The Church''s inability to dominate the Imperial Family, by extension the Empire, and establish a theocracy, ultimately stemmed from the Emperor''s resistance. Of course, if the Pope himself or the Paladin Commander and the executives were to act, they could surely handle the situation. However, it was clear that there would be a fierce battle in which a lot of blood would inevitably be shed, even for the Church. "That bastard... Where on earth did he get such power?" But that madman not only defeated the Emperor in less than a day but also succeeded in the rebellion. So the Pope planned to declare ¡®excommunication¡¯ to break his momentum, he also planned to send the Knight Commander and the executives to hunt him down slowly. But somehow, that lunatic managed to immediately find this place, and the whole plan went awry. "Can''t we go where the Knight Commander and the executives are?" "...I''m sorry. There''s not enough time for that. Moving to the nearest hideout is the best we can do at the moment." "Damn it." "In fact, I really like playing tag." "You can babble on all you want. The nonsense of a madman doesn''t scare me in the least..." "107¡ã 46¡ã 99¡ã" "..." As Frey quietly whispered the coordinates, the Pope''s complexion turned pale. "It wouldn''t be fun to end it all at once, right?" "Wha..." ¡°Let¡¯s have a good game, okay?¡± Frey whispered to the bewildered Pope and then darted out of the room with a refreshed smile on his face. "... A-Anyone save me." The Pope''s mind began to blank out. . . . . . A few hours after I started playing tag with the Pope. "Hurry up...hurry up with the sorcery..." Watching the wall in front of him shatter into pieces, the Pope, with an expression of complete despair, was about to disappear for the third time. "Pope!! This is already the third time!! Isn¡¯t this really fun?¡± "Uh...uhh..." "But there won''t be a fourth time! I''ve already had enough fun!" I beamed towards the trembling Pope and shouted at him, causing him to let out a groan. "296¡ã 69¡ã 78¡ã." As I whispered the coordinates to the Pope with a smile, the Pope couldn''t bear it any longer and started to scream in despair. "HOW... HOW ON EARTH DO YOU KNOW ALL THE LOCATION¡ª!!!" But before the Pope could finish his sentence, he vanished, turning into light. "Haha..." I watched him with satisfaction, when suddenly, I felt my legs start to lose strength. "..." I ended up sitting down. It seemed like I reached my limit. ¡°For a bluff, this is quite successful.¡± In fact, I had reached my limit long before the game of tag began. I had been forcing myself to maintain the ultimate move that should have been over when I defeated the Emperor, so it''s only natural that this would happen. "Ugh..." Blood started to trickle from my mouth. If the Pope were to attack me in this state, I couldn''t guarantee victory. After all, the Pope was a formidable opponent on par with the Emperor. "Hehe..." So, I utilized the Pope''s complex, his cowardly and corrupt nature. Breaking into the room at the moment he was about to teleport and destroying the facilities were all calculated moves. "It''s a bit tough..." However, his complex was also his strength. In the previous cycle, the character who survived until the very end was the kind that could turn the tables around if underestimated. Although he is not as cool as other villains, the person who best fit the saying that ¡®the person who survives to the end is the strong one¡¯ was the Pope. "..." Anyway, this should delay the declaration of the ¡®excommunication¡¯ for a while. I already goaded him with the location of his hiding place and escape pattern, which I knew thanks to the prophecies and information from the previous cycle. He would probably be too busy fleeing to a safe hideout for a while. However, it was impossible to stop the declaration of excommunication by following him like this forever. If I kept doing this, I would certainly lay defeated. Successfully orchestrating the rebellion against the Imperial Family alone was already a huge gain. Pushing for an all out war with the Church could result in a major setback. So, for now, it was better to take a step back. "Hiikkkk..." "L-Lord Frey...please spare me..." - Step... Step... As I left the safe house, leaving behind the nuns and priests cowering in the corner, I muttered quietly. "If I can''t prevent the declaration of the ¡®excommunication¡¯, then I just need to minimize its effect." Before destroying it, I had to undermine the Church''s reputation as much as possible. Now is the time for rational judgment. . . . . . Several minutes after Frey left the safe house. "Kyahhhh!!!" "This, this madness...!" "Ah, aah..." In the heart of the imperial capital, citizens and nuns looked up with pale faces. - Rumble... The world-renowned sacred site, older and more splendid than the imperial palace, the Church''s main cathedral, was divided in two and crumbling. "After all, there''s a need to make rational judgments too. If you act too crazy, it can backfire.¡± Frey muttered quietly to himself as he watched the unfolding chaos. "...By the way, where did you hide the statues of the Sun God???" Upon hearing this, the expressions of the nuns began to /genesisforsaken Chapter 329: I Cant Do This Anymore Chapter 329: I Can''t Do This Anymore "Wow, it''s collapsing nicely." Frey smiled as he watched the cathedral crumbled slowly "But no matter how much I think about it, something still feels missing." Turning his head with a disappointed expression, he continued. "Really, there¡¯s not a single statue here? This is supposed to be the main cathedral of the Church, yet there''s not a single statue of the Sun God? Does that make any sense?" "T-They¡¯re not here! They were moved a few days ago for repairs!" The Abbess bravely stepped forward and answered Frey¡¯s question. "Did all those statues need repair at the same time?" "It was, uh, part of the periodic maintenance! But aside from that, what on earth is happening here?!" The Abbess murmured while looking at the crumbling cathedral with trembling eyes. "The sacred site... the sacred site that believers worldwide visited for thousands of years...!" It wasn''t as fortified as the Imperial Palace or the Academy, but the cathedral still had a formidable protection system. It was simply unbelievable that such a cathedral, which had strong protection, was split into two and collapsed due to Frey''s actions. "This is... a good stress relief." However, the perpetrator of the entire devastation just smiled casually and moved towards the now ruined cathedral. "Huh?" As Frey continued to approach the completely collapsed cathedral, he rolled his foot a few times and then smiled. ¡°There¡¯s space underneath the ground.¡± The next moment, Frey swung his table and struck the ground. - Rumble! Rumble! Then, a thunderous sound like a collapsing building was heard, and the ground began to sink. "Huh, what?" "Oh right, there''s a huge secret chamber underground for the Church, isn''t there?" The Abbess widened her eyes at that sight. Frey just grinned. "If they were moved for repairs, why are they all gathered here?" "No! How dare you lay your dirty hands on the sacred body of the Sun God!! This must never..." "Oh, you don¡¯t know?" The Abbess trembled and had a fit, and suddenly, Frey put on a serious expression and began to whisper to her. "In fact, I''m very close to the Sun God." "What?" "The Sun God once said that she would do anything while her head was being trampled under my feet, and she even loves to peep on me. And there was also a time when she was chained up, and I had to give her food, like a dog. "You¡¯re insane." "Furthermore, I have the right to ask for anything from her, and her younger sister has become a dispenser that spits holy water when beaten. She¡¯s in the palace right now, bound at her wrists. How about that? We''re quite close, aren''t we?" "You''re out of your mind." Naturally, the Abbess looked at him like he was crazy. "No, I''m very rational and reasonable right now. Everything I just said is completely true, without any exaggeration. I even sent a letter to the Sun God and reached an agreement to do this beforehand. So what''s the problem?" As Frey scratched his head, the Abbess looked bewildered. "If you don''t like it, you should pray and reach a separate agreement with the Sun God." "H-Hold on..." "Why? Wasn''t it that only those who pray and accept the Sun God could become the Abbess? In such a critical situation, she would naturally respond to your prayer, wouldn''t she?" After those words, the statues of the Sun God stored underground began to rise one by one. "I already got permission, though? Are you trying to go against the will of the Sun God? Are you actually a heretic?" "I-I knew it, you¡¯re crazy..." "That''s odd. I''m making rational judgments and actions, so why am I still being treated like a madman?" Watching the Abbess retreat with diminished spirit, Frey murmured with a puzzled expression. - Boommmmmm! And the next moment, the largest statue floating in the air cracked and exploded into pieces. It was a sacred relic that was thought to have been carved in the exact image of the Sun God, whom church members would always wake up early in the morning and kneel in front of to pray. - Pitter... patter... "Oh, oh... The Sun god..." "W-What are we supposed to pray to now..." In the face of the shattered relic, which was believed to have been carved by the legendary artisan from the Justiano family who created the Hero¡¯s Armament, the Abbess, and the believers sank into their knees with devastated expressions on their faces. - Boom! Boom! However, that wasn''t the end. - Crash! Boom! Crash! From small statues that were only about the size of a hand to huge statues that were half the size of a cathedral. From crude statues made of wood to magnificent ones crafted with gold and various precious stones. The various types of the goddess statues owned by the Church were exploding one by one alongside the stellar mana, coloring the sky of the imperial capital with beautiful light. "Those who wish to pray, please do so now!" Shouting cheerfully to the citizens of the empire, Frey tilted his head and muttered to himself. "The goddess statues floating in the sky and shattering into pieces... Isn''t this a miracle, everyone?" Seeing him with a horrified expression, the Abbess finally shouted. "Are you a heretic? Frey!!" "Hmm?" "You''re destroying a cathedral that has stood for a thousand years, and smashing all the goddess statues! Do you think you''ll get away with it!?" As she said this, the Abbess stepped closer to Frey. "His Holiness, the Pope won''t stand idly by!" ¡°That¡¯s right. We were playing together just a little while ago, but he really wasn¡¯t sitting still.¡± "Aren''t you afraid of being excommunicated!?" Frey, who had been talking to her calmly, raised the corner of his mouth and began to speak. "To be honest, I''m a little scared. The excommunication by the Pope is dire, even for me." "Then right now...!" ¡°But isn¡¯t that what I¡¯m doing right now? Making it so that I no longer have to be afraid of the excommunication?¡± "...What?" "The Pope¡¯s excommunication depends on how strong the Church is, how much authority it holds, and how much faith it gathers." "..." Frey approached her as he talked. "So, let''s think rationally." "R-Rationally?" "If I destroy the cathedral, which is a gathering place for believers'' faith, and all the goddess statues, it will naturally weaken the power of the excommunication, won''t it? So, naturally, they all have to be destroyed." "You...! How is that rational!!" The Abbess finally lost her temper and rushed at Frey, yet he just watched her with a smirk. - Slap!! "Kyaaahh!?" After fiercely slapping her face, Frey began to approach her slowly. "Have you lost your mind? Why would someone so weak and powerless like you try to pick a fight? Did you think I wouldn''t hit you just because you''re old and have high standing?" "Ugh..." "I''m an egalitarian. Whether it''s an emperor, a pope, or a goddess, I treat them all equally. Did you really think I wouldn¡¯t beat you?" "Kuheokkk..." Then, Frey stomped her leg, shattering her leg bone. Frey murmured with a chilling smile. ¡°Just how many lives do they think they have? Do they really think they have nine lives? Is that it?¡± ¡°E-excuse me, can you just let me down now...¡± "No matter how I look at it, this just means that I have to beat each of them nine times¨C Cough!" But then he suddenly collapsed, vomiting blood from his mouth. "Huh, Uwahh?" "Huh?" "...???" The children took a step back with widened eyes at the sight. "Waaaa..." "W-Why is he vomiting blood?" "E-Excuse me, what''s happening?" Approaching Frey, who continued to vomit blood, the children asked with concern. "You''re strong... kids." Despite being drenched in cold sweat, Frey smiled brightly at them. "I lost." "...?" "You guys might... cough..." After glancing at the children with a mischievous expression, Frey turned his gaze away. "...have the qualities of a hero." The whole commotion attracted citizens, and they looked at him with fearful eyes. - Sringg... The citizens flinched and retreated when they saw Frey quietly raising his sword. "Hahh...hahh..." Despite the considerable injuries, Frey thought he would be fine. "E-excuse me... A-Are you going to die?" ¡°I-is it because we hit you? We¡¯re sorry.¡± "Please open your eyes." "...They dare to harm these kind kids..." Frey turned his gaze again and smiled bitterly at the children who had been hitting him just moments ago, They were now looking down at him with tearful eyes. - Brrr!! Brr!! "Step back!! Everyone, step back!!!" Accompanied by loud noises and the arrival of guards, someone was approaching, dispersing the crowd. "Frey..." Clanna, whose face turned pale in shock, was standing in front of him. "...Your Highness." As soon as he saw her, Frey gritted his teeth, rose to his feet and kneeled before her. "D-Don''t sit. Lie down! You''re in no condition to...!" "People are watching. They need to see that you control me now." "Be quiet, you fool..." Clana caressed his cheek and urgently hugged him. Then she asked in a trembling voice. "Why did you do this?" "It was a rational decision. Also, I did it at my own discretion. Your Highness, you shouldn''t take any responsibility..." "W-What was the reason, though?" As Clana pressed her cheek against his head, Frey finally smiled broadly. "The bald idiot pope tried to excommunicate you without understanding the situation." "..." "...It sucks." Leaving those words behind, Frey finally lost his consciousness. . . . . . Meanwhile, at the Academy. "Hmm... Huh?" As usual, Ferloche was heading towards the dormitories with an eerie, vacant smile when she suddenly tilted her head. "Who''s there~?" Ferloche called out with her hands on her back. Then she lowered her head when she heard another sound from the bushes in front of her. "Ahem, Hello, Saintess." "Incredible... No, as expected of the Saintess. You found us." Eventually, priests, knights, and the Vice Commander emerged from the bushes with cold expressions. "What are you guys doing here???" "It''s like this, something happened to the Church." "The Church?" "Yes, so you should come with us to the Church right away." "Is that so? But something seems strange?" As they approached her with smiles, Ferloche asked with a cheerful expression. ¡°Vice Commander, didn¡¯t you quit the paladin order a few weeks ago?¡± "Huh?" "And isn''t there a new Vice Commander in the paladin order now?" The expression of the Vice Commander became even colder upon hearing this. "And aren''t all the priests here the ones who went missing? When were they found?" "..." "And how did you break through the ancient magic? I don''t quite understand...!" - Sringg... ¡°What¡¯s this, what an incredible deduction for someone so stupid...¡± As Ferloche continued to speak without concern, the former Vice Commander drew her sword. "Why, why are you doing this!" "Just follow us." "Ahhhh!, this is a crime¨C" - Slap!! After putting a sword to Ferloche''s throat and dragging her along, the former Vice Commander, annoyed by her struggling, slapped her cheek. "You damn brat. I didn''t come here to listen to your nonsense..." Then, she cursed and tried to drag Ferloche away again, but soon stopped her actions and made a blank expression. "Ah, really." Ferloche, known as the Pure White Saintess, who always had a foolish smile on her face, now looked completely serious as she gazed back at her. "I can¡¯t do this anymore." The former Vice Commander¡¯s eyes began to tremble at that inexplicable sense of disconnection between the Saintess she thought she knew and the Saintess in front of /genesisforsaken Chapter 330: This Fucking Pissed Me Off Chapter 330: This Fucking Pissed Me Off "Young Master." "Hmm." As I struggled to shake off the grogginess, I opened my eyes to a blinding, bright light. "...Are you alright?" A calm inquiry reached my ears as I squinted my eyes. There was only one person who spoke in such a tone. "Kania." Smiling, I rose from the bed and spoke, prompting Kania to give a small smile and bow her head slightly. "...For some reason, my lower half feels stiff." "...!" I muttered that to her as a joke, but Kania suddenly started shaking and quietly gauge my reactions. Come to think of it, maybe it did feel a bit stiff? "Hmm... How many days has it been since I lost consciousness?" "Ahem... It has been three days since you lost consciousness, Young Master." Giving her a suspicious look, I asked, and Kania replied with a cough. "Oh, really? It hasn''t been that long." I thought I would be bedridden for at least a week due to maintaining my ultimate move for too long, but three days was not bad. Aside from the slight stiffness in my lower half, I felt perfectly fine. It was as if I had just submerged in a tub full of life force. "Heup." "Young Master? Where are you going? Please rest a little longer." "It''s okay. There''s no need to rest further when I''m fully recovered." Quietly swinging my right arm and stepping outside, I responded to Kania''s words before moving on. "Young Master, by the way, your expression seems much more mellow after resting for three days." "Huh?" "Recently, you¡¯ve been a little more... aggressive." Aggressive? What was she talking about? I just changed my perspective a little. Come to think of it, depending on the person, I might look more aggressive. Kania, being delicate, might perceive it that way. "I, too, have been through a lot myself, but..." "Well, now is the time for rational judgment." And I decided to prioritize rational judgment from now on. The Imperial Rebellion could be ended swiftly, but it''s not so simple with a full-scale war with the Church. "Is the coronation ceremony schedule coming along?" "Yes, it''s gradually coming together nicely." "Oh." I asked Kania, and she delivered the good news. Clana would finally ascend to the throne. As someone who has watched her struggle for so long, it was truly heartening. Even in the previous cycle, due to the ongoing war, there was no time for a coronation, and she remained a princess until the end. For Clana, this coronation would truly be a meaningful day. So, this coronation had to proceed without any hitches...Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com "...However, at this rate, it may be postponed for a few months." "What?" "In fact, it could have been held within a few days, but issues continued to rise..." Kania, scanning my pleased expression, conveyed this with a timid voice. Issues? What kind of issues could there be? The affairs of the Imperial Family had been settled for a while now. Now just the peaceful coronation left, right? ¡°First of all... it seems that the Sun God has once again taken control of the Youngest Paladin, who are imprisoned in the imperial basement.¡± "The Sun God did?" "Secondly, there are complaints from some founding contributors that helped with the rebellion and even from the Clana faction about you, Young Master. Moreover, it''s not just complaints, but some even take actions..." "Seriously?" "Thirdly, Ruby led the Hero Party and visited the palace. There are differing opinions on how to handle this.¡± "..." "Lastly, the Church has sent an envoy. They''re inquiring about Young Master''s destructive actions and allegations of heresy..." - Crack... "...Young Master?" For a moment, I almost lost my rational judgment. There were so many factors disrupting Clana''s coronation. It has been her lifelong wish and one of my life goals to watch her ascend to the throne. And so many things interfered with that coronation? "...This pissed me off." "Young Master? Where are you rushing off to?" I immediately made a rational judgment and started to walk briskly, causing Kania to ask a question with a puzzled expression. "To the basement." "Yes?" With a grin, I began to move my feet even faster. "We need to handle all these issues." "..." "Kania?" I began to envision rational and ideal solutions to the four problems, but suddenly Kania''s face started to pale. "Is... is this really calculated madness, Young Master?" "What?" "T-that''s... no, never mind, Young Master." "...?" "Just do what you think is right." Why was she suddenly saying that? . . . . . "Sun God, what are your weaknesses?" Entering the underground chamber of the palace with Kania, I cheerfully asked the question. "M-my weaknesses?" "Yes, please tell me where the Sun God''s weaknesses lie." "Ah, uh..." At that moment, the Sun God, who had been hanging limp with her wrists bound to a scabbard embedded in the wall, began to blush furiously. Why did she react like that again? I was worried about what to do if the personality of the Youngest Paladin emerged, but thankfully, it didn''t. "H-how did you... summon me?" "I beat your sister and made her faint." "You crazy bastard." What did she mean by crazy bastard? Did she look down on my rational judgment and the noble sacrifices of the Sun God? Suddenly, I felt white-hot anger surged through my body. - Slapp!! "Gyah!" - Crash...! "Keukkk!!" After delivering a powerful slap to her left cheek and kicking her stomach, I calmly took out a flask from my pocket as she lowered her head and began spewing dark energy. "Spit it all out. Yes, that''s it." "Cough... Gah..." "You''re neither the wicked Demon God nor the noble goddess anymore. Right now, you¡¯re just a dark mana dispenser that spits out dark mana when hit.¡± Eventually, I picked up her chin and filled the flask. ¡°I will come back after resolving the issues and begin the interrogation. So, make sure you have your answers in mind in advance.¡± "Ptoo." "Ohh..." When she spat at me with an arrogant gaze, I decided to make a rational judgment again. "Just a mere human dares to¨C Gyaah!" When a few drops of the white energy spewed by the Sun God were sprinkled on her shoulder, black smoke rose, and the Demon God began to tremble. Since I''m directly targeting the evil soul, there shouldn''t be any problems with the Youngest Paladin¡¯s body. "Kania, keep interrogating her until I return. And make sure to have some of that dark mana. It''s practically an elixir for you." "Yes, understood." With the first problem resolved, I left the room with a bright smile. ¡°I¡¯ll tear you to death. I¡¯ll definitely tear you to shreds... ugh...¡± "Do you think the Young Master is your friend?" "You wretched bitch! How dare you touch my hair... Wait a moment..." "Do you think I¡¯m your friend?" "Ugh..." Judging from the sounds, it seemed like everything went well. . . . . . On the top floor of the Imperial Palace, in the throne room... "Your Highness! Please reconsider!" "Do you really intend to bring a person like Frey into the palace?!" ¡°...¡± Seated on the throne, Clana looked down at everyone with a blank expression as her attendants and the ministers raised their voices in protest. "He''s completely insane. You never know what he¡¯ll do if he¡¯s let into the imperial palace!¡± "Are you planning to make him the Emperor Consort? That¡¯s absolutely unacceptable!" "Enough." As Clana, looking down at them, spoke in a low voice, the voices of the protesting ministers gradually quieted down. "Your Highness, may I offer some advice?" In the sudden silence that followed, a visitor who had visited her quietly spoke up. "After hunting, one should not discard the hunting dog, rather you should eat it." With these words and a gentle smile, the speaker was none other than the Archbishop of the Church. He was the third-highest-ranking member of the Church, following the Pope and the cardinals, and was the leader of the Church''s executive as an elder. "Ahem... We¡¯re in the middle of discussion with her highness, the Princess." "I understand it''s urgent, but please step aside for now. We are in the midst of a meeting." ¡°How dare an outside force interfere in state affairs...¡± At that sudden remark, all of the Princess''s attendants turned their icy gazes towards the Archbishop. "Your Highness, may I also speak?" The person who had been quietly observing the situation stepped forward and spoke. "Hafran, do you have advice for me as well?" "No, it''s more like a question." He, the head of her attendants, looked sharply at her as he spoke. "Can Your Highness control Frey?" As soon as he finished speaking, a chilling atmosphere settled in. "L-Lord Hafran?" "Why are you suddenly asking?" "Oh, this person..." Though the bewildered ministers tried to stop him, Hafran, unyielding, continued to look directly at Clana. "To be honest, I''m not sure if you can control him. After all, it was Frey who caused unnecessary conflict with the Church. We still don''t have the ability to engage in a full-scale war with the Church. So, him¨C" "I never knew." However, before he could finish his sentence, Clana interjected him with a cold expression. ¡°You are quite careless.¡± "Your Highness." Even so, Hafran persisted in his statement. "Don''t forget how you can sit on that throne." When Clana heard those words, her eyes began to flash eerily. ¡°...¡± The moment Hafran finished speaking and locked eyes with the Archbishop, a loud noise rang out. - Boom!!! "Why are you causing such a commotion?" Someone forcefully pushed open the door to the throne room and entered. "F-Frey..." "Y-You... When did you wake up?" ¡°Didn¡¯t they say it would take another week for him to wake up?¡± Then, the faces of the ministers suddenly turned pale. "This fucking pissed me off!" Observing them, Frey, once again, began to make rational /genesisforsaken Chapter 331: The Thieving Cat Chapter 331: The Thieving Cat "Is there anyone dissatisfied with me?" As Frey looked around, the ministers lowered their heads quietly. "Those who are dissatisfied with me, please bow your heads." When Frey, whose eyes lit up at the sight, said that, the sound of people raising their heads echoed throughout the throne room. "Strange, isn''t it? It seems like there''s not a single person dissatisfied." Frey frowned at the reactions of the ministers and wore a puzzled expression. "Then, what were the words I just heard a moment ago?" As soon as the words came out of his mouth, the surrounding atmosphere instantly turned cold. "Hmm... Keum." "Uhhmph, hmm." Awkward coughing echoed amidst the silence in the throne room. No matter how normal the nobles in the Princess Clana faction appeared, their sense of nobility remained. Therefore, even though he was the Duke''s eldest son, they couldn''t grasp how to treat Frey, who had now become a commoner. "Lord Frey." In such an awkward atmosphere, Hafran spoke to Frey, and everyone''s attention focused on him. ¡°Drawing a sword in the presence of Her Highness, the Imperial Princess, not only violates imperial etiquette but also constitutes outright treason, punishable by law.¡± After saying that, Hafran prostrated in front of Princess Clana and spoke. ¡°What is happening right now is tantamount to treason, Your Highness! If Frey draws his sword and attacks you right now, who could stop him!¡± "..." "Your Highness, now more than ever, you must establish the authority of the Imperial Family. You must sternly reprimand Frey!" After finishing his words, Hafran secretly smiled and muttered to himself. Of course, if that¡¯s possible. "What do you mean by ''of course, if that¡¯s possible''?" "...!" However, wearing the same smile, Frey lightly threaded towards Hafran, who was prostrating. "Wh-what are you saying..." "I can actually hear the sounds of people''s hearts, Lord Hafran." "D-don''t come any closer!" As Frey touched the sword on his waist, Hafran, looking perplexed, shouted while staring at the Archbishop. Already, a dark liquid was dripping around the sword as if it had cut someone. ¡°Princess Clana! Bringing weapons in front of the sacred throne is an insult to the imperial family and a crime of treason!¡± "This isn''t a weapon." "Wh-what?" "It''s just a scabbard." Thanks to that, Hafran, who had turned pale with surprise and was shouting in frustration, blankly looked at Frey as he drew the sword from his waist. "... It really is." Upon closer inspection, Frey was simply wearing a scabbard on his waist. It was just a misconception due to the unknown, murky liquid flowing around and Frey''s murderous intent.Yo?ur favorite stories at novelhall.com ¡°Why? Do you see me as a lunatic who storms into the palace with a sword? I¡¯m, after all, still the Princess¡¯ vassal. Even without a sword, this loyal vassal immediately came running to her aid as soon as I regained my consciousness. Isn¡¯t that in itself a statement of my loyalty?¡± "I-I see." "It doesn''t appear to be the same for you, though." "Pardon?" Hafran, who was slightly relieved upon hearing Frey''s next words, widened his eyes as Frey suddenly whispered in a cold voice. - Snap!! "Kuough!!" And in the next moment, Frey, gripping the scabbard like holding a bat, struck Hafran''s leg with all his might. "P-please..." "It''s okay, I won¡¯t kill you." Hafran stumbled and flailed to the ground. Seeing the approaching Frey, he reached out his hand and begged for his life. Frey just smiled. "I''ve never killed anyone while rebelling against the Imperial Family. If anything, you and the palace guards have killed more. I''m not a lunatic who kills anyone who makes a mistake.." "..." "But why are you asking to be spared? I''ll spare you anyway. But, of course, a few bones might be broken." "W-why are you doing this?" As the audience was overwhelmed by the killing intent emanating from Frey, Hafran clenched his fists as he realized that no one would help him. "Why in the world are you doing this!! In such a sacred place...!" ¡°First of all, you dare to talk disrespectfully to Princess Clana.¡± "Ack!" After striking Hafran¡¯s fist with the scabbard, Frey began to speak in a cold tone. " ¡®Don''t forget how you can sit on that throne¡¯? Have you never considered how that could be interpreted?" "Ah..." Hearing those words, Hafran expression faltered ¡°How dare a vassal, a mere subordinate, overstep their authority? It could be interpreted as an attempt to keep the imperial authority in check or raise doubts about the legitimacy of the rebellion that occurred a few days ago. Moreover, you also go as far as questioning the Princess'' childhood history." Frey spat out words in rapid fire. "The Princess ascended to this position solely through her efforts. It''s not something a lowly person like you could carelessly talk about." "I-I u-understand. I was wrong. So please stop..." "And you are a spy, right?" "...!" Hafran, who had dropped his confident demeanor to humbly plead with Frey, widened his eyes and flinched upon hearing those words. ¡°You¡¯re a spy planted by the Church, right?¡± "Wha-what nonsense! This is an unjust accusation! Keuaaargh!" "You purposefully undermine the Princess¡¯ power while elevating the power of the founding contributors, while simultaneously trying to restrain or expel me. That must have been your goal." "Ugggeugh..." Frey pressed his scabbard against Hafran¡¯s foot, he then interrogated him further. "You tried to incite your vassals to kill me when I was unconscious, didn''t you? And now you''re thinking, ''How could you have known?'' You''re a scoundrel who doesn''t even appreciate the mercy I''ve shown you." "W-wait a moment." "You must be the evil of the century that the Princess so desperately wooed with her fine body. How many times have you frolicked that wicked heretic, you filthy wench?" "Ne-go-ti-a-tion!!" Observing Frey with a composed expression, the Archbishop secretly shook his arm and muttered. "I don¡¯t know what you did to gain that kind of power, but no matter how strong your power is, even the strongest force will crumble lifelessly under the excommunication declaration of His Holiness the Pope." - Woooong... "And on the day I receive power directly from the ''True Sun,'' you won''t stand a chance¨C" - Crassssh!!! "Huh?" However, Frey''s scabbard cleaved through his shield as if cutting through butter. "Keheeeugh...!" ¡°Why do so many people not realize they''re about to get fucked until right before it happens? Is it because they often find themselves in positions of power?"" Eventually, Frey¡¯s scabbard struck the Archbishop¡¯s face, shattering his teeth, causing the Archbishop to stagger backward. "Did you think the Imperial Family would kneel before the likes of you?" -Smack! Smack! "This is a declaration of war; the Church has crossed the line too far." -Smack! Boom!!! "Y-you fool! Once the excommunication declaration is over..." As Frey brandished his scabbard with a gleeful expression, the Archbishop, barely deflecting the blows with his hands pressed against his injured mouth, retorted with a voice thick with anger and frustration as he was pushed backward. ¡°For days, you¡¯ve been yapping about excommunication this, excommunication that. Where the hell do you think you''ll declare it, huh?¡± "What?" "I have severed your sacred site. Don¡¯t you need that place in order to declare excommunication?" As Frey chuckled at his statement, the Archbishop began to respond with a furious expression. "Yes, it will take some time since we''ve lost the sacred site. However, we can still make the declaration within a week. With the faith of believers and executives spread across the world, it should suffice, even without making the declaration on the sacred site..." "A week?" Frey, who attacked the Archbishop using his scabbard, tilts his head with a bright smile. "Not one day, not three days, but a whole week?" Then, with a chilling voice, he uttered that one word. - Archbishop, we have a big problem! "...?¡± At that moment, in the Archbishop''s mind, communications from executives and priests scattered throughout the region began to come in. - The West Continent branch is under a massive air raid! - Terrorists have attacked the Cathedral in the Eastern Continent branch! No casualties, but all holy relics and the cathedral have been destroyed! - The remaining church branches in the Empire are under simultaneous attack! We may need to evacuate! - Former Vice Commander and priests who participated in the ritual are missing... - All of our hideouts are blocked with dirt and stone! As the Archbishop began to stumble due to the numerous communications echoing in his head, Frey looked at him and muttered in a low voice. "Will the Church still exist on the map a week from now?" "You..." "This is just the beginning. I will personally eradicate the Sun God Church from this world without leaving a trace. My friend, the Sun God, has sanctioned it." "...Keugh." Frey swung his scabbard violently, the Archbishop, who vomited blood despite blocking it with his shield, stopped walking and looked behind him. "Ehmmm...!" A wall blocked his path behind him, leaving no space for retreat. "Huaha, huahaha! Huahahaha!!" ¡°At this point, I¡¯m getting tired of people laughing when they are about to lose. How about shedding tears instead? I believe that would be somewhat novel.¡± "Do you think you can win, Frey? Do you really think you''ll win like this?" Frey, casting a pitiful look at the Archbishop who began to advance unexpectedly, listened with mild interest to his words. "Isn¡¯t the Princess really such close friends with the Saintess?" Then, his gaze widened. "And she is also someone important to you, too, Frey." "Oh." "Who do you think have the Saintess, who was missing from the academy a few days ago?" "...Fucked." "It would be a shame to lose the Saintess'' life, so you better handle this well." The Archbishop, who spoke like that, flashed a sly smile upon seeing Frey¡¯s serious expression. "...It¡¯s not us who are fucked." "What?" However, Frey slowly opened his mouth as he gazed at the Archbishop. "You guys are seriously fucking screwed." With a genuinely sad expression, he whispered those words. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment. "Excuse me, what did you just say?" Kania, who had been using her favorite dagger in the basement to snatch and absorb the Demon God¡¯s dark mana, was now asking while tilting her head. "D-Don''t act like you don''t know!" As the Demon God stared at Kania, she shrieked. ¡°How can a lowly bitch like you possess my divinity!¡± "...What?" "When on earth did you steal it!!!" Unable to comprehend those words, Kania just silently tilted her /genesisforsaken Chapter 332: Dating Violence Chapter 332: Dating Violence "What do you mean by I possess your divinity?" "Keeeugh..." "I''ll ask again. What do you mean by I possess your divinity?" "Uuuuh..." As Kania''s dagger dug into the Demon God''s body, she twisted in pain and let out a groan. "If you resist, you will only suffer. Think about it." "Aaah, uuuh..." Nevertheless, Kania ruthlessly continued to use the dagger to torture the Demon God''s body. As a warlock, she had done worse things in the previous cycle. Even though she was a goddess, extracting information from a dignified woman who had never been hit, let alone tortured before, was a piece of cake. "M-my power... I can feel it from you..." After a little more time passed, the Demon God opened her mouth with an exhausted expression. "Why? When exactly did you take away my power? There must be a reason why I''ve been getting weaker day by day." "I took your powers away?" "Stop playing innocent, you psycho bitch." The Demon God, who shouted in rage, mumbled while trembling. "Frey and those crazy girls are all insane... Especially Serena, that bitch..." "So, I haven¡¯t performed as well as Ms. Serena? I apologize. I will strive harder." "W-wait, that''s not... Kyaaaack!" And in the next moment, Kania''s dagger pierced her side. ¡°It¡¯s really convenient because you don¡¯t have to worry about excessive bleeding or scarring.¡± "Gu!" - Crunch, crunch... The dagger penetrated the paladin''s body without leaving a single wound, as if piercing water, and continued to strike the Demon God¡¯s soul. Then, the Demon God¡¯s eyes eventually rolled back and started to dark energy from her mouth. "Is this your divinity?" Kania was staring at the dark energy contained in the flasks lined up on the desk behind her. Then she swiped the energy flowing from the Demon God¡¯s mouth with her finger and asked with a sneer. "I have always thought that it wasn''t ordinary dark mana. I''ve never felt such pure energy before. It felt like I was handling the undiluted version of dark mana." ¡°For a mere lowlife, you are quite talented, aren¡¯t you? But that¡¯s not my divinity; It¡¯s just the source of my power.¡± After responding with an arrogant expression, the Demon God continued speaking. "That is the true origin of all dark mana, the essence of every warlock''s power." "I see." "Nevertheless, you adapt to that power quite well. You even deluded me into thinking you stole my divinity. As expected, you''re quite something." Hearing this, Kania looked at the flasks with an even more intrigued expression. "I''ve felt this power somewhere before..." Despite pretending otherwise, it turns out she is no different from other warlocks. She, too, is unconsciously drawn to power. As the Demon God saw Kania shaking the flasks with interest, she secretly wore a content smile. However, did she think someone as lowly as her could control that power For now, even though her situation looked rather pitiful right now, she was still a goddess and a transcendent being. Furthermore, she was the sovereign and overseer of all warlocks. Of course, Kania was an exception for some reason, but if she used her essence, the story would change It appears her downfall is imminent, given her increasing interest in that power. If she consumes the power in that flask, her demise will hasten. Like any other god, Eclipse was the Demon God who received the faith of warlocks and bestowed them a power called ¡®dark mana.¡¯ No matter how skilled Kania was as a warlock, there was no way she could handle the essence of dark mana that the Demon God could manipulate. ¡°H-How annoying. To end up spending the rest of my life replenishing your strength..." That¡¯s right, keep eating it without understanding its nature. Keep stealing from me without knowing that it will lead to your downfall, you thieving cat bitch. Thus, pretending to be vexed, the Demon God resolved to urge Kania to consume her power. Such a foolish brat who knows nothing eagerly coveted power without knowing her place. She would wait until Kania fell into corruption. After that, she planned to make Kania her subordinate and ravage her to her heart''s content. - Srk... "Somehow, it seems similar to this power." "...!!!"" However, in the next moment, the Demon God could not help but make a shocked expression. "Th-th-that''s..." "Hm?" Isn¡¯t that my, my divinity?!!! A black sphere the size of a ball floated above Kania''s hand. It was undeniably her own essence, her very own divinity. However, how in the world did Kania end up having that? She never gave something like that to her... "Uh." Only then did the Demon God realize that her own essence, the one containing her divinity, had disappeared from her body, and her face soon turned pale. At this rate, becoming a mere mortal was just a matter of time. No, that wasn''t the problem; it was clear that there would be retribution from ¡®that being¡¯. "Have you ever attacked the Young Master?" "Wh-what, what?" The Demon God, who had been wearing a pale expression, suddenly snapped back to her senses at Kania''s question. "The damage that the Young Master experienced would be redirected to me. This energy came into my possession during the vacation a few months ago. So, I ask you again, have you ever attacked the Young Master?" "Fuck." Only then did the Demon God realize what had happened. She still remembered that disgraceful day¡ªthe day when she first descended upon this body, attacked Frey, and was forced to retreat due to his retaliation. That day, she had directly attacked Frey, considering that the pressure from ''that being'' might affect her divinity. Could it be that there was a problem with the divinity back then? At that time, when her power was already insufficient, she had poured all her strength into Frey. What if her divinity was harmed because of that? Frey looked at the frightened ministers, smiling brightly. "From today, we''re at war with the Church." Leaving this statement, Frey headed towards the exit with a cheerful expression. "So, stop the pointless infighting before we¡¯re attacked and focus on strategy meetings instead." As he spoke, the tension on the faces of the ministers slowly began to ease. - Step, step... "Alright, with that, we''ve solved three problems in one go..." Frey, who had solved three of the four problems blocking Clana¡¯s coronation at once, muttered as he walked down the corridors of the imperial palace. "Now, only the last problem remains..." Suddenly, Frey stopped in his tracks. >Hero! How are you~! The familiar Moonlight-color Chat window appeared in front of his eyes. >Today, I hunted some strange(?) demonic monsters on the Eastern Continent! Ms. Lunar said they were goblins? Elders or something... "Goblins? Lunar?¡± Frey tilted his head when he saw the attached picture in the chat window. Then his eyes widened as he read the text below. Anyway, I caught them and earned some points! Please don''t spend them recklessly like last time; you need to save them! "...Now I have enough." Making a quick and rational judgment, Frey immediately opened the special ability panel and started running towards the guest room. . . . . . "Crunch, crunch..." Meanwhile, in the Imperial guest room. "Ms. Ruby, it''s okay. You still have us." ¡°Since we have come to make an official complaint, even Frey will not be able to touch the Hero carelessly.¡± Ruby, who entered the guest room with the Hero Party, quietly bit her nails as she looked at the system window in front of her. [Special Ability Shop - Demon King Ver] "Should I just... go all out? " Finally, after muttering like that, Ruby raised her hand. No, right now, my points are at rock bottom. For some reason, the point supply is cut off now, and purchasing something like this might lead to a catastrophe. The skill Frey purchased a while back, ''Remove the Rank Badge and Fight,'' and the recently added¡®Ultimate Move Permit¡¯. As Ruby reached for those two skills and muttered to herself, she lowered her hand. "Hero..." "What should we do... Ever since that day, whenever she¡¯s alone, she always acts like this..." "Shh, she must have been in great shock.¡± These fucking kids... Ruby, quietly grinding her teeth, started muttering to herself as the students looked at her with pitying gazes. It doesn''t matter, even if I didn¡¯t use these skills. Today, I will take revenge to my heart¡¯s content. Frey. The exact moment when she thought that and kindled the fire within her... - Creak... "Hello, Hero." As the door to the guest room opened, Frey appeared. "Hero, we will handle..." "Lord Frey." Seeing him, Ruby stepped forward, bypassing the students in front of her. "As the representative of the Hero Party and the Academy, I have come to greet the new Imperial Ruler." - You should think carefully, Frey. With gleaming eyes, she began to send a mental transmission to Frey. - If I don''t stand by the Princess''s side, do you think the public will follow her? I am the only Hero in this world. You overlooked that. It¡¯s truly a foolish act. "..." - Today, you¡¯re going to be my toy. Otherwise, I won''t stand by the Princess''s side. As Frey blinked at those words, Ruby touched his clothes with a creepy expression. "How about we go on a little date?" - I¡¯ll break you, Frey. When she whispered that, revealing her smiling eyes... "Ms. Ruby." Suddenly, Frey looked at her tenderly and grabbed the edge of her clothes. "I love you.¡± "What?" Then, Frey leaned towards her ear and softly whispered. "Actually, I''ve liked you for a long time." "...???" Startled by this sudden confession, Ruby stared at Frey with a dumbfounded expression. "So..." Looking at her like that, Frey muttered to himself in a low voice. "...From now on, everything I do is a way to express my affection for you." "What did you say?" Satisfied with his rational judgment, Frey held onto Ruby''s arm. "Have you ever heard of the term ''dating violence''?" "You crazy bastard." In response to that, Ruby unconsciously let out a /genesisforsaken Chapter 333: The Violence of Love Chapter 333: The Violence of Love - Ssk... Frey gently caressed Ruby''s neck. "Why, aren¡¯t you asking me out on a date?" "..." Then, Frey spoke to Ruby with a tender voice while buttoning up her undone buttons. This left Ruby in a cold sweat as she tried to back away, but when she realized that there was nowhere she could run by going backward, she turned her gaze to Frey. What is this crazy bastard trying to do this time? How could he confess in front of the Hero Party and academy students? Moreover, what was the meaning of his gentle attitude and touch? "What are you up to, Frey?" Looking at him slowly buttoning up her buttons, Ruby asked with a strange expression. "What scheme are you hatching this time? What''s with the words earlier, and what does ''dating violence'' mean?" Frey had gone insane not long ago. It was not the kind of corruption she had hoped for; instead, he had become more like a lunatic. He had descended into madness to such an extent that no one could deny the sheer level of insanity he displayed. However, there was always an eerily sharp edge to his madness. It was impossible to predict whether it was within Frey''s calculation or if the madness exceeded its limits, making him appear more rational. Anyway, there must be a reason for him to do such things. So, before it was too late, she had to figure out his scheme. Otherwise, she felt like she would be swept away by this crazy bastard¡¯s madness again, just like before. You¡¯re not the only one who can use the system. Therefore, Ruby decided to use her mind-reading skills to delve into Frey''s emotions. "Huh?" However, as Ruby opened the system window, she froze, staring into space. "W-what is it?" "What do you mean by what is it? I told you that I love you." Frey, gazing at Ruby affectionately, stroked her chin before leaning in. - Chu. And the sound of their lips meeting could be heard. "Ub? Ebeub..." "...!?" Ruby, taken aback by Frey''s sudden kiss, widened her eyes and froze in place while the students behind her were shocked. - Smooch... Does he... really love me? Ruby involuntarily allowed Frey¡¯s tongue into her mouth. Still, she was bewildered by the sudden turn of events. "I really, really love you, Hero." Seeing her reaction, Frey whispered while smiling at her. - Chu, Chuuuu. "S-Stop it." - Smooch. "Y-You crazy bastard!" As Frey kissed her neck passionately and licked it slightly with his tongue, Ruby trembled and mumbled to herself. Is he really corrupted this time? - Smooch... "Th-That place..." Ruby''s cheeks started to flush a bit. In reality, she had never experienced such affectionate gestures from the opposite sex. In a way, it was natural because she was completely ignorant of things like romance and innocent love, and only ever pursued pleasure. - Thump, thump... In the end, she was still a woman. "St-Stop it..." Ruby, who had been exposed to unfamiliar sensations due to Frey''s affection, was startled and unknowingly took a step back when her chest began to tingle. "Ms. Ruby." However, Frey was unfazed and followed her, taking a step forward. "Please go out with me." As Frey gently held her hand and whispered in a low voice, a silence began to settle around them. "...Uh, um." Ruby was momentarily confused, unable to grasp the situation. After rolling her eyes, she closed them and began organizing the current situation. Somehow, for some reason, this crazy bastard suddenly started liking me. Certainly, the emotion Frey currently harbored for her, which she discerned with her mind-reading skill, was ¡®love¡¯. She checked repeatedly, wondering whether he harbored even a subtle hint of lust towards her. Surprisingly, the emotion that was entirely absent before seemed to have surfaced. ...This is an opportunity. As soon as she realized that, Ruby''s mind began cooling down. This is my last chance to truly corrupt him. She didn¡¯t know why this crazy bastard suddenly started liking her. Perhaps, due to the recent madness he developed, his brain malfunctioned, making him like her. Or maybe, for some reason, the Demon God, who had been out of touch lately, had done something to influence him. However, what¡¯s important was that the emotion Ruby had been craving for so long had finally manifested in Frey. I can¡¯t miss this golden opportunity to corrupt him. Then, I will turn him into my servant and bring the end of the world. Regardless of how a hero like Frey fell in love with her, there couldn''t be a more perfect opportunity to corrupt him. She had been rather anxious due to Frey¡¯s unpredictable behavior, loss of contact with the Demon God, and the accumulating damage on her body. If she could corrupt Frey, she could bring an end to everything. Moreover, corrupting Frey was also one of her deepest desires. Ever since she tasted Frey, Ruby had desired him almost as much as the world¡¯s destruction. "Alright, I agree." After making that decision, Ruby smiled shyly and agreed to his proposal, causing the audience to freeze. "He...ro...?" "I-it¡¯s a lie, right?" "D-did something happen to her head??" The students started muttering with astonished expressions. "What... is this situation? Could it be a part of the Hero¡¯s strategy?" "There''s a strong chance that this is a high-level mind game. Let''s observe the situation for now." "..." Eurelia analyzed the situation with a stiff look, and Vener responded to her. Even Roswyn, who was quietly jotting something down in her notebook, suddenly flinched, and her eyes turned lifeless. In short, it was a total disaster. "Did you all hear that, Everyone?" Amidst the chaos, Frey held Ruby in his arms and gazed at her with a loving gaze. Then he looked around and addressed the other students. ¡°Now I would like to talk alone with my girlfriend. Would you mind leaving?¡± "..."Th.e? most uptod/ate novels a/re published on n(0)velbj)n(.)c/o/m At that remark, everyone looked at Frey with weirded-out expressions. Just a few days ago, Frey almost beat Ruby to the brink of death, but now he has somehow confessed his love for her. Furthermore, they couldn¡¯t understand why Ruby suddenly accepted his confession with a smile. Everything seemed strange. "W-Well then..." "..." The more they pondered it, the deeper they sank into a strange feeling. People eventually ditched the idea of delving into that thought and began leaving the guest room one by one. "We¡¯ll go outside for now. Hero, If you feel like you¡¯re in danger, shout immediately." "..." With Vener and Roswyn, who lowered her head deeply, finally leaving the guest room, only Frey and Ruby remained inside. "Ms. Ruby." "Hmmm..." The moment they were left alone, Ruby crooked her head, rubbed her chin with her hand, and wore a greedy expression. As Frey stood up and approached her slowly, she responded with a content smile, gazing into his eyes. - Smooch... The next moment, Frey''s tongue entered her mouth again. - Srk... To prevent Frey from escaping, Ruby carefully wrapped her tail around his waist. She then entwined her tongue with his, and the corners of her mouth raised in a smirk. I¡¯ll corrupt you like this, Frey. If her saliva were to enter Frey''s body entirely, and if he stayed in that state for a few minutes without vomiting like last time, Frey would finally be completely corrupted this time. Not as a lunatic or a madman but as her complete servant. First, I need to bring him back to his senses and then inform him of what he has done. - Gulp... It will be so much fun. Ruby, who had become quite excited, mumbled to herself inwardly. But... what was that earlier? Suddenly, she furrowed her brow in confusion as she contemplated that. There were clearly broken letters next to the emotion of love...¡¯ However, at that moment... - Chomp!! "...Ebeub!?" Frey, who was passionately kissing her, suddenly bit her lips with a gleam in his eyes. - Chomp, Chomp... "Ah, agh... I-it hurts!!" As a result, Ruby pushed Frey away with a scream. He quietly licked the blood smeared on his own lips. "Wh-What are you doing..." - Slap!!! As Ruby was about to shout at him with a glare, her head violently turned to the side, followed by the sound of a slap. "Ah, it hurts." However, when Frey shot her a cold glance, Ruby tightly closed her eyes before responding and started to move. - Step, step... Just like that, the two began to walk away, leaving behind the defeated students. - Swoosh...! "Huh? What...?" Then, Frey suddenly grabbed Ruby and pulled her to the opposite side of the empty corridor, causing her to widen her eyes in surprise as she was dragged away. "Ruby." "What again this time...? You crazy bastard." Ruby furrowed her brow when she was pushed against the wall. She questioned Frey as he leaned in... - Thud...! "Uggh...!" Frey''s fist struck Ruby''s lower abdomen with full force. "Uek, ueeeekk..." "That¡¯s right, good girl..." Ruby unwittingly buried her face in Frey¡¯s shoulder as her body folded at a 90-degree angle. Frey gently comforted her by stroking and patting her back as she drooled on his shoulder. "W-why are you doing this?" Frey¡¯s fist was buried against Ruby¡¯s stomach for a long time, causing her to spit out saliva. Frey replied with a cold smile, "Because I was jealous." "What...?" "You looked into another man''s eyes and held their hands, didn''t you? I was so jealous." "Th-then, isn''t this violence...?" Ruby asked weakly as Frey twisted his fist left and right, causing another wave of pain to course through Ruby¡¯s body. However, he replied while tilting his head. "No, it''s an act of affection.¡± "What do you..." ¡°I¡¯m just acting cute to let you experience a bit of the jealousy I felt. Do I have to explain each time I act cute? Aren''t you being too indifferent?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve truly gone crazy, this...¡± Frey explained his action and turned his head with a slight pout on his mouth. Ruby, with tears in her eyes, trembled as she spoke. "The system could easily block it at its discretion... Last time, the Sun God blocked my acts of affection, didn''t she? But why isn''t this bastard''s attack being blocked?" "I think I know the reason for that." "Heuugh...!" Ruby gasped when Frey slightly lifted his fist. Seeing that, Frey grinned and leaned closer to her ear. ¡°I''ve been keeping a firm grip on the Demon God lately. So, wouldn''t it be reasonable to say that she has no way to make a judgment?¡± "What... did you say?" "But, what''s so unfair about it?" After saying that, Frey moved his head and stared intensely into Ruby¡¯s eyes, beginning to question coldly. "Why don''t you understand my love? I understand yours, so why don¡¯t you understand mine? Do you really hate me?" "I-I like." "I know right? You like me too, Ruby?" "Y-yeah. I like you too. So... Kyeheug!!" "I love you, Ruby." Then, as he jammed his fist into Ruby''s stomach again, Frey whispered. "Let''s continue to be affectionate in the future." I have to figure out why this bastard suddenly started liking me. As soon as possible. Ruby forced a smile as she stared at him and murmured to herself, breaking into a cold sweat. If it''s a brain abnormality due to mental derangement, there''s no hope, but... Wait, could it be? Then, suddenly, she opened her eyes wide. Did he use that skill on himself? She shook her head frantically. B-but... that''s impossible. "Ruby?" If he buys the skill that is at the top of the skill list, even if he has accumulated a lot of points, it will immediately go into the negatives... "Let''s go now." "Ugh." Then, led by Frey''s rough hands, she began to walk down the corridors of the Imperial Palace in her miserable appearance. "M-Ms. Ruby...!" "Hero..." Darn it, darn it! She cursed in her mind because of the gazes filled with pity from the Hero Party, students, and the palace maids... "Hauuut!?" Suddenly, Ruby convulsed and rolled her eyes. She collapsed to the ground, clutching her chest. "Y-you..." "It''s a prank that couples always do in public places. Why are you like this?" Frey had momentarily triggered the stellar mana embedded in her heart. Although it was brief, the tingling pain that spread throughout her body was enough to paralyze her. "Let''s go, Ruby." "...Ut, Ugeut. eehiiikk." Thus, after making Ruby follow behind him, Frey regularly triggered the stellar mana. "Wait a moment, Frey. Th-this is... hauh-uh..." "We''re almost there. It¡¯s ahead of us now." She trudged along behind Frey, half out of her mind, feeling her whole body go limp under the pitying stares and sympathetic glances. "I''ll kill him... I''ll definitely, definitely kill him..." Ruby gnashed her teeth and muttered under her breath. "We''ve arrived, Ruby." "Where? Arrived where... Haeub." Without warning, Frey¡¯s tongue forcefully invaded her mouth, and she could do nothing but helplessly accept the intrusion. - Smooch, smooch... Thus, the sound of mingling tongues began to be heard for a while. "Ummmm..." "Puhat." In the moment when Ruby twitched from Frey''s persistent and skillful teasing, he pulled his tongue away from her mouth, letting a long strand of saliva form. "..." Then, silence followed. "...Ah." Ruby, who had come to her senses and looked around in the prolonged and eerie silence. Seeing where they were, she soon let out a helpless gasp. "..." Clana, who was sitting on the throne, and Kania, Irina, and Serena standing beside her, stared at her with incredulous expressions. "I''ve decided to date Ruby from today on!" As Frey cheerfully shouted, the eyes of these girls, which had been changing colors for five seconds, now were directed towards Ruby simultaneously. "...¡± - Kugugugugu... Hearing Frey¡¯s word, Clana began to coldly glare at Ruby as her Sovereign Aura flared around wildly. Even in the silence, Ruby could infer the unspoken word of the ruler, who would do anything to kill her from now on. "What kind of curse is this...?" Kania emitted a dark energy from her entire body, her eyes glowing black. Somehow, Ruby could feel the power of a transcendent being emanating faintly from her. "If she got caught by Frey... that fucking bitch must have done it, right?" Irina¡¯s cold gaze as she glared at Ruby starkly contrasted with the unbearable heat that scorched her surroundings. For some reason, Ruby could feel some illusive aura from her. "Don¡¯t worry, I''ll look for a solution. By the way..." Finally, Serena muttered coldly and looked at Ruby with a bone-chilling expression. "...Is this a declaration of war against us?" As she spoke and caressed her lower abdomen, an incredibly menacing force flowed from her, matching the aura of the other girls. "So, tomorrow, I''ll subjugate the Church with Ruby!" Unfazed by the situation, Frey shouted brightly while petting Ruby¡¯s hair. "Fu...ck..." "Gu." Behind Ruby, who tightly closed her eyes, Gugu, who had been making a foolish expression, was flying away somewhere. . . . . . Meanwhile, at the Academy basement. "Keuugh..." "P-Please spare me..." "Ah... seriously." Ferloche, who had been sipping wine with white-glowing eyes in the basement for a break from interrogating her attackers, twisted one eyebrow when receiving the message from Gugu. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a slut who doesn''t even know her place." "P-Please spare me... Gahhhh..." "...Talking about sandbags." Eventually, Ferloche stood up from her seat. "I''m feeling vexed now, so let''s destroy the /genesisforsaken Chapter 334: A Silent Infiltration Chapter 334: A Silent Infiltration "Hmm-hmm~?" "..." Frey walked through the palace corridors, his expression brimming with excitement. Ruby silently trailed behind him, with her head bowed. "How was last night, Ruby? It was your first night, wasn¡¯t it?" "Uh, well... It was good. Very good." "Really? That''s a relief."T/his chapter is updat/ed by Frey, who initiated the conversation with Ruby, turned his head with a relieved expression at her answer. Good? What''s good about this... Ruby, casting a sidelong glance at him, felt a burning sensation inside and gritted her teeth. I endured all sorts of crazy things all night. Where¡¯s the good part, you lunatic bastard? After becoming lovers with Frey yesterday, Ruby found herself unable to follow the plans she had originally intended, and instead she was harassed by Frey until night. Of course, just because it was night didn''t mean the torment stopped. The image of him sitting beside her bed all night, watching her as she tried to fall asleep, was still vivid in her mind. From an outsider''s perspective, it might seem cute at first. Frey, who spent the night gazing intently at his beloved, sitting curled up like a cat, actually looked quite adorable. However, from Ruby''s perspective, it was nothing but a chilling experience. Whenever she tried to fall asleep, he would trigger the stellar mana embedded in her heart, causing it to surge. When she woke up screaming, he would grin and murmur. ¡°Sorry, you look adorable when you''re trying to sleep.¡± ¡°T-then why did you wake me up and do that...? ¡°Because I want to keep watching you fall asleep?¡± "Fuck." There was no way it didn¡¯t give her the chills. She wanted to sleep peacefully by holding the broken and battered Frey, like a broken doll. Instead, what she got was nightly torment from a cursed doll. "Young master, are you leaving?" Walking with a scowl, Ruby, who was being held by Frey, quietly lifted her head at the sound coming from ahead Damn. Kania, Irina, and Serena were leaning at the exit of the Imperial Palace with twisted expressions, glaring at her. "Yep! I¡¯m going to subjugate the Church with Ruby!" ¡°How long will you be gone?¡± "A week!" After hearing Frey''s cheerful answer, the girls'' expressions became even more distorted. Seeing the girl¡¯s expression, Frey simply tilted his head while still wearing that cheerful expression, but Ruby¡¯s mind was on the verge of collapsing "By the way, what hurt so much that you asked him to be gentle because ''it hurts''?" "I could hear the moaning all night long." These girls probably think Frey and her had a passionate night last night. It''s not like what you guys think. Instead, she had only received torture from Frey all night long, especially with that stellar mana embedded in her heart. How about you help me out instead of just glaring at me! Please! Ruby was hoping that these girls were here to prevent her and Frey from going out of this place. Spending the entire week alone with the lunatic Frey? Isn''t it obvious what would happen to her? "...For now, we need to step back. Ruby is in charge for now." However, that voice completely shattered Ruby''s heart and mind. "If we act rashly, we don''t know what Ruby might do to Frey. So, let''s leave them alone for now." Serena covered her face with a fan and concluded with a discerning look in her eyes. "It''s not that... Ugeuk." Ruby, whose terrible mood had become even worse thanks to that, tried to say something. However, before she could say anything, Frey stomped on her foot and stimulated the mana in her heart. ¡°Of course, that doesn''t mean we will remain passive, we¡¯ll do what we can. It¡¯s fine as long as we refrain from launching a direct attack, right? "...!" "There are plenty of ways to drive someone insane without directly attacking,you know?" That bitch clearly was my servant... Ruby went outside with Frey in a cold sweat. When she heard Serena''s chilling words, she looked flustered and started muttering quietly to herself. - Wink. "...?" However, at that moment, Serena gave her a vague wink. "Hoo..." Upon seeing her acting like that, a gentle smile began to appear on Ruby''s lips. . . . . . "Ehmhmmm, Frey. So, where are you going? Are you planning to completely destroy those bastards from the Church? Yes, if that''s the case, I''m willing to help..." As Ruby exited the Imperial Palace, smiling as if she had a hidden agenda, she turned toward Frey and struck up a conversation. - Smooch... "...Eubeub." However, Frey''s tongue invaded her mouth before she could finish her words. ...Why is he so skilled at this? To her great annoyance, he kissed her sweetly. - Thump, thump... Again...? Ruby, embracing Frey outside the Imperial Palace, became restless. She pushed him away and took a step back as her heart started pounding again. "What¡¯s wrong, Ruby?" Suddenly, Frey spoke with a sad expression. "Do you hate me?" "...?" Ruby cowered as she thought he was going to kick her stomach. Instead, she looked puzzled when she saw his sad expression. "I... I want to be loved by you, Ruby." "Why are you acting like this again, you crazy bastard?" "I love you..." Frey ignored the annoyance in Ruby¡¯s eyes and grabbed her hand, his expression resembling that of a kicked puppy. "...Only you." Then, he raised the corner of his mouth so slightly that only she could see it. "What is it this time... Oh." Seeing his expression, Ruby looked around anxiously, but she eventually froze in place. "..." Isolet and Lulu, who were standing in front of the carriage, glared at her with hostility. "Frey, I''ll go with you too..." "Master, I''ll accompany..." "This time, I''ll go out with Ruby only!" Although they were speaking with deliberate, calm voices, with Frey''s cheerful exclamation, they ultimately failed to maintain their composure and started glaring at Ruby again. After their recent passionate night with Frey, there had been a strange mutual restraint between the two, but now, their intentions were oddly in perfect alignment. "...Hoo." "Oh, Ruby. Have you seen this?" "What?" Ruby, who was resignedly lowering her head, frowned when Frey took something out from his pocket and handed it to her. "This crazy..." After a while, her eyes widened significantly. - Frey & Ruby, love affair! Will the forbidden love set the empire ablaze? - The Hero Party is currently investigating the truth. Detailed announcement to follow. - A complete analysis of the actions of the Hero and Frey so far. "Kkeuuuu..." Suddenly, Serena''s earlier words began to echo in Ruby''s mind as her blood pressure rose, causing her to stumble. - There are many ways to drive someone insane without attacking them, right? "These bitches are fucking crazy, damn it." That statement was true. The amount of damage those girls would inflict on her would be on par with the physical harm Frey had caused her. This crazy bitch claims to have a perfect plan to resolve the situation. Where is the perfect plan in all this? Wasn''t it Serena who, until recently, insisted on trusting only herself? It seemed like she needed to review the contract she had with her once again. If not, maybe check the state of her mind. For some reason, those around Frey seemed to be gradually becoming more like Frey. "Frey, you bastard." "...What''s so urgent?" The gatekeeper, suspicious of her behavior and the helmet she was wearing, squinted his eyes and asked. "Sorry, but could you take off your helmet?" Upon hearing those words, the knight slowly tilted her head to the side. "...P-please. If I don''t check, it will be difficult for me." The gatekeeper began to break into a cold sweat at that strange yet cold demeanor. - Rattle... "I-if you keep this up, I will ring the bell." Unfazed, the knight attempted to push past the guard, but he shouted loudly and pressed his hand on the button on the wall. "Sigh." Watching him intently, the knight approached the gatekeeper after sighing. - Srrk... Eventually, the knight began to slowly lift the helmet she had been wearing. "You should have done it earlier. Sometimes it¡¯s hard to understand your personality, Vice Commander... Huh?" Observing the knight, the grumbling gatekeeper suddenly widened his eyes. "Huh? Uh-uh-huh?" A few seconds later, the gatekeeper with a pale expression began to reach for the button behind him. "E-emergency...!" - Crash!! However, before his hand could touch the button, the knight''s helmet struck the gatekeeper''s head. - Ssk... The knight, observing the gatekeeper collapsed with foam in his mouth, slowly grabbed his leg and proceeded to drag him out of the cave. - Crack...! "Keeeuuu...!" Soon, a faint groaning sound could be heard from somewhere. "...Wow!" As the groaning sound ceased, the knight who had brought the woman with the bag over her head into the cave raised both arms above her head and shouted with joy. "Infiltration successful!" "Guu~!" And along with that sound, there came the foolish cooing of a pigeon from within her armor. "This is so much fun! It¡¯s so thrilling!" "Gugu!" "This isn''t infiltration? What are you talking about? There is no infiltration as perfect as this!" "Gu..." "You think so too, right?!" Continuing the conversation with the cooing sound, the knight looked back at the woman following her and whispered in a quiet voice. "...Vice Commander?" "Eub... eub..." "How could you make such a loud noise? Infiltration requires secrecy to succeed!" When the woman made a sobbing sound, the knight shouted and began to grab and drag her forward. "If we get caught like this... Ah." Then, she suddenly stopped in her tracks and let out a dazed sound. "..." The soldiers gathered inside the entrance were staring at her blankly. It seemed like they had been observing everything she had done so far. "Gu! Gu Gu!!" "Ouch, ouch. It hurts!" The knight, who was staring blankly at the scene, grabbed her abdomen, which was pecked by the pigeon, and mumbled with a feigned hurt voice. "But it¡¯s been a long time since the last time I destroyed the Church. We did that almost at the beginning... " "Gu!" "Oh well, it doesn''t matter anyway, right?" Then, she looked around at the knights who had begun to approach her with a grim expression, and whispered in a cold voice. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s still an infiltration as long as there are no witnesses, right?¡± A few minutes later. - Booommm!!! "Keeeeuoook!!!" With a sound like a bomb exploding, one soldier was thrown backward and got stuck on the cave wall. - Kugugugugu... Immediately after that, the cave began to rumble loudly as if there was an earthquake. ¡°Infil? tration!¡± "Gu." "...Ah." The knight who was about to head into the cave with an excited expression stopped as she heard the pigeon''s voice. "That¡¯s right! The highlight of infiltration is interrogation!" After saying that, the knight looked around. "...Huh?¡± But when the sight of all the soldiers lying limp with their armor shattered came into view, she quietly scratched her head. ¡°I guess I should have left at least one person...¡± "Gu gu!" "That''s right! There is a way!" She clapped her hands and then approached the soldier who she had just slammed into the wall. - Shaaaa... Then, she began to envelop the battered body of the soldier in a warm divine power. "Uh, huah?" As a result, the soldier, who was on the verge of losing consciousness, suddenly opened his eyes wide, let out a loud gasp, and spoke with a trembling voice. "S-Saintess... Keuaack!" At the same time, a terrifying shockwave directly hit him. "Grrrk..." - Shaaaa.... Thanks to this, his entire body was crushed, and he fainted, but after receiving the enormous divine power again, he opened his eyes again. - Kugwagwagwang!! "Kkuek!!" Once again, he was immediately struck by a huge shockwave, causing him to lose consciousness again without even having a chance to say anything. - Kugwang... Kugwagwang! Kugwagwagwang!!! - Shaaaa... Thus, after several rounds of fainting and waking, he mustered all of his strength to ask her a question. "D-damn it! What the hell do you want!?" "Ah." Hearing this, the female knight clapped her hands and said. "It turns out that I was torturing instead of interrogating! Without questions, it''s not an interrogation, right? I''m sorry!" "W-what...?" - Kugwagwagwang!! "Grrrk..." A moment later, the soldier, who woke up again under the immense light, looked at her with a terrified expression. She cheerfully threw a question at him. "Where is the executive''s quarter?" "O-over there... it''s over there." "Thank you!" "J-just spare my life... Ugh!" - Crack!! The knight saluted flatly in response to the soldier''s answer. Suddenly, she grabbed the soldier¡¯s leg and forcefully slammed him against the opposite wall before walking towards the direction that the soldier pointed. "W-who the hell are you!!" "I-intruders!! Capture them!!" "Escort the Bishop to safety!! Emergency situat¨C" However, she was faced with escort soldiers, paladins, and combat priests pouring in from all sides. - Wiiing! Wiiing!! "Don''t resist!!" "Eubeb!? Eube...!!!" The emergency bell signaled the start of unprecedented chaos. Unfazed by this, the knight swung the woman she was dragging around like a sword and rushed forward with a cheerful expression. ¡°Be quiet and just let me infiltrate you!!!¡± - Boommm!! Right after that, the cave began to shake once /genesisforsaken Chapter 335: The Gaslighting of Love Chapter 335: The Gaslighting of Love A few hours after the carriage left the Imperial Palace... "You know, Ruby." "..." Inside the rattling carriage, Frey clung to Ruby¡¯s side and began to speak to her. "Come to think of it, I don''t really know much about you." "What?" "Come on. I know you''re the Demon King, and I know you''re a total piece of trash, too, but other than that, I don''t know much." Frey gazed at Ruby with widened eyes, causing Ruby to unwittingly flinch before she stuttered. "W-What are you planning again this time?" "I want to know more about you." "...Know more? What exactly?¡± In response to that, Frey shyly lowered his head. "Um... Like your birth origin, how old you are, your real name, where your weaknesses are, who is behind you, and so on?" However, the words that came out of his mouth were quite different from his shy expression. "While I¡¯m talking nicely, just obediently... No, that''s not it. Let''s have this kind of conversation step by step from now on." "Lunatic." Anyone could see that it meant, ''Be prepared for an interrogation disguised as a conversation between lovers.'' At least that was Ruby''s interpretation. "Why did you move away, Ruby?" "Tsk." Ruby quietly moved to the side with a fed-up expression on her face, but when Frey smiled broadly and reached out to her, she involuntarily closed her eyes. "..." And then, a moment of silence settled between the two. "...Huh." "Wh-what?" "Huh? Why? I just wanted to express my affection, that''s all." For a moment, Frey raised the corners of his mouth. She opened her eyes incredulously as she felt his hand stroking her head. - Rustle, rustle... Did... I react like this just because this bastard lifts his hand? Ruby was speechless at the hand that stroked her head, and scowled at that thought. - Rustle, rustle... ... W-What is this? However, her expression soon began to waver. It feels... good? Something was strange. Why did she feel so good when he just stroked her head? Could it be that he cast some kind of spell on her? - Press... Press...? "Ha, uh." Just as Ruby entertained such thoughts, Frey¡¯s hand went towards the inside part of her hidden horn, causing her to let out a moan inadvertently. "You seem to like it when I touch here too." "...What." Frey buried his head in her neck. "Do you want to be my pet too?" "...!" Frey suddenly whispered with his head buried in her neck, causing her to widen her eyes. N-no way. - Thump...! Darn it, no way! Ruby, who had been desperately trying to divert her thoughts from the inexplicable sensation of her tingling chest, finally mumbled to herself as her heart raced, biting her lips until blood oozed out. This is his trick. I must never fall¨C- - Squish!!! "...Keuheekk!?" However, suddenly, Frey''s hand gripped Ruby''s neck. "Keuhek? Kek...?" "You know, right?" Frey once again began to exert violence against her with a terrifying expression on his face, just like he had declared earlier. "It''s a bit weird if I only show affection to your stomach, don''t you think? I''m not a pervert." "...Kehuk." "Oh, by the way, there''s always been one thing I''ve been curious about." Unable to resist Frey''s relentless hand grip tightening around her throat, Ruby trembled involuntarily. In the fading consciousness, she heard Frey''s whisper. "Why aren¡¯t you dead?" "Keheek..." ¡°It¡¯s crazy that your body doesn¡¯t die even when your whole body goes into convulsions due to suffocation.¡± At the same time, Frey''s grip tightened even more. "St-stop..." "If I try to crush your head completely, something stops it. Even if I stab your heart, it won''t pierce beyond a certain point. Even when I suffocate you, you just thrash around. Are you immortal?" "Ugh..." "Is the only way to truly kill you is by using the ''Hero¡¯s Armament''?" "..." Frey continued to grip her neck until Ruby''s body slumped, saliva dripping from her limp mouth. A big grin crept across his face, and he muttered. "Let''s do this for another 10 minutes. The satisfaction of being able to strip away even your right to breathe is so thrilling." "...Geuh." Contrary to his words, Frey continued strangling Ruby for over 30 minutes. "I love you, Ruby." - Thump... Frey smiled meaningfully as he felt her heartbeat. . . . . . "Cough, cough!! Ugh..." "That¡¯s right, good girl. You''re doing well." As the hellish time came to an end, Ruby, lying on the carriage floor, began to vomit tremendous amounts of saliva. "Just keep spitting it out. You''re doing great." "Bleeeh..." "Don''t clench your teeth. If a single drop spills, you''ll get beaten like a dog again." "..." Frey, collecting her saliva in a flask, whispered with a cold voice while placing his foot on her head. You son of a bitch. Do you even know who I am? In such a humiliating situation, Ruby rolled her eyes and started fuming in her mind. I am the Demon King. The one and only Demon King who will destroy this world... Ruby suddenly stopped her thoughts and wore a pale expression. The image of her younger sister, with her horns and a tail growing out, that she saw before getting on the carriage lingered in her mind. Come to think of it, what exactly happened earlier? She felt anxious for the first time in her life. That bitch clearly has lost her power. There¡¯s no way she would turn into a demon again. As she mulled over past events, she suddenly lowered her head. ...Damn it. Staring blankly at the direction where the paparazzi were running, she urgently raised her finger. - Crackle...! Though she desperately traced her finger in the air, for some reason, nothing happened. "W-why isn''t the attack working..." "That paparazzi is good, I guess. You can''t attack good people, can you?" "What nonsense is that..." "By the way, Ruby." Ruby panicked at the thought of that photo being spread. As she was about to hurriedly follow the paparazzi, Frey grabbed her arm firmly. "Oh, your heart is pounding again?" "..." Then, Frey started making a chilling expression. - Booomm!!! "Keheuk!?" Soon, Ruby, with her arm grabbed, floated in the air and crashed to the ground, gasping for breath. - Thud....! "Kyahuk! S-stop! Stop it!" Frey mercilessly struck her exposed belly. "I love you too, Ruby." "Stop, stop talking nonsense... Keheuk!" Due to that, her mind once again became blurry. Why in the world... is my heart pounding? - Grip... "Geeeeeuhh..." However, Frey was unfazed by her suffering and started to strangle her again. - Drip... Thanks to that, feeling bubbles bursting in her head, blood started to trickle from her nose. "I love you, I love you, I love you." - Thump...! ...Damn it. As Ruby''s heart continued to pound uncontrollably, she eventually lost consciousness. - Srrk... Just as Ruby''s eyes started to dim, Frey, who had been choking her, quietly shifted his gaze towards the carriage and snapped his fingers. - Shaaa... Then, for some reason, the stellar mana that had been wrapped around the wheels and underneath the carriage slowly began to unravel and scatter into the ground. - Hizzz... Then, traces of artificial impact applied under the wheels and carriage were revealed. Contrary to Frey''s claim that ''precise manipulation'' was impossible with stellar mana, this directly contradicted his words. "...Hmm." Frey''s mouth curled up once again. . . . . . "Gasp, gasp..." "..." Several hours later, in a remote forest of the empire. "W-when are we going to arrive?" "We''re almost there, so stop exaggerating." "Every time I breathe, it feels like my heart is being ripped apart." "Stop exaggerating." After walking without a carriage for a while, Frey said gently to Ruby, who was frowning in displeasure. "By the way, where in the world are we going? You''re not planning to bury me alive here, right? Let me tell you, this won''t do..." "It''s one of the headquarters of the Church." "Headquarters of the Church?" In response to Ruby''s question, Frey looked ahead and answered. ¡°This place belongs to the most meticulous executive among the 12 Church executives. Unfortunately, he is also on the same level as me. I need you to handle him for me.¡± "... What ability does he have?" "Super regeneration ability. It''s an ability powerful enough to survive even when a pulverizer shreds him." ¡°Isn¡¯t that a natural ability to have?¡± Frey explained kindly, but his eyebrows twitched slightly upon hearing Ruby¡¯s words. "What¡¯s so great about that... Keheuk!!" "I see. My girlfriend is truly the best. I''ll express my affection as a reward." Right after that, Frey''s fist lodged in her abdomen. "Th-this bastard..." - Thump, thump... "...?" Despite the tears welling in her eyes and her cursing, she soon wore a confused expression as her heart began to race once again. "W-why did... I just got hit, why..." "It seems like you want another one." "T-That¡¯s not... Keheuk!" Then, as another punch landed on her lower abdomen, Frey tightly covered her mouth "Ebeb..." "Shh." Ruby¡¯s voice was muffled because of Frey¡¯s hand. "Someone is up ahead. Be careful not to get caught. They excel at running, so we might need to sneak in." "Eubeb, eub..." "I''m not good at prolonged battles. You handle the executive... Hm?" Frey continued to move forward while covering her mouth. "..." Soon, he stopped talking, and his expression turned blank. "....Ugh." And it was the same for Ruby, whose mouth was blocked by Frey. - Crackkk!!! "Keuaaaccckk!!" Right in front of them, a desperate scream echoed along with the sound of a body breaking apart. "Do you know...? Your Excellency!!" At the same time, a quite familiar voice reached their ears. "Infinite recovery, also means infinite suffering!!" "W-wait a moment!! We can talk about thiiiiis!!" "I know very well because I have been in a similar situation!!!" Ferloche repeatedly destroyed and rapidly restored a bishop, one of the twelve executives, using her divine power. "What''s the code to enter the executives¡¯ meeting room?!" "I''ll tell you!! I said I''ll tell youuuuuuu!!" "Wow, you''re someone of high integrity! Alright, I''ll be sincerely extracting the information from now on!!" "Save meeeeeee!!" "Hmm." "Ubeb." Frey and Ruby looked at each other and simultaneously began to slowly step /genesisforsaken Chapter 336: Real Madness Chapter 336: Real Madness - Craaaack!! "Keuaaaaah!!" The Bishop''s desperate scream echoed through the forest. ¡°Even after all of this, you still won¡¯t talk?!¡± "Kkeeeek!!" "Ah, is the secret code ''Kkeeeek!!''?" Ferloche looked at him and casually asked with a bright smile. "Egeuk, uuuuuh..." "Egeuk, uuuuuh? Your articulation is hard to understand! Speak properly!" "Ebeub, euuu..." However, the Bishop continued whimpering while staring at Ferloche with a terrified expression. "Gosh...." Ferloche lifted him by his collar, looked down with cold eyes, and whispered. "Speak properly, you pig." "Ughiiii..." Trembling while looking at her, the Bishop went limp. - Drip... At the same time, his lower garment becomes damp. Overwhelmed by fear, his expensive priest attire was now stained yellow. "...The hell?" Staring at the scene expressionlessly, Ferloche shook her head and then muttered with a sunny smile. "Huh? So, it was because your jaw was completely smashed, and your regeneration became weird? You should have told me earlier!" The Bishop''s head exploded with a popping sound the next moment. "I can fix it right away if I do it like this!" Without a hint of expression, Ferloche casually extended her hand and started emitting divine power. As she did, the Bishop''s head rapidly began to reconstruct at a fast pace. "...P-please. Spare me. Spare me." "What are you talking about? I have no intention of killing you, Your Excellency." As the Bishop stammered with his face fully reconstructed, Ferloche tilted her head and threw a question. "Even if I want to kill you, I can''t, right? Even if I smash your head, pierce your heart, or turn you into ground meat, you keep coming back to life, don''t you?" "...Just let me die." Finally realizing his situation, the Bishop spoke detachedly, but Ferloche remained indifferent. "So, you can''t die, right?" "Keuaacckkk!!!" Holding a club, Ferloche swung it down onto the Bishop''s lower garment, trampling it. Then, with a bright smile, she spoke. "You chose immortality, didn''t you? Then you have to endure it." "R-release me. I''ll let it go in front of you and kill myself. If you find a mage or a sorcerer... Kkeeeeek!!" "For someone with a gaping mouth, you seem to talk quite well!" Just as she said, Ferloche punched him, tearing the Bishop''s mouth apart. ¡°If you give up so easily, what happens to all the things you did to gain that power?¡± Just like that, she kicked the Bishop, who was slumped on the ground while covering his mouth. "You offered innocent children as sacrifices and buried the ex-ex Vice Commander alive when she was trying to expose the truth, right?" "Kkeoeok..." "With those powers obtained through such despicable deeds, you should live with it for a very, very, very long time!!" Then, Ferloche swung the club at the Bishop. However, she widened her eyes and suddenly shouted. "Uh. Oh. Oh. Oh. This is bad." "Gu?" "The club is broken." Gazing at the broken club, she tossed it to the ground, Ferloche looked around and mumbled. "Let¡¯s see what is suitable... Aha." Then, she picked up something lying shattered on the ground. "S-Saintess... I made a mistake... Please forgive me...!" It was none other than the ex Vice Commander who had launched a sneak attack on Ferloche a few days ago. "I-I''ll do anything. I was wrong. So, please, just don''t swing me like before..." "The club... talks, huh?" "Kkkeuk." Ferloche tilted her head, grabbed the ex Vice Commander¡¯s legs, and lightly slammed her to the ground, making her unconscious. "S-Sister!!" Seeing this, the Bishop, with wide eyes, shouted. "...Uhhng... Huuuh..." - Boom, boom, boom!! "Kwaack!" The Bishop, shedding tears as he witnessed his younger sister, hanging limply with her legs held by Ferloche, soon found himself smacked by his sister who was swung by Ferloche. "D-devil... Devilish bitch...!" "Right? She does seem a bit like a devil, doesn''t she?" "W-what?" ¡°Due to feeling envy towards the ex-ex Vice Commander, she joined in on your plan, sacrificed the ex-ex Vice Commander''s younger sibling, and then buried the ex-ex Vice Commander alive when she investigated the case. What a fitting member of the Sun God Church!¡± "How did you... kugh..." "Originally, I planned to trick you into thinking that she was me and letting you torture her! However, no matter how many times I tried, this way seemed like the most dreadful punishment for you!" As he stared at Ferloche with trembling eyes, the Bishop was struck again by his sister and started rolling on the ground. "So! What''s the secret code!" "I-I said I''ll tell you! The code is the true su¡ª Kkeeeeek!" "Geez, you''re quite persistent!! Are you still not going to tell me even when you''re at death''s door? Despite the Bishop''s willingness to talk, Ferloche continued swinging her ¡®club¡¯. "His Holiness, the Pope will excommunicate you!!" "How can a mere pope excommunicate the Saintess? You clearly didn¡¯t properly study the doctrine!" "Y-You! Aren''t you afraid of hell!!" "I can handle hell! I''ve already conquered it twice!! Of course, it got reset each time because he wasn''t there!!" "A-aren''t you terrified of the Sun God!!" "Lameeeee! Besides, I have the Creator God backing me up! So, don''t you dare mess with me!" Swinging her ¡®club¡¯ while countering the Bishop''s words, Ferloche soon turned her gaze quietly to the side. "Ah, it''s broken." "Kkrrrk..." With that, she transmitted a bit of divine power and casually tossed her special club to the ground. "After all, I''m currently infiltrating this hideout. No one knows what I''m doing here." "This... how could you call this an infiltration..." Behind her, the cave that had collapsed into a flat plain was clearly exposed, and around it were lined with numerous fallen paladins and soldiers, foaming at the mouth. Even from the Bishop¡¯s perspective, who had been relentlessly beaten by Ferloche for hours and was in a state of panic, this didn''t seem like an infiltration. "You don¡¯t know? If no one notices, it''s infiltration..." However, Ferloche spoke confidently. "...Huh." After slowly turning her head to the side, she soon tilted her head and opened her mouth. "Hey, who''s there?" And then, a moment of silence began to settle into the clearings. Behind the bushes, both Frey and Ruby were crouching, trying to hide their presence. "Did I look like that to you?" "..." Seeing the devastation that Ferloche caused, Frey asked Ruby in a low voice, but Ruby just gazed at him blankly. There¡¯s another crazy bastard here. She desperately hoped all of this was just a horrible nightmare. . . . . . "...I don''t really know." "Stop your nonsense and analyze her quickly." I watched Ruby with a detached expression for a long time. When she looked at me cautiously and spoke, I took out my fist, shook it, and pressed her again. Of course, this was an expression of affection. Hitting her was an act of affection, so shaking my fist was definitely an expression of affection. ¡°To put it simply... While you draw a line and constantly step over it, that girl goes beyond that, she¡¯s jumping rope with that line.¡± Ruby flinched upon seeing my fist. She hesitated for a while before answering. I didn¡¯t quite understand the meaning, but it seemed like Ferloche was one step above me in terms of craziness. And I agree with that. "Look at this, Vice Commander! We¡¯re playing soccer with your brother''s head!" "Stop... Stop it..." "But, Your Excellency, you''re not dying even if I do something like this to you, right? Didn''t you sacrifice children in order to be immortal like this? What''s the use of being immortal if you haven''t played soccer with your own face? I¡¯ll make sure you get the full experience today!" - Swoosh... "Why the hell are you doing this? What''s the purpose? Just tell me right here. Don''t talk about acts of affection or anything." "Purpose?" "I¡¯m talking about the reason you keep inflicting pain and giving me medicine since earlier...!" "Well... you see..." Hearing Frey''s words, he gave her a lovely smile, touched his cheek against hers, and whispered in a soft voice. "It¡¯s just because I like you." "Please stop with the crazy talk..." "Haub..." "Uwaa?¡± Ruby looked at Frey with a vacant gaze as he started nibbling on her cheek. "You''re my favorite in the world, Ruby." "...!!!" Upon hearing those words, Ruby''s eyes started to tremble slightly. "You... How dare you say such things..." However, she soon shook her head resolutely, determined not to give any openings, and she began to try to cool her head. - Thump, thump, thump...! "Heheiiik..." However, on the contrary, her stomach, and heart began to heat up like crazy. It seemed almost inevitable. - Thump, thump, thump, thump...! "Huh, hua. Huwaaaa..." "Ruby." Due to her heart pounding like crazy from Frey¡¯s actions, Ruby started to hyperventilate. Frey then softly whispered to Ruby. "Is your heart pounding again?" "..." ¡°You know what happens next, right?¡± And in the next moment... "Kehek!!!" Frey grabbed her by the neck and lifted her up before forcefully slammed her into the ground. "Ugek..." Then he forced his fingers into her mouth, and started to play with her tongue. "W-wait a minute..." His fingers then slowly left her mouth, passing over the chin, down the neck, beyond the chest, and ultimately reaching her abdomen. - Srrk... After taking a moment to linger there, Frey''s hand gently pressed and caressed her stomach before lifting her top. "Eeuu..." Revealing Ruby''s milky skin. - Thud... "W-Wait..." - Ssk... "Uck..." As Frey''s fist briefly clenched on her exposed skin, making a slicing sound as it withdrew, Ruby anticipated the impending pain and tightly shut her eyes. - Smooch...! "Hwbub!?" However, Frey, who had been on top of Ruby, suddenly leaned down and inserted his tongue into her mouth. - Crunch...! Momentarily surprised by the sudden turn of events, Ruby attempted to retaliate by biting his tongue. However, due to the system''s defense mechanism, all Frey felt was a ticklish sensation from her biting. - Thud...!!! "Eubuebueuup!!" While their tongues danced around each other, Frey suddenly punched Ruby¡¯s healed stomach, causing her to writhe in pain. - Smoooch, smooch... Simultaneously, Frey''s tongue delved even deeper. - Sskkk... "Eubeub..." Although Ruby didn''t let out an unseemly scream, she winced in fear and closed her eyes as the fist that had dug into her abdomen withdrew again. "...Eup?" Strangely, the fist doesn''t come crashing down on her even after a considerable amount of time. "Eubeeek!?" As Ruby slowly opened her eyes, she could see Frey¡¯s innocent smile, and with it, the second punch landed on her stomach. - Smooch... Their tongues were still connected. - Thump, thump, thump... For some reason, Ruby''s chest continued to pound fiercely. - Crash, crash, crash... The consecutive third, fourth, and fifth punches landed squarely on her stomach. "...! ...!" Despite contorting her body in various ways and attempting to entangle Frey''s waist with her legs, she could only helplessly endure the punches starting from the sixth. - Squish...? "Heueu..." From this point, Frey''s rough hand returned to her neck. This can''t be... No matter how I looked at it... I was... As she suffocated with her abdomen being vigorously licked by his tongue like before, one thought popped into her head amidst the bursting bubbles. Being devoured by him... Just a few days ago, this was something she hadn''t even considered. Damn it... I don¡¯t want to be devoured by him... No... - Thump, thump... "...Heu." Though Ruby had been trying to muster the strength to resist, the increasing intensity of the pounding in her heart made her unable to do anything but let out strange moans with each punch. I¡¯m... the one that should devour him Before she knew it, she was being devoured by Frey. "My heart is pounding just like yours." S-stop this nonsense... Frey... After managing to weakly lift her head, Ruby responded to Frey''s murmurs as her consciousness faded. ...I¡¯m the one that should do the devouring... "I truly love you, Ruby." ... At that moment, Ruby''s consciousness was severed. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment... "H-h-h-h-hello." For some reason, the seemingly fine Bishop stood frozen in the underground cave, staring at the human shadows before him. - You''re late. - Being tardy is not like you. The shadows glanced at him, and with that, they started whispering among themselves. - Well then, let''s begin the meeting. As the central figure among the shadows began to speak... "Behave yourself, Your Excellency." Behind his massive figure, Ferloche murmured in a chilling voice. "If you don''t speak as I instruct..." "Euaaahhh!!" However, as the shadows in front of him became clearer, the Bishop suddenly shouted. "P-please save me!!!!! Your Holiness!!!!" "Huff, damn it." "T-the Saintess is heeeeere...!" In the next moment, the Bishop''s body exploded, scattering blood and viscera in all directions. "In the end, the infiltration failed." As the shadows, bewildered by the sudden turn of events, began to stare blankly, Ferloche sat crookedly and mumbled. "I almost succeeded." "Keu-kyaaaackkk!!!" "W-what is this...!" "H-how did the Saintess end up here...!" "Forget it, let''s just start the executives meeting." She spoke indifferently, with a truly regretful expression on her /genesisforsaken Chapter 337: The Executive Conference "Y-you bitch... How did you..." As the man in the center of the shadows floating like holograms in the underground chamber trembled and opened his mouth, Ferloche began to speak with a bright smile. "Your Holiness, so what''s on the agenda for this meeting? A scheme to conquer the Empire? Accelerating declaration of excommunication¡¯s plan?" "You were supposed to be caught! How did you end up there..." "Hmmm? You just witnessed this person exploding into pieces just now, though?" Ferloche grabbed the reassembling bishop, shaking him as she continued speaking. "Why are you so clueless?" "Shut up!! How dare a puppet..." "It¡¯s funny to be called a puppet by a puppet." Ferloche laughed heartily, yet her eyes showed no mirth. The sight contrasted with the blood splattered all over her body, giving her an eerie appearance. "L-look here! Immediately send an investigative team to the hideout!!" As the faces of the executives began to worsen, the Pope, with a terrified expression, shouted. "All executives in each branch, join forces and capture that wicked wench!!" After giving the command, the Pope struck the armrest of the chair he sat on forcefully. "...Eeeik." However, perhaps not anticipating the hardness of the armrest, he soon began shaking his hand with tears streaming down his face. "You shouldn''t be in pain just because of that..." Ferloche smirked and muttered as she watched the Pope act like a wuss.V/\Issi?T for the b/est novel reading experi/en/ce "If you¡¯re so weak like that, how can you endure it when you''re beaten to death later." "Iiikkk...!" Hearing the threat, the Pope''s face flushed red. "Saintess, what in the world has happened?¡± Someone quietly observing the situation from the far end spoke up, his eyes glowing. "How did you enter this place?" "I infiltrated the base!" "Saintess, normally infiltration doesn''t involve slaughtering the enemy and taking over their base." As the man finished speaking, a silence began to settle in the room. Instead of the Pope, the executives'' gazes were now directed towards the man. "His Eminence, Cardinal? What do you mean by that?" "Slaughtering, you say?" "No way... Are you saying that the headquarters over there has been completely razed to the ground?" As shouts erupted from all directions, the person referred to as the Cardinal calmly looked at the Saintess and spoke. "That¡¯s right. I could only sense a few people there. They''re probably hostages, if anything." "O-oh my goodness..." ¡°So, are you saying that the headquarters was massacred by the Saintess on her own?" "Well, since these are His Eminence''s words, it''s hard not to believe..." The executives began to mutter nervously, breaking into a cold sweat upon hearing those words. Seeing even a handful of executives in the Church instantly believing it without hesitation, it seemed like the Cardinal was quite a trusted figure. "That¡¯s strange! I haven''t killed anyone!" "What?" "I just fed all their souls to Gugu, that''s all!" "..." Ferloche spoke with a cheerful expression to him. "Everyone is alive! They just turned into dolls, that''s all." "I-is that true?" "Does the Saintess have that kind of ability...?" As the Cardinal''s gaze became darken at those words, the executives began to clamor, dripping with cold sweat. "Lies." In such a chaotic atmosphere, the Cardinal murmured with a cold gaze. "There¡¯s no way the Saintess could possibly have such an ability. If that were the case, I would have known." While still fixedly looking at Ferloche, he whispered quietly. "There must be reinforcements. I heard that the Imperial Princess and the Saintess are friends in the academy. It''s highly probable that the imperial side was aware of the attack from the beginning." "Ah..." "Probably, the imperial army is waiting nearby. The Saintess is deliberately provoking us. This is a trap. If we rashly send troops, it will only be a loss for us." Sitting huddled in a chair, the Cardinal delivered his hypothesis and slowly tilted his head. Due to his small stature, he looked like a cute child in a long priest''s robe. "By the way, what was that power just now? Perhaps the ¡®Blessing of the Sun God''?" However, contrary to such appearances, a significant sophistication was evident in the words that popped out of his mouth, accompanied by a sharp expression. "..." "As expected, it''s somewhat more believable if you are a bait." With Ferloche not saying anything in response to his question, the Cardinal slightly smiled. "However, the Blessing of the Sun God can only be activated on one person at a time, right?" "Yes, that''s right, so?" "Considering your limitations, the 12 executives... now 11 executives, anyway. Do you think you can handle all the executives and His Holiness the Pope?" When Ferloche closed her mouth in response to his sharp remarks, the eyes of the executives began to grow fierce. The atmosphere of fear among the audience quickly shifted to the Cardinal''s face. "Of course, I know that the Imperial side has Lady Isolet and Frey, but on our side, we have executives with special abilities and the Paladin Commander. Also, there is the Pope''s declaration of excommunication." "..." Hearing this, the Paladin Commander widened his eyes. "A Saintess who has the Blessing of the Sun God can''t be ignored. Unless it''s someone as skilled as you, dealing with her will be challenging." "It shouldn''t be that challenging." "That blessing can only be used in a one-on-one situation. My older brother said it can''t be used when facing multiple attackers. Didn''t you hear that?" "I''m not an executive... So, I¡¯ll reject it. You don''t necessarily need to send me, do you? You could send some more suitable executives..." As the Paladin Commander continued to object, she responded with an irritated voice. "Executives from the seventh to the eleventh are all out of contact. I didn''t do this because I wanted to." "Hmm..." "And it''s not something that must be done for sure. The Saintess is an important presence that must be secured without fail. Even if the ¡®Artificial Saintess¡¯ falls into their hands, we must secure the true Saintess to let the True Sun descend." "...Understood." "Go and buy us some time until the large force arrives. I''ll generously reward you for it." The Paladin Commander, who quietly nodded at the girl''s words, raised his head slightly and asked a question. "...If I manage to secure her, can I do as I please?" "If you touch her, and she loses her power, you''ll face excommunication. But if you''re okay with that, go ahead." "Tch." The Paladin¡¯s Commander clicked his tongue and turned his back. This arrogant brat... how dare she treat me like this, yet she said that she only trusts her Cardinal brother...? "Alright, I''ll go with you. If I do so, there shouldn''t be any problems, right?" "Oh, really? In that case, I¡¯ll gladly accept it." The Paladin Commander, who had been muttering quietly inside, raised the corners of his mouth at the girl¡¯s words and turned his back again. "When will we go?" "Right now." "Oh, you''re so impatient. Then, I''ll get ready." In a harmonious atmosphere different from before, the Paladin Commander, who was smiling cheerfully, murmured quietly to himself. The Pope said he''d grant me a ritual if I killed the Cardinal or his sibling. Is this finally my chance to become an executive? On the other hand, the girl, who was licking a candy while looking at him, also muttered quietly. As long as this punk is gone, there''s no one else to protect the Pope. All the other executives are already on my brother''s side. Then, she stood up from her seat. Rather than an incompetent pope, my brother would be better suited by the side of the True Sun. Instead of that little brat, even a passing ant would be a better cardinal. At the same time, the complex power struggles that were quietly unfolding within the Church slowly began to surface. "Let¡¯s go. However, can you even ride a horse?" "I am the sixth-rank executive of the Church. If it''s just a horse, of course, I can ride it." "If you fall down, I won''t take responsibility." . . . . . Several hours later. "..." The two individuals were staring ahead with blank expressions. "Y-you said you would spare me!! You said you would spare one person!!!" The screams of the bishop, who was the twelfth ranked executive, echoed from the headquarters occupied by Ferloche. "I never said I wouldn''t hit you!!! I''ve never said I wouldn''t tear your souls apart!!!" "Kkkeeeeek!!" "By the way, your infinite regeneration ability is quite a scam! To win in an executive''s battle without even doing anything!!" Ferloche grabbed the legs of the twelfth-rank executive and enthusiastically swung him around. "..." Behind her, for some reason, the rest of the lower rank executives were sitting down, defeated, with vacant expressions on their face. The two people that just arrived were looking at that ridiculous scene blankly, but suddenly they shifted their gaze towards an unfamiliar voice. "Lord Frey, do you know? You can''t just break things recklessly! After breaking them, you have to fix them again. That way, they would always feel the pain again, as if it''s their first time experiencing it!" "Hey, Ferloche." "And, you should already know that each executive, like this bishop''s infinite regeneration, has a special ability! The Pope and the Cardinal are the same!" "Look here for¨C" "So please pay attention..." Finally, Ferloche, who was enthusiastically beating the bishop, slowly turned her gaze to them. "W-why is Frey here? If it''s him, I can''t win against that one either." "..." "Moreover, why is the Hero here, too? And why is she in that state?" "I-I don''t know." Ferloche, whose power far surpassed expectations, Frey who was kneeling beside her, and for some reason, the battered hero Ruby. ¡°I finally found a good practice partner!!¡± In response to Ferloche''s enthusiastic voice, the attention of the two quietly focused on her. As a result, cold sweat began to flow from the girl and the Paladin Commander''s foreheads. "...Should we run away?" "Uh, yeah." Before they knew it, they had completely forgotten all thoughts of killing each other and were clinging closely /genesisforsaken Chapter 338: The Love Escape Chapter 338: The Love Escape "W-what should we do now?" "W-why are you asking me that?" "Aren''t you the one who brought us here?" "Euuuuh..." In front of them, Ferloche wore a bright smile. Frey observed them with a blank expression. And the Hero, Ruby, was lying down, and despite her battered state, she cast a cold gaze at them. The intimidating atmosphere emanating from them instantly overwhelmed the two who came here with so much confidence. "We need to run. If it was just the Saintess, maybe we could win, but with Frey, who defeated the Emperor and the Hero, we won''t stand a chance." "Damn... this was not part of the plan..." "I¡¯m going to create a diversion, so use your ability. With that, we can escape immediately... Huh?¡± They couldn''t even think of fighting and were slowly taking a step back, but suddenly they felt something touch their backs and turned back. "..." And soon, the two faces went completely blank. - Hizzzz... "Fuck." "Ugh..." Unbeknownst to them, their rear was now blocked by a solid divine power. ¡°We can¡¯t break through this. They¡¯ll attack us first before we can break through.¡± "I-I know that too." Because they knew divine power better than anyone else, they were able to vaguely grasp their current predicament. From the moment they arrived at this place, they were already trapped here. "...We have no choice but to fight." Thus, they had only one option left. It was the horrifying choice of engaging in combat with the monsters before them. "Right now, they are off guard. Frey is not tense at all, and the Hero is defenseless. If we attack with all our might now, the odds are¨C" "I-I know that too. So, just stop yapping." The girl interjected and quietly raised her hands, and the Paladin Commander, momentarily wearing an aggravated expression, also silently raised his swords. They had no time for infighting. Internally, they were enemies, targeting each other''s political lives and sometimes even their literal lives. But from an external perspective, weren''t they clearly on the same side? "Will we target Frey first, or will we target Ruby first?" "Let''s go for Ruby. She''s been seriously injured, and she seems to be the easiest target." Moreover, despite their appearances, both of them were not only members of the Church but also global powerhouses. Their combat prowess was on par with the Imperial Knight Commander, and on top of that, the Paladin Commander had also received some unknown power from the strange eye. Meanwhile, the girl was the younger sister of the Cardinal, and also one of the twelve executives of the Church. She was granted a special ability through a ritual directly held by the eye. Their strength was at a level where they could repel even a group filled with knight commander level. "...Is she really the easiest? Her gaze seems odd." "Whatever happens, happens." However, unfortunately, the opponents were formidable. Both of them might not be aware of it, but what they were facing was the strongest fighter in single combat, the Star Hero, and the most powerful being in the world, the Demon King. - Rumble...! - Buzz!! Yet, the two, who vaguely estimated their strength, decided to attack Ruby with all their might. The Paladin Commander¡¯s all-out attack and the girl''s spinning arrow filled with divine power intertwined, gradually increasing in strength. - Crack... Eventually, the energy began to pile up like a mountain. In the expressions of the two who were watching this scene, tension began to show. It was the best ultimate move they could make. Even if they couldn''t defeat them, at least it would create an opening. "What''s this?" - Whoosh...! However, Ruby, who had been staring at the scene intently, made an uninterested expression, snapped her fingers, and shattered their hope into pieces. "W-where did it go?" "How should I know?" It was because, with just a snap of her finger, the attack that could crush a mountain disappeared into thin air. "F-Fuck, we''re fucking screwed now!" "Right now, you¨C" "Shut up, you damn brat! It''s all because of you!" "What?" The Paladin Commander, who eventually fell into panic at the bizarre scene, began swearing at the girl, losing his composure. "I shouldn''t have trusted a kid who''s barely out of diapers! The Cardinal and this bitch too, all of them, nothing but mouthy kids...!" "W-what are you saying now...!" "Hmm." Seeing their bickering, Ruby lightly glanced behind her to check Frey¡¯s reaction. And, Frey was still looking ahead with a blank expression. "Alright, Frey! It''s time for a real battle now!" Hearing a cheerful voice from behind, the two then quietly turned their gaze. "Do it as I taught you!" Ferloche shouted with a bright voice. "Come on!" Staring at her blankly, Frey and Ruby suddenly disappeared. "...Ah." Shortly after, when Frey and Ruby appeared next to them with their eyes glowing, the Paladin Commander and the girl turned pale and let out a distressed cry. - Booommm!! A thunderous noise echoed, accompanied by a cloud of dust rising, covering the entire forest. No, it covered what used to be a forest. . . . . . "H-help us, Hero! S-save us!!" "Gyaaaackkk!!!" The screams of the Paladin Commander and the girl filled the air. "This is way too bland for my taste." Unfazed by their pleas, Ruby, whose eyes glowed in ruby color, waved her fingers. Frey strongly agreed with those words, and Ferloche chuckled bitterly. "How long do you plan to maintain that state?" "..." "Do you understand the risk? You could lose yourself." In response to that, Frey softly replied. "Until I managed to destroy the Church. If we calculate the time, it should be within six days." "Keep in mind. If you continue to maintain that state after that, your soul will be shattered." In response to Ferloche''s serious tone, Frey nodded with a grin, and Ferloche, with a shy smile, whispered in his ear. "After this is over, I''ll reward you with something nice." "...!" Hearing those words, Frey flinched, and holding onto him, Ferloche whispered in his ear with a chilling voice. "But remember, if you ever get corrupted... I''ll really rape you." "D-didn''t you say I''m already broken?" When Frey asked with a slightly trembling voice, Ferloche tickled his belly and whispered. "What if I fix you with my divine power? Wouldn''t that work?" "...Haha." After leaving those words behind, Ferloche slowly closed her eyes. "Hmm..." After that, a moment of silence began to settle in the clearing. - Coordinates of the Church Headquarters "...Hooo." Frey, who was reading the note that Ferloche had given him just before she collapsed, soon let out a mocking laugh and walked away. "Ruby." "W-what is it?" Then, Frey arrived in front of Ruby, who was playing with the Paladin Commander with a bored look on her face. - Pop...! "Y-you, again..." - Smooch...! "...Ebeb!" While holding her, Frey took out a potion from his pocket, poured it into his mouth, and kissed Ruby. - Smooch, smooch... Thus, the tongues of the two began to dance between each other. "Puha.¡± "...Grind." As Frey lifted his head from her mouth, Ruby clenched her teeth to keep her heart from pounding and tried to cool her emotions. "I love you." "Stop talking nonsense, Frey." As Frey quietly spoke while staring at her, Ruby immediately spat out curses. "So, let''s leave." "What?" Upon hearing Frey''s words, Ruby wore a puzzled expression. "I want to be with you forever." "Again..." "Let''s run away together in the name of love." "What the hell..." Ruby''s mouth was firmly shut upon hearing those words. - Thump, thump, thump...! "...W-where to?" After a while, when Ruby finally regained her senses and asked while trying to ignore her pounding heart, Frey quietly pressed his face against her cheek. - Crash...! "Keheeeeeek!?" "Um... so..." The sudden punch caused Ruby to fold in 90 degrees at the waist, then Frey gently whispered to her. "How is that?" "...Crazy bastard." With teary eyes and saliva dripping from her mouth, Ruby cursed. - Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump...! However, her heart somehow was beating more intensely than ever before. - Click, click... Her heart was pounding so loud that she didn''t even notice that someone was taking pictures of them with a magical recording device. . . . . . The next morning. "..." In the imperial palace meeting room, an unusually heavy silence prevailed. "So, what is... the meaning of this." The four main heroines, except Ferloche, who was lying in the hospital after being rescued by the imperial army, plus Isolet and Lulu, were gathered in the room. The girls who loved Frey more than anyone else were staring at the newspaper on the desk with cold expressions. [Frey & Ruby, Escaping to the Western Continent for Love? Shocking...] [The Hero Party And The Imperial Spokesperson Yet to Confirm The Situation. Fact-checking in progress...] [Sunrise Empire''s Biggest Scandal, Analyzing the Reason for Their Journey to the Western Continent] [The Academy Losing Its Pivot, Great Panic. Citizens'' Anxiety Deepens...] "..." Pictures of Frey with wounds all over his body protecting Ruby, followed by a tender moment of them sharing a kiss. In addition to that, everyone''s eyes were fixed on the breaking news that was decorating the front page of the Imperial Newspaper, along with a photo showing them engaging in various romantic gestures like holding hands and wearing hats while boarding a ship bound for the West Continent. "That damn wench doesn¡¯t know her place... How dare she cause such a stir.¡± After a long silence, Clana muttered in a cold voice. "Let''s go." There was no one who disagreed with that statement. "To the Western Continent." Shortly after, a carriage discreetly left the imperial /genesisforsaken Chapter 339: Your Sister is so Awesome, huh? - Toot, toooot...! The loud sound of the horn echoed in all directions. - Swoosh...! A rather luxurious cruise ship was smoothly gliding through the waves of the ocean. "Keh..." "Ruby, are you okay?" In one of the cabins inside the cruise ship, a boy and a girl were sitting on the bed, leaning on each other for support. "Ugh..." "Are you seasick? Oh no, this is bad." The boy, rubbing his face on the pale-looking girl''s cheek, asked with a concerned voice. Due to seasickness, not just her face but her entire body was pale, and she leaned on the boy. Just like that, their hands tightly held each other for support. The scene undoubtedly looked like a couple relying on each other. - Crack, crack... "Keuhuk..." Only, the boy was stabbing a dagger into the girl''s heart. - Drip, drip. Blood gushing from the girl''s body was not only staining the boy, but also filling the entire cabin with the coppery smell of blood. "It hurts... so much..." "Hmm-hmm...?" Ruby, who realized that she was dying with a dagger stuck in her heart as soon as she woke up, spoke to Frey with a pale, ghastly expression. "M-My whole body felt cold. I feel like I''m going to die. If you really love me, stop it. Please." "It''s really surprising. So much blood flowed out, yet you¡¯re still alive." Ignoring Ruby¡¯s pleas, Frey just stroked her head lovingly, causing Ruby to look at him in disbelief. "Why can''t I pierce through your heart, Ruby?" "You don''t need to know." "Why can I dig into your limbs but not cut them off? I was planning to preserve you after cutting you up.¡± "You don''t need to know that either... you crazy bastard." Eventually, that expression changed from detachment to aloofness. "What should I do, Ruby, how can I kill you? Can you tell me a way?" "There is no such thing. I am immortal." "So, you, too, have the ability, just like the executives?" Despite staggering from severe chills and dizziness caused by the rapid loss of blood, Ruby clenched her teeth and responded to Frey''s persistent questions. "N-no, I don''t have that. I''m just strong enough not to be killed." "Wow, my girlfriend is really cool.¡± "Bullshit... Keuack!¡± Ruby tried to regain her composure and escape from this situation, but Frey''s dagger penetrated into her even deeper. "How is it, Ruby? It¡¯s thrilling, right?" "..." "I wanted to show you the fear of dying, even if it''s like this." She trembled as the remaining blood trickled down her body. Seeing her shivering body, Frey softly whispered to her. "They say that people in love become like each other. You should become like me, too." Was it the voice of an angel or the voice of a devil? To Ruby, who was already in a dazed state, to tell the difference. "Stop... Please." However, she knew very well that she couldn''t just listen to that voice. Because Ruby was aware that the current Frey was far from being an angel; he was more dangerous than the devil itself. "Even if you do this, I won''t suffer any real damage." Ruby grabbed Frey''s arm and pushed him away with all her strength. "So, stop it." "Hmm." Then, Ruby commanded with her eyes glowing. "I don''t want to." "Cough." However, after resisting her magic with ease, Frey thrust the dagger into her heart once again. "Uh..." For Ruby, the pain was unbearable. She wanted to defend herself, but as someone who specialized in offense, her defense was extremely vulnerable. Moreover, due to the stellar mana embedded in her heart, it became even more impossible to defend. "I-it''s already been two days." Ruby finally spoke with a trembling voice, choked with tears. "Now, now... please, just stop..." It had been two days since Frey and Ruby boarded the ship heading to the Western Continent. During these two days, Ruby endured various horrific tortures at Frey¡¯s hand. The torture was rough and merciless, without a hint of compassion. Now, at this point, even her remaining will to resist was almost completely broken. "I''m just replicating those disgusting and horrific tortures you tried on me in previous cycles. But, you sure do talk a lot." "Ugh, huh?" "There''s still a long way to go... No, I was just talking to myself." Frey, who had momentarily stared coldly at Ruby, quickly softened his voice and gently stroked her chin. "Shall we stop now, Ruby?" "How many times... have I told you that? Please, just stop." "My Ruby has no pride. Well, considering you¡¯ve been bleeding for hours, it''s understandable." "Ebeeub." After saying that, Frey opened Ruby''s mouth forcefully and, pouring a potion into her mouth. "It''s a potion that replenishes blood instantly when consumed. Swallow it." "...Gulp." "That''s right." Ruby, who gulped down the potion without thinking, suddenly shivered and looked at Frey. "You! What did you feed me?" "A potion to restore blood. Can''t you see your complexion returning?" "Th-then what about this tingling sensation?" Her stomach was trembling uncontrollably. "Is this also the effect of the potion? Tell me exactly what you fed me..." "I fed myself to you." She had to escape or stop him no matter what. "Puheub, pffft...Hahaha!!" "Hm?" Ruby, who was contemplating whether to push Frey into the sea with a cold expression on her face, tilted her head and turned when she heard someone laughing behind her. "Puhaha, puhahaha...¡± "Why are you laughing?" The laugh came from the girl, who was the sixth-rank executive of the Church and the younger sister of the Cardinal that they had taken hostage. Frey clearly had confined her in the next cabin, but when did she manage to escape? "No matter how strong you are, you shouldn''t let your guard down! That¡¯s the rule." "...?" Only now, after her remark, did Frey realize the girl¡¯s presence. He then quietly turned his gaze. "I''ve already fulfilled the conditions to use my special ability." "It took you two days?" "Do you know why my special ability is not suitable for combat?" Ignoring Frey''s disdainful tone, the girl lifted her hand. "It''s because it''s too powerful, and the conditions are too demanding." - Hizzz... "But once the preparation is complete, I''m invincible." As the girl clenched the hand she had raised, dark energy slowly emerged beneath, and a small scale appeared. "You''ve created ¡®karma¡¯ for me. So, I will judge you all from now on." "Was the triggering condition that someone had to commit a significant wrongdoing against you?" ¡°I don¡¯t need to explain to someone who¡¯ll soon grovel under my feet.¡± With that, the girl''s eyes turned black. - Swoosh... At that moment, opaque threads materialized from all directions, binding Frey and Ruby. "Really? Now, even such crap happens..." "Wait." As Ruby, who had been watching her coldly, attempted to raise her finger, Frey whispered in a low voice. "I purposefully let her do this." "What?" "If you don''t want to get hit, lower your finger." "..." When Ruby quietly lowered her finger in response to his words, the high-spirited girl shouted loudly. "Frey! Let the punishment of goodness befall you!" "Ah." Upon hearing that, Frey''s expression, which was filled with anticipation, quickly turned sour. "As a villain, you will become extremely good, regret and atone for the atrocious deeds you''ve done until now, and be tormented by a terrible sense of guilt for the rest of your life! And people around you will never trust the changed you!" "..." "And you, Ruby! You will become extremely evil!" The girl, feeling victorious as Frey remained silent, then declared while pointing at Ruby. "You¡¯ll forget your sense of justice and kindness and become a wicked being like the Demon King, razing the world except the Church! And people will still believe that even you, in such a state, must have reasons for everything you do!" "Perhaps, she has a mind reading-type ability? If so, that''s a big problem." "And both of you will become my slaves!" As she finished her declaration, the scale she held in her hand burst, rushing towards Frey and Ruby. "..." And then, silence. "Kneel." With a smile, the girl commanded. Ruby''s body twitched. - Squeeze... It was because Frey had been holding onto her waist. "Why... Why are you doing this?" "Why, you ask? Because from now on, we are her slaves." "Why are you spouting nonsense again? Neither of us is affected by that ability." The contents of the judgment did not apply because that was inherently a part of them from the beginning. Even the enslavement that might have had some effect did not apply. It was because of their mental strength, which had reached the maximum according to the system''s values, could resist any mental abilities, even the authority and capability of divine beings. The only thing that could touch their minds was the ''system'' itself. "What are you trying to do again..." Ruby, with a fed-up look, asked, and Frey, with a chilling smile, whispered. "Do you know the Trojan Horse?" "...Hmm." Upon hearing that, Ruby wore a surprised expression. "Not a bad idea." By pretending to be her slaves, they would enter the Church''s base. It was quite a decent strategy, although she couldn¡¯t understand why a Demon King like her had to infiltrate the Church''s base or why they had to adapt to this situation in the first place. Still, compared to the madness he had been doing, it was relatively normal, so she might as well just go along with it... "That¡¯s right, well done... Keek!!" "Master." While Ruby was contemplating such thoughts, she perked up at the scream coming from the front. "Kyack!? W-what''s happening... Why are you... Keuheuk!!" "Please take care of me! Master!!" Frey was politely hitting the girl''s belly. "I don''t understand anything anymore..." Watching that scene, Ruby couldn''t help but shake her head at the absurdity. . . . . . Meanwhile, somewhere in the Church¡¯s headquarters around the Western Continent. - Grind... The Cardinal, as usual, wearing oversized clothes unsuitable for him, crouched down in a chair. He forcefully slammed his desk and began to grind his teeth. -Your sister is so awesome, huh? At that moment, a single letter and a small video from a magical recording device arrived in front of /genesisforsaken Chapter 340: The Perfect Plan Chapter 340: The Perfect Plan "Heuuuu..." "Now, feel the excitement!" "Kyaaaack!" "Hmm, as expected, it doesn''t work. If they are not the Demon King, their heart can''t endure it." After beating the girl for a while, Frey shook his head, muttering disappointedly to himself. "..." "Oh, she fainted." For being an executive in name only, the girl held up quite well, but she eventually crumbled helplessly under Frey¡¯s simple test. Frey was slightly unable to control his strength as he temporarily set the violence standards to Ruby¡¯s level. "Well, in the end, I was going to make her faint anyway." Frey took a potion from his pocket and gave it to the girl. Then, like magic, the girl''s body began to recover. "Y-You." Ruby, who watched the scene with envy, hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I-I also need a potion." "Huh?¡± "I can''t go out in front of the reporters in this state. What will they think?¡± After enduring all kinds of beatings and abuse for two days, Ruby''s body was covered in many wounds and bruises. If she went out like this, she would undoubtedly become a hot topic. "From now on, I won¡¯t remove all the bruises and scars on your body." "What?" However, as he looked at her, Frey made a firm declaration. "I want to let the whole world know that I am abusing you." "..." "I want everyone in the world to know that you are under my domination, Ruby." Ruby''s expression began to sour. No matter how you looked at it, it was a huge disgrace for her. She, who had brought all the demons to their knees, the one who stood as the ruler of all that is evil in the world, must appear to the whole world bearing the marks of shame all over her body in front of the people. On top of that, being bound by her nemesis. No, this can''t happen. No matter what, I have to... "Shall we go then?" "Eh, eaaaa...!?" Ruby, trying to gather mana quickly, but she spat out curses when she suddenly floated in the air with her arm grabbed by Frey. "Damn it! What the hell is this..." "Let''s go for an interview, Ruby!" With that declaration, Frey landed at the pier while holding the collapsed girl and Ruby in his arms. "I-it¡¯s Frey!" - Click, click! Despite the quite threatening entrance, the reporters began to rush towards him. It was because there were rumors that Frey hadn''t laid a hand on reporters at the Imperial Palace before. Even if it wasn''t the case, they were someone who was willing to risk their lives to get a hot scoop. "Mr. Frey! About your relationship with Ms. Ruby..." "You engaged in a battle with the Church..." "Who is the girl next to you..." However, no matter how eager the reporters were for a scoop, seeing Ruby in her beaten state left them speechless. "..." A long silence ensued. It was an awkward situation, and no one dared to speak up. - Rumble... Not only because of the awkwardness, but also the intimidating killing intent emanating from Frey made them hesitant to speak up. Even the reporters who staked their lives for scoops were not bold enough to throw questions while directly facing the killing intent of one of the strongest in the world. "Uh, excuse me...?" However, there were always exceptions. "I have a qu-question." A rather petite female reporter raised her magical recording device towards Frey and Ruby, despite the overwhelming fear she felt. "A-about your, um, relationship... Can you, uh, explain it... hiikk?" She was shaking violently when she asked her question, but suddenly widened her eyes. "Eh, eaaah...?" Frey grabbed her shoulders and moved her right in front of him. ¡°E-excuse me...¡± "You won¡¯t get a good shot if you take it from there, right?¡± "Hiiik..." "You¡¯re from the Sunrise Academy Broadcasting Club, right? How did you end up here?" "P-please, spare me..." She ended up doing an exclusive coverage quite unexpectedly. . . . . . "Aren''t you going to interview us, Senior?" "S-s-s-so, what''s the relationship between you two, and why are you here...?" The third-year student, who had been frozen for a while, hurriedly asked the same question again upon hearing Frey''s slightly cold voice. "..." Then, Frey quietly looked at Ruby. A-are you telling me to explain? "...Sigh." "Uh, ugh." Ruby, who had a bewildered look in her eyes, closed her eyes tightly and opened her mouth when Frey sighed with a displeased expression. "S-so, um..." You goddamn bastard. Clearly, he intended to embarrass her in front of the people. But what could she do? If she kept resisting, the pain she would endure later would be much worse. "I, uh... Frey and I are, well, in a re-re-rela..." Therefore, Ruby eventually started speaking with a scowl on her face. "We are lovers¨C" "What else? Of course, she¡¯s my student, and I¡¯m her teacher, right?" "What?" But Frey suddenly poured cold water on her. A teacher and student relationship, he said? That would indeed be more normal, but why bring it up now? Since I had no intention of going in with a full-on, destructive Ferloche-style infiltration, it was more advantageous to pretend as this girl¡¯s slave. Nevertheless, I was not Ferloche who would make such a mistake. What could possibly happen? "Heave-ho." As I pondered for a moment, I unpacked the luggage and sat on the sandy ground. Ruby had been hesitant for a while before quietly settling into her place. - Ssk, ssk... "Ugh." I snugly stuck by her side after approaching her closely. Ruby then turned her gaze away with a horrified expression on her face. - Thump, thump...! However, her heartbeat was still beating loudly. - Blaze...! ¡°Ruby, aren¡¯t you a little excited about this?¡± "Shut up." "It feels like there are only the two of us on this journey, doesn''t it?" "I said shut up." The atmosphere was really romantic. A man and a woman, sitting by the fire in the chilly desert, which was gradually getting darker. At least, that was what I thought. Well, if I thought so, Ruby probably thought the same, right? "You know, Ruby." After sticking by her side in silent for a while, I quietly spoke to her. "I love you." Ruby kept her gaze fixed to the side and avoided my eyes. "I''ve loved you for a very long time." "...Hmm." Holding onto her, I gently whispered in her ear, and Ruby began to wince. "I¡¯ve loved you since the first time I saw you." "...?" I whispered in a more sincere tone, and Ruby looked at me with wide eyes. "When I was young... we met, didn''t we?" "W-What are you talking about?" Tension filled the moment. This was a crucial turning point in whether my plan would succeed or fail. In the end, would it really work? Were the precautions against her mind-reading skill really perfect? "I thought you remembered it too." As I spoke while tilting my head, Ruby, who had been scrutinizing me, turned pale. "L-lie. You¡¯re lying. That can''t be true." "Why don¡¯t you confirm it with your mind-reading skills?" "Th-The time for using it has already passed." "Really? But this is real. It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t remember, right? Or are you testing me?" "..." Ruby stared at me then spoke with a twisted smile. "You''re the one who¡¯s testing me." Her eyes gleamed with a ruby-red hue. "If we ever met, there''s no way I wouldn''t remember..." "Potato soup and rye bread." "..." "That''s your favorite food, isn''t it?" But even that lasted only for a moment; her gaze started wavering as soon as she heard my words. "You¨C" What stood before me at this moment was the Demon King. "How did you..." Born as the absolute evil with no room for sympathy. My mortal enemy, who would forever be on the opposite side of me. And if I succeeded, eventually, she would also perish with me. "How do you know that?" But even for such a being, there were ¡®past¡¯ and ¡®settings¡¯. "HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT!!!" I obtained information about her past, hobbies, and habits through our encounters in previous cycles, as well as her background from the prophecy. Of course, there was nothing that could be used to turn the table around, but combining that information should be enough to create a smoke screen to save the world. Therefore, I was going to attempt something insane that I could only do with my changed perspective. "We met once when we were young." From now until the remaining 4 days leading to the eradication of the Church, I will go all out to seduce her, the Demon King. "It was a fateful encounter." My nemesis and the final boss, who was not considered as a heroine in any route other than the ''Corruption'' route... I will make her fall in love with me. "You don''t remember, do you?" There was nothing to lose for me. Even if I failed, I could still deal some damage to the Demon King and relieve some stress. It wouldn''t be a complete waste. "I''ve never once forgotten." And if I succeeded... "Now... what are you saying..." "Ruby." If she started to love me and care about me. "Why, why are you doing this?" In the Fourth Ordeal, I would invite her. "From back then until now, it¡¯s always you." Even if she managed to survive from that, what came next would be hell. "I love you." You who always played with other people''s love... You who never received genuine love from anyone... Or genuinely loved anyone. System Notification[Warning: Mental Strength deterioration MAX, temporary pause of the curse is about to be lifted!!] Could someone like you withstood the gift I was about to give you? "You, you..." Obviously, you wouldn¡¯t be able to. You may survive the demonification, but you won''t survive the only emotion that can crush even that resilient mental strength of yours. Perhaps it would be the most fitting punishment for you. "I love you forever, Ruby." I wish for you to drown in regret forever, /genesisforsaken Chapter 341: The Second Phase Chapter 341: The Second Phase - Ssk... After staring at Ruby for a while, Frey eventually handed her something. "What is this...?" "It''s potato soup and rye bread. It''s your favorite, isn''t it?" "..." What he pulled out was dried soup and rye bread. Judging by the fact that it was preserved with magic, it seemed he had prepared it before coming here. "You''ve been walking without a break, so you should rest a bit." "You''re the one who made me suffer..." "Enough, summon a pot or something." Saying that, Frey scrutinized Ruby. "A-alright." Normally, Ruby would have retorted that she was not a genie that he could order as he wished. However, at this moment, she was entirely focused on what Frey had just said, and that left her mind dazed. - Clatter, clatter... "Well, it''s a bit old, but it''s usable." Therefore, she summoned the pot she occasionally used and placed it in front of Frey. He then put it on the fire and began cooking with a quite familiar posture. ...What kind of trick is he playing this time? Ruby quietly muttered to herself as she glared at Frey. Why are you doing this to me, Frey? Even though she could see through him so clearly. All the lines he said were just cringe without substance behind it. It was just a soulless listing of words saying, ¡®I love you¡¯. This was not a cheap romance novel, and no woman in the world would be thrilled to hear such words. Of course, Frey''s appearance was fatal enough to cover even those lines. But she was the Demon King who would destroy the world. No temptation would work on her. - Thump, thump... "Ugh." However, for some reason, strange things had been occurring for the past few days. Every time Frey whispered those worthless words, her heart would skip a beat. "Huh? Why are you acting like that, Ruby?" "..." At first, she thought it was one of Frey''s tricks. However, there were too many strange points to attribute it solely to Frey''s trickery. From what Ruby saw, the ¡®Stellar Mana'' controlled by Frey was a force specialized in explosions. So, precise manipulation to make her heart pound using the stellar mana embedded in her heart would be impossible. And Frey was not lying. When she used her mind-reading skill to check his feelings, there was no trace of ''lies'' or ¡®nervousness.'' All she could see on him was his infinite love for her. "Hmm..." Of course, if she checked Frey''s status window, she would be able to judge the ¡®purchase of skills¡¯. However, for some reason, Frey''s status window had been disabled since he went crazy. It looked like the letters were garbled, and she couldn''t confirm what was written on them at all. "..." "So, have you remembered it now?" After being lost in thought for a while, Ruby, who had been quietly closing her eyes, opened them when Frey asked. The smell of her favorite potato soup was spreading everywhere. "...It''s vegetable soup, isn''t it?" "It''s based on potato soup. I deliberately added big chunks, just the way you like it." "Hmm..." That was true. Although she hadn''t eaten it for a while due to being busy recently, vegetable soup based on potato soup was a dish she used to eat every day with rye bread. By the way, when was the last time she had potato soup? Probably... hmm. Ruby, who had unconsciously drooled, soon frowned. It was the first time I received a penalty. She still remembered how her soup was stained with fresh blood because she was caught by that cheeky little brat named Glare. That was the first pain she had ever felt in her life. "By the way, how do you know that?" "Well, how do you think I know?" As Ruby forcefully tried to push away the memories by asking a question, Frey, sweating profusely, answered with a big grin. "I''ve never met you in the past. That damn orphanage... Keugh!" "What did you say?" "I mean, the first time we met was at the orphanage.¡± Ruby, who received a correction punch to the stomach from Frey, answered while holding her pounding chest. It was really strange. It seemed that now, just experiencing violence from him made her heart flutter. Why did her heart flutter? If it were not because of Frey, could it be that she caught some illness? Whatever it was, it was definitely not some foolish reason like feeling touched or falling in love. It was not like she was a child; of course, she could distinguish emotions of that level. There must be a reason for her heart to beat like this... "You told me before. It seems like you really can''t remember." "Did I really tell you that?" ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s why I know that.¡± Upon Frey''s words, Ruby immediately stopped her thoughts and stared ahead with piercing eyes. There was still no sign of false information in the system window that appeared before her eyes due to her mind-reading skills. "Did I really tell you about that in the past? Such trivial information?" However, no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn''t believe it. How dare you try to deceive me. If there was even a slight opening, she would overturn this situation. She would bring Frey back to his senses, isolate him as planned, and break him. Yes, that would do. "If you''ve finished eating, let''s rest, Ruby.¡± "Alright, it''s getting late." Putting down the soup bowl, Ruby nodded at Frey''s words and mumbled. "Well then... hiiik?" As she was about to prepare for bed, she widened her eyes and lay down on her side. ¡°Let''s sleep together.¡± - Squeeze... It was because Frey embraced her tightly and toppled her onto the sandy ground. ¡°You¨C¡± "Let''s sleep like this today.¡± "Heub.¡± After whispering that, she suddenly kissed her and gently pressed their foreheads together. ¡°Ruby, how did you like the vegetable potato soup today?¡± "Well, um... um...¡± - Thump, thump...! Ruby''s heart started to beat uncontrollably at that moment. "K-Keuheokkk¨C¡± "Good night, Ruby.¡± Before she could even reply, Ruby felt a familiar pain exploding in her stomach. Not content with that, Frey even triggered the stellar mana in her heart, making her close her eyes tightly. "Your soup... was the worst.¡± Ruby glared intensely at Frey just before as her consciousness wavered. ¡°I really felt like I was going to throw up.....¡± It was half-truth and half lie. It was true that she felt like vomiting due to the blow to her stomach, but she was holding it back. "See you tomorrow, Ruby.¡± ¡°...¡± Despite her reluctance to admit it, Frey''s potato soup was undeniably delicious. "I love you.¡± - Thump, thump, thump...! So much so that she wanted to eat more and not throw up any of it. . . . . . A few hours later, at dawn. "Hm." As I cuddled Ruby and tried to sleep, I opened one eye to check the surroundings. "Alright." The girl I had knocked out was still lying there, and Ruby was still asleep in my arms. "..." No, she was pretending to sleep. No matter how much she acted, she couldn¡¯t deceive me. To deceive someone like me, who had lived a life full of deception, you need someone on the level of Ferloche. - Ssk, ssk... "Sigh." As I gently stroked her hair while she pretended to be sound asleep, I let out a brief sigh and started muttering. "Is it too late to change you now?" I had given her enough bait. It was time to move on to the next plan. "Will I ever see that sight again?" "...!" As I muttered those words with the most sincere tone that I could muster, Ruby''s expression began to twitch slightly. Her ears perked up. She looked like she wanted to hear more of what I was saying. - Ssk... However, I ignored it and stood up. "Hmm." Giving too much information at once was counterproductive. It was better to leave some to her imagination and make her imaginations run wild. And. - Shaaa... "How long do you plan to just watch?" It was because it was time to face the uninvited guest and the core of this plan. - Swoosh, swoosh! As soon as I finished casting the concealment spell on Ruby, human figures began to appear from the darkness. Among the twelve executives of the Church, this one was known to be quite powerful. "... Alone?" As I was greeting them with my sword in hand, I heard a deep voice coming from afar. "Yes, alone." - Rustle, rustle... As I responded to that voice, Ruby started rustling even more violently behind me. "I know you have companions." "Well, as you can see, I''m alone." It was time to start the second stage of the plan to crush /genesisforsaken Chapter 342: Famous Actor Chapter 342: Famous Actor "Where is Easteria?" "Easteria? Who''s that?" While observing the shadow in the distance, I tilted my head when I heard an unfamiliar name. "I¡¯m talking about the hostage you have. Where is she?" "Hostage? I''m her slave right now, though?" "It seems like the rumors about you being crazy are true." The muttering shadows started to whisper to those around them. Can I stall for a bit more time?¡¯ I didn¡¯t really care what they were saying. In fact, sweeping them away right now would be ideal. However, at this moment, I was acting to deceive Ruby. To do that, interaction with these people was necessary. "Where is the sixth executive, Easteria, who appeared at the base you attacked?" As I quietly observed the situation, another voice also asked. It seems like they''re quite wary of me. The executives who ranked between the second and fifth positions in the Church were combat experts, highly confident in their skills, and thus making them quite arrogant. So, I expected them to attack me as soon as they noticed me, but it was surprisingly different. Maybe my actions were too unconventional, causing them to be more cautious? Should I have restrained myself a bit? "Ah, she has gone with Hero to the nearby inn." "This is a desert. There''s no inn nearby." "She hides in a cave a bit far away." "Didn¡¯t you mention an inn earlier?" "What do you know?" I answered half-heartedly while kicking around the rocks lying around. Then, the voice I was hearing suddenly stopped. "It feels like something is hidden here." Soon, a different voice, not the one heard before, began to speak. "Hey, you guys. Check for magic. He might have used a concealment spell." It was a very arrogant voice¡ª that would make anyone heard of them annoyed. - Crash...! As a result, I felt angry, and without realizing it, I unleashed my sword aura. The man with the arrogant voice stepped forward, blocking the sword aura. "Huh, he¡¯s nothing special." "We need to be careful. There''s a high chance he¡¯s hiding his real strength." "Can''t I just go and test him out?" And so, the heated debate started again. - You, what in the world are you doing? As I nonchalantly watched them, Ruby sent a mental transmission to me. If she had been a bit later, I would have abandoned the plan altogether, but fortunately, she did it in time. Huh, you are not sleeping yet? - I asked what are you doing? I''m just taking a moment to think while inhaling the night air. I said that as I glanced at her reaction. Ruby, who had been lying down, began to rustle. "..." Those bastards didn¡¯t seem to show any signs of attacking yet. Should I slightly bait them? Just go back to your sleep again. We need to resume our journey in the morning. - Hm, something feels strange... Hurry up before it¡¯s too late Before it''s too late. As I whispered earnestly, the mental communication we had in my mind abruptly cut off. Simultaneously, a refreshing feeling filled my head. It was a typical sensation that occurred when the mental communication was severed. You can¡¯t fool me. However, in reality, the connection had not been severed. If I concentrated my mental strength to the maximum, I could still faintly sense her mental communication somewhere in the corners of my mind. Originally used to convey information to the other party secretly, this ''mental communication'' could be utilized as a ''listening device'' to read the other person''s mind with some creativity. Of course, it couldn¡¯t read every thought, only what was spoken loudly and murmured internally. In fact, that was the core of my plan. Sorry, Ruby. At the same time, when a refreshing sensation filled my head, I put on a resolute expression and muttered inwardly. But I can''t let something like this happen to you again. After that, I drew my sword and started walking forward slowly. Ruby must be confused by now after hearing those words, right? I wanted to see that expression, but for now, there was something I must do. I must protect our Lady Ruby from these uninvited guests. "He¡¯s coming. Brace yourselves..." "I know, I know. No matter what, we''ll win." As I strode forward confidently, those bastards also adopted a combat stance. "Hm...¡± After approaching the blurry shadows for a while, two figures came into view. And behind them, a considerable number of paladins were visible. The lower rank executives had already been taken care of by Ferloche, and I had the sixth executive with me, so these should be the executives who were specialized in combat. There was no way that the first executive, the Cardinal, or even the pope would come out here. - Zaaap... Quietly observing them, I continued walking forward, and soon, I began to silently spread the vision disrupting magic I had prepared in all directions. - W-what''s happening? Then, Ruby''s mental transmission came without fail. Just in case, it will be problematic if we get attacked. So I cast vision disrupting magic. - Umm... Just lie down and quickly go back to sleep. I currently controlled Ruby''s heart. That meant I could subdue her or make her heart race at any time, but it also meant I could control the mana circuit connected to her heart. That¡¯s right. Right now, Ruby couldn¡¯t use magic without my permission. Originally, something like vision disrupting magic could be easily broken by her with a few finger snaps, but after I embedded my mana into her heart, she couldn¡¯t do that even if she wanted to. Well, although such tricks wouldn¡¯t work when her awakening was complete, and we engaged in the final battle. That was a story for the future. Therefore, the current her was secretly implanting her unique ability, Mental Transmission, into my head to assess the situation. By the way, how did Irina implement the Demon King''s unique ability, ''Mental Transmission,'' into magic? She was not an onion, but the more layers you peeled off, the more you discovered new things about her. Was she really human? "Hey, Frey. Is the Hero doing well?" The punk who spoke arrogantly before was now standing rudely as I arrived in front of them. How could an executive of the Church look so disgraceful? Even if the Church, the organization itself, had become corrupt, wasn¡¯t it a bit too much for such a ruffian to be an executive? "What do you mean?" "I know you''re hiding the hero. You almost had it all and then stopped. Is there a problem?" The guy stepped forward and began to smirk with a chilling smile. "By the way, isn''t the rumor said that you''re quite strong? Well, from the sword aura I saw earlier, it didn''t seem like much..." "Hmm." "Anyway, let''s settle it here." And then, the guy started banging his fists together. - Crackle, crackle... At the same time, a sheen began to flow from his body. What was that? Was it an ability to clean the body? "No matter how strong you are, you won''t be able to defeat me." Then he swung his arm. "Vajra Body. Indeed, this fearsome Special Ability..." "Haaaaa!" It was not mana, nor was it a sword aura. I thought it was some martial arts coming from the Eastern Continent, but that wasn¡¯t it either. Furthermore, what kind of power did these guys actually possess? It didn''t feel like any divine or miraculous power... According to Ferloche, it was a power that recently appeared in a fairly recent cycle. So, was it the power given by the Demon God to the Church? However, the power from her would be ''dark mana,'' wouldn¡¯t it? Perhaps there was a different force behind it? "I don''t know." I was worried that if I kept thinking, I might unintentionally get absorbed into the rabbit hole and Ruby might hear it. So I decided to put the thoughts aside and took a step forward. "...Ugh." However, at that moment, my body suddenly began to sway. Why was this happening? Could it be an aftershock from being struck by lightning? "Hurk, hurk..." But I started retching, it didn''t seem to be because of the lightning. "Haha, hah..." This was a symptom I''d been experiencing quite frequently lately. "..." Yes, it was ever since the last moments of the Academy Erosion Incident. From the moment the ''Corruption Quest'' was forcibly accepted, and the Fourth Ordeal was about to begin. - Crackle, crackle... The feeling of my soul-shattering dominated my entire body. No, it was not a feeling; it was actually shattering. How long could I maintain this state? Until when could I use the excuse of ''changing perspective''? My limits were gradually approaching. If I crossed the line just a bit more, my soul would shatter, and I wouldn''t be able to distinguish myself anymore. Didn''t Ferloche notice it, too? Since she was the one who said that, who had the ability to manipulate souls, so it was certainly true. Engaging in such a nonsensical risk, relying solely on Glare''s helper point. If my little guardian angel wasn''t there from the beginning, I wouldn''t have even dared to do such a risky operation. "Ugh..." System Notification[Warning: Mental Strength deterioration MAX, temporary pause of the curse is about to be lifted!!] Still, at least there was a safety measure. Wasn''t this operation something I had planned and re-planned so many times? It was a crazy operation that could only be executed in my current situation. I couldn¡¯t miss this opportunity. What were the aftereffects and repercussions after I returned to my original state? Well, future me would figure that out. Right now, it''s time to go crazy with my changed perspective. Even those masterminds behind the curtain wouldn''t have imagined that I would use this state to my advantage. By the way, how on earth was Serena able to do this on a regular basis without even realizing it? ''Mind control'' was much more challenging than expected. Even more so to deceive the system. - Ssk... Feeling my soul shattering in real-time throughout my body, I stood up and started walking with a chuckle. "W-we have to run away... quickly." "Shit! Be quiet, you crazy bastard!" The paladins who regained their senses were trembling as they ran away, but it didn''t matter. No matter how thorough the defenses of their headquarters were, I had a Trojan horse. Did they call her ''Eastria''? I¡¯m looking forward to seeing the expressions of those guys when the sixth-rank executive appears in front of the headquarters tomorrow morning. "I should go see Ruby... Hehe." I soon started moving forward while muttering with a foolish voice. It''s time to meet the main character¡ª the one who made me do these things... She will soon drown in the most dreadful pain anyone could ever imagine. . . . . . -Step, step... A few minutes later. "What¡¯s this? Why did you kick the blanket?" In the space where Frey and his party were taking a break, the voice of a cheerful boy began to echo. "If you do that, you¡¯ll catch a cold." Frey, who had returned to his original place as if nothing had happened, was tidying up Ruby''s bedding. "...¡± When the surroundings became quiet, Ruby, who had been pretending to sleep with her eyes, quietly opened her eyes. "Ugh, uh..." Frey, having taken off his top and shivering all over, was trembling with his eyes tightly closed. His body was covered by horrifying wounds that were dreadful to look at. "...Frey." "...!" Ruby, who had unknowingly called his name while staring at his back, startled him and made him flinch. - Shaaa... "W-what? Were you not sleeping?" In an instant, he transformed his entire body and stood before her, completely unscathed. "Where did you go?" "I told you. I went for a walk." Frey subtly pushed aside the ointment he was holding and smiled wryly. "I-is that so? Well then..." "Now I''m sleepy. I''ll go back to sleep, Ruby." "...?" Suddenly, Frey, topless, hugged Ruby and lay down in his place. "Y-you... What the hell are you..." "Goodnight, Ruby." As Ruby tossed and turned in response to this sudden action, Frey just tightened his embrace even more. "I''ll protect you." - Thump, thump, thump... When a soft voice came from Frey''s mouth, Ruby''s heart started beating wildly again. "Ugh, ugh." - Twitch... Twitch...! Feeling that Ruby involuntarily cringed, her stomach began to shudder. Laying close to her, Frey smirked and lightly bumped his head against her forehead. "I''ll let it slide today." - Chu...! "...!?" With that statement, Frey kissed her and quickly fell into a deep sleep. "..." After that, a long silence ensued. - Rustle, rustle... Ruby, who was kissing Frey, quietly lifted her hand and touched his back. - Twitch...! At the same time, a shiver ran through Frey''s body. Simultaneously, Ruby could feel all the scars in Frey¡¯s body vividly through her hand. It wasn''t just an illusion. Frey was hiding his wounds by overlaying it with illusion magic. "..." Ruby''s gaze began to tremble /genesisforsaken Chapter 343: Look at This Girl Chapter 343: Look at This Girl "..." Deep in the dawn, in a ruin where Frey had a ¡®fierce battle¡¯. "Hey, are you still asleep?" "Mmya... Mm." Ruby and Frey were lying down, side by side, on the sandy ground. She poked his cheek, and received a snore in response. "... Looks like you''re really asleep." Ruby, realizing that Frey had completely fallen asleep, sighed and got up from her spot. "..." No, to be precise, she didn''t get up but rather sat up. She couldn''t move any further because Frey continued to cling to her even in his sleep. "Uh, ugh..." Sitting up, Ruby gazed down at Frey. As he slept, he let out a moan, and in response, Ruby furrowed her brow and began to run her hand over his body. - Ssk, ssk... Then, she still could feel the lingering harsh energy. Judging by the sensation that she felt, his body was clearly covered in wounds. "What happened that you resorted to using illusion magic to deceive me?" Ruby, continuing to explore Frey''s body with her fingers, muttered while frowning. "He doesn''t seem that badly injured... Ugh." Ruby, who had never experienced wounds herself, tended to dismiss others'' injuries no matter how severe they were. However, in the past few days, since she had been subjected to a lifetime of torture and violence, she now could easily deduce the level of pain from the wounds that she saw briefly just before Frey concealed it. - Shaaa... After silently gazing at Frey for a while, Ruby quietly placed her hands on his body and cast a magic. Originally, she couldn''t use magic without Frey''s permission, as he controlled her heart. However, she wasn''t just someone who would absentmindedly take a beating without retaliating. In case of emergencies, she had secretly stored mana in the corner of her heart without Frey¡¯s knowledge. And to dispel illusion magic, her stored mana would not be consumed at all as long as she understood the structure of the magic. "T-This is also a test. It''s necessary to check if my mana has accumulated properly." Thus, with an awkward voice, Ruby muttered to herself as she continued to dispel Frey''s illusion magic. - Twitched... Frey''s fingers twitched slightly as they faintly glowed with stellar mana, shimmering ever so subtly to avoid drawing too much attention. - Shaaa... "...Ugh." As the illusion magic that enveloped Frey began to gradually unravel, Ruby squinted her eyes. "This is..." The injuries appeared more severe than she had anticipated. His entire body was marked with wounds resembling lightning strikes, and his skin was charred black. Moreover, numerous wounds were spread around the body where the blood hadn''t fully healed. "What is this?" Watching the scene in a daze, Ruby quietly clenched her fist, murmuring to herself. "Why in the world...?" She couldn''t understand. Could it be that Frey had protected her just now? She, the Demon King, the object of everyone''s fear, the being that no one could oppose... From those good-for-nothing? "Hmm." The reason his body was like this was probably because of his ultimate move. The light emitted was so dazzling that it brightened the entire area, so it must be his ultimate move. It seemed like his body got burned like this after using it... "What''s this?" Now that she looked at it, even his soul seemed quite shattered. Even though his lifespan wasn¡¯t much to begin with, the soul is quite a serious issue. If there was a problem with the soul, it caused problems not only in life but also in the afterlife. That was why souls normally couldn¡¯t be damaged. But was there a technique that could damage a soul? Was the ability possessed by those Church¡¯s good-for-nothings really that strong? "Hah, huuah..." "..." Suddenly, the words Frey murmured to himself before the battle came to her mind. But I can''t let something like this happen to you again. It sounded as if they had experienced such an attack from them before. And from those words, she could infer what happened to herself in that attack. "This is ridiculous." But Ruby muttered while shaking her head. "I won¡¯t ever lose to someone like those bastards." She could defeat them with just a snap of her finger. Yet, she somehow lost against those guys? Of course, she didn''t even know what ability they possessed, but still... "Hmm." Repeatedly lost in thought, Ruby''s gaze began to waver. Could it really be? It was a momentary doubt. What if she really has a ¡®hidden past¡¯ or if Frey really was a regressor? That was why Frey had some kind of trauma related to the abilities of the Church members. If that was the case, then that absurd assumption could be valid. "Hmm..." Once that assumption crossed her mind, numerous thoughts started to overflow like crazy in her mind. Frey gritted his teeth and continued to fight, despite being bombarded with attacks from all directions. Frey said he must protect her, yet he was her nemesis that needed to be eliminated. And, Frey actually used his ultimate move against those bastards, despite the fact that it could damage his soul. ¡°No, no way. Then why did he use such terrible violence against me¨C¡± Then Frey started to giggle again. Watching that, Ruby, who had been murmuring, also felt her chest pounding once more. "Weird guy." For the first time, Ruby''s heart spontaneously beat without any action from Frey. "...Heh." Frey''s mouth edges slightly moved upward. . . . . . A few hours later, in the morning. "We need to retreat right now!" "Retreat? Are you suggesting giving up the desert region now?" In the underground of the Church Western Continent headquarters, all the remaining executives were gathered, wearing masks, and engaged in a heated debate. "Have you forgotten the value of the ancient ruins in the desert region? For a thousand years, only the Church has monopolized it. It has never been invaded. If we lose it, the entire Church will be shaken!" "Then what do you suggest?" "We must resist with everything we have!" "Are you joking?" In response to the desperate opposition of the second executive, the third executive, with anger, stood up. "The sixth has been taken hostage, and we don¡¯t know if the fifth and fourth are alive or dead! Are you still not aware of the situation even after all of that!?¡± Hearing that, the second executive swallowed his words, looking uncertain. "Even if we don''t know each other''s identities, we know each other¡¯s strength well, don''t we? Yet those guys couldn''t even withstand a single battle against them!" Taking advantage of the opportunity, the third executive raised his voice. "The frightened paladins must have exaggerated it. If we mobilize all our forces, we have a good chance¨C" "Of course, that could be possible. But look who the enemy is. Aren¡¯t they such formidable opponents? There is Frey, who defeated the emperor, and the Hero, who appeared after a thousand years! I think the exaggeration is not an exaggeration at all...!" In the midst of the ongoing debate... "...Enough." The endless argument came to an abrupt end at the cold voice of the first executive who had been silently listening. "There is no retreat." "B-but!!" As the first executive declared firmly, a murmuring sound was heard from various places. "It is a strict order from the Cardinal." However, as they heard the following words, the murmurs suddenly disappeared. "B-but... how will we resist?" "Don¡¯t we have the ruins?" In the silence, as the third executive stuttered out words, the first executive continued to respond with a cold voice. "If we unleash the power of the ancient ruins, we can deal with them." "B-but it takes time..." "Don''t worry. The headquarters'' defenses have already been activated." He smiled as he continued. "Not a single ant can enter here. Even if the sixth executive has fallen into their hands..." "E-emergency situation!!!" Just then, the door of the conference room swung wide open, and someone rushed in. "Sentinel? What happened¨C" "There''s an intruder!!" "What?" The moment the first executive heard those words, an expression of disbelief started to form on his face, and he abruptly stood from his seat. - Buzz...! Buzz...! In the Church headquarters, a blaring alarm loudly echoed. It was a top-tier security crisis alarm, meant to be heard by all but the intruders. "A-a small ant couldn''t even get in, you said?" "Damn it." The expression of the first executive began to rapidly sour. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment. "How is it, cool, right? This is a secret passage only my brother and I know." Frey and Ruby were quietly followed behind the grinning sixth executive.. "I can''t just hand over talents like you two to anyone. You should only be loyal to me and my brother, okay? Understand?"" Nodding silently in response to that statement, Frey, who had been frowning, suddenly mumbled. "It feels like we''ve been exposed." "What?" "Mana energy feels abnormal. The infiltration failed." "W-wait a moment." As Frey tried to step forward, Ruby stammered. "Just stay behind me. I''ll protect you... Huh?" "Stop talking nonsense." Suddenly, Ruby grabbed Frey''s arm and hesitantly stepped forward. "Why should I listen to you?" She quietly stood in front of Frey and started moving. "Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?" "I just feel like stretching my muscles after a long time." Looking at her strange action, Frey inquired, and she promptly responded. "Look at this girl..." Frey''s gaze started to /genesisforsaken Chapter 344: Training Chapter 344: Training "Here, the exit is not far now." As the sixth executive continued to move forward, she glanced back with a satisfied smile. "If you go forward from here, you''ll see the headquarters. Just wait there for a moment. Don''t go back; there may be all sorts of barriers and traps." As we walked forward, Ruby and I soon began to quietly look at each other. "Why are you standing next to me?" "Of course, because I¡¯m worried about you." As I whispered softly, Ruby made a disgusted expression. "Then why are you in front of me?" "..." "Could it be? Are you worried about me?" I asked with a slightly mischievous expression, and Ruby just scowled and continued forward. "Hm." I slightly waved my finger, causing her already fast-beating heart to quicken even more. Originally, I had to manipulate her heart itself, but now, it seemed much easier since I just needed to provide a driving force. I wondered if she knew about that. "What are you doing? Why are you not following me?" She probably didn¡¯t know. If she did, she wouldn''t react like that. Despite her indifferent look, her expression and tone were strangely caring. I could see it all no matter how much she tried to hide her expression. "Phew, finally outside... huh?" I wore a gentle smile as we came out of the secret exit, but the girl in front started widening her eyes. "What, what-what''s going on?" The paladins and priests of the Church had already surrounded the area where we came out. The number didn¡¯t seem that large. They were probably called in hastily or just to buy time. But that was not important. What was important was that our intrusion had been ''discovered'' by them. I thought the mana flow was strange, and it turned out to be true. Indeed, the Church was not an easy opponent to deal with. If I had come alone, I might have had a hard time, even if I won in the end. ¡°There are so many pests crawling out lately.¡± However, there was an outlier in front of me. An overwhelming weapon that was the strongest in the current worldview. Even though I sealed her magic power and she could only use one finger, it was more than enough. - Crash...! "Keuogh!!" "Kek!?" When Ruby waved her finger with a detached expression, the forces surrounding us started rolling on the ground with widened eyes. "Huh? Huh?" ¡°You bitch, how dare you call this noble-self a slave.¡± "Kyaack!?" The girl, who was backing away with an incomprehensible expression, was lifted by Ruby, who grabbed her by the hair. "Kueek!!" Ruby stared at her for a while, then slammed her to the ground with all her might. "Y-you...? How..." ¡°It¡¯s too bothersome to explain. Just die.¡± Her gaze was cold, and she lifted her foot. That cold look... it was as if she regarded her as nothing more than a bug... No, she saw her as if she weren''t even a living being. I can''t help but think that the look in her eyes that she gave me until now was rather well-mannered. "Wait." "...Hm?" After looking at Ruby absent-mindedly for a moment, I quickly regained my senses and stopped her. Essentially, the executives of the Church were, like Ruby, trashes who couldn¡¯t be rehabilitated to the point where I didn¡¯t care if they got beaten to death by Ruby. But we still need that girl. "Why should I listen to your orders¨C" "Because you¡¯re kind?" "..." Ruby, who had a slightly rebellious expression, stopped talking as I gently stroked her abdomen and stared at me hesitantly. It wasn''t visible, but there was a slight blush on her cheeks. - Smack!! "Keheuk." I struck her cheek with all my might. Right before the impact, Ruby closed her eyes tightly, and she stumbled to the ground, holding her cheek as she looked up at me. "I told you to wait." "..." "Good girl, you did well." Watching her, I didn¡¯t know why, but I started thinking of Lulu, so I treated her as if I were treating Lulu, but it backfired. "You disgusting bastard..." Her heart stopped pounding, and her expression became fierce. It seemed she really disliked being treated like a pet. It seemed like she still had some pride left. Well, fine. To complete the plan, I needed to cater to the taste of our beloved Demon King. "Just kidding, Ruby." Withdrawing my hand from her head and taking Ruby''s hand, I lifted and embraced her before kissing her forehead. "I always love you." - Thump, thump... Then, Ruby''s heart started pounding again. Our Demon King seemed very weak to pure and one-sided love. It was natural, since this action was poles apart from her, who was twisted and had never experienced or thought about such things. "M-move aside." - Chu...! Slowly tousling Ruby''s hair and rubbing my cheek against her neck, I kissed her neck and quietly lifted my head. "Weird bastard." Ruby, who stared at me intensely, mumbled something and shifted her steps. Maybe the reason my nickname changed from crazy bastard to weird bastard was because of the mood. "Huh? Ugh?" - Crunch...! "Kueeh..." The girl looked at me with a gaze of complete confusion, unable to comprehend the scene unfolding in front of her, so I made her faint. Then, I picked her up before following Ruby quietly. - Srk, srrrk... "Okay." The punk who had been following me for a while was still following me without knowing anything. Stealth? Concealment? It was perhaps a special ability related to that category. Anyway, it didn¡¯t matter. Rather, this was good. The manifestation of the Demon King''s mana was tightly blocked. Even if she was the Demon King, without her mana, she wouldn''t be able to detect the guy I barely sensed by densely spreading my stellar mana. "Why did you stop again?" "No, it¡¯s nothing." Rather than slowly destroying her defense over time, it was better to constantly insert stimulating events in a short period of time to get the outcome that I want. With little time remaining, there was no room to be picky. "It''s nothing, Ruby." This could very likely disrupt the plan, but if executed correctly, it could also create quite an entertaining spectacle. . . . . . Not long after that, inside the headquarters of the Church. "M-monster!!" "What kind of power is this!!" "I''ve heard enough of such words. Don''t you have more interesting last words?" Could the reason her heart was fluttering at this moment be due to some reflex? Had Frey been training her like this without her realizing it? "I-iiik...!" Ruby began to let out an enraged groan. At this rate, she was no different from a dog drooling at the sound of a bell. It was an absolutely unacceptable and absurd thing to happen to the Demon King herself. She had to stop him somehow... "...Ha?" In a moment of anger, Ruby lifted her head abruptly, and her pupils dilated. Did he just...? For a split second, Frey''s expression and eyes clearly came into her view. Sorrow, guilt, agony. And strangely, there was also hope and longing. The combination of all these aspects, as if he was expecting something, was completely different from the madness she had witnessed so far. "Y-you... Is this also an act of affection?" Because it was such a brief moment, Ruby asked again with a doubtful expression, facing the usual madness in his eyes. "Is all this done for my sake? All of this horrible violence? Are you going to say it''s all for a reason?" "Of course." As he said that, Frey warmly whispered, caressing her cheek. "It was just a pure expression of my affection from the beginning. That''s why the system didn''t intervene." "..." "All these acts of affection are for you, and I''ll continue to do so in the future." After saying that, he quietly lowered his gaze and muttered to himself. "...You may not understand, though." Ruby¡¯s ears perked up despite appearing to ignore Frey''s words, and her gaze started to tremble. . . . . . "Once we pass through here, we should be able to reach the ruins located in the underground base, right?" "..." "The Pope or the Cardinal is probably there. Once we capture them, it will be game over." Ruby, who had been silently leading the way for a while, calmly stopped upon hearing those words from behind her. "Hmm." Just as Frey said, there was a giant door in front of her. Though complex magic was cast on it, from Ruby''s perspective, it just seemed like a cheap tape put on to lock the door. - Riiiiiip...! Ruby effortlessly tore the barrier with her fingers, then she kicked the door open and stepped inside with a detached expression. "Have you already reached this far? I can somewhat understand what that third bastard was saying." Then, in her field of vision, appeared the Church¡¯s second executive. "But I won''t just hand over the ruins to you." Ruby simply gazed at the individual obstructing the entrance to the underground with the same detached expression on her face. Unfazed, she quietly continued forward. "You should''ve watched your back!" ¡°I can¡¯t believe I have to deal with something like this.¡± The executive muttered in a meaningful tone to her, but Ruby paid no heed and continued walking. There was Frey behind her anyway, and she was wondering what they would do if they made a surprise attack. - Zaaaaap...! "Huh?" However, when something swiftly shot up right behind her, Ruby couldn''t help but frown. "Even the incompetent possess at least one talent, It seems." She didn''t know what the special ability was, but it seemed quite troublesome. What was Frey doing, not even blocking something like this? But still, there was no nervousness. Although they did get ambushed, there was no sense of crisis because of the lack of danger. "Be careful!!" So, as she turned to face the assailant behind her. - Whoosh!! "...Huh?" Frey urgently flew to her and embraced her. "What...?" Ruby fell to the floor with him, staring blankly at Frey, who was completely pale and desperate for some reason. - Crack...! "Cough!!" "...Huh?" As soon as she heard the sound of flesh being pierced, Frey spat out blood from his mouth, causing Ruby''s eyes to widen in shock as she gasped. "Heuhahaha!! That''s why you shouldn''t have been so confident in your abilities!! When we combine our abilities, we are invincible!" "Hehe... He... Cough..." With a dazed expression, Ruby¡¯s gaze locked at Frey, who was vomiting blood but still smiling brightly in her arms. I blocked it... this time. "What..." As she heard the words Frey had muttered internally through the mental transmission she had planted, her eyes widened, and her expression stiffened. I¡¯m glad... As Frey slowly closed his eyes, Ruby silently turned her gaze to the executives. "Well, now only the Hero remains?" "Yes, let''s take care of her quickly." "..." When Ruby heard those words, the color gradually began to disappear from Ruby''s face. . . . . . At that moment, in the underground ruins. "Do you really have a solution here that can turn the situation around?" "Certainly. The Church didn''t just choose this place as the headquarters of the Western Continent for no reason over the past millennium." The Cardinal calmly replied to the tense question from the first executive as he descended the stairs, his robe trailing behind him. "How in the world...?" "With this, not only we can defeat both Frey and Ruby, but we also can conquer the Empire, and establish the Holy Nation." "I-is that so?" "That''s right, so please calm down." As the Cardinal spoke confidently and opened the entrance, the first executive, who had been visibly anxious, now began to relax. Forgetting that he wore a mask, he began wiping off the cold sweat off his forehead. "But what''s this?" As he discovered a large inscription right next to the entrance, he raised his head and asked with a puzzled expression. "It''s ancient writing." "What does it say?" "Well, who knows." With that clear answer, the first executive scratched his head and followed the Cardinal. [Warning!] [This territory belongs to the Hero, Kim Hanbyeol.] "We won''t get cursed or anything, will we?" "What nonsense." With those words, the entrance to the ruins closed, and darkness enveloped the area. [Unauthorized individuals are not allowed to enter.] Despite that, the silver letters near the entrance continued to glow /genesisforsaken Chapter 345: Temporary Pause Chapter 345: Temporary Pause "You bastards." Ruby, who had been blankly staring at Frey in her arms for a while, quietly lifted her head. Her eyebrows were slightly trembling. "What kind of nonsense is this?" ¡°Can¡¯t you grasp the situation here?¡± "This is what happens if you¡¯re overconfident in your own strength." Despite Ruby''s cold voice, the executives continued without paying any heed to her. According to the information, the hero Ruby was still not awakened and was weaker than Frey. After defeating Frey with their ambush, they were sure that they could somehow deal with Ruby. "By the way, this girl is quite pretty, too." "Don''t you dare. We should deliver her to the Cardinal, remember? If he dedicates the Hero as a sacrifice, there will undoubtedly be tremendous power..." - Crackle, craaaackle..! With that thought in mind, they relaxed their guard and chatted leisurely. However, their gaze quietly shifted when they felt a tremendous force. "...How dare you destroy what¡¯s mine." Ruby stood up with a serious expression on her face. "I am the only one who will destroy this bastard. But, how dare you, you insignificant good-for-nothings¨C" "What the hell is she saying now?" "Maybe it''s just a bluff. I heard that the Hero has a righteous personality. That''s her trying to get us to be alert.¡± Though her appearance was quite terrifying, the executives were not to be underestimated either because they had encountered beings even more frightening and overwhelming than her. For instance, when they acquired their abilities through the executive ritual. "Use your stealth again. I''ll unleash my ability at that moment." "Understood." Following the command of the second executive, who had been quietly observing the situation, the second executive slowly melted into the darkness. It was truly a bizarre Ability, not a magic phenomenon or a trickery. - Shhh... Approaching Ruby slowly, he reached her side. Although he had gotten quite close, she still showed no reaction. Was it just a bluff? Or was she shocked by the fact that her comrade had fallen? Whatever it is, it doesn''t matter. The second executive muttered to himself as he drew a dagger from his pocket. How dare you set foot on the Church''s sacred site, you shall repay the sin with your life. His special ability, ''Stealth,'' couldn''t be detected unless someone could use their magic with extreme precision. Meanwhile, the second executive''s special ability, ''Ambush,'' could ensure the success of a surprise attack under the right conditions. Although their relationship was not good, the combination of their Abilities was top-notch. Not many within the Church could break these two Abilities apart. - Zap... The first executive and the Cardinal might be able to do so, but the Hero would certainly be unable to block an attack that not even Frey could stop. With that thought, as soon as his comrade''s special ability manifested, he would swiftly swing the dagger towards Ruby without delay. The attack, guaranteed to ¡®succeed,'' would pierce her vital spot within seconds. - Thud...! "Huh?" However, an unexpected turn of events occurred. "Wh-what is this?" Ruby effortlessly caught his arm. "How could... keugh!" He was flustered when Ruby grabbed him by the arm, and fell to the ground, screaming. At the same time, his right arm, which had been attached to his body just a moment ago, fell to the floor and began to wriggle wildly. "Ah, eaaaaack!!" "Wh-what is happening!" While the third executives screamed in pain, the second executive belatedly realized the predicament he was in and retreated in shock. "B-but he surely has manifested his special ability?" - Step, step... "The conditions for a surprise attack were perfect! So, why..." "What do you mean by perfect conditions?" Ruby began to murmur coldly as she approached him. "Assuming that a surprise attack against me would succeed is an error in itself." "F-First executive, Cardinal! We have a problem!" "How dare you touch what''s mine." "O-open the door... Please open the door!!" Only then did he realize. The fear that arose from the unknown and incomprehensible was scary, but the real fear that was right in front of him was also incredibly scary. Sometimes, simplicity was better than complexity. And directly facing a tiger that could tear his throat out in front of him was scarier than a higher-dimensional existence that he couldn¡¯t even understand. "To be so daring... you must have prepared yourself." However, the realization came too late. "Keu, keuaaackkk!!" The stench of blood began to permeate the bottom floor of the Church''s headquarters. . . . . . "Hmm..." Ruby, breathing heavily as she waved her fingers, soon regained her composure and looked around. "So filthy." The devastation to her surroundings was quite severe. Why didn¡¯t she stop until it got to this point? Although normally, her personality had always been decisive, this time was a bit different. For the first time, she found herself driven by ''emotion.'' "Phew." She felt uneasy. Usually, after such events, she would feel excitement and pleasure, but for some reason, now, in the corner of her mind, she felt frustrated and uncomfortable. "..." Was it because of the silver-haired boy lying on the ground? - Step, step... Ruby, who had been quietly observing Frey, slowly approached him. When I closed my eyes to accept her kiss, Ruby pulled her head back and exhaled. "S-so, will it be over if we just capture the ones below?" "Yeah. If we capture them, the Church would practically be in ruins. Of course, there is still the Pope, but it''s a game over if we can catch the Cardinal, who was a tougher opponent than him." "I, I see. So... we''ll have some free time for a while after that?" Ruby turned her gaze quietly to the side and asked. "T-then... after it''s all over, will you go on a date with me?" "Of course. I love you." "W-Well as expected, I knew... um?" As I responded to her without any hesitation, Ruby''s eyes widened. "W-well, to be honest, I fell for you at first sight." "Yeah, me too." "You''re also my favorite person in the world, Frey." "Me too." Ruby began to break into a cold sweat as I continued to agree with her words. "W-well, I guess that''s enough." Ruby suddenly raised her fist and took a combat stance, then awkwardly lifted the corners of her mouth. It seemed like she wanted to hit me because my heart was pounding wildly. "F-Frey. You, you made a mistake." "A mistake?" "Can''t I also express my love for you by hitting you? It''s simple logic." Ruby began to channel her sword aura into her fist. "I am deliberately nurturing my love for you right now. This is a feeling I''ve harbored in order to beat you, so don''t misunderstand. I absolutely haven''t fallen for your tricks..." "You¡¯re so cute." "...You!" I whispered to her as she rambled on and immediately received a punch on my face. - BAM!!! "Hmph, do you understand now? I can attack you anytime I want. Now, I¡¯m going to beat you until you come to your senses, and return everything you¡¯ve done so fa¨C¡± Ruby smiled as the thunderous sound echoed throughout the space. But soon, her eyes widened. - Crackle... Naturally, the system was protecting my face. By the way, what did she just say? Did she say she would return everything I had done to her so far? But I only returned everything she did to me in the previous cycle. I still could not forget her expression when she drained the blood from my whole body and went for a walk with me. "W-why I¡¯m not allowed to do this? Th-this is my expression of love, you know." "Because you don''t love me enough for the system to acknowledge it." "What?" I barely managed to control my expression and whispered. "On the contrary, I love you enough for the system to acknowledge it." "...!" "By the way, do you know?" I grabbed her shoulders and smiled. Ruby, who had been staring at me intently with a flushed face, shyly lifted her shirt. "...Huh." Eventually, Ruby, with her pure white belly exposed to me, closed her eyes tightly. "Y-you should be prepared, Frey. I''ll do my best to love you from now on. The moment I managed to deceive the system, you''ll¨C" - Pow!! "Keheeeeugh!?" As I thrust my fist into her soft belly, I thought. Just a little more. If I went through a few more stages, the plan likely seemed to succeed. n>Glare: Hero, we''re in big trouble!nn n Glare: Ms. Star says that the temporary pause for the Fourth Ordeal will soon be lifted! nn Glare: You need to get ready quickly... nnn n[Fourth Ordeal (Temporarily Paused)]nn [Reward: ...] nn Therefore, I should try a bit harder. . . . . . Some time later. "Is this... the place?" "That''s right. The secret that can change the world is hidden here." The Cardinal, who had reached the depths of the ancient ruins with the first executive, wore a bright smile, fixing his gaze ahead. "According to the prophecy passed down in the Church, this is the place where the overwhelmingly powerful secret weapon that can dominate the world is stored." "Oh..." As the Cardinal opened the door, the first executive let out a shout of joy with gleaming eyes. "See for yourself with your own eyes." "U-understood.¡± As he led the first executive forward, the Cardinal took a slight step back and muttered inwardly I don''t know what might be there, but for now, I should use him as bait. ¡°...Huh?¡± "Why? Do you see something?" With a wicked smile, the Cardinal, who was rubbing his hands, tilted his head and threw a question at the first executive¡¯s strange reaction. "Uh... there..." "Speak up. What''s going on?" "...I don¡¯t think there is anything there." "What?" "There''s nothing here except for this note lying on the floor." The Cardinal hastily snatched the note upon hearing that, his eyes wavering, and at that moment... "What''s that?" A chilling voice came from beside him. "Show it to me too." "Damn it." Before he knew it, Frey was already standing next to him, accompanied by Ruby, who was whimpering with a red /genesisforsaken Chapter 346: The Hero Party From 1000 Years Ago Chapter 346: The Hero Party From 1000 Years Ago "Ohoo..." After thoroughly beating Ruby''s stomach for a while and descending underground, a familiar letter caught my eye. "It''s Hangul." "Ugh... H-Hangul?" "It''s nothing." The fact that Hangul was written here meant this place must be an ancient ruin. More precisely, it could be said to be the territory of the First Hero, who is also my Ancestor. Anyway, I had to admit that the Church has a good nose for places that would be beneficial to them. To think they built their headquarters right above the ruin. It also made sense why the investigation team sent to the Western Continent during the vacation didn''t discover this place. Anyway, unauthorized individuals are not allowed, huh? As I opened the closed door and read the sign next to the entrance, my expression naturally frowned. Unauthorized persons cannot enter. No matter how you look at it, it seemed to say that entry was prohibited to anyone but the First Hero. But the Cardinal and the first executive had gone inside. Could there have been some kind of security mechanism that the Church deactivated? Or maybe they couldn¡¯t decipher it and met their doom after entering? "Hmm..." No time to ponder about useless things. We had to finish the all-out war with the Church as quickly as possible. That way, I could proceed to the Fourth Ordeal on time, and finish everything within the year. Maybe I should try pushing my left arm, which I could afford to lose, inside. - Swoosh... I pushed my left arm further inside, but nothing happened. Even if the spirit of my Ancestor wouldn¡¯t leap out shouting ''You rascal!'' and attacked me, I expected at least an alarm to sound, It didn¡¯t seem dangerous, so it might be alright to enter. Since Ruby was with me, it probably didn¡¯t matter anyway. "Hey, Frey." "What?" As I stepped into the ruin, Ruby quietly came to my side. "Li-Link arms with me." As Ruby quietly wrapped her arm around mine, I asked her. "Are you finally becoming honest with your feelings?" "Stop talking nonsense. The day I feel enough love to beat you up is the day you¡¯re finished." "Look forward to it." I gazed at her tenderly and gently stroked her chin, causing Ruby to fluster again. "You bastard... Don¡¯t think you can fool me forever. Do you think I¡¯d fall for such obvious tricks?" This time, too, I did nothing to her. Yet, Ruby¡¯s heart started to pound on its own. To go on a date in the Western Continent until the academy reopens after we finish overthrowing the Church... That seemed like a perfect plan. Anyway, this was really happening, wasn¡¯t it? Even though it was my plan, I''m honestly a bit amazed it was working so well. "Why did you fall asleep looking at me as if I¡¯m already yours earlier? The disrespect. What do you think I am... Heu." "I think of you as my girlfriend." As I lightly flicked Ruby''s stomach, causing her to flinch, I led her inside. n> Glare: By the way, why were my points reset? I didn''t use them!nn n Glare: Hero, squandering is not good! nn Glare: By the way, Hero! I''ll tell you about the recent quests I¡¯ve been on! nnn I looked happily at Glare¡¯s chat that appeared before my eyes. n> Glare: Recently, in the Western Continent...nnnn If only I could chat her back. That would be perfect. What a shame. . . . . . Some time later. "H-How did you get here?" "How did we come? We smashed everything and got here." As I encountered the Cardinal and the first executive in a small room deep within the ruins, I greeted them warmly, but they stepped back, ready for a fight. I just wanted to greet them, yet they overreacted. I was very disappointed. "Let''s negotiate, Frey. First..." "Nego?tiation!" As I tried to approach them again to greet them, the first executive suddenly intervened, suggesting negotiation, so I used the most effective negotiation I knew. - Zzzzzzt...! "Ohooo..." But my extended fist... no, my negotiation was interrupted midway. "Calm down, Frey." As I tilted my head and lowered my gaze, I saw a petite figure even smaller than Ferloche clearing his throat and extending one of his hands forward. He summoned a divine shield powerful enough to stop my negotiation halfway. Was this guy really the second-in-command of the Church? "I know very well that if you fight me and my friend here, the outcome is uncertain." As I quietly met his gaze after giving up on the negotiation, the Cardinal spoke calmly. ¡°It would be impossible for you to fight with the two of us.¡± That statement held some truth. In fact, I only managed to defeat the Emperor by forcibly buying the ¡®Ultimate Skill Permit¡¯. Besides, his unique personality played a part in it. While the other executives or paladins could have been easily dealt with, the first executive and the Cardinal were a different story. The first executive''s special ability was ''acceleration''. His speed was so fast that it looked like time around the world had slowed down, except for himself. No one could beat him in terms of speed. And the Cardinal''s innate talent in soul manipulation was also quite tricky. Although not as powerful as Ferloche, he could wield it freely and actively, which was a problem. For someone like me with many flaws in my soul, it was safe to say it was one of the worst matchups. "Frankly, I''m very angry right now." He seemed to know that too. He blinked and walked towards me. "I want to tear you to pieces for treating my precious sister like that. I want to rip you apart right now." I didn''t treat his sister like that. I just tapped her a few times on the stomach. And experimented on her to see if my actions towards Ruby would work on others by sticking stellar mana in her heart. Each time I filled her with mana, making her unknowingly accumulate a lot of mana in her belly... Come to think of it, I did treat her like that. But it was her own fault. If you wanted me to treat you kindly, you shouldn''t have used the powers you gained by sacrificing children to kidnap even more children. Shouldn''t he be thankful that I didn''t kill her? "I''m really pissed." Suddenly, anger surged within me. Why should I just accept this brat''s words? "But the situation is uncertain, and the ruins could be damaged. Let''s call it a day for now¨C" "You brat talks too much." "What?" "Just because you talk like an adult doesn''t mean you are one, kid." Unable to hold it back any longer, I advised him, momentarily stunning the Cardinal. He then responded with a fierce voice. "Even if I look like this, I''m ten years older than you! But how¨C" "Oh, really?" That was good to hear. "So you''re not a kid then?" I was wondering how to deal with this brat, but he removed the constraints himself. "You¡¯re an adult, right?" "That''s right. Isn¡¯t that obvious... Hmm?" As the Cardinal nodded in agreement with my words, he suddenly began to tilt his head. "Why are you emitting killing intent?" "..." "Are you trying to fight? If so, I won''t stop you." He might be as tricky as the Emperor if I didn¡¯t use my ultimate skills. Well, if it came down to it, we had to fight. "Ruby, use bite." "Shut up, you bastard." - Glare nnn The letters were twisted like a snake. I didn¡¯t know what it was, but I should keep it for now. Perhaps showing it to Serena or the Sun God might reveal something. "Let''s go now." "Where to?" Putting the note in my pocket, I answered Ruby''s question with a gentle smile. "We''re going on a date." "Eh?" It seemed I might need to knock on Ruby''s stomach a bit before we head up. . . . . . "Ugh... You, why do you keep hitting my stomach..." "You want more?" "That''s not it... Hmm?" I was walking, holding the cardinal''s leg with one hand and linking arms with Ruby with the other, wiping the saliva that was flowing out of the girl''s mouth. But I stopped for a moment when I saw her strange reaction. "Something is coming." "What?" What nonsense was she talking about? I had been trying to feel for any signs since earlier, but there was no one here except us. "There¡¯s quite a few of them. Five? Seven? No, maybe around eight." But Ruby''s serious tone made me reach for the sword at my waist and start preparing for battle. The warning message I saw before entering the entrance suddenly came to mind. "Come out. I already noticed you." But still, I didn''t see anything, just looking around, but Ruby stepped forward and raised her voice. Was she trying to shield me? "If you don''t come out, I''ll attack." "Huh." Ruby, who had been glancing back at me, raised her voice even louder, and then we started to hear voices from where nothing was visible before. ¡°It¡¯s a thought form.¡± ¡°A what?¡± As I quietly drew my sword and stepped back, Ruby whispered in a low voice. ¡°Those guys are thought forms that protect these ruins. But something is strange.¡± With a relaxed expression, she tilted her head and continued. "They seem slightly more formidable than regular thought forms..." "...Heuk." "W-What''s wrong?" As I looked at them more carefully, I gasped and froze on my spot with my mouth wide open, causing Ruby to look at me in surprise. "What''s wrong, Frey? Could it be..." "Shut your mouth and step aside." "..." She closed her mouth at my words and started to look somewhat offended, but that wasn''t my intention. "What the... you guys are just kids?" "Don''t judge by appearances alone. You always have to look into the depths..." "Intruders are to be eliminated." These people in front of me weren''t ordinary. "This is not a place for kids like you to enter." Standing at the forefront, a girl with golden bun hair, stood with a confident and reserved expression. She was none other than the First Empress of the Sunrise Empire. ¡°...¡± Next to her, a timid-looking mage with ice-colored hair, keeping her mouth shut and exuding coldness from her entire body. She was none other than the Ice Witch, known to have reached the pinnacle of magic as the first Archmage. "Hello~!" Meanwhile, the sturdy, black-haired girl who just greeted me from the far left was none other than the Empire''s first Saintess. "...He somehow looks similar to the Young Master." On the far right, the girl with white hair muttering in a maid outfit was none other than the legendary White Mage. "However, intruders must be terminated. That''s our mission..." "Wait. Maybe we can negotiate..." The woman with a scar over her left eye, muttering with a fierce expression in the back, was the founder of the Bywalker family and the first Sword Saint. And the person next to her... Who was she? ¡°Please identify yourself.¡± While I was frowning at the unfamiliar figure, someone walked in front of me and spoke softly. "Uh... That''s..." From her hair color and eyes, or even without seeing such, one can guess who this girl was. She was none other than the first Head of the Moonlight family. Anyway, how should I answer this? "Hmm." When you didn¡¯t know, ¡®honesty is the best policy¡¯. I should trust my mother''s words. "...I¡¯m the second-generation Hero." As I suddenly scratched my head and said that to the fully assembled first-generation Hero Party, a long silence began to flow. "Uh..." Ignoring the frozen thought forms behind her, the founder of the Moonlight family, who was floating around me, tilted her head and whispered in my ear. "Tell me about the secret of the pact." "Actually, the Starlight family can violate the pact. However, no one has violated the pact so far." "The name of the game based on this world." "Dark Tale Fantasy?" "Where is Han-byeol from?" "From Korea." With tension building up in this sudden moment of verification, I nervously replied, and she extended her hand and whispered. "Try using the stellar mana." - Shaaa... As I gently manifested the stellar mana in my palm as was told, the thought forms began to gasp. - Slurp. Meanwhile, as she quietly watched, she lightly snatched my stellar mana with her finger and licked it with her tongue. ¡°Slurp...¡± Then she started rolling it around in her mouth for a while. "So it¡¯s true..." As she opened her eyes and confirmed my identity, the thought form behind began to exclaim. "Wow!" "So, he¡¯s the second-generation Hero?" "He¡¯s so cute!" The thought forms suddenly began to approach me with sparkling eyes, surrounding me, ¡°Look at his cheeks. They¡¯re stretched out!¡± ¡°He looks like a cat.¡± ¡°Ubeeh...¡± Before I had time to prepare, I was surrounded by them and didn''t know what to do. Then, the unknown girl who was glancing at me from behind approached me with a shy expression. "Um, excuse me..." "Hmm?" "Are my descendants doing well?" With an expectant look in her eyes, she asked me. "Um... Excuse me, but who are you?" "Victoria!" "Uh, um..." Thinking that I had heard her name somewhere before, I desperately rolled my eyes and searched through my memories. "Oh, you might not know if I say it like that." After hearing her next words, I was stunned. "My name is Victoria Solar Sunset. I''m the first head of the Sunset family and Han-byeol¡¯s strong helper." "Ah..." "So, how are my descendants? Are they supporting the Hero well?" "..." I didn¡¯t know how to respond. Chapter 347: The Last Phase Chapter 347: The Last Phase "Um, so... I guess she¡¯s doing fine." "Is that so? That''s a relief." After hesitating how to answer for a while, I answered ambiguously, and Roswyn''s ancestor patted my head with an elegant smile on her face. "Indeed, making the oath was the right choice. I am deeply moved to see our family still assisting the Hero, even after a thousand years has passed." "Haha." Of course, let alone actively assisting me, she even lost the Helper System to Glare. And recently, she had been stalking me and recording something shady. I should refrain from stating that directly; who know how her expression might change. Complaining to a thought form that wasn''t even the actual person wouldn''t change anything. "He really looks like Han-byeol..." "Yes, indeed. Except for the hair color, everything else is quite similar." "So cute, so cute, so cute..." "Hmm. He seems quite strong, too." While I was lost in my mind, the touches from the thought forms became even more intense. "Uh, excuse me... um." "His reaction is just like Han-byeol''s." "No, he doesn''t seem like that eunuch. He smells quite masculine." For some reason, I felt shivers all over my body. I felt like these people were not normal either. The Ancestor must have gone through quite a bit of trouble during the nights. "But who''s that girl sitting there all crouched?" "She must be incredibly strong if she can sense us." "Eugeuk... eue..." As I was being stroked with a blank expression on my face for a while, the thought forms began to look at Ruby, who was crouching next to me. I deliberately made her heart race, fearing she might overhear the conversation, but it seemed to attract everyone''s attention to her because of it. ¡°Please identify yourself.¡± "Huh?" Serena''s ancestor glided towards Ruby. "Oh, that girl¨C" "A demon." "What?" "She''s a pure-blooded demon race." As it seemed like a collision would inevitably occur if we continued like this, I tried to tactfully smooth things over. However, at that moment, the Ice Witch, who had kept her mouth shut, interjected me with a cold voice. "And the blood that flows within her is¨C" "Quite impressive." While I had a headache due to my plan being disrupted, Ruby added fuel to the fire. "I am the second generation Demon King." "..." As soon as she said those words, the atmosphere turned cold. "I was wondering who you all are. It seems like you are the thought form of the members of the First Hero Party. It''s quite interesting." Amidst the cold atmosphere, Ruby, who had been eagerly watching the situation, smiled and took a step forward. "You all could be good practice opponents for the final showdown." "You brat, do you think you can beat us?" "I would always win every single time. You are not your true self but only a thought form. Moreover, for some reason, the thought-form of the First Hero is not here. In that case, it would be a piece of cake to win against all of you." The situation somehow seemed to slowly turn ugly. So, it looked like I needed to make a move before something happened. "Draw your weapon and try using your magic. As the guardian of this place, try to satisfy this noble self.¡± "Ruby." "Y-you bastard. Stay away from this. I can''t afford to miss this opportuni¨C" - Thud...! Urgently blocking Ruby''s path, I placed my hand on her stomach while she was talking. "..." Then, Ruby instantly fell silent. "You know, right?" I softly whispered while looking at Ruby, who had been gazing at me with trembling eyes. She grabbed the end of her upper garment with her hand and slowly began to lift it. - Haub. Then, she bit the end of her upper garment and closed her eyes tightly. "Heuaab!" "...! ...!!!" I shouted loudly and struck her abdomen with all my strength. Ruby, still biting the end of her clothes, collapsed to the ground, and started to convulse. It seemed like I successfully prevented the collision between the Hero Party and Ruby. Perhaps I do have a talent for negotiation and diplomacy. "Let¡¯s behave, shall we?" I calmly petted Ruby''s head and whispered to her, then I turned away with a proud expression. "..." The thought forms who had been staring blankly at me came into view. Well, they might not be used to seeing a hero like me... "He¡¯s truly Han-byeol''s descendant." "Honestly, I was a bit suspicious, but now I''m convinced." "As expected, you''re also a K-Hero after all!" Huh. What''s with this enthusiastic response? . . . . . "So... you''re saying what you were guarding recently disappeared?" "Yeah, everything disappeared." "Fufu, that''s right. Then, it''s fine... Even if you¡¯re..." What should I do with this situation? . . . . . "Phew." ¡°It¡¯s interesting that they could maintain such individuality despite being a thought form.¡± After barely calming and sending back the thought form of Victoria, who had frozen after receiving an immense shock, I took a short breath and started heading towards the exit with Ruby. "Hey." "Wh-why did you do that? I didn''t feel my heart race this time." "Who would win in a fight between you and the First Hero?" "Why do you care?" When I asked, she quickly avoided answering and started to walk faster. "Wait a minute." Staring at her with narrowed eyes, I exhaled and was about to move on, but someone blocked my way. "Shall we have a talk?" "Pardon?" I wondered who blocked me. It turned out it was the first Saintess. "How can I help you?" "You know it too, don''t you?" Staring into her black eyes that complemented her black hair, the Sainess'' thought form spoke to me with a stern expression. "Your soul could shatter into pieces at any moment." "...!" Ruby, who was standing beside me, flinched upon hearing that. I didn¡¯t know what was going on, but it was a good opportunity to deceive her... "Every moment must be excruciating for you. Although for some reason, it seems like you experience no physical pain, the pain that your soul feels will be transmitted as it is." "Hmm." "How much sacrifice have you made? How much have you paid for your actions? It seems like your soul was completely shattered once and then restored.¡± "..." "Do you want to disappear forever without the possibility of resurrection? Stop forcing yourself. Everyone will be sad if you do that." The Saintess¡¯ thought form spoke while touching my chin. "Or perhaps...?" "Thank you for the advice." Desperately interrupting her words, I smiled and moved on. "If there''s a chance, I''ll come visit with the second-generation Saintess." "..." She just quietly looked at me and soon disappeared into the darkness. "Frey. You bastard." "What?" "Why is your soul... on the verge of shattering into pieces?" "Are you curious?" "It needs a lot of power to shatter a soul, even I can¡¯t produce that kind of power. What happened..." I wore a wry smile when I saw that look. As Ruby approached me from the side, I responded with a smile. "...It¡¯s just... I have to do something." "What is it?" ¡°Even at the cost of shattering my soul, there is one person I definitely want to see again.¡± "..." After leaving those words behind, I silently passed by her and headed towards the exit. ...Although it seems like it¡¯s a bit too late to meet her. I intentionally brought up such thoughts in my mind for her, who was probably eavesdropping on my thoughts. . . . . . System Notification [Main Quest (Hidden Scenario): The all-out war with the Church has been cleared!] "Oho." As soon as we came out of the ruins, a very welcoming message appeared in front of me. I couldn¡¯t believe the quest for the All-Out War Against The Church ended so quickly. It was a quest that was supposed to be cleared in the second semester of the second year at the earliest, similar to the Rebellion Against The Imperial Family quest, which was supposed to be cleared at the end of the third year. Before, even if we cleared it, the surviving executives would probably persistently attack, but now we just needed to capture the Pope. In other words, it was an enormous gain. "Really... I finally can see the end." A year ago, I thought we would have to continue the fight for at least three years, but now it seemed that we could settle everything within this year. It was all accomplished by confining the Demon God, entering the hidden scenario, and taking control of the system. Now, the only major events left were the ''Fourth Ordeal and The Final Ordeal'' and the ¡®Siege of The Academy¡¯. After that, it would proceed to the ''Final Showdown.'' And after that... "Frey." I was closing my eyes, lost in thought. But Ruby woke me from my stupor and asked me a question with wide eyes. "It might sound strange, but let me ask just one thing." "Hmm?" I tilted my head with a puzzled expression as if not understanding what she was talking about. After swallowing dry saliva, she asked with tightly closed eyes. "Frey, are you... a regressor?" It was time to move to the final stage of the plan. Chapter 348: The Puzzle Pieces Chapter 348: The Puzzle Pieces "Huh? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about?¡± Frey quietly moved his steps and opened his mouth upon hearing Ruby¡¯s question. "A regressor? What is that?" "Just as it sounds." Ruby stared at him with a serious expression and spoke. "I asked you, are you a regressor who has experienced the future and returned back to the past?" In response, Frey gazed at Ruby, momentarily rendered speechless. "Pfft." After a brief silence, Frey began to burst into laughter. "Pfft...Hehehe.." "W-what, what''s so funny?" "A regressor, you say? That''s impossible, right?" Looking at Ruby with pity, Frey sighed and said. "You should know it too. It''s impossible to turn back time." "But¨C" "What do you mean by but? I never imagined you would be so silly, Ruby." As Frey sneered at her and moved forwards, Ruby began to look confused. He¡¯s not a regressor? It was so strange. Clearly, all the events that had happened so far could be perfectly explained if she assumed that Frey was a regressor. However, Frey just denied that he was a regressor. It was completely different from the conclusion Ruby had come up with after analyzing him over and over again for several days. "Frey..." Experiencing a throbbing headache due to the situation, Ruby attempted to stay close to Frey. However, she soon widened her eyes. No way, how did she know about it already? The mental transmission that Ruby secretly planted in his mind was conveying Frey''s thoughts into her mind. Should I just tell her the truth? Frey''s expression looked very gloomy as he clenched his hands. "Uh-um..." For a split second, Ruby looked stunned as if she had been hit on the head with a hammer. "What are you doing, Ruby? Hurry up, let''s go." "W-where are we going?" When she asked with a flushed face, Frey replied with a bright voice. "Of course, we should go on a date." "D-date?" It was truly a strange word for her. Going on a date with the Demon King like her? That wasn¡¯t something that the Hero would do, right? She thought he was just teasing her so far. Nevertheless, his gaze looked very sincere. "What are you doing? Aren''t you coming?" "A-are you really going on a date? With me?" "Of course, it''s natural to go on a date with someone you like, right?" "..." As Frey''s words were becoming a reality, Ruby, who had been hesitating, spoke with a slightly open mouth. "I-I''ve never been on a date before." "Hmm?" "I have no experience in this. I don''t even know what to do, so it''ll probably be quite awkward..." "It doesn''t matter." Frey lifted the corner of his mouth and whispered. "Because I''ll lead you." "..." "You just need to follow my lead." Frey held Ruby''s hand and continued. "Hurry up. Follow me." "..." Ruby could easily brush off Frey''s frail hand. He always did something unnecessary, like when he blocked the attack for her earlier. So, it was only right to brush off a temptation from such swindlers. "...Alright." However, Ruby just nodded and let herself be led by Frey. It¡¯s not that I fall for his tricks. I''m just trying to like this bastard enough to be able to attack him. Just like that, Ruby continued to mutter inwardly. The truth about Frey being a ''regressor,'' which she had thought about until a moment ago, was now pushed to the back of her mind. - Thump, thump... Now, even without Frey adjusting her heart, Ruby''s chest was pounding hard. . . . And during that enjoyable time, she inevitably became certain of one thing. As expected, Frey is... "Munch, munch..." "Hm?" Ruby, who was quietly lost in thought, casually turned her gaze to the sound coming in front of her. "What are you eating?" "Oh, this? Ice Dragon Berry." "Ice Dragon?" "No, it''s a Puppy Love Fruit." "Where did you get that?" "The Ice Witch¡¯s thought form gave it to me earlier. It''s refreshingly delicious." Watching Frey nibble on the fruit with an indifferent expression, Ruby, who had been silently observing him, finally asked. "Anyway, why did she give me this fruit? Is there any meaning to it?" "By the way, where are we going now?" "Huh?" "I asked where we¡¯re going this late at night." In response, Frey wore a big grin and answered. "A motel." "What?" "We¡¯re heading to a motel." Upon hearing his answer, Ruby''s expression began to stiffen. "M-Motel? Why?" "Of course, to get some sleep. What are you thinking?" After a moment of silence, Ruby burst into a cold sweat and asked. "I-I didn''t think of anything." "But why is your face turning red?" "Just shut up." As Frey began teasing her again, Ruby showed a stern expression. "And you have to take responsibility." "What?" "You ruined my stomach, didn¡¯t you?" Frey gazed at Ruby, then he stood up and approached her and made eye contact with her. Then he began to gently stroke her lower abdomen. - Grab... "I''ll take responsibility for it, Ruby." - Thump...! Hearing Frey¡¯s words, Ruby''s heart began to pound wildly. "S-stop talking nonsense. Know your place¨C" - Slap!!! "...Huaah?" Feeling her uncontrollable heart, she closed her eyes tightly and muttered. But suddenly, her cheek forcefully turned to the side. She blinked rapidly, trying to assess what had just happened. "I won''t hit your stomach for a while." Frey had slapped her cheek with all his might. "Until we collected all the puzzles." It was so painful that her cheeks turned red and swollen, then tears were streaming down her face. "Got it?" "..." It felt as if she, the precious daughter of a duke who had grown up with no fear in the world, was thrown into the unfamiliar streets without any preparation and experienced her first assault. "...Y-Yes." While having such thoughts, Ruby unintentionally responded with a dumbfounded expression. It was the moment she obediently submitted to Frey''s unreasonable violence for the first time. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment... "Is this... the Western Continent where the Hero is..." "We don¡¯t have time for this! We need to find the Hero quickly!" "We should hurry up before the Hero falls into corruption because of that damn bastard...!" Upon hearing Frey''s declaration, the 1st-year Class A students and the Hero Party who had landed on the Western Continent were leaving the port with pale expressions. "Should we deal with those things first?" "...Fine, where is that slut now?" "Hmm." Coincidentally, the heroines'' party, who had also arrived at the Western Continent on the same day, found themselves in a similar situation. "His energy lingered the most in the desert area. Let''s go there first and see if we can find Young Master." "Errr..." "Wouldn''t just one be alright? Just one ultimate magic..." The puzzles pieces were gradually gathered in one place. Chapter 349: The Shaken Demon King Chapter 349: The Shaken Demon King "Did you enjoy today too, Ruby?" "Y-you¡¯re noisy." A few days after the all-out war with the Church, in a motel located in the downtown area of the Western Continent. "You seemed quite happy these days." "I said you¡¯re so noisy." In the late hours, when the moon was up in the sky, Frey and Ruby were having a conversation in their room. "I''ll say it again, I don¡¯t enjoy any of it." "Hmm... really?" ¡°No, it¡¯s not enjoyable at all.¡± Ruby, who had unknowingly abandoned her stiff tone for a moment due to what had happened over the past few days, soon came to her senses and began speaking in her normal tone. "So stop this and stay away from me. I¡¯m going to sleep." "There''s something we have to do before bedtime." "T-today I''ll take care of it, so you can stay aw¨C" - Slap!! "...Ugh." Ruby¡¯s head turned abruptly. Before long, the pain that she had been experiencing consistently over the past few days, yet still hadn''t adapted to, began to spread from her cheek throughout her entire body. - Srk... Ruby didn¡¯t resist when her clothes were raised by Frey, she has lost the will to resist him. After rummaging his pocket for a while, he began to apply an ointment to her stomach. "I said I¡¯ll take responsibility, Ruby." "..." While applying the ointment to her belly, which had been badly damaged by his repeated punches, Frey smiled and whispered. His pure and flawless smile was so beautiful that it could create an illusion that it was actually an angel who was treating her. If the person who punched her belly wasn''t Frey himself, she might truly have thought he was an angel. So, this is what he meant by taking responsibility. This damn bastard. As she muttered those words inwardly, Ruby''s heart started to flutter as usual. What the hell am I thinking? This is all part of his scheme. Everything he did was just to make me waver... Ruby absolutely didn''t want to get caught in his schemes, so she shook her head, calming her thoughts. ...But, I did enjoy it quite a bit. But then Ruby lowered her head. No, actually, I really enjoyed it. Although she didn''t want to admit it, Ruby had been deeply immersed in the life she had shared with Frey over the past few days. She grew tired of the monotonous life in the Demon King''s castle and the routine at the academy, where she dealt only with easily manageable individuals, forcing her to constantly act prim and proper. In contrast, the days spent dating Frey were a whirlwind of new experiences at every turn. While there weren''t particularly exciting or humorous incidents happening every few hours, there were often big and small events occurring almost every day. And when such events didn''t occur, Frey would always initiate a conversation. Initially, she thought she was just momentarily amused by his antics, and her feelings would soon pass. But, somehow, even after several days, she didn''t get tired of it. Despite the fact that it was the ordinary daily life she used to despise so much. But why was it enjoyable? Feeling Frey spreading ointment on her abdomen, Ruby''s gaze wavered as she pondered. Was it because I''m with him...? As foolish as it may seem, it started to make some sense. From feeding a cat and catching a thief in the neighboring store to going to see a play. All of these were just ordinary routines. In the midst of such ordinary everyday life... During breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even as she drifted into sleep, Frey was always by her side. Things that would have been boring and maddening if she had done them alone were becoming so enjoyable with him. N-no way. She attempted to deny it once again, just like she had done many times before. But strong denial was said to be a form of acknowledgement. No, that''s not it... Despite repeatedly saying no, Ruby''s expression gradually became more passive. This isn''t right... Was it time to admit it now? She had known it for a few days, or perhaps even longer. Was it time to admit the fact that should have been acknowledged? "...Frey.¡± After pondering it over and over again, Ruby spoke with a trembling voice. "I-I''ve been thinking for the past few days... um?" Unable to make eye contact and hesitating as she spoke, Ruby suddenly felt a strange sensation and lowered her gaze. "Hmm..." "...Huh." Her expression quickly soured. After Frey finished applying the ointment to her stomach, he laid face down and dozed off. "Weird bastard." Ruby, who was vacantly observing Frey dozing off with his head resting on her abdomen, murmured to herself. Her way of addressing Frey had changed from ''crazy bastard'' to ''weird bastard.'' "Sigh..." Noticing this as well, Ruby sighed and closed her eyes tightly. "Uh, ugh..." Then, she soon started groaning. Frey''s breath brushed against her belly as he dozed off, eliciting a moan from her. Her belly... that made her heart pound whenever Frey hit it. Moreover, even the stellar mana that Frey had embedded within her started to stir. Thanks to that, she became so sensitive that even a touch of his breath made her moan. For some reason, Frey hadn''t punched her belly in the past few days. At first, it felt good as she could avoid feeling the pain. However, due to the strange sensation she felt whenever Frey''s clothes or hands brushed against her, her thoughts quickly changed. She thought it would be better if he just struck her firmly. Even if he did that, her heart would still flutter. - Throb, throb... It wasn''t surprising that Ruby couldn''t maintain her composure whenever Frey''s breath touched her belly, - Press... Without realizing it, she found herself pressing her belly against Frey''s face. H-have I gone crazy? This is bad The Demon King, who spoke confidently, stopped her words when Frey''s mental transmission echoed in her mind. There''s not much time left now. A day or two at most... "...?" As he murmured like that inwardly, Frey''s eyes and voice were steeped with deep sadness. This is my last chance... "What..." Am I destined to fail until the very end? "Frey...?" After that thought, Frey suddenly stood up, leaving Ruby bewildered as she tried to reach out to him. For some reason, Frey looked as if he was about to go far away. "Ruby, do you really like me?" "..." When Frey asked seriously, Ruby couldn''t bring herself to continue speaking. - Slap!!! Suddenly, Frey, who had been staring at her coldly, slapped her cheek with all his might. "Kyaa!?" It felt like her cheek was about to tear off due to the slap. It was an attack on a completely different level from before. "I-It hurts..." - Step, step... Despite Ruby holding onto her cheek and sitting on the floor, Frey paid no attention to her and left the balcony. "F-Frey." Watching him leave, Ruby softly called his name. - Thump, thump... Her heart was racing again, but this time, it felt a bit different. "Why are you doing this..." It was because, unlike usual, this time, the palpitation was born out of anxiety. . . . . . "Gugu?" "Gugu." Frey, who had briefly stepped outside the inn, was now speaking while caressing Gugu, which had flown onto his shoulder and tilted her head. "Since you''re a spirit, you''re not restricted by distance, right? I think you did something like teleportation last time." "Gu!" "Alright, then..." Frey''s eyes softly gleamed. [Special Ability] Perhaps it was because he was quietly observing the system that appeared before him. "You need to go to the Imperial Palace¡¯s basement right now. To be exact, go to the Demon God who was restrained there." "Gu?" "And do as I say." It was the beginning of Frey¡¯s ''Final Strategy¡¯ to overthrow the Demon King. . . . . . "..." Deep in the dawn, inside the inn room. "You bastard." Ruby, who had consumed several more bottles of wine on her own, was now crouched on the bed, gazing at the sleeping Frey. "Why in the world are you like this..." She felt relieved to find Frey there when she returned to the room after staring blankly on the balcony for a while. "...Did you really regress?" But now, it made her even more anxious. What Frey had mumbled to himself earlier couldn''t help but make her worry, and it nearly drove her to madness. "Sigh, I have gone crazy." How could the Demon King herself worry about Frey, the Hero? She could no longer go somewhere and declare herself as the Demon King. However, it was still something that was distressing her. "Damn it..." Unable to organize her thoughts, Ruby, who had been silently watching Frey for a while, began to close her eyes. As drowsiness lured her, she cursed before surrendering to sleep. "Why are you just coming now..." It was a familiar situation. Whenever the Demon God visited her in her dreams to provide advice or orders, Ruby would always fall asleep like this. "Where the hell did you go and just come back..." Upon entering the world filled with darkness within her mind, Ruby immediately expressed her displeasure. "...Huh?" As she did, she widened her eyes and took a step back. "Keugh, keugh..." The Demon God collapsed in front of her, completely battered. "Wha-What...?" "L-Listen carefully. This may be my only chance to talk to you." Ruby was perplexed by the unprecedented situation as the Demon God urgently spoke. "Frey is deceiving you." "What?" Hearing those words, Ruby asked back with a pale expression, and the Demon God, with eyes filled with anger, raised her voice. "I said that son of a bitch is messing around with you!!!" "...What?" Ruby''s eyebrows began to twitch. Chapter 350: The Demon Kings Confession "What... What are you talking about?" "Frey, that bastard is trying to deceive you. You must not fall for it." When Ruby asked with a cold voice, the Demon God replied urgently. "Frey is deceiving me?" "Yeah, that bastard is pretending to be a regressor. He''s trying to deceive you into thinking you have an unfortunate past that you''ve forgotten." "..." "Why are you making that expression? Surely you didn''t really believe that? Come on, don''t tell me the fierce and terrifying Demon King would fall for such tricks?" As Ruby''s expression turned pale, the Demon God said incredulously. "You''ve always hated villains with stories, remember? Have you forgotten that?" That was true. Ruby not only disliked villains with stories, but she had never tried to understand them. She was pure evil without a backstory, after all. Of course, that was until recently. "Ugh, this is frustrating. That womanizer has charmed you. You fell for it hook, line, and sinker, didn''t you?" "Watch your words." ¡°Look at those eyes. Are you going to try to devour me?¡± "I don''t feel much of your divinity. How did that happen?" As Ruby muttered with a troubled expression, the Demon God raised her voice, filled with frustration. "Frey is suppressing me in the Imperial Palace dungeon and draining my power! It¡¯s an emergency right now!¡± "So, are all his actions so far lies? Was his claim to be a regressor, and his belief that he has a connection with my past, were all part of his machinations?" "That''s right!" As the Demon God nodded vigorously, Ruby began to break out in a cold sweat. "E-Evidence... Give me the evidence." "Can¡¯t you Just peek into his mind yourself?" The Demon God started to give her advice. ¡°What could be more certain than that?¡± ¡°But, I can¡¯t attack him now. Looking into his mind will definitely count as an attack.¡± Ruby, with her arms crossed, quietly began to think to herself. Delving into the weakened soul of that bastard to read his memories might work. Ruby also had the ability to manipulate souls. Although not as good as Ferloche, she was good enough to meet divine beings through dreams like she did now. According to the doctrine of the Church, she could also be called a saintess for choosing to communicate with the gods. Anyway, because of that, she could try to read the memories engraved in Frey''s weakened soul. "...But how can I trust your words?" "What?" However, she didn''t really want to do that right now. "Do you have any evidence that Frey is not a regressor?" Because a strange feeling of discomfort was rising in her heart. "If you''re still a goddess, you should be able to show some evidence." "This drives me crazy." The Demon King, who always runs wild with a frenzied smile at her words, now looked at her like a wary cat, causing the Demon God to feel extremely frustrated. "Phew, I have no other choice." "Finally showing your true colo¨C.¡± "I''ll show you... the evidence." "What?" As the Demon God spoke solemnly, Ruby, who still had a wary look in her eyes, widened her eyes. "If you fall for his tricks, it''s over for me too. So let¡¯s cooperate. Come on, bring up the system." "The system?" "Quickly. We''re out of time." "...Understood." As the Demon God urged her on, Ruby hesitantly summoned the ''Path of the Pretender¡¯ system in front of her. [Install... Installing administrator mode] "What is this?" Then, Ruby, who had been standing with her arms crossed, widened her eyes at the text that appeared before her. "It''s the administrator feature of the system. One of my privileges." "You''re giving that... to me?" "I can no longer use it because I''m short on divinity. And the same goes for you, who are not a god. However, the ''Help'' feature that comes with the administrator system will be useful to you." The Demon God said this with a humiliated expression. "Just a moment ago, that damn pigeon came and was about to suck up all my divinity. As a side effect, it allowed me to escape momentarily. It¡¯s better to pass it on to you before the rest of my divinity is taken away." "Hmm..." "The first evidence. If you use that admin system, you¡¯ll be able to find out that Frey doesn¡¯t love you." "How?" As Ruby asked with widened eyes, the Demon God grinned and replied. "Simple. Open the help function and check if the skill ''Absolute Love'' has been purchased by Frey. Even without divinity, you can still get a clear answer if you limit the question like that." "..." At that, Ruby reached out shakily to the administrator mode installed in her system. "T-Tell me whether Frey has purchased ''Absolute Love''." - Error: Significant Question. The transmission of admin mode has not yet been completed, it cannot be executed. However, an error message popped up before her. "So it says." "Damn, can''t be helped. It should be finished by tomorrow morning, try it again then." "So there''s no evidence right now?" ¡°...In that case, why don¡¯t you change the question?¡± "To what?" "Ask whether Frey has ever reset the points. There are several functions that require a point reset to activate. So, it should be a less significant question than before." The Demon God narrowed her eyes and added. "But given the current circumstances, he would obviously buy the top skill from the ''Special Ability¡¯, right?" "Aaaaah!?" "Oh my." At that moment, Ruby sank down on the spot with her eyes wide open. "Uhgh, ugh..." The moment she mentally asked just like the Demon God suggested, the strength drained from her body. "It''s a side effect of using your power instead of divinity. Now you see how great a divinity is?" "Ugh... Fuck." ¡°Anyway, it looks like it was within the acceptable range. Is it because the system is still unstable? I''d better keep transmitting diligently." "...Ah." Ruby, who felt utterly drained and unable to even stand up, soon froze on the spot. A week ago, the entity ¡®Frey¡¯ reset the ¡®points¡¯. A week ago, it was the day he confessed that he liked her. "I-It''s a lie..." Ruby, unable to believe the result, stared in disbelief. Despite constantly muttering to herself that she didn''t trust Frey, she was now denying the conclusion before her eyes. "Y-You gave me this, how can I believe you?" "You felt the power draining, didn''t you? That system is real." "There''s also the possibility that you manipulated it..." "You idiot!! Why would I deceive you?!" Unable to hold back her anger any longer at Ruby''s muttering, the Demon God yelled out. "If you go down, I go down too, you know that right!? It''s not just about losing divinity, it''s about eternal annihilation!! Why would I deceive you when I''m facing that? Of course, I''ll help you!!" "..." "So please, let''s get our act together. Okay? Frey deceived you using a skill!" It was a straightforward statement. Ruby knew better than anyone about her relationship with the Demon God. There was no trace of falsehood in her words either. While she might not have been an entirely honest Demon God, the current her, who had even handed over the admin system, was just a slightly stronger human. Ruby¡¯s ability to discern truth from falsehood and her mind reading skill were enough to be effective against the current Demon God. "If you don¡¯t trust me, wake up and catch the owl by the window. I''ll drain my last bit of divinity and put Frey into a deep sleep. If you read Serena''s letter there, you''ll know the truth." "But... even that could be manipulated by you..." "Interfering in the human world diminishes divinity. With my divinity already drained, what can I do?" That statement was also true. Considering her appearance, the Demon God seemed to have run out of divinity a long time ago, so she probably didn''t have the capacity to intervene in the human world recently. "Remember, little Demon King." Just like that, as Ruby''s expression turned blank, the Demon God finally regained her leisurely smile and opened her mouth. ¡°This morning, Frey will try to purify you.¡± Ruby, who had been silently observing Frey, let out a cold sigh. System Notification [Sudden Quest - Purification] [Reward: None] As the Demon God had said, the Purification Quest appeared. A repulsive quest that Ruby would never press, even in any circumstance. Even if she did press it, she was certain it wouldn''t progress at all. It was that kind of disgusting quest. "So this was it, Frey." "Huh?" "In the end, you..." "Ruby, what''s gotten into you?" For a while, Ruby stared blankly at the quest window, then lowered her head. Worried, Frey rose from his seat. "YOUUUU!!!!" "Gah!!" Ruby screamed, and at the same time, shockwaves emanated in all directions. - Bam!!! "Ugh..." Swept away by the shockwave, Frey was thrown around the restaurant and slammed into the wall. "You..." As he struggled to stand up and catch his breath, he gasped when he saw Ruby¡¯s face. "You deceived me." Ruby''s eyes, directed at him, held a single tear streaming down her face. "R-Ruby? What''s going on... Uh." "I loved you." Confusion painted Frey''s face as he noticed blood trickling from his lips. "For the first time in my life... I genuinely loved someone." "W-Wait a minute." With tears streaming down her face, Ruby approached him. "Even though I vehemently denied it outwardly..." ¡°Geuhh...¡± "But I realized what that accursed love really is, all because of you." Eventually, Ruby lifted Frey up by the collar and whispered with a cold expression. "But I''ve realized. It''s all just futile nonsense, after all." ¡°Cough...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with, Frey.¡± - Crackkk!!! As soon as those words left Ruby''s mouth, she exerted all her strength to slam Frey to the ground. ¡°I¡¯ll beat you up like this.¡± "..." "Until all my love dried up, until I can''t hit you anymore." Right after she said that, Ruby pounded Frey''s stomach with her fist. . . . . . -Crackle...! "Cough... Ugh..." Ruby''s fist dug into Frey''s abdomen. "Cough, cough, ugh..." As a result, Frey fell to his knees, vomiting blood. - Thud...!!! "Garh." Ruby kicked him violently, got on top of him and raised her fist. - Crack!! "Ah, aaaah!" Ruby bent Frey''s arm, which had unconsciously raised to guard, with one hand and pinned it to the sides, and struck Frey''s face with her other hand. One punch, two punches, three punches. "Huff, huff..." As the bruises and wounds on Frey''s body increased, the tear stains running down Ruby''s cheeks also increased. "I was briefly happy. I even thought about running away and living happily..." Even without being purified, she was willing to run away and live with him. Ruby despised Frey for mercilessly shattering such foolish thoughts she had harbored. "You bastard... YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" "..." "Ugeuk..." After pounding him for a while, Ruby grabbed Frey''s shoulders and lowered her head. - Sob... After some time, when Ruby''s tears fell onto Frey''s beaten body... "...Let''s finish this." Ruby''s expression shifted into a soulless one. It was the arrogant and bored expression of the Demon King when she was living in the Demon King¡¯s Castle. "Goodbye, Frey." Just as Ruby was about to deliver the final blow to Frey... System Notification [Administrator System - Help function migration complete!] A notification appeared before her. "Why... Why are you doing this... Ruby..." "...Why am I doing this, you ask?" Glancing briefly at the message, Ruby, with a cold expression, looked into Frey''s fading eyes and whispered coldly. "It''s simple, Frey." - Question: Did Frey purchase the ''Absolute Love'' skill? Simultaneously, she silently questioned the help function. ¡°You make me...¡± With a cold expression on her face, she collected purple and ruby colored demonic energy in her hand. - No. "What...?" When a concise answer appeared in front of her, her pupils dilated, and she asked once again. - Frey did not purchase the ''Absolute Love'' skill. "Ugh..." At the same time, Ruby''s power began to dissipate with incredible speed. The question was so significant that her strength began to drain away almost immediately. "I may not understand, but it seems like another failure...¡± ¡°Huh...? What...?¡± ¡°Even in this last chance... I still failed..." Ruby wore a bewildered expression, unable to comprehend the situation unfolding before her. "But still, I... I like you... Ruby." "F-F-Frey?" As Frey stroked Ruby''s cheek with a trembling hand, she reached out to him with a dumbfounded look on her face. "...!?" Frey''s soul was fading away. To be precise, only the minimum conditions for reading memories remained, and his soul started to shatter. "I love you..." ¡°T-Then...¡± Ruby was still holding him in her arms with a dumbfounded expression on her face. "Could it be... You''re really a regressor..." "...Forever." Leaving those words behind, Frey closed his eyes. Ruby¡¯s eyes started to tremble, and she began to gently shake his body. "W-Wait. Frey?" "..." Naturally, there was no response from Frey. "W-Wait..." Ruby''s expression began to turn pale. Chapter 351: The Fall of the Demon King "W-what is this?" Ruby looked blankly at Frey in her arms, his body slowly growing colder. "What the hell is this..." It felt like her mind was turning completely blank. Frey must have deceived her for sure. That was why she wanted to punish him for it. But, suddenly, this chaos happened. What in the world was going on? Even after quite some time had passed, she still couldn''t understand the situation at all. "..." Her head refused to function. Since the moment Ruby found out that Frey never purchased the ''Absolute Love'' skill, her brain had already halfway given up understanding the situation. As a result, even after Frey gently touched her cheek, smiled, and whispered his love with his dying breath, Ruby could only stare at him with a vacant expression. "...No." Thus, Ruby felt like her whole body was paralyzed. But, soon, her expression turned cold. "This must be part of the p-plan. Right, Frey?" A forced smile appeared on Ruby''s lips. Ruby controlled her quivering eyes and heart as she asked. Her face was paler than it had ever been. "What crazy thing are you trying to do this time?" "..." "I''m not in the mood for jokes right now, stop whatever you are doing and wake up. If you do, I might just laugh it off." Ruby spoke calmly with her natural expression, but all she got in return was silence. - Shaaa... In that silence, Frey''s soul was shattering slowly, like a fragile sandcastle collapsing. The soul that had begun to crack was clearly falling apart in front of Ruby. Despite this, Ruby tried to maintain her composure. "T-this joke is too much." Ruby couldn¡¯t accept that, and tried to interfere with his soul. "If your soul continues to crumble, you might disappear forever, you know?" "..." "S-so, stop it now." Ruby began to use all her strength to prevent his soul from shattering. "Uh, ugh..." However, despite having the power to manipulate souls, her power wasn''t as powerful as Ferloche''s. And soon, she began to show a strained expression, sweating profusely. It felt like she was trying to stop a collapsing building with just a finger. "...Ah." Ruby, who forced herself to pour all her strength until her whole body was soaked in sweat, eventually frowned. - Srrrk... Frey''s soul was starting to entwine around her. As if his soul desired something from her, it bound and prodded at her. "..." Was it a remarkable coincidence? Or was it because Ruby did well in first aid treatment? Or perhaps someone arranged it? Frey''s soul was currently maintained in a state where she could read the memories engraved on it. Of course, it was just a temporary measure, and over time, it would deteriorate to the point where even his memories couldn¡¯t be read. However, it seemed like it would be in this state for a while. ...Are you asking me to read it? Although it was already quite damaged, she should still be able to distinguish and read the fragments of memories embedded in the soul, albeit with much difficulty. Looking at the soul''s behavior, it seemed like Frey''s subconscious was involved after all. Perhaps he was using his last strength to prevent his soul from crumbling? If not... C-Calm down. Feeling her thoughts spiraling out of control, Ruby suddenly hit her face strongly and muttered to herself. "Huff..." After taking a slow, deep breath, Ruby soon began to resonate with Frey''s soul. In any case, this was the perfect time to unravel the ''truth''. That was why Ruby decided to read Frey''s soul. She closed her eyes as she felt herself being sucked into him. "Come to think of it, this could also be a trap." A slightly trembling smile appeared on her lips. After taking a deep breath and a moment to think, Ruby calmed down, and her mind started to spin. "How can someone like him perform a regression that even the Demon God cannot do?" That thought suddenly brought her a great sense of relief. Not even a divine being could reverse time, let alone her. How could Frey, a mere mortal, accomplish such a feat? However, in any case, it was true that Frey did reset the ''points'' a few days ago. In the end, it was all deception and a lie. Did she once again fall for Frey''s deception? Now, the anxiety subsided, and her anger began to double. "I bet he didn''t know I could manipulate souls." Frey seemed clueless about her ability to manipulate souls. Even though you could do mental manipulation, no one could manipulate the memories engraved in the soul itself. Moreover, due to Frey''s unique strong mental strength, reading his inner thoughts was an extremely difficult task. - What is it? As Ruby watched that scene with a cold sweat, she soon tuned into their conversation. - It¡¯s the Hero¡¯s Armament. "What...?" The conversation was taking an odd turn. Why would that bastard offer the Hero¡¯s Armament to her? No, before that, what in the world was this memory...? - Fufufu! Hahahaha! As her maniacal laughter echoed throughout the room, Ruby slowly took a step backwards. - Even the devil in hell would be less vile than you, foolish human. Despite that, Ruby paid no attention and took away the Hero¡¯s Armament while stepping on Frey, who had kneeled in front of her. "..." Her eyes were full of life. The gaze of Ruby from the memories, which seemed on the verge of collapsing at any moment, was passionately ignited by Frey''s actions. - I know that, too. - Whoooosh...!!! Now, in front of Ruby, who had stopped retreating and was silently watching the scene, an astonishing spectacle unfolded. As Frey''s entire body began to glow brightly, the Armament also emitted a white light, releasing tremendous energy. - Rumble... It was a terrifying power, capable of tearing through the crimson sky with just the released energy alone. - This bastard, why the hell are you doing this? Thanks to the shockwave, Ruby, who was about to stand up in confusion, murmured in a trembling voice as Frey pulled her into an embrace. - To gain the system. Immediately after the voice that seemed to come from a dream rang out, all around her turned white. . . . . . Frey''s mansion faintly emerged as the white color that painted the surroundings disappeared. - Ha, I''ve really come ba¡ª - Ugh... - What the hell... Eventually, the calendar for the day before the school opening ceremony came into view. And the subsequent memories gradually faded and scattered in all directions. - Step, step... Quietly observing that scene, Ruby silently shifted her steps to the side. "..." Her face, locked in that frightening silence, began to turn pale. Despite this, she tried to put on a calm expression, but she could not hide the coldness of her skin and the trembling of her legs. - Step, step... However, Ruby forced herself to move forward. Filled with intense emotions beyond imagination, to the point where the nauseating feeling overwhelmed her, she felt she had to do something, anything. - Rumble...! "Ugh." Ruby staggered and looked around when the surroundings began to shake. The crumbling speed of his memory palace accelerated even faster, matching the speed at which Frey''s soul began to crumble. As a result, Ruby urgently began to increase her pace. With her eyes tightly closed, she sprinted for a while toward the memories she was in. "...!!!" Soon, she froze in place. - Chwarrrrrrk... In the crumbling corridors of the memory palace, memories unfolded like a panorama. From the looks of it, these were precious memories for Frey. "Ah..." Ruby, who was looking at that scene, soon began to slowly move her steps. Eventually, she began to see expressions on her face that she could not have imagined before. - Rumble... In the memories of his adorning the corridor, Ruby was always smiling. And Frey was always present beside her. Just by looking at that, one could infer that they had an extraordinary relationship. - Booomm...! A while later, Ruby began to mumble, her voice echoing through the collapsing corridor. "...Is all of that really true?" Before long, her legs gave out, and she found herself sitting on the ground, but she paid no mind to it. "Is Frey truly a regressor?" Because she had no time to dwell on such matters. - Rumble!!! In the crumbling corridor, a girl started trembling uncontrollably, her face pale with fear. Chapter 352: The Demon Kings Denial Chapter 352: The Demon King''s Denial "Huff, huff..." Ruby, who was breathing heavily, moved forward with a pale, tired expression. - Ruffle... Then, memories that had filled the corridor slowly began to replay. All of them were Frey''s memories from a first-person perspective. So there was no room for manipulation. - Crack...! "Uh." Despite being on the verge of tears, Ruby kept scrutinizing the scene that was playing in front of her. Soon, her eyes widened when she saw a familiar scene. ¡°So, I was taking a walk on this path yesterday...¡± In Frey''s memories, she was having a walk after having stabbed a knife into his heart and whispered softly to him. - Drip, drip... A large amount of blood flowed from Frey''s body. Ruby watched the flowing blood with fascination, then slowly stroked his cheek. ¡°Are you feeling cold? Then, let me offer you my body.¡± She hugged Frey, who was shivering to the point where his face had turned pale. "If it weren''t for you, I would have died of boredom long ago." "You will always be my plaything, Frey." "What? You love me?" "I love you too. Forever." The memories continued to disperse along with Ruby''s words. Although the memories were nonexistent in Ruby¡¯s mind, it was a scene that felt too familiar. Because it was the torture that Frey had inflicted on herself in the ship''s cabin just a few days ago. "So, everything here...?" When Ruby muttered and looked around, familiar scenes played out. - You, why aren''t you screaming? - Even after displaying such a painful expression, why do you still choose to remain as my subordinate? You gain nothing from it. - You remain loyal to me even after enduring such torture. It''s fascinating. The torture Frey had subjected her to in the past few days mirrored what she had done in those memories. In that memory, with her face concealed by magic, she had inflicted the same torment on him. The corridor was filled with Ruby, smiling and inflicting torture towards him. Of course, occasionally, when Frey seemed to be in too much pain, she would flinch, her face turning red, or she would just stare blankly at him. And sometimes, Ruby would invite him to dinner and engage in trivial chatter. Judging from the way she kept praising the potato soup and talking about rye bread to Frey, it seemed like she quite liked him. - You also launched a secret mission in the battle against the Imperial Army. How commendable. - You want to handle Clana yourself? Hmmm... What should we do? - I wonder how can a human be so wicked towards their own kind? Frey. As Ruby, with a dumbfounded expression, continued to walk, a loyal-looking Frey appeared. He was the Demon King¡¯s most loyal soldier and secret weapon, but he went about secretly plotting and doing underhanded things on the battlefield as if the goodness he had shown so far was a lie. Even the five girls, including Ferloche, had crumbled under Frey. "Frey... was my loyal subordinate? How the hell?" Thanks to this, Ruby started to feel disoriented. Why had he, who seemed so kind, become her subordinate? "As of today, I am known as Frey, a member of the Demon King''s army." "Hmm." "Please take care of me, Demon King." Ruby, who took a step into the corridor in search of the reason, found herself increasingly perplexed as she reached the very first memory related to her. - Chu... "I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s happening but... I liked it, boy." It was because one day, Frey arrived at the Demon King''s army with a devil named Eucarius, whom she couldn''t remember as her subordinate. He pledged his loyalty by kissing her feet. In the previous cycle, that was their first meeting. Frey had blindly pledged loyalty to her from the beginning. "What is this... hmm?" Thanks to this, Ruby, who was showing a confused expression, soon narrowed her eyes. It was because she could feel a faint aura from the end of the corridor. She wasn''t certain, but walking further might lead her to the true starting point of her connection with Frey. - Crackle... "Huh?" However, another problem arose. "Wh-what the hell is this?" She couldn''t move forward anymore. "...It''s the end, huh?" Before she knew it, Ruby had reached the very beginning of Frey''s memories. Naturally, there were no memories before that. "Th-this is strange." However, for some reason, she could feel numerous memories at the end of the corridor. Moreover, perhaps it was just her feeling, but the wall seemed slightly weakened. - Rumble!! Ruby looked around and quietly reached out to the wall, but when the hallway shook in an incomparably louder way than before, she gritted her teeth and started to run forward. She managed to find out that he was a regressor, but there was still much she didn''t understand. Before the palace collapsed, she wanted to find out the truth. "Huff, huff..." Having escaped the corridor, Ruby started looking around while catching her breath. "...No." However, soon, despair painted her expression. "All the memories are disappearing." The memories embedded in Frey''s soul had already faded away significantly. Of course, since these were unconsciously embedded memories in the soul, they wouldn''t directly impact the actual memories. However, the problem lay in the fact that the soul itself was fading away. "L-Let''s go to the recent memories." But now, she couldn''t simply give up after coming this far. Because if she could just go a little further, she felt she could get closer to the whole truth. - Shaaa... The Hero¡¯s privilege ¡ª ''Retry.'' It was my ability that no authority could interfere with, not even the gods. The cost of using it was something I could never ignore. His hand trembled as he brought the pen back to the notebook. Did the memories from the previous cycles briefly come back as a side effect of them trying to corrupt me forcibly in that unstable state? Well, who knows? What was important was that I found my memories of Ruby. The rest were just trivial matters. Anyway, with Mind Control, I won''t forget these memories, right? Let''s forcibly maintain this condition for a while. - Hush... Then, the scene shifted. I tried everything I could, but she didn''t come back to normal. She still loved me, but she could never be purified. As a result of constantly turning back time, it seems my final moment has arrived. This may be my last regression. Time is running out. If I continue like this, my soul will be shattered within a few days. I need to purify Ruby before that happens. My bet with the mastermind was to restore her to her original self. There is no other way to save the both of us. The scene shifted to late at night, Frey was standing on the deck of a passenger ship. He looked up at the night sky and continued to write in the notebook. Now, I could not even remember my memories of the past cycles, but the memories of the first cycle still linger. She was my childhood friend. We always shared rye bread together and had a secret romance that everyone in the academy knew about. Then, that unforgettable night filled with twists and turns came. If it weren''t for that damned mastermind, we would have lived happily. Having written that far, Frey quietly dropped his head, closed the notebook, and the scene changed once again. This time, I¡¯m trying a different method I''ve never tried before, one that I''ve been avoiding until now. Having done everything in the previous cycles, I decided to try the opposite this time, and there''s hope. Perhaps we''ll return to the happy times we once had. You, who lost your memory and became the Demon King, and I, who became the Hero who had to defeat you. Will those cruel chains finally break at the very end? Sitting in the lobby of the inn with a tired expression, Frey exerted strength on the last page of the notebook and jotted down something. Regardless, I will definitely save her. I will purify her and make her live happily without fail. I love you, Ruby. Forever. As the writing concluded, Frey turned his gaze. There, Ruby herself was present, wearing a cold expression. It was herself from just a few minutes ago. - Shaaa... The last memory scattered in all directions and disappeared. Suddenly, the wave of the crumbling palace had reached the place where Ruby was kneeling. - Crackle... Scenes of Frey desperately trying to purify her, scenes of herself refusing the ¡®Purification Quest¡¯ that followed. After that, the scenes of Frey enduring beating after beating from herself began to be erased one by one. - Crackle, crackle... The scene of Frey, who, despite taking a beating, tried desperately to communicate with her, but eventually closed his eyes with a sorrowful expression as his soul which had reached its limit, finally dissipated. And finally, at the end, with the last of his dying breath, Frey whispered eternal love while caressing her cheek, was also erased. "..." Now, all that remained around Ruby was complete darkness. Frey was nowhere to be found. Only she existed in a completely empty space. "I-I didn''t know...¡± In that never-ending darkness, Ruby knelt, unsure of what to do. Her whole body trembled uncontrollably, and her face was marred with indescribable confusion. "I didn''t know, I..." The bitter truth she had discovered was too cruel for her. "Wh-wh-what am I supposed to do from now on..." As she tried to gather the fragments of memories that were scattered in front of her, Ruby began to mumble, her eyes reflected her inner turmoil. However, it was already too late. She had already let go of something more precious to her than anything else, with her own very hands. As it was, she was afraid to even go outside this space. If she went out like this and saw Frey¡¯s cold, unmoving body, she felt like her entire existence would be completely destroyed. "..." Thus, in the complete darkness, Ruby kneeled in her lonesome. Her face pale as her whole body trembled, unable to do anything. "N-no." However, she forced a smile and began to mutter. "T-The Demon God said Frey is not a regressor. There must be something wrong here. That¡¯s right, this must be an illusion." A faint hope began to appear in Ruby''s eyes. "I have to go to the Demon God." . . . . . Meanwhile, in the imaginary world. "Hmm, great. It''s really delicious." For some reason, the Demon God, who had completely freshened up compared to a few hours ago, was sitting in an elegant black chair, smiling. "This is it." Behind her, feathers from Gugu were still stuck in her back. Unchanged. Chapter 353: Her Regrets Chapter 353: Her Regrets "D- Demon God." With a pale face, Ruby, who had entered the imaginary world, urgently looked around and searched for the Demon God. "Demon God, where are you?" Until just a moment ago, the Demon God, who was lying on the ground, was nowhere to be seen. Why? Where could she have gone? She needed to quickly ask her what was going on. She needed to hear the Demon God''s explanation. By any chance, she didn''t run away, right? Her heart kept growing anxious. "Where are you!!" "Come forward." In response to Ruby''s increasingly panicked shouts, a commanding voice came from in front of her. - Thump, thump... Hearing those words, Ruby started to walk forward with trembling legs. "You''re finally here?" As Ruby''s sight focused, she saw a black peak rising high in the imaginary world. "I thought you''d come a bit sooner, but you¡¯re late.¡± The Demon God was seated with her legs crossed on a black chair atop that peak. Unlike a moment ago when she was a mess, she now appeared composed, wearing a haughty smile on her face. But Ruby didn''t perceive any of that. She was panicking for the first time in her life, and there was no way she would have the ability to think rationally. "Th-there''s a problem." "A problem? What problem?" "Frey was a regressor. He was a true regressor." "Oh, really?" As Ruby spoke urgently, the Demon God, looking down at her, showed an intrigued expression and put her cheek on her hand. This behavior was completely different from her usual compliance with the Demon King''s mood. "...?" Only then did the Demon King begin to notice the strangeness. "Yes, Didn¡¯t you tell me?" But, she couldn¡¯t just stop asking questions just because of a slight strangeness, "Frey... He wasn''t a regressor. Didn¡¯t you say something like that could never happen?¡± "Oh, that?" "Turning back time is close to impossible..." Ruby spoke with a trembling voice, but soon her words trailed off. "W-what''s with that expression?" Because she saw the Demon God, who just looked at her with a smile and amusement in her eyes. "What are you smiling at!" Ruby raised her voice as she was thrown off by the Demon God''s unexpected reaction. After a while, the Demon God finally opened her eyes slightly and spoke. "Sorry, Ruby." "Sorry? What''s there to be sorry about..." "In truth, it was a lie." The Demon God spoke with a wide smile on her face. Then she whispered softly. "Frey is a regressor." "W-what...?" Ruby''s expression began to crumble. . . . . . "What... What do you mean?" Ruby began to emit killing intent from her entire body, her eyes looked crazed. "What kind of bullshit is that!!!" "It¡¯s simple, really. You bitch just got deceived by me." The Demon God just looked at Ruby with a disdainful expression, as if she was laughing at her. She lifted the corners of her mouth and continued to whisper. "You''re more naive than I thought. It was cute how you fell for my words so easily when I showed up out of the blue." "What..." "Well, that''s how it is." "What do you mean by that!" Ruby exploded at the Demon God''s brazen attitude. She gathered demonic energy in her hand and rushed towards her. - Crackle, crackle... "Uh, ugh?" However, when the Demon God made a light gesture with her hand, Ruby stopped abruptly in her tracks. "You might be strong, but... this is my domain." - Thud...! "Ugh..." As the Demon God flicked her finger, black chains began to emerge from thin air, ensnaring Ruby. "No matter what you do, you can''t challenge me here." As Ruby struggled against the chains, she staggered and sank to the ground at the Demon God''s gesture. "Ugh, ugh..." "It''s futile." Trying to break free from the chains, Ruby thrashed around, but it was useless. As the Demon God had said, this place was her domain. Even as the strongest Demon King, she couldn''t oppose the Demon God here. "S-So is it true then?" As the Demon King realized this, she gave up struggling, her expression grew increasingly pale. "Did Frey really go through countless regressions just to save me?" "I''m not sure." "And I, oblivious to it all, got corrupted and mercilessly killed him?" "Well...?" Although Demon God whispered with a teasing expression, the meaning behind her words was clear enough. Tears began to fall from Ruby''s eyes. "Have you been deceiving me all this time? Are you?" "Mhmmm..." "And I, oblivious to it all, have been with you all this time..." "Hey, you sure do talk a lot for a mere puppet." Hearing those words, Ruby''s expression turned vacant. "Go quickly and finish off Frey¡¯s soulless body. Then both you and I will be free." "..." "You never know. If you obey my words well, maybe I''ll revive Frey, just for you." As she finished her speech, the Demon God began to prepare to banish Ruby from the imaginary world. "A pawn should just do as they¡¯re told. Now get moving¨C" "AHHHHHHH!!!" "Huh? Ohoo?" But then she widened her eyes in surprise. "Hmm?" "You''re going to feast today, Miss Kania." As Ferloche said that, someone came out from behind her, leaving the Demon God wide-eyed. "Y-You, how did you get here...?" - Shaaa... "Uh, uh? W-Wait a minute...!" At that moment, the power that had filled her body began to drain away. "This truly is a divinity, isn¡¯t it? How fascinating." "This is insane!!" Kania was absorbing the Demon God''s power expressionlessly. "W-When did you become this strong? Wait, what are you? Why do you have more divinity than¨C" ¡°That¡¯s because you are no longer the Demon God.¡± "Huh?" "Now? You''re nothing but a mere divinity dispenser." Kania''s divinity was several times greater than the one she had already recovered. The Demon God was sweating profusely at the unbelievable situation, then she opened her mouth with a subdued voice. "W-wait. The deal..." "The deal is off, right? Isn¡¯t that what you said earlier?" "D-Don''t you want to recover Frey''s soul?" But when her urgent plea fell on deaf ears, the Demon God shouted desperately. "Seeing as his soul is not only shattered but completely annihilated, it seems like there is a problem with your plan, am I right?" "..." "I''ll help you the whole way. I''m a complete expert in that kind of¨C" "Are you talking about this?" "...Huh?" But when Ferloche took something out from her chest, the Demon God froze in place. - Shaaa... "It''s a pity, but it''s all part of the plan." A small bead was shining in Ferloche''s hand. Somehow, it emitted a silver light. "What the fuck¨C" ¡°Please take care of me today as well.¡± "Aaargh! W-Wait! Just a moment!!" The Demon God, who had just grasped the situation and tried to escape, started struggling as she was bound by the black chains manipulated by Kania''s gesture. "Stop it!!!!" "Hmm." Watching the Demon God''s fierce struggle with a cold gaze, Ferloche quietly moved away. - Swoosh... Then, she closed her eyes and kissed the bead before gently stroking it while murmuring. "You may be able to deceive the others, but you can''t deceive me." - Wriggle... "If I hadn¡¯t sent Gugu at the last moment, your soul would have shattered completely. That seemed to be your original plan from the beginning." Ferloche poked the wriggling bead with her fingers and asked in a subdued voice. "What on earth were you thinking? Do you want to commit suicide?" - Wriggle, wriggle... "If you won''t speak, I have a way to find out." Then she whispered, licking the bead with her tongue. "Is there a way to ruin your mind instead of your soul?" The bead fell silent. "Hmph." Staring at the bead intently, Ferloche closed her eyes and placed it in her mouth. "Speak before I swallow you whole." - Gulp, gulp... As Ferloche began to roll the bead around in her mouth, her expression became increasingly pensive. . . . . . "...Ah." Ruby opened her eyes and let out a small sigh. - Swoosh... Then, she slowly looked around. The place she was in was undoubtedly the motel where she and Frey stayed. "F-Frey." Upon realizing that, she crawled over to Frey, who was lying next to her. "F-Frey. I-I¡¯m here. I''m here now." "..." "W-Wake up, please." Shaking Frey¡¯s cold body vigorously, Ruby placed her trembling hand on his chest. - Shaaa... Finally, she began to perform healing magic for the first time in her life. - Hiss...! Naturally, since she was incompatible with healing magic, her hands started to tremble. But undeterred, Ruby poured enormous energy into Frey. "F-Frey. I''ll fix you soon. Okay?" "..." "So please, just hang in there. Alright?" As she continued to mutter with blood dripping from her mouth, Ruby bowed her head deeply. "I-I''m sorry, Frey." Tears streamed down Ruby''s eyes. "I understand now. I''ve realized everything. Your attitude, my obsession with you, our past, our love... I understand it all." "..." "T-That¡¯s why..." After a while, Ruby stopped the healing and collapsed onto Frey''s chest. "Please stop playing around and come back to me..." She hugged the still-cold Frey tightly and started wailing. "I-I was wrong. I''m not asking for forgiveness. I just want to apologize for everything I¡¯ve done so far. If you want me to crawl, I¡¯ll crawl; If you want me to sacrifice myself, I¡¯ll offer myself gladly; If you want me to commit suicide, I¡¯ll do so with a smile; so please...¡± Sadly, there was no response. "No, no..." Only after confirming that Frey''s soul was truly gone did Ruby bury her head in his neck and start screaming wildly. "No! It can''t be!! Frey! No!!" Frey''s soul had already been completely obliterated. His soul was totally annihilated, with no chance of recovery. "Noooo!" The regretful cry of a young girl filled the motel. Chapter 354: Her Despair Chapter 354: Her Despair - Sha... "Sob... Hugeuk..." With tears streaming down her eyes, Ruby kept casting healing spells on Frey¡¯s lifeless body. - Fwooshh... Her hands were already severely battered from using healing magic. But regardless, she continued to pour out healing magic relentlessly. "Please, please, please..." "..." "Please come back to me..." With desperate pleas, Ruby buried her head in Frey''s chest, but no miracle occurred. Frey''s soul remained absent. In fact, it was to be expected. What she was doing was healing magic that could only heal physical wounds. If it were only death as a life form, there might have been a bit of hope, but naturally, restoring an annihilated soul was impossible. - Shaa... "No... No no no..." Though she tried to deny it, tears streamed down Ruby''s cheeks as the stellar mana embedded in her heart began to fade away. One by one, things that could remind her of Frey were disappearing. His traces were being erased from this world. "Ugh, ugh..." With trembling hands, Ruby grabbed her own head, and started tearing at her hair. "Why does the truth matter so much? What''s so important..." While Frey¡¯s memory palace crumbled so severely, she merely wandered around aimlessly and foolishly tried to read his memories. If she had come out at that time and tried to stop the collapse of his soul with all her might... No, at least if she hadn''t disturbed his soul, the outcome might have been different. It would have been better to just extract the memories embedded within his soul. That way, she could have remembered the precious and beautiful moments they had together, but now they were also gone, along with Frey. "I, I..." And it was all her fault. "What have I done...?" Once she started blaming herself, waves upon waves of endless regret flooded her mind. "Why, why didn''t I accept him? Why?" Ultimately, Frey ended up like this because he failed to save her. In order to save herself from being corrupted into the Demon King, his soul was torn apart through countless regressions. But even knowing that his soul would eventually perish after a long, arduous journey of regression, he never gave up on her until the end. His last words and smile as he stroked her cheek still lingered in her mind. On the other hand, what about her? What about her, who kept boasting that she was the Demon King and would never do something like purification even if she was dying? "Sob, uuu..." In front of Frey, whose soul was on the verge of annihilation, she proudly clicked the reject quest button. That wasn¡¯t the end. She fell for the Demon God''s words, causing her to mull over foolish thoughts in her head, which led to mistakes. She ended up beating the man who was trying to save her to death. Come to think of it, Frey didn''t even resist back then either. He just wore a blank expression and took the beating from her. "Ha, haaa... Haaa..." Ruby''s breathing became increasingly rapid. "Sorry... I''m sorry..." Overwhelming guilt gripped her to the point where she could hardly breathe. "I was wrong, Frey..." The one who made Frey like this was none other than Ruby herself. Just a moment ago, he was alive and breathing. The man who had been incomparably precious to her. The man who had loved her until the end. Now, only a mere shell of his body remained, pitifully slumped in her embrace, all because of her foolish choices. "I-I''ll live kindly. From now on, I''ll live kindly, Frey." In her mind, the moment when she had pressed the ¡®Purification¡¯ quest reject button kept replaying itself. "I-I will stop doing childish things like conquering the world. I-I¡¯ll belong to the Empire, and even be your dog forever. I''ll disband the Demon King Army and wipe out all the back alleys. Okay?" It was a sentence she couldn''t have imagined uttering just a few weeks ago. "So please... Please come back... Please come back to me, Frey..." Of course, no matter how much she pleaded, it was futile. "...Ah." Ruby, who had been clinging to Frey¡¯s body for a long time, finally muttered with widened eyes. "R-Right." It was a simple passing thought. "I just have to accept the purification quest, right?" There must be a reason why Frey had been so determined to ¡®Purify¡¯ her. "Yeah, that''s it." If she was ¡®Purified¡¯ maybe Frey could live again. That was certainly what was written on his note. That was the way to end this damned game. - Zing! Ruby reached out her trembling hand and summoned the ''Help System.'' Fortunately, the ability bestowed upon her by the Demon God still remained. "D-Demon God, are you listening?" Looking at the ''Help'' system, Ruby said with a trembling voice. "Give me the ¡®Purification Quest¡¯." Her heart was pounding so hard. She might be able to save Frey after all. She imagined the scene of him getting up and smiling, whispering, ¡®I always believed in you¡¯. The scene of Frey embracing her as she cried. Suddenly, for her, the ¡®Purification Quest¡¯ had become the only solution to save Frey. - It¡¯s impossible. "What?" But what Ruby received was an extremely cruel answer. - You can only receive your ''Purification Quest¡¯ once. "F-Frey... But Frey received it multiple times." What she retrieved now was the last item. After scouring the world tirelessly, the items inside this bundle were all that remained. All of those items failed to revive Frey, and only the last item remained. "Please, please... Please, I beg you... I''ve done everything wrong, so please, help me, just this once..." Ironically, the last remaining item was a small ring rumored to be a reward from the Sun God to the First Hero. The usage was also simple. All she had to do was put the ring on his finger. Then, it was said that a literal miracle would occur; some even claimed it could restore a shattered soul. - Thump, thump, thump... As Ruby recalled this legend, her heart pounded wildly as she raised Frey''s hand. This was her last chance. There was nothing left in the bundle. If even this ring couldn''t revive Frey, she would have to bid him farewell forever. "Please, please, please, please...." With a more desperate heart than ever before, Ruby slowly began to slide the ring onto Frey''s finger. She placed it on the pinky finger of his left hand. A ring worn on the left pinky finger symbolized luck for new beginnings and making wishes come true. Perhaps this gesture would convey her desire to start anew with him? Perhaps this act would serve as the catalyst to awaken Frey, who had suffered countless regressions fueled solely by his desire to save her. "..." But such a miracle did not occur. Even after putting on the ring, Frey lay still on the bed, as lifeless as ever. ¡°M-Maybe it¡¯s not going to happen right away.¡± But Ruby placed her hands on his knees, hoping for even a small change to occur. As five minutes passed... "It¡¯s only five minutes. It''s impossible for a soul to heal in just five minutes." Ten minutes passed... ¡°It¡¯s a little late. I made some soup. It must have gone cold.¡± An hour passed... "..." And as time passed, Ruby just stared at Frey until the warm soup cooled and became watery. "...It''s a failure, huh." As morning dawned, and sunlight streamed in through the window, she took Frey''s hand with a gentle smile. "I''m sorry, Frey." Then, suddenly, she formed her other hand into the shape of a gun and pointed it at her own head. "Just like you said..." She could no longer deny the reality. "...I''ll love you too." No matter how legendary the artifact was, it couldn''t mend a soul that wasn''t just damaged, but entirely ''annihilated''. Now, it was time to pay for her sins. "Even in death, forever." At that moment, a single tear streamed from Ruby''s eye. - Crackle!!! The terrifying demonic energy struck her head. -Thud. And then, Ruby collapsed weakly beside Frey. "..." And silence began to fill the room. "Ah, ah? Ahhhhhh?" Ruby collapsed onto the bed in agonizing pain, watching blood flowed from her head, staining the bed crimson. Her expression soon turned pale. "I... I can''t even kill myself?" Although she didn''t know it because she had never even hurt herself, let alone attempted suicide, Ruby was so strong that she couldn''t even kill herself. As the Demon King, she was literally immortal as long as there were no heroes that could kill her. "Then... Do I have to live like this?" Realizing this fact, Ruby muttered with a look of terror. "...In a world without you? Forever?" Gradually, tears began to fall from her fear-filled eyes. "I... I don''t want to." Despite basking in the warm sunlight beside her, Frey''s expression looked unusually pale. "I don''t want to!!!" Staring blankly at his soulless body, Ruby began to scream in anguish. "I''m sorry!! I was wrong!! Don''t go, Frey!!!" Soon, she buried her face in Frey''s chest, crying like a child. "Ugh, waaaah..." The majestic Demon King had long since disappeared without a trace. "Waaaah..." Gone was the pretender who always wore an arrogant expression. "Freyyyyy..." In this room now, there was no one but Ruby, who had lost the most precious person to her due to her own karma. "Please, please..." Sitting beside Frey''s lifeless body, Ruby cried like a child, pleading. "Please come backkkkkk......" Ruby''s cries echoed through the morning streets, filling them with sorrow. . . . . . Some time later. "Sniff, heuk... heugh..." It was around this time that Ruby''s wailing ceased, and only the sound of her sniffles could be heard. "Gu...Gu~." At some point, Gugu who had flown to the window and was quietly observing her, quietly lit up her eyes. - Shaaaa... Then, the ring that had been placed on Frey began to shine. Chapter 355: Run Ruby, Run Chapter 355: Run Ruby, Run "..." As the lively morning in the Western Continent drew to a close and the sun rose to its zenith, a peculiarly quiet girl sat in a desolate motel room, her dead eyes staring blankly at thin air. "Frey..." Ruby sat huddled in the corner of the room, her head bowed and her face pale as she murmured to herself. "How am I supposed to live now?" She no longer has any desire to destroy the world. The Demon King who had once sought destruction out of boredom had long since disappeared. Now, the only people left in the room were Frey, who lost his soul while trying to save her, and the pitiful girl who lost her life''s purpose because she couldn¡¯t recognize her most precious person. "I don''t want to live anymore. I want to die." The girl muttered, her voice lifeless. - Sizzle... At the same time, her fingers began to glow purple. "I didn''t know a world without you would be this terrifying." Tears were still flowing from Ruby''s bloodshot eyes as she pointed her finger to her own temple with a lifeless look in her eyes. ¡°I wish I had died in your hand. It would have been better to die in your hand while you still lost your memories.¡± With meaningless what-ifs on her lips, Ruby raised her finger as if firing a gun. - Bang! Then, the room shimmered purple as the demonic energy shot from her finger pierced her head. It was supposed to be a fatal blow, drawing out all the remaining demonic energy in her exhausted body and unleashing it on her weakest spot. "Guhhh..." However, Ruby did not die. She simply writhed on the floor, her eyes rolling back. Her 36th suicide attempt still ended in failure. "...This is my punishment." Ruby, still in shock and convulsing on the floor, muttered with vacant eyes. "A punishment, to rot and decay forever in a world without you." To Ruby now, it was a punishment more dreadful than anything else. "It''s retribution for all of my actions." Now that she thought about it, it would have also been an Ordeal more dreadful than anything else for Frey. It would have been easier if they could go mad, but their mental strength wouldn¡¯t allow them to. "..." Now, Ruby would wander this world, regretting today''s events for the rest of her life. Reliving the scenes of today''s every waking moment. With no respite either by death or insanity. It was her karma for being nothing more than a stupid child. "...Huh?" As Ruby was lost in thought with a devastated look in her eyes, she suddenly tilted her head. "What''s that..." The light was coming in from somewhere. Strange. She completely covered the windows to block the Demon God¡¯s prying eyes. So, where could this light be coming from? "...Huh." With an indifferent expression, Ruby looked up, but soon her mouth fell open. Something unbelievable was happening right before her eyes. Frey¡¯s soulless body. The Frey who she thought would never be able to see again. - Swish, swish... He was sitting up on the bed, and looking around the room. And the ring that had been stuck on his left pinky finger was shining brightly. "Ah, ahh..." As Ruby, still squatting in the corner of the room, stared with a dumbfounded expression, she staggered to her feet and began to approach Frey. "F-F-Frey?" "..." Her steps quickened, and an agitated voice erupted from her lips. "Frey, Frey! Freyyyyyyy!!!" Frey woke up before her own eyes. Seeing the ring shining was undoubtedly a miracle. He had finally come back to her. "Huuaa... Huuaaaah..." Ruby hugged Frey tightly as she began to shed tears filled with mixed emotions. The tears she thought had long dried up were flowing freely from her eyes. "N-Now, I''ll never let them take you away again." Thinking such, Ruby urgently unfolded the blanket beside the bed, covering herself and Frey. "Frey, let''s run away." As they were covered in complete darkness, she started talking while holding his hand tightly under the blanket. "L-Let go of me." Frey, who had just received a completely new soul, was struggling under her. "Ugh, ahh." Seeing him struggling reminded Ruby of her own disgusting behavior months ago, causing her whole body to shake as she took a step back. "...?" Frey, who had been watching her with a guarded expression, tilted his head and raised his left hand. "What''s this?" "T-That''s... It''s what restored you..." -Whisk... "Wait!!!" As Frey attempted to remove the ring without a second thought, Ruby desperately grabbed his hand and screamed. "I-I''m sorry! I was wrong! I''m sorry for screaming!!" "...?" "S-So please, don''t take that off. Please..." With an earnest expression, Ruby began to plead. For some reason, she could somehow feel it. The moment that ''ring'' was removed, everything would end. If she missed this small miracle, she couldn''t even imagine what she would become. "...I understand." Perhaps, there might still be a chance. As Ruby looked at Frey, who nodded with a soulless expression at her earnest plea, she clenched her fists tightly and murmured to herself. Even if his memories are gone, then they can be recreated. If a painting is erased, it can be redrawn. A glimmer of hope began to flicker in her expression again. This time, let me dedicate to Frey what he has done for me so far. "U-Um, hey, shall we have a meal first?" Maybe, just maybe... I can recover his memories after he witnesses my dedication... With that thought in mind, Ruby held Frey''s hand and led him. "...By any chance, were you and I enemies?" "What?" Frey asked expressionlessly, just like a doll. Ruby could feel her heart sink at that question and turned around to answer him. "W-why would you think that?" "Umm..." Frey, tilting his head at her words, replied in a monotone voice. "When I look at you, I feel a chill all over my body." "Ah." "And I feel resentment. I also feel like my body is getting dirty." "..." "Honestly, I want to run away right now." Frey slightly stepped back, then furrowing his eyebrows, he whispered. "Please don''t touch me." "I-I''m sorryyyyy..." At the same time, the Demon King knelt on the ground. "I-I''ll do anything you ask. Anything you command..." But then, she quickly prostrated herself on the ground, pleading as she observed Frey''s expression. "Please, please, could you have a meal with me just once?" A few days ago, she was the imposing and dreaded Demon King, but now she was groveling at his feet, like a dog. "...Hmm." Frey''s eyebrows twitched slightly. . . . . . A few hours later, on the streets of the Western Continent. "There have been sightings of the Hero around here." Vener, who was leading the Hero Party, scoured the streets with a tense expression. "Honestly, the information is highly dubious, but at this point, even a small clue is important. So..." "Haa, haa...!" "...Hmm?" While doing so, she started looking at a girl passing by her side with a puzzled expression. "The soup, the soup is getting coldddd..." "Where have I seen her before?" "I must hurry, hurryyy!!" Ruby, wearing a robe, was running to the grocery store with a pale expression. Chapter 356: The Escaping Ruby Chapter 356: The Escaping Ruby - Bubble, bubble, bubble... "F-Frey, J-just wait a little, okay?" After rushing into the grocery store at the speed of light to buy ingredients for breakfast, Ruby headed to the kitchen with an apron tied around her waist. "I''ll cook something delicious for you. Okay?" "..." Frey nodded his head while staring blankly at her, and only then Ruby finally entered the kitchen with a relieved expression. "Um... since it''s morning, how about simple potato soup and rye bread sandwiches? Yeah. Let''s not overdo it and stick to the basics, right, the basics." However, soon her expression was filled with nervousness. "...Can I do this?" In truth, she had never tried cooking before. Well, at the very least, she definitely could put something on top of a piece of bread, right? In the days when she was the arrogant Demon King, cooking her own food was unthinkable to Ruby, so in a way, it was something she took for granted. "Um, so... do I just put all of this in and boil it?" Slightly flustered, she started dumping the ingredients into the pot. "E-everything tastes good separately, right? So if you brew them together, it''ll be even tastier." The grocery store owner definitely said that these ingredients could make a delicious vegetable soup when combined. "...Is this right?" Ruby believed those words and started to stir the pot full of ingredients with a ladle, but soon, she tilted her head. - Sizzle... "Um, um." A strange smell, completely different from the potato soup she loved, slowly filled the air. What was this smell? Could it be that the grocery store owner was an assassin targeting Frey? It was possible. After all, she and Frey had been exposed to the public too often in the past few days. "Um, where''s that burning smell coming from?" "...Oh." Ruby, staring blankly out the window with a cold expression, finally snapped back to reality upon hearing Frey''s voice from the living room. "I-I see." It wasn''t poison, but a burning smell. It was natural since she didn¡¯t even add any water to the pot. ¡°I-I shouldn¡¯t do it like this.¡± Ruby, who ended up making a heavily burnt vegetable stir-fry instead of vegetable potato soup, raised her hand while sweating coldly. "I wanted to do it with my own hands..." Unlike yesterday, when she had no choice but to use magic, she wanted to cook with her own hands. Because she was no longer the Demon King, but Frey''s woman. It was only natural for her to prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner with her own hands. - Sizzle... Glancing at Frey sitting in the living room, Ruby quietly waved her finger and cast a spell on the ¡®soup¡¯. She wanted to show her cooking skills, not the burnt taste, so she had no other choice. Until she got used to this thing called ''cooking,'' she would use magic, but from now on, she would practice whenever she had time. The more she practiced, the higher the chance of Frey recovering his lost memories... ...Will it really work? As she raised the now-perfect soup, Ruby wondered with a restless expression on her face. Am I just escaping reality? There was no guarantee that his memories would return. In fact, whether his memories even remained was unknown. What returned now was just Frey''s soul regenerated by the power of the ring. In the end, no matter how much she thought about it, perhaps it was already too late... - Slap!! "Let''s not entertain such unnecessary thoughts." Slapping her own cheek with one hand, she took a deep breath and headed to the living room. "Now it''s my turn to devote myself to him." Ruby muttered to herself as she looked at the emotionless Frey in front of her. . . . . . - Slurp... Frey took a sip of the steaming soup and began to slurp. "H-How is it? Delicious?" "Um..." Ruby stared intently at Frey and anxiously asked. "It¡¯s okay?" "W-What¡¯s wrong with it? Was it the Magi¨C, I mean, did I mess up the seasoning?" Her expectant expression crumbled as she hurriedly tasted the soup upon Frey¡¯s ambiguous response. ...It¡¯s delicious though? But the soup tasted excellent. After all, she used her magic to recreate the most delicious food she had ever eaten, the soup that Frey made for her in the desert, "I-I''ll redo it if you don''t like it. Just say the word." However, because Frey''s expression seemed rather grave, Ruby reached out her hand to his. "Oh, it''s okay." "Huh? Uh..." "Hmm." Then, after pulling her head back slightly to meet Frey''s gaze, Ruby continued. "But even if I leave, I will always be your woman." "It¡¯s fine. Now that I don¡¯t have any memories, rejecting you who knows about me would be a loss. Honestly, I''d like to reject you, but..." Turning his gaze away as he responded, Frey looked at Ruby, who, despite the harsh words, was still smiling brightly. "But, despite your words, you don''t seem very strong." "I-Is that so?" "Yes, you look like an ordinary student, no matter how I look at you. Hearing those words, Ruby let out a sigh of relief. That''s a relief. To avoid alarming Frey she had temporarily suppressing her power. For now, the most urgent problem seems to be resolved... Frey was clearly scared of her and disliked her, and it tore her heart. Nevertheless, Ruby began to breathe deeply, having completed her plan to establish her relationship with Frey. - Shaaa... "Hmm?" As she looked at the stellar mana that spread out suddenly, Ruby tilted her head. "...We''re being watched." "What?" At Frey''s calm words, her eyes widened. "I felt something was strange, I spread something inside my body in all directions, and now I can feel gazes from everywhere." "Darn it. When did... Oh." With a cold expression, Ruby stood up from her seat, and then her eyes widened. - Crack, crack... "Huh?" The ring shining brightly on Frey''s left pinky finger was slightly dimmer. - Swoosh... "Uh, uh?" At the same time, Frey collapsed to the desk with empty eyes. "W-Why is this happening..." Shocked, Ruby hugged Frey desperately, then lost her words in shock. "Ah... ahhhhh..." The ring hadn''t restored Frey''s soul. It was simply infusing life into Frey''s body with the power it contained. - Crackle, crackle... The ring was flickering. Because Frey used his mana, the power of the ring weakened by a notch. "No, no..." Ruby''s legs gave out, causing her to collapse as she attempted to rise from the chair. Clutching her head, she muttered. "Again, because of me... Because of my stupidity..." In her efforts to not arouse suspicion from Frey, she had allowed people to spy on them by suppressing her powers. And Frey, discovering that, shortened the already pressing time limit by using his mana. If things continued like this, the person more precious to her than anyone else would become nothing more than a beautiful doll forever. Ruby wanted to stop that at all costs. "There''s no time for this." Therefore, she had to find a way to get out of this place as quickly as possible and recharge the ring''s power. If the ring''s power ran out before she could recharge it, she would never be able to see Frey again. "W-we have to escape this place." With that in mind, Ruby, who had lifted Frey onto her back, began to fall into panic again. "W-where should I go? The outskirts of the Western Continent? A secluded area? Or maybe the E-Eastern Continent?" "Ugh..." "T-There''s no time. If I continue like this, even my last hope will be extinguished.¡± Then she muttered desperately, touching Frey''s cheek again as his soul began to flicker. "...This time, I''ll save you, Frey." . . . . . Meanwhile, in a secluded location in the streets of the Western Continent, the temporary headquarters of the Hero Party. "...This is driving me crazy." The Temporary Captain, Vener was holding her head and talking to everyone. ¡°The Hero has fallen to Frey.¡± "W-what!?" "What does that mean...!" Thanks to that, the atmosphere quickly became chaotic. "...Calm down." Vener, calming the atmosphere, whispered in a subdued voice. "Starting now, I will begin briefing on the raid operation against Frey." The meeting lasted for several hours. Chapter 357: The Submissive Ruby Chapter 357: The Submissive Ruby "Hmm..." "F-Frey. Are you okay?" When Frey, who was piggybacking on Ruby''s back, opened his drowsy eyes, Ruby asked a question with a worried expression. "...What are we doing now?" Frey ignored her question and instead asked her a question in return while looking around. Ruby, who was carrying him, was not just climbing a mountain, but jumping over it as if she was flying. So it was an understandable question. "We¡¯re running away." "Running away? So suddenly? To where? From whom?" Ruby caressed Frey''s cheek. Upon hearing Ruby''s words, Frey''s face turned pale. "... something is going on. I''ll protect you, so don''t worry." "Can''t you at least tell me where we¡¯re going?" "I''m still trying to decide where to go." Ruby landed at the top of the mountain and continued as she caught her breath. "Frey, where do you think we should go? The Eastern Continent? Outskirts of the Western Continent? Or should we go to the Southern Continent?" "..." "No, maybe we should go to the Demon King¡¯s Castle? There we might find excellent protection... But I don¡¯t think I can go there now." Frey lost his words when the suspicious word ¡®Demon King¡¯s Castle¡¯ came out of Ruby¡¯s mouth. After a while, he blankly asked. "Who are you, really?" "I¡¯m your woman. The one who is indebted to you. The woman who never wants to lose you again." "Please tell me the truth." "...I''ll tell you everything once we reach a safe place." "If you don''t tell me, I''ll jump off." Although Ruby spoke with a nonchalant expression, when Frey spoke in a firm and cold voice, she became crestfallen. She wanted to see Frey, who used to caress her with loving eyes. She wished she could reactivate the stellar mana in her heart and make the stellar inside her abdomen flutter again. "I-I am... the Demon King." "What?" "Do you... do you know what a demon king is? I was a stupid and vile person who goes around destroying the world...¡± "Then what am I?" When Frey asked again in an even colder voice, Ruby closed her eyes tightly. She could deceive him as much as she wanted. She could even package their relationship as something affectionate and lovely. But she didn''t want to do that. The reason Ruby was doing this to the revived Frey was to revive his memories. So, hiding their most special relationship as the ''Demon King'' and the ''Hero'' was absurd. If she kept hiding it and Frey''s memories didn''t come back, and the ring ran out, she might spend the rest of her life filled with regret. She didn''t want to bear such a risk. And. Lying to Frey, who burned his soul to save her, was something she could never do. "You... you were... the Hero." "Hero..." "You were the Hero who tried to kill me, and I was the Demon King who tried to kill you. That was our relationship." Ruby continued with a sorrowful expression. "...At least, that''s what I thought." "Ugh...!" "F-Frey?" Ruby hurriedly grabbed Frey as he staggered. "W-What¡¯s wrong?" "M-My memories... came back." "What!?" Shocking words came out of Frey¡¯s mouth. After hearing those words, Ruby made a pleased expression. "R-Really? Did you really regain your memories?" Just a while ago, she thought it was hopeless. She was just acting out of a small lingering hope, a hope that lingered in the small corner of her heart. Has a miracle really happened? ¡°I remembered what you did to me.¡± ¡°Yeah, I see. That¡¯s really ni¨C.¡± As Ruby attempted to embrace Frey with tears of joy, she suddenly froze in place. Her expression stiffened as his words finally registered in her mind. What she did to Frey. If those memories came back... ¡°I guess what you just said was true.¡± "..." ¡°I vividly remember the moment you put a leash around my neck for a walk and walked around the palace gardens with me, stabbing my heart, draining all the blood from my body, and the way you smiled at me.¡± Frey took a step back away from her as he spoke, causing Ruby¡¯s complexion to turn even paler. "The moment you mercilessly hit my stomach, the moment you broke my leg, and..." "W-Wait. I can explain everything. Just let me ex¨C" "I remember... the moment you forced me down and tried to rape me.¡± No matter how much Ruby tried to explain, when those words came out of Frey¡¯s mouth, she couldn''t say anything else. "T-That... that was..." It was her biggest shame now. That was one of the things she regretted the most. Just last night, Ruby had been faced with a nightmare of Frey crying bitterly underneath her. ¡°I felt... sorrow and disgust.¡± "I¡¯m sorryyyyyy..." ¡°That chilling sensation when your body fluids invade my body... Have you ever felt such a nasty feeling?¡± "I''m sor¨C" "It''s okay, you don''t need to apologize." "W-Wait!" As Frey dismissed her and turned his back, Ruby, who was kneeling, suddenly stood up. "...Hm." "Kyaakk?!" Frey''s fist struck her abdomen directly. - Crack! The stellar mana within her abdomen erupted, causing her eyes to roll back as she collapsed onto Frey. "I truly regret it..." As Ruby, feeling the sensation of her abdomen being completely destroyed by that single blow, vomited blood from her mouth, she buried her head on Frey''s shoulder and started speaking while crying sorrowfully. "I regret trying to rape you, isolating and ostracizing you, taking away your sister... and making your life like this, I still deeply regret all of my actions." "..." "I want to turn back time. I want to atone. I-I would have committed suicide if I could. But, I can only die by the Hero¡¯s Armament." With a terrified expression, she continued. "I''ll help you gather points. So, please, awaken your Hero¡¯s Armament and kill me. Punish me as much as it takes to judge the sins I''ve committed against you so far." "...Hmm." "So, please, at least until then... give me a chance..." Hearing those words, Frey shook his head and spoke. "I''m sorry, Ruby." "H-Huh...?" "I don''t think I can love you." With a shocked expression, Ruby opened her mouth. "In the first place, my original soul disappeared, right?" "N-No! The ring...!!!" "Anyway, I''m sorry. No matter how hard I try to remember, all I can recall with you are dreadful memories of rape, torture, or my precious person being taken away..." "U-Uwahhhhh!" Upon hearing Frey¡¯s sincere apology, Ruby was consumed by self-loathing and let out a scream. - Stab...! Then, Ruby stabbed her own heart with the dagger she took out of her pocket. "Why did I... Why... Why on earth..." If only she could regress like Frey. If she could turn back time. She wanted to make it like it never happened. If she could go back to that point, she wanted to beat her past self to death. A man who sacrificed his own soul just to save her had become like this because of her delusions of grandeur. The reason Frey ended up like this, and enduring the countless regressions, weren''t they all because of her? Ruby despised herself so much. She wanted to kill herself out of disgust. She wanted to tear herself apart. - Crack...! ¡°I have to die... I need to die... I must die...¡± Ruby fell into a state of panic as she kept twisting the dagger in her heart, causing a copious amount of blood to spurt out of her chest. "Why won''t I die...? W-Why can''t I die? I don''t need a life without him anymo¨C¡± "...Stop it." As her body turned pale due to the bleeding, Frey quietly held her blood-soaked hand. "T-Thinking about it, I don''t even deserve to be by your side. The reason you are like this now is all my fault..." ¡°Hey." "I-I''ll leave. I''ll leave... I''ll jump into the sea or into the lava. Or I''ll make a sealing stone..." "...Still, I''ll try." "What?" Eventually, Frey answered quietly while stroking the head of Ruby, who was shivering palely with her entire body soaked in blood. "I¡¯ll try my best... to love you. So... stop harming yourself." "Ah..." "Just... it looks painful." As he spoke, Frey tilted his head, revealing a knowing yet uncertain expression. "And when you''re hurt, I feel weird for some reason." Ruby¡¯s expression turned vacant as she listened to his kind yet meaningful response. After a while, she lowered her gaze. "...I''m tired. Let''s call it a night for today." - Blink, blink... Frey''s ring, which looked dim and lacking energy, was blinking intermittently. If It left it like this, it seemed like it would go off at any moment. "...C-Can you drink me now?" "Huh?" Ruby was on the verge of tears as she saw the ring. Then, she opened her mouth with a determined expression. "Please drink my blood." "What...?" "I want to swear a blood oath to you." Frey''s eyebrows twitched as he heard her words. ¡°I, Ruby, the Second Demon King, will devote my soul to you, the Second Hero, Forever.¡± "..." "Just as you have devoted yourself to me forever." As soon as she finished speaking, Gugu, who was sitting on a nearby branch, quietly flew into the night sky. . . . . . A short while later, at the Hero Party''s tent, "...Hmm." Vener looked intently at the letter that had arrived for her. "An anonymous letter...?" "Gugu!" "...Considering Gugu brought it, it must be from the Saintess, right?" Gugu, holding the letter in her mouth, was urging her on with a foolish expression on her face. Chapter 358: A Lucky Day Chapter 358: A Lucky Day "Are you really asking me to drink your blood? Not metaphorically?" Frey stared blankly at Ruby and asked hesitantly. "Yes, please drink my blood." Ruby replied as she closed her eyes, breathing heavily in front of him. "To bind my soul to you through the blood oath, you must consume my blood." "Are you for real...?" "Yes, I know it might be unpleasant..." "Um, Ruby?" Frey, who was looking down at Ruby, who was talking to him while on her knees, quietly took her hand and spoke. "You don''t need to speak formally." "Huh?" "It''s just... it feels a bit awkward when you speak formally." "Oh, I see. Then, I will explai¨C" "That''s enough." As Frey sighed, Ruby looked at him in surprise. "How much do I need to drink? Can I just lick it now?" "N-No, I''ll prepare for it. You just stay still." With that, Ruby began to frantically wave her fingers. - Rustle... Then, a wine and a glass appeared before her eyes. "This is the wine I treasure the most. It was made by a master thousand years ago, and it''s still magically preserved. If I were to sell this, I could probably buy a whole city." Ruby explained unnecessarily as she poured wine into the glass. "I-I''ll make you happy. I''m capable. With just the treasures I have, I can easily buy a kingdom." ¡°...I have no intention of running away from you.¡± When Frey once again sighed and reassured her again, she finally felt a little relieved. She then took the wine glass cautiously. - Zing... Then she cut her own arm with her nail and began pouring her blood into the wine glass. "I never imagined I would do this to someone else." Despite the blood flowing from her arm, she didn''t flinch. Then, she cautiously offered the wine glass to Frey. "D-Drink it, please..." "Hmm." A drink made with the world¡¯s oldest and most expensive wine and infused with the Demon King¡¯s blood. This shining red ruby drink possessed an efficacy beyond measure. Even if one combined all the potions and elixirs in the world, it wouldn¡¯t even come close to it. Even without considering the potent magical effects in the Demon King''s blood, the healing properties of the wine remain quite potent. The mere fact that drinking this glass would make one the master who could control the strongest Demon King in history made it worth its weight in gold. - Swoosh, swoosh... As Frey brought the extraordinary drink to his lips, Ruby, who had been staring blankly at him, blushed and clung to his side. - Thump, thump... Ruby''s heart was actually pounding very hard as she sat next to him, her body pressed tightly against him, and she looked up at the night sky with a calm expression. Was it because she was performing not just verbal obedience or physical submission, but a much more significant act of devoting her soul to someone? Or was it because this was the moment where she gave her whole life to the man she cherished above all else? Or perhaps it was the sense of immorality from Frey consuming a part of herself. - Guzzle, guzzle... "Ah..." Regardless, it was undoubtedly a wonderful feeling. Today, at this moment, Ruby was experiencing the happiest moment of her life. . . . . . "Hmm." Having consumed all the wine, Frey blankly stared at the empty wine glass. - Swipe... Quietly stealing the wine that lingered on his lips with her hand, Ruby leaned against the man who had just become her master. "S-So, how is it? If you feel uncomfortable..." "...I have a favor to ask." "W-What favor? What is it?" When Frey interjected her, Ruby asked back. "Can you... speak in your usual tone?" "M-My usual tone?" "Yeah, your usual tone. Lately, I keep thinking about you, and it feels strange. Does it bother you?" "N-no! Not at all! Um, ahem..." Having abandoned the Demon King¡¯s way of speaking over the past few days and completely fallen in love, her way of speaking inadvertently changed. Ruby started to blush at Frey''s request before clearing her throat. ¡°...So, how did it feel when you tasted me?¡± Then, Ruby raised her chin and spoke with her signature arrogant expression. "No man has ever tasted me, nor has ever dreamt of it. Consider it an honor." She suddenly took out her horns and tail. Combined with her expression she suddenly looked quite... majestic. - Sway, sway... If only she had not snuggled up to Frey, linked her arms with him, and wrapped her fluttering tail around his arm. It was less like the imposing Demon King and more like a woman cosplaying for her lover. Anyway, it was incredibly cute. "What would the Demon King¡¯s Army say if they saw you now?" "...It doesn''t matter. I''m not the Demon King anymore; I''m your woman." She needed time to sort out her feelings. . . . . . - Chirp, Chirpp...!! As time passed, morning arrived. "..." Ruby sat alone by the roadside, a little away from the cabin by the river, with a vacant expression. She eventually stood up. "Yeah, it was my fault." She made up her mind. "It''s my pain to bear, not Frey''s." With those words, she moved slowly and murmured in a subdued voice. "I have to reveal to the Hero Party that I am the Demon King." It was the result of the self-loathing, love for Frey, and remorse that had been building up overnight. "...How should I deal with Frey''s identity?" Of course, she couldn''t say that right away. If she revealed herself as the Demon King, people would naturally start to suspect Frey''s true identity. If that happened, it would be Frey who would suffer. She, being the Demon King, would not truly die even if her body perished. But for Frey, death would be the end. So, she needed to find a way for Frey not to be suspected as the Hero even if she revealed herself as the Demon King. "And..." Ruby walked briskly with that thought in mind, but she soon stopped, reached into her pocket, and grabbed the bead from the blood oath. - Hiss...! Seeing the bead, Ruby clenched her fist with all her might. - Swoosh... She opened her hand again and the bead became considerably cloudy. The distinct ruby and silver colors were mixed by her grip. The murkiness of the silver color had already become irrelevant as it mixed with the ruby color. "Soon... I have to offer myself." She blushed shyly at the thought. ¡°If I offer my body and make him eat this bead... his soul may stabilize.¡± She planned to feed him her own soul. Of course, it was a forbidden act. She didn''t know what would happen. Even the former Demon King had only attempted it. "I wish there was another way..." But now, Ruby was simply filled with the thought of saving Frey. She, who had once boasted of devouring Frey, had reached the point where she would offer her blood and soul for him. "Then..." Ruby finally arrived at the cabin. She pondered how to apologize for abruptly leaving yesterday as she went through the defensive spells she had cast on the cabin. But suddenly, she turned her gaze to the side. "...Ah, I need to prepare breakfast." She still wanted to create a few more memories with Frey. "Maybe I''ll try making button mushroom soup today..." After today, maybe she should leave the Eastern Continent and spend about a year in a secluded mountain village with him? With such thoughts in mind, Ruby began to walk towards the market. . . . . . - Crackle... "Hehe..." She was giggling softly to herself as she lifted the defensive spell and entered the cabin. "I managed to haggle for the first time." To become Frey''s woman, learning how to do chores was essential. With that in mind, Ruby had vigorously negotiated with the owner of the vegetable shop, securing ingredients for a silver coin less than the asking price. "Frey, I¡¯m sorry for what happened yesterday. Please forgive me." With both hands full of food ingredients, Ruby stepped inside. "I''ll prepare breakfast, so just wait a moment..." Her words trailed off and her eyes widened as she saw the scene in front of her. - Swoshh... The inside of the cabin was horribly destroyed. "..." It was unmistakably the aftermath of a fierce battle. "...Ah." Seeing the devastation, Ruby slumped to the ground limply. The button mushroom she held slipped and rolled to the floor. - This is Vener. As the mushroom stopped rolling, there, next to it, lay a letter addressed to her. - Hero, if you''re reading this letter, don''t worry too much. "..." - We have secured Frey. Her face quickly turned pale. Chapter 359: The Fourth Trial "..." Ruby knelt amidst the devastated cabin with a pale expression. After a moment of silence, she finally fixed her gaze on the letter. Hero, you were under Frey''s control. We couldn''t bear to watch that sight. So, when you momentarily disappeared from the cabin, we attacked Frey. "What..." Ruby''s eyes began to dim upon reading the letter. If this letter was true, did it mean that an attack occurred when she left this place? If it was true, she couldn''t bear it, as this meant that this was her fault again. So it must be false. - Buzz... Desperately, she sent demonic energy out around her, thinking it might be one of Frey''s pranks, but there were no life forms detected. Just a few fish swimming by the riverside. As a result, Frey was subdued and detained by us. It turned out that the anonymous report that Frey had actually lost his powers was true. Realizing this, Ruby suddenly stood up with a blank expression. Currently, we plan to interrogate Frey to find out how he subdued you and the method of mind control that prevents you from resisting him. "No, no..." Cold sweat began to trickle down her face. In case of unforeseen circumstances, the entire Hero Party was dispatched to subdue Frey, so they might not be able to come out to meet you. Instead, we will provide you with the coordinates of our current location, so if you come, we will protect you immediately... "No, no, no!" Ruby started to run towards the exit of the cabin, screaming. "Frey! No! Nooo!" The button mushrooms that Ruby had painstakingly chosen and negotiated for tens of minutes were trampled under her feet. "Is this my fault? Is this my fault again?" But without even acknowledging that Ruby opened the door and rushed outside, and began to cast teleportation magic in panic. - Fizz! "Ugh!" However, soon tears of blood flowed from her eyes as she collapsed. Using teleportation magic required a high concentration, so it was only natural that she failed to cast it in a state of great panic. - Zzt, zzt! Zzzt! "Uh, uh..." She tried several times afterward, but her mind couldn¡¯t focus at all, and eventually, blood began to flow from her body due to the strain. "I had to go as fast as possible... hurry." Unfazed by the damage to her body, she calculated the coordinates, and soon she looked up at the sky. - Whoosh...! She unfolded her wings. ¡°I can get there in 10 minutes. Frey, hang in there.¡± Fortunately, the Hero Party''s temporary residence was not far from here. If she flew as fast as possible, she might be able to prevent a disaster. "...It doesn''t matter." For a moment, Ruby thought about what would happen if her identity were exposed, but she quickly shook her head. Frey, who barely survived soul annihilation by a miracle, was in danger. If he died, wasn¡¯t it all over anyway? - Flutter...! With that thought in mind, Ruby soared into the sky, her hand tightly clenched to the letter sent by Vener. "I can stop it. I can stop it. I can stop it." Luckily, the wind was blowing towards where the Hero Party was located. She estimated she could arrive within 5 to 6 minutes. "I can stop it..." She kept reassuring herself with a forced smile. However, her expression soon stiffened when she remembered the state of the cabin. "..." She just remembered that the blood in the cabin had already dried up. - Wobble...! Ruby''s body, flying at high speed, began to wobble in mid-air. . . . . . A few minutes later, at the temporary residence of the Hero Party. "Huh? What''s that over there?" "Wha-what is that?" Alice and Arianne, who were sitting around the residence for a break, looked up at the sky with puzzled expressions. The glimmering dot from the sky was getting bigger and bigger. "Is that... coming this way?" "Uh, uh?" The moment the two girls realized that it was heading towards them... - Boom!!! "Aah!" "A-Are we under attack!?" The dot crashed in front of them at a terrifying speed. "Cough, cough..." "B-Be careful. It could be one of Frey''s minions..." The two girls were dazed momentarily and covered in dust. They hesitated for a moment before assuming a combat stance. "..." "Huh?" "Hero?" But the figure emerging from the dust cloud was none other than Ruby. "Ho-how did this..." "Where''s Frey?" "What?" Approaching Ruby with a bewildered expression, the two girls listened to Ruby''s murderous words filled with killing intent before answering with a confused expression. "Uh, well... right now, Ms. Vener..." "He''s in the basement..." - Step, Step, Step...! "Hero! Where are you going!? It''s dangerous!!" Upon hearing the word ''basement'', Ruby urgently rushed inside. "Ms. Ruby...?" "W-what''s happening?" "You came?" Then, the children who had been sitting in the conference room stood up and began to look at Ruby. "Ho-how do you get to the basement?" "What?" "How do you get to the basement!!" As Ruby screamed at the children, they began to exchange glances with each other. "Ms. Ruby, please calm down." "You seem very tired, why don''t you rest..." Gradually, their eyes softened as they looked at her. It seemed they still thought that Frey was in control of her. "Frey is currently being interrogated by Ms. Vener. So..." "...Since when?" "Uh, well..." As she looked at them, Ruby felt her heart boil with rage. "Since yesterday dawn, right after we successfully subdued Frey..." "No, noooo!!" "Fre¨C" However, she stopped suddenly, her eyes becoming vacant. - Blink, blink, blink... Frey''s ring was flashing incessantly. It seemed like it would turn off in a few minutes. "Hero, it''s dangerous here..." - Grasp...! "...Uh?" Watching quietly, Ruby reached out and grabbed Vener, who was reaching out to her. "Frey, who did this to you?" "Disgustingly, he kept shouting your name and fought until the end. Of course, he fainted from exerting all his strength during the battle, so we were able to bring him here.¡± "...The knife stuck in his side?" "We were interrogating him. Hero, by the way, we need to check for the charm magi¨C-" With that, she couldn''t see Vener in the room anymore. "Huuuuek!?" Grabbing her arm with vacant eyes, Ruby threw her with enough force to fling her into the corridor outside the basement. - Thud...! BOOM!!! "The system probably protected her..." Still muttering with vacant eyes as she watched her roll down the corridor and hit the wall, Ruby then turned her gaze to Aria. "...E-Everyone! It''s dangerous!" She was already heading towards the children who were trying to enter the basement. - Thud...! Seeing this, Ruby kneeled on the floor and started crawling towards Frey. "Frey, I''m here." "Hehe, Ruby." Frey replied with a small smile and a soft voice. "No, no, don''t. Don''t speak. Don''t exert yourself. Just listen." As the ring was about to go off, Ruby hugged him, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Frey, consume my soul. It might stabilize yours." Then, Ruby offered him a bead mixed with red and silver. ¡°...What would happen if I recovered from eating that?¡± "Of course, if you recover, you will come back to life. So hurry-" "But then, you''ll die right?" "...What?" Hearing this, Ruby made a puzzled expression instead of handing him the bead. "In the end, the Hero will perish along with the Demon King. It''s the last verse of the prophecy." Frey looked directly into her eyes. "T-That''s right. So let''s die together, Frey. Consume my soul, recover, and then live happily ever after. And in the end... we will perish together." "No." "...?" Frey responded with a stern expression, then he smiled and whispered. "Ruby, I recovered... my memories." "M-Memories?" ¡°Yeah, the memories I had with you.¡± ¡°...!!!¡± Ruby''s eyes widened at his words. Then, Frey closed his eyes and continued. "Memories of us meeting for the first time, going to the academy together, our first night, and how you got corrupted in my place.¡± "F-Frey." ¡°When you were attacked and disappeared in front of me... Do you remember how I kept shouting your name? Funny, isn''t it?" Ruby''s eyes began to fill with tears hotter than ever before as Frey chuckled. "Don''t... don''t leave me!" As tears streamed down Ruby''s cheeks and wet Frey''s knees, she desperately shouted. She desperately shouted as her tears soaked Frey¡¯s knees. "If you won''t consume my soul willingly, I''ll force you. You''ll definitely¨C" "When I recover and be the Hero again, you''ll eventually be killed by me." "Isn''t that obvious? I''m the Demon King!! It''s natural for you to kill me!!!" "No, it''s not." With a gentle smile, Frey met Ruby''s eyes. "I''ve gone through countless regressions just to save you. It''s the worst ending if you die without living for even a few years." "But, but... I''ve already rejected the Purification Quest!!" Ruby wailed and cried out. "I''m sorry, Frey... If only I had accepted it... I ruined everything like a fool... I, I..." "What if there''s a way?" "What?" "There''s a very simple way." Ruby¡¯s expression turned blank upon hearing Frey¡¯s words. "I''ll become the Demon King in your stead." "...What?" Ruby let out a stunned voice. ¡°Do you know what is floating in front of me right now?¡± "...No way." "As expected, you''re smart. You''re truly my lover." "Stop." Realizing what would happen next, Ruby paled and grabbed Frey''s hand. [Sudden Quest - Corruption] [Reward: Everything] "If you failed the Purification Quest, I''ll just accept the Corruption Quest. Right?" "Stop. Stop it. Don''t." Desperately, Ruby shook Frey''s body with a frantic expression. She wanted to knock him out if possible, but if she did, Frey''s soul would be extinguished, so Ruby could only plead with him. "While it says the reward is everything... I only need one thing." "I told you not to. Frey, do you want me to get angry? Do you want to see the wrath of the Demon King!?" "You need to live happily, Ruby." Saying so, Frey shed tears and gently caressed Ruby''s cheek. "I-I''ll try to find a way to bring back the Purification quest! I''ll negotiate with the Demon God...!" "If I''m corrupted and become the Demon King, you''ll become the Hero and kill me. It''ll be very easy for you." "No!!! Stop it!!!" "That''s the only solution to break this vicious cycle of sad ending." "Stoppp!!!" Despite Ruby''s desperate cries, Frey eventually made his decision. [Accept] "I love you forever, Ruby." "Aaaahhhhhhh!!!!" Ruby screamed to the heavens and completely lost her mind when she saw Frey close his eyes after professing his love for her one last time. [Retry checkpoint designated] At the same time, the system window began to appear automatically. [Error: Owner of the unique ability [Retry] not found] [Initiating eligible candidate search...] Under the numerous lines written in the air, only one sentence appeared at the very bottom. [The Fourth Ordeal begins.] At that moment, the sky began to darken. Chapter 360: Bad Ending (3) In a musty-smelling basement, a girl blankly sat hunched over. "This has to be a lie." After staring into space for a while, the girl finally chuckled. "A Corruption Quest, huh? Frey? Got corrupted? That... That can''t be true, can it?" "..." "G-Get up. I found a way to restore your soul. If you eat this bead, your soul will stabilize. So stop playing around and get up now.¡± With those words, Ruby tried to lift Frey up. But she stiffened when she grabbed him. [Congratulations on Clearing the Quest.] [Ending 999 - Corruption of the Hero] Before Ruby''s eyes, a simple message appeared. "..." Having lost her words after seeing the message, Ruby slowly opened her information window to check her own disposition. [Disposition: Girl] Her disposition had changed from ¡®Demon King¡¯ to ¡®Girl¡¯. [Disposition: Demon Lord] On the other hand, Frey had his disposition changed from "Hero" to "Demon King." "Is this real...?" It was the first time Frey''s disposition had completely changed. - Crackle... Lost in her thoughts, Ruby watched the scene unfold, her expression twisting as her system window buzzed and disappeared. [Ending the Path of Pretender System.] "Ah, aahhhhh!!!" Soon, Ruby began to scream in despair, her eyes brimming with tears. "Frey!!!! No!!!! Nooooo!!!" She then began to untie the ropes that bound Frey to the chair. "Why did you do that!! Why did you do this!! You idiot!!" And then, embracing him tightly, Ruby began to sob loudly. The children at the end of the hallway, the raindrops beginning to fall from the collapsed ceiling, none of it mattered to her now. "How am I supposed to live!!!" Despite his unstable memory and soul, Frey once again sacrificed himself for her. To break the shackles that were imposed on her, he accepted the Corruption Quest and became the Demon King in her stead. And, with a smile, he asked her to kill him. "I don''t want to!!! I don''t want to!!" For Ruby, who had just understood the emotion called love, it was something she could never do. "I already had a place for us to live. I had already bought a house in a rural village in the Eastern Continent... I even filed for relocation..." Holding Frey with an expression of disbelief, Ruby buried her face in his chest, choking back sobs. "Why did you save a scum like me... Just why..." She remembered a few days ago, sharing the same bed with Frey in the cabin. At first, both of them felt awkward, and for a while, they slept at opposite ends, hesitating in their pure affection. Then one day, unable to bear it any longer, she timidly approached Frey and hugged him from behind. And the next morning, she woke up to Frey hugging her back. At that time, she felt like her heart would explode from beating too hard. Even now, as she hugged him, those memories were still vividly replaying in her mind. Right now, she felt like Frey would kiss her shyly, just like back then. Back then, the kiss was really sweet. To the point where even her stomach would unconsciously flutter. "...Heuk." Ruby, who was staring blankly at Frey, suddenly clenched her fists and hit her own stomach hard with lifeless eyes. "Uh, ugh..." It was the first time she hurt herself. If she didn''t do this, she felt like she wouldn''t be able to drive away the guilt and regret that overwhelmed her. - Crackle... Suddenly, an unfamiliar energy began to emanate from Frey''s body. "Uh, huh..." What she felt inside of him now was not the pure and noble stellar mana... it was demonic energy. His once fair skin started to turn purple, starting from his left arm. His head twitched, and horn-like protrusions began to emerge. - Swish... Watching him blankly, Ruby raised her trembling hand and reached out to him. - Slash...! And then, Ruby quietly flicked her fingers. - Drip... After a moment, small wounds appeared on Frey''s arm, and blood began to trickle down. "Ah..." The action just now wasn''t an ¡®act of affection¡¯ from Ruby. Instead, it was something she couldn¡¯t have done if she truly loved him. But Ruby''s attack succeeded all too easily in inflicting wounds on Frey. It was proof that the ¡®system¡¯ blocking the two had completely disappeared. "Uh, uuh..." "Uh..." For some reason, even after her system was gone, the ''help system'' remained. Was it because the Demon God had installed it in an abnormal way to begin with? "T-Tell me." Tell me something. Ruby was already too mentally drained to think through all these thoughts individually. "W-Why is Frey... acting like that?" - Currently, Frey''s personality and soul have been reset. "What!?" Ruby exclaimed in shock upon hearing that. - The individual known as ''Frey Raon Starlight'' will never fall to corruption under any circumstances. - However, an unprecedented event of him choosing corruption on his own has occurred. The probability of such an event happening is less than 0.00000000001%... - Thus, in order to forcibly proceed with the ''corruption'', the personality and soul remaining within Frey were completely reset. - As a result, the corruption was successfully carried out. If you have any further questions... "...Ah." Ruby, having read all the text in front of her, collapsed in front of Frey with dead eyes. "Ugh." Frey was dead. From the moment he made the choice to shoulder the burden in Ruby¡¯s place, he was already prepared to die. She realized this now. "I have no idea how to kill you." "..." "I need to adjust my plans. First, I''ll collect items to increase my strength, and then I''ll deal with the individuals who are most likely to interfere with my plans, including you..." Frey started to move forward as he spoke. "There are seven people nearby who are likely to become my allies. I''ll join forces with them first..." "Aaargh!" "...!?" Then, as Ruby desperately rushed at him, Frey immediately turned and assumed a combat stance. "Eat this! Eat it!!" "Heub!?" Ruby, clinging to Frey, forcefully shoved the bead into his mouth, a bead mixed with ruby and silver colors. The same one from the blood oath they made just a day ago, containing both of their souls. "Please!! Eat this and come to your senses!!" With tears streaming down her face and her eyes tightly shut, Ruby cried out. "Heub." "Keoheokk!" As Frey was forced to swallow the bead, he kicked her directly on her stomach. "...That''s unpleasant." Shortly after, Frey, with a cold expression, stood up again and muttered as he looked at Ruby, who was sprawled on the ground. "Do you really think something will happen because of this?" "..." After saying that, Frey spread his wings and began to fly into the sky. Still sprawled on the ground, Ruby just stared blankly at Frey¡¯s figure, which was getting farther and farther away from her. ¡°Hero...¡± "Ms. Ruby..." Then, she heard a voice coming from behind her, causing her to tremble. "I couldn''t believe it, but it turns out, big brother really was the Demon King. That scumbag. I''ll kill him..." "I''ll dedicate my life to killing him. So..." Aria and Vener who were as battered and bruised as her, grabbed Ruby''s shoulders and spoke tearfully. - Bang! Bang! Bang!! "Eek!" "..!?" Ruby''s eyes were filled with horror as she looked at the two of them. Suddenly, she began to pound her forehead against the ground. "Why... Why are you doing this?! Hero..." "I-I''m not a hero..." "What?" As Ruby knelt before Aria, who was covering her head, she began to speak with a frightened expression. "I''m not the Hero... Frey was." "What are you saying?" "I was the Demon King." As soon as she finished speaking, silence fell. "Ruby... Are you alright? You seem to be in shock." "Hero, you should take some rest..." After a while, the two were comforting Ruby with concerned eyes. - Poof!! "...!!!" As purple smoke revealed Ruby''s true form, their expression started to turn blank. "I... I was a pretender." To the both of them, Ruby revealed herself with eyes devoid of hope. Chapter 361: Something Is Wrong (2) Chapter 361: Something Is Wrong (2) "Munch... Munch." "Ms. Ferloche, what were you chewing on so intensely for the past few days?" "Well, anyway, when did you start following us? You were supposed to be lying in the hospital bed..." While I was chewing on Frey¡¯s soul bead, Kania and Irina asked. But that wasn''t all. "..." The Four main heroines, excluding me. Even Isolet and Lulu. Everyone''s gaze was fixed on me. This was quite awkward. "I didn''t know!!" "Hmm." "Hahh. What did I expect?" Indeed, when things got awkward, acting dumb always worked. See, everyone was already sighing and giving up. Isn''t that right? Lord Frey, who is currently getting chewed? "Nom nom nom..." - Bzzzz... I couldn''t believe that the reason you asked me to let you stay in your body for a while and help you regain your memories was to accept the ''Corruption'' quest. Even I hadn''t anticipated that. "Hmm..." Could it be related to the Fourth Ordeal? The one where it recreated a world where you were corrupted? That made sense. Originally, it was an ¡®Ordeal¡¯ by the system that replayed past retry records to inflict suffering. But there was no cycle of you becoming corrupted. So, the system opted for an alternative. The Fourth Ordeal always occurred in a completely fictional world, with an AI mimicking you. But now, a never-before-seen event has unfolded where you voluntarily accepted corruption. Though your soul had escaped back into my mouth just before the Ordeal began, your body truly became corrupted. And the moment your body corrupted. The Fourth Ordeal began. Yes. The Fourth Ordeal was happening in reality, not in a virtual world like previous Ordeals. I was surprised, too. I never knew something like this was possible, let alone considered it happening. Of course, just because the Ordeal was happening in reality didn''t mean there would be any significant difference. The world had already begun to be interfered with by the system, and once the Ordeal was over, everything should return to normal... Would it? I didn''t know. This was the first time an Ordeal had occurred in reality. Even if the Ordeal ended, whether everything would return to normal... Will it return to normal? How did you know that? Hmm. Come to think of it, there was something I was curious about. I didn''t understand your actions this time. Why on earth did you take this risk? Wasn''t your plan to ensure everyone except Ruby passed the Ordeal? Was there a reason to make the Ordeal happen in the real world instead of a virtual one? "..." Huh? In the first place, what if the Fourth Ordeal has always been executed incorrectly? Didn''t it mean that you had to truly accept corruption for the Fourth Ordeal to run properly? So, were all the previous instances of the Fourth Ordeal merely errors because you never truly became corrupted? It was odd. How would you know about those things? I didn''t know about this either. - Bzzzz... There was a sudden quest a few days ago? Looking at the contents of that quest, you felt like you had to do it like this? Hmm... So, what is the content of that quest then? "..." You won''t tell me, huh? Do you want to be raped? No, you already disobeyed me and fallen into corruption, so I will definitely rape you. _Each time you refused to tell me, I will rape you for an additional hour. _ So behave yourself. - Crunch... Crunch... "Ms. Ferloche, I think your jaw is getting stiff¨C" - Swish...! "...Hmm?" Ah, you finally arrived. You, who became the Demon King, had arrived before us. "Hello, everyone." When you were killed by someone, the Ordeal would end. At the same time, those who sacrificed themselves for you would undergo a demonification. What a cruel Ordeal. An Ordeal where sacrificing yourself for the person you love the most is the wrong answer, and killing the corrupted you is the right answer. Moreover, except for Serena and me, no one even suspected that this was an Ordeal. For the next several minutes, Ruby''s earnest story continued. Frey, who had been grabbing her and beating her up for the past few days. Yet, sometimes she sensed a sad expression and a guilt-ridden look on him. After the so-called ''Love''s Escape'' incident, she and Frey destroyed the Church together. And then came the most enjoyable dates of her life. And at the end of those dates, the choice she would regret for the rest of her life, and the truth she realized while reading Frey''s soul. "Frey had been... always, always, always regressing to save me, all of you... and this world..." By the time Ruby said that while lying face down on the ground with tears streaming down from her eyes, the children''s expressions began to become increasingly pale and distorted. But still, Ruby kept talking. From the day she wept profusely, trying to revive Frey using treasures from around the world. She managed to temporarily restore him, but in a moment of distraction, he was kidnapped. And before she could fully restore his soul, he chose to fall into corruption. "Frey... chose to fall into corruption... to save this world." Despite her forehead bleeding profusely from banging it on the ground several times, Ruby forcefully banged her head on the ground again. "That''s why he, the Hero, has become the Demon King..." With that, Ruby, who had been talking for tens of minutes, buried her face in the ground and began to sob. There was more to be told about Frey''s current state with his memories and soul reset, and about the Demon God, but Ruby''s heart could no longer endure to continue explaining. And what unfolded after the unexpected end of the explanation was... "..." Silence. "Is... is that all real?" "It can''t be..." "But... that appearance...?" "Could it really be true?" Confusion. "Ha, haha. That can''t be right." "Ms. Vener?" "Something is wrong. This must be a trap, a trap set by Frey. This unbelievable explanation can''t possibly be true, right? You aren''t really believing all this...? There''s still no evidence other than Ms. Ruby''s words..." Denial. "But what if this is all true... what happens to us then?" "That means..." "So, what have we been doing all this time?" Fear. And then... "B-Brother?" Despair. "Ms. Aria? Where are you going?" "Ms. Aria!!" . . . . . "Ugh, ugh..." Aria, with a pale and exhausted expression, had been desperately running somewhere for several minutes. "Ms. Aria! Stop!!" "Fir-first, let''s talk..." The Hero Party and the first-year students were chasing after her. "Haa, haa..." However, it was a matter of no concern to Aria, as she kept running. If, if that''s all true... if it''s true...! The strange things and doubts she had felt while looking at her brother. Even the uneasy feeling she sometimes got when watching him do bad things. All of it, combined with Ruby''s recent words, instilled a terrifying fear in Aria. I, I need to make sure. I need to confirm this... So Aria, with only the thought of directly verifying the truth in her mind, was chasing after traces of stellar mana. It can''t be true. It can''t be... if it''s really true... if all of that is true... During the battle earlier, she had left a trace of stellar mana on Frey. Judging by its proximity, he wasn''t too far away. "B-Brother... Ugh." After running for a while, Aria stumbled and collapsed to the ground. "Ugh, ugh... ah." Groaning in agony from her throbbing legs, she suddenly widened her eyes and reached out her hand. "B-Brotherrrr!!!" Right in front of her was Frey. If Ruby''s words were true, She has no idea what she should say or how she would pay for her sins, her own flesh and blood... Wait, I... last time... "Excuse me..." "B-Brother..." She suddenly remembered the moment a few months ago when she had disowned Frey from the family, her face turning white. "Who are you?" "W-What?" As Frey approached her with a curious expression, Aria, with a trembling voice, asked. "I don''t know you." "..." And behind him, the five main heroines, plus Isolet and Lulu, were kneeling with dark expressions. "Am I your brother?" "Ah..." Aria''s eyes began to tremble uncontrollably. Chapter 362: Ending Credits Screening (2) "W-Wait, let''s talk for a moment." "..." Aria, who had been lying on the ground lost in thought for a while, eventually staggered to her feet. ¡°I-I just heard something strange... It was really weird and didn¡¯t make any sense...¡± After a while, Aria started speaking with trembling lips, moistening them with her tongue. ¡°B-Brother... Y-You ar-¡± "Who do you think you are to keep calling me ''brother''?" "...Uh." However, Frey''s cold voice interrupted her words. "It¡¯s annoying." "Brother..." Frey''s icy gaze pierced Aria''s heart. Has Frey ever looked at her with such eyes before? The coldness he has shown to her now was so much colder than the looks she had received before... It was as if... his previous cold gaze was nothing but an act. ...What if that was really just an act? Aria''s eyes suddenly shook again when that thought flashed through her mind. "Haa, haa..." But now was the time to ask questions. She felt like if she kept avoiding it, everything would be too late. "Brother... were you the Hero?" "..." "Is it really true that you were the Hero? That you had to commit ''false evil'' to save the world and have been hiding it all this time?" Despite her trembling body, Aria mustered her courage to ask the question. But Frey still didn¡¯t respond. He just looked down at Aria with vacant eyes. "...That''s right." At that moment, Aria and the Hero Party''s gaze shifted from Frey to someone who knelt behind him. "Young Master... was the Hero." It was Kania. "It seems like everything has come to an end... There''s no penalty even if I speak the truth. W-Well... it doesn''t matter now, does it?" She was speaking while tears streamed down her cheeks and her voice trembled. "I don''t blame any of you. After all, even I had to deceive everyone from the beginning. No one is to blame, and no one is at fault." "K-Kania...?" "...However." Interrupting Aria, Kania muttered with an expression tinged with despair. "Even though I know that... Why do I feel like I''m going crazy?" "..." "This was our last chance... Ms. Ferloche said we couldn''t retry anymore..." As the word ¡®retry¡¯ came out of Kania''s mouth, the expressions of Aria and the Hero Party turned cold. - Bzzzzzz... "In the end, after a long, long time, what we faced is... a bad ending..." Staring at them, Kania started to emit a dark energy from her whole body. "...We were drunk with love, ignorant of the danger we would face. We should have spent that time getting stronger." "Frey, I''m sorry. I''m sorry..." And, like her, Irina and Clana fell into despair. "..." Serena was frozen in her spot, and even Ferloche was expressionless. "What is all this... nonsense?" "M-Master?" Even though Isolet and Lulu at the back wore shocked expressions, just by looking at the expressions of those five, it was clear enough. What Ruby said is the truth. "T-Then... is it really true that brother..." As Aria vaguely realized it, she slowly approached Frey and opened her mouth. - Shaaaa...! "H-huh?" Frey suddenly began emitting killing intent and approached her. "You... you are deemed suitable to wear the Hero''s Armament." "B-Brother. Why are you saying that..." "The knowledge of the Demon King has begun to enter my brain. And only you can wear the Hero''s Armament in the current situation." Frey spoke with a twisted smile on his face. Then, without any hesitation, he pulled out a sword from his waist and whispered. "In other words, if you die, it¡¯s game over." "K-Kyaaa..." Aria screamed in horror as Frey was clearly intending to attack her. Has... brother ever hit me? He never did. Until now, Frey had never hit her, not even once. Why didn''t she realize that? The reason was simple. There was a reason why Frey deliberately treated Aria cruelly to prevent her from realizing it. And because Aria herself was so accustomed to it. Frey never laid a hand on her. For her, it was the last unconscious rule and safety line that she unconsciously developed since she was young. "B-Brother... I-I''m sorry..." Tears began to form in Aria''s eyes. She only vaguely realized the truth and still couldn''t grasp it. In fact, she was still unconsciously denying it desperately to prevent herself from losing her mind. But since realizing the fact that her ¡®bastard¡¯ of a brother had never hit her, even that denial was slowly crumbling. - Crackle...! Before anyone could react, Frey¡¯s sword, imbued by violet demonic energy, mercilessly struck Aria. "...Ghck." However, someone managed to intervene just in time to barely block the attack. "Ugh... Frey." That someone was none other than Ruby. . . . . . "Frey, please... stop this..." "..." Ruby, with her body pierced by Frey, started speaking with difficulty while spitting blood. "You weren''t this kind of person, were you..." Even as she spat out blood, Ruby didn¡¯t lose her smile. With blood-soaked hands, she caressed Frey''s cheek. "I believe in you, Frey. It doesn¡¯t make sense for you to get corrupted. There¡¯s no one as kind as you. Yeah?" "Hmm." "So, let''s stop this and talk. Let¡¯s talk... guh!!" However, Ruby began to scream and stumble before she could finish her words. "You''re quite strong. Hmmm... So you¡¯re the previous Demon King? Then, I must eliminate you now." As Frey gradually received information as the Demon King, he started to coldly glare at her and began to attack relentlessly. - Crack, crack, crack!! "F-Frey... look at me..." "...Huh?" Aria, who closed her eyes and was lost in thought, suddenly wore a serious expression. "It''s strange?" No matter how hard she thought, she couldn''t remember a scene where Roswyn was present. Yet, until recently, she had always been somewhere nearby, scribbling something. But for the past few days, she hadn''t even seen her. ¡°M-Ms. Roswyn...?" Realizing this, Aria quietly knocked on the cabin door. "..." But there was no response. - Click... "A-Are you in there...?" After a moment of hesitation, Aria placed her hand on the doorknob. When the doorknob turned, she was startled, but she carefully entered. "...Huh." Then, Aria froze in place. "...???" The lights were definitely on, but the room was empty. "W-What''s going on...?" Scratching her head in confusion, Aria looked around and then widened her eyes. "That''s..." There was a large notebook spread out like an encyclopedia. "Hmm..." It was the notebook that recently piqued everyone''s curiosity because Roswyn would react violently at anyone who tried to see what she was writing, carrying it around as if it were her lifeline. I leave a message here before getting banished from this place. If someone finds this, please make it known to the world. I didn''t have time to write down recent events, but... Here is the tale of the most pitiful boy in the world, and the fool who tormented him With an anxious expression, Aria approached the notebook and noticed a note attached to it. "What''s this...?" Reading through the note, Aria''s trembling hand reached out to the notebook to confirm its contents. - Rustle...!!! "Ah!" Suddenly, the pages of the giant notebook began flipping by themselves, emitting light. Before it''s too late, I have to go to him and receive the flower. That way, I can activate this notebook as the ending credits. It doesn''t matter if I receive it from the corrupted him, right? "W-What...! Eek?" Trying to hastily step back from the abnormal phenomenon, Aria''s foot got caught by something, causing her to awkwardly collapse to the floor. - Bzzzz... At the same time, Aria vanished from the room in an instant. Afterward, I should probably commit suicide. Maybe... This will atone for my sin? In the now-empty room, only a messily scribbled note fluttered about. The messy and crooked writing gave the impression that whoever wrote it was terrified. No, it¡¯s not enough. I, too, must go to hell. As the tear-stained ink stains bloomed on the note pad scattered on the floor, complete silence fell upon the room. . . . . . "...Ugh?" Aria, finally coming to her senses after being swept away by the strange light, looked around with a pale expression. "T-This place..." It was a place all too familiar to her. Before her eyes lay the Starlight Mansion, where she had resided just a few months ago. "What on earth is going on..." Confusion clouded Aria''s mind as she struggled to comprehend the situation. "Brother!!! I hate you!!!" "..." Then, she inadvertently turns her head when she hears a sound coming from next to her. "Huh." At that moment, Aria froze in place. "Why do you keep doing bad things!! Why!! Why on earth!!" "..." Before her eyes unfolded a scene as familiar as the mansion itself. It was the moment she first rebelled against Frey. "I barely punished one maid. Why are you so¨C" "She was so kind!!! She had so much potential!!! Is it even reasonable to treat her like that just because she didn''t help with night chores!?" "She wasn''t just any maid, she was mine. So it''s my authority to handle her as I see fit¨C" "M-Murderer!!!" "What?" And this was the scene where she said something malicious for the first time. It was unfolding before her once again. "M-Mom died because of you!! You scum!!!" "..." Upon hearing those words, young Frey began to look momentarily stunned. "...Ah." Simultaneously, confusion flashed in young Aria''s eyes. "Ah, this... this is..." Those words came out of youthful folly and impulsiveness. Even if her beloved brother was becoming someone unrecognizable, it was a statement she should have never uttered. "I-I''m sorry..." "Get out." "Ugh." Realizing her mistake, young Aria quickly left the room, her expression turning pale at Frey''s cold words. "..." And then, silence began to fill the room. "Sniff." Continuing to sit at the desk for a while longer, the young Frey, his eyes welling up with tears, eventually reached into a drawer and pulled something out. "...Ah." Witnessing this, Aria stiffened. "Mom... I''m sorry..." Young Frey, who was holding a very small family photo in his hand, was crying with his head pressed against the desk, fearing that someone would find out. Rachel - Eliminated Reason: A minion planted by the Secret Lord. Intending to harm my younger sister. Next to it, hidden away, was Frey''s secret ledger. "I don''t think I can do this anymore..." "Ah, ah..." "It''s too hard..." Tears mixed with shock streamed down Aria''s face as she slumped on the floor. Chapter 363: The Little Stars Regret Aria sat down on the floor, observing the surrounding scene with a listless gaze. "Sigh." After being insulted by the young Aria for the first time ever, young Frey had now regained his composure and was quietly focusing on his work. - Blaze... Frey''s ledger was already burning on the stove. Seeing the unusually large amount of ash, it seemed that quite a few papers had been dealt with in this manner. "...Brother, I''m sorry." As the day slightly darkened, young Aria hesitantly entered Frey''s room. "S-Sorry, I was wrong." "..." Then, she placed a ragged scrap of cloth on the desk. However, Frey coldly glanced at the cloth and muttered. "What is this rag?" "That, that... I made it..." "Enough, leave. I''m busy." Following his words, young Aria glanced back and left, and soon after, a smile appeared on Frey''s lips. "A handkerchief she made herself? Nice..." Then, he carefully picked up the rag and spent several minutes gazing at it with a grin. Yes. It was the first handkerchief Aria had made. After she first insulted him, she felt that if their relationship worsened any further, it might become irreparable, so she made the handkerchief with everything she got as a gift. However, Frey surely treated the gift like a rag and would have thrown it away... Thanks to that, Aria secretly practiced sewing like mad afterward. Then why did young Frey, reflected in Aria''s sight now, look so happy with that piece of rag? - Knock knock knock...! "Ah." Young Frey was gazing at the handkerchief for a long time, he even softly rubbed it against his cheek. Suddenly, a knocking sound startled him out of his reverie. - Slide...! He hurriedly fumbled under the desk and pulled something resembling a handle, and a secret compartment popped open. "Come in." He quickly pushed the handkerchief inside the compartment and closed it, then composed his expression as he spoke. "Frey, sir...? What happened to your face?" "Idiot, you should call me ''Young Master.''" "S-Sorry, Young Master. But why is there blood on your face?" "...Don''t worry about it." As young Kania entered the room, he scolded her, and the scene hurriedly moved on... "...Ugh." But at that moment, Aria gasped for breath and opened her eyes wide. The scene before her eyes had suddenly disappeared. "...!?" Soon, she was back in Roswyn¡¯s room. "Ms. Aria, what are you doing here?" "Vener?" "I came into the guest room looking for Ms. Roswyn, but why are you here, Ms. Aria?" She had been absorbed in a book when Vener, grabbing her shoulder and lifting her up, had awakened her. "Why are you looking for Ms. Roswyn?" "Not just Ms. Roswyn, I was looking for you as well, Ms. Aria." "Me?" As Aria tilted her head in confusion, Vener responded with a slightly listless look in her eyes. "There will be a meeting in the dining hall shortly. Please make sure you attend without being late." With that, she quietly left the room. "..." Silence then followed. - Clink... In that silence, Aria, lost in thought for a moment, carefully took out a communication crystal from her pocket. "...Yes, Kadia. You''re at the mansion now, right?" Soon after contacting someone, she spoke with a trembling voice. "Let me ask you something." - Swish... After a few minutes of conversation, Aria disconnected the call and placed her hand back on the notebook. And soon, silence fell over the room again. . . . . . "..." Aria stood rooted to the spot, her gaze shifting rapidly. After a brief interruption, numerous scenes continued to flash by quickly. "Did you do something bad again?" "...How long are you going to live like that?" "I can''t be with you anymore. Take care." Aria was recalling memories from her first cycle, which she no longer remembered herself. From abandoning Frey, who then began to destroy the world, To Frey, who forced the five main heroines to their deaths and eventually poisoned their own father. And ultimately, her brother, who perished with the Demon King, who then returned to start his second cycle. "Ha, ha..." Aria''s breathing became ragged as she struggled to maintain her sanity. - Zzzzz... But the scenes continued to change, regardless of her state. "Father collapsed because of you... Is that all you have in your brain?" "Mother died because of you, and now Father is going to pass away because of you...!" "Why?" "In my hands are the lives of tens of thousands... No, the lives of everyone in the world are at stake. If I were to break down... Ugeuk?" Frey gave a little love tap on Aria¡¯s forehead and gave her a stern look. "..." It was the gaze filled with kindness that Frey often had when lecturing Aria when they were younger. "A-Actually... It was tough." As Aria looked into those eyes, she eventually opened her mouth with a poignant expression. "I, I learned swordsmanship to use the Hero''s Armament. B-But I''m a mage..." "Yeah, I see." "It was agonizing not being able to have a conversation with you again. I just wanted to talk, even just once." "I see." "And, the training was tough, and the... politics were tough too. Enduring the cold stares of those around me was scary and difficult..." "The cold stares?" Frey, who had been listening to Aria''s words like when they were young, with a gentle smile, tilted his head. "P-People found out the truth about you... Now, there''s no one in the world who doesn''t know." "Hmm." "I-I was scared, but I stepped forward and told them the truth. That way, I thought, maybe I could ease my guilt even just a little, cowardly as it was..." ¡°You idiot, you shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± "Ugh, uuu..." Aria flinched when she saw her brother''s slightly angry expression. "Since I failed, you should condemn me as a real villain and blame me for it." "...What?" "I left it in the will. If I fail and die, make me a real villain and use it as a means to strengthen your power." "H-How could... I, I can''t... no one should do such a thing..." Frey sighed and pinched Aria''s cheeks. "Geez, you''re impossible to deal with." "Ugh..." "Instead of being divided into useless factions, it''s better to gather everyone''s anger into one... Hmm." Frey, who had been muttering with a regretful expression, softened his words as he saw Aria¡¯s tearful face. "B-Brother is so kind... You''ve never changed..." "..." "Honestly, I''m not confident. I''m still too weak compared to Brother. This isn''t right... I, I am..." Aria murmured, looking at Frey with eyes full of regret. "Aria, don''t worry." Embracing Aria even more tightly, Frey patted her back and whispered softly. "I can handle everything." "Huh...?" "It''s okay. Your brother will take care of everything." "Brother...?" Aria, hearing those affectionate words after a long time, began to shed tears of sadness. "I''ll definitely give you a happy ending." "W-Where are you going...?" "It''s okay, we''ll meet again soon." Then, Frey wrapped Aria¡¯s head in stellar mana and whispered softly into her ears as her eyes slowly closed. "No matter what happens, I''ll always love you, so rest assured now." "Ah..." With those words, Aria lost consciousness. "Hmm." Frey, who had moved her onto the bed, soon sighed and muttered to himself. "Is it only Clana left now?" That was the last record Aria glimpsed. . . . . . "..." Having reviewed all the records and withdrawn from the notebook, Aria sat still, her eyes vacant. - Beep, beep... Quietly, she reached out for the communication crystal resting on the desk. - Ms. Aria! Just as you requested. After a moment, a lively voice echoed from the communication crystal. - I opened the secret space under Mr. Frey''s desk as instructed! - Just like you said, there was quite a complicated black magic, but I erased it with my purification magic! - Uhm... But there''s nothing but miscellaneous things? Upon hearing those words, Aria asked with a trembling voice. "B-By any chance, is there... a rough piece of cloth?" - There are too many of those here? "I-Is there a... B-Bloodstained ones or..." - Hmm... As Aria struggled to find her words again after the mention of many pieces of cloth, Kadia, who had started rummaging through the space as Aria described, finally spoke up. - I found it! Before long, Kadia''s cheerful voice reached Aria. - A piece of cloth with blood on it...? It''s a piece of rag! "..." - And there''s a date written on it? June 24th? What''s this? Tears began to fall from Aria''s eyes. - Now that I think about it, all the junk have dates attached to them? What are these things? This was the moment when everything Aria had seen until now became true. "B-BROTHERRRRR..." With her face buried in the notebook, Aria sorrowfully wailed for her brother. Chapter 364: I Want to Undo Everything "..." Aria slowly raised her head from the notebook. - Ms. Aria? Why are you crying? Ms. Aria...! "Ugh..." She could hear Kadia¡¯s panicked voice from the communication crystal in her exhausted hand. ¡°I-It¡¯s...¡± After staring at the crystal with a blank expression, she eventually spoke slowly. "...It''s nothing, Kadia." She answered in a tired and unexpectedly cracked voice, unlike her usual clear and bright voice, - W-what''s wrong? Even her close friend, Kadia, could sense something was wrong. But Aria wasn''t in a state to respond to Kadia''s kindness. "I''ll hang up..." Due to that, she cut off the communication with just one word. - Beep, beep... Then, Aria stared at the notebook blankly until the communication alarm that had been ringing for a while stopped going off. "Now... what do I do?" She murmured to herself, her eyes filled with uncertainty, and her face painted with despair. "What should I do with this notebook..." As she looked at the notebook, memories of what she had just experienced began to flood back. She didn¡¯t know how or why, but the notebook revealed the truth to her. Roswyn, the owner of this notebook, instructed her to reveal the content to the world. "...No." If she had been in her previous state, Aria would have handed the notebook to the Hero Party immediately. But, whether unfortunate or fortunate, her mind was already starting to clear a little. "No." Because she just realized one thing. "I have to hide it." The moment this notebook came out into the world, it would be a catastrophe. "I... I have to take responsibility and hide it." The aftermath of the revelation during her Second Ordeal had been enormous. Most of those deeply involved with Frey, upon realizing the truth, regretted everything bitterly. However, everything didn¡¯t always work out. Many didn''t believe the truth, and there were even those who became enemies. Roswyn''s ''Ending Credits'' were an ability designed on the assumption that Frey would win and survive. If it were to be activated without him or in the current state where he has become the Demon King, the world would undoubtedly fall into chaos. So, this notebook should be revealed at least after everything is over. Perhaps decades later, in an era of peace. During the Second Ordeal, where the truth was revealed far too early, the Empire not only failed to reconcile but also split into divisions and fell into numerous conflicts. It was exactly as Frey had feared and written in his will. Of course, hope had disappeared long before Frey''s death. Now, if Frey were to become the Demon King, it was a different story altogether. "I... I have to take responsibility..." What Aria realized was based on that fact. "I..." She had to become the guardian of this notebook. This notebook, which contained the truth that could end everything, was hers to hide and manage from now on. The ''guardian'' of the truth that could swallow up the Hero Party, the Empire, and the entire world in one go. It was her burden to carry for realizing the regretful truth and a role she was suited for. "..." After firming her resolution, Aria held the notebook close to her chest. ¡°Sniffle...¡± Tears, like starlight, shimmer in the corners of her eyes, flowing down ceaselessly. ¡°Sob... Hikss... Sob...¡± There was no point in crying. This situation itself was something Frey had already prepared for. Furthermore, now that she had become a guardian, she couldn''t afford to be weak. ¡°Hwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...¡± Although Aria tried to hold back her tears somehow, there was no way to stop them from flowing. She was still young, not as mature or experienced as the Aria during the Second Ordeal, and she had built up a one-sided debt to Frey. Moreover, she had just realized the devotion, love, and self-sacrifice that her brother Frey had been showing her all this time. ¡°Sob... Hik...¡± No matter how inevitable it was... As the family head, she exiled her own brother after shouting harsh words and insults at him. After everything she did to her older brother who she admired and loved, there was no way she could find peace in her heart "I''m sorry... Brother..." The only thing Aria could do for her brother, who had fallen to corruption to protect herself and everyone else, was to embrace his saga, which she would now protect, and shed tears of regret. . . . . . "Nonsense! Does that even make sense? Are you all believing this!?" "What''s nonsense about it? Ruby, Frey, even the Princess said it was real!!!" A while later, in the ship''s restaurant... "There''s a possibility that they¡¯re under mind control! It''s all part of Frey''s scheme!" "If it''s really mind control, wouldn''t he just make the Hero attack us? Why go through all this trouble?" At the center of the chaos unfolding amidst the meeting, Aria stood with a blank expression. "I-I don''t believe it! It''s absurd!" "Just admit it! We¡¯re screwed!!" The scene before her reminded her of the Empire from her Second Ordeal. Although it was a miniature version compared to the vast empire, all the elements causing conflict were there. "Frey... the Hero of Money? Then what about me? Have I... really..." "The voice... the eye..." "Then... wouldn''t we have noticed it earlier?" "Hurry, check it. Quickly!! Look through all the documents from ten years ago!!!" Children on the verge of realizing or accepting the truth and falling into despair. From Alice, who sat down on the ground, caressing the place where the mark of Curse of Subordination which suddenly disappeared was, and Aishi, who covered her ears and muttered something in a panic. To Arianne, who just murmured blankly, and Eurelia, who urgently gave orders to her attendants via communication magic. Those who had connections with Frey or had directly received his favor. And also the sub-heroines were among this group. "I... I won''t believe it. Does this make any sense? There''s still insufficient evidence. To trust it as it is..." "Even if evidence comes out, I won''t believe it! How many times have we been deceived..." "C-can we even handle this situation? I, I''m not sure." There were also those who denied or didn''t believe in reality. And there were those who maintained neutrality. Surprisingly, in the Hero Party, these groups constituted the majority. In fact, the number seemed to be on par with those who supported Frey until the sun completely went out during the Second Ordeal. "Yes, the situation is still uncertain. So for now, everyone calm down..." As Vener finally spoke and left the restaurant with a pale expression, the atmosphere became even heavier. "Um... We¡¯re in big trouble." The heavy atmosphere was broken when a pigeon flew in through the window. A student took the outstretched newspaper and showed the headline to everyone with a sickly pallor. [Demon King Frey: Declaration of War on the Empire] [The Imperial Princess, the Duke of Moonlight, the Saintess, and other key figures, betray the Empire.] Everyone''s faces began to pale at the shocking headline adorning the front page of the Imperial newspaper. [Second Princess, Limia, plans grand celebration party for the return of the Hero Party] [Special benefits for first-year academy students. Enactment of special law for the selection of Hero Party] [The Hero Ruby finally facing a full-scale battle? Rumors of qualifications being questioned, will it finally be refuted] As they slowly read through all the contents, the eyes of the children began to waver one by one. "This is..." "W-what do we do now...?" "..." The burden of truth was not only on Aria alone. As the ship sailed on, the entire Hero Party would soon face hell. . . . . . "..." Meanwhile, in Ruby''s room. "...She¡¯s coming." Suddenly waking up from sleep, Ruby, who had been curled up with her face buried in her knees, muttered in a fearful voice. "Aria..." Frey''s blood relative. The child she had used as a means to attack Frey until just recently. "If I could turn back time, I''d want to..." Now that her mind was clear, Ruby couldn''t understand why she had behaved so disgustingly. "...Will she kill me?" Ruby, with soulless eyes, murmured in a melancholic voice. "If it''s her, maybe she won''t kill me." Aria was certainly consumed by anger towards her. Perhaps Aria was heading to Ruby''s room right now to condemn her. But without the Hero¡¯s Armament, she couldn''t die. For now, she would endure until Aria calmed down, and when they could communicate, maybe she would tell her how to kill her. No, was that really the right thing to do? Wouldn''t it be a more fitting punishment for her to remain forever in a world without Frey by her side and live with endless regret? - Creakk... As she pondered such dilemmas, the door opened, and slowly rising from the bed, Ruby knelt on the floor. "..." As expected, Aria stood at the door. Naturally, her expression was chillingly cold. - Rustle... Confirming Aria''s presence, Ruby crawled silently to her, kneeling in front of her without a word. - Thud... Approaching Aria''s feet, Ruby quietly placed her head on top of them. Unbeknownst to her, the subservient attitude when she was beaten up by Frey was already ingrained within her. And now, she was doing it inadvertently towards his sister, Frey¡¯s own flesh and blood "...Uuh." Afterward, Ruby closed her eyes tightly, silently waiting for the pain that would inevitably come. Her stomach belonged solely to Frey. But perhaps it would be better to be hit on the face or legs instead? Such thoughts crossed her mind as she waited. "Ruby." "...?" "Ruby?" "Y-yes?" However, after a while, what came was not the expected violence, but Aria''s affectionate voice. "Why are you like this? Get up." "Uh, um?" Taking Ruby''s hands, Aria smiled gently and helped her up. "Why are you like this?" "Um, well..." Ruby, whose mind was overwhelmed by the unexpected situation, checked Aria''s expression once again and remained silent. "...Are we still friends?" With a sickly pallor, Aria wore a broken smile. It was a terrifying expression that didn''t suit her young age. "Uh, well..." "We''re still friends, right? Right, Ruby?" In response to Aria''s continued questioning with an eerie expression, Ruby nodded her head involuntarily. "Hehe, I knew it..." "Huh..." "Ruby, you''re still my best friend!" With that, Aria hugged Ruby tightly and began to nuzzle her cheeks affectionately. "What on earth..." "So, here''s the thing, I have a favor to ask my friend." As Aria continued with her requests while hugging Ruby tightly, Ruby, who was sweating profusely, began to wear a blank expression. "Please save my brother." "Huh...?" "My brother hasn''t been corrupted for long. If we save him now, we might be able to turn him back!" Slapping her hands together, Aria spoke with excitement, then she grabbed onto Ruby''s sleeve with sparkling eyes. "You''ll help us, right? Without you, we can''t even approach him, let alone confront him." "..." "So... just until we save my brother, please... be the Hero... Please..." Aria was on the brink of breaking down. "Um, uh..." "Got it?" And her demeanor instilled a chilling terror in Ruby. "N-no, that''s not..." "Hehe, thanks!" Looking at Aria clinging to her like a little sister, Ruby closed her eyes tightly and whispered to herself. Frey... has already been reset... His personality and soul had been reset long ago. "...Uuh." "Hehehe." What would happen if she found out the truth? As Ruby gazed at Aria, who was looking at her with futile hope, her expression began to crumble. This is too... terrible... "I-I''ll make you salmon sandwiches! Ruby! Let''s eat salmon sandwiches together!" I want to undo everything... Even in such a situation, Ruby unconsciously muttered those words. Chapter 365: Welcome! The Hero Party! "You know, Ruby. About that salmon sandwich." "Huh, yes?" Walking out of the room and down the hallway, Ruby, who was holding Aria¡¯s hand, shivered at her words. "Are you sure you don¡¯t want it? I can make it quickly. There''s a kitchen here." "Ah..." Glancing at her for a moment, Ruby closed her eyes tightly and spoke in a voice trembling with fear. "I-I''m sorry..." "Huh? Sorry? What are you sorry for?" "I-I lied." Listening to her words, Aria tilted her head with a puzzled expression. "I... actually, I don''t like salmon." "Huh? You don''t like salmon?" "Yes... I''m sorry..." "Then why did you say you liked it before?" With a face expressing disbelief, she asked. "Uh, I, I wanted to impress you, since you like salmon..." "..." Of course, there was plenty of room for excuses, but Ruby didn''t make any. Since her mind cleared, she had decided not to hide any of her sins. It was absurd for her to lie, much less to Aria, who was Frey''s blood relative. Moreover, this was also her retribution for all the sins she had committed. "I see... so that''s how it was..." "..." Having heard Ruby''s response, Aria smiled brightly and nodded. "Heh, heh heh... ha....." Her expression looked slightly eerie. It seemed her mental state was quite fragile. "What about brother? Did he like salmon sandwiches?" "Oh, that''s..." Regretting that she had spoken just now, Ruby started to contemplate upon hearing Aria''s question, her face slightly crumbling. "Um..." For some reason, the Frey who woke up after losing his memory due to the ring surprisingly was good at eating salmon. However, the true Frey, whom she loved, detested salmon dishes terribly. He even spat out a piece of salmon he mistakenly ate at a restaurant a few days ago. "H-He don''t like them." "..." After a long deliberation, Ruby answered based on the original Frey. Aria''s expression started to waver again upon hearing her response. "That''s strange, isn''t it? Whenever we played together when we were young, my brother always ate salmon sandwiches with me." "I-Is that so?" "W-we used to share salmon sandwiches in the field. I still remember that..." "..." "H-He said that the salmon sandwiches we ate were the best, and he even patted my head. So what happened..." Aria muttered as her smile dimmed. "Come to think of it... my brother''s expression was a bit strange when he ate the sandwich. And after finishing it, he would hurriedly go somewhere and come back... Could it be..." Although it was only a moment, an expression of utter despair flashed across Aria''s face as she spoke. For a child of her age, her condition was in utter chaos, to say the least. "I''m really selfish, Ruby." "Aria?" "Until now, I didn''t even know that my brother hated salmon so much that he would vomit immediately after eating it." "Oh..." "Despite being a bad younger sister... He was such a kind brother... and I... I''m..." Before she knew it, a tear was streaming down her cheek. Watching that scene, Ruby''s stomach began to churn with nausea. Wasn''t she the one who attacked Frey, going so far as to force him to eat the ''salmon'' he hated so much? She mistreated and violated the person who was more precious to her than anyone else and his younger sister so cruelly. That was just a few months ago, and now the consequences of that action were unfolding before her eyes. "By any chance... What kind of sandwich does my brother like?" "E-Egg sandwich. Made with rye bread..." "Ah, I see. Okay then. Now that I know..." Looking at Aria, who was struggling with regret and not knowing what to do, Ruby''s expression turned uneasy at her smile. "When I meet my brother again, I must treat him to that." "Huh..." "There''s still hope, Ruby. My brother will definitely, definitely come back." Her anxiety hit the mark. Aria still believed that Frey would return. "Um, just in case I wanted to ask... Does my brother still have the handkerchief?" "...Yes." "Hehe, that''s a relief. He still had it. See, there''s still hope..." "..." Ruby tried to regain her composure somehow. Because... She found the truth that Frey had been reset to be unbearable for her as well. "Aria..." "Ruby?" Thanks to that, Ruby eventually ended up hugging Aria tightly as they both sat down in the hallway. Destroy Frey!! The citizens of the Empire had gathered at the harbor, holding up placards and shouting at the top of their lungs. "Go, Lady Ruby!!" "Defeat the evil Frey!!" "You are the hope of the Empire!!!" The Hero Party, staring blankly out the window, closed the curtains tightly upon seeing the crowd, which included the orphans Frey had rescued, the children he had prevented from becoming slaves, and those he had supported with scholarships. - Wahhhhhhh!!! "All those people... are the ones Frey saved..." "Stop... Don''t praise us..." "..." But even if they plugged their ears to block them out, the hopeful cheers from outside were as vivid as ever. "Damn it!!" "Enough, stop it..." To the Hero Party, the sound of the demon''s voices echoing from the depth of hell would have been less hellish than what they were hearing now. ¡°Hello everyone, how are you?¡± As the children''s expressions gradually twisted, someone accompanied by soldiers opened the door and entered the restaurant. "Are you still in the process of getting ready? You didn''t come out, so I came to find you myself." It was the second princess, Limia, who unexpectedly gained power due to Clana''s betrayal. "Ahem, I have an announcement to make to everyone." Famous for her lack of tact, she began speaking despite the soldiers'' overwhelmed reactions to the gloomy atmosphere of the Hero Party. "First of all, Ms. Ruby? Congratulations. The whereabouts of the Hero''s Armament have been discovered!" "Eh, what?" Approaching Ruby confidently, Limia grabbed her hand and spoke, causing Ruby to look flustered. "The bad news is, Frey also found out where the Hero''s Armament is. So you need to hurry as much as possible." "...Where is it?" To the children''s grim question, the Princess chuckled and maintained her smile as she answered. "At the Starlight Mansion." "...What?" Aria''s eyes widened in shock upon hearing that. And so did the rest of the Hero Party. ¡°I heard it¡¯s in the basement of Starlight Mansion...?¡± "..." As the princess''s casual remark ended, there was a moment of silence. ¡°Is that why the rumor about the basement spread?¡± "R-Really...?" "Frey..." "E-Everyone? Why are you...?" As voices of despair from the children continued to trickle out, the Princess finally began to feel something was amiss. She looked puzzled and asked questions. "What will you do? If you go now, you''ll definitely encounter the evil Frey and his group. Should I send some Imperial soldiers with you? Or..." "W-We have to go!!" "Huh?" "We have to go right now!!!" Pushing past her, someone desperately exited the restaurant. "If it''s the mansion... if I can persuade Brother within those nostalgic walls... if I can beg for forgiveness...!!!" With a look of intense yearning, Aria began to run, as if grasping at the last bit of hope. "We might be able to bring Brother back!!!" "Aria..." "..." Leaving behind the bewildered Princess, Ruby, and the Hero Party began to follow Aria with pale, trembling faces. . . . . . - Crackle...! "Huh." Meanwhile, at that moment... "It''s strange." Frey, who had taken on the appearance of the Demon King, scratched his head with an annoyed expression. "Why won''t it let me in?" A massive star-shaped defensive magic circle blocked his way. You are no longer part of this lineage. "What''s with this weird writing...?" "...Young Master." After incessantly pounding on the barrier and examining the silver letters that emerged within it, Frey leaned in to listen as Kania quietly whispered into his ear. "The Hero Party is right in front of us." "Oh? Then we should prepare to greet¨C" - Zzzt...! "...Urgh." Feeling a pang in his chest, Frey placed his hand over it. ¡°...Now everything annoys me. Then...¡± Looking at the handkerchief in his hand, Frey muttered with a cold voice. - Sizzle...! ¡°I¡¯ll just burn everything.¡± Chapter 366: Mixed Judgement "Haa, haa..." "L-Let''s go together." Ruby caught up with Aria, who had been panting heavily and grabbed her. "No!! There''s no time!!" Aria pushed away her hand and staggered forward, but due to running for too long, her legs gave out, and she collapsed on the ground. "I-It hurts... " "..." Watching Aria, whose knees were scraped and bleeding, Ruby bit her lip and reminisced about the past. "My little sister. She¡¯s really cute." "...I¡¯m not interested." "Really? She used to follow me around all the time when we were kids. It was so cute." "Yawnn¨C Geuhh!" That''s definitely what Frey said after she got punched by him while yawning. "And she¡¯s clumsy too. She used to run towards me from afar and trip over rocks." "So what?" "So what, you ask? I bandaged her wounds with my hands. If it got infected, it would''ve been a big problem." "No, seriously, what''s with... Geuh. Y-Yeah, your sister is really cute." Ruby closed her eyes and reminisced. She sighed and approached Aria. - Rustle... And then, Ruby carefully covered Aria¡¯s knees with her hands. - Shaaa... Soon, Ruby¡¯s hand glowed, healing Aria¡¯s scraped knees. "...Let''s go." "Uh, ugh." Aria stared blankly as smoke and the smell of burning flesh emanated from Ruby¡¯s glowing hand. Before long, her eyes widened as Ruby lifted her up. "...Hehe, thank you." "..." "I missed my brother. It''s been a while since we had dinner together at the mansion, and went for walks..." Soon, Aria started murmuring with a bright smile on her face. "...Haa." Ruby''s expression was getting stiffer and stiffer. At the same time, her trembling pupils were gradually calming down. "In the end... was there only one way?" "Huh?" "...It¡¯s nothing." Ruby shook her head vigorously at Aria''s frighteningly innocent voice. She swallowed hard and moved forward. Before they knew it, they arrived at the front of Starlight Mansion. "Huh." However, Aria''s eyes began to turn round as she saw the mansion. "..." It was the same for Ruby, who was at the forefront of the Hero Party. - Blaze..... The Starlight Mansion was burning fiercely. A thousand years of history... The heart of the Starlight Territory. It was collapsing in flames. "Ah, Ahh..." "W-Wait a minute." Looking at the dismal sight, Aria quickly escaped from Ruby''s embrace and started running towards the mansion. "The mansion... no... no..." As she rushed towards the mansion, Aria, who was muttering in denial, stopped abruptly and stared at the ground with a blank expression. "Huh..." Her eyes focused on a familiar object lying on the ground, burning in a purple and silver demonic energy. "Why is this here? It''s strange...?" Aria, with an expression of disbelief, knelt on the ground and crawled towards it. "Ruby... S-She said Brother still has it? This can¡¯t be right? It''s so strange?" And then she started mumbling incoherently. - Blaze.... "This... this is strange...." In front of the pitifully muttering Aria, the handkerchief she had gifted Frey about a year ago was burning beyond recognition. Only a portion of the silver cat drawn in the middle remained. "Did he... drop it? Yeah, he must have dropped it. I have to quickly put out the fi¨C" "You''ve finally arrived." As Aria was about to extinguish the flames with magic, a voice interrupted her. "Huh..." "You being here means you¡¯ve chosen death." Frey, who appeared through the flames in front of her, trampled the handkerchief with his foot. Contrasting to the burning mansion, his voice was chillingly cold. "... B-Brother." Staring blankly at him, Aria quickly grabbed his pant leg and clung to him. "I-I''m sorry. It was my fault.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°I''ll apologize for everything I''ve done wrong, for being disrespectful and rude to you... Can''t we just talk for a moment, please?" Her eyes were colored with faint hope. "Since our mansion is nearby, let''s go in for a moment..." But her expression began to waver. It was because, from behind Frey, she could see the burning mansion. ¡°I am banished from this family and cannot enter the ¡®mansion.¡¯¡± "Ah..." "Even I find it quite troublesome to undo the barrier. It''s a compound spell on top of the incantations with quintuple-layered magic and sorcery... There are too many annoying ancient magics." "I-It was a mistake..." Blood drained from Aria¡¯s face at those words. Suddenly, the day when she first made a mistake came to her mind. The day when she accidentally broke the vase her mother cherished and hid it secretly, only to be caught. "I... I''m sorry... Huuuh..." "Aria. It''s okay to make mistakes. But hiding things isn''t okay." "Yes..." "Members of the Starlight family must adhere to strict etiquette. Neither you nor your brother is exempt. For example, if someone is banished from the family once..." The voice of her mother, strict yet gentle, warning that if someone was banished from the Starlight family, they could never set foot in the mansion again, flashed in her mind. At that time, she was really scared, but as she grew older, she dismissed it as a story her mother made up to scare her... At that time, Frey pretended to bump into their mother, then secretly held her hand and winked. "I''m sorry... Brother....." Only now she realized the significance of what she had done by banishing her brother. Her sickly pallor turned even more pale as she clung tightly to Frey¡¯s leg. ¡°I beg you with everything I have... so please... Brothe¨C¡± "Well, that''s why I got rid of the ''mansion'' itself. But now, it seems there''s trouble with the barrier in the basement." His eyes gleamed as he looked down on Aria, who was clinging to his feet. "So... do you happen to know how to enter the basement? Do you have any idea?" "B-brother..." "Do you know?" "P-please, please come back to how you were......" "Sigh..." As her tears fell under his feet, Frey looked alarmed and moved his foot away. "How many days would it take to break through this magically?" "...A week." As he turned to Serena, who stood emotionless behind him, his expression twisted. ¡°Is that the extent of your capability?¡± "I apologize." "Well, it doesn''t matter anyway." "Huh?" Then, his eyes glowed silver as he lifted Aria. "We won''t need to get the Hero''s Armament if we just kill this one." "B-Brother. I''m sorry. I was wrong." "Goodbye." "I¡¯m sorry!! Brother!! Brotherrrr!!!" It was said that the beautiful pillar of light was so massive and dazzling that it could be seen by all the citizens of the Empire. . . . . . "Haah, haah..." Sometime later, at the Starlight Duchy, "Hmm..." Frey coldly looked at Ruby, who was catching her breath with one knee on the ground. "You still have some strength left." "Frey..." "I, too, cannot kill you without the Hero¡¯s Armament. This complicates things." With a smile, he continued, ¡°But I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll lose.¡± As he spoke, Frey released a beam of demonic energy, causing a wound to appear on Ruby''s side. "Your power is now finite, but mine is infinite. That''s the crucial difference." "..." "So, why don''t you give up now?" "Frey, why are you doing this?" Ruby asked Frey with a despondent gaze at his arrogance. In response, he brightly smiled. "Because It¡¯s fun, isn¡¯t it?" "..." "I thought someone like you, the former Demon King, would understand." Hearing his words, Ruby felt as if her heart was breaking. He''s just like me... He was the same as her from before. Was that how she acted when she strutted around as the Demon King? Did Frey also feel the same excruciating pain whenever he watched her? "Frey, what should we do?" "Hmm." As Ruby quietly shed tears while pondering, she noticed Serena cautiously approaching from Frey''s side. "The Hero Party has been in the basement for too long. Perhaps it''s time for a retreat?" "Retreat?" "We''ve dragged this out for too long. If we keep this up, we might face a counterattack from those who obtain the Hero¡¯s Armament. It might be better to prepare for a different powerful item instead..." "If you say so." Nodding at Serena''s suggestion, Frey turned away from Ruby with an arrogant smile. "Well then, until next time." "..." "But, you really have no intention of becoming my subordinate? I will give you quite favorable conditions..." "Ugh..." Ruby blocked her ears and moved away as she didn¡¯t want to hear Frey say the same words she often uttered to him - Step, step... "Haah, haah..." The entire duchy was in ruins, and the entire empire witnessed the aftermath of the terrifying battle. Through such a devastating conflict, Ruby had already come to one conclusion in her mind. - Creakk... "Wh-who..." With a determined expression, Ruby entered the basement, stepping cautiously through the tense children who were ready to attack. "Are... are there really no traces of slaves?" "I told you, Professor Vener. There were none. Not a year ago, not ten years ago, not even a hundred years ago." "Then... the revelations from the servants?" "They probably lied for money..." "That..." With a sickly pallor, Vener gradually realized the truth amidst the children analyzing the basement. - Groooan... For some reason, Eurelia emitted dark mana quietly from a corner with dead eyes. "..." Ruby passed by Aishi who had the same look in her eyes. "Aria." Approaching Aria, who was trembling in the middle of the basement, Ruby stood beside her. "R-Ruby." In her arms was the Hero¡¯s Armament, glowing silver. It should have been worn by her brother. But now, only she could wield it. "W-Why did this appear when I entered the center? I-I''m not qualified..." "Aria, listen to me." "Are you suggesting that I should fight my brother with this? I-I can''t. My brother only corrupted momentarily. Even though I failed earlier, next time, I''ll definitely... definitely...!" "Frey... has already died." Aria, who had turned pale and trembled while holding the Armament, heard Ruby''s words and glared at her. "S-Shut up." "..." "D-Don''t speak nonsense. My brother is still..." "To be precise, his personality and mind have disappeared." But Ruby, who had already made up her mind, continued speaking with her eyes closed tightly. "The moment he decided to fall to corruption and bear all the burdens, Frey was already dead." "N-No..." "That''s not Frey. He''s someone completely different." "Noooooooooo!!!" As Ruby admitted the truth that she never wanted to admit, Aria threw the Armament to the ground and started screaming at her. "The Frey we knew, who loved us and the world, is... gone now..." "No!!! That''s not true!!! Brother!!!" "That''s why... we have to... end this with our own hands." "Brother..." As Aria stopped screaming and stared blankly at her, Ruby continued. "I''m the only one who can oppose him, and..." "I-I don¡¯t want to! I-I can''t! I can''t do it!" "You''re the only one who can kill him. That''s why we... together... have to kill Frey..." "I can''t, I can''t, I can''t..." As those words ended, the two girls collapsed into each other''s arms, sobbing. "That''s what Frey wanted... his last request to me before dying..." "Waaaaah..." "Crying won''t change anything... We have to kill Frey, the two of us..." Aria''s desperate cries echoed in the pristine basement. "Sob... Hiks..." "W-What''s this? What the hell is this?" ¡°I-I didn¡¯t want this to happen. We...¡± As they heard the crying, one by one, the Hero Party began to panic. "..." Then, the sub-heroines slowly collapsed on the floor, and Vener finally understood the situation, and slowly slumped to the ground. "Brotherrrrrrrr...." Aria''s cries echoed in the basement cellar for a long time thereafter. . . . . . Meanwhile. "...Hmm." Frey, leaving the ruined duchy with the heroines, frowned as he looked at something held in his hand. - Bzzzzz... It was a piece of the handkerchief with a silver cat drawn on it, almost completely burned away. "Why does it feel so nauseating when I fight that ruby-haired bitch? I haven''t even eaten anything....." Eventually, Frey muttered with a puzzled expression as he let the piece flutter in the wind. "That strange bitch, what did she feed me back then?" "Young Master, is there something wrong?" "...No, it''s nothing." Resuming his cold expression, he replied and quietly walked away. Chapter 367: Tragedy "Hmm... Where am I?" It was a dark and obscure space, where even the flow of time seemed peculiar. "I''m scared..." A girl wandered around with a slightly frightened expression in this eerie space, where various eyeballs and black tentacles floated ominously. Glare: I¡¯m in big trouble! Glare: I woke up in a strange space! There are weird eyeballs and tentacles floating around! The chat window floating in front of her glowed eerily bright. Her messages remained unanswered, a stark contrast to the prompt reply she usually got. - Rustle... "Ah!" Thanks to this Glare was sulking. Then, a sudden attack from the tentacles caught her off guard. "Gross!" Glare recoiled in disgust as the tentacles rushed at her. Then she snapped her fingers, causing the tentacles to shatter into pieces. But there were too many of them. "Ugh..." As she kept breaking them apart, more tentacles kept sprouting out relentlessly. Just as she began to tire from the relentless assault of tentacles... - Shaaa... Behind her, a bright light and a soft glow started spreading in all directions. "...?" As the eyeballs squinted and closed in the light, the tentacles also vanished. Thanks to this, Glare sighed in relief before turning around to face the light. Soon, she opened her mouth with a surprised expression. "Pretty sisters..." "P-Pretty? Th-thank you..." "Sister, is it the right time for that?" "R-right...?" The Moon Goddess ''Lunar'', who appeared behind Glare, scolded her older sister ''Solar'', who was basking in compliments. "S-so... what exactly is going on here? I was just taking a nap¨C I-I mean, resting for a while..." The Sun God regained her senses and threw a hurried question with a worried expression... "...Trouble." "When the Fourth Ordeal started in reality, we were kicked out of here together with the kid." "What...?" "It''s probably the work of that eye bastard. Damn, this is bad..." Grasping her head, Lunar muttered while checking the chat window in front of her. Stellar: Wait for a moment Stellar: I¡¯m assessing the situation ¡°It seems because she is the Creator God, she didn¡¯t get kicked out... At least we avoided dimensional annihilation..." Breathing a sigh of relief, Lunar''s expression turned grim shortly after. ¡°But this is still bad... The Fourth Ordeal requires assistance from a helper..." "S-so, how did we clear the previous ordeals?" At the Sun God''s timid question, Lunar replied with a dark expression. "We couldn''t. Retry Frey and Ferloche were remarkable. But that was when the Fourth Ordeal was executed incompletely. This is the real deal." "S-so, we¡¯re in big trouble...?" "Yeah, it''s a huge problem." As Lunar spoke, chewing her nails anxiously, she glanced at Glare, who was grinning beside her. "Originally, the helper should receive Retry... But that eye monster seems to have finally noticed the little kid." "..." "Darn it, what should we do? Frey has already fallen into corruption... and Ferloche hasn''t shown any signs of coming forward... Ugh, my head..." "U-Um..." Wandering anxiously and on the verge of hysteria, Lunar turned her head at the timid call from the Sun God. "We have Retry... It hasn''t been activated yet... but someone already received it...?" "What?" "R-Retry was under my authority. So I checked... But why does she have it?" The Sun God spoke while displaying the system log in front of her. "...!?" Lunar checked the log, and for some reason, Glare could also see the log despite her lack of divinity Both of their eyes simultaneously widened. "What''s this, her...?" "Huh? Uh-huh?" After that, for a while, voices full of incredulity and doubts echoed in the dark space. . . . . . After the events of the ¡®Battle of Starlight Duchy¡¯ involving Frey, the heroines, Ruby, and the Hero Party, time passed rather quickly. And within that swiftly passing time, there were hardly any pleasant occurrences. "I''ll say this one last time. Frey chose the path of becoming a Demon King to save us, and this world." "And at that moment, the Frey who loved us disappeared forever." "We have to kill him as his last request. That''s the ending Frey wants." After Ruby resolutely revealed that Frey could never return, a shadow was cast over the Hero Party. "I, I can''t... Sob... do this..." "..." "Brother..." After her last hope was shattered that day, Aria was completely devastated and isolated herself in the restored mansion with Roswyn¡¯s notebook and the Hero¡¯s Armament. "Aria... It''s up to us now. There''s no other way..." "Miss Aria... Let''s talk..." "..." Defeating Frey was nearly impossible without her. And despite Ruby and some of the children repeatedly visiting the mansion to console her, Aria remained indifferent. In such a situation, the Hero Party, left with no other choice, eventually found themselves waiting in the Empire. "M-Miss Eurelia?" - Grrrrrr... "R-Run!!" What followed next was truly chaotic. "Does that mean...?" "This battle will be the last one." Suddenly, the moment of the final battle arrived. . . . . . - Knock, knock... "Young Mas¨C... Are you there, my Lord?" On the night Frey announced the full-scale attack, within the Demon King''s castle. "I¡¯m going in." Kania, dressed in a neat suit, bowed her head as she entered the Demon King''s room. "...I didn''t give you permission to enter." "I apologize." Even as his butler, it was her first time entering this room. Partly because Frey was so vocal about his privacy, and partly because no one was allowed into his room. "I need to confirm if it''s true that you have ordered a full-scale attack..." - Step, step... "Ugh." Despite the risk, Kania entered the room because there was something she had to do. But as Frey got up and approached her, she began to sweat involuntarily. - Thump, thump... In Kania''s arm was the dagger she favored. Ever since Serena secretly informed the heroines that ¡®Frey doesn¡¯t exist anymore¡¯, she had been contemplating ending this tragedy with her own hands. - Swooshhh... "I-I apologize." But Frey''s, or rather the Demon King''s aura, was too overwhelming for her. Attacking now would likely end in humiliating failure. No, even before the attack, she felt like the Demon King had sensed her intentions and she would be the one who would die. "Take a moment to catch your breath." "...Understood." "You go and prepare for the battle... No, forget it. Just rest." "Yes." Fortunately, no one died. Frey simply left the room without saying another word. "Haaa...." Confirming Frey''s departure, Kania let out a sigh and adjusted the dagger she had concealed with dark mana. "There''s only one chance... So..." Before long, she was looking for a place to rest with exhausted eyes. "...Huh?" Her gaze shifted to one side. "That...?" Behind where he was sitting, a small door creaked open. - Rustle... With cautious eyes scanning the scene, she tentatively peered inside. "...!!!" Shortly after, her widened eyes surveyed the room behind the door. "This... It''s all..." The room was filled with countless drawings, though they were quite poorly done, it was clear who the subjects were. The girls depicted in the drawings all had ruby-colored eyes and were smiling. "What... What on earth..." Backing away, pale-faced, Kania halted as she stepped on something. "...!" Slowly lowering her head, Kania''s expression hardened in an instant. "This can''t be real." In the center of a white cloth lay a crudely drawn silver cat. "This can''t be..." Confirming the handkerchief and drawing tools that filled the desk drawer where Frey had been sitting moments ago, Kania muttered in disbelief. Then, she suddenly recalled one thing. Her Young Master, Frey, truly couldn''t draw. This style of drawing... It wasn''t a style that a Demon King with no memories could imitate. "I-I have to tell someone." Then, there was only one possible explanation she could think of. The Demon King who was here just now must have regained his memory at some point... "I have to tell them!" Driven by her frantic thoughts, Kania, her face pale with shock, hurriedly moved. - Clang! "Y-Young Master... Young Master...!!!" Tossing aside the dagger she had been holding, Kania dashed towards the exit of the room in desperation. "Since when...!" - Clang, clang... "...Hold on." However, for some reason, the door was firmly shut. "O-Open the door." Normally, the door couldn''t be locked from the outside. It seemed like someone had deliberately locked the door from the outside. "O-open the door!!!" Despite Kania''s powerful magic, the door remained unyielding, as if someone who had foreseen this event had made her magic useless. "Is... is there anyone there!! This is an emergency!!! Emergency..." - Tooott! Toot! As Kania continued to madly pound on the door, trumpet sounds echoed from all directions. "The Hero Party has invaded!!" "Seal off the Demon King''s castle!" In the blink of an eye, the Demon King¡¯s Army stationed outside the window was preparing to engage with the intruders. "No, no, no, NO, NO, NOOOO!!!" Kania''s desperate scream filled the room. Chapter 368: Game Clear "The Demon King''s Castle is in sight." "Finally..." On the night Frey declared a full-scale attack, the Hero Party secretly began their operation to ambush the Demon King''s Castle. "How many Demon King¡¯s Army are guarding the castle? Are they really defending with their full force?" Ruby, who returned to the Hero Party with Aria, gritted her teeth and tried to ask calmly. "That''s..." "Why, what''s wrong?" "I don''t see anyone." "What?" Ruby''s eyes widened as she listened to the report she received. "There''s... not a single Demon King¡¯s Army stationed." "...Is this a trap?" Leaving behind the uneasy child reporting, she stepped forward and quietly extended her hand. "Hmm?" But soon Ruby frowned. She had used the highest-level detection magic she could perform, but she couldn¡¯t detect any ambushes or traps. Let alone defending the Demon King''s Castle, there was no one guarding even the entrance. "Uh, what should we do..." "...What can we do?" As the students flustered in confusion, Aria, standing beside Ruby, moved with a determined look in her eyes. "It''s too late to turn back now." "..." "We''re going in." Leaving those words behind, Aria quietly started walking, followed closely by Ruby. "...Let''s go." "Yeah." The Hero Party, bonded by the sorrowful camaraderie of sharing a terrible secret, began to follow them one by one towards the Demon King''s Castle. "There were traces of preparation for defense... but they disappeared suddenly." "Whose doing do you think it is, Ruby?" "There''s only one person who could do such a thing." Analyzing the surroundings with sharp eyes, Ruby eventually spoke with a subdued voice. "It''s Frey, it¡¯s his doing." "As expected..." At the mention of Frey''s name, the Hero Party flinched. However, Aria, who had already spent years alongside Ruby and organized her thoughts, continued to walk without batting an eye. "M-Miss Aria! Just in case, maybe we should wait¨C" - Boom! Despite the protests, Aria violently kicked on the gates of the Demon King''s Castle. "Don''t try to stop me now." Then, turning around with a dark look in her eyes, she spoke. "I just want to... end everything quickly." With that, Aria finished her sentence and leaped into the Demon King''s Castle without giving anyone a chance to stop her. "...!" Ruby hastily followed her, afraid something might happen to her. But the sight that unfolded before the Hero Party''s eyes made them rooted to the spot. "Uh, uh..." "Since when did you... notice?" "M-My body won''t move..." The heroines were trembling on the ground at Frey''s feet. ¡°I already noticed that you guys were acting strange.¡± Frey spoke with a chilling gaze, the ring on his right finger shone brightly. Then he stared at the Hero Party that had just entered the Demon King''s Castle. "Your fate will be decided after I''ve dealt with the guests." "...Understood." "Then, follow me." Frey, who successfully suppressed the rebellion of the women who had devoted their souls to him with the ''Ring of Oath¡¯ he received from Isolet, gestured to the Hero Party and whispered. "There''s a good place for our final confrontation." "But before that, I have a question." Ruby, who was blocking Aria from bursting out immediately, asked him a question. ¡°By any chance... Did you do something to Roswyn?¡± "Why do you ask?" "I can''t find her no matter how hard I look." "Hmm." Frey began to scratch his head upon hearing that. "She came to me once, asking for a flower. It wasn''t too difficult, so I made her one with magic, but as soon as she received it, she vanished before my eyes." "...Are you telling me to believe that?" "She muttered something about being banished or whatever just before disappearing. Think what you will. It doesn¡¯t matter." After saying so, Frey attempted to move on, but Ruby threw another question at him. "Where did the Demon King¡¯s Army go?" "I took care of them all." "Why?" Frey smirked upon hearing that question. "It''s more fun this way." "..." "Stop hesitating and follow me." Looking at the stiff expression of the Hero Party, he added with a smile. "We need to settle the score." "..." Upon hearing his words,Ruby and Aria''s eyes began to sparkle. . . . . . - Crackle! "Aria, now!!" "Ah-!" About half a day later, on the partially destroyed top floor of the Demon King''s Castle. - Crack, Crack... "Communicating hand signals verbally, how pathetic." The lengthy battle was nearing its end. ¡°Ugh, uh.....¡± ¡°Cough, cough...¡± "..." Except for Ruby and Aria, the rest of the Hero Party were either injured and lying on the ground or unconscious. Although they had ample preparation time, their defeat was inevitable. Most of their talented members like Aishi, Alice and Eurelia already left the Hero Party. "He¡¯s coming...!" "I know, Ruby!" In the end, only Ruby, Aria, and Frey left standing. - Crackle! Crackle! Frey''s unique demonic energy, purple mixed with silver, relentlessly attacked the two girls. "Heukk...!" "That was close." Fortunately, they managed to twist their bodies to avoid the attacks just before they landed. Until now, they had not allowed a single of Frey¡¯s attacks to connect. That meant that even the slightest damage at this point would lead to an immediate defeat. "Now... we must end this. Put an end to this tragedy, to everything..." Aria focused solely on the fight while pondering this fact. Something''s off. However, amidst this, Ruby vaguely sensed that something was wrong. There''s no way he couldn¡¯t land a single hit. Despite their considerable growth through relentless training until now, Frey in his Demon King form was not an easy opponent. Yet, he hasn¡¯t managed to land a single hit on them? "You¡¯re quite something... Haha." Moreover, Frey had already taken several effective hits. If this continued, there would undoubtedly be openings... "Sigh..." - Wobble...! As Ruby thought this, Frey, who had been laughing leisurely, staggered. - Swooshh...! "Please... let me be on tim¨C" With a determined expression, Ruby quickly reached the top floor and kicked the door open. "...Ah." But then, her gaze wavered. "R-Ruby, I finally did it." Aria was shedding tears and trembling uncontrollably. "...Finally, it''s all over." Just before Ruby rushed in, Aria plunged the Hero¡¯s Armament into Frey¡¯s heart. "Ah..." "I-It''s all thanks to you. Ruby... Without you, I couldn''t have come this far." Approaching Ruby slowly, leaving Frey behind with a sword piercing through his heart, Aria smiled sadly. "...Thank you, Ruby." - Thud... "R-Ruby?" Watching the scene before here, Ruby slumped limply with a despairing expression. "Why... why are you like this?" "Ugh..." Aria''s incomprehensible voice and Frey''s increasingly weaker groans began to echo fleetingly through the top floor of the Demon King¡¯s Castle. . . . . . "F-Frey..." Ruby crawled towards the dying Frey, her face filled with despair. "Ugh..." "I-If you can, please answer..." Desperately, she touched his cheek and asked. "You... You did this on purpose, right?" "..." "Not leaving the Demon King¡¯s Castle, defeating the Demon King¡¯s Army, hesitating to attack us... It was all intentional, wasn''t it?" As Ruby asked, Frey, with fading eyes, gazed at her and spoke. "Why suddenly... ask that?" "I saw everything." "What...?" "The paintings and handkerchief in your room. I saw it all." At the mention of the ''handkerchief,'' Aria trembled, while Frey sighed and mumbled. "... I got caught, huh." "T-Tell me! You did it on purpose, didn''t you?!" "I didn''t do it on purpose." Finally, with a smile, Frey spoke. "Then... Why didn''t you attack us?" "Haa..." Frey sighed before explaining. "No matter how much I tried to attack... for some reason, my strength drained away before I could attack you two. What can I do?" "...!!!" Ruby and Aria''s eyes widened at his words. "R-Ruby... I told you." Struggling to breathe, Frey continued. "When I first regained consciousness, I had no memories. I only had the desire to destroy everything..." "Just that?" "For some reason, after that day, your face kept coming to my mind." Tears started to flow from Ruby''s eyes upon hearing his words. "It was truly strange. Despite the seven girls and the Hero Party around me, and despite thinking of only mundane information about others... why was it that only your smiling faces kept appearing in my mind?" "Frey..." "Ruby... you¡¯re a strange woman." After taking a moment to catch his breath, Frey closed his eyes and continued. "As I kept thinking of you, vague memories started surfacing in my mind. I couldn''t help but recall them.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s-¡± ¡°I couldn''t focus on anything else, and I tried hard to remember your faces... but ultimately, I failed.¡± "Fa-Failed...?" "No matter how hard I tried, all I could vaguely remember was the little boy that was always there next to you." Frey chuckled, then hardened his expression. "Still, it wasn''t all in vain. At least I knew roughly what to do." "You... you..." "Though vague, I realized I needed to die as soon as possible. So, I invited you two, who could kill me, by declaring war on the world." "Brother...!!!" As Aria, having heard enough, started searching Frey''s pocket with trembling hands... - Rustle... "A-ah..." Then a piece of the handkerchief he had burned came out of his pocket. "It was quite a hassle to find it again." Frey coughed and reached out with trembling hands. "Recently, I vaguely recalled memories about you... Could it be that we were really family?" "Brother, no. No, no..." "...You''re strong. Well done." As Frey gently stroked Aria''s head. She clutched the sword embedded in his chest with a pale expression. "T-this... I''ll find a way to...!" "There''s no need... It¡¯s already over... for me." "S-Stop talking. It can''t be true. It can''t be¨C" "Although I didn''t fully recover my memories, there was one thing I wanted to tell you." Continuing to gently stroke Aria''s head, Frey looked at Ruby and Aria with a sorrowful look and said his final words. "I... I love... you... forever..." "Brother!!! Don''t go!! Don''t gooo!!" "F-Frey..." Now, Aria was having seizures, and Ruby stared at Frey with a blank expression. "...Live happily now." At the end, Frey looked at them with an earnest and innocent expression. Then he slowly closed his eyes. "..." After that, there was a long silence. "Frey..." Later, when the Hero Party woke up, they grabbed the frenzied Aria and dragged her away. The heroines, who saw the Demon King''s room a step too late, finally arrived at the top floor and discovered the scene unfolding before them before collapsing on the spot. "..." Ruby, who had been sitting quietly, gently touched Frey. "Ah..." His cheeks were cold. Of course, it was natural. He had just died. Pierced with the Hero¡¯s Armament by his sister''s hands, he faced complete death. "..." Frey didn''t come back to life screaming ''Ta-da!'','' there were no miraculous resurrections. Nothing happened as if this was the end. "...Hm." For the first time, Ferloche¡¯s poker face cracked. "Could it be that the clear conditions changed...?" She murmured, absentmindedly stroking her belly. But now wasn''t the time to pay attention to her muttering. "Frey..." On an unusually bitterly cold day, peace came to the world after the Demon King''s death. "I could have undone it all... It was entirely possible..." But peace didn¡¯t come for Ruby. She missed countless chances to change everything and ultimately faced the worst ending. "...I killed Frey." She eventually spoke those words and closed her eyes before losing consciousness. "Aaaah!" "..." Leaving behind the heroines slumped on the floor in utter despair and the somber-faced Hero Party. And Aria, who had gone mad from the unbearable truth. Meanwhile, the sun rose more melancholically than ever before. Chapter 369: CONTINUE...? "..." Some time had passed from the day of the final battle between the Demon King Frey and the Hero Party. - Step, Step... A girl walked down the street with a vacant expression. "Look over there... that¡¯s..." "Shh." Even though she was covered in a robe, she unknowingly caught people''s attention. It was none other than Ruby. "But, no matter how you look at it, it''s that bitc-" "Just pretend you don¡¯t see her...!" "Uh, okay." She walked among the whispering passersby with her head bowed, she eventually stopped. - Knock, knock... Then, Ruby quietly knocked on the door of the eerily silent building. "Yes, This is Sunrise Empire Orphanage..." The place Ruby arrived at was none other than the orphanage where she had lived until the Hero Inauguration Ceremony. "...M-Miss Ruby." Once an orphanage that Frey had established with his own assets and loved, but now, with no one to manage it, it was directly managed by the Sunrise Empire. "It''s been a while... Miss Anna." Meeting her former matron who still managed the place, Ruby nodded politely. "Why are you here..." "I have something to do..." "..." "Please." Then, Ruby knelt down, and Anna began to ponder, chewing on her lips. "...Come in." She granted permission soon after. "T-Thank you." With a look of genuine relief, Ruby entered the orphanage. "Thank you so much..." "But, what brought you here?" "That''s..." In response to Anna''s slightly cold tone, Ruby lowered her head and answered. "I... I want to... tell you the truth." "...So the rumors were true." Yes. She was currently visiting every place touched by Frey to reveal the truth. For the past few days, Ruby had been traveling throughout the Empire to inform many people of the truth. Of course, thanks to this, the already widely spread rumors exploded, and Ruby''s reputation plummeted even further. Thanks to that, she was often being chased out before she could even tell the truth. "Yes." As Ruby nodded slowly to confirm the truth of the rumors, Anna sat down on the chair with a dark expression, gripping her head. "So, establishing this orphanage, giving me a job after I was unfairly accused by the Head Maid and driven out, providing free education to those angelic children... it was all Lord Frey''s doing." "..." "...Please go in first. I need to be alone now." As one of the few extreme altruists among those in high positions in the Empire, she felt more guilt towards herself than blaming Ruby. Seeing Anna like that, Ruby hesitated for a moment before eventually biting her lip and entering the orphanage. "...?" Inside, she saw the children of the orphanage, tilting their heads and some volunteers from Starlight Mansion. "Hello, everyone..." "Hi, Hikkkk...!" "That girl...?" When she took off her robe, the children and the volunteers flinched. Ruby closed her eyes tightly and took a deep breath. This was the last stop. She had already been to every place at least once. If she could spread the truth here, her final duty would be fulfilled. "The story I have to tell today is..." With that thought in mind, Ruby began to speak, enduring the gaze directed at her. "...It''s a story about a young boy." And then, her story continued for quite some time. . . . . . "Thank you for listening to my story." As Ruby finished her story, she bit her lip and quietly bowed her head. "..." And then, silence ensued. "S-Sob...!" "T-Then, we won''t see him anymore? He won''t come back?" In the midst of that silence, some children burst into tears and questioned Ruby. "W-We can¡¯t do anything for him? He... he saved us." "I almost died after living on the streets all my life... I dreamed of becoming a secretary for the Hero of Money when I grew up..." "Ugh, waaah..." "...I''m sorry." All Ruby could say to those children was a sincere apology. There was nothing those children could do for Frey, who had given them the hope they so desperately desired when they were dying on the streets. They could only pay homage to Frey''s memorials, which were scattered throughout the Empire. Even that was something Ruby couldn''t bring herself to say, as she knew that the Empire and other nations were trying to cover up the truth that she was the real Demon King. As Ruby read the letters left by those who had left first, she sighed, looking up at the sky. - Whoosh... Then, she used her mana to set the letters on fire. The four letters, filled with remorse and despair, turned to ash and scattered into the night sky. "Now... it''s my turn." She watched the scattering ashes before resuming her walk. - Step, step, step... She silently walked until she reached the entrance of the Starlight Mansion. "Aria, I''m here..." Since that day, Aria had been living with Ruby in the mansion. Ruby started talking to Aria. "I''m a little late, aren''t I...? I''m sorry. I''ll prepare dinner now..." Then, Ruby suddenly stopped talking. "...Aria." Soon, she hastily headed towards Aria''s room. "..." During the walk to the room, Ruby remained silent. A familiar yet unwelcome feeling emanated from Aria''s room, a feeling Ruby had always faced but now wished to avoid. - Creak... With gritted teeth, Ruby opened the door, and her pupils dilated at the scene in front of her. "...Ah." The room was filled with the smell of blood. And in the center of the room, Aria lay on the ground with the Hero¡¯s Armament piercing through her. "Ha, haha..." There were no signs of forced entry, and the Hero¡¯s Armament could only have been wielded by Aria. "Ha..." And lying beside her cold, lifeless body was a familiar white letter. - Thud... Staring at what would probably be known as the ''fifth letter¡¯ to the public, Ruby quietly placed the groceries she was holding on the floor and moved forward. - Swoosh... With trembling hands, Ruby reached out and gently closed Aria''s eyes. - Drip... "...I''m sorry." Then, she slowly removed Aria''s hand, which was clutching the Hero¡¯s Armament, from her chest. "I''m so sorry..." If only she had come a little earlier. If only she hadn''t bought the salmon sandwiches. "It''s all because of me..." Ruby, filled with endless regret, held Aria''s hand while aiming the Hero¡¯s Armament at her own heart. "So, this is what I must do..." As soon as those words left her mouth, a sharp pain pierced Ruby''s heart. "Cough, cough..." Ruby coughed up blood from her mouth. She felt the slow spread of death throughout her body and closed her eyes. "...I''m going now, Frey." The moment those words left her lips, darkness descended upon Ruby''s world. "..." With the only residence of the mansion now lay death, eerie silence spread throughout the mansion. - Shaaa... Suddenly, Ruby''s body began to glow. - Bzzzzz! The moment Ruby''s body started to shimmer, it disappeared into thin air. Right after that. For the first time in quite a while, she felt the world spinning around her. . . . . . Now, where am I headed? As darkness enveloped her vision, Ruby quietly pondered the inevitable realization of her demise. Hell, or perhaps... purgatory. With these thoughts in mind, she awaited the next moment, resigned to the consequences of her actions. It doesn''t really matter. Wherever it is, I can''t pay for all of my sins... Suddenly, a brilliant light engulfed her, causing Ruby to furrow her brow and shield her eyes in confusion. "What''s this...?" In the midst of her perplexity, Ruby gradually realized that she was speaking. She tentatively lowered her hand and an unbelievable sight unfolded before her. "This place..." A damp and dim basement. Tears inexplicably streamed down her face. And then... ¡°I love you forever, Ruby.¡± Frey, bound to a chair, uttered these words before closing his eyes softly. "Huh...?" As Ruby''s eyes darted around in confusion, she found herself thrust back into a moment from the past, witnessing Frey''s final moments. "What is this...?" Retry: 1st attempt In the darkening sky, much like that fateful day, a system window floated unseen to anyone, hovering in the empty expanse. Chapter 370: To Reach Him "W-What...is this?" Ruby was stunned by the sudden turn of events. She took a step back with a bewildered expression "What the hell is this?" The moment she had been longing for, the point in time she had been dreaming of coming back to every day for the past years, was unfolding before her eyes. "Is this... a dream?" That was the first possibility that Ruby thought of as she stared blankly at the scene for a while. But she had just pierced her heart and committed suicide moments ago. If she were dead, there was no way she could be dreaming. "Is this hell? Is this my own personal hell ...? Or... Am I experiencing my memories before I die?" Immediately, other conjectures came to her mind. Could this place actually be hell or purgatory that showed her the moment of her biggest regret? If not, was she seeing a fantasy before her last breath? Congratulations on Clearing the Quest! Ending 999 - Corruption of the Hero However, such thoughts quickly dissipated as a simple message popped up before her eyes. "This...?" Touching the System Window in front of her, Ruby murmured with a pale expression. "It''s real." She knew it well from occasionally summoning it when bored, bouncing, and playing around with it. This texture, this responsiveness, and the feeling of something gradually disappearing from her body. "...Could this be... reality?" The emergence of the System meant one thing: what Ruby was experiencing now was not punishment in hell or purgatory, nor was it a hallucination. "T-then..." As her mind raced, Ruby''s eyes widened. -Thump, thump, thump... At the same time, her heart began to race like crazy. "Could it be..." The moment when Frey chose corruption in her place... No, it was the one wish she had been wishing for every single moment since the moment she did not accept the Purification quest. But she knew very well that it could never come true, so she made that earnest wish that she had only dreamed of. She didn¡¯t know why, but she had a feeling that her wish had come true at this very moment. Ending the Path of Pretender System. "L-let''s just confirm it first. Let''s check¨C" Grabbing her pounding heart, Ruby dismissed the System Window that appeared like before and started running somewhere. "...!" And before long, Ruby came to a stop. "H-Hero?" "A-are you okay...?" "G-Guys..." The faces that she thought she would never see again were right in front of her eyes. The faces of the Hero Party who had shared life and death with her for the past few years. "Hero." "Miss Ruby..." And even Vener and Aria. Tears began to well up in Ruby''s eyes as she looked at the faces she had sorely missed. "What is the meaning of this...?" "Miss Ruby, what did you tell my brother earlier?" At that moment, Vener, who was thrown out by Ruby, and Aria, who had gone to check on Vener¡¯s condition, asked at the same time. "G-Guys. Don''t you remember...?" "Huh?" "That, uh... what happened last time..." "...?" As Ruby tremulously questioned them, she had a hunch when she saw their puzzled expressions. I''ve returned. For some reason, she had returned to the past, with her memories intact. Only me. Only I have returned to the past with my full memories. Her heart was pounding as if it would burst at any moment. But it didn''t matter. If her wish had truly been granted, then her heart... no, her own fate didn''t matter. "Help System." With such thoughts, Ruby called on the Help System in a low voice. "I have a question." Since the day Frey got corrupted, the ''Help System'' couldn¡¯t be opened no matter what method she tried. Even after recovering her strength and trying repeatedly, it didn''t open. She had speculated about the reason for a while. After much contemplation, Ruby concluded that the ''power'' needed to open the ''Help System'' was lacking in herself, who had become a ''Girl¡¯, and no longer the ¡®Demon King¡¯. That meant, as long as she still had some remnants of her power as the Demon King, she could try asking a question at least once. In fact, she had asked a question at this moment too before. Please speak. "Has... ''retry'' appeared in me by any chance?" As expected, the ''Help System'' appeared before her eyes. With a tense expression, Ruby asked the question. ¡°T-This is a regression, right? Going back to the past¨C¡± That''s correct. "Ah." The System''s straightforward answer cut her off. Her eyes stared blankly at the text floating in front of her. You currently possess the unique ability ''Retry.'' "Ah..." "M-Miss Ruby?" After giving the answer, the Help System vanished with a buzz, causing Ruby to lose her strength and slump to the ground. Alarmed by the sudden turn of events, Vener and Aria hurriedly approached Ruby. ¡°Sniffle... Sob..." "Wh-why are you crying all of a sudden..." "W-waaa..." Tears started streaming down her face as she sat on the ground. "I¡¯m back..." "Yes?" "I really, really came back..." A miracle had occurred. The unique ability ''Retry,'' which Frey had used countless times to save her and the world, had been bestowed upon her. The second chance she had longed for had arrived the moment she faced death. "Thank you..." Was it a gift from the gods? Or a jest from the Demon God? Or perhaps the ''System'' itself had intervened? "Thank you so much..." Regardless, it didn''t matter to her. ¡°Sob...¡± "It''s the first time I''ve seen you cry so sorrowfully, Hero..." "How much suffering have you endured until now..." The fact that she had been given a second chance was more important than anything. "S-so... what now..." After crying herself out on the ground, she finally managed to pull herself together. -Step, step... Suddenly, footsteps were heard from in front of them, and at the same time, Ruby''s expression started to stiffen. "Hello there." Because she had forgotten due to the shock and the excitement of her regression. "Members of the Hero Party." "...?" At this point, Frey had already fallen into corruption. "Ah..." Ruby¡¯s expression turned grim at the sight of the Demon King. Unlike the previous cycle where he vaguely remembered her and Aria and stopped his destructive act, this time he was solely focused on his ¡®destructive acts¡¯. "Ugh... F-Frey..." "Good, finally this damn barrier is lifted." At first, Ruby thought that if she tried a little harder, Frey would realize something and back off. During his last moments in the previous cycle, he was clearly wearing an innocent smile like before. But that was a mistake. ¡°How... How the hell did this happen...¡± "Is this the Hero''s Armament? Once, I was deemed as a worthy hero, maybe I can use it..." - Click...! "It''s actually working. Very good." After that, Frey mercilessly slaughtered the Empire¡¯s Army, the Hero¡¯s Party, and everyone who tried to go near him right in front of Ruby¡¯s eyes. There were no hesitant looks or thoughtful expressions like the one that briefly appeared in the last cycle. In the mansion, where the corpses of countless people piled up like mountains and the smell of blood hung heavy in the air, Frey simply focused on killing someone or dismantling the barrier in the basement. "Who... are you." It was only then that Ruby realized. "WHO ARE YOU!!! YOU BASTARD!!!" "I''m the Demon King." The Frey in front of her was not the Frey she wanted to return to. He was just the Demon King. "Why... Why on earth..." Finally, Ruby began to feel a sense of unease in her mind. Something was definitely missing. For some reason, it felt like she had missed something she had done in the previous cycle... It was quite a while ago, and she couldn''t remember well because so much had happened. No, did she actually miss something? Was it just her own delusion or rationalization? "Goodbye, former Demon King." "W-Wait... Frey..." - Stab...! "Ugh..." As she pondered such thoughts, Ruby, with tears streaming down her face, let out a pitiful groan as the Hero¡¯s Armament pierced her heart. She couldn''t resist him. She had suffered too much damage on the first day of her regression, and she was beaten by him mercilessly after trying futilely to recover his memories. I''m... really stupid. "You''re quite persistent. Please just die already, you annoying wench." I was given a second chance... but I failed so foolishly... With her last strength, Ruby tried to reach out her trembling hands towards Frey. It was her last attempt before her death. If she could mimic Frey''s actions of frequently touching or tapping her cheek, and if that could awaken his memories, then that would be enough. Even if she died foolishly here, if she could save Frey who had chosen corruption in her place... "Disgusting." "Ah..." However, the current Frey simply brushed her hand away and looked down at her with a disgusted expression. "Still... I love you fore..." Looking at Frey with a remorseful expression, Ruby closed her eyes without even finishing her words. - Crackle...! The last thing she felt was the sensation of her body being torn apart by Frey¡¯s ferocious sword strike. Frey, now the Demon King yet wielding the Hero¡¯s Armament, would no longer need to fear anyone and could easily tear the world asunder, truly bringing about its destruction. - Crackle...! Then she felt her world spinning. "Huh." And she opened her eyes again, "I love you forever, Ruby." Now, the same scene unfolded before her eyes for the third time. "..." Waking up again immediately after death, Ruby stared blankly at the Frey, who was tied up to a chair and just had accepted the Corruption Quest. Congratulations on Clearing the Quest. Ending 999 - The Corruption of the Hero "Ha, hahaha....." After confirming the message for the third time, she collapsed in front of Frey and burst into a hollow laughter. "Hahahahahaha, hahahahahahaha..." She just realized. Retry: 2nd Round "Ha ha... ha..." Retry was a miracle, but at the same time, it was also a curse. She couldn''t even imagine how many regressions she would go through, how many tragedies, how many bad endings she would face in the future. "..." Thanks to this realization, the former Demon King almost collapsed in an instant. But soon, she composed herself, and with a slightly trembling but determined expression, she whispered to the bound Frey, holding him in her arms. "Is this how you feel?" "..." "Then if I keep trying like you did... someday, I''ll reach you too, won''t I?" "Ughh..." "I love you, Frey." And so, time passed, and began to flow again. . . . . . On a particularly warm morning, at an inn, - Click... "Are you here for dining or lodging?" The innkeeper shouted out cheerfully towards a woman covered in a robe. "Both." "Yes! Here''s your room key! And what would you like to eat?" Receiving the key from the innkeeper, the guest replied in a subdued voice. "Rye bread and potato soup." "Got it!" As the guest headed quietly towards the dining area with prompt acceptance, the innkeeper scratched his head and muttered. "But... the order and everything, it feels like I''ve seen it somewhere before..." "...Yes?" "Oh, no, it''s nothing!" After a brief pause, the innkeeper went into the kitchen, leaving the sighing guest behind. ¡°...¡± Until the potato soup and the bread were served, the guest sat with bowed head in a corner of the dining area for quite some time. "Hello~!" "...?" "Excuse me, may I join you?" That was until someone wearing a robe appeared in front of her. "...There are plenty of empty seats." "Oh my..." As the uncomfortable guest tried to avoid the person in front of her, thinking of them as a peddler or a scammer, the person urgently grabbed the guest''s arm. "It''s written all over your face." "What are you..." Trying to shake off the grip with a cold expression, the guest froze upon hearing the next words. "You''ve just done about ten regressions, haven''t you?" "...!!!!!" Upon hearing that, the shocked guest widened her eyes in astonishment. "You, you..." "How are you? Not so pretentious now, huh? Miss Ruby?" With a smile, Ferloche partially revealed her face by lifting her robe. She was directly looking into Ruby¡¯s eyes, who was stunned by the revelation. Chapter 371: Portable Frey "W-What?" "What do you mean ¡°what¡±? It''s a meeting." Caught off guard by the sudden situation, Ruby''s eyes widened in bewilderment. Ferloche paid no heed to her and casually took off her robe. She sat down with her legs crossed. "W-Wait a moment. Hold on..." "Here''s the potato soup!" "Damn it..." If the recently missing Hero and the Saintess were found in such a shabby inn, it was obvious that trouble would arise. Therefore, she intended to take Ferloche outside first. But, before she could do that, the innkeeper brought her food, causing her to break into a cold sweat. Ruby waved her hand to signal the innkeeper to leave. "...?" "Just put it down over there and leave." "...Understood." When the hypnotized innkeeper swiftly placed the dishes on the table and left, Ruby finally breathed a sigh of relief. "You''re still calm. Do you have a lot of time left?" "W-What are you?" Hearing Ferloche''s words, Ruby quickly regained her composure and began to urgently ask questions. "How do you know I''ve regressed? And even the exact number of times?" "I told you, it''s written all over your face." "Bullshit. Tell me the truth. Do you also have memories? Or maybe you also do Retr¨C Ouch." Ruby was extremely agitated. She even grabbed Ferloche on the shoulder and shook her vigorously. Her manic action was interrupted when she received a bonk on the head. Wait, what is she really? And where''s that foolish Saintess go... "I always feel it. I can¡¯t decide whether you''re smart or stupid. Your mind works well, but you''re a bit clueless. A bit of a fool..." "...???" Listening to Ferloche¡¯s words, Ruby tilted her head with a puzzled expression. "For now, I don''t have Retry." "For now?" "To put it simply, I''m your senior." "...!" As Ruby''s eyes widened at the cryptic words, Ferloche picked up a piece of rye bread and continued. "So, I can tell... Roughly how many times you''ve regressed just by looking at your expression." "That''s ridiculous... Until now, the one who has regressed was... F-Frey, wasn''t it?" "... Lord Frey hasn¡¯t been doing any Retry for a while, has he?" "Oh..." Staring blankly at Ferloche, Ruby nodded dumbly upon hearing her words. Ferloche continued as she ate the bread. "Are you stupid? How are you going to achieve your goals when you''re so naive?" "Uh, um?" Ferloche''s tone suddenly turned cold. "You can''t possibly guess how many times someone has regressed just by looking at their expression." "Uh, um... That''s right, isn''t it...?" "Just try your best? Okay?" Looking at Ruby, who was watching her cautiously, Ferloche patted her shoulder with a foolish smile. "S-So, how..." "The more Retry you do, the more damaged your soul becomes. As you know, I''m the best in dealing with souls, being a Saintess and all." "A-Ah..." "Your soul has been worn out about ten times from regressing, so I could tell." "So... you lied about having Retry with you...?¡± Now completely letting go of her words, Ferloche continued while munching on bread. "If you''re a regressor, you have to figure it out yourself. Whether what I''m saying is true or false." "Ah..." "Always start with doubt, doubt everything you see, hear, and feel." Sipping on orange juice, Ferloche scrutinized Ruby. "Besides... you must have tried everything by now, right?" "..." Ruby''s eyes flickered at those words. "Let''s see, hmm..." Smirking as she looked at her, Ferloche placed her hand on Ruby''s shoulder and began to read her soul. Then, memories began to flow into her. - Frey... Do you really not remember me? - Just once... Can''t you smile like back then? - Those paintings... Will I never see them again? From the second to the fifth regression, Ruby spent years clinging to him only to ultimately meet a tragic death. - What went wrong... Why... - Aaargh!! - Yes, stab me to your heart''s content... During the sixth regression, Ruby''s mental state momentarily shattered from continued failures, while during the seventh, she bravely faced Frey until her death, driven by the determination to overpower him. And in the eighth regression, she went mad the moment she woke up until the end, where she got cut up by Frey. - Frey, we''ve won the war against the Empire today. - I''m your dog. I''ll do whatever you want... - Ah, the Princess''s neck? Understood... And then, there was the ninth regression, where for quite some time she served as Frey''s subordinate. Before Frey''s corruption, she became like a dog, obeying him just as he had once treated her. Perhaps with this behavior, Frey would be able to recover his memories. Although Ruby clung to this hope, Frey only ordered her and the heroines to commit acts of destruction. There was no trace of the Frey she saw on the first cycle. Frey was only focused on the act of destruction, and had never done anything else. - Frey... I¡¯ve prepared some sandwich¨C Ack!!! - I prepared some potato soup and rye bread¨C Geuhh! - Frey... that necklace you wore back then... don''t you remember... Heugek. Nevertheless, Ruby did not give up and continued to stimulate his memories, but what she got in return was Frey¡¯s fist. - Would you like to have a glass of wine with me toda¨C - Slap!!! - ... Even after all that, Ruby did not give in and continued to work hard as his subordinate. But she eventually had to give up on that cycle, since her last attempt before the final battle was met with a slap on the face. - I love you fore¨C - Haah. And thus came the tenth regression. - Hero? Where are you going? Hero? - ... The Ruby in the tenth cycle was slightly different from before. After leaving the hero party on the day of her regression and disappearing, she, unlike before, did not actively engage and began to work secretly in the dark. Yes. 3. Glare and Roswyn do not exist in this world. 4. The abilities gained during regression are reset, but only the soul is not reset. (Research into soul manipulation techniques is needed.) 5. It''s best to approach Serena early on. (Be cautious with behavior.) 6. Avoid acting like I know Ferloche. Only ask her questions when she approaches first. 7. There is a mastermind behind all this. But who exactly? The Demon God? Or... an even higher being? 8. Frey is strong. Let''s try to regress enough to overpower him. . . . 100. I love Frey. (Never forget this, no matter what.) With a determination to never forget the last point, Ruby proceeded with her mission. "Huh...?" After dedicating herself to regression and pouring her heart and soul into it, she finally managed to break through the barrier that had been blocking her. "E-Heub...!" "W-what is this...?" The ''Soul Bead,'' which she had treasured as the last means to protect herself and feel Frey''s presence. Retry Quest 1 - 01 Soul Bead Injection 1/6 On a day when she regressed after tasting bitter failures as usual, she remembered something vaguely. After repeating the keyword ''original intention'' several times, the memory of her forcibly putting it into Frey''s mouth came to her mind. So when she tried it, a quest window finally appeared before her eyes. ¡°A-Am I that stupid...?¡± "Ugh..." "That''s right, this bead contains Frey''s soul. So... if I feed this to Frey..." ¡°Do you think this will change anything?¡± Just before her Demon King¡¯s power fully dissipated, she managed to bind Frey to the chair using magic. "Frey." - Clank! Clack...! "I''ll free you soon, okay?" "You bitch..." However, Ruby was unfazed by Frey¡¯s taunt. She caressed Frey¡¯s cheek tenderly before walking away with fiery determination in her eyes. I have to go to her. It was time to visit her Master. . . . . . "Wow! Look who¡¯s here!" "..." "Only just reaching 5¨C" "I, I figured it out." Ruby, who met with Ferloche at the inn at the usual time, opened her mouth with a serious expression. "I finally found a breakthrough." "What is it?" "I just need to feed him the soul bead." Ruby took Ferloche''s hand. "Hmm..." "W-With this, we can save him...! We can bring him back...!!!" Ruby spoke with tears in her eyes. Then she handed a record of her regressions. Seeing her like this, Ferloche patted Ruby on the shoulder. "Thank you for your hard work!" "Ugh, Sob... uuu..." "Well, then, this is our last meeting!" "...Huh?" Now almost entirely reliant on Ferloche, Ruby tilted her head upon hearing those words. "Why? Where are you going? No, don''t go...!" "I''ll give you this as a parting gift!" "Wait! Master! Don''t go!! I can''t do it without you!!!" ¡°I think you¡¯ll do just fine without me now, well. It¡¯s time for me to leave.¡± After saying that, Ferloche began to quietly stroke her stomach. ¡°D-Don¡¯t go... Only you can remember me... I don¡¯t want to be left alone...!! I¡¯m scared...¡± "You seem to have improved a lot with your regressions lately, right? Back when it was just me and Frey, there was no one to help us like this, you know? Consider yourself lucky that you didn''t hit rock bottom." With a firm tone, Ferloche continued, before adding in a darker voice. "And... even if I wanted to help, I can''t." "W-what..." "I''ll probably be exiled soon, too." As soon as those words were uttered, a white light emanated from Ferloche''s abdomen. "So... I''ll leave this to you now." "W-what''s this?" "It''s a candy! Eat it!" "Heub..." Though it sounded quite random, Ruby, now fully trusting Ferloche, didn''t hesitate to put the silver bead in her mouth. "Munch... Munch..." "How is it? What does it taste like?" "Um... well... it''s soft? Sweet and... warm... It''s a familiar and nostalgic taste." "...It''s familiar? Why? How?" "...!?" Upon seeing Ferloche momentarily react to her comment about the taste, Ruby tilted her head. "Um, anyway, it''s delicious..." - Rumble... "Huh? Oh, the candy is shaking..." As the candy started shaking in her mouth, Ruby widened her eyes in surprise. "If you swallow that, we¡¯ll be in big trouble.¡± "Huh?" "Right now, you''re chewing Frey." "Eek!?" Upon hearing Ferloche''s words, Ruby hastily spat out the bead. "What... is this?" Then, she stared blankly at the still trembling silver bead in her carefully cupped hands. ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, it¡¯s real. So you can never eat it, okay?¡± - Bzzzzz... In her hands, the bead continued to tremble. Chapter 372: She Who Atoned "Is this... Frey...?" Ruby, still sitting in the inn, muttered quietly with a blank expression. "Really...?" Her eyes gradually turned to the bead that was on the table. - Tap, tap... Ruby, who had been staring intently at the beads, cautiously extended her finger to poke it. "I-It¡¯s soft." The bead was indeed soft. It felt oddly addictive, like touching pudding or jelly. "Just before he fell to corruption, I extracted his soul and turned it into a bead. I''ve been hiding it until now." "R-Really...?" "Of course not, you idiot." With those words, Ferloche quietly got up from her seat. "Anyway, now that I''ve given you the bead, my job is done." "Wait. Why did you give this to me...?" Grabbing desperately onto her sleeve, Ruby asked. "In case you regress further, you''ll need support.¡± "Ah..." ¡°Unlike me, who has limited mental strength, your mental strength is at the maximum value... but just because your mind is intact doesn¡¯t mean everything will be solved.¡± Exhausted from the prolonged regression, Ruby nodded quietly and agreed with her point. "And there are other uses too... but you might have already figured that out." "Huh?" "Congratulations. You''ve finally succeeded in conquering one of us." "...?" Ruby tilted her head at Ferloche''s meaningful words, then she opened her mouth. [Soul Bead Collection (2/6)] Could it be... everything I''ve done so far was just part of a quest? The result of her hard work and effort was one of Frey¡¯s soul beads, given to her by Ferloche. To obtain that one bead, Ruby had spent a long time gathering information and practicing soul manipulation. Then, what did she have to do to obtain the other four beads? No, it might be surprisingly easy. Thinking that explaining her intentions and asking for the beads might make things easier, Ruby started to feel excited. "Swallow Frey''s soul bead before regressing. By merging your souls like that, it won''t be affected by the regression." "T-then... Frey will also remember..." "He''ll be fine since he is in the form of a soul bead. Before you completely digest him after the regression, just take him out again in the form of a bead, just like I did." "... Thank you." Then, she looked at Ferloche leaving the inn and gave her gratitude. "Even if you thank me, your regression life isn''t over yet~" "Yeah..." "Oh, and!" "Huh?" Just as Ferloche was about to leave, she exclaimed loudly, causing Ruby who was reaching out to the bead with trembling eyes to withdraw her hand. "Don''t do anything weird with the bead, okay?" "..." "Oh, and... since I¡¯m going to be exiled anyway, I thought I''d share an interesting fact with you." "An... interesting fact?" "To fuel your spirit of challenge." Ruby, nodding involuntarily at Ferloche''s somewhat chilly tone, tilted her head at her word. "Listen well, okay?" Then Ferloche spoke with a smile. - Flap Flap... And behind Ferloche, Gugu quietly soared through the sky, unnoticed by anyone. . . . . . "This is all... the path you''ve walked." Since leaving the inn, Ruby''s frequency of gazing at the trembling bead in her hand with a tender gaze has noticeably increased. "Frey, how much did you love me..." - Rumble...? "Even if I regress countless times, can I surpass your love and devotion?" It was because Ruby had heard speculation about how many times Frey had regressed so far, and about the truth behind the bizarre situation unfolding now. "Maybe I can''t surpass it?" The ¡®Ordeals¡¯ were conducted under the supervision of the ''Path of False Evil'' system, testing the limits of a hero. According to Ferloche, the strange occurrences happening now were most likely because reality has been affected by the ''Ordeal''. Of course, Ruby had already somewhat anticipated this. The fact that she had been given a ''Retry'', and the inevitable exile that Ferloche, along with Glare and Roswyn, couldn''t escape, indicated that the world was artificially manipulated. "I resent my past self so much, Frey." But there was a crucial point. The Ordeals were based on events from the ''past''. That meant there had been similar events to what was happening now. "Even if I think of this as the price I paid for tormenting you for eons, this is nothing." Indeed. According to Ferloche''s words, the situations Ruby had experienced so far seemed to be reenactments of what Frey had already endured to save her. Suddenly encountering mysterious quests, achieving only 2/6 of the first quest''s unkind conditions, all of it seemed highly likely to be events Frey had already faced to save her. There was no evidence, of course, but at least Ruby chose to believe so. - Smooch...? - Rumble...! And since that realization, Ruby''s love for Frey only grew several times more. "I love you, Frey." - Rumble... "Even if only your soul remains. Forever." A punch filled with Clana''s solar mana struck her chest. "Aaargh...!!" Irina''s flames engulfed Ruby along with her clothes. "..." Even in such agony, Ruby clenched her eyes shut and endured the pain. As the attacks from the four began to subside, she staggered and sank to the ground. - Rustle Then she lay flat on the floor while bleeding from her mouth and eyes. Despite the agonizing pain, she was still holding on to the soul bead in her grasp. "I''m... sorry." Laying on the ground with her skin burnt, her whole body was exposed, ¡°I... apologize to you all.¡± Ruby apologized with tears streaming down her eyes. "..." "As much as I have tormented you until now... Please torment me until you''re satisfied..." As the four girls looked at each other with frowns at Ruby''s appearance, she added, grinding her forehead against the ground. Retry Quest [1 - 03] [Atone to His Wives (0/4)] [Atone to His Knights, And Your Kin (0/2)] [Atone to His Family (0/2)] . . . Immediately after that, a system window quietly floated in front of her. "Help System." After confirming those phrases, Ruby quietly called upon the Help System, something she hadn''t used in a long time. "What is the nature of the first stage?" She had already learned through questions that there were fewer than three stages to the quest. Now, if she could almost guess the nature of the first stage, she might be able to learn something she hadn''t known before due to her lack of power. The identity of the first stage is your ¡®retribution.'' "Ah..." After a moment, as expected, the Help System came up with an answer, and Ruby sighed. Face your retribution with sincerity. "Do you think... we¡¯ll forgive you so easily?" "...The citizens, we can still hear Ariane''s wails..." "We cannot forgive you. Leave." She had fallen, and it was time for her to be weighed down by the karma for every misdeed she had committed so far. "I don''t seek forgiveness..." "..." "So, please just do it." Realizing that and answering with a trembling voice, Ruby felt the warmth emanating from Frey''s soul bead that was still shaking in her hand. I love you, Frey. If it was to save Frey. She would gladly be crushed as much as needed. . . . . . "Haah, haah..." "Hmm." Somewhere, there was a panting sound like a puppy. Was Ruby licking me again? Or was she pressing me against her stomach again? I hoped she would do it in moderation. "Please, please... Please let this succeed... Please......" While having such thoughts, the words coming through sounded a bit unsettling. "I don''t know how many times I''ve failed... There are various ways to feed the bead... This is the last method I can think of..." Ruby''s voice sounded as if it would be extinguished at any moment. Where had I heard such a voice before? The most similar voice that came to mind was mine from the Third Ordeal and Retry Ferloche''s voice. Could it be that she was also nearing her limit? Hmm... When I opened my eyes, I would know. "If I fail this time too... What should I do? I can''t do it anymore... My soul can''t endure it... No, wait. I haven''t done it as much as Frey yet. I have to somehow until then..." "...Excuse me." "Huh, huh?" I opened my eyes to see Ruby pressing her cheek against mine with a desperate expression. "...Frey." Looking at her like, my mind started to blur. Why? Is it the side effect of just having my soul returned? Or am I also being affected by the Fourth Ordeal, like the main heroines? Well, I will find out later. "Frey!!! A-Are you back? Really? Is it really youuu...!? Y-You finally came back for real?" "..." "I-It¡¯s me! Ruby!! Yo-Your..." It seemed it wouldn¡¯t be long before I had to assess her actions as the protagonist of the Fourth Ordeal. Retry Quest [2 - 01] [Recover Frey''s Memories] "Who are you?" "...What." [Retry points are being reassigned.] Chapter 373: Easter Egg "Please, please... Please let it be successful... Please..." After countless regressions, I returned to the beginning and began feeding the soul beads I had collected to Frey. I clutched my pounding chest If this also failed, I would no longer be able to maintain my sanity. "Mmm..." Frey looked at me and groaned. A groan. That meant there was a chance to succeed. When I failed before, he didn''t even groan. Please... it''s me Ruby... say my name, Frey... The process of clearing the first stage of the quest, which was to atone for all of my ¡®sins¡¯, was truly hellish. After Ferloche gave me her bead, the number of Frey''s soul beads in my possession didn''t increase, even after multiple cycles. "We can''t forgive you." "From the start, we didn''t even have the right. Frey is the one who you should ask for forgiveness, don''t you think?¡± "Hey...!" "Please get lost." The sins I had accumulated ran deeper than I had thought. It was natural. Through the countless Frey¡¯s and Ferloche¡¯s Retry, I had committed countless atrocities. "Ah..." I realized this when the four girls beat me to the brink of death and chased me away. "Their souls..." The souls of the four girls were also severely damaged, though not as much as Frey''s or Ferloche''s. Their souls had to be affected by accumulating connections and karma through repeated retries. The reason they realized Frey¡¯s ¡®False Evil¡¯ so quickly and blindly devoted themselves to him was because of the connections they built up with Frey over countless cycles. Because of that, it was natural for them to show hostility to me, who had committed despicable deeds in that countless cycle. Especially sensitive to matters related to ''souls'', perhaps that was the reason. After repeating regressions while pondering such thoughts, I was able to discover a strategy. From the start, attempting to atone to all four at once was quite an arrogant thought of mine. The calculation showed that to release the grudge on their souls and to make an atonement, I had to use one entire cycle for each of them. I was truly flustered when I first found this out. Could it be that it was a quest that couldn''t be cleared in the first place? "...This is the punishment I''m imposing on you." "Ugh..." ¡°Atone for your remaining sins in hell.¡± Fortunately, I could see that it wasn''t impossible to clear. "Goodbye, Ruby." By dedicating an entire cycle to Aria, who had the most interaction with me after Frey, I learned the truth. I cared for her mind and spirit until the end of the cycle and made her into a noble and brave hero. Then I told her the truth. The Hero Aria pierced my chest with the Hero¡¯s Armament while shedding tears. [Atone to His Family (1/2)] When I opened my eyes in the next cycle, the quest remained clear. I learned that a quest cleared once remained cleared even after regression. It was both good news and bad news. Aria''s soul was the purest among those who I needed to atone to. Her brother particularly cherished her. Others, adorned with connections and wounds, were much harder to atone to than Aria. ¡°You... are the Demon King.¡± I didn''t know parental anger could be so terrifying. Frey''s father, Abraham. A man riddled with misfortune who had no choice but to sacrifice his child for the world, knowing the future his child would face. If Aria, who had been influenced to some extent from clearing the quest, hadn''t helped me, it would have been nearly impossible for me to atone to him. "I¡¯ll save your son... Then I''ll die. I''ll definitely commit suicide..." "... Get out of my house." When he opened his eyes, his son had become the Demon King, the lifelong loyal servants had betrayed him, and his own daughter had killed his son. Shocked by such a situation, Abraham always ended up in a state of full-body paralysis. To him, I shed tears and begged, again and again. One cruel aspect in all of this was that for Abraham to awaken, Frey needed to die. In the end, until Abraham''s heart was moved by my sincerity, I, along with Aria, had no choice but to kill the one I loved the most in the world multiple times. "... Just take a break." "...!!!" "Bring back my son, atone your sins to him, not to me." [Atone to His Family (2/2)] One of the most dreadful moments in her regression ended with Abraham uttering those words. "Thank... you..." "Don''t thank me. Just leave. I want to close my eyes quietly." "..." The trickery began after that. If someone¡¯s heart was firmly closed, she had to do countless regressions just to atone and heal the wound in their soul. Because the target of that hatred was someone as repulsive and terrible as me, the healing speed was as slow as a snail, but eventually, her hard work paid off. "Swear as a knight, no... swear to yourself. That you''ll bring him back, no matter the cost." "..." [Atone to His Knight, And Your Kin(2/2)] Isolet, shedding tears from her eyes as she plunged the sword into my heart. And Lulu, looking at me with a vacant expression. ... How did I atone to Lulu? I couldn¡¯t remember. Why was that? Anyway, to move their hearts, I had to regress more than the sum of Aria''s and Abraham''s regressions. "If the Young Master can return... it doesn''t matter anymore. Even if you''re the Devil itself... Even if it¡¯s you, the Demon King... I''ll use you." "You must be sincere to be able to withstand that curse. Bring Frey back and then we''ll talk." "Why are you trying to be a slave of the Sunrise Empire? Bring Frey back and be bound to him." "...Good job." But after all, the most difficult thing was to move the hearts of the four girls. Becoming Kania''s maid, becoming Irina''s magical experiment subject, becoming the half-crazed Clana''s servant, entering Serena''s basement, and so on. I had to make efforts to erase the sins I had committed as much as the regressions I had undergone. I... was I always this disgusting...? At first, it was so difficult that tears came to my eyes, but later, that was the only thought that came to mind. The amount of pain, despair, and agony these girls felt because of me all this time. I couldn''t complain about healing the wounds that I myself inflicted. [Atone to His Wives (4/4)] "Hah, haaaa..." After atoning to everyone and receiving the souls'' beads, I, who had swallowed them so that they would not be affected by Retry, took them out of my stomach as soon as I returned. "D-do you want... to hit my belly...? T-This is... your property." And when I softly patted Frey''s back while he was choking me, he quickly stopped. Indeed, Frey was not a man who would submit easily to the persona of the Demon King. - Thump... Thump... Rather, his rough treatment reminded me of the old days and made my heart race. "Hey..." "I love you. I love you. I really love you." "..." Continuing our journey together, we now sit on the empty rooftop of the academy, leaning our heads against each other. "Do you... love me, Frey?" "...I''m not sure." "I see..." I asked, hoping for a different answer, but his response remained unchanged. Why doesn''t it change? Why doesn''t he remember? "Haha, well... that''s... possible. Hehe..." I forced a casual smile, but it didn''t erase my anxiety. The countdown to the end was approaching. If my soul could endure a little longer, I would regress infinitely just to move his heart. But why now, at the very end... "I don''t want to..." "...?" Tears that I tried to hold back began to flow incessantly. If I fail now... If my soul shatters into pieces... What will become of me? It doesn''t matter if I die. I''ve already accepted that. But the thought of never seeing Frey again terrifies me. The idea of disappearing forever, without him ever remembering or acknowledging me, is frightening. "What¡¯s wrong?" "Oh, it''s nothing. Hehe." But this was not the time for this. Time flew as we spoke. And however slim, there was surely hope. So... "It''s a gift." "A gift?" I retrieved something precious that I treasured for so long. "Close your eyes." "Oh, okay..." With a trembling smile, I placed the item around Frey''s neck as he closed his eyes. - Rustle... "Hehe." It was quite crude, as I made it with my own hands based on what I remember... But I did my best. Please, I hoped he remembered. Please... "...I''ll be right back. Just need to use the restroom." "Okay." I suddenly realized tears were streaming down my cheeks. I couldn¡¯t let Frey see me like this. I needed to compose myself. "Should I keep my eyes closed until then?" "..." I headed towards the exit of the rooftop, clutching my trembling hands tightly. Please... Frey. You also drew that picture back then. You still remember, don''t you...? Retry Quest [2 - 01] [Recover Frey''s Memories] Please remember me. . . . . . "Ugh..." As Ruby stepped out of the rooftop, I quietly opened my eyes and let out a groan. "This is annoying." Another gift, huh? I wondered what it was this time. A sandwich that was labeled as an egg sandwich but has a lot of salmon inside? A tasteless rye bread? "Phew." Unexpectedly, my memory seemed intact, so I had planned to pretend to have amnesia and observe Ruby''s actions during this opportunity. But Ruby''s recent behavior was strange. Based on what she was doing, she seemed to be trying to help me recover lost memories. But all of her actions were things I didn¡¯t remember. No, come to think of it, it made sense that I didn¡¯t remember. My connection with Ruby was fabricated by me. At most, the only memories we shared might be the short moments when I began to tame her through violence... "Huh." Thinking of these thoughts, I looked at the object hanging around my neck that Ruby had just put on me, and I couldn''t help but widen my eyes. "Wait a minute." A necklace-like item was hanging around my neck. "What''s this..." It looked quite crude, but I could immediately grasp its identity. "No way." This was a pendant. It was the mysterious pendant that I received from the legendary craftsman Rosinante along with the ''Cloak of Deception'' the day before the start of the second semester last year. A strange pendant with a mysterious ability that connected me with the ''Retry Frey'' stored in the Third Ordeal. I tried countless times to open it, but it never budged, so I always kept it with me. That was why I could tell. The pendant Ruby just gave me was remarkably similar, albeit crude, to that Easter egg. "What the hell." No, not just similar. The design, the size, and even the material... They were completely identical. "What the hell, seriously." How did she know about this? Chapter 374: The Girls Sacrifice "F-Frey?" Ruby, who had just returned from the bathroom, was surprised to see Frey staring blankly at the pendant with wide eyes, and she took a step back in shock. ¡°W-When did you open your eyes?¡± "..." ¡°Uh, uhm... I wanted to recreate that moment as perfectly as possible...¡± Ruby, who had approached Frey until she was right in front of him, grasped the pendant around his neck with a pitiful expression and mumbled. "I-It''s my last chance... If I fail this time, in the next cycle my soul will..." Her tone did not contain any resentment towards Frey for breaking his promise to her. Only worry, fear, and anxiety were evident in her voice. "Um." Ruby hesitated and just stared at Frey for a while. It was because Frey gazed at her with a completely different eyes than before "What''s this pendant... about?" "Huh?" "How did you... No, I¡¯m a little concerned.¡± "S, so?" At his calm words, Ruby immediately responded with a smile on her lips. "Th, that''s a relief. I was worried you wouldn''t recognize it because it''s too crudely made. Hehe." "What do you mean..." "This is a gift I gave you in the past." "..." After Ruby finished speaking, there was a moment of silence. "I don''t remember receiving something like this." "Yeah, that''s right. You don''t have any memories now, right? This journey is to find your memories..." "No, I really never receive it." "...?" Ruby, who had been holding Frey''s hand with a gentle touch, looked at him with a puzzled expression as he broke out in a cold sweat. "This... was given by that damned place¡¯s master." "Frey?" "... Where did you see this? When did you find it?" "W-what are you talking about? I gave this to you." In response to Frey''s cautious questioning, Ruby scratched her head and replied. "T-That''s impossible. I''m sure I saw it somewhere..." "O, oh, did you remember something!?" "..." Frey quietly closed his mouth in response to Ruby''s hopeful voice. ... What on earth is happening here? He already knew. Ruby never had the chance to see the ''pendant'' he possessed. Until entering the Fourth Ordeal, he had never shown the pendant to her, and it was the same even after entering the ordeal. During the Fourth Ordeal, Frey was in the state of a soul bead. Therefore, he did not directly experience the passage of time like Ruby did. But the memories he shared with her were recorded in his soul. And in those memories, there was no record of Ruby checking his pendant during the Fourth Ordeal. "You remember something, right? You¡¯re not messing around right?" And looking at Ruby now, who was staring directly into his eyes, there was no trace of falsehood behind those eyes. "I-If you¡¯re messing with me, I''ll get mad, you know?" And why? From Ruby, he could no longer see the terrifying figure of the Demon King that had once haunted him. "If... I get angry, you know it''s scary, right?" In front of Frey''s eyes, there was just a girl looking at a boy. "Got it?" A nostalgic feeling washed over him, a girl he missed somehow. "...Uh, yeah." "I knew it! I knew this would work! I knew it would be effective, right?" As Frey nodded his head, Ruby hugged him tightly and vigorously rubbed her head against his. "Then..." As they continued, Ruby suddenly lifted her head and glanced into the air. "..." Her expression quickly twisted. "Why, why isn''t it clearing...?" "...?" "We did everything right... to recover memories. We recovered the memory of the pendant, so why isn''t it working?" Eventually, Ruby, for the first time in front of Frey, began to mutter in despair. "I don''t want to... I don''t want to disappear..." "Ruby?" "I don''t want to leave you behind... please..." As Ruby buried her head in Frey''s chest, tears began to stream down her face. - Shaaa.... At that moment, a shooting star shone unusually brightly in the night sky before slowly descending. "..." Frey, unknowingly comforting Ruby''s back as she cried, began to break out in a cold sweat as he watched the bizarre scene. "...What''s... really going on." Memories he had never experienced before were flooding back to him. . . . . . "Frey, today we''re camping in the Ashen Forest." "But there are monsters..." "Monsters? I''ll take care of them. Don''t worry." Since the day Frey received the pendant from Ruby as a gift, her advances had become even more intense. "Today, let''s go to the Eastern Continent. You always liked Eastern Continent food, right?" "Today, let''s go to the Unicorn Farm on the Western Continent... Oh, if they see you, the unicorns will cause a commotion. Then how about the Bicorn Farm... No, then I''ll be attacked." "Today, let''s go to the beach, okay? The sea we watched together was so beautiful..." "Today..." No, it wasn''t just an increase in intensity. It was as if she were a person who had received a death sentence. She began to travel with Frey as if she had decided to enjoy life in anticipation of her impending doom, crazily traversing the world with him. "...That''s impossible." "Hmm?" As Ruby spoke with a vague gaze, she looked at Frey, who seemed pale with confusion. "I... I''ve always liked rye bread. I''ve never liked wheat bread even once..." "Before this endless cycle started, did you ever lose your memory like you do now?" While gently stroking Frey''s confused head, she whispered. "Right now, you can''t remember, but... When you were completely reset back then, you couldn''t even bring yourself to eat rye bread and potato soup." "...Ah." With that revelation, Frey''s expression was momentarily shocked. "Come to think of it..." Ruby''s words were true. He used Gugu to observe her in his soul state. As he intentionally reset himself to corrupt, the vivid memory of himself, who had been completely reset, despising the rye bread and potato soup Ruby had prepared so earnestly, came back to him. Why? Why did that happen? Surely he would have liked buttered rye bread since he was very young. Why did the ''reset'' Frey dislike rye bread? Why? Could it be... we really did have a connection in the past...? As the assumptions he had been denying began to become more and more real, Frey''s face began to turn pale blue. Retry Quest [2 - 01] [Recover Frey¡¯s Memories (0/1)] "Anyway, Frey." Meanwhile, Ruby, who hadn''t seen Frey¡¯s expression and had been staring into space, opened her mouth with a sad smile. "Now, it''s time to say goodbye." "What?" Feeling an inexplicable sense of unease, Frey turned his gaze. - Thud...! At that moment... "Haaa, Huff..." Quietly collapsing to the side like a doll, Ruby began to breathe heavily. "Ruby?" In a sudden turn of events, Frey reached out to her in bewilderment. "W-Why are you like this?" "I, I just went somewhere for a moment." "This... blood?" Eventually, Frey''s hand covering Ruby''s chest became stained with her blood. "I went to see Aria, who possesses the Hero¡¯s Armament... I revealed that I am the Demon King and got pierced in the heart." "What did you say?" As Frey stared in shock, Ruby''s declaration stunned him. "I''ve been using magic to stop the bleeding until now, but it''s reached its limit." "What is this...?" "It''s goodbye, Frey." "What kind of madness is this?" Frantically pouring stellar mana into Ruby''s heart, Frey only witnessed smoke rising from the wound as it worsened. "I''ve been trying so hard to recover your memories. But... it seems impossible." "..." "Today, you almost became the Demon King. If you go into a rampage one more time, you''ll be completely corrupted, won''t you?" Ruby slowly reached out and touched Frey''s cheek. "I could have saved you if I had a few more days... But before that, I''m afraid my soul will shatter, or you''ll be corrupted." "..." "So I''ll use my last chance to regress. Even though my soul will be shattered into pieces, there''s still a possibility for you to regain your memories." "Wait..." "Your memories will remain. I practiced manipulating souls a lot, you know? I even learned the ability to preserve memories from one cycle to the next from Ferloche." Tears streamed down Ruby''s eyes as she stroked Frey''s cheek. "She said it was a technique that allowed the five main heroines to retain memories from the previous cycle... I''m not sure if it''ll work..." "Wait." "If your memories are preserved, go to Serena. Explain the situation, and she''ll help you find the rest of your memories..." "Wait!!" Realizing that something was terribly wrong, Frey shouted. Retry Quest [2 - 01] [Recover Frey''s Memories (0/1)] "But still, I''m grateful that I can spend this last moment... with you under the starry night sky like that time..." Until then, Ruby, who had been desperately staring at the quest window, began her final speech with tears in her eyes. "You know, Frey. Will you remember?" With those words, she gently touched the Ruby embedded in the pendant around Frey''s neck and whispered. "I am Ruby. Your precious gem." "Wait, I don''t understand¨C" "I¡¯ll forever love¨C" Before the boy and girl could finish their conversation... - Crack...! The world turned upside down in silence. . . . . . Thus began the final chapter. "Gahh...!" As Frey opened his eyes, carrying memories from the previous cycle, what he saw was... "What in the world..." Himself, bound to a chair after accepting the Corruption quest, and... "..." Ruby, sitting weakly on the floor of the secret base of the Hero Party, her head bowed with empty eyes. - Drip... A tear fell from Ruby''s eyes as her soul shattered in real-time. "Ruby?" Frey''s complexion rapidly paled as he watched her. Chapter 375: The Zeroth Cycle "Ruby." Frey blankly stood up from the chair after forcefully breaking the rope that bound him. "Ruby, answer me." "..." Until now, she had always responded immediately to Frey''s words. But now, Ruby simply remained silent, bowing her head deeply. "Shit." Frey cursed under his breath, sweat dripping coldly. "Why..." Ruby''s soul was shattering in real-time. It wasn''t like the time Frey had artificially shattered his soul, and then used Ferloche''s abilities to take it away from his physical body. Her soul was genuinely crumbling. Normally, it would be a good thing. Something to applaud and be happy about. After all, she was the most dreadful and repulsive existence in the world, the total opposite of Frey as the Hero. That existence''s soul was completely crumbling. - Drip... But Frey''s expression as he looked at Ruby, who was sitting on the cold floor shedding tears, wasn''t pleasant. "...This isn''t right." The initial plan to attack Ruby using the Fourth Ordeal had been put on hold for a long time. A quest appeared a few days before entering the Fourth Ordeal. Frey had intended to observe the situation of the ordeal and decide on the way to deal with her afterward. But he had never expected her to take the initiative to make a ''sacrifice.'' "..." If things continued like this, Ruby would either become a demonic monster or turn into a soulless husk. That was the fate that awaited her until the final battle scheduled by the ''system¡¯ arrived. When that day came, he would pierce her husk with the Hero¡¯s Armament and end this tragedy. Then everything would be over, and his desired ''happy ending'' would come. Sudden Quest - Ruby''s Salvation Details: Accept the Sudden Quest - Corruption. [Reward: Fixing the Fourth Ordeal Bug...] However, there was another reason why Frey had put the choice on hold. [... Opening the True Ending Route] The system mentioned a ¡®True Ending¡¯. Something that had never been mentioned anywhere, not by the prophecy, nor by the system... until now. If it truly existed, they had to reach it by any means necessary. He had immediately accepted the quest upon seeing it, probably because of that reward. Probably. - Shaaaa... Ruby''s soul in front of him was now crumbling uncontrollably. If it continued to crumble, the existence known as ''Ruby'' would disappear. - Rustle... So, after standing blankly for a while, Frey quietly placed the ring he had been wearing onto Ruby''s finger. When Frey¡¯s soul was shattered, Ruby, in a panic, took everything that had the possibility to recover a soul, even if it was just a rumor. Among those items, this ring, which was also mentioned in the prophecy''s setting book, was actually a rare item that had the effect of holding onto souls. "Hmm..." As he put on the ring, Ruby''s crumbling soul began to stabilize slightly. But that wasn''t enough. Ruby''s soul, which had been going through Retry to the limits like Frey and Ferloche, was too much of a mess to stabilize with just one ring. - Drip... So, as Frey pondered with his lips bitten, he soon grabbed a sharp stone rolling on the ground and drew it across his own arm. - Drip... It was to make the most effective way to stabilize the soul, by making a blood oath. "Drink, Ruby." "Gulp." For humans to make a blood oath to each other was an unprecedented event for millennia. Even more uncommon was the scenario in which someone who had received a blood oath from another person then returned it to that same individual. "Gulp, gulp." For the first time, Frey, who had always been on the receiving end of blood oaths, felt a dizzying sensation as he gave one, that too to the Demon King. - Shaaaa... Was it the side effect of the dual contract? Or was it because of the contradiction that they had dedicated their souls to each other? Their souls briefly mingled for a split second. "Ugh..." At the same time, Ruby¡¯s memories began to flood into Frey''s mind. Scenes that he had vaguely recalled over the past few days began to replay vividly before his eyes. "..." As Frey watched those scenes, his expression began to harden. "What is this..." Gradually, with a pale face, he muttered incredulously. "What in the world..." Like blood flowing from Frey''s arm into Ruby''s mouth, time flowed and continued to flow. "Ugh..." And so, some time passed. "...Frey?" Ruby slowly opened her eyes and began to gaze at Frey. Retry Quest [2 - 01] [Recover Frey''s Memories (1/1)] [You have cleared Stage 2 of the quest!] "Huh?" In front of her eyes, the message of quest completion appeared. "....As expected of Frey." Ruby, who momentarily stared blankly at the message, then muttered with an expression that said she knew that this would happen. "So, you''ve managed to do something again, huh...?" The Frey in front of her, wearing a bewildered expression, was confused. Due to the temporary mixing of their souls as a side effect of their mutual blood oath, Ruby''s precious memories resurfaced and were transmitted to him as they were. "What are these memories...?" Thanks to that, the system was able to recognize this situation as ''cleared,'' but for Frey, it was quite a shock. "These memories... are they real? That''s impossible. There''s no way." "Frey..." "There was no such cycle!!" What Frey saw were scenes from the original first cycle. Similar scene he had drawn countless times back in the Demon King Castle. In a cave that looked familiar, two young people were staring at each other. Ruby conversed with Frey and the five main heroines in Sunrise Academy uniform. Sharing wheat bread and potato soup Ruby had brought during the academy''s field trip to the desert region of the Western Continent. Watching a play, buying clothes, eating ice cream. Holding hands and looking at the starry sky from the rooftop. "Are all these memories... real?" Not just the drawings, but also the false acts of affection Frey had performed with the intention of destroying Ruby. And Ruby''s acts of affection toward him were also mixed in. "Impossible." It was natural for Frey to panic. "The subconscious... is a terrifying thing." Looking at him with a sympathetic gaze, Ruby forced herself to stand up, despite feeling as if her soul might tear apart at any moment. Retry Quest [Final Quest] As the ''Final Quest'' appeared before her, she abruptly stopped in her tracks. "..." Then came the silence. "A-Ahahaha!!!" Breaking the silence that had lasted for minutes, Ruby burst into awkward laughter and spread her arms wide. "It''s all going according to my plan!" "... Plan?" And then, Ruby shouted loudly at the bewildered Frey. "You fell for the false memories I planted and ended up sacrificing your soul in the end! You really are foolish, Frey." At those words, Frey''s gaze began to waver. . . . . . "What is this? Did you actually believe that those were our memories? You''re more naive than I thought!" Ruby wore a contemptuous expression as he unleashed her attacks on Frey. "You fool! Every action I''ve taken so far has been nothing but ''deception!''" "Deception... you say?" "All the backgrounds I''ve mentioned so far have been lies. You were almost the victorious Hero, and I was the defeated Demon King. I only guided you to sacrifice your soul to me!" "..." "Even explaining how to make a blood oath was all according to my plan!" Ruby sneered. "Now you can''t command me anymore. We can only fight each other with our strength!" The smiling Ruby and the cold-faced Frey clashed their demonic energy simultaneously. As a result, the basement began to shake wildly, almost collapsing. "You are..." - It''s been a while. Frey, who looked at the suddenly appearing eyeball with a shocked expression, soon cooled his mind and asked. "...Who are you?" - I don''t think I can give you an answer you''d understand. Upon hearing that, Frey, with a puzzled expression, took a step back. A power that even he could not fathom was blooming from the eyeball. - If I had to provide an answer that you could understand... I¡¯m the one behind the Demon God. "...Are you the mastermind?" - Nothing is as displeasing as being questioned by an insignificant existence. "What do you want here?" Instinctively realizing that the eyeball before him might be the mastermind behind all this, Frey questioned it with a tense expression. - I''ve come to reveal the truth on behalf of the main body. "Why? Why now?" - It''s the highlight we¡¯ve prepared most diligently for you. It would be a waste if the truth never sees the light. Responding in a leisurely tone, the eyeball continued. "Frey, kill me." As soon as those words were spoken, Ruby suddenly stood up and shouted. "Kill me now!!" - I won''t stop you. I''ll respect your free will. "Don''t listen to that bastard! Just kill me!!" - However, could you at least listen to what I have to whisper? As Frey stared at Ruby with a sword in hand, seemingly poised to strike, he found himself inadvertently tuning into the murmurs of the eyeball. - You hated rye bread with a passion, yet what made you start liking it? "That''s...! Those were implanted false memories... Ugh!?" As she was about to interrupt the eyeball''s question, Ruby was struck by a tentacle and collapsed to the ground. "R-Ruby..." - Why did the former Demon Lord, once stripped of her position due to your actions, suddenly develop a ''girl'' disposition? As Frey reached out to Ruby, his gaze began to waver. "What exactly are you trying to say¨C" - Why was Isolet Arham Bywalker eliminated as the 6th main heroine? "...!" Initially raising his voice in anger, Frey froze upon hearing the question. - Why is your shop''s ultimate skill is ''Mind Control'' while Ruby''s is ¡®Absolute Love''? "..." - Why did you accept the Salvation Quest as soon as you saw it? "...What." After remaining frozen for a while, Frey, with a trembling expression, finally opened his mouth. "That''s... to see the True Ending..." - Just by seeing ''Ruby''s Salvation¡¯ and immediately accepting it? Your mind was filled with the thought that it must be done, even without knowing the reason. "...Huh." It was only then that Frey realized he had pressed accept upon seeing the words ''Ruby''s Salvation'' without knowing anything. He then put his trembling arm into his pocket - You still have that pendant, don''t you? The Easter Egg pendant given to him by the Star God was in his hand. - Sha... For some reason, he felt like it would open wide if he were to open it now. - Inside, the truth is recorded. "...What truth?" "Frey. Don''t. Please. Just kill me. Don''t listen to that." "Tell me. What truth is inside?" As Frey asked with a tense feeling, the eyeball answered with narrowed eyes. - The initial draft. "What...?" Without even touching it, the pendant opened wide with those words, filling the surroundings with light. "What''s happening..." - Let''s say... Yes, it''s like the Zeroth Cycle. "...!" Frey, who was disappearing into the light, looked at Ruby, who was bowing her head with a devastated expression. The eyeball continued with narrowed eyes. - It was a long wait indeed. We are very much looking forward to it. - Bzzzzzz...!! At the same time, Frey vanished with the light. - Sometimes, the truth is harsher than falsehoods. The last voice he heard in his ears was a sarcastic tone full of anticipation from the eyeball. . . . . . "Haah, haah...?" Struggling as if his whole body was being torn apart, Frey finally regained his senses and looked around. "This place...?" What he saw was a familiar scene. "It''s... the Demon King''s Castle..." He was on none other than the top floor of the Demon King''s Castle. "Hmm..." Frey, still trying to adapt to the sudden situation, looked around, then sighed as he realized his predicament. "Is this spectator mode again?" His body was transparent. It felt just like when he observed the world during the 2nd and 3rd ordeals. "First... I need to confirm what''s happening inside..." Realizing his situation, Frey pondered whether he should enter the top floor. - Bang!!! "...!?" But the need for that soon vanished. "Kek... Kek..." "You useless wench. Your talent diminishes as you grow." The door of the Demon King''s room on the top floor shattered, and a girl was flung out, tumbling down the corridor. Someone with a cold expression emerged from the broken door. "...Huh." Frey, noticing the pale and icy face through the cracked door, muttered in bewilderment. "The First Demon King." He was already familiar with the image from the prophecy. Before him stood none other than the First Demon King. He was a demon king from a thousand years ago who was said to have been brutally defeated by the First Hero Han-Byeol and the First Hero Party. "Then... is this... a thousand years ago...?" Thinking so, Frey turned his gaze to the girl rolling down the corridor. "...Huh." Soon after, his eyes widened. "Ugh, uuugh..." "Running away again will only result in a worse fate." The face before him was too familiar. "...Lulu?" Pink hair. Obedient, lifeless eyes. It was unmistakably young Lulu. "...What''s going on?" "Lulu." Caught up in the sudden turn of events, Frey''s gaze shifted to someone who quietly emerged from the adjacent room a few minutes later. "Are you okay...?" "..." A girl with ruby-colored eyes was cradling the seemingly lifeless Lulu in her arms. "What the hell..." It was unmistakably young Ruby. "Sis... I don''t think I can take it anymore..." "Ugh..." After embracing Ruby, Lulu began to murmur in a trembling voice. Observing her, young Ruby, with an anxious look, whispered in her ear while glancing around. "Lulu, let''s run away." "Hu-huh?" "Shh, be quiet." As Ruby urgently covered Lulu''s mouth, the latter quieted down. But her eyes still looked anxious. "If Dad and Mom find out... we''ll both be killed." "It''s okay, there''s a way." Patting her on the back, Ruby whispered again. "Let''s go to a future where they can''t find us." "...What?" "A thousand years later. Let''s go to a place where no one can interfere with us." "Ugh, ugh..." The young Lulu''s eyes began to waver at those words. "What is this..." And Frey felt the same. "What the hell is this?" The redacted truth was unfolding before his own eyes. Chapter 376: The Meeting of the Boy and the Girl "Sis... That, that¡¯s impossible..." Upon hearing Young Ruby''s words, Young Lulu shook her head. "No one could defy time... even Dad couldn''t..." "It¡¯s okay. There are ways. Just trust me." "..." With a determined expression, Ruby grabbed Lulu who was shaking, and spoke firmly. "...Sis, you don¡¯t need to run away." "Huh?" "You are better than me. If I¡¯m eliminated, you will be the Demon King, right...? But then why..." "Well, that wasn''t the problem." Lulu knew that Ruby was being educated diligently by their parents to be the next Demon King. And she knew that she didn¡¯t have to run away. But Ruby just smiled faintly at her. "Actually, I don''t want to be the Demon King either." "...What?" "Even if I become the Demon King tomorrow, I still will be under our parents'' influence for centuries, right? So let''s hide our demon lineage and live happily in the future. Okay?" "But... What if our parents are still around then?" As Lulu asked with cold sweat, Ruby stroked her hair and answered. "It¡¯s okay. Haven''t you heard about the commotion with the Hero lately? The Hero will overthrow our parents." "...Huh." "So don''t worry too much, okay...? I will figure something out." Then, Ruby helped Lulu up, comforting her as they held hands and walked down the corridor together. ...I have to protect Lulu no matter what. In fact, Ruby didn''t have much of a choice. From the moment she was born, she had been groomed as the future Demon King, who would have ruled over humans for her entire life. While Lulu was in agony due to the indoctrination and abuse, Ruby was gradually adapting, as it was due to her being a pure-blood demon with the blood of the Demon King flowing through her veins. But regardless, she didn''t really have the desire to become the Demon King. She simply wanted to protect her precious sister, Lulu, and escape from their parents who abused them both. Furthermore, the Hero was already beginning to invade the Demon King¡¯s Castle. In such a situation, the option of fleeing to a peaceful world in the future seemed incredibly appealing to Ruby. "This is sealing magic... Hibernation magic... Life preservation and aging suspension magic too... No, sealing magic froze the body so it shouldn''t matter...?" Because of that, since the day when Lulu was almost beaten to death, Ruby began to immerse herself in mastering sealing magic. Until the era of peace arrived, she had resolved to be sealed together with her sister. - Crash...! Rumble...!!! "Demon King!! Show yourself!!!" But, before she could fully master the sealing magic, that day arrived. "Sis...! What should we do?" "..." The Hero arrived at the Demon King''s castle much earlier than expected. In Ruby''s eyes, his power seemed incredibly strong, and even their parents seemed unlikely to win. "...Lulu, let''s go." "Huh?" "Let''s leave, to the future." If they stayed, they would surely be killed under the pretext of removing future threats. Even if they escaped, there would be nowhere for them to go in a world where humans had triumphed. "Wh-where is this?" "I found this place when exploring. I already cast various protection spells, so it should be safe." Ruby barely managed to escape from the Demon King''s Castle with Lulu, and they settled down in a small, secluded cave on the Southern Continent. "So, see you in a thousand years, okay? Lulu?" "Yeah... Sis..." Even though she hadn''t fully learned sealing magic yet, there was no other choice. If their sealing was delayed even a little, they would surely be pursued by the tracking party that detected them. - Crackle...! Ruby, willing to take the risk, for her and Lulu¡¯s safety. "T-The signal ends here...!" "Damn it... we lost them again?" Watching the pursuers futilely searching for their traces, Ruby, relieved, quietly closed her eyes, thinking that the sealing had succeeded. If it continues like this... there shouldn''t be any problem. The seal, created by Ruby, who had talents as a demon king, successfully repelled intruders, and it seemed to continue like that from the last thought she had before falling asleep. "I never thought such treasures would be hidden here..." "How did you manage to find such a place?" ...? Many years later, when the seal was about to be released, people wearing black robes invaded the cave, and Ruby regained her consciousness. . . . . . "AAAAAHH!!!" "Well, it''s a shame. We can¡¯t even approach the seal, let alone touch it. It must have been quite a powerful being." "Still, it''s fortunate that we can extract the magic using spells. We can even use it as a battery." Lulu and Ruby''s hell began at the hands of that mysterious group. ¡°With this, the Justiano family will rise again!¡± "Marquis Hylin will become even stronger. It''s all thanks to you." "Haha, don''t mention it." "Still, we need to be cautious. This is the territory of the Starlight Duchy. Besides, there are rumors that the duchy is moving its residence to this area..." Introduced as Count Justiano and Marquis Hylin, the nobles, and their entourage turned Lulu and Ruby into mere fuel tanks. "Aaaah..." "By the way, it''s quite noisy." "That''s true." Because she was relatively stronger, Ruby was able to resist effortlessly, but Lulu was the problem. ¡°Shall we use a soundproofing spell?¡± ¡°That would be great.¡± Stop... just stop... Realizing that draining Ruby''s power was inefficient, those who noticed focused on extracting Lulu''s demonic energy, continuing until she completely lost her powers as a demon. I''d rather they just took away my power....!!! Watching from within the seal as her consciousness returned, Ruby shed tears of blood and screamed several times, but her voice reached no one. "AAAAHH!!!" "W-what is this...!" "Ugh!?" That was, until Lulu, who had been evaluated as having no useful value and had even her last remaining demon energy drawn out, went on a rampage to the point where even her seal was shattered. "A-Anyone sav¨C!" "Argh!!" The cave became a mess, and everyone who survived fled. And no one ever returned to the cave again. "Where... where is this? I, I am Lulu. And... um....." No... Lulu!! And it was the same for Lulu. After the terrifying rampage, Lulu lost her memory and power. She finally left the cave in confusion and Ruby never saw her again for a long time. ¡°... Ugh! Why, why is there a stone here?¡± She completely lost her resistance against the ¡®Stigma of Misfortune¡¯ that their father had drawn out to bring out her power as a demon. Since that day, Frey had come to the cave without fail every day. "Today''s salmon sandwich, Ruby. Huh? You don''t like salmon?" "Today''s tomato stew. Our butler made it for us..." At first, Frey only brought hard food without realizing it, but soon he began to bring soft or liquid foods, understanding Ruby''s situation. "Um, hey... that... is that a person...?" "I-is it? Should we check it out... or not?" "You, you guys! Go away!!" "Y-Young Master? We¡¯re sorry...!" That wasn''t all. He also protected Ruby from the increasing number of visitors and at one point, he worked all day long to create a secret passage connecting this place and the secret hideout. "Ruby...! There''s dust in your hair again...!" "Wait. I''ll wash you." "You don''t want to? No! Mom said it''s bad if you don''t wash." Furthermore, as the day of the seal''s release approached, he even washed her with a bright smile. - Leave, human. - Even if you do well, it''s useless. When the seal is broken, I''ll kill you first. - Touch my body and you will die painfully. Initially, Ruby despised Frey and found him irritating. Since he was human, she thought that there was certainly an ulterior motive behind his kindness. Therefore, she didn''t even bother to ask him why he served her without reason. There was no such thing as an innocent human. Surely he also noticed her usefulness to the nobles and was striving to gain her favor. Do you think I didn''t notice your motives? So Ruby resolved to use him, likely a noble''s child, to her advantage. She would play along with his tricks, infiltrate the Empire, and build up power and influence. Then, she would destroy everything and seek revenge against humanity. When the seal is broken, I''ll use you. She made such a promise with a venomous look in her eyes. "..." One day, Frey suddenly stopped coming to the cave. I knew this would happen. Humans are like that. Waiting for Frey to come for two days in a daze, Ruby eventually felt intense betrayal and muttered to herself. - Growl... But as her always-filled stomach churned, and dust settled on her head, Ruby''s gaze began to waver. What if something happened... Unconsciously thinking such thoughts in that situation, Ruby began to shake her head vigorously. Don''t be ridiculous. There''s no reason to worry about that boy... - Crash...! ...? But at that moment, she heard the sound of something being kicked outside the cave. - Y-Young Master has been kidnapped...! Find him...! - Damn it, where are the guards...! - W-We need to inform the family head quickly... Listening to the commotion, Ruby heard panicked voices from all directions. "S-Sister Vener...? Why are you suddenly doing this...?" "Haa, haa..." And in the distance, Frey and a girl were visible, the girl panting heavily. "Your family... has destroyed our innocent Hylin family." "Huh?" "I''ve lost everything. Now, I''m here... to seek revenge." "Uuuu..." As the girl called Vener spoke, pointing a sword at Frey''s neck, Frey started to stutter in fear. "I-I don''t know what you''re talking about... I didn''t do anything wrong, sis..." "Wait, I sense someone''s presence." Still pointing the sword at him, Vener''s eyes turned cold as she glanced in Ruby''s direction. "Come to think of it, you used to come here often." "N-No, I didn''t... I swear!" "Who''s there? Speak up. I''ll spare your life if you tell the truth." Then, Vener began to interrogate Frey, choking him with her hand. "...There''s no one." "Haaa?" "T-There''s... no one here... sis..." Frey answered, his eyes filled with terror as his tears filled eyes gazed at her. "Well then... things just got easier." Hearing that, Vener stiffened her expression and raised her sword. "D-Did my family do something wrong...?" Frey, who was trembling at the sight of her, began to cry and speak to Vener, who was holding both of his wrists. "Y-yes, that''s right..." "T-then... can you just end it with me alone?" "... What?" Hearing those words, Vener furrowed her eyebrows. "C-Can you just... kill me alone...?" "..." "M-my... My sister... and my mom... don''t hurt them... I''ll die anyway... pl-please... heu... heuk..." Despite his fears, Frey pleaded towards her with tears staining his cheeks and closed his eyes tightly. - Rumble... Watching him, Vener¡¯s hand that held the sword began to shake uncontrollably. ...What''s going on? Meanwhile, Ruby, who had been watching the scene absentmindedly with an invisibility spell, felt her gaze fixed on Vener''s trembling hand. Is she a human? Feeling like her entire understanding of the world was being shattered, Ruby''s gaze was fixed on Vener''s trembling hand. - Zzzt...! "Geuhhh!?" Moments later, Vener collapsed to the ground in the cave, a spark suddenly piercing her chest. ...I-I¡¯m not helping the boy. "...?" Just a family name of interest came up... With that thought, Ruby quietly began to create a clone to step out of the seal. . . . . . "What''s... this?" Frey had just experienced all the situations and inner thoughts in real time through the Fourth Ordeal. "I never had memories like this..." With a pallid face, he alternately glanced at young Vener, Ruby, and himself. "...Is this real?" - Rumble... "This is all real...?" His gaze gradually became filled with horror. Chapter 377: The Needle and Thread of Fate "W-Who are you?" "Hmph." Frey stared blankly at Vener, who had fallen unconscious in front of him, and even poked and shook her cheek with a worried expression. He tilted his head when he saw a girl his age with ruby-colored hair appeared in front of him. ¡°Get out of the way.¡± "Eeepp!" Pushing aside Frey, Ruby, who had bypassed the seal using her clone, stood in front of Vener. Although it was still too early for her to descend as her true self, the weakening of the seal made it easy to descend as a human form through her clone. "What were you planning to do with this child?" "...W-Who are you?" - Rumble...!!! "Hiiiii..." After Ruby awakened Vener with magic, she emitted a terrifying killing intent solely directed at Vener, causing her to tremble in fear. "What were you trying to do?" "I... I was trying to keep him captive... as a threat..." "It seemed like you were trying to kill him." "T-That''s... just... to scare him into not trying to escape..." Her words seemed somewhat true. From her perception, there was no sense of ¡®killing intent¡¯ until her hands trembled wildly. Moreover, there were no preparations such as ropes or blindfolds, considering she had kidnapped a child. Judging by the trembling eyes and the nearby search party, it appeared to be more of an impulsive act than a planned one. "Pathetic." However, that didn''t absolve her of the crime of kidnapping a child and traumatizing him by threatening him with a knife. She used to not believe that humans were more wicked than any demon, but seeing a girl of barely student age doing such things, it seemed it was time to admit it. As expected, humans were... "Why, why would you do such a thing? Sister Vener...?" Just as her hatred towards humans began to boil up again, Frey approached Vener hesitantly. What? Wasn''t this brat just trembling with fear moments ago when the kidnapper aimed a sword at him? "Y-you are... my escort knight, aren¡¯t you? You always emphasized justice... Why...?" "..." Frey instinctively stuck close behind Ruby and hesitantly asked. "...One day, I woke up and found that everyone in my family except me had been killed." Then, Vener lowered her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "My father, mother, older brother, older sister... They were all taken away. I tried to visit them, but even that wasn''t allowed." "I-Is that so? Then I''ll make a separate reque¡ª" "A few days later, they were all executed. The Hylin family disappeared from history overnight, and I became the sole survivor of the traitorous family." Tears began to fall from Vener''s eyes as she spoke. "I couldn''t understand. My mother, father, brother, and sister were all good people. They even sent me letters until the day they died. No matter how much I think about it, it was obviously a false charge." "..." As Vener said, there was nothing she could prove the innocence of her family. With some difficulty, she looked at the trial records, but all she saw was a list of unbelievably heinous crimes. "For some reason, the information was scarce. Everyone was evasive, and no one told me the truth. It felt like everyone was hiding something." As Vener spoke, her expression began to freeze coldly. "Even the people who sheltered and raised me, your parents, were the same." "... What?" ¡°I was an ordinary Marquis¡¯ daughter, but I tried to devote my life to following those who took me in as a knight.¡± Vener''s eyes began to shake violently. "It wasn''t until the end of the secret investigation that... I realized the Starlight family was crucially involved in the demise of the Hylin family." Upon hearing those words, Frey quietly closed his mouth. His slightly trembling gaze hinted that he might know something. "That was today. I demanded the truth from your parents for evidence, but they kept their silence." "..." "That''s when I fled the mansion and kidnapped you. And that''s how I ended up here." Said Vener with a menacing expression. "Even if it undermines my sense of justice, even if it means betraying the kindness bestowed upon me, I wanted to know the truth. That''s why I took you hostage." "Is that so..." "But I never imagined such a being existed here." Vener glanced briefly at Ruby, then closed her eyes quietly. "Kill me." "Hmm." ¡°I risked my life anyway. I don¡¯t plan on begging for my life once I¡¯m caugh-¡± "You talk too much." "Geuhhh...!" Ruby fiercely kicked her stomach. "You bitch. You said you''re the last survivor of the Hylin family." "Cough, cough... Y-yes. That''s correct. But..." "I see, that''s how they turned out." The head of the noble group that tortured Ruby and her sister Lulu was indeed the Hylin family. According to her, the Vener she was currently subduing became the last remaining member of that family. "Shall I tell you what your family did?" "W-What?" "The fact that only you were absent from that place suggests you truly don¡¯t know anything, right?" Then, Ruby brought her finger to Vener''s forehead. "Experience the pain I felt firsthand. Human." "...!" At the same time, Vener''s eyes began to widen. Under Ruby¡¯s illusion magic, Vener started experiencing the tragic memories of what her family had done to Ruby and Lulu. "Father? Mother...?" "U-Um..." "Brother...? Sister...? Why are you making such faces...? Aaahh!?" "C-could it be... you¡¯re Ruby?" As Vener widened her eyes and screamed, Frey asked while observing them. ¡°I told you that if I woke up, I¡¯ll kill you.¡± "Eek!" "... Just kidding." Ruby replied with a faint smile adorned her face for the first time in a while. She alternated between looking at the pale-faced Vener and Frey. "Hmm." After a while, her eyes began to frost over. . . . . . "..." Several hours later... "Hey, human." "..." ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Ruby, with empty eyes, kicked Vener who was kneeling on the ground. "Is that all... real?" "Would those vivid memories feel fake to you?" "My father and mother... my family were really such awful people?" After experiencing the torture inflicted on her own family by putting herself in Ruby''s shoes, Vener murmured with a vacant expression. "From what I heard, it seemed like they harbored grand dreams of raising a warlock legion to challenge the royal family. Well, you must have heard it directly from your parents too, right?" "Y-Young Master. Could it be, you... you knew as well?" Looking at Frey with dimming eyes, Vener asked, and he quietly nodded. "One day, my mother came back severely injured... She looked so hurt, so I cried and asked what happened. She... she said they were suppressing a rebellion." "Oh." "And it was a few days after that when sister Vener came..." "Ahhh..." Finally realizing the truth, Vener collapsed in front of them with a pale expression. "P-Please... kill me." "..." "I-I don''t deserve to look at you. I, I was just an ungrateful piece of trash.¡± As Vener spoke, tears began streaming down her eyes. "I-I didn''t know my family was such a despicable lineage. To think I tried to harm the children of those who sheltered and raised me..." Panic-stricken, Vener began to tremble uncontrollably. "Dad. What happened to the gentle smile I used to see from you? Mom, that... that was just a simple outing, wasn''t it?" "Sure, sure." "No matter what happens, I''ll sacrifice my life to protect the Young Master and those around him. If not, I''ll take my own life immediately." "Y-You don''t need to do that..." "I''ll live my life as your tool. I, Vener, am now forever your sword." After making the oath, Vener kissed Frey''s feet. "I''ll repay the mercy you''ve shown to a scum like me with my life." "You don''t need to use your life for th..." What''s this? Ruby, who had been observing all these scenes from a distance, muttered to herself with a shocked expression. What did I just witness? Frey wasn''t a pushover. A pushover refers to someone who selflessly gave everything and got nothing in return. But now... "But still, I must atone. I must confess the truth to Young Master¡¯s parents..." "They found out a few days ago!" "... What?" He was rescuing the girl who had seen the abyss in front of her, and yet, he had acquired a loyal knight willing to throw her life away to help him. No one would call him a pushover. This brat... Was this his plan all along? If so, then Frey was remarkable. But if he didn¡¯t plan for it? If it was just pure kindness that was coming from his good heart that led to this outcome? Then he was terrifying. No way... Then she realized she was also somewhat in the same shoes as Vener. He¡¯s the one who saves. An absolute good. A being that completely denied everything she has learned and felt about humans. As she listed the things she had felt while looking at Frey so far, she seemed to understand why she had an inexplicable interest in him. A hero? That word popped into Ruby''s mind for a moment. Her Demon King parents always cautioned her that if an existence like the Demon King existed, then the opposite of that existence also existed. The qualities of a hero, who embodied absolute good, rescued those in despair, and naturally gathered comrades to grow, were found in the boy currently stroking Vener''s head. As the Demon King, he should be her antithesis. No, it''s too early to jump to conclusions. Ruby, who looked at them with a cold expression, gathered demonic energy in her hand. But eventually, she shook her head. The leap in logic was too extreme. If that was the case, then anyone could become a hero. There had to be at least one more person like him in the world. Surely, this boy wasn¡¯t the only one like this. There was no way that the kid, who helped her just before her seal was about to be broken, was a hero. What were the odds for that to happen? "Hmm." Suddenly, the teachings of her parents about how the Demon King and the Hero were bound by fate came to Ruby''s mind, but she quickly shook her head. Well, if he''s the real Hero, then I''ll just kill him. Anyway, her plans wouldn''t change significantly. If this boy was the real Hero, then killing him would end it. If he wasn¡¯t the Hero, then she''ll use him as a stepping stone to gather power and invade the world. This incident was merely out of curiosity. And from now on, she wouldn''t be swayed by curiosity like this again. "R-Ruby... Do you want to come to our mansion...?" "It¡¯s fine. I like it here." Ruby firmly refused Frey¡¯s offer. She then turned back to the cave, leaving Frey, who was about to leave with the sobbing Vener. The reason she refused his offer was that her true body was still inside the cave. Moreover, she had gotten too close to him now; she felt that if she got any closer, chaos might ensue. "Having loyalty doesn''t mean everything." Thus, murmuring to herself as she headed towards her true body, Ruby continued. "The important thing is the power to manipulate people." That bitch may be a knight by title, but she wasn¡¯t even proficient in swordsmanship. Can he truly handle that knight hailed from a traitorous blood? If she didn''t end up disappointed and leave on her own, it would be fortunate. It was just as difficult to keep someone loyal to you once you have them on your side. ¡°There¡¯s no way he can do tha¨C¡± "U-Um, Ruby." "...?" If Vener still maintained that loyalty after a few months, Ruby thought she should seriously consider whether Frey might truly be the hero or not. "I have a favor to ask..." "What is it?" At that moment, Frey, with a deeply anxious expression, rushed towards her, causing her to tilt her head in confusion. "Can you... postpone killing me for a bit?" "What?" ¡°W-When you wake up... you said you¡¯re going to k-kill me...¡± Frey, who was so frightened that he started to stutter, begged while holding Ruby''s hands. ¡°My sister and I haven''t finished playing with dolls yet... And I haven''t even beaten Mom at tag... Or had a drink with Dad? I haven''t tried that either. C-couldn''t you just wait until then?" "Hmm..." Staring blankly at Frey, who started to stutter out of fear, Ruby soon realized one thing. "Strange brat." Whether the boy in front of her was the hero or just a fool for being too kind, she couldn''t tell. "Get lost." "Th-thank you!!" Anyway, he was a very cute kid. . . . . . A few months later... "Hmm?" Ruby was sitting in the cave as usual, munching on rye bread. She suddenly narrowed her eyes and looked towards the entrance. "What..." A strong smell of blood wafted in, a scent she hadn''t smelled since leaving the Demon King¡¯s Castle. "Huh?" Ruby quietly wrapped her hands in demonic energy and prepared to defend her true body. Then, she soon opened her eyes wide with a puzzled expression on her face. "You...?" ¡°Ugh...¡± The girl from a few months ago, Vener, crawled into the cave, covered in blood. "What''s going on?" ¡°Help, please help...¡± Startled by the sudden situation, Ruby frowned and asked. Her condition looked dire, with wounds penetrating her body and dark mana deeply entrenched within her bones. If her condition didn¡¯t improve, she would soon die. The fact that she could still move, albeit barely, was a miracle in itself. "I don''t care if you''re a demon or a devil, but... I''m willing to offer my soul, please..." "Enough. I don''t want to get involved in unnecessary matters." However, Ruby, who still harbored her hatred for humans, tried to turn her away. "Young Master Frey... and his mother are in danger..." "... What?" ¡°I was protecting them when they were playing tag... two warlocks suddenly attacked...¡± Hearing Vener''s words, she couldn''t help but become interested. ¡°Those bastards are so powerful... I can only buy so much time...¡± ¡°F-Frey? That brat¡¯s in danger?¡± ¡°Please... I will sacrifice my soul, anything... Please help...¡± But before Vener could finish, she lost consciousness. "Uh... hmm..." Watching her, Ruby''s eyes trembled with emotion. ¡°H-He might awaken as a hero... I should go check it out.¡± It wasn''t because she was worried about him or had any affection towards him. "Besides, it''s not too far away either. Yeah, yeah..." It really wasn''t. ¡°... But what should I do with that annoying brat?¡± Truly, that wasn¡¯t her reason. Chapter 378: Curiosity and Love "G-Go away! You baddies!" "Frey..." I finally arrived at the place where the fight was raging. I even used acceleration magic to speed up my arrival. The scene that I witnessed there was truly remarkable "What a cute kid..." "Give up, surrender your mother, and we''ll spare you." As Vener had mentioned, the two warlocks were indeed attacking Frey and the woman who appeared to be his mother. "I-I''ll never give up!" "R-Run away..." Frey was the one standing between them, using a sturdy tree branch as a makeshift club to protect his mother, who was mortally wounded. "Then, I''ll have no choice but to kill you." "Ugh..." When I first saw that scene, I couldn''t help but grind my teeth in silence. Frey''s body was battered. Though not as severely as his mother, he still suffered serious injuries. "Annoying." It was slightly annoying to watch. Not out of concern, of course. It felt more like watching a playful kitten trying to fend off a pack of wild dogs alongside its mother. - Crackle "You bastards." Regardless, immediate intervention seemed necessary. Even though the kitten might be putting up a fight, there was no chance of it defeating the ferocious dogs. - Shaaaa "Huh?" But then, something unexpected happened. Stellar mana began to emanate from Frey''s wooden stick. "Why...?" For demons and warlocks, stellar mana was akin to poison. The only person I knew who used it was the Hero from a thousand years ago. Why would this kid be using it? Could it be that he... No... No way. Sweat dripped down my back as I entertained that thought, but I quickly shook my head. It was a thousand years later now. After the Hero''s victory, he likely had many descendants. So, this boy could just be one of his descendants. Being a hero''s descendant didn''t necessarily mean he was a hero himself. - Boommm! "Ahhhhhh!" As I was lost in thought, the boy''s powerful blow swept through the area. He had only swung the club once, but the warlocks, who seemed quite skilled, were thrown back. His blow was so strong that even trees were uprooted. I, too, could do a similar thing with just a wave of my finger, But... could a human of his age display such strength? No, in the first place, he was a weak, sickly boy. He even used to visit me every day, begging me not to kill him. ¡°Cough, ugh...¡± Lost in thought, I watched as the boy vomited blood and collapsed. Did he strain himself? Well, it was natural. No human could wield such power so recklessly. Then that settled it. Anyone could do that much if they were a demon. So, the boy couldn''t be a hero. At most, he might just be a very talented boy. Probably... "He''s finally down, annoying brat." "Die." With that, there shouldn''t be any problems assisting him now. After all, he''s not a hero. "You bastards, stop right there." "W-What''s this?" I wasn¡¯t saving humans. I still despised them. "Kid, we''re kind of busy right now, so..." - Crackle! Crackle...! "Huh, what?" This was just rescuing the playful kitten that was sometimes affectionate with me. "Step away from the boy." That was within her tolerance. . . . . . "Huak, haa..." "..." The battle ended much quicker than I anticipated. I vaguely knew that the dormant traits of the Demon King within me had awakened, but I never thought I would become this strong. With a few swings of my finger, suddenly the man was unconscious, and the woman was barely conscious, gasping for breath. With this level of power, I could conquer the world right now. "..." With a proud expression, I glanced at Frey, but his and his mother''s expressions were anything but normal. Clearly, they were bewildered. Thinking about it, it''s been a while since I''ve showcased my true strength, unleashing my demonic energy so recklessly around me, wreaking havoc on the surroundings. From what I knew, demons had long since disappeared in this day and age. Perhaps, they realized my true identity and were now on guard? "Sigh." Why did it matter? I had always been treated like this. If people knew I was a demon, then I had to leave this place. Perhaps my connection with this boy would end here too. "Are you... a demon?" "So you know, huh?." As I moved away, one of the attackers, the woman who was still conscious, asked me with a trembling voice. "Kukuk... Damn. We were almost done, and now, because of some demon girl..." "Hmm." Watching her muttering self-deprecatingly, I suddenly felt curious. Why did they attack Frey and his mother? "... You¡¯re a curious demon, huh?" "You¡¯re noisy. If you don''t speak, I''ll stab your head." So, I asked. At that time, I was not driven by hatred towards humans but was fascinated by curiosity, being outside the Demon King¡¯s Castle for the first time. And this curiosity that arose now somewhat quelled my desire to slaughter the dogs who hurt the kitten. "I had to save my daughter." "Your daughter?" As I brought a finger charged with demonic energy closer to her temple, her answer was quite surprising. "My daughter was born with the strongest dark mana in history. But because of that, she was fated to self-destruct before she could reach adulthood." "Hmm?" "So, I thought. What if I infused her with the mana of the strongest stellar mage in history? Maybe it could neutralize her power." "So, you tried to kill those people to save your daughter? Don¡¯t you feel any guilt?" When I asked, she chuckled in response. "Huhu... It''s amusing to hear such words from a demon." "..." "Whatever happens to those people doesn''t matter to me. As long as I save my daughter." Listening to her, I was certain. These people were nothing more than trash. "Ah... Of course, I also wanted to see the strongest warlock in history. If I had infused her with the stellar mana, the power... Cough!" "What a lunatic." They were not just trash, they were insane trash. Father''s subordinates used to say that humans were more wicked than demons, and until now, except for Frey, that statement held true. But, I felt something different. Even these scum, worse than demons, had ''paternal love'' and ''maternal love''. There was love within them. Though it was severely twisted, it was still a repulsive and disgusting emotion, but it was love nonetheless. Anyway, they possessed ''love''. It was a fresh shock. Humans were supposed to be worthless, evil, and despicable trash that needed to be eradicated. That was my understanding of humans. "...Ah." Approaching her with a blank expression, Frey looked dismayed as his hand passed through her. "Ruby! It''s your first time going to my home, right?" "You¡¯re so loud." "My house is very, very spacious! There are lots of empty rooms!" "I don''t plan to live there." "Hmm..." Passing by him, the younger Frey and Ruby continued talking. "Ruby... Thank you for saving me and Mom today! And thanks for helping Vener too!!" "I¡¯m not doing it to save you. It was just out of curiosity..." Hearing their conversation, Frey murmured, his face rapidly paled. "Ruby... saved my mother..." Frey''s hand trembled. "Kania, Irina... even Vener... Me, Mom... She saved us all..." The Ruby he had despised and tried to kill had saved them all in the Zeroth Circle. "I like you, Ruby!" "Stop saying that..." Struggling with the shocking truth, reality Frey followed after Ruby, who was making an annoyed expression. "Ruby, I''m sleepy..." "What do you want me to do?" "I-I just need a moment..." "Troublesome brat." Seeing little Frey slowly close his eyes, Ruby unconsciously began to stroke his chin. ¡°Purr...¡± "...Are young humans naturally this cute?" As Frey, who quickly fell asleep under her gentle touch, buried his head into her chest and made a purring noise, Ruby muttered with a troubled expression. "It''s because his life force is depleted." With a check on Frey''s condition, Ruby understood his condition. "... This should be fine." Glancing around, she then slipped her hand into Frey''s clothes, placing her hand on his chest. - Shaaa... And then, secretly, Ruby began to infuse her life force into his heart. "T-That''s right. This brat is the child of a duke. He will be my stepping stone to infiltrate their society by gaining their trust..." Even though nobody asked, she started explaining herself as she moved forward. "... Ah." Watching all this from behind, the real Frey reached out to Ruby, who was infusing life force into his younger self. But once again, his hand just passed through the air. "Um, would you like me to carry him if it''s too heavy?" "No need, human. Anyway, don¡¯t you know my identity? Why are you being so kind? I don''t sense any malice from you." "Your identity? I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about." "You''re quick-witted, human." "Ufufufu." Leaving behind the real Frey who lost his balance and sat on the ground, Ruby went forward, supporting little Frey while supporting his mother down to the mansion. "I like you... Ruby..." "...Ugh." As little Frey''s sleep-talk reached her ears, Ruby, who was walking ahead, suddenly widened her eyes and stopped. "What¡¯s wrong?" W-What is this? Then, she murmured, visibly flustered. - Thump... Thump... C-Could it be that I got injured in the battle earlier? Confused, Ruby grabbed her chest with a puzzled expression. - Thump, thump... Yes, that must be it. I''m still not strong enough. Perhaps I should postpone the invasion of the human realm. "Ufufufu..." "W-Why have been you laughing so unpleasantly since earlier? Keep it down." Thinking that her rapidly beating heart was due to a black mana attack, Ruby, with flushed cheeks, resumed walking. "..." And watching all of this while sitting on the ground, a lone tear escaped real Frey''s eyes as he watched Ruby, carrying his younger self while bickering with his mother as they slowly moved away. - Drip... "Ruby truly was... someone precious to me." Then, with a fearful expression, Frey started muttering. "She saved my mother..." The memories of the deceit, violence, and the final moments of the Fourth Ordeal he inflicted upon Ruby come flooding back to him. And he recalled her slumped on the ground, growing colder and colder, her soul shattered by his deception. That scene replayed endlessly in his mind. "... What have I done?" Not only that, but the memories from the pendant he just witnessed vividly resurface in his mind. With each scene, forgotten memories lingering in his subconscious begin to resurface. "Ruby..." Realizing all of this, Frey bowed his head and clutched his hair, gradually sinking into panic. "No, this can''t be... Her soul..." - Buzz...! But the memories within the pendant did not wait for him. "Rubyyyy...!" "Ughh." As tears started streaming down Frey''s face, his eyes filled with confusion and helplessness, the next set of memories unfolded before him. . . . . . "Rubyyyy...!" "Ughh." Several months later... "I like you!" "I''ve said it countless times, but I hate you." I had taken a job as a maid in his mansion. And now, I''m engulfed in his embrace while he playfully tickled me all over. "B-But, why...?" "I hate humans." "Gasp." Of course, it was crucial not to misunderstand. I hadn¡¯t surrendered to humans. I simply needed a stronghold before invading the human world, and I needed tools to use as stepping stones. Yes, I currently exploit the members of this family as tools. How wicked this plan is. Indeed, I am well-suited to be the Demon King. Oh, and I also needed to investigate the mysterious palpitations in my chest that had been occurring for the past few months. Absolutely, it wasn''t because I was deeply moved and rewarded that evening, or that I had developed affection. "But still, I like Ruby!" "Think as you wish. I hate you, that''s the end of it." And I don¡¯t even like this boy. "I like you!" "..." It was... yeah, that was it... It was just like raising a successfully tamed kitten. Anyway, the plan is going smoothly. In any case, the plan to gain trust from him and use him as a tool to invade the human world was progressing smoothly. "Frey? How did you know I came here to say I love you...?" Until ''she'' arrived. "Let¡¯s go together¨C Huh?" ¡°Hmmm...?¡± As usual, the boy was cuddling up to me, tickling my cheeks, when a girl with light purple hair entered and stared at us with a shocked expression. "... Excuse me?" She looked at us in shock and asked. "Serena? What are you doing here..." "Who are you to monopolize my fiance??" That was my first encounter with Serena. Chapter 379: The Demon Kings Love During the past few months at Starlight Mansion, I have seen many people. And those people relentlessly shattered my understanding and values about humanity. The Duchess, the head of the Starlight family and Frey''s mother. Her husband, Abraham, and Frey''s sister, Aria. And even the kind servants. Except for a few servants, everyone was as kind as Frey. To the point where I misunderstood that humans might actually be kind. Of course, that misunderstanding was quickly dispelled when I accidentally went out to the streets with Frey and saw the true nature of the nobles. Those bastards... I should have beaten them more. Still, from that incident, I learned that Frey was in the highest class among humans. Even the Emperor of the humans couldn''t treat his family lightly. Anyway, despite seeing so many people, some left the strongest impression on my mind. They were none other than Frey''s friends. Coincidentally, they were all ''female'' friends. "Y-Young Master. It''s time for breakfast." "Thank you!" "If there''s anything else you need..." "It''s fine. I''m satisfied as long as Kania is by my side." Kania, the family''s butler, was characterized by her black hair and suit. She was a sly cat with a slightly shady side. "... Still, could you please order me?" "Huh?" Since the day I hinted to Kania that Frey was sharing his life force with her, she has been blushing and trying to serve him excessively. Well, since he saved her life and forgave her, it was somewhat understandable. For now, it was still cute because she was young, but later on, it would obviously become an obsession. She was a shady kid, after all. Should I just stop the life-support research I''m doing with Frey? "Frey! Today... Oh." "...I-I feel an evil presence!" Anyway, it was already surprising that Frey had the strongest warlock in history as his friend and butler, but even more remarkable beings appeared. "That¡¯s rude! Miss Ruby is my benefactor!" "..." The Third Princess of the Empire, Clana, and the Second Saintess, Ferloche. Those two girls, who look exactly like the ones who harassed my father a thousand years ago, also showed deep affection for Frey. "Frey... this place is uncomfortable. Let''s go to the secret hideout and catch some fish..." "Irina! Say hello! This is my benefactor, Ruby!" "...Hick." But the most shocking of all was the little mage named Irina, whom Frey brought to the mansion one day, claiming she was his childhood friend. "D-D-D-D-D-Demon... And a pureblood..." - Kid, be quiet. "Eeeeekkk!" I never imagined he would even befriend such a being. Just what was Frey''s true identity? - If you reveal my identity, I will reveal yours too, kid. "...!" - Behave yourself. She tried to reveal my identity in front of the servants, so I silenced her with mental transmission. - Y-you''re a descendant of the Demon King, right? "Hmm." Seeing her instantly copying my telepathic magic, it seemed my guess was correct. They really were troublesome beings. "Ruby...! When I grow up, I want to marry Ruby!" "Hmm..." Anyway, among all the people I met, Irina was the most unexpected, but the most troublesome person was someone else. "Don''t talk nonsense..." "You...?" It was none other than... "What did you just say...?" "...Serena? Are you visiting again today?" It was Serena, who, after witnessing him sticking close to me a few days ago, began to occasionally monitor both me and him. . . . . . "If I didn''t mishear, you definitely said..." "I will marry Ruby when I grow up!" "...!" Serena, who had been pressuring Frey with a gloomy expression, looked dumbfounded at Frey''s cheerful words. I had figured out the type of girl Serena was from the beginning. A typical black-hearted schemer and strategist. In the Starlight Mansion, where it seemed all the good people of the Empire gathered, she was the only type I felt I understood the most. ¡°Y-You can¡¯t do that!¡± "Why?" "Y-You have to marry me!" And seeing such a dark-hearted girl being swayed by an innocent kitten was quite a rare sight. "Do you not like me?" "No! I like Serena too!" "Who is your fiance?e?" "It''s Serena!" "So, you have to marry me, right? Marrying someone else would be cowardly, you know?" "...Huh." Frey, who had been cuddling up to me as usual, opened his mouth in shock at those words. Maybe his parents hadn''t explained it to him in detail because he was still young. Or was it because the engagement was politically motivated? In any case, it was clear that he was too young to get engaged or even understand it properly. "And Ruby doesn''t like your actions either." "D-Does she dislikes it?" But, that was just Frey''s perspective. Serena, who was glaring at me with her face partially covered by a fan, clearly understood what an engagement meant and seemed to be sincere about it. This brat seemed to have good fortune with women. "Yes! I''ve been stalkin¨C I mean, observing for a few days now, and Ruby keeps saying she doesn''t like it." "U-Ugh..." But why am I starting to get a bit heated at those words? It was not like I liked Frey or anything, and it has nothing to do with me anyway... "Showing affection to someone who dislikes it is bad. So apologize quickly." "...S-Sorry, Ruby. I-I didn''t know." Pressed by Serena, Frey looked at me apologetically and bowed his head in apology. "Hmm." Somehow, this situation seemed to be getting weird. "I-I won''t do it again. S-So don''t leave me, okay?" W-Well, this was how it should be. I hate humans. If I keep getting attached to him, it might derail my original plan. "So, now come to me. You can show affection to me as much as you want. I like Frey." "...Okay!" So this should be right... - Swoosh, swoosh... "Hahaha." But why did it make me so angry to see Frey clinging to that cunning little girl and rubbing his cheek against her? It was like watching a stray cat I tamed cozy up to someone else. It was definitely not jealousy, it wasn¡¯t that kind of petty emotion. - If I take Frey and run away, can you stop me? But it was also enough to provoke such a childish challenge with mental transmission out of spite from me. "You..." ¡°..." - Beep beep! Beep beep! "Huh." As I was engaged in this childish staring contest with the girl who dared to steal my kitten, suddenly a communication crystal in her pocket started to ring. "U-Ugh..." "Serena?" Serena''s face turned pale, and she began to panic. Meanwhile, Frey, who had been rubbing his cheek against hers, started to look puzzled. "F-Frey, I think I need to go now..." "All of a sudden?" "Y-Yes. Something urgent came up..." Serena said this with an anxious expression on her face. "I-I''ll be back soon. So..." - Beep beep beep beep! "S-See you later!" Trying to maintain a composed expression, Serena hurriedly ran out of the room as the communication crystal in her pocket rang loudly. "U-ugh..." Listening closely, I could hear her pained groans. I could feel it... a cold aura emanated from her; perhaps she had been cursed? "Hey, Ruby. Can I ask you a favor?" "Hmm?" I was pouting, thinking she deserved it. But, as soon as Serena left, Frey''s expression turned cold, and he whispered to me. "I want to save Serena." "..." Those were the words that came out of his mouth. Once again, he was doing something foolish with a serious expression. "I''ll do anything you want, just this once, won''t you lend me your strength...?" "No." This time, I really didn''t want to get involved. "I-I''ll let you kill me later! Just until I can drink with my dad¨C" "I said no." That time was just out of curiosity. "T-This is a draw! I almost won, but I''ll let it be a tie just this once!" It was obvious who actually won, but since Serena was on the verge of tears, I let it be a tie. Anyway, I didn''t have any particular feelings for him, so it didn''t matter to me. "Really? Can I rub my cheeks with you again? Hehe, thanks! Rubyyy!" "E-Eek..." Of course, I only allowed Frey to get close to me to annoy the pretentious Serena. Probably. When would my true body be able to move again? I needed to fully replenish the lifespan of my self-proclaimed first friend. "Today''s bet is a cooking competition!" "L-Let''s all practice cooking more. Today''s bet will be a sewing contest!" "Today''s bet is..." After that, time passed quite quickly. I engaged in these ¡®bets¡¯ with the cunning Serena out of mere ¡®curiosity¡¯. "W-Who... are you really?" "Ruby is so strong! Even Isolet lost!" "N-no, I''m still... Geuhh." Under the guise of sparring, I had a workout with a suspicious-looking female knight named Isolet, who seemed to have an odd glint in her eye. I later learned she was Frey''s older sister next door, but her eyes seemed suspicious no matter how I looked at them. She might need further observation. "W-Who... are you...?" "I''m just curious. It''s rare to find good parents these days." In addition, I spent my time enjoying a variety of pastimes, such as rescuing Frey''s friend Clana¡¯s mother for fun, and ¡®scolding¡¯ members of the Church who kept wandering around when they sensed my energy. "Rubyy! This is really, really delicious!" "For someone who likes wheat bread, you sure enjoy that." "You''re one to talk, liking rye bread." Like eating ice cream with Frey. "Look, Rubyy! It''s a love story between the Demon King and the Hero!" "..." "Shall we go see it?" "Y-yes. Let''s do that." Like going to the theater with Frey. "Don''t move! Hand over everything you''ve got!" "...That''s what happened." "W-What? Frey...?" Sometimes I even invaded Irina''s secret hideout. "Lady Saintess! I have someone I like, but I don''t know what to do..." "W-W-Who is it? Just whisper it to me..." - Twitch, twitch... "...Just kidding!" "Oh, come on. That¡¯s too much!" ... This cheeky brat. Or I would eavesdrop on Frey''s confessions when he intruded into Ferloche''s confessional booth. "Ruby, it''s already been a year since we met..." "Whatever." "Thank you, Ruby. My mom is all better now, Serena and Clana are looking so much happier these days. It''s all thanks to you." "... Let go of my hand." "I really, really like you, Ruby." "... Ugh." We would sometimes quietly look up at the night sky, holding hands. But that was just for fun. I didn''t consider it as a memory. "... Time really flies, doesn''t it?" Time passed, and before I knew it, the unforgettable day had arrived. "Indeed, Ruby." "The kid has grown a lot." Frey, who used to follow me around and call me with a cute voice, was now old enough to attend an educational institution called Sunrise Academy. Although to me, a demon, he still looked like a cute little kitten. It''s time to go. That was from my perspective as a demon with a dull sense of time. From a human''s perspective, it was clear a lot of time had passed. Yes, it was time for me to leave. When the little kitten left with Serena and his friends to the academy, there would be no reason for me to stay at the mansion any longer. - Burn the world... "Tch." And lately, that voice has been getting worse. Leaving this brat¡¯s side seemed like the right thing to do. But what should I do once I leave here? Well, first... "Frey, I have something to¨C" "Ruby, I have something to tell you." I was about to say my goodbyes when Frey interrupted me. How insolent. A human daring to interrupt this noble... "Come to the academy with me." "...Huh?" As I was about to get angry, I frowned as Frey grabbed my shoulder with a serious expression I hadn''t seen in a long time. "...No." "If you don''t come, I''m not going to the academy." "Do as you please, I''m leaving." "You''re my maid though, who said you could?" "... Sigh, and how do you plan to enroll someone without status?" I answered curtly, and Frey, looking pitiful, pressed his cheek to mine and began whispering. "I still like you, Ruby." "...!" My pupils dilated upon hearing that. "So, become my servant." - Thump, thump...! At the same time, my heart began to race wildly. This is a sickness. It had to be a sickness. I am a demon who can control my heartbeat at will. Why is my heart beating uncontrollably? Could this be... No, I''m a demon. I can''t feel such emotions... "If you leave, I''ll send people to track you. I can do that now." "How dare you. A mere human..." His playful whispers continued to invade my ears. I tried to scold him as usual, but my voice grew softer and softer. "Let''s get along at the academy too, okay?" What a strange thing. Since when did the little kitten turn into a wolf? "Huh?" "..." At this rate, I might get devoured. . . . . . A few minutes later, Ruby was left alone in her room. "Caw! Caw!" "...You¡¯ve come. If you have something to say, speak in human language." When a crow landed noisily on her window sill, Ruby, who had been staring blankly, slowly opened her mouth. "Lord Demon King, did you deliver your farewell message? You should now join the Demon King''s Army." "..." "Everyone is eagerly waiting for you! If you join us, we can conquer the world immediately..." "...I¡¯m going to the academy." "What!?" The crow, who had been chattering excitedly, widened its eyes in surprise at Ruby¡¯s words. "Why on earth? The dissatisfaction within the Demon King¡¯s Army is growing..." "Hmph, and that''s why you all fail. This is all part of my evil plan." Ruby, who had slightly flinched at first, soon began to speak with a wicked smile. "I''ve already practically secured two of the three greatest duchies of the Empire. And I have connections with the Saintess, the Third Princess, and that little wizard." "..." "If I go to the academy and expand my network further? I can gain control over half the Empire without even fighting! It¡¯s the ultimate..." "But can¡¯t you defeat the Empire and everything else with just a flick of your finger?" Ruby fell silent at those words. "Honestly, just admit it. You''re interested in that boy¨C" "How dare you!" "Well, anyone can see it... and that thing about the main wife competition or whatever. Even if you deny it, you''ve been grinding your teeth for years to keep it a tie with that purple haired girl..." "I said no!" Ruby shouted and then got up, striding across the room. "... What are you doing now?" "Packing. I need to prepare Frey''s clothes." "Why?" "I''m his maid, aren¡¯t I?" "Haaah, really." Hearing this, the crow sighed deeply, shook its head, and flew out. "Toothbrush, check. He likes white and silver clothes, so extra outfits are a must. And underwear... ugh, hmm." Ignoring the crow, Ruby began packing Frey''s belongings without anyone asking her to. "...Ruby." Reality Frey, who had been watching her the whole time, was now kneeling in front of her, tears streaming down his face. "This was an unforgettable memory... but why..." - S-Should I not pack the rye bread? "Why on earth did I forget this...?" - But he¡¯s been eating it often lately... "I''m sorry... Ruby..." Unlike the little him who had just left the room, his hand merely passed through Ruby, stirring the empty air. Chapter 380: The Person You Must Never Hate Time flew by, and the day of the academy''s entrance ceremony arrived. As Frey''s maid, I was riding in the carriage with him, Serena, and Kania. We were heading towards a place called Sunrise Academy. - Rustle, rustle... "Purr..." By the way, I must have been mistaken yesterday, thinking that Frey had turned into a wolf. If he¡¯s a wolf, then who¡¯s this little kitten purring contently as I scratch his chin in the carriage? Indeed, he was still a kitten. A kitten couldn¡¯t turn into a wolf overnight. "He must be exhausted." "..." Serena and Kania were glaring at me as I continued to pet Frey, they couldn¡¯t do anything. After all, I¡¯m the Demon King. The most powerful Demon King, destined to burn this world. "Hmm... his dedicated maid usually dislikes physical contact, but why does she pet Frey so much when he''s sleeping?" "It doesn''t seem like she actually dislikes it. At least, that''s how it looks to me." Of course, I was currently dressed in a maid''s uniform, holding Frey''s belongings in my arms. But still, I am the Demon King. I had the right to pet a kitten I had tamed for years without worrying about others. "Quiet." "A maid... speaking informally?" "If you annoy me, I''ll burn down the entire academy." Moreover, I would not be speaking respectfully to the nobles at the academy. I was only doing this to infiltrate the academy as a spy before invading the Empire. I''ve been speaking informally to Frey and Serena for a long time, so there shouldn''t be anyone else who minds me doing the same. If anyone has a problem, Serena would deal with them. "By the way, Ruby, the bets will continue at the academy, okay? Even if you say we''re grown up now, there''s no point in trying to stop it." "..." Serena''s bets had become quite troublesome. When we were younger, it was just a way to play along. But at some point, it became difficult to maintain a tie without giving my all. At this rate, I might get overtaken soon. Truly, she was a scary opponent. ...I definitely shouldn¡¯t tell her the conditions for fully lifting the Curse of Subordination. "At the risk of being rude, may I offer you both a piece of advice?" "...?" As I was thinking that and scratching Frey''s chin, the sly cat staring at us spoke up. "There is a saying in the Eastern Continent: ''The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.'' So¨C" "Don''t worry, thieving cat. It doesn''t look like you''re the oriole." "Even if a thieving cat can''t catch a fish, it can still steal it." "..." Sparks started flying in the carriage as usual when those two conversed. It seemed that the sly cat had changed her tactics lately. Since a direct approach didn¡¯t work, she started targeting the gaps. It didn¡¯t really concern me. But still, I didn¡¯t want to give my kitten to that shady cat. That was a common sentiment between Serena and me. "Why don''t you try winning against Ruby first?" "That goes for you too, Lady Serena..." -Screeeech...! As the two continued to bicker, I smiled, enjoying my monopoly on Frey, until the carriage slowed and eventually stopped. I quietly looked out the window. "We''ve arrived..." This is the Sunrise Academy, which would soon fall into my hands through my wicked plans. "Hmm..." As I was grinning evilly, I quickly withdrew my hand and propped my chin when Frey slowly opened his eyes. "... Ruby? What are you doing? Hurry and get out." "G-Got it." Fortunately, it seemed he hadn''t noticed anything. Good, now it''s time to start my invasion plans. "S-sorry... I''m so sorry..." "Hah, what a pathetic girl." I got off the carriage with these thoughts, only to be greeted by a dreadful scene. "A commoner like you dared to dirty my clothes with mud?" "It-it wasn''t on purpose... please believe me... I beg you..." A girl, covered in mud as if she had rolled in them, was being bullied by a group of nobles. "Do you have the money to pay for this? This is the finest fabric." "N-no... I haven''t eaten in three days..." "There''s no helping it, then. From now on, you''re my slave." "U-Uuuu..." There was a tiny spot of mud on the noble girl''s dress. That could just be brushed off. I really couldn¡¯t understand the nobles of this country. "Come to the freshmen welcome party tonight. If you do, I''ll write off half of your deb¨C" "Isabel, stop it." "F-Frey?" As I was quietly summoning my demonic energy, Frey stepped up to the noble girl and grabbed her arm. "But this girl¨C" "Do you not understand my words?" "I''m sorry!" "To think such a vile practice still exists... looks like I''ll be busy today." Judging by her attire, this Isabel seemed to be from one of the highest noble families, yet she cowered immediately at Frey''s words. I hadn''t paid much attention before, but just how powerful is Frey''s family? "Are you alright?" "P-please don''t touch me." "Huh?" Seeing the situation had deescalated, I quietly let the demonic energy dissipate. I really considered whether I, along with Serena and Frey, should break the academy¡¯s bad traditions or not. But suddenly, I felt that something was off. "If you touch me... you''ll be cursed." "Cursed?" That girl looked so much like... "Wait." No, it was not just a resemblance. "...Lulu?" With eyes wide open, I walked towards her, trembling. The girl, covered in wounds and self-inflicted scars, stared back at me. "W-Who are you? How do you know my name..." "Lulu!!!!!" The next moment, I was hugging her, tears streaming down my face for the first time in ages. "What... what happened to you... these scars..." As I quietly tried to calm my confused mind, Frey approached me with a bright smile. "I have a favor to ask..." "W-What is it? Tell me. What do you need help with this time?" Why was my voice so urgent today? What was this anxious feeling? - Thump, thump... Why was my heart pounding? "Well... lately I''ve been focusing on Lulu, so could you look after a friend of mine for a while?" "A friend?" "Yes, it''s someone who has been following me around since long ago... These days they''ve even taken a place near the inn and come to the academy, so it''s hard to just leave them alone..." "What kind of relationship do you have with this person?" Hearing that, Frey scratched his head. "Well, it''s nothing special..." "Don''t tell me, did you save them or something like that again?" "...Hehe." He started to make a sheepish expression. What kind of person was this brat? At least once a week, people he saved or who owe him their lives came to thank him. Honestly, this brat... "I wish all humans were like you..." "Huh?" "If they were, I, the Demon King, wouldn''t have to invade the human world." Frey, who had been staring blankly at me, smirked and opened his mouth. "Where in the world is there such a kind Demon King?" "..." "Stop making those kinds of jokes, okay? Ruby is my maid." "You fool, you''re my pet." "Then, please take care of me, okay?" Saying that, Frey turned around, holding hands with the bewildered Lulu. "Alright..." "L-Lord Frey! Where are we going today..." "How about we go for ice cream today?" "Sounds good!" Why did I feel this strange feeling? Lulu, my sister, was being saved by him, and Frey looked happy too. Yet... a part of my heart felt so bitter. "...Hmph." Watching Lulu and Frey walk away, I quietly turned around and started heading to the address Frey had given me. "Let''s see what this guy looks like." . . . . . "Hello! Nice to meet you. You''re Ruby, right? Lord Frey''s personal maid, his closest confidant, and the unsung hero behind the abolition of the freshman welcome party, the suppression of the commoner dormitory raid, and the resolution of the Holy Undead incident!" "..." "I''ve really wanted to meet you. You''re the person closest to Lord Frey. I also want to know what kind of relationship you have with him..." Who on earth was this girl? The girl Frey asked me to take care of, a year younger than him, started babbling excitedly the moment we met. "...Ah, forget what I just said. There''s already a rumor around the academy that you''re in some sort of relationship with Lord Frey." "W-What are you talking about..." "Of course, I need to surpass you to win Lord Frey''s heart, right? I won''t lose. In that sense, I''ll start by targeting you. As someone closer to Lord Frey than anyone else, you''re my rival and the person I respect most¨C Mmph." "Sigh." I covered the mouth of the girl who wouldn''t stop talking, frowning deeply. "Who are you?" "Roswyn!" "Roswyn?" "Roswyn Solar Sunset. Eldest daughter of the great Three Dukes and the sole helper of the Hero..." "Enough, enough¨C Wait, what?" I was about to brush her off, but she said something I couldn''t ignore. Roswyn Solar ''Sunset''? And, ¡®Helper of the Hero''? "I''m the Hero''s helper. That''s my identity and life''s goal." "..." "The reason I like Frey is because of that." While I stood there stunned, the girl named Roswyn continued to chatter away. "From the moment the Hero saved me, my life''s goal has been solely to support Lord Frey..." "Ah..." "Oh, this is a secret, but you probably know, right? Even Serena seems to know to some extent..." My mind started to go blank. The truth I had been denying ever since I met him was closing in on me once again. "R-Ruby?" "Ugh..." Am I destined to fight him after all? . . . . . Meanwhile, at a dessert cafe?. "Nom nom..." "So, why did you go to such lengths to deceive Ruby and come here?" Frey, who usually wore a cute expression, sat next to Lulu, who was munching on a giant ice cream with a blank look. However, he now wore a serious face, resting his chin on his hand. "Well, I have a favor to ask." "What is it?" Serena, blushing as she watched the rarely seen serious side of Frey, drizzled syrup over her ice cream and asked. "Teach me mind control." "What?" Serena looked momentarily startled by his request, then asked with a puzzled expression. "I can teach you, but... why?" Frey scooped a spoonful of ice cream and replied with a smile. "Because there''s someone I must never hate." "Are you saying...?" "Even if I become the Hero." "..." The bright sunlight coming from the window was quietly shining on them. "Hic, ugh..." Reality Frey, who had been sitting at a nearby empty table with his head down, silently shed tears. Chapter 381: The Fate of the Hero and the Demon King "Ms. Ruby! Did you have a good day today?" "...It''s you again." It''s been over a year since I first met Roswyn. "Of course it''s me! Codename Mademoiselle!" "Here we go again." "As the informant and hidden hero of the great Hero Frey, and Ms. Ruby''s strongest confidant..." "Please, drop that childish pose. And while you''re at it, stop using the cringy codename too." "B-but... it''s cool!" "Sigh." Once again, she was up to her usual nonsense. Ever since the day we met, she has been following me around. After enrolling in the academy, she even appointed herself as my assistant. Of course, since she was ''self-appointed,'' she was not very skilled. Even her supposed specialty, gathering information, seemed to be secretly aided by Frey. But if she liked it, what could I do? I had no choice but to let her do as she pleased. "How about you choose a codename too, Ms. Ruby? Every hero should have one, you know." Today, she was really pushing her luck. Was she asking to get hit? "Drop it. Spare me the embarrassment. Besides, I''m not a hero." "What?" As I cringed at her naming sense, Roswyn looked at me in disbelief. "If Ms. Ruby isn''t a hero, then who is?" "...?" "Don''t play dumb! Just think about all the incidents you''ve solved with Lord Frey over the past year." Roswyn began flipping through a notebook she pulled from her pocket. "Let''s see... Before I enrolled, you stopped the freshman welcome party and canceled the horrible tradition, resolved the commoner dormitory raid, dealt with the Holy Undead incident, and even liberated the slave market. There''s no place you haven''t intervened." "..." "And you even rescued that fox beastman with Frey, and raised her at the academy." "No, it''s not raising..." "And just before Frey became student council president, you led the freshmen to safety during the Erosion Incident. And then..." "...Enough." Hearing it all laid out like that, I did sound like a hero. But I''m not a hero¡ªI''m the Demon King. Could it be that others see me as a hero too? That would be troublesome... "Hmm... Are you going for the ''lonely hero who believes they are evil'' concept? That''s cool too!" "Just be quiet." "Mmph! Mmmbph!" As I held my throbbing head and thought about it, I clamped my hand over Roswyn''s mouth and squinted at her. "Frey! Something seems different about you lately!" "You look even cooler." "Right, right!" Frey, looking somewhat tired, was surrounded by female students as he headed somewhere. "It''s those guys again." Upon closer inspection, they were the fan club led by the girls he recently saved: Aishi and Alice. "...Haha, it''s nothing." To me, they seemed like a bunch of troublemakers. Despite looking exhausted, Frey still answered them dutifully. "Just had to change my perspective." "...Hmm." "I''m almost done changing it." ''Changing perspective,'' again with that line. He''s been saying that every day for the past year. No matter how much I asked, he never explained what he meant. It really started to get on my nerves. "Um... Ms. Ruby. May I offer some advice?" As I stared at him with a slightly bitter expression, Roswyn whispered in a low voice. What is it now? "No." "There''s no point in regretting it after it''s too late." Shaking my head at her, Roswyn, for some reason, continued with a serious expression. "So, before it''s too late, why don''t you just admit your feelings?" "..." "And then confess! Eek!" Blushing, Roswyn said that and then, snapping back to reality, pulled out a silver flower from her pocket. "Right, I haven''t confessed yet today." "...You''ll just fail spectacularly again today, won''t you?" "Isn''t it better to try and fail than not to try at all, like you, Ms. Ruby?" Roswyn answered my blunt remark and started waving the flower as she ran towards Frey. "Then, I''ll be taking Lord Frey~" "..." "Lord Frey~ Here¡¯s a may lily...!" "A confession, huh..." Watching her cheerfully hand the flower to Frey, who accepted it with a bright smile, I mumbled to myself before shaking my head. "What am I thinking?" It was time to let the kitten go. Though Lulu has long since recovered, the awakening of my Demon King traits continued to haunt me, and the discontent among the Demon King''s Army has become impossible to ignore. So, it would be best for an unwanted guest like me to step aside. Yes, it had to be done. That was what I should do... But... "..." Should I try just once, for fun? "...Damn it." With that thought, I began writing a confession letter as a joke. However, when I came to my senses, I found myself sitting at my dormitory desk, having stayed up all night. I''ll be your precious gem, Frey. "I''ve already planned the gift, but this is the only sentence that matches..." Due to my lack of creativity, a single sentence was all I could come up with for the letter. Even for me, this was pathetic. "What an annoying brat..." For some reason, I felt a surge of anger. While I was here doing this foolishness, he was probably out there laughing with the girls. Maybe he even did something more. "...Sigh." Letting out a deep sigh, I slumped over my desk, feeling the fatigue wash over me. It was a holiday, so I guess I could take a nap. Maybe I could close my eyes for just a moment. I''m supposed to have lunch with Frey today, after all. Just for a little while... . . . . . "Finally, we meet, Ruby." "...?" When I opened my eyes, a sinister-looking woman stood before me. Who was this? This felt too real to be a dream. "Do you really not know who I am?" "I''ve never seen you before, so how could I..." I trailed off, my expression hardening as I looked at her smug face. - Swooshhh... "...Ruby?" "Huh, wha...?" "The Demon... King?" . . . . . - Swoooshh... A few hours later. "Cough, cough..." "The fun with you guys ends here. As of today, I officially declare that the Demon King has descended upon the Empire and this world." Ruby, shedding her clone form and appearing in her mature, true body, exuded a terrifying killing intent as she made the declaration. "Woaaaah!!" "The Demon King has finally awakened!!" "Long live Ruby!!" The Demon King''s Army began to cheer. "This can''t be happening..." "Ruby... the Demon King? Why...?" "This can''t be real... it''s a trap by the enemies." The students lay on the ground helpless, their expressions painted with utter despair. "Ruby..." "How does it feel to have been played by me all this time?" Accepting her fate as the Demon King, Ruby stepped on Frey, who was lying in front of her. "You were used by me all this time. Foolish brat." "..." "Your lack of reaction is boring. Let''s end this now." Hearing those words, Frey slowly turned his head to the side and closed his eyes. "..." A heavy silence descended on the battlefield. "...H-Hmm." Even after quite a while had passed, Frey''s head did not get crushed. "Ruby?" Frey, who was quietly resting his cheek against her foot, cautiously asked her a question. "Could it be, your consciousness¨C?" "Retreat." Looking down at him quietly, Ruby cut him off before suddenly turning around and making an explosive announcement. "Demon King! You can''t! That guy is the Hero...!" "You must end his life here. So..." "Wouldn''t that be boring?" "..." Dmir Khan and Lemerno, who had been panicking at her words, were left speechless by what she said next. "I hate boredom. I want excitement. I want to see the Hero struggle endlessly in that futile hope." "But..." "Retreat!! The Demon King''s Army is to follow my command!!" Before anyone could argue, Ruby''s authoritative command was issued to the entire Demon King''s Army. "...Understood." No one dared to defy Ruby''s command, who had truly become the Demon King. A few minutes later, the Demon King''s army, which had left the academy in a half-destroyed state, had completely vanished. It was a somewhat anticlimactic end to what was called the ''Siege of the Academy¡¯. . . . . . - Step, step... Now with a completely broken expression, his tears long dried up, the real Frey quietly walked forward. - Swoosh... His transparent form led him to the very room where Ruby had been just moments before. "As I thought." There were the memories of himself, the heroines, and everyone Ruby had ever helped. "Ruby..." "She..." What they were looking at was a letter stained with tear marks, filled with numerous writing and erasing marks. "Ruby hasn''t completely fallen." Memory Frey, gently stroking the letter, looked around and spoke. "Just as I resist my fate with my mind control, she is resisting her fate in her own way." "Then..." "It means there''s still hope." Saying that, memory Frey stepped out of the room. "I need to recruit a Hero Party from today." "A Hero Party?" "Are you planning to fight Ruby?" He stopped walking and smiled softly. "No, not to fight, but to reach her." "To reach her, and then what?" Crying over Ruby''s fall, Roswyn urgently asked, and Frey gently patted her as he whispered. "Don''t worry, I''ll figure it out." "That''s not the issue...!!" "... You just need to change your perspective." As soon as he said that, the world flipped. "..." Then suddenly, the real Frey, still with a soulless and empty expression, saw the Demon King''s Castle appear before him. "Arghhhhhh!!" - Crash, crackle...! - Rumble, rumble...!! The Hero Party and the Demon King''s Army clashed fiercely. It seemed that the moment of the ''final battle'' had begun. - Sizzle, sizzle... "...?" Despite his vacant stare, Frey felt a presence next to him and turned his head. "Oh." After a long silence, Frey finally spoke. "...Ruby?" "Hmph." Through the crack that appeared before him, Ruby walked towards him. "I thought you were having too hard of a time... so I came to watch with you." She looked as if her soul might extinguish at any moment. "Why do you look so downcast?" "Ruby..." "Don''t be a wuss." The soft gaze of the girl started to fill the hollow eyes of the boy. Chapter 382: Your Precious Gem The final battle between the Hero Frey and the Demon King Ruby has already been going on for a day. - Crackle...!!! - Shhh...! Ruby¡¯s demonic energy and Frey¡¯s stellar mana clashed fiercely, creating a terrifyingly intense collision. ¡°Huff, huff...¡± ¡°...¡± Both the boy and the girl were severely injured, with no unscathed spots left on their bodies. - Swooshh... The surroundings of the Demon King¡¯s castle had already collapsed beyond recognition. The might of Ruby, the strongest Demon King in history, and the valor of Frey, equipped with the Hero¡¯s Armament, were that powerful. ¡°What the...¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it even when I see it with my own eyes...¡± The Hero Party, who had been blocking the Demon King¡¯s Army from entering the battlefield to help Ruby, was left speechless. Even from a distance, merely witnessing the fragments of the battle, the Demon King¡¯s Army and the Hero Party were overwhelmed by the mythical clash. However, everything has an end. No matter how evenly matched their battle was, it couldn¡¯t go on forever. ¡°Haaa!¡± ¡°Ugh...!¡± The decisive blow was Frey¡¯s desperate sword strike that exploited a momentary gap in defense. It was a fight to see who would land the final blow first, and Frey emerged victorious. ¡°Ugh...¡± - Crash...! Ruby staggered, spitting blood. Frey then grabbed her and slammed her into the ground. ¡°...¡± Thus, after a long time, they finally faced each other. ¡°Ruby¨C¡± ¡°...It¡¯s a pity, I could have destroyed the world.¡± Frey tried to say something, but Ruby turned her gaze away and spoke. ¡°What are you waiting for, finish me quickly.¡± ¡°Can I ask you one question?¡± ¡°You insolent fool. Do you think you have the luxury¨C¡± ¡°Why did you let me win?¡± Ruby fell silent at his words. ¡°You could have easily avoided that last attack, couldn¡¯t you? No, the fact that you showed a gap in the first place is strange.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I kept wondering throughout our fight, why does this feel so off, Ruby?¡± As Ruby remained silent, Frey quietly reached out and touched her cheek. ¡°As I thought, you let yourself be corrupted on purpose.¡± ¡°What...¡± ¡°Because one of us has to die, you decided to bear it all and die yourself, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...¡± Ruby¡¯s prolonged silence seemed to confirm Frey¡¯s words. Waiting patiently, Frey gently caressed her cheek. ¡°Hey, Ruby. I still like you.¡± ¡°You...¡± ¡°Who saved my mother? Who replenished my and Serena¡¯s life force? Who rescued all those children?¡± Saying this, Frey pressed his cheek against hers with a sad smile. ¡°I love you, Ruby.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know...¡± But Ruby pushed him away, turning her gaze cold. ¡°Kill me.¡± ¡°Ruby...¡± ¡°Kill me quickly, Frey.¡± Eventually, her cold expression wavered. ¡°Before I forget you.¡± Hearing this, Frey clenched his eyes shut and raised the sword hanging at his waist. - Tremble... His hand holding the sword began to shake. ¡°Do it.¡± Ruby urged him firmly but gently. ¡°You are the brightest existence in my long life.¡± As Frey¡¯s trembling hand steadied, Ruby, sensing her impending end, closed her eyes and whispered softly. - Crash...! In the next moment, Frey swung his sword with all of his strength. ¡°...?¡± Thinking that everything was over, Ruby speculated about how terrifying purgatory might be. But the pain she anticipated never came. Then, with a puzzled expression, she opened her eyes. ¡°What...?¡± Instead of piercing her heart, Frey¡¯s sword was embedded in the ground. ¡°Oops, my hand slipped.¡± ¡°You... what are you doing...¡± ¡°Ruby, I can¡¯t kill you.¡± Seeing that scene, Ruby looked bewildered, and Frey, holding her hand, began to speak. ¡°I¡¯d rather quit being the Hero than kill you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be childish! This isn¡¯t a joke...!¡± - Sizzle... ¡°...Huh?¡± As she raised her voice at him, Ruby widened her eyes in shock. ¡°Frey?¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± His body had turned pitch black. ¡°Finally, the effect is showing.¡± ¡°You... what did you...¡± ¡°I turned myself into a demonic monster, Ruby.¡± ¡°What!?¡± Ruby touched Frey¡¯s decaying body and then shouted in shock. ¡°Through ¡®Mind Control,¡¯ I prevent myself from hating you and becoming corrupted.¡± ¡°Are you crazy? Why would you do that¨C¡± ¡°To escape the fate of being a hero.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°In order to escape the fate of having to kill you, I studied and studied the magic to turn someone into a demonic monster together with everyone. Of course, everyone tried to stop me at first, but... I succeeded in the end.¡± As he spoke, blood began to trickle from Frey¡¯s mouth. ¡°W-Wait, wait a moment...¡± ¡°One day, a mysterious demonic monster suddenly appeared in this world. With my body turned into that of a demonic monster and my stained heart, the world will never recognize me as the Hero. Frey¡¯s words were true. - Shhhh... The ¡®Blessing of the Stars,¡¯ his power, and the ¡®Hero¡¯s Power¡¯ began to fade away. ¡°It seems this was the right answer.¡± ¡°Y-You crazy bastard!!¡± Watching his deteriorating state, Ruby spoke in a panicked voice. ¡°You¡¯ll have to live your whole life under constant supervision to not fully turn into a demonic monster! You¡¯ll spend your entire life filled with pain and dread!!¡± ¡°Killing you and living my whole life with guilt... that seems a much worse fate to me...¡± ¡°You idiot! You fool!!¡± ¡°I... will love you forever... Ruby...¡± ¡°No...!!¡± Watching Frey, who was turning even darker, Ruby gritted her teeth and thought hard. ...I need to escape the fate of being the Demon King first before him. ¡°Ugh...¡± If I escape the fate of the Demon King faster, Frey¡¯s fate as a hero might remain. Then he might be able to resist the demonification to some extent. It was simple, yet there was a flaw to that plan. She had to quickly escape the fate of the Demon King right now. But how? By what means? Like Frey, should she implant the stellar mana into her body? Or should she use mind control like him? ¡°...¡± While she was lost in thought, Frey, who was groaning above her, suddenly fell silent. - Thud...! He collapsed onto her, wearing a happier smile than ever. ¡°Ruby...¡± ¡°Frey...¡± ¡°...This might be the last time, can you do me a favor.¡± Hearing those words, tears began to flow from Ruby¡¯s eyes. Frey¡¯s condition was dire, just as he had said. The side effects of the demonification were more severe than expected. His body couldn¡¯t fully handle the transformation. ¡°Please... Read aloud what you wrote in your letter to me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Please, sis...¡± As if he were a child again, Frey pleaded with tears welling in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve never said it even once until now...¡± ¡°Ugh, uh...¡± ¡°I always wanted to hear it just once, from your own lips...¡± As he struggled to keep his eyes open, Ruby buried her head in his chest and spoke in a trembling voice. ¡°I love you...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I will love you forever, Frey.¡± For the first time, Ruby acknowledged her feelings to him, and after saying those words, she began to cry. ¡°So... please don¡¯t leave me...¡± ¡°Hehe...¡± ¡°I finally realized... that I love you too...¡± That day marked the first time in history that a demon, a race that had never loved or understood love, comprehended it. - Shrrrr... And at that historical moment, a miracle began to unfold before their eyes. - Crackle... ¡°Wh-what?¡± The darkness in her mind, which had been focused on hatred and destruction, started to clear. - Sizzle, sizzle... The demonic energy within her began to vanish. ¡°Ruby...?¡± ¡°How is this happening...?¡± Ruby and Frey both wore expressions of shock at this unprecedented situation. - Sizzle... ¡°Ruby...¡± ¡°Serena and Irina¡¯s research has made progress recently. Ferloche is furiously honing her healing abilities. Kania is working on black magic, and Clana is digging through newly discovered ruins. Everyone is trying so hard...¡± As Frey looked at her with eyes full of expression, Ruby desperately recounted everything they had done. ¡°Just hold on just a little longer, okay?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°We¡¯ve defied fate before, haven¡¯t we? So, this ordeal¨C¡± ¡°I have a request...¡± ¡°What is it? Tell me! Do you want some puppy love fruit? Or maybe ice cream? You haven¡¯t eaten that in a while... Or¨C¡± ¡°Before the day ends... please end me.¡± Ruby, who was speaking with a smile while holding Frey¡¯s hand, froze upon hearing his words. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I... know. Today is my limit.¡± ¡°No, no. Don¡¯t say that. Why are you talking like this?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to lie to me, Ruby.¡± As he said this, Frey held Ruby¡¯s hand and began to rub it against his cheek. ¡°If I go past tonight... I won¡¯t be able to maintain myself anymore.¡± ¡°No. No...¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ruby. I acted all high and mighty, but in the end, I¡¯ve only caused trouble...¡± ¡°No!!¡± Unable to bear Frey¡¯s final words, Ruby screamed. ¡°Since that day, people have been anxious... Before that anxiety becomes a reality, before I become a threat to everyone, please end me...¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. You couldn¡¯t kill me, so why should I...¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do it. If you want, you can call someone else. Just, end me before the day is over...¡± ¡°I can¡¯t!!!¡± Ruby screamed again, then buried her head in Frey¡¯s chest and cried like a child. ¡°Huwaaaaaaaa...¡± ¡°My precious gem... Ruby...¡± Frey, who kept rubbing her hand against his cheek, whispered with a difficult smile. ¡°It looks like the end has come. Let¡¯s just consider this an early farewell.¡± ¡°Frey...¡± ¡°Be happy without me, okay? Look after Aria. Talk to my mom and dad sometimes. Oh, and make sure Serena and Roswyn stay on the right path...¡± ¡°I can¡¯t live without you...¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Frey, now too weak to rub his cheek, struggled to finish his words. ¡°These past years... I¡¯ve been so, so happy...¡± ¡°Hic, sob... sob...¡± ¡°If there¡¯s a next life... I want to marry you, sis...¡± Unable to finish his sentence, Frey closed his eyes. ¡°...¡± For a long time, silence filled the room. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for me... if I hadn¡¯t chosen to be the Demon King... this wouldn¡¯t have happened to you...¡± Tears streamed endlessly from her tightly shut eyes as Ruby rubbed her cheek against Frey¡¯s cold, lifeless cheek. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t hidden my feelings for years like an idiot... if I¡¯d just told you I loved you once...¡± With a face full of regret, Ruby muttered, her chest filled with frustration towards herself. ¡°If I had confessed to you, even as a joke, on that day...¡± Moments she wished to return to, moments that had long passed, filled Ruby¡¯s mind. Those memories, where she blushed and muttered to herself that she wasn¡¯t really involved with Frey, drove her further into madness. ¡°Hic... sob...¡± As her tears of regret soaked Frey¡¯s chest, something happened. - Shhhh...! - So, have you thought it over? ¡°...!¡± In front of her, a black eye appeared, speaking in a low tone. ¡°You, you are...¡± - The conditions I proposed that night. Surely you haven¡¯t forgotten. At the sound of that whisper, Ruby¡¯s mind flashed back to the night when Frey had been taken hostage, and the proposal made by the instigator of all these events who had visited her room at that night. - I¡¯ll give you another chance. ¡°...What?¡± - A chance to turn everything back and make Frey happy. As Ruby¡¯s expression gradually hardened, she reflected on the proposal she had forgotten. ¡°You expect me to believe that¨C¡± - We¡¯ll conduct a fair wager under the observation of the Star God. After all, without my main body, I¡¯m essentially without divinity. Ruby, who was visibly shaken by the words, listened as the eye chuckled and whispered cruel terms. - But, you must fall into corruption in place of Frey. This cycle will be erased, and no one will remember it. You will literally become the absolute evil. ¡°Absolute evil...¡± - And in the endlessly repeating cycles, he and his girls will try to kill you. The eye, looking at her with a mocking gaze, continued. - The moment corruption transfers to you, the wager begins. ¡°...¡± - Can you face endless death, opposing the entire world for the sake of one man? And now, it was time for her to answer. ¡°What do I need to do?¡± Holding Frey¡¯s hand, Ruby asked in a trembling voice, and the eye curved into a crescent shape. ¡°Tell me immediately, before it¡¯s too late.¡± - This will be the greatest feast. Ruby¡¯s tear-filled eyes quietly met the eye¡¯s gaze. ¡°Goodbye, my shining star.¡± A few minutes later. ¡°I will love you forever.¡± Ruby, having quietly kissed Frey¡¯s lips, slowly headed toward the door. ¡°Ruby... I¡¯m sorry. I failed again...¡± ¡°What about brother? Is he okay?¡± ¡°Ruby, if you continue like this, you¡¯ll break too.¡± As she opened the door and prepared to leave the room with tears in her eyes, she was stopped by the people approaching her, causing her to burst into tears. ¡°Ruby?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Ruby, please rest a bit. I¡¯ll take care of Frey.¡± Her best friend, Serena, who had become someone she could trust no matter what. Frey¡¯s sister, Aria, who was also a close friend to her. And even Roswyn, who always followed her around. ¡°Is the Young Master... showing some improvement?¡± Even Vener, whom she hadn¡¯t seen for a while, appeared. These were the people she shared precious memories with, the bonds she could never sever. ¡°Goodbye, everyone...¡± ¡°¡±...?¡±¡± ¡°Please, never remember someone like me.¡± As she looked at them, tears streaming from her eyes, Ruby tightly shut her eyes and stepped over the threshold. ¡°Ruby...¡± ¡°She¡¯s acting strange today...¡± With Serena and Roswyn¡¯s voices echoing behind her, the world began to slowly turn upside down. - Crackle, crackle...! ¡°Ahhhh!!¡± As Ruby stared blankly at the world, the moment suddenly arrived. ¡°I-It hurts...!¡± The chilling energy that had surrounded Frey for years surged into her all at once. My memories... my memories are disappearing. Simultaneously, her memories began to dissolve and crumble. Serena¡¯s confident face, Roswyn¡¯s puppy-like demeanor, Aria¡¯s cuteness, and Vener¡¯s loyalty all began to fade from her memory. So, the wager is real... The image of the Hero Party, the first-year students laughing and chatting, the information about Lulu who had grown more affectionate, and the memories of everyone she had become close to started to vanish. Thank goodness... I wasn¡¯t deceived... The student Frey, who would come running whenever she reached out and rub his cheeks against her, the young master Frey who clung to her at the mansion, the Frey who first awakened his hero¡¯s power and fought in the forest, all began to disappear. The Frey who was delighted to receive the pendant, the Frey who saved Lulu, faded away in her memories. Their trips to the theater, eating ice cream together, and holding hands while looking up at the starry night sky¡ªall those moments vanished. And finally, Even the memory of their first meeting, where he chewed food to feed her as she was about to die, also faded away. I am... And, alongside all those memories, the Ruby who was always smiling beside him also burned away. Ruby... As she watched the fragments of her memories disappear, the reason for her tears began to fade. Summoning the last of her strength, Ruby had one final thought. Your precious gem... Then, she was enveloped by light. . . . . . ¡°Hmm?¡± Ruby woke up in her Demon King¡¯s Castle, where a tranquil atmosphere lingered, and tilted her head with a puzzled expression. ¡°...?¡± She furrowed her brow for a while, feeling an inexplicable sense of discomfort. ¡°Yawn...¡± Then, yawning, she picked up a wine glass beside her and murmured. ¡°I¡¯m bored. Maybe I should burn the world down.¡± And so began the first cycle. It was the initial cycle designated as the retry point for Frey and Perloche, replacing the now nonexistent zeroth cycle. ¡°Hicc, sob... sob...¡± Meanwhile, in the real world, Frey, unable to bear watching, sat on the cold ground, crying. Ruby, silently patting his back, also began to tear up. The pendant that had never opened before was now quietly open. - Srrk, srrk... Inside the pendant was a single photograph. It was a group photo taken by Roswyn, featuring Frey, Ruby, and everyone else, all smiling brightly. The photo, now faded with time, greeted them warmly. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Ruby...¡± ¡°...I told you not to cry. Stop being a wuss.¡± The light that had escaped from the pendant began to envelop them once more. Chapter 383: Her Wish ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°...¡± In the imaginary realm where the Sun God, Moon God, and Glare were temporarily confined. ¡°I don¡¯t have any memories like that, no matter how much I look back...¡± Lunar, who was sweating profusely as she observed the records of the zeroth cycle, muttered while trembling. ¡°I can¡¯t accept this. It¡¯s absurd.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Sis, you don¡¯t have any memories of this either, right?¡± ¡°Uh, uh-huh?¡± The Sun God, who had been looking at her with a worried expression, tilted her head with a look of bewilderment. ¡°Surely... I don¡¯t have any memories like that...¡± ¡°Exactly, it¡¯s a trap by that eye. Who gave that pendant in the first place? It must be that thing¡¯s trickery.¡± Trying to calm her heart, Lunar muttered to herself after hearing those words. ¡°O-Our cute little lady, can you send a message to the Hero? The content is...¡± As Lunar, still trembling, was about to request something while patting Glare¡¯s head... ¡°But Lunar, something¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°...?¡± The Sun God, who usually had a dazed expression, spoke with a serious expression for the first time in a long while. ¡°The memories are strange.¡± ¡°Memories?¡± ¡°Until now, I thought I had created the world... but for some reason, I can¡¯t remember the moment of creation.¡± The Sun God, speaking in an uneasy tone, looked at Lunar with a troubled expression. ¡°If I created it, the world wouldn¡¯t be like this...¡± ¡°That¡¯s... because of Eclipse. She interfered and made it that way.¡± ¡°When did she interfere? How did the war start? Do you know?¡± ¡°...¡± Lunar fell silent at those words. ¡°Could it be... our memories were erased too?¡± Muttering with a blank expression, she continued. ¡°Even the memories of us gods were erased? When the zeroth cycle itself vanished?¡± ¡°That seems to be the case. Otherwise, it doesn¡¯t make sense...¡± ¡°S-Star God!!¡± Lunar, suddenly shouting desperately, opened the chat. ¡°No, Eldest Sister!! I usually don¡¯t call you that because of the huge age difference... but come out!¡± ¡°L-Lunar, calm down...¡± ¡°You are the Creator God, you must know! Tell us if this is real or fake...¡± - Crackle...! As Lunar frantically typed and banged on the sturdy walls surrounding them, starlight began to seep through the wall next to her. - Crash...! ¡°...Sister!¡± Finally, shattering the black wall, a stunningly beautiful woman basking in starlight appeared. ¡°What is this? You finally call me ¡®sister¡¯... It¡¯s been so long. But I¡¯m in male form right now? This is a bit awkward, ya know.¡± ¡°Y-You look like a woman, though.¡± ¡°...Hic.¡± The Star God, who was speaking while staggering with a deeply flushed face, hiccuped and blinked at the Sun God¡¯s words. ¡°Right, I brought out my main body to infiltrate here after so long... Hic, I shouldn¡¯t use this form lightly...¡± ¡°Why do you drink so much... Never mind, just answer the question.¡± For some reason, the eldest sister, who had lost her dignity as the Creator God and became addicted to alcohol, had been observing from a distance. Lunar, looking at her with her usual annoyed expression, regained her composure and spoke. ¡°Is that zeroth cycle thing real? It can¡¯t be, right? There¡¯s no way that¡¯s real.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If that¡¯s real, it¡¯s the worst-case scenario. And it¡¯s so tragic. The Outer God must have tricked us, right?¡± ¡°...¡± The Star God remained silent, her expression serious. ¡°Sis?¡± Lunar, speaking with a glimmer of hope, started sweating as she watched the Star God fall into a deep silence. ¡°You¡¯re joking, right? Please tell me you are.¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± ¡°No, no. Don¡¯t make that face. Please...¡± ¡°Now do you understand why I had to become an alcoholic?¡± Upon hearing those words, Lunar¡¯s legs gave out, and she collapsed to the ground. ¡°Since that thing revealed the truth first, it¡¯s not against the rules for me to acknowledge it...¡± ¡°It¡¯s real? That...?¡± ¡°I hoped they would remember, so I gave him the pendant, but I never thought the memories inside it would manifest. That thing is truly vile.¡± As she spoke, the Star God took a drink, her expression unusually forlorn today. ¡°I¡¯ve told you countless times that the world is being manipulated, but it¡¯s all become a blur now.¡± ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t understand love. I thought no one had ever loved you. You gave up everything for me...¡± ¡°You did the same, Frey.¡± Embracing Frey, Ruby rubbed her cheek against his neck and whispered. ¡°The one to blame is that eye demon. You did nothing wrong.¡± ¡°What do you mean...¡± ¡°Shh, be quiet.¡± Ruby wiped away Frey¡¯s tears with her hand and then kissed his eyes. ¡°We met again after so long... Are you going to keep showing me this side of you? Frey?¡± ¡°Sis...¡± Their faces drew closer as the boy and girl looked at each other. ¡°Haah.¡± ¡°Mmm...¡± Their fingers intertwined, and their tongues entwined. - Drip... Hot tears rolled down their cheeks. It was unclear whether Frey, Ruby, or both were crying. They remained intertwined until the tears stopped flowing. ¡°...How did you recover your memories?¡± After a long time had passed, Frey pulled away from Ruby and asked, trying to compose his emotions. ¡°The system disappeared, and as my mind cleared, the countless regressions brought back the memories bit by bit.¡± ¡°Ugh, ugh...¡± But as soon as he heard those words, Frey¡¯s mind shattered once again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry... I¡¯m sorry...¡± ¡°You did more than I did, so what are you apologizing for?¡± ¡°It must have been painful... and excruciating...¡± ¡°It was my choice.¡± Ruby embraced him again and began speaking with a smile. ¡°Every time I regressed, I touched Rosyn¡¯s notebook, gradually recovering my memories. That notebook had the power to restore forgotten memories and even in the deepest subconsciousness.¡± ¡°Roswyn...¡± ¡°Once I recovered all my memories, I focused on ¡®atonement¡¯ because of the sins I had accumulated.¡± Ruby spoke with a sorrowful expression. ¡°I destroyed this world so much. I killed many people and ruined many things.¡± ¡°No, no! That wasn¡¯t your fault¨C¡± ¡°Even if I lost my memories, my sins didn¡¯t disappear. The only way to erase those sins was through the atonement quest.¡± Ruby continued with a wistful expression. ¡°I was trying to reject fate, like in the zeroth cycle.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°I kept atoning, thinking that the remaining power of the Demon King might be because of my sins. So don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Hearing this, Frey asked urgently. ¡°So, did you succeed in defying fate?¡± ¡°...I failed. The eye demon was thoroughly prepared.¡± Ruby chuckled and began caressing Frey. ¡°Because of that, I unnecessarily burdened them. Once they learn the truth, those kind-hearted people will surely feel guilty.¡± ¡°Ruby...¡± ¡°So, please, keep the truth hidden.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Suddenly, tears streamed down Ruby¡¯s cheeks as she spoke softly. ¡°Frey, I have a wish. Will you grant it?¡± ¡°A wish? What wish?¡± Looking at her with a bewildered expression, Frey grabbed Ruby¡¯s hands and spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll grant anything. Anything at all. Just tell me. Even if it burns my soul, I will¨C¡± ¡°Kill me.¡± ¡°...What.¡± With her forehead gently pressed against his, Ruby continued in a trembling voice. ¡°Kill me, annihilate me, and end the Fourth Ordeal, and this endless cycle of tragedy.¡± In front of her eyes, a quest window appeared, unlike any before, now tainted black. Final Quest Sacrifice (0/1) Reward: Guaranteed soul destruction, demonification... ¡°Please, Frey.¡± Ruby, who had been quietly watching the system window, finally pushed it aside and buried her head in Frey¡¯s chest. End the fourth trial ¡°You have to move forward.¡± ¡°Ruby...?¡± Tears streamed endlessly from the eyes of the girl who had decided to sacrifice everything for the boy. Chapter 384: The End of the Fourth Ordeal ¡°What... what are you talking about, Ruby?¡± Frey, staring at Ruby with a hollow expression, forced a smile and spoke. ¡°You¡¯re joking, right? This is a joke, right?¡± ¡°Frey.¡± ¡°Why would I suddenly kill you? Don¡¯t even joke about that.¡± As he spoke, he urgently hugged Ruby and began to speak. ¡°I just regained my memories. After countless cycles, I finally remembered you... and now you want me to kill you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Now all that¡¯s left is to make you happy, Ruby.¡± Frey¡¯s cheek rubbed against Ruby¡¯s. It was an affectionate gesture they had often shared since childhood in the zeroth cycle. Normally, it was a soft and gentle act, but now it was filled with a desperate urgency. ¡°Ruby, stop joking... let¡¯s think about what to do once the Ordeal is over.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Receiving Frey¡¯s affectionate gestures, Ruby bit her lip and swallowed her tears as memories of their past flooded back. ¡°We can go back to that ice cream shop we visited as kids, stay at an inn, and watch a play.¡± ¡°Frey...¡± ¡°We can live together at the academy. Don¡¯t worry about what others think. Let¡¯s be happy, even if it¡¯s just for a year. Okay?¡± ¡°Please, listen to me... please.¡± Ruby cupped Frey¡¯s cheeks with her hands. - Srrk, srrk... Frey instinctively closed his eyes and rubbed his cheek against her hands. ¡°You really are like a cat.¡± Seeing him act just like he did in their childhood, Ruby laughed through her tears and continued. ¡°Frey, you have to kill me to end the Fourth Ordeal.¡± - Srrk, srrk, srrk... ¡°Just like the heroines killing you was the right answer in the previous Ordeals, you killing me is the right answer now.¡± - Srrk... ¡°You have to kill me, Frey. It¡¯s the only way to move forward.¡± ¡°Mmph.¡± Frey, still rubbing his cheek against Ruby¡¯s hand, met her eyes as she firmly held his face. ¡°You know well that the Ordeal doesn¡¯t end even if someone else kills you, right?¡± ¡°Mmph...¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. So you have to kill me. By killing me, who still carries the fate of the Demon King, you end not just the Ordeal but this entire tragedy.¡± Hearing this, tears flowed from Frey¡¯s eyes, quietly soaking Ruby¡¯s hands. ¡°You fool. You intended to do this too. You know it¡¯s inevitable, so why are you crying?¡± ¡°Ruby, I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t kill you. Never.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be weak. You¡¯re the Hero, and I¡¯m the Demon King.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. I won¡¯t! I won¡¯t! I won¡¯t!!!¡± Frey¡¯s scream echoed all around. Final Quest Sacrifice (0/1) At the same time, the quest window began to shake as if urging them. ¡°...¡± Seeing the quest window, a deep sorrow filled Ruby¡¯s eyes. ¡°Frey, don¡¯t have bad thoughts after the Ordeal ends, okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not killing you. I won¡¯t. I won¡¯t kill you.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t cowardly abandon the other heroines, your sister, and your father, would you? You have people you¡¯re responsible for.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m not killing you. Never.¡± Frey, plugging his ears, shook his head vigorously. - Slap...! ¡°Ugh.¡± Seeing Frey in such turmoil, Ruby closed her eyes tightly and slapped his cheek. ¡°Snap out of it, Frey.¡± Ruby, holding both his arms, declared firmly. ¡°If I sacrifice myself here, everyone can be happy.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll live well in the underworld, so don¡¯t worry about me. You know how strong I am, right? Conquering the underworld will be a piece of cake.¡± She smiled as she said this. But her eyes still trembled. ¡°Don¡¯t lie...¡± ¡°...¡± If a demon like her died, she would go to purgatory. But being killed by Frey meant her soul would be eternally annihilated. ¡°Even now... you¡¯re barely holding on...¡± Frey, vaguely sensing this, clung to Ruby and refused to let go. ¡°...¡± Time began to pass in silence. ¡°Frey, shall we go on a date?¡± As Frey gradually realized the reality they were in, Ruby whispered softly. ¡°...?¡± ¡°Shall we open the pendant once more?¡± Ruby, looking around the dimly lit room, spoke. ¡°Before we end everything, let¡¯s go on one last trip.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°To the past.¡± Frey¡¯s lifeless expression began to waver quietly. . . . . . Ruby and Frey opened the pendant again, entering the illusion of the past. This time, instead of following their younger selves, they wandered around the world within the illusion. The eye, watching them, narrowed its gaze and asked. - If you want, I can let you do it a few more times. It¡¯s quite entertaining to watch. ¡°Shut up.¡± Ruby, staring at the eye with a cold voice, then looked at Frey standing before her. ¡°...¡± He seemed even more drained than before as if a gentle blow of the wind could crumble him. ¡°You¡¯ve made up your mind, Frey.¡± But Ruby looked at Frey with a relieved expression. ¡°Thank goodness...¡± He was neither shedding tears like before nor displaying a lifeless gaze. Instead, he looked at Ruby with a resolute expression and eyes full of determination. ¡°Frey, actually, I have one more wish.¡± ¡°...What is it?¡± Seeing him like that, Ruby, now feeling reassured, voiced the second wish she hadn¡¯t dared to mention before, fearing it would backfire on her. ¡°Give me your name.¡± ¡°My name? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Give me your surname.¡± Ruby shook her head wryly, then spoke with a bright smile. ¡°My parents, as you know, were trash... They didn¡¯t even give us sisters their surname.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why you were just Ruby.¡± ¡°Yes... So, when it¡¯s all over, could you... maybe add me to your family register?¡± Ruby spoke with a sad smile, shuffling her feet. ¡°I want to be Ruby Raon Starlight.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Always. Since I was young. Being a duchess sounds cool, doesn¡¯t it? Hehe.¡± Ruby laughed awkwardly. But tears were streaming down her cheeks. ¡°No, now that I think about it, it¡¯s a silly idea! If you put a Demon King on the register, people would look at you strangely...¡± - Step, step... ¡°And... the descendants... uh, well.¡± Ruby, babbling nervously, fell silent as Frey approached her with a determined expression. ¡°...¡± Ruby looked at him with a face full of mixed emotions. ¡°...Goodbye, my shining star.¡± But the expression she wore in the end was a soft smile. - Swish... As Frey raised his sword high in front of her, the tears that fell from Ruby¡¯s eyes sparkled like stars. ¡°Goodbye, my precious gem.¡± She tried to keep her eyes on Frey till the end, but as the sword swung down, she closed them tightly. If there is a next life... let¡¯s meet again. - Thud...! With that last thought, the sound of the sword piercing deeply into a body echoed. And then, silence lingered for a while. . . . . . ...? Ruby, who had been waiting for the end with her eyes tightly shut, noticed something strange just a few seconds later. Why don¡¯t I feel any pain? She had distinctly heard the sound of the sword piercing her body. So why wasn¡¯t she feeling any pain? Was she already dead? But if that were the case, the sensations from her surroundings were too vivid to be real. ¡°What...¡± As Ruby pondered the bizarre situation, she felt a sudden unease and slowly opened her eyes. ¡°...What?¡± Before her eyes, an unbelievable sight unfolded. ¡°Ha ha.¡± Frey was smiling at her. Glare: Hero, no. Glare: Everyone is trying to stop you. Glare: The pretty sisters said if you do this, even soul recovery won¡¯t be possible. Glare: I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ll do better, I¡¯m sorry, please think about it one more time. Glare: Hero, plea..se A chat window floated in the air. Fourth Ordeal subjects: Ruby, and you. Ignoring the blinking help window beside him, Frey was looking only at Ruby. ¡°Frey...?¡± ¡°Cough, cough... damn it...¡± His own sword had pierced his heart. ¡°You...?¡± ¡°My hand... slipped...¡± He smiled gently at the bewildered Ruby as he spoke, blood beginning to spill from his mouth. The stellar mana wrapped around the sword spread throughout his body, destroying his organs. Final Quest Sacrifice (1/1) ¡°...No... no, no, NO, NO!!!¡± Finally comprehending the gravity of the situation, Ruby screamed and rushed towards him. - Crackle... Simultaneously, a massive system window appeared in the sky. [The Fourth Ordeal Has Concluded.] In a way no one could have predicted, the Fourth Ordeal quietly came to an end. Chapter 385: Backdoor ¡°...¡± With tears streaming down her face, Ruby held up Frey who was about to collapse. ¡°Cough, cough...¡± Frey, whose heart was pierced by his own sword, was coughing up blood in her arms. - Hmm. the Eye quietly observed them before turning its gaze to the ceiling. Ending the Ordeal... 5% complete - It seems there are many adjustments to make. Well, it has been going on for a long time. the Eye, looking at a window only it could see, muttered to itself before turning its attention back to the boy and girl. ¡°...Ah, Ahhh.¡± Finally, Ruby¡¯s eyes widened as she began to touch Frey¡¯s wound. - Sizzle... As healing magic emanated from Ruby¡¯s hands, her hands started to burn and smoke. ¡°No. No...¡± But she paid no mind, focusing solely on healing Frey¡¯s wound. ¡°W-Who do you think I am? I am the Demon King. I can fix this.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°J-Just hold on a bit, okay? I¡¯ll fix it.¡± Ruby began to slowly pull the sword from Frey¡¯s heart as she spoke. ¡°...Stop.¡± ¡°Shut up. Do you think I¡¯m going to let you go like this?¡± ¡°Ruby...¡± ¡°Be quiet and stay still.¡± Frey, with a fading voice, tried to stop her, but she was relentless. - Fizzle...! ¡°Hnnngh...¡± Finally, Ruby forcibly pulled out the sword that had pierced through Frey¡¯s heart, threw it aside, and quickly applied healing magic to the wound. - Sizzle... ¡°I can even regenerate a decapitated head. Of course, that¡¯s by monster standards, but this is nothing.¡± Just as Ruby said, the gaping hole in Frey¡¯s chest began to slowly close. ¡°...Ugh.¡± After some initial healing, Ruby discovered a problem: residual stellar mana still permeated the wound. She chose the simplest and quickest solution¡ªabsorbing it herself. ¡°Haa, haa...¡± In less than a minute, Frey¡¯s heart was completely healed. ¡°Y-You bastard... you scared me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°How dare you try to die in front of me, you shameless bastard...?¡± Ruby wiped the cold sweat from her brow. But, she noticed something and her expression began to harden. ¡°Why... why?¡± It was truly strange. Her previously irreparable soul was gradually recovering. No, it seemed to be regenerating anew. The restored soul wasn¡¯t in great condition, but it was undoubtedly better than her state moments ago, where she could have crumbled at the slightest touch. ? ¡°...!?¡± Conversely, Frey¡¯s soul was now deteriorating, just as hers had been. It was as if their soul damage had swapped places. ¡°Why...?¡± Moreover, despite having perfectly healed his body, Frey was dying rapidly. At a clearly abnormal rate. ¡°B-But, I healed the wound completely...¡± No matter how much healing magic she poured into him, there was no improvement to his condition. Ruby, now on her knees, cradled Frey in her arms, her voice trembling with tears. ¡°Why is this happening...?¡± - Hahaha... hahaha... the Eye that had been quietly watching them started to chuckle as if finding the situation amusing. - Who would have thought he would defy fate in such a manner? ¡°What...?¡± - Indeed, it was an unforeseen method. the Eye¡¯s gaze gleamed with a sense of exhilaration. ¡°You... you did something! You did something to him!!¡± Ruby screamed, her eyes wild with fury, as she glared at the Eye. - The co-subject of this Ordeal, Frey, sacrificed himself in your place. ¡°...¡± - He is merely paying the price of that sacrifice. Ruby froze upon hearing those words. If what the Eye said was true, then Frey had taken on the damage to her soul, dying in her stead. ¡°Oh...¡± If that were the case, his end was inevitable. As his life extinguished, his soul would shatter completely, causing Frey¡¯s very existence to vanish. He would go neither to heaven nor hell. He would completely disappear from this world. ¡°Don¡¯t die.¡± [Ending the Ordeal... 98% complete] As she reviewed all these tragedies, Ruby¡¯s face grew gaunt, her tears had dried up. [Ending the Ordeal... 99% complete] As the final moments approached, Ruby closed her eyes and hugged Frey tightly. - Rumble... At that moment, the tendrils in the room started closing in on her, and the world began to turn upside down. - This is the end. . . . . . - Crackle...! ¡°...?¡± Ruby¡¯s eyes flew open at that very moment. - Shaaaa... Something in her embrace was glowing brightly. ¡°T-This is...¡± - Hmm? As Ruby, who had lost the will to live, took out the glowing object from her pocket, the Eye frowned for the second time at the unexpected turn of events. ¡°...A scroll?¡± Ruby had pulled out an old, crumpled scroll. ¡°Why is this glowing now...?¡± It was a scroll she had purchased a year ago from a shabby scroll shop in a back alley. The drunken owner had tried to rip her off by charging 1500 gold, but she had used magic to buy it. Despite her best attempts, even as the Demon King, she couldn¡¯t decipher it. She had kept it with her, attempting to decode it out of boredom, but never understood its true nature. Why was it glowing now? - Shaaaa...! While she was lost in thought, the scroll in her hand began to shine even more brightly, illuminating the dark room. Ruby¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as she looked around. - Shashak...! The Eye, not missing the opportunity, sent tendrils rapidly toward Ruby and the scroll. - Pow...! But before the tendrils could pierce them, the area around Ruby and the unconscious Frey shattered, and they disappeared. [Ending the Ordeal... 99%] Error occurred! Entities not detected. Abnormal termination. Troubleshooting the problem... Troubleshooting failed. The Eye, which had been watching this with an irritated gaze, soon regained its interest and looked up at the ceiling. The Ordeal has concluded. ¡°See... I told you. The world is running on a script. Over and over again, relentlessly.¡± In front of the Eye appeared a woman with a serious expression. - Star God. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who can plant a backdoor, eye demon.¡± The Star God¡¯s voice was cold and resolute. The energies of the stars and chaos clashed fiercely. . . . . . - Crackle...! Crackle...! ¡°Ah!?¡± After being engulfed by the light, Ruby regained her senses. When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a strange place. ¡°W-where am I...?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Captivated for a moment by the mysterious place she had never seen before, she suddenly became alert when she sensed a presence. ¡°Wh-who¡¯s there?¡± At the same time, Ruby held the still-cooling body of Frey close, as if cradling her own child. ¡°Lunar... what do we do...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do we have to... tell the truth?¡± The Sun God, watching Ruby, whispered in a trembling voice to the Moon God beside her. ¡°Identify yourself. Are you an enemy or an ally?¡± ¡°Do we have to tell her that Frey¡¯s soul has completely shattered?¡± Hearing this, Lunar tightly shut her eyes. ¡°More importantly, help me! I don¡¯t know where this place is, but we need to heal this boy as soon as possible! So...¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way... not even a wish can bring him back now...¡± ¡°Fuck...¡± The two goddesses looked at Ruby, who was filled with hope, and the heroines in the real world, who were in a panic, with eyes full of fear. Chapter 386: Despair and Hope Chapter 386: Despair and Hope ¡°Ugh...¡± in the middle of a dark, unknown space. ¡°F-Frey...¡± Someone crouched there, muttering Frey¡¯s name with a look of despair. ¡°No...¡± Her name was none other than Roswyn. The moment she received the flower from Frey during the Fourth Ordeal, she was exiled to this incomprehensible space. ¡°Y-Your soul. Frey¡¯s soul...¡± This space wasn¡¯t where the gods or Glare were, nor was it the reality where the heroines existed. It was an utterly unknown space where she was confined. Before her, the spectator system of the system window she always looked into floated. - Frey. Just wait a bit. I¡¯ll save you somehow. Even if it means raising you again as a child, I¡¯ll... - As expected... It would be better if we tell her... -But can we really bring closure to the story of the boy and the girl who knew nothing but tragedy? Do we even have the right to do that? - That... The system displayed Ruby gently holding and stroking the cold, lifeless body of Frey, with two goddesses looking at them with helpless eyes. - But still...! We can¡¯t leave her like that forever! - Sigh... It might look quite ridiculous at a glance, but for those who knew the full situation, it was a heartbreaking scene. ¡°Ugh, ugh...¡± Roswyn, trembling while watching the scene, flinched and looked around. ¡°Wh-where is this place...¡± According to the light from the system, she had been in this space for days. She had walked and walked for a long time, but saw neither an exit nor a glimmer of light. ¡°I-I¡¯m scared...¡± Trembling in fear, she lowered her gaze back to the system window. ¡°...¡± But the system window still displayed the despairing situation. ¡°I want to help...¡± Looking at the system window plunged her into despair, and looking around engulfed her in fear. Stuck in this dilemma, Roswyn crawled on. ¡°Like back then...¡± She mumbled in a voice filled with regret, bowing her head deeply. ¡°Like in the zeroth cycle... I want to help them again... help everyo¨C ugh.¡± At that moment, she bumped into something, clutching her head as she tumbled. ¡°...Wh-what!? What is it?¡± Initially blinking in surprise, she soon widened her eyes and headed towards it. It was something she had found after days. For her, exhausted by continuous darkness and despairing records, it was a golden moment. ¡°H-Huh...?¡± But even she had to step back and squint her eyes as a light began to emanate from the place she had bumped into. ¡°It¡¯s blinding...¡± With her eyes squinted, she flailed around in the air for a while. ¡°Is the light coming from here...?¡± She then noticed that the crack of an ordinary-looking door was the source of the light and stood before it. Debug Room ¡°What... does it say...?¡± She made a wary face at the letters carved next to the door. ¡°Oh, whatever...¡± But the darkness filling the surroundings scared her more, so she gritted her teeth and stepped inside. ¡°I can¡¯t run away forever.¡± Confirmation of the End of the Ordeal Automatic synchronization of records in progress... And with that small message, a quiet stillness began to flow around for a while. - Crackle...! Until a very small light seeped out. . . . . . ¡°Ugh, ugh...¡± ¡°F-Frey...? Are you awake?¡± In a mysterious space where the goddesses, Ruby, and Frey were staying. ¡°...?¡± ¡°Frey!¡± Frey opened his eyes wide and started looking around. ¡°Where...?¡± Looking curiously at the mysterious energy floating around, he glanced at his chest with trembling eyes and fumbled. ¡°Am I... alive?¡± He mumbled dazedly. - Hug...! ¡°Ugh.¡± Ruby hugged him tightly, rubbing her cheeks against him. ¡°R-Ruby...? I can¡¯t breathe...¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± As Frey spoke quietly, noticing her expression, Ruby replied coldly. ¡°You bastard... How dare you try to die in my place. I almost went mad.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you think I can live without you? Do you think I¡¯ll be grateful if you sacrifice yourself for me? Nonsense! I¡¯m the Demon King.¡± ¡°Sorry...¡± ¡°If you do that again, I¡¯ll kill you. Really.¡± As the cold voice mixed with sobs, Frey began to smile bitterly. ¡°But how did I survive?¡± ¡°The Star God intervened just before the Ordeal ended.¡± Ruby began to explain, stroking Frey¡¯s head as he asked with a curious expression. ¡°Thanks to that, a system error occurred just before your death and annihilation, and the Ordeal was forcibly ended.¡± ¡°I see...¡± ¡°Thanks to that, our system that should have returned is now down.¡± Frey, hearing her words, brought up the ¡®The Path of False Evil¡¯ system before his eyes. Error:999 System Recovery D-7 ¡ù Please note that some functions of the system are deactivated. ¡ù ¡°You¡¯re right...¡± Seeing it with his own eyes, Frey¡¯s gaze wavered. ¡°Was the Star God this powerful...¡± ¡°Anyway, I can still make a wish, right?¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s good enough.¡± Looking at them calmly, Frey asked, then slowly moved towards the portal the two goddesses had created. ¡°I¡¯ll limit my existence to only being a hero.¡± ¡°...!!¡± ¡°When the time comes, please take care of it.¡± ¡°Wait, please!!¡± ¡°Frey, wait!! We¡¯ll give up our divinity to share our lifespan with you...¡± Ignoring the urgent calls of the two goddesses, Frey threw himself into the portal. ¡°...This really is a shitty game.¡± With tears in his eyes, Frey whispered, a relieved smile appearing on his lips. . . . . . A few minutes later. ¡°...¡± The atmosphere inside the tent was heavier and gloomier than ever. ¡°...This really is a shitty game.¡± Kania said with a lifeless voice, and the mood sank even further. ¡°These are the thoughts and words that the Young Master expressed.¡± Inside the tent were none other than the five main heroines. They had just learned the whole truth about the Fourth Ordeal and the zeroth cycle through Kania¡¯s testimony, who was connected to Frey. - Rustle... At that moment, a sound of movement was heard, and everyone turned their dead eyes towards it. ¡°Hmm, hmm. I¡¯m nervous. Hehe. How should I approach them? Friendly? No, they must have lost their memories again. So...¡± As the voice, filled with excitement and somewhat familiar, reached their ears, all five girls flinched. - Flutter... ¡°Hey, you lot, it may be sudden, but you have to follow this noble self.¡± Appearing before them was Ruby, who was firmly convinced that Frey had fully revived. ¡°Hmm, hmm. I¡¯ve taken Frey hostage. If you come quietly, he won¡¯t get hurt.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°W-what are you doing? Hurry up and follow me... hmm?¡± As Ruby urged the unresponsive five girls, she tilted her head in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ferloche, biting her nails and trembling, was showing a weakened state for the first time. Serena was like a stone statue, shedding endless tears. Clana and Irina couldn¡¯t meet Ruby¡¯s eyes, holding their heads or tightly closing their eyes. And Kania was exhausted from having to deal with all the physical pain while also telling everything she had experienced. ¡°G-Guys?¡± Seeing them, Ruby unknowingly wore a worried expression. ¡°Y-you all¨C¡± ¡°Everyone!!¡± Someone else burst into the tent. ¡°C-Could it be that you remembered too?¡± ¡°Do you all remember...¡± As the people in the tent listened blankly to their incoherent words... ¡°...Sister.¡± Lulu interrupted, looking at Ruby as she spoke. ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°You¡¯re my sister... right?¡± The five main heroines, who had learned the truth. Along with the sub-heroines and Hero Party, who began to regain their memories in the order of their connections due to memory synchronization. ¡ù Please note, some functions of the system are deactivated ¡ù Fortunately, the disabled functions of the broken system seemed to include penalties. System Recovery D-7 However, the deactivation was only temporary. ¡°No...¡± Seeing the penalty and hell awaiting in a week, Ruby¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°B-brother? Did I ever... what was I going to say?¡± ¡°D-Did I ever make a knight¡¯s oath to you?¡± ¡°Ugh, ugh...¡± Immediately after returning to reality with a relieved smile, Frey was surrounded by the Hero Party. Mental Strength deterioration LV MAX ¡°Get away from me...¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°You, you¡¯re too scary...¡± The Curse of Mental Weakness reactivated, causing Frey to show a panicked expression instead of a smile. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment. > Answer me. (Failed to send) > Answer me, Hero. (Failed to send) > I like you, Hero. (Failed to send) > I love you, Hero. (Failed to send) A girl sitting at the edge of a remote mountain in the Eastern Continent was continuously sending messages to Frey in the chat window. > Hero. (Failed to send) > Heroherohero. (Failed to send) > Heroheroheroheroheroheroheroheroheroheroherohero (Failed to send) Her eyes were swollen from crying, and her fingers were red from typing, but she continued to type. > I haven¡¯t repaid my debt yet... (Failed to send) But as the messages failed to be sent repeatedly, her trembling eyes lost their light. > Fool. Idiot. Cucumber head. ¡°...!¡± However, as she continued to type, the message finally went through, and she stood up with wide eyes. ¡°I¡¯m coming to repay my debt now, Hero.¡± Wiping away the tears that rolled down her plump cheeks with her sleeve, the girl, Glare, began to mutter. ¡°...No, Frey.¡± A girl¡¯s act of gratitude had begun. Chapter 387: The Hero Who Dies In 7 Days - I want to stop this pointless battle. ¡°...¡± In a space filled with darkness and tentacles. From within this space, the Eye stopped its relentless attack at and spoke to her in an annoyed voice. - Anyway, the bet isn¡¯t over yet because of your wit. So, this battle is meaningless. ¡°I know, this is just me venting my anger.¡± - To be swayed by emotions despite your position. How amusing. The Eye, which looked at the Star God spewing anger with amusement, began to wrap itself in tentacles. - Ssshh... The tentacles wrapped around the Eye spun around and stretched out in all directions before retracting again. This was a common action every time the Eye prepared to move to another place. ¡°...Tsk.¡± The Star God, knowing this well, began to show a distorted expression. - No matter how strong you are, if you interfere with the system again, you¡¯ll lose your divinity, won¡¯t you? ¡°...¡± - Did I hit a nerve? I can still interfere several more times. I¡¯ve absorbed quite a bit of energy so far after all. What the Eye said was true. She could also lose her divinity if she interfered with the system recklessly like she just did. That didn¡¯t mean she was weak. Rather, the Eye, which had enough power left to interfere with the system several more times, was the abnormal one. After all, it was not a common feat to be able to interfere with the ¡®management system,¡¯ a rule that could bind divine beings. - It¡¯s a pity. If it weren¡¯t for this unfamiliar ¡®system¡¯ of this dimension¡¯s management system, things would have been easier. ¡°It¡¯s a relief. I used to scold her a lot, thinking she liked strange things. But thanks to her weird hobby, we can protect this dimension.¡± The only fortunate thing was that the Sun God, who took over as the Main God of the dimension in place of the weakened Star God due to the battle with the Eye, loved the culture of the blue star, especially ¡®games.¡¯ ? Because the Main God liked games, the dimension¡¯s management system was modeled after a game system. For the Eye, accustomed to dimensions where simple things like ¡®scripts¡¯ or ¡®canvases¡¯ were the management systems, the complex controls and understanding of ¡®systems¡¯ required for games were unfamiliar and difficult concepts. Even after gaining control, the Eye couldn¡¯t recklessly devour the dimension and was forced into a ¡®game-like¡¯ bet with the Star God. It was precisely because of the Sun God¡¯s otaku-like hobby that the dimension demise was delayed. - But, that¡¯s the end of it now. ¡°...¡± But, in the end, it was all just enough to buy some time. - The heroine of the zeroth cycle, and the hidden heroine and sixth main heroine after the first cycle, Ruby. She has already lost her qualifications as the ¡°Demon King¡± and has become a ¡°Girl¡±. The Eye, having observed countless repeated timelines, had almost completely understood the ¡®system.¡¯ - And Frey is in no condition to win, no matter who becomes the Demon King. The Eye whispered, raising its eyelids into a crescent shape. - Admit it. This bet is already my victory. ¡°I won¡¯t admit it.¡± - If you admit it now, I¡¯ll leave you alone. The Star God frowned at those words. - I¡¯ll devour the world and then leave. How about it? ¡°Bullshit.¡± - So, you¡¯re going to see the bet through to the end? ¡°...Yes.¡± The Star God, who answered, quietly turned her gaze to the real world and muttered. ¡°The story isn¡¯t over yet.¡± - I was quite satisfied and was about to end it appropriately. the Eye, looking at her with a pitiful gaze, retracted the tentacles that had spread in all directions and slowly closed its eyes. - Then struggle until the end. ¡°...¡± - The more you do, the more delightful my last feast will be. Hearing the Eye¡¯s voice filled with anticipation, the Star God bit her lips quietly. - By the way, which dimension should I visit after finishing my meal? Ignoring her, the Eye left without a trace, as if the outcome was already decided. . . . . . ¡°...Haa.¡± Watching the dark space gradually brighten, the Star God sighed and muttered while looking at the world with a somber expression. ¡°The sins of transcendent beings, including myself, run too deep.¡± The ¡®divine beings¡¯ existing in each dimension, including the Star God, had originally maintained their divinity by receiving worship from their creations. ¡°If I had known it would come to this... I would have rather lost my divinity.¡± However, this method was like sitting on a bed of nails for the divine beings. If, by any chance, the faith of their creations weakened or disappeared, losing divinity would only be a matter of time. Thus, they spent every moment anxiously trying to maintain their followers¡¯ faith, but no matter how much effort they put in, it was nearly impossible to maintain their creations¡¯ faith forever. Because of this, the gods had to live in constant fear of the inevitable downfall that would come in the future. Until one day, everything changed when a dimension called ¡®Earth¡¯ was discovered. A small dimension without magic, mana, anomalies, or even divine beings. Among the countless dimensions, for some reason, only that small blue star possessed ¡®normalcy.¡¯ And on that blue star, various cultures had developed significantly. Theater and film. Songs and poetry. Novels and comics. And entertainment like games. The inhabitants of the normal dimension imagined abnormal beings through such things. What the ¡®divine beings¡¯ aimed for was precisely that point. To easily obtain energy from the inhabitants of the blue star, they began to disguise their worlds with Earth¡¯s culture and send them out. The inhabitants of Earth enjoyed the entertainment provided by gods disguised as creators, and the gods maintained their divinity with the emotions generated by the people enjoying said entertainment. The inhabitants were happy because they enjoyed it, and the gods were happy because they could maintain their divinity with the byproducts of that enjoyment. It was a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship. Of course, accidents sometimes happen. She whispered with dazed eyes, patting her lower abdomen with his hand. ¡°Of course... not right now. After everything is over.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I want to be the wife of the person I love the most in the world. I want to bear the fruit of our love.¡± Her eyes glistened with a tender light. ¡°How cute would our baby be? A hybrid of a hero and a demon king. A child with the blood of the Starlight family and pure-blooded demons... it would be so adorable.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the child. You can rest. I¡¯ll take responsibility for the rest of our lives... let¡¯s just have twenty kids. Okay? I want to live happily ever after with you and our children.¡± Her imagination was running wild. ¡°D-did you know, Frey? Female demons can ovulate whenever they want...¡± - Shiver... Ruby said, her body trembling as she glanced at Frey. ¡°I just... ovulated.¡± A heavy silence followed. - Tap, tap... In that silence, Ruby¡¯s tail quietly tapped against Frey¡¯s side. ¡°Sorry, Ruby. I don¡¯t think I can today...¡± Looking at Ruby, Frey replied with a bitter smile. Although he hadn¡¯t revealed it to her, his current mental state couldn¡¯t handle such an act. For weeks, he¡¯d been barely maintaining his sanity, dealing with overwhelming guilt and trauma from his actions. - Crackle, crackle... And even now, Frey was desperately fighting against his demonification. As a result, both his body and mind were in the worst possible state, torn and battered. ¡°No, no. I just meant that I¡¯m ready whenever you are. If it¡¯s too much, just give me the seed. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± Seeing Frey¡¯s expression, Ruby quickly stood up and spoke. ¡°By the way, I have something to do... I¡¯ll visit the others. Rest well, okay?¡± ¡°The others...?¡± Frey tilted his head at her words. ¡°Yes, I need to establish my position among the main heroines.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And... I want to see my friends again.¡± Ruby, who had finished speaking, took a step forward with an expectant face, but then stopped. ¡°Well, I¡¯m off then...¡± The glowing black ring on Frey¡¯s left hand caught her attention. ¡°Ruby, if you want, I can step in and...¡± ¡°No. No, no.¡± As Frey hurriedly reached out his left hand and tried to stand up, Ruby stopped him and gently pushed him back down. ¡°I don¡¯t need anything else. Just let me stay by your side.¡± With a happy smile, she pressed her cheek against Frey¡¯s. ¡°If you do that, I¡¯ll shine by your side forever.¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°That¡¯s what a gem is meant to do.¡± She whispered softly in his ear. ¡°But if you let me hold the starlight inside me just once, I¡¯ll shine even more.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Well then, goodbye!¡± Leaving those words, Ruby quickly exited the room. . . . . . ¡°Ugh...¡± As soon as Ruby left, Frey bowed his head, his hands trembling. ¡°...I don¡¯t want to die.¡± Closing his eyes tightly, he began to mutter. ¡°I want to live... happily...¡± The fact that he was now truly terminally ill, unable to resurrect through a wish, continued to gnaw at him even at this moment. Hearing Ruby¡¯s innocent confession, affectionate advances, and future plans made it all the more unbearable. ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you really, Young Master?¡± ¡°...!?¡± Unable to share this cruel fate with anyone, Frey was suffering alone. But he widened his eyes when he heard a voice beside him. ¡°K-Kania...?¡± His butler and eternal confidant, Kania, was quietly looking down at him. ¡°I¡¯ve come to talk about the matter of you dying in seven days.¡± ¡°What I just said... It¡¯s nonsense. Because of the Curse of Mental Weakness... Wait, did you say seven days?¡± ¡°I already know.¡± Kania, holding Frey¡¯s trembling hand, began to speak in a shaking voice. ¡°I know that your time is now truly limited.¡± ¡°...!¡± Frey¡¯s face turned pale at her words. ¡°...What?¡± Outside the cabin, listening in secretly were Alice, Arianne, and a few members of the Hero Party. ¡°...Brother?¡± Among them was Aria, who was in a panic due to her rapidly returning memories. Chapter 388: D-6 ¡°Hmm, hmm... Keheum.¡± Standing in the corridor with a tense expression, Ruby cleared her throat and quietly looked down to the first floor. ¡°...¡± They¡¯re all here. All four main heroines, except for Kania who mentioned she had something to discuss with Frey, were seated in the inn¡¯s common room. This feels strange... To Ruby, this situation was both familiar and awkward. Just a few days ago they were trying to kill each other in a deadly feud. But in the zeroth cycle, which was the starting point of everything, they were closer friends than anyone. Such a unique relationship likely couldn¡¯t be found anywhere else in the world. ¡°Hmm...¡± Thinking about this, Ruby took a step forward but then paused, starting to ponder. ¡°What should I do...¡± It was a small dilemma about how to approach the girls below. I¡¯d like to be friendly, but... from their perspective, it would be strange. They don¡¯t know the truth. She wanted to explain the truth, but the evidence was weak. Even if she somehow convinced them, she worried about the unnecessary guilt these kind-hearted girls would carry. Should I approach humbly...? But, I used to be the Demon King... She also didn¡¯t want to lower herself too much. She had just successfully awakened her love for Frey. Given her situation, she somewhat wanted to secure her position among those who had already borne Frey¡¯s seed before her. Moreover, demons had a winner-takes-all belief when it came to mating. Although she had become a girl, her identity as a demon was still strong, and she retained a certain amount of possessiveness over Frey, her mate, even if not to the extent of monopolizing him. Still, first, I need to get close to them again. Suppressing her demonic instincts, Ruby reached this conclusion. Having repeated countless regressions during the Fourth Ordeal, she was adept at opening their hearts. Even if they couldn¡¯t remember her, she could improve their relationships. ¡°H-hey. How are you all?¡± With a cheerful smile on her face, Ruby waved and descended to the lower floor. ¡°Y-You¡¯ve heard from Frey, right? Frey and I have fallen in love. So we¡¯ve decided to stop the fighting.¡± Standing before them with arms wide open, Ruby looked around at the four girls and continued. ¡°A love between a hero and a demon king, isn¡¯t it so romantic?¡± ¡°Anyway, because of that... I will now be with Frey. As his lover.¡± With a rather provocative expression, Ruby taunted the heroines and then quietly covered her mouth with one hand. ¡°So, please take care of me from today?¡± As she finished speaking, a deep silence settled around them. ¡°W-What?¡± Ruby began to look bewildered by their reaction. It was so different from what she had expected. According to her predictions, they should be glaring at her with killing intent by now. Yet, they all looked down with gloomy expressions, their heads bowed. ...Is this an initiation? She suddenly thought. Maybe there was a difference between Ordeal and reality. ¡°Hmm, Irina. Nice to meet you.¡± Adjusting her clothes and her thoughts, Ruby approached Irina. ¡°...Hello.¡± ¡°Hmm? You alone still haven¡¯t even started awakening?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And you¡¯re still using mana instead of controlling it? Tsk tsk. Doing things below your station.¡± Ruby said, glancing at Irina slyly. ¡°Hoho, if you want, I can help you awaken.¡± In the past or during the Ordeals, Irina¡¯s ¡®true nature¡¯ was the easiest and simplest way to get close to her. In the zeroth cycle, Irina knew her true nature, but in the altered world that followed, she didn¡¯t. The moment Irina realized her true nature, she would become as powerful as the Demon King herself. So, although her true nature was downgraded to a ¡®MacGuffin¡¯ 1 or ¡®background character,¡¯ if Ruby revealed it directly, the story would change. ¡°But you have to promise to be friendly with me from now on...¡± ¡°No need...¡± Smiling, Ruby tried to speak, but Irina mumbled absent-mindedly, making Ruby blink in confusion. ¡°No matter how strong I get... I can¡¯t turn back time...¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°And... I can¡¯t fix a soul.¡± ¡°...¡± Ruby, hearing those words, smiled wryly and thought to herself. Nothing I say will get through to her right now. Frey had said that it was possible to revive him after everything was over with a wish. Yet, this kid seemed to be unaware of that. ¡°Hmph, suit yourself.¡± Ruby stepped back with a mildly annoyed expression and thought quietly to herself. I should introduce myself to the others soon. Getting closer was more challenging than during the Ordeals, but if she kept trying, eventually, Irina would open her heart. That was the Irina she knew. ¡°Clana. The third princess of the empire.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°A Moving sideways, Ruby was soon lost in thought. I wasn¡¯t that close to Clana... Ruby had surprisingly little interaction with her. Their common ground as rulers only led to discussions about politics or diplomatic exchanges between demons and humans. ¡°Aha!¡± After racking her brain for memories, Ruby finally clapped her hands and smiled. ¡°Serena is pregnant.¡± ¡°What...?¡± ¡°She¡¯s experiencing morning sickness. She¡¯s four weeks pregnant. To put it simply, Young Master, you¡¯re now a father.¡± Frey¡¯s expression slowly started to crack upon hearing those words. ¡°If you sacrifice yourself alone now, it will be a selfish choice. Do you understand?¡± ¡°...I¡¯m Kania, gritting her teeth, spoke to Frey, who eventually lowered his head and responded. ¡°But to ¡®save¡¯ Ruby, I couldn¡¯t think of any other way. That was the quest I received in the first place.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not criticizing your choice itself. I¡¯m talking about your mindset after that.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Tell me the truth with your own mouth.¡± With his head still bowed, Frey began to speak. ¡°Because of my choice, my soul is shattered.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Because of the people affected by the Ordeal... when the system is fixed in a week, I¡¯ll be penalized and cease to exist.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°And... I want to live.¡± At this point, Frey began to speak to Kania as if pouring his heart out. ¡°I want to make Ruby happy. I want to see the fruit of my love with Serena. I want to spend more time with everyone else...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I want to see you in a dress. I want to see Clana¡¯s coronation, Irina¡¯s true identity, and Ferloche¡¯s true self. I want to live a peaceful life with those I love.¡± ¡°So, what do you want me to do?¡± ¡°...Help me, Kania.¡± ¡°Well done.¡± Kania embraced Frey, patting his back. ¡°That¡¯s what a request is, Young Master.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You seemed not to know, so I have to tell you explicitly.¡± Frey, who had been smiling bitterly, now muttered with a tearful expression. ¡°But... does it even matter?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°My soul is already shattered...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give up. There is still hope.¡± Kania then stood up and spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t lose the light until the very last moment of the last day. That¡¯s what the Mastermind wants.¡± ¡°...Okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll find a way. I¡¯ll do whatever it takes, so don¡¯t lose hope.¡± With those final words, Kania began to leave the room slowly. ¡°Thank you for today, Kania.¡± ¡°...For what¡± Frey, seeing Kania off to the door, expressed his gratitude with a gentle expression. ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°...¡± But at that moment, Frey¡¯s eyes began to turn red. ¡°Grr...¡± It was the demonification. ¡°G-goodbye, Kania.¡± ¡°Young Mast-¡° - Bang!! As his left arm and leg grotesquely transformed, Frey, sweating profusely, slammed the door shut. - Slide... Moments later, separated by the closed door, both Frey and Kania leaned against it and slid down to the floor. ¡°Huff, huff...¡± Frey, for the first time realizing his desire to live after hearing Kania¡¯s words, began to tremble in fear. ¡°Sob, sob... uuuu...¡± Kania, desperately holding back the tears that she had been suppressing, let out choking sobs. A stark contrast from their earlier atmosphere now existed on opposite sides of the wall. . . . . . Meanwhile, in the bushes near the harbor inn. - I don¡¯t want to die... I want to live. - Why, why... isn¡¯t the divinity working... I already gathered so much... Why... The Hero Party, somehow eavesdropping on their conversation without being detected, overheard their conversation. ¡°Is this... all true?¡± ¡°Are all the memories... real?¡± They were in a panic, chattering noisily. Alice and Eurelia had completely dead eyes. ¡°...Strength? Why?¡± Aishi muttered to herself with unfocused eyes. - Just in case, we should visit the mansion... ¡°B-Brother? It¡¯s a lie. It has to be a lie, right?¡± And finally, except for Aria, who was trembling while still clutching the eavesdropping magical device, the rest were silent. - Ah, I guess it¡¯s no use. - Thud...! When Aria dropped the eavesdropping magical device powerlessly, complete silence settled around them. - Beep, beep... Beep beep... At the moment the Hero Party learned the truth about the Hero, Frey¡¯s remaining days were shortened to six. 1. MacGuffin is an object, device, or event that is necessary to the plot and the motivation of the characters, but insignificant, unimportant, or irrelevant in itself. Chapter 389: D-5 As soon as morning came, Frey¡¯s party left the harbor inn and started looking for a ship to quickly return to their base in the Empire. Although Irina could use teleportation, it was too risky for Frey¡¯s unstable soul. While Frey¡¯s party was busy, the Hero Party hiding in the forest near the harbor had their activities restricted. Too many people had fallen into a panic after recalling the truth. However, they couldn¡¯t just sit and do nothing. Taking advantage of the chaotic atmosphere, those who remembered bits of the truth about Frey and the world secretly gathered in a temporary meeting room. Given the circumstances, no one was willing to speak lightly. ¡°To conclude... the memories we¡¯ve recalled are likely true.¡± The one who broke the long silence was Arianne, Irina¡¯s childhood friend. ¡°You¡¯ve all heard the recording from the eavesdropping device that Alice and I made.¡± Being the sub-heroine with the least connection to Frey, Arianne was the least affected by the panic and began briefing on behalf of the panicked sub-heroines. ¡°Of course, our memories vary. And many in the Hero Party haven¡¯t recalled anything.¡± ¡°But if we look at the commonalities among those gathered here, the story becomes clearer.¡± Arianne bit her lip and spoke. ¡°I believe that those of us who have recalled memories have all, knowingly or unknowingly, received grace or inflicted harm upon Frey.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, everyone?¡± When she asked with a somber expression, everyone¡¯s faces began to twist. ¡°Frey is the Hero of Money, and he was the one who paid for scholarships for the second years like me and saved the freshmen...¡± The first to speak among them was Alice. ¡°And I, without knowing this, stabbed him with my sword every week. He even did that to weaken my Curse of Subjugation.¡± Alice, speaking with a tearful expression, clenched her hands. Her hands were always stained with blood and she recognized that fact. But recently, she had been trying to make it all up in preparation to become her hero secretary after graduation. It¡¯s just that the person she hated the most turned out to be the one who saved her all this time. - Drip... Her fingernails dug into her hands, and both familiar blood and unfamiliar tears dripped onto the desk. ¡°That wasn¡¯t just a nightmare? Then... what about my family? What about my father?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I can¡¯t accept it. Until the investigation results come out...¡± Next to speak was Eurelia. According to the nightmare she recalled, her family was essentially the root cause of everything. ¡°I can¡¯t trust¨C¡± - Beep... beep... beep... ¡°...What?¡± Her expression, which was desperately denying everything, became devastated as a report started coming from her communication crystal. But none of them wanted to know or think about the contents of the report. They were struggling to handle the truth themselves, with no energy left to worry about others. ¡°Uh, ugh...¡± ¡°...Nng?¡± The meeting room fell silent again, save for the soft groans of the Youngest Paladin with golden eyes and Miho, who had recalled memories but was still trying to grasp the situation. ¡°Was I... his escort knight?¡± In that dreadful atmosphere, Vener quietly spoke. ¡°The reason I couldn¡¯t swear fealty to anyone... was that the reason?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°No, no way.¡± Terrified and trembling more than anyone, Vener stood up, gasping. Her slowly recovering memories started flooding back all at once. Remembering kidnapping young Frey. The moment she realized the truth about her family there. Frey forgives her, and the little Frey shows affection and playfulness towards her every day at the mansion. At first, she couldn¡¯t adjust, but whenever Frey happily called her his escort knight, it subtly warmed her heart. And then. She remembers the moment she threw herself to protect Lady Starlight and Frey from a mysterious attacker. ¡°Ah, ah...¡± Once the memories began to resurface, they continued in a panorama. ¡°Young Master?¡± ¡°Vener...!¡± A few days after the attack, she woke up to find Frey dozing off beside her bed. The moment he heard her voice, Frey woke up with a happy expression and rubbed his cheek against her. ¡°You¡¯re still my escort knight. No one can replace you.¡± After hearing those words, she decided to live her life as his knight. There were many episodes that followed. Memories of single-handedly taking down bandits who tried to kidnap Frey. The time she went on an adventure for a few weeks with Frey, who suddenly wanted to explore. The days of secret battles against the shady Isolet, who constantly targeted young Frey when she became a professor at the academy. The childish pranks and dates Frey often had with Ruby left her feeling subtly jealous. And the trip she took with Frey, Ruby, and their friends about a year before entering the academy. ¡°If it¡¯s the Hero of Money...¡± Aishi¡¯s hands started trembling. - Truly he¡¯s a blessing to our kingdom. He was also the one who informed us about the magic crystal. The king wishes to see him. If you manage to contact him, please invite him... Her memories were somewhat restored by now. That meant she knew the true identity of the Hero of Money. ¡°I must contact him somehow. Right now.¡± - Pardon? May I ask the reason... ¡°I have a magic-related question. It¡¯s a curse that must be resolved within a few days. Please, it¡¯s urgent...¡± - Sigh. Listen carefully, Princess. Aishi, who had been speaking more urgently than ever, listened blankly to the voice coming from the crystal ball. - That person is a fraud. ¡°A fraud?¡± - He had no magical knowledge or abilities. He only used the magic crystal to perform tricks. It felt like a hammer had struck Aishi¡¯s head. Then, what about the method he told her to break the Frozen Heart Curse? It clearly worked on Frey, so what¨C - The magical scrolls he had, and the curse-breaking methods he gave you, have all been verified as complete fabrications. ¡°...¡± - You haven¡¯t transferred the curse to anyone yet, right? That¡¯s a relief. If his methods were lies, you would never be able to retrieve the curse once transferred. Aishi¡¯s grip loosened, and the communication crystal rolled off her desk. - We will find a suitable condemned prisoner soon. I know the thought repulses you, but there¡¯s no other choice¨C ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!!!¡± - Crash!!! Unable to bear the calm voice from the crystal any longer, Aishi screamed and smashed the crystal to pieces. ¡°Uaaa, ugh...¡± Clenching her now bleeding hands, she began to tear at her hair. - I told you, didn¡¯t I? Once you transfer that curse, it¡¯s irreversible. ¡°Yo The voice echoed in her mind again. - The reason Hero Frey is going to die in a week is because of your Frozen Heart Curse. ¡°Ugh, ahh... ahhhh...¡± - Because of your foolish choice, the one hero who understood you is going to freeze to death. What an idiot. ¡°Ah...¡± The light in Aishi¡¯s eyes began to fade. - Shhhh... A mixture of sky blue and purple demonic energy began to swirl around her. ¡°I... I killed him? Because of me, Frey... the Hero of Money... in seven days...¡± - Do you need power now? ¡°Ugh, ugh...¡± Hearing this, Aishi collapsed onto the desk. - Enough. I¡¯m tired of persuading you. Your mental defenses are down, so just quietly hand over control to me. ¡°Hero...¡± - I¡¯ll give you power anyway. Not for your sake, of course. ¡°I¡¯m... Unable to finish her sentence, Aishi slowly closed her eyes. - Crack, crackle...!!! Soon, her body was enveloped in powerful demonic energy. . . . . . That night. - Crack, crackle...! The western continent¡¯s harbor began to freeze over. ¡°Huff, huff...¡± ¡°What is that...¡± Terrified residents fled in panic from the sudden winter in the middle of summer. ¡°This can¡¯t be...¡± ¡°What on earth is happening...?¡± The Hero Party, battered and looking up at the sky, was in shock. ¡°Aishi...¡± ¡°Why... why did this happen?¡± Aishi, her eyes now sky blue, looked down at them with a cold gaze as countless ice spears floated in the air. Chapter 390: D-4 - Crack, crackle...! The ice spears hovering in the sky ripped through the air and crashed into the ground. - Rumble, rumble...! The Hero Party watched in horror, their faces went pale. If that attack hit them, it was obvious what would happen. ¡°Who... who can still move?¡± ¡°I-I ¡°Neither can I...¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± They had already exhausted much of their strength trying to stop Aishi¡¯s rampage that had started hours ago. Their key members were also unable to perform at their best, their minds shattered from recalling the truth. Fortunately, there have been no casualties so far. But if those sharp ice spears hit them directly, the outcome was clear. ¡°Hyaaaah!¡± Understanding this, Arianne quickly leaped forward. Moments later, her large shield spell protected the entire Hero Party just before the ice spears struck. - Crackle, crackle...! ¡°Ugh...¡± In terms of defensive magic, she was even more proficient than Irina. But everything had its limits. - Crack, crackle... Cracks began to slowly form in her shield. - Crackle, crackle... ¡°Impossible...¡± Despite not giving up and reinforcing the barrier, Arianne looked up and shook her head. ¡°This... is my limit... ¡°Everyone... run.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll try to hold her off...¡± As a defensive mage, Arianne was not supposed to say such things. - Crackle, crackle... ¡°Go now! I¡¯ll buy time...!¡± She knew this better than anyone, but she still screamed at the top of her lungs, pouring all her remaining strength into the barrier. ¡°...Ugh.¡± When the ice spears combined and began to grow into a massive structure, she finally fell silent and slumped to the ground. ¡°Aishi, why... Why are you doing this...¡± ¡°Watch out!¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± Just before Arianne was crushed, Vener hurriedly carried her away and tried to flee the harbor. ¡°That appearance... looks like a demon? But why Aishi?¡± ¡°Could she be... the Demon King?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible! Just a few days ago, she was her playful self!¡± Following them, the panicked Hero Party retreated, chattering in fear. Now, a huge mass of ice cast a shadow over them. ¡°A-Aria?!¡± Someone screamed in alarm as they fled, noticing Aria collapsing in the rear. ¡°Ugh...¡± Aria, who had been helping those who fell behind, had stumbled and fallen herself. ¡°S-Someone help!¡± ¡°What is this?¡± It wasn¡¯t Aria¡¯s fault. At that moment, several others also began to fall. - Crack, crackle... The ground of the harbor was freezing rapidly, trapping the ankles of those running. ¡°No, no... I don¡¯t want to die...¡± ¡°Run! Don¡¯t look back, just run!¡± Those whose ankles were frozen in place either fell into despair or shouted for their friends to flee. The ice and cold climbed from their ankles to their legs. ¡°What should we do...¡± ¡°It¡¯s too late...¡± ¡°What?¡± As the students tried to turn back, Alice¡¯s words stopped them, causing confusion. ¡°A-Alice! Don¡¯t lose hope!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not too late! If we hurry, we can save them! I¡¯ll go right now...¡± ¡°...It¡¯s too late for all of us.¡± Alice responded again with a fearful expression. ¡°When the barrier breaks... w-we¡¯ll all be caught... every single one of us...¡± Finally understanding the situation, the students turned their terrified eyes to the massive ice formation that had completely enveloped the barrier. ¡°Let me go. I¡¯ll try to hold out...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay too. Let¡¯s do this together.¡± Vener and Arianne, who had been retreating with the students, stopped and started heading back inside. ¡°We¡¯ll help too...¡± ¡°D-Don¡¯t come...¡± It was too dark to see who he was, and Aria, unaware of his identity, warned him as sharper and more numerous ice fragments fell on her. There was no time to swing his sword. The fragments had already reached her. ¡°Ahhh!!¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± Desperately, the man charged at Aria and shielded her with his body. - Crack! Crack! Crack! The ice fragments struck the ground with a chilling sound, encasing them in a spherical ice prison. ¡°...¡± The Hero Party stared blankly at the man who continued to protect Aria in his arms. . . . . . ¡°A troublesome... person has arrived...¡± Aishi muttered coldly, looking down. ¡°...¡± The five main heroines, Isolet, and Lulu, who had teleported in after hearing the news, stood blocking Aishi¡¯s path. - Shhhh...! - Crack, crack...! Gazing disapprovingly at them, Aishi turned her attention to Ruby, who was emitting ruby-colored demonic energy in front of her. - Roar...! Sky blue and ruby-colored energy engulfed the entire harbor, soaring upwards like a giant butterfly spreading its wings. ¡°As you have relinquished your position as the Demon King, your power will continue to wane.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll be able to protect everyone like this in the future?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± In the midst of that scene, Ruby glared at Aishi with a murderous look. ¡°Eye bastard, it¡¯s your doing.¡± ¡°Who, me? Whose eye?¡± ¡°Bastard...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anything abou¨C Ugh.¡± Aishi covered her mouth with one of her hands as she smiled mischievously, but suddenly, she stumbled and her expression twisted. ¡°...Pointless resistance.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Stop... stop resisting.¡± With a frown, she muttered under her breath. ¡°Well, I admire your effort, so I¡¯ll retreat for today.¡± She smiled again, encasing herself in ice. ¡°Look forward to the final battle of the second semester, the ¡®Academy Siege.¡¯¡± ¡°Wait...¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ll probably be too busy with the Hero¡¯s funeral. Hah, hahah...¡± She laughed, scattering snow everywhere before disappearing. ¡°...¡± Ruby, clawing at the spot where Aishi vanished, bit her lip and turned away. - Roar... The entire harbor city of the Western Continent was covered in ice. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ruby, breaking into a cold sweat at the chilling sight, started walking slowly. ¡°I have something to say! As the former Demon King, let me...¡± She tried to speak humorously to her group but stopped in her tracks at what she saw. ¡°B-Brother.¡± ¡°Cough, cough...¡± Frey and Aria, who had been rescued from the shattered ice sphere, were surrounded by the group. Frey, clearly in bad shape, was holding Aria, stroking her head with a trembling smile. ¡°My dear Aria... you¡¯ve been through a lot, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ugh, ugh...¡± Blood flowed from his mouth and the stump where his left arm used to be. ¡°I¡¯m sorry... for everything. My sweet little sister.¡± ¡°Brother...¡± Frey¡¯s left arm was completely severed. ¡°Help... help him... Someone, please...¡± ¡°...¡± The Hero Party members, watching in shock, collapsed into the snow one by one. ¡°Frey!!¡± The main heroines, staring with lifeless eyes, watched Ruby, who urgently cast healing spells on Frey while running towards him. - Whoosh... Along with the unexpected winter wind, Frey¡¯s remaining time was slipping away. Chapter 391: D-3 Chapter 391: D-3 ¡°Uh...¡± ¡°B-Brother!!¡± ¡°Lord Frey!!¡± Struggling to open my heavy eyelids, I saw the faces of Aria and Vener standing over me. They both looked haggard. Has something happened? ¡°Ah.¡± Thinking that, I remembered the events right before I lost consciousness, and my expression went blank. Aishi transformed into the Demon King. The harbor of the Western Continent is frozen solid. The Hero Party is under attack. I had revealed myself to protect them from Aishi¡¯s onslaught. What happened after that? It was hard to recall as I was losing consciousness due to the side effects. My last memory was boarding the ship the main heroines had secured. Looking out the window at the sea, it seemed we were still on the ship. ¡°...Haha.¡± I turned my head and saw my left arm was missing. Normally, this would be shocking, but I felt nothing. It just confirmed that shielding Aria from the ice shards wasn¡¯t a dream. Am I becoming desensitized to such things? But the Curse of Mental Weakness should still be in effect. ¡°Sniff, sniff...¡± Turning to the right, I saw my sister holding my hand and sobbing. ¡°Aria, stop.¡± ¡°Sniff, sniff...¡± My sister looked ugly when she cried. Why ruin such a pretty face? ¡°Hmm.¡± Smiling at her to reassure her, I glanced at the calendar on the far wall. ¡°This is bad...¡± I had been unconscious for a day. That left only three days. Time was slipping away too quickly. ¡°B-brother. I, I...¡± ¡°Calm down. I¡¯m fine.¡± Seeing my eyes waver slightly, Aria spoke urgently, so I reassured her in a soft voice. ¡°I was planning to remove my left arm anyway. It wasn¡¯t part of me anymore. It¡¯s good I saved you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Heh. It¡¯s so awkward talking to you like this after so many years.¡± Hearing that, Aria began to cry again, making her face ugly once more. ¡°I¡¯m sorry... I¡¯m so sorry, brother...¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry too, sister. For dragging you into this tragedy.¡± ¡°Waaah...¡± ¡°I told you not to cry.¡± I had so many things I wanted to say if this day ever came, but none of them came to mind. My mind felt blank. ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t die... Please... It¡¯s all my fault... Please don¡¯t die...¡± My entire body felt like it was vibrating, and Aria clung to me, soaking me with her tears. ¡°Stop clinging to me.¡± ¡°Eek...¡± I pinched her cheek, a childhood habit, and she stared at me blankly. I used to do this to my chubby-cheeked sister often. It felt nostalgic. ¡°...I love you, sister.¡± Smiling at her familiar foolishness, I felt like I needed to say it now. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being a lousy brother.¡± ¡°Sniff...¡± And just like that, I made her cry again. I didn¡¯t want to be a bad brother until the end. ¡°Aria, go out for a bit. I¡¯ll see you in the dining room.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to... I still...¡± ¡°Please. And Vener, could you gather everyone?¡± Patting Aria¡¯s back, I sent her out of the room and spoke to Vener. ¡°I have something to say... before it¡¯s too late.¡± - Thump, thump... Cold sweat ran down my body, and my heart pounded. The Curse of Mental Weakness drained my mental resilience, pushing me into the terror of impending death. The moment everything ends. The moment everything becomes nothing. When I cease to perceive or exist. ¡°...Grr.¡± Realizing this, chills spread through my body, and I started trembling. I¡¯m scared. Terrified to the core. I wanted to run away. My complete annihilation with no afterlife, and no second chances, was terrifying, but most of all, the thought of never seeing my loved ones again scared me the most. ¡°Please, Vener?¡± But this was the path I chose. It was laughable for me to be afraid now. Suppressing those feelings, I forced a smile and asked. ¡°...¡± But they had seen my moment of panic. Vener and Aria were looking at me with vacant eyes. ¡°...Understood.¡± Vener gently pushed Aria forward and closed the door. ¡°Alright then.¡± ¡°Young Master...¡± Waving my right hand at her as she left, Vener turned and whispered. It felt strange to hear her call me Young Master.¡¯ ¡°If you die, I will end my life as well.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Her lifeless declaration left me with a slightly awkward expression. ¡°A sword that has stabbed its master should be discarded.¡± ¡°Wait...¡± ¡°Well then, goodbye.¡± Leaving those words, Vener quietly exited the room. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°And if I have time, to the Sun as well. I don¡¯t know if it will work, but I want to at least make a dent in it.¡± The Sun God, nodding, looked down at me with dark eyes. ¡°...Help me up. I need to go out for a bit.¡± As I extended my right hand and asked her, the Sun God took my hand and lifted me up from the bed. ¡°Please take me to the dining hall.¡± It might be a bit late, but I had to try to complete my bucket list as much as possible. For example, laughing and chatting while having a meal with the children. Or experiencing a normal academic life. ¡°Please.¡± Even if just for a day. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that time, in the dragon lair area of the Western Continent... ¡°You... You think you can do this and get away with it...¡± Floating in mid-air, legs crossed, the fully matured Aishi looked down at the baby dragons frozen in place. ¡°A puny half-blood demon... How dare you...¡± ¡°These lizards talk too much.¡± Aishi, surveying the dragons trembling in the cold air that filled the dragon lair, muttered in a cold voice. ¡°Submit.¡± ¡°Grraargh...¡± ¡°Grrr...¡± When she raised her hand, the dragons groaned as their hearts began to freeze. ¡°Stop.¡± At the front, the leader, a dragon several times larger, snarled in an angry voice. ¡°What exactly do you want from us...¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. Your entire species must become my servants.¡± ¡°How dare you...!¡± The leader¡¯s eyes widened, prompting Aishi to raise her hand higher. ¡°Grraargh...¡± ¡°Grrr...¡± ¡°If you fight me now, the baby dragons behind you will be in danger.¡± ¡°You...¡± ¡°These baby dragons behind you are the last dragons left in this world, aren¡¯t they? I could kill all of them except you.¡± The leader dragon swallowed hard at her words. ¡°What do you want us to do.¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. I need you to attack a certain place.¡± Aishi whispered to the dragon in a low voice. ¡°I need a boss monster to destroy the academy.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Well then, I leave it to you. Oh, and only I can thaw their hearts, so don¡¯t try anything foolish.¡± With that, Aishi covered her mouth with her hand and smiled as she left the dragon¡¯s lair. ¡°...Hmmm.¡± Upon leaving the lair, she stopped abruptly. ¡°This feels strange.¡± Aishi murmured with a suddenly expressionless face. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve possessed such a lowly being.¡± She then started moving her body here and there with a curious expression. ¡°It¡¯s a new experience to participate in the story I used to just watch. It¡¯s not ideal to imitate a lowly dimension¡¯s female, though.¡± A smile spread across her face. ¡°But it was getting boring. It¡¯s far more fun than just watching. This is the most enjoyable moment since I was born as the proxy of my sleeping main body.¡± As she spoke, her eyes turned black. Then, she suddenly frowned and stopped walking. ¡°How annoying. You should have quietly disappeared instead of resisting. Because of you, your personality is seeping through.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± Annoyed, she clicked her tongue and quietly raised her hand. ¡°Resistance is futile. Everything is under my control.¡± Various forms began to appear above her hand. Among the many faces of people, her gaze was fixed on one place. - Scree...eek...! ¡°Star God. Even your last hope.¡± A disheveled Glare was fighting monsters in the rough sea. ¡°If I can¡¯t read fate, I just need to intervene until the outcome becomes obvious.¡± As she said this, she started to walk away. ¡°As a mere character, act according to your role...¡± She suddenly frowned again. ¡°What is this?¡± Next to Glare, a completely dark screen was visible. ¡°Why can¡¯t I see it?¡± Her eyebrows furrowed. ¡°Another being whose fate cannot be read?¡± As she spoke, she reached out to the screen. ¡°What an annoying management system. If it weren¡¯t for this, I would have devoured this dimension long ago...¡± She tried tapping the dark screen, shaking it, and eventually pouted her lips. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that time. Solar Room Lunar and Stellar not allowed! - Click, click... In a dark room, Roswyn was hunched over, staring at something and moving her hands quickly with a weary look in her eyes. Learning Coding Easily for Elementary Students Earth Culture Instruction Manual! In her lap was a book full of the Sun God¡¯s notes. Chapter 392: D-2 A cold silence pervaded the dining hall of the ship heading to the Empire. Everyone except the heroines and Ruby were gathered there. ¡°Um... Hmm.¡± Frey, supported by the Sun God, had just entered the dining hall and was looking around awkwardly as he sat down. ¡°H-Hi.¡± Breaking the long-lasting awkward atmosphere, Frey forced a greeting. ¡°E-Everyone... good to see you. Haha...¡± The children watching him had their eyes filled with confusion. The image of Frey they knew was that of a rogue, the Empire¡¯s greatest villain, and more recently, a madman. But the Frey in front of them now looked so innocent and pure. He seemed like a person who had been possessed by a demon and had now returned to his original self, leaving the children even more speechless than before. ¡°I always wanted to have a meal like this with all of you.¡± Looking around at them, Frey quietly reached for the fork and knife. ¡°I have so much I want to talk about, and...¡± But then he stopped and trembled. ¡°...¡± He had grabbed the knife, but there was no hand to hold the fork. Not yet accustomed to having lost his left arm, he could only give an awkward smile and put the knife down again. ¡°I-I can help...¡± ¡°N-No...!¡± Alice tried to help Frey by reaching for the knife, but Frey immediately stood up in fear. Alice froze in place with a knife in her hand and the children also stiffened. ¡°Huff, huff...¡± ¡°F-Frey....¡± ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m just in a weird state right now.¡± Reading the children¡¯s expressions, Frey forced a smile and sat back down. - Thump, thump... His heartbeat beat wildly. The fact that he had less than three days left was continuously eroding Frey¡¯s already weakened mental state, which was fixed at 1. ¡°The reason I called you here today... is because there¡¯s something I want to do with you.¡± ¡°Eating together and talking with all of you. It¡¯s something I¡¯ve always wanted to try at least once.¡± Despite his crumbling mental state, Frey mustered his remaining strength to speak, looking around at the children. ¡°Amy, how did you do on your exams?¡± ¡°H-Huh?¡± ¡°You always worried about your grades, right?¡± Turning to a female student, he asked her a question. ¡°You didn¡¯t neglect your studies because of the Hero Party, did you? You need at least minimal grades to graduate...¡± ¡°I-I did well, thanks to you, Hero...¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Receiving her trembling voice with a smile, Frey turned his gaze to another student and spoke. ¡°Leona, are your parents doing better?¡± ¡°Yes, yes...¡± ¡°Leah, your younger sibling is sick right now. But it¡¯s an early stage, so it should be manageable.¡± ¡°...!¡± And thus, Frey started a conversation. ¡°Arianne, you¡¯re doing well, but the end of your barrier is weak. If you can reinforce that part... ¡°Alice, I¡¯ll tell you the location of the Secret Lord, which is the last key to breaking the Curse of Subjugation. You have to end it yourself... ¡°Eurelia, you have two potential paths. I hope you choose the brighter one. ¡°Kids with colored mana, you can use the joint technique. Just like Ferloche¡¯s blessing of the Sun God and Irina¡¯s ultimate magic, it is also classified as an ultimate move, you must practice it...¡± r? Since he had no friends to chat with during meals, Frey ended up giving advice that would help them as he didn¡¯t know what to talk. Despite that, he looked happy. The children¡¯s expressions darkened as they watched Frey, who seemed like an innocent child giving essential advice. ¡°Brother...¡± Even Aria, trembling beside Frey as if she might collapse at any moment, was no exception. His appearance resembled that of someone settling their affairs before death. To the students who knew Frey would die within a few days, it was all too obvious. ¡°Ah, and Vener, you...¡± ¡°D-Don¡¯t go, Lord Frey.¡± ¡°W-What?¡± For the first time, Vener interrupted Frey¡¯s continued speech. ¡°We... we need you.¡± She was gripping his hand with a broken expression. ¡°I-I was... your sword. I¡¯ve just now learned this.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I-If the master disappears, the sword becomes useless. It loses its purpose.¡± Vener knelt before Frey and begged. ¡°Please... please don¡¯t leave... Please...¡± Frey¡¯s expression, already pushed to the limit, began to crumble. ¡°P-Professor.¡± At that moment, Eurelia approached Frey with her entire body trembling. ¡°T-Take this... please...¡± ¡°...What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s a healing potion... If you drink it, you might return to normal...¡± She handed him a half-full bottle. It was the potion Roswyn gave her back during the Academy Erosion Incident. ¡°P-Please... We need you, Professor...¡± Fortunately, Isolet seemed more composed than expected. ¡°I¡¯m searching for the Bywalker family¡¯s secret techniques. Even the forbidden technique of turning a person into an Ego Sword, which my Father was researching.¡± ¡°Sis...?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let you disappear. I¡¯ll do anything to keep you in this world. No matter the cost, I¡¯ll...¡± Never mind. She seemed to have become the most dangerous. ¡°Sis, calm down¨C¡± ¡°Frey.¡± ¡°Ruby!¡± Frey, feeling a chill and trying to calm Isolet down, turned at the sound of a familiar voice. ¡°...¡± ¡°Uh, well, about this situation...¡± He began to explain the situation. ¡°...?¡± Then he stepped back as he felt an ominous feeling. ¡°Why did you hide it?¡± ¡°Ruby?¡± ¡°Why. Did. You. Hide. It, Frey.¡± Ruby approached, radiating a cold aura. ¡°W-What...¡± ¡°You have only two days left to live.¡± Trying to explain, Frey hung his head at her words. ¡°Listen, Ruby.¡± ¡°Shut up. Frey, you¨C¡± ¡°Do you know about Star Rubies?¡± ¡°...?¡± Ruby tilted her head, confused by Frey¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s a special Ruby with six white streaks like a star.¡± ¡°What does that...¡± ¡°I want to merge with you.¡± ¡°...!?¡± Frey embraced her and whispered in her ear. ¡°Every fragment of my shattered soul.¡± ¡°Ughhhhhh...¡± Hearing this, Ruby clutched his clothes and collapsed. - Poooouuu...!!! Before they knew it, the ship had entered the Empire¡¯s harbor. . . . . . ¡°Please succeed...¡± Meanwhile, in the Debug Room. ¡°Please, please, please...¡± Roswyn, looking exhausted, tore at her hair as she stared at the error messages on the monitor. ¡°If this fails again, it¡¯s over... Please...¡± It had been hellish days. In the strange space known as the Debug Room, adapting to and applying the complex, esoteric tool used by the gods called a ¡®computer,¡¯ and the unfamiliar concepts of ¡®coding,¡¯ in such a short time was almost impossible. ¡°Please succeed... Please, please...¡± However, Frey¡¯s overwhelming tragedy was playing beside her. However, the ¡®coding language¡¯ inside the computer, for some reason, was the family cipher ¡®alphabet¡¯ that she had been forced to learn as a child. However, the Sun God had translated and explained everything into the Imperial language in her numerous notebooks. It was like everything aligned perfectly for her at this very moment. ¡°Please, Mr. Computer...¡± Roswyn, staring at the monitor with an anxious expression, placed her hand on the mouse. The simplest commands filled her vision and the monitor. SunPy 1.0 - Glare file def escape()glare = position(137,60,86) teleport(glare) >>escape() Staring blankly at the core part of the code, Roswyn clicked the mouse with trembling hands. ¡°Ahhhhhh!?¡± She screamed as she felt all the strength leaving her body. - Crackle, crackle... Golden sparks ran through her body as a price for daring to meddle with divinity as a mortal. ¡°No...¡± As she tried to pull her hand away, her eyes were drawn to the tragedy playing beside her. ¡°...Grit.¡± Gritting her teeth, she pressed the mouse harder. Executed. - Crackle... As her consciousness began to fade, the monitor displayed that message. ¡°...Hehe.¡± A faint smile appeared on Roswyn¡¯s lips as she finally let go of the mouse. Chapter 393: D-1 - Snap...! ¡°Get lost, you squid head!! Go away!!¡± Glare, who had been fighting monsters along the West Coast just moments ago, suddenly found herself in a completely different environment. ¡°If you don¡¯t go away...! Uwahhhh?¡± Due to the spatial displacement, she ended up losing her balance and falling to the ground. ¡°...Huh?¡± She looked around in confusion, unable to comprehend the sudden change in scenery, and slowly got up, dusting herself off. - Drip... drip... The seawater dripping from her soaked clothes began to form a puddle on the dark room¡¯s floor. Roswyn¡¯s Room ¡°Where did that bald monster go...?¡± Glare mumbled in confusion as she looked around the room, filled with white may lilies and star flowers. . . . . . - Thud, thud... After a few days of sailing, Frey and his party disembarked from the ship at the harbor, trudging along wearily. - Click! Click, click!! The loud sounds of shutters clicking surrounded them as they walked. ¡°Over here, please look this way!¡± ¡°Is it true that you¡¯ve lost your powers as a consequence of overthrowing the Church!?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with the Hero Ruby? There are rumors of one-sided violence...¡± Reporters swarmed around Frey, bombarding him with curious questions. ¡°There are reports that the victims of your recent actions are voicing their grievances. What do you have to say about that?¡± ¡°There are accusations that you were responsible for the harbor freezing incident in the Western Continent. Is that true...?¡± Frey, struggling to walk amidst the barrage of questions, stopped and began to tremble. ¡°Victims...?¡± Frey muttered with a pale face, slipping his hand into his pocket. ¡°Oh right. I had changed my perspective...¡± He secretly held the helper potion given by Eurelia, which glowed faintly in his pocket. He planned to drink these potions as much as he could once the system was restored and penalties were imposed, in order to face Aishi. Rather than the potions given by the thought forms of the Hero Party from a thousand years ago, the half-filled potion given by Eurelia was likely to be more effective. r? So, Frey pretended to drink the potion in front of Eurelia and the others, hiding it in his pocket. The children would think he had taken the potion, and wouldn¡¯t worry excessively about his mental state. ¡°I-it¡¯s all my fault... hehe.¡± However, this choice left the Curse of Mental Weakness persistently hanging over him. ¡°Sorry...¡± Although the curse had almost worn off after being in effect for so long, it still affected him enough to hurt his feelings when he heard the aggressive questions from the reporters. ¡°How did you lose your left arm?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your response to the scandal involving Princess Clana?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be facing trial soon. Do you have any plans?¡± The reporters¡¯ sharp, knife-like questions continued to rain down on Frey, who kept his head bowed. Convinced by his missing left arm that he had indeed lost his powers, the reporters began to push their luck. ¡°What are your plans for the future?¡± ¡°...My plans?¡± As the heroines glared at the reporters and tried to take Frey away from the harbor, he raised his hand to stop them and began to speak slowly. ¡°I plan to spend a day wandering around the empire... and then I will attend the academy.¡± His eyes looked incredibly hollow. ¡°For just one day.¡± The reporters, who had been taking notes with bored expressions, suddenly widened their eyes at Frey¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯ll spend just one day living a normal academy life... and then I¡¯ll drop out. I¡¯ve already submitted my withdrawal form.¡± As soon as he said this, the cameras started flashing again. ¡°What will you do after dropping out?¡± ¡°Do I have to tell you that?¡± ¡°Please answer!¡± ¡°We need to know where you¡¯re going to prepare for it!!¡± Looking at the reporters with weary eyes, Frey slowly turned his gaze to the people gathered at the empire¡¯s harbor. Victims of Frey Association Send the Monster Frey to the Gallows! You Could Be the Next Victim! There were still some of his former servants who hadn¡¯t come to their senses, the families, and friends of the villains Frey had punished, and imperial citizens holding placards and shouting along with these people. ¡°...It doesn¡¯t seem like I¡¯ll be staying in the empire.¡± Frey, looking at them with a forlorn expression, answered while biting his lip. ¡°I¡¯m planning to hide away somewhere in the mountains of the Eastern Continent, living out my days peacefully... or at least that¡¯s what I intend to do.¡± ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll be leaving.¡± After finishing his words and giving the people around him a vacant look, Frey trudged down the stairs. ¡°Who said you could leave!?¡± ¡°Stop him! Frey is trying to escape!¡± - Thud, thud... ¡°...?¡± The five main heroines, Ruby, Lulu, Isolet, and the Hero Party quietly followed behind him. Thanks to this, the reporters and protestors halted their pursuit, staring blankly at the scene. Without paying them any mind, the group moved forward, surrounding the dejected Frey. . . . . . ¡°...We finally arrived. This brings back so many memories.¡± Leaving the harbor, Frey and his party headed to none other than the Starlight Mansion. ¡°I always wanted to visit this place one last time.¡± The longing in Frey¡¯s eyes as he looked at the mansion, a place dearer to him than anything, shone brightly. ¡°B-Brother...¡± Aria, watching him with a worried expression, opened her mouth with a pale face. ¡°W-Well, the thing is... right now¨C¡± ¡°Aria. Father is also staying at the mansion, right?¡± Frey asked, cutting off her words. Following his advice, Abraham, who had been in a long coma, had been temporarily moved to the well-guarded mansion for better care than the hospital could provide. ¡°That¡¯s good. Since I¡¯m here, I should see Father too. I might as well visit my room, have a meal in the dining room, and visit Mother¡¯s room as well...¡± ¡°But... there¡¯s ancient magic... and since I exiled you, Brother, you can¡¯t enter...¡± ¡°I¡¯m envious... I can¡¯t handle spirits yet. Spirit magic isn¡¯t something just anyone can do, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Originally, only three races in the world could use it.¡± ¡°Can you teach me how?¡± ¡°...Spirit magic?¡± Ruby, who had been mechanically answering with a lifeless expression, slowly turned her head to look at Frey. ¡°Yes... Please. I beg you.¡± The desperate look in his eyes was apparent. Although he didn¡¯t say it, it was clear that Frey¡¯s wish was to leave a part of himself with everyone somehow. - Grab...! ¡°Focus.¡± Realizing this, Ruby clasped Frey¡¯s hand. ¡°I can¡¯t teach you now, but I can guide a spirit.¡± ¡°R-Really? Then please.¡± ¡°Take a deep breath and calm your mind. I¡¯ll handle the rest.¡± Soon, their hands began to glow blue. - Shaaa... After a while, a silver light began to form in their hands. ¡°...Purrrr.¡± ¡°W-Wow.¡± A curious sound came from within, and Frey looked on in amazement. ¡°A kitten?¡± A silver kitten lay between their hands, sleeping peacefully with its eyes closed. ¡°Ruby, please take good care of it.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Spirits grow when they receive love, right? You¡¯ll take good care of it, won¡¯t you?¡± Without answering, Ruby lowered her head. Her composure was gradually breaking down. ¡°...It¡¯s your spirit. You should take care of it.¡± ¡°Ruby.¡± ¡°Take care of it... Frey.¡± ¡°Here.¡± Playfully, Frey placed the kitten in Ruby¡¯s arms. ¡°Meow?¡± The silver kitten poked its head out and looked at Ruby, tilting its head. ¡°Ruby... Have you thought about my proposal?¡± ¡°...¡± Watching this scene with sad eyes, Frey cautiously asked. ¡°If it¡¯s a burden or makes you uncomfortable... I¡¯ll think of another way. There are quite a few methods...¡± ¡°If you want, I can offer my body.¡± ¡°No. No, no. That¡¯s not necessary.¡± Frey hastily shook his head and caressed Ruby¡¯s cheek, whispering softly. ¡°I just want to be with you and shine.¡± ¡°The reason star rubies shine is because of the impurities inside.¡± Staring coldly at him, Ruby began to speak. ¡°If you come inside me... will it really be you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Or will it just be a soul fragment filling the wounds in my soul, a soul fragment that sacrifices itself until the end?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± Frey shrugged, and Ruby bit her lip. ¡°I don¡¯t know which it will be, but... personally, I hope it¡¯s the former.¡± ¡°Frey.¡± ¡°I still want to see you all.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I want to raise my spirit, and I want to see our children. I want to give love to you and our children.¡± As he spoke, Frey fought back tears. ¡°So, please pray that it will be the former?¡± Leaving those words, Frey turned to the orphanage director who had been watching anxiously. ¡°L-L-Lord Frey... T-Today is a bit...¡± ¡°Please take care of me today.¡± ¡°What? Ah... Yes!¡± And so, time passed. ¡°The villain has appeared!!¡± ¡°Ahhh!!¡± ¡°Stop right there!!¡± ¡°No way!!¡± At first, the children were wary or afraid of Frey, but thanks to his dedicated efforts, they eventually laughed and played together. ¡°Got you!!¡± ¡°Hehe! Hehehe!!¡± ¡°The boss has been defeated...¡± ¡°Run away!!¡± Ruby, watching Frey smile more happily than ever while playing with the children, quietly turned her back. ¡°By the way, do you know a girl named Glare?¡± ¡°She¡¯s my sister.¡± ¡°Really? Do you know where she is?¡± ¡°She went on a trip. She might take a while to come back.¡± ¡°...I see. I wanted to see her one last time.¡± Ignoring the voice from behind her, Ruby began to walk out of the orphanage. ¡°Oh, by the way...¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Got you!!¡± ¡°Ahhh!¡± Outside the orphanage, it was raining heavily. ¡°Meow...¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Ruby, staring blankly at the scene, sat down and began to pet the kitten in her arms. ¡°Hic, sob. Hic... Huu...¡± Her whole body trembled as she tried to hold back her tears. - Lick. ¡°Help us...¡± When the kitten licked her cheek, Ruby finally broke down, crying out in a cracked voice. ¡°Someone... Anyone... Please...¡± Time passed, and the people walking by on the street glanced at her curiously. Chapter 394: D-Day ¡°H-Hi there, everyone.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°N-Nice to see you.¡± As the final day for Frey came around, he chose to visit the academy. ¡°What¡¯s this? Is it really Frey?¡± ¡°What a sight.¡± ¡°What¡¯s he doing here with that face?¡± As soon as Frey entered the classroom, the atmosphere turned icy. ¡°...Haha.¡± The five main heroines, Lulu, and Isolet were still tirelessly searching the world for a way to save Frey, even on his last day. Of course, they hadn¡¯t found any solutions, not even an alternative, which left them absent from the academy. Thus they couldn¡¯t defend Frey against the still hostile students unaware of the truth. ¡°But didn¡¯t they say his left arm was cut off?¡± ¡°Yeah, and he lost his power because of it.¡± ¡°Must be a fake arm. Didn¡¯t you see the article?¡± As they said, Frey now had a prosthetic arm designed by Serena and Irina. At first glance, it was indistinguishable from a real arm, but up close, it was obviously a cold, hard mechanical arm. They would have preferred a biological arm, but due to Frey¡¯s ongoing demonification, a mechanical arm was the only option. ¡°Hey, take off that glove.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Noble students approached Frey, who was hiding his hand with a white glove. ¡°Take it off. Let¡¯s see if it¡¯s really a prosthetic.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Not taking it off? Must be a prosthetic, then.¡± ¡°So he really lost his power?¡± As the nobles whispered among themselves, Frey, who was trying to maintain a smile, started to crack. ¡°Guys, today is my last day¨C¡± ¡°But it¡¯s funny. How could that maniac even make such a face?¡± ¡°Right? Such a mild expression. Pff.¡± ¡°Our dear Lord Frey, reduced to a commoner, huh?¡± Despite trying to keep his smile, the nobles started to poke and prod him. ¡°Because of you, my family¡¯s connections are all gone. How will you take responsibility?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who shattered my brother¡¯s bones, right?¡± Frey bit his lip in silence as they taunted him. ¡°Look at that. Look!¡± ¡°Pff...¡± Students gathered outside the classroom pointed at him, whispering as if he were an animal in a zoo. ¡°Lord Frey.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Um, this...¡± At that tense moment, members of the Hero Party approached Frey. ¡°...Come over here.¡± Alice, who stepped forward, reached for Frey¡¯s arm. ¡°Here¡¯s what you asked for... Ah.¡± Trying to pull him out of the hostile atmosphere, she froze as she felt the difference in Frey¡¯s left arm. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± ¡°...Okay.¡± She quickly composed herself, gritted her teeth, and helped Frey up. ¡°...¡± The nobles glared coldly at them. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared as much as possible for you to experience academy life. So...¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± Ignoring the nobles¡¯ icy stares, Frey left the classroom. Murderer. Psycho. Pervert. Die. His desk was covered in countless curses. . . . . . Thanks to the Hero Party joining me, the initial clashes didn¡¯t escalate further. Even the nobles hesitated to confront the Hero Party directly. So, I could enjoy my first and last days of academy life as ¡®Frey¡¯ instead of a villain. ¡°Today¡¯s lesson is about the total amount of mana and its limits. Everyone, please turn to page 218...¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Academy classes were fun. I already knew the content from the previous cycles and Serena¡¯s personal tutoring. But it was delightful and enjoyable to learn with the students without having to pretend to be bad or dumb. ¡°I have a question. You said the total amount of mana is fixed for humans, but is there no way to forcibly increase it through training or experiments?¡± ¡°Um... It¡¯s impossible. No human has succeeded.¡± ¡°Then, how about artificially reducing the total amount? It could be useful for deception tactics...¡± ¡°If that¡¯s possible, they¡¯re not human.¡± ¡°It works for me, though...¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°... It¡¯s nothing.¡± Ah, I also asked questions during the class. They kept saying things weren¡¯t possible, even though they worked for me, which was confusing. But then again, I¡¯m an exception to the rules. Wait, but Irina and Serena could adjust their total amount of mana easily too. Were the three of us just weird, or was the theory wrong? ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Eek!?¡± After class, I went around greeting each student. My connections were mostly with the noble factions and the main heroines, so there were many students whose faces I knew but weren¡¯t close to. I wanted to greet everyone while I was at it. ¡°What are you doing? Get away from me...¡± ¡°Ah, um...¡± ¡°Get lost.¡± Of course, most of the students either looked at me with frightened eyes or cold stares. But even so, it was a joyful experience. ¡°It¡¯s lunchtime...¡± ¡°Is that so? Then I¡¯ll join you for lunch.¡± ¡°...Alright.¡± Anyway, life at the academy was full of fun, but it reached its peak when lunchtime came. ¡°F-Frey?¡± ¡°Give me a lot, please!¡± ¡°...?¡± Holding my tray in the common dining hall, I received my food and sat down to eat with the students. ¡°This rye bread... it¡¯s really good.¡± ¡°...¡± I will never forget this moment. ¡°Lord Frey...¡± ¡°Munch, munch... What?¡± ¡°What am I supposed to do now?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± As I enjoyed a peaceful and happy time chatting with the students, Alice, who had been sticking close to me, spoke in a trembling voice. ¡°I¡¯ve spent my whole life as the Secret Lord¡¯s lap dog.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You saved me, and I wanted to serve you for the rest of my life... But now, what should I do with my life...?¡± ¡°You have to find that out for yourself.¡± I answered calmly. ¡°I want to serve you.¡± It¡¯s too late. Even as she continued to ask, I found myself murmuring internally. It¡¯s far too late. Why was this happening? I thought it would be okay because it was the last day. Dark thoughts began to creep up inside me. I might end up saying something I shouldn¡¯t. ¡°...I¡¯m As I forced myself to hold back my words, Alice apologized with a pale face. ¡°I¡¯m ¡°...Hah.¡± Seeing all of them made me laugh. ¡°Hahaha... hah.¡± Is this what I had worked so hard to protect? How pathetic. Even if Clana tried to reform the empire, the roots were already rotting. I was deeply disappointed. Maybe it was the lingering effects of the Curse of Mental Weakness. Experiencing the empire¡¯s and the academy¡¯s true colors had eroded the rose-colored view I once held. - Rumble...!!! ¡°Move aside.¡± ¡°W-What?¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± As I began to radiate immense stellar mana from my body, the students approaching me widened their eyes and stepped back. ¡°Get lost.¡± I spoke in a cold voice to those students, then quietly walked down a secluded hallway. ¡°Leave me alone.¡± System Recovery: 1:00 I didn¡¯t even have the energy to move to another place. I¡¯ll just let it end here at the academy. . . . . . 00:05 Frey, having encased an entire section of the academy in stellar mana to prevent anyone from approaching, sat down in the middle of the hallway, blankly staring at the system window. ¡°Five minutes left...¡± Before he knew it, there were less than five minutes left to organize everything. ¡°...Hah.¡± Realizing this, he glanced around and sighed with trembling eyes. ¡°As expected, there¡¯s no miracle.¡± He waited and waited, but no heroine came through a portal to find him. It meant they were still frantically searching for a way to save him even now. He was truly grateful to them. Even in the last five minutes of his life, his mind was filled with thoughts of them. ¡°What should I say at the end...¡± He quietly thought about what to say to the heroines after confronting and settling things with Aishi. If he drank the potion Eurelia gave him, he could buy time to leave a will even after receiving the penalty. ¡°Hah.¡± He sighed and closed his eyes. ¡°...¡± Then, he quietly envisioned a picture in his mind. Kania clinging to his side with a cool expression. Serena covering her mouth with a fan, clinging just as closely. Ruby sitting beside him, holding his hand. Irina looking at them with a displeased expression. Clana crouching in the corner with a slightly defeated look. Ferloche waving her hand with a foolish expression. Lulu rubbing her cheek against his hand. Isolet quietly stroking his head. And... Aria presenting a doll she sewed, Standing beside her were his parents... ¡°Hah, hah...¡± Imagining a scene he could never see or recreate again made his breathing rough and his heartbeat quicken. The time to part with everyone he loved was just around the corner. 00:01:00 The system window in front of him now showed one minute remaining. His complexion was becoming increasingly pale. The barrier created by his stellar mana was bathing the entire hallway in white light. 00:00:30 It looked like an image of the afterlife, a glimpse of heaven. But the place he was headed wasn¡¯t heaven, nor even hell. The price for protecting his precious ones at the cost of himself was eternal oblivion. - Rustle... Remembering that, he slowly stood up with eyes tightly shut. Beside him, the potions lined up on the floor were gleaming in the light. 00:00:10 And so was the system window mercilessly counting down. . . . . . ¡°...?¡± Realizing it was time to leave, Frey reached out with a trembling hand toward the potions on the floor. ¡°What?¡± But then he stopped and looked puzzled. - Step, step... Someone was walking through the barrier of light he created and entering the hallway. ¡°Stop.¡± He stared warily at the figure who easily breached the barrier that had kept everyone else out. The figure was too small to be one of the heroines. ¡°Who are you... Huh?¡± As Frey spoke and stepped back, he widened his eyes. ¡°You... You are?¡± ¡°Hello?¡± Brown messy hair. Green eyes. Innocent and pure expressions. The familiar face of Glare, whom he had met several times over the past year, came into his view. ¡°Why are you here...?¡± Frey asked Glare, who stepped out from the barrier and stood before him. 00:00:00 ¡°F-Fuck.¡± Realizing the countdown had ended, Frey quickly grabbed a potion with his left hand. System Reboot The Path of False Evil System An all-too-familiar window that had shackled him for years appeared before his eyes. ¡°As expected... my guess was right.¡± Glare, staring intently at the window, muttered with a satisfied smile. TITLE Penalty Triggered! His dreadful fate was descending upon him once more. Permanent Debuff: The Fate of False Evil User¡¯s lifespan and vitality will be significantly reduced. [Stacks: 4] [Special Stack: 1] ¡°Looks like it starts with you.¡± He raised the potion while staring at the cursed message that would appear dozens more times. ¡°Mr. Frey.¡± He turned his gaze to Glare, who called out while raising her right hand. ¡°No, Hero.¡± And then... - Snap! A crisp sound echoed through the hallway. ¡°W-What...?¡± And a miracle occurred. The system that had shackled Frey for so long shattered and scattered in all directions. ¡°I came to repay my debt.¡± Glare whispered with a bright smile to the stunned Frey. ¡°It¡¯s my turn to help you, Hero.¡± On her left ring finger, the Ring of Luck was quietly shining. Chapter 395: Side Story 1 - The Hero From A Thousand Years Ago ¡°Ha... this sucks.¡± My name is Kim Hanbyeol. I¡¯m a typical shut-in loser. ¡°How many times have I failed now?¡± But I was not just a burden on society. I was once a famous pro gamer. GAME OVER Ending: 7536 (Betrayal of the Succubus Queen) RETRY? Y/N ¡°Looks like taking her as an ally is a mistake... should¡¯ve dealt with her early like usual.¡± Thinking about it, maybe I really was just a burden. I used to be a pro gamer, but due to certain circumstances, I was holed up playing a game called Dark Tale Fantasy 2. - Tap, tap... As I stared blankly at yet another bad ending on the monitor, I frowned and picked up my smartphone to check the community. Dark Tale Fantasy 2 Anonymous Community Author: MoaningSisterIsolet Title: Is this game even meant to be beaten? - I¡¯ve never seen a game like this in my life. No save or load options, just retries, all the quests are insanely difficult, and the Demon King is still fine after an hour of hitting her? I¡¯m done with this game. The first thing that caught my eye was a post from a newbie who seemed to have just started. [Comments 13] [*Anonymous: Newbie gets upvoted lol] [*Anonymous: Did you ditch Sister Isolet?] [*KaniaMeow(223.36): Young Master... where are you going...?] ?[Anonymous(117.11): Kitten, out!] [*Anonymous: The game won¡¯t survive without you~] [*Solar: Please don¡¯t quit...] Of course, the comment section was a mess. The Dark Tale Fantasy series was full of die-hard fans. They would probably joke about this for hours. Well, I was not particularly interested in a newbie who wouldn¡¯t last a few days anyway. Author: Solar Title: What do you think is wrong with this game? - Let¡¯s have an open discussion. [Comments 256] [*Anonymous: Game? Game? Game? Game? Game?] [*Frey¡¯sLegalWife: How is this a game with all these bad endings?] [*LuluDan: We¡¯ve decided to call this misery porn instead of a game.] [Anonymous(11.24): What are you asking for, do your job properly, you moron] ?[*Solar: Please don¡¯t swear...] ?[Anonymous(38.46): LOL, if you¡¯re playing as the Sun God, just shut up and take the insults] ?[Anonymous(12.48): The admin... talking back...?] With a blank look, I mechanically clicked on a popular post where the admin was being roasted as usual. I felt a bit sorry for them, but it was their own fault for acting like they were a developer and asking these questions daily to half-crazed users. And the truth was, outside the monitor, the Sun God was probably just a bearded guy. Even if it was not, anyone who stayed on a community board 24/7 couldn¡¯t be normal. ¡°These jokers...¡± ¡°Pfft. Brother, are you on that community thing again?¡± As I was scrolling absent-mindedly, an annoying voice came from beside me. ¡°...Mind your own business.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll never be popular doing this. Stupid. Idiot.¡± This annoying girl kicking me lightly was my sister, Kim Eunha. She used to follow me around a lot, but now she has grown so cheeky she even climbed over my head. ¡°You should go out sometimes. You always played games even before. And now...¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°But still...¡± As she said, I hadn¡¯t gone out in a long time. It was partly because I liked it, but there was another reason. ¡°Cough, cough...!¡± As she tried to say something, she started coughing and covered her mouth. ¡°...Are you okay?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m fine. Stop pretending to care.¡± Actually, my sister has a rare disease. It was a scary disease that would kill her in a few years if left untreated. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m fine... So go out sometimes.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Stop being stubborn... idiot.¡± To take care of her, I quit being a pro gamer for a while and stopped going outside... no, even I stopped leaving her hospital room. If I had enough money, I¡¯d try the new treatment surgery developed overseas. But even if I spent all the money I made as a pro gamer, it wouldn¡¯t be enough for the surgery. - Tremble... Ignoring her words and putting down my phone, my hand began to tremble. This damn trembling that ruined my pro gaming career. When I heard my sister had collapsed right before the finals of a major pro gaming tournament, this hellish curse has been following me ever since. Whenever I competed with someone, my hands would tremble like crazy. I couldn¡¯t focus on the game. Because of that, I hit a slump as a pro gamer and couldn¡¯t earn money for the surgery. RETRY selected. The game will reset. The only solace I found was in the ¡®Dark Tale Fantasy¡¯ series. How I got into the game was simple. A close friend who I lost contact with for some reason gave it to me as a gift while I was taking care of my sister. ¡°So this game is really a masterpiece? The graphics are amazing, it has massive storage, and it is optimized like crazy, it¡¯s like they tortured aliens to make it.¡± I could still vividly recall my friend boasting about the game a few years ago, saying it would shake the gaming world with its overwhelming quality. ¡°What about the game you were always talking about? Have you really abandoned it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s great, but no new releases. Still fun though. If you¡¯re interested...¡± ¡°No thanks.¡± ¡°Well, suit yourself. By the way, you heard of Dark Tale Fantasy, right?¡± As he said, I had heard of the ¡®Dark Tale Fantasy¡¯ series. A strange game whose developer and development studio were all kept secret. It had a uniquely bleak and hopeless story. Plus, they promised to give 1 billion won if you cleared even one game in the series and 10 billion if you cleared both games, which no one believed. Despite those conditions, the Dark Tale Fantasy series was globally popular. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it.¡± ¡°Right? Just try it once. You might like it.¡± ¡°...Thanks.¡± But back then, I thought of the game as an unattainable gift. My ¡®hand tremors¡¯ were still the same. ¡°...Huh?¡± But when I turned on the game out of curiosity after he left, I discovered something surprising. ¡°My hands... aren¡¯t trembling?¡± While playing the Dark Tale Fantasy series, my hands didn¡¯t tremble at all. Maybe it was because my bleak reality overlapped with the protagonist, or maybe it was just something special about the game. I didn¡¯t know why, but I became very fond of the only game I could play, and after taking care of my sister, I only played the Dark Tale Fantasy series. [Author: IfYouDon¡¯tLikeItGoToTheDeveloper] [Title: Cleared Dark Tale Fantasy 1] [Photo attached] - Cleared it. Ask me anything. [Comments 674] [*Solar: ???????] [*Lunar: Crazy] [*Stellar: Wow] ?[Anonymous(123.36): Admin meeting lol] [*Anonymous: What the hell is this?] ? [*CaniaMom: Looks fake lol] ? [*SerenaTheLegalWifer: No, his nickname is registered on the leaderboard] [*SilverCat: Please share the strategy guide, please, please, please] And the result was being the first person in the world to clear Dark Tale Fantasy 1. It happened just last week. It caused a huge uproar, to the point where the news was posted on domestic and international communities and YouTube. I felt really good back then, but now I was overwhelmed by the harsh reality. My sister¡¯s condition was worsening, there was no sign of clearing Dark Tale Fantasy 2, and my hands still trembled... - Click, click... Suppressing my gloomy mood, I put my phone on the desk and stared blankly at the loading screen on the monitor. Tip: If you receive a penalty, you will be unable to act for weeks to months. Along with a useless tip, the beautifully designed Sun God greeted me from the loading screen today as usual. ¡°...?¡± But why was her expression like that? Did she just wink at me? - Bzzt...! ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± While I was staring at the monitor with a puzzled expression at her unusual look, my phone started buzzing. ¡°No one should be contacting me...¡± Since losing touch with my friend, almost no one has contacted me. Was it spam? [HN Bank Deposit Notification] It didn¡¯t seem like it. It was an alert from my bank app. But... a deposit? What nonsense was... ¡°...What the heck!?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Brother?¡± I checked my bank app, shocked by the unexpected notification, and nearly fell backward. [Balance: 1,000,038,740 won] ¡°What... what is this...?¡± Just like the promotional slogan that I thought was merely a marketing gimmick, 1 billion won had been deposited into my account. . . . [Title: LOL, DLC? Really?] I swear I almost did a backflip, LOL. Who releases a happy ending as a DLC? [*Solar: Maybe there¡¯s an unavoidable reason...] [*DemonKing¡¯sArmyFighting: These guys aren¡¯t human. They¡¯re demons.] [*Anonymous: When the countdown ended, the DLC image popped up, and I almost lost it, LOL.] A DLC announcement for Dark Tale Fantasy 2 caused the uproar. [Author: AnalysisExpert] [Title: Summarizing the DLC] Good news: The DLC is completely free. No paid download. However, getting into it is tricky. The key is to meet the newly added NPC ¡®Glare¡¯ and awaken her as a heroine. We¡¯re currently data mining for more details. [Comments 72] [*Anonymous: Glare? Isn¡¯t that the bug someone found?] [Anonymous(36.114): Seems like the developers decided to add her as a DLC instead of just deleting her because the one who cleared the Dark Tale Fantasy 1 found it. [*Anonymous: The community¡¯s best output, LOL.] [*Insider: An overseas user found files indicating an 18+ scene. Is this true??] ?[*Lunar: Yes.] Although only a few players worldwide, including Hanbyeol, had cleared the game, the news of the DLC release set the global gaming community ablaze. [Author: Anonymous1] [Title: Where¡¯s our favorite user?] But where¡¯s our favorite bug finder? [Comments 9] [*Anonymous: Yeah, where is he? He should be freaking out right now.] [*KaniaMom: I blocked him, but is he inactive?] [*Anonymous: Did he really go to find the developers? LOL.] Naturally, the burning community began to mention the one who instigated all of this, Hanbyeol. But... [*Anonymous: What? He hasn¡¯t been active since yesterday? He hasn¡¯t logged into the game.] [*Fooloche: That guy not playing the game? Is he sick?] ?[*Solar: Well, I¡¯m not sure?] ?[Anonymous(112.36): Stop being sycophantic.] For some reason, Hanbyeol did not appear. [Anonymous(211.36): He¡¯s been reincarnated into another world. Take down this post.] [*Frey¡¯sLegalWife: LOL, reincarnated into Dark Tale Fantasy?] [*Anonymous: Faker cut! Faker cut! Faker cut!] [Anonymous(114.47): Sure, he¡¯s probably sipping cocktails at a luxury hotel right now.] ?[*KaniaMeow: Take down the post, student.] Hanbyeol¡¯s absence, who never missed a day of logging into the community and game, quickly drew attention from many. [Author: Anonymous] [Title: What¡¯s this?] Did the developer¡¯s website get hacked? [Comments: 1] [*Solar: What?] Shortly after, one post with a creepy eye picture on the developer¡¯s website buried the issue. Today, the Dark Tale series service will be terminated. Your connection to this world will be severed in an hour. After devouring all dimensions, I will come for yours. Sit tight. Initially, players thought this was just an event related to the DLC update. But soon, the global gaming community was shocked. [Service Termination: Thank you for loving our world.] Even before the DLC was fully patched into the game, The services for Dark Tale Fantasy 1 and 2 were permanently terminated. And no one could ever play Dark Tale Fantasy again. . . . . . My head hurts. ¡°Ugh...¡± Where am I, and who am I? I opened my eyes. ¡°...Excuse me.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Before me was a familiar face. Was this a dream? Why was the Sun God from the loading screen staring at me? ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Uh, hi?¡± ¡°I am what you call a god...¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Still dazed, I abruptly interrupted her and stood up. ¡°Please tell me this isn¡¯t happening.¡± Cold sweat started dripping down my body. No matter how I thought about it, this situation screamed one thing. No way. This wasn¡¯t a web novel or anime, so it couldn¡¯t be... ¡°You said you¡¯d go to the developers if you don¡¯t like the game.¡± ¡°Shit.¡± I¡¯m screwed. Dark Tale Fantasy, of all places. I¡¯d rather be in my missing friend¡¯s favorite world, where smart high schoolers play murder games. But the Dark Tale Fantasy series? No way. Why me? ¡°You understand quickly.¡± ¡°Why me?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s...¡± Grasping at straws, I asked, and the beautiful goddess averted her eyes. ¡°The Eye forcibly severed the world¡¯s connection... There¡¯s no more way to break through.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°S-So... We¡¯re going to make a breakthrough by making you, the first player that ever cleared the Dark Tale series, the First Hero.¡± While I didn¡¯t fully understand, the last part was clear. They were going to turn me into the First Hero? ¡°Wait. What about him? Isn¡¯t it unfair to possess someone?¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. The original hero is just an avatar controlled by the first clear player.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°No need to possess him. You just go as you are!¡± I still didn¡¯t fully get it, but I was definitely screwed. The well-mannered villain white mage Maid. The crazy Ice Witch. The overly confident troublemaking Princess. The macho muscle-brained Saintess. The scheming reincarnate Strategist. And the masochistic Sword Saint. I had to form a Hero Party with those lunatics? No way... ¡°We¡¯ll give you a return ticket if you clear the game!¡± ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°Goodbye!¡± ¡°NOOO!!!¡± With that last desperate cry, I was thrown into hell. But that was only the beginning. From that first day, I fell into this other world, the humiliation I faced as a black-haired otherworlder was just the start...(omitted) [Excerpt from the introduction of the Book of Prophecy left by the First Hero, Kim Hanbyeol.] . . . . . ¡°Phew.¡± The Sun God, who had been staring blankly at where Hanbyeol disappeared, sighed deeply and turned her gaze. - Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! ¡°Signal detected! Heart function is...¡± ¡°Focus! If we can¡¯t revive her now, it¡¯s over!¡± In her view were doctors in a panic and Hanbyeol¡¯s sister, who had miraculously been revived after turning she just died. ¡°Actually... I twisted the fate of your sister, who should have died due to medical malpractice, and brought you here.¡± Muttering this, the Sun God looked down at the world and spoke quietly. ¡°If they make your life difficult, I¡¯ll pull you out again... Just hold on a little longer.¡± Her decision would later bring about the Hero Party withdrawal incident and the transformation of the once arrogant heroines. According to Eclipse, it was quite a spectacle to behold. . . . . . (Meanwhile, from the point of view of the main story.) Chapter 396: Your Light My name is Glare. I have brown messy hair, beautiful green eyes, and a small figure like a child. My parents, whose faces I couldn¡¯t even remember, gave me a grand name with the meaning of dazzling light, with the hope for me to brighten this dark and bleak world. But I couldn¡¯t understand the meaning of my name. Even though I was young, I could tell the world was too dark for me to illuminate. ¡°I¡¯m ¡°Ug Since my younger sibling and I ended up on the streets, I have witnessed countless hardships. Children crying beside their emaciated parents or wandering around abandoning their sick parents, risking their lives for a piece of bread. Shady organizations or illegal guilds often took advantage of and recruited these orphans. Not to mention the bodies lying on the streets, which seemed to increase at least one or two every day. One day, the adult who had given snacks to my sibling and me was found dead the following day, and I realized. There was no light in this world. If I hadn¡¯t met ¡®him¡¯. If I hadn¡¯t gone to beg from him to get even a piece of bread for my sick sibling that day, I would have lived my whole life thinking that way and eventually become a victim of the streets. But one day, ¡®he¡¯ appeared in the back alley. The Hero that changed everything. The gold coin he gave that day, and the talent I awakened through the ring he gifted helped my condition tremendously. Thanks to those, my sibling and I no longer had to live precariously in the back alley and could move to a safer place. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just us who changed. The back alley, once filled with the empire¡¯s corruption, was now becoming a place where people could live. Orphans who once roamed the streets begging daily now received free lodging and education at the orphanage established by the Hero. The terrifying organizations of the back alley were losing power and disappearing. Dead bodies, once a common sight, were no longer seen throughout the entire area, and now the Hero¡¯s charity food stations were as numerous as pebbles on the street. These changes were unimaginable a few years ago when we survived by rummaging through trash cans. All this happened because the Hero purchased the entire control of the ¡®Alley Market¡¯ and implemented reforms to the place. And that was not all. The Hero¡¯s good deeds didn¡¯t stop there. Recently, I learned that he fought directly against the corrupt Imperial Family and the Church, secretly did volunteer work, and even sent support funds to the academy. R? He even fought against the evil forces threatening the world. It seemed more and more that the person destined to illuminate the world was not me, but the Hero. Wouldn¡¯t it be more appropriate for such a messiah to save the world rather than a little kid like me? As I thought, even though I didn¡¯t fully know him, the Hero continued to move forward, and the moment when the entire Empire would sing praise of his name didn¡¯t seem too far off. - Thud...! ¡°Hero!!!¡± One day, in a dark place where I was banished with some pretty ladies, I realized his true identity and fate. A man who had to perform a pun-like act called ¡®False Evil¡¯ to save the world. A man who had to hide his true self and do good deeds. Despite carrying everything on his shoulders, in the end, he was a boy only four years older than me who intended to sacrifice himself in the end. That was the true identity of the Hero, whom I thought was a transcendent and invincible being. He, who was losing his light with a sword pierced through his heart, was the one who needed help from others the most. And only then did I understand the reason for my name, ¡®Glare.¡¯ To illuminate the world, I didn¡¯t need to shine as brightly as the sun in the sky. I only needed to shine brightly for one person. Since realizing that, I¡¯ve had only one thought. And to achieve that thought, I ran and ran toward the Empire as soon as I escaped the dark space. In fact, it was a reckless act. I was exhausted, and the sea I had to cross to reach the Empire from the Eastern Continent was perilous. Sure enough, before I could even cross half the sea, I was attacked by a horde of monsters. But even so, I couldn¡¯t give up. Even when I fought against the monsters for days, I kept going, my desire to save my Hero was stronger than my desire to give up. And when I was suddenly teleported to a ruined guild in the back alley, my mind was filled with only one thought. I have to reach him. I ran and ran, with that thought as a guiding light. ¡°Hero...!¡± ¡°H-Huh...?¡± Finally, I reached you. You had been through so much. I¡¯m still in your debt, so I will be your light. ¡°What... what is this...?¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Now it¡¯s my turn to illuminate you, Hero. ***- Rub rub rub... A girl with brown messy hair was standing on tiptoe, rubbing her chubby cheek against my chest. - Stretch...! ¡°Eek.¡± As I absentmindedly stared at her cheek, I instinctively stretched it, and she looked up at me with a puzzled expression, her cheek still pinched. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± ¡°...¡± I should answer when asked a question, but my mind wasn¡¯t working. My head felt like it had been hit by a sledgehammer. Err#@ M#¡î Err@% S%r#@%... Still staring blankly and stretching Glare¡¯s cheek, I reached out to the shattered system window spreading all around. - Shatter... As soon as my hand touched it, the system, which was somewhat maintaining its shape, began to disintegrate into dust, and within a few seconds, the ¡®Path of the False Evil¡¯ system completely disappeared before my eyes. ¡°...¡± Staring at it blankly, I tried calling the system internally, but the window that used to annoyingly pop up in front of my eyes remained unresponsive. ¡°System.¡± Even when I called out loud, it was the same. The system has been deleted. Only that message floated around. ¡°Hero! You can relax now!¡± As I stared at the unbelievable situation with a blank expression, Glare, who had been rubbing her cheek against me, smiled and reached out her hand. ¡°I will protect you!¡± The ring on her left ring finger sparkled, reflecting the light from the starry curtain behind her. ¡°...Kid.¡± ¡°Cough, cough!¡± ¡°How could you just let them do that to you? You should fight back!¡± As Glare patted Frey¡¯s back while he clutched his throat and shed tears, she turned her head and glared fiercely at the committee head. ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°The Hero healed your scar! You should thank him!¡± Glare ran over, wildly swinging her arms and shouting. ¡°Really? He healed my scar? But even the Magic Tower couldn¡¯t¨C¡± The woman, who had been struck dumb by Glare¡¯s flurry of punches, stared at Frey with a bewildered expression. ¡°...¡± ¡°Th-thank¨C¡± Frey looked at her with slightly darkened eyes before turning away and starting to walk forward. ¡°Hey...¡± ¡°Y-yes?¡± - Shimmer... ¡°...!?¡± Then, Frey began to gently touch the cheek of the maid who had been slapped by Limia. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± Seeing the maid¡¯s cheek return to its original state after being red and swollen, Frey smiled and asked. The maid lowered her eyes and blushed, responding in a quiet voice. ¡°Th-thank you...¡± ¡°...!¡± Frey flinched at her words and broke out in a cold sweat as he looked around. ¡°...¡± A long silence followed. ¡°Uh, uh...¡± The strange groan that broke the silence came from Frey. ¡°Uh... haha...hahahaha...¡± ¡°Disciplinary committee, quickly subdue...¡± ¡°haha!! Uh-haha-haha!!!¡± ¡°...¡± Limia, who was about to give an order, fell silent along with the committee members as they watched Frey burst into hysterical laughter. ¡°Haha-haha-haha!!!¡± ¡°He¡¯s gone mad.¡± ¡°Haha, ha... haha...¡± Ignoring the stares directed at him, Frey sat down in the hallway, laughing and crying like a madman. ¡°Th-thank you...¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°Kid... really, really... really thank you...¡± Then, as Glare patted his shoulder, he hugged her tightly, rubbing his cheek against hers. ¡°You¡¯re free now, Hero.¡± ¡°Uh, uh...¡± ¡°So don¡¯t worry about anything and live as you wish!¡± Glare gently patted his back and whispered cheerfully. - Shimmer... The starlight from the collapsing barrier illuminated them. ***¡°Kid, thank you. Truly.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± ¡°I owe you a debt I¡¯ll never be able to repay.¡± Having successfully evaded the pursuing disciplinary committee thanks to the light curtain commotion, Frey patted Glare¡¯s head as she clung to him, speaking with a helpless expression. ¡°How can I repay this kindness?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I just...¡± Glare, who had been smiling at Frey, suddenly trailed off. ¡°Debt...? Kindness...?¡± She then began to ponder, touching her cheek with her finger. ¡°Um... well, then... then...¡± As she started fiddling with her ring with a mischievous smile, ¡°Oh! Right!¡± Frey suddenly widened his eyes and pulled out a crystal ball from his pocket. ¡°I need to send a message...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± But as he tried to initiate a signal, he froze, his expression becoming one of confusion. [1657 missed messages] [526 missed calls] ¡°Oh...¡± - YoungMasterYoungMasterYoungMasterYoungMasterYoungMasterYoungMaster - Freywhereareyounow? - Yousaidtomeetattheportwhereareyou? - Did you deliberately give the wrong time? - AnswerbeforeIrapeyou - Master? Master? Master? - Frey. I need to turn you into an ego sword. Please, contact me... The crystal ball glowed red hot as it continuously vomited out a slew of messages. ¡°...¡± Feeling a chill down his spine, Frey looked at the top of the crystal ball and gaped. [Call in progress..........] [Caller: My Precious Gem] ¡°How do I handle this?¡± ¡°Huh...?¡± Sweating profusely, Frey instinctively pulled Glare closer. Chapter 397: The DLC True Nature The sun was setting over the harbor of the Sunrise Empire. ¡°...Gulp.¡± I was there, secretly infiltrating the harbor with Glare. ¡°Hero! You should have shown them who¡¯s boss earlier! If you keep acting like a pushover, I¡¯ll get angry¨C¡± ¡°Shh...!¡± ¡°Mmph.¡± Glare, still nestled in my arms, was grumbling with a dissatisfied expression before I hastily covered her mouth. I was sweating and nervously scanning the surroundings. ¡°Phew.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Hero?¡± Luckily, no one seemed to have noticed us. I wanted to handle this quickly and quietly, without being discovered. ¡°By the way, kid, where did you learn that technique?¡± Speaking of which, the kid¡¯s magic was no joke. When I mentioned we needed to do some infiltration, she smiled and cast a light barrier over me, which has incredible stealth effects, far beyond typical invisibility spells. People were passing right by us without noticing. In terms of stealth alone, it was even better than the ¡®Cloak of Deception.¡¯ ¡°Have you used this technique before?¡± ¡°I used it a lot for gathering information!¡± ¡°Gathering information?¡± ¡°Yes! And it was useful for spying on the Hero¡¯s enemies too.¡± Glare crossed her arms and smiled proudly. She¡¯s adorable. Maybe it was because she saved my life earlier, or maybe she was just naturally cute, but her cheeks looked extra plump and rosy today as she struck that pose. §² ¡°Oh, and I also spied on you a few times...¡± ¡°Uh? What do you mean... Ah, there they are.¡± Suppressing the urge to pinch her cheeks, I listened to her mumbling until I noticed something and looked up. ¡°Found it...¡± The reason Glare and I had come to this harbor was gathered over there. ¡°...¡± I was about to move forward when I froze. ¡°... Cold sweat started to trickle down my back. - Wooshhh... The familiar presence he felt from a distance had turned quite sinister, enveloping the whole harbor. I should have responded sooner. A sudden wave of regret hit me. But it couldn¡¯t be helped. - Sizzle... ¡°Huh? What¡¯s happening to this?¡± After realizing the situation had gone awry, I tried to respond to them, but the continuous incoming messages had overheated the crystal ball, causing it to emit smoke and become unusable. For security, the frequency had been encrypted, making it impossible to connect with another crystal ball. So I had come to the harbor as quickly as I could, but for some reason, I felt a terrifying chill down my spine. ¡°...¡± I should assess the situation first. - Slip... As I quietly moved toward the source of the eerie energy, a shabby cabin came into view. It was the place I had told them was the meeting place. They had to be gathered there. - Peek... Lowering my body, I peeked through the window, seeing a room filled with dark energy. ¡°...Alright.¡± Carefully opening the window, I climbed into the room as quietly as possible. ¡°My connection with the Young Master... it has been severed.¡± Just then, I heard a familiar voice from afar. ¡°Since last year, the connection with the Young Master has never been broken, but now it¡¯s completely severed.¡± Kania? Despite the sorrow in her voice, I recognized it as my butler, Kania. - Creak... Unable to resist my curiosity, I opened the door slightly and stepped into the living room, only to be met with a scene I could barely believe. ¡°Young Master... where have you gone...?¡± Kania wasn¡¯t speaking to anyone but herself. ¡°The Young Master should always be with me.¡± She was muttering to herself with dead eyes, hugging herself tightly. That scene sent chills down my spine. ¡°Kania, you once held Frey¡¯s soul within you, right? Do you still have any fragments left?¡± ¡°...¡± My body trembled as I heard Irina, who was sitting next to her, speak with a nonchalant expression. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I just need to borrow it for a little experiment.¡± ¡°It¡¯s mine.¡± ¡°Hand it over.¡± No... When I saw it again, her expression wasn¡¯t nonchalant but rather slightly unhinged. ¡°...Tweet.¡± Meanwhile, Clana had turned into a canary as usual and made a nest in the corner. Something silver was shining under her nest; was she holding a starflower? ¡°...¡± And there were Serena and Ferloche, sitting in complete silence with no expression. ¡°We¡¯re not too late. If we find Frey and turn him into an ego sword now, we can still...¡± Isolet, holding an old book and her sword, was fervently explaining her plan. - Twitch, twitch... Lulu, with a blank expression, was scratching her arm and then looking down at her stomach, before lowering her head. ¡°My system is gone... why? How? How...¡± - Thud, thud, thud... Lastly, there was Ruby, holding the smoking crystal ball tightly in her hand and quietly hitting her own stomach. ¡°Uh, uh...¡± It was a complete mess. What should I do? If I reveal myself now, it would be like pouring oil on a fire. A gentle and peaceful resolution was needed. So, maybe I should get out of here first and think of a plan. It wasn¡¯t because I¡¯m scared of what might happen. Really, that wasn¡¯t the reason... Not at all. ¡°Huh? Oh...¡± Another message appeared before him. ¡°Am I perhaps being raised...¡± Main Quest: Siege of the Academy Completion Reward: Entering the Final Chapter ¡°...Ah.¡± Frey couldn¡¯t gather his thoughts as the flood of system alerts covered his view. ¡°Siege of the Academy, huh...¡± Seeing the quest for the Siege of the Academy in front of him, he clenched his teeth and pondered. Since I already finished the third-year scenario ahead of time, the Siege of the Academy is effectively the last main scenario... Originally, it was the scenario where the story turns grim, with two-thirds of the faculty and five-sixths of the academy students perishing in the worst scenario imaginable. As Frey faced this infamous ¡®Siege of the Academy¡¯ as the final gateway before the final showdown, his expression grew darker. ...I shouldn¡¯t go back to the academy. Frey already made up his mind. I should stay hidden in the empire and strike at the Demon King¡¯s army and Aishi on the day of the siege. His mind began to work calmly and logically. And... honestly, I can¡¯t stay at the academy any longer. I already submitted my resignation letter, and my Ancestor advised me to maintain discipline about such things... ¡°Hero?¡± But what about the heroines... His thoughts turned to the heroines inside the cabin. ¡°Is it really right to involve them...?¡± He muttered with a troubled expression, pondering what he should do with the heroines, ¡°Well, like Kania and the kid said, I can¡¯t shoulder everything alone forever... huh!?¡± He suddenly froze, his body covered in goosebumps. ¡°W-What?¡± A chilling sensation crept over him, sending shivers down his spine. ¡°Am I getting sick...? But it¡¯s summer...¡± ¡°Wha¨C¡± As he sat crouched by the window, hugging himself and shivering, Frey looked up and turned around, letting out a small cry. ¡°...¡± Kania, Irina, Clana, Ferloche, Serena, Isolet, Lulu, and even Ruby. The women who had been sitting in the living room with dead eyes were now gathered at the large window of the cabin, staring down at him. ¡°H-How...? I was sure...¡± Panicking as he touched his body, Frey shifted his gaze to Glare. ¡°K-Kid? Why has the light vanished...?¡± ¡°I erased it!¡± ¡°A-At what point?¡± ¡°When you were frantically waving your hands at those pretty sisters!¡± Upon hearing this, Frey¡¯s face turned pale with shock. ¡°W-Why...¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple!¡± Glare declared loudly with a smile. ¡°No more frustrating moments!¡± ¡°What do you mean... Uwahh!?¡± Just as Frey tried to stand and speak, he froze in place. - Clutch... Ferloche, Isolet, and Ruby were holding onto Frey¡¯s left prosthetic arm, right arm, and hair respectively. ¡°U-Uhm...¡± As he looked at them with a trembling expression, he opened his arms wide, clinging to a faint hope. ¡°S-Surprise~¡± ¡°...¡± That was reportedly the last thing seen of him that day. ***Meanwhile, at Sunrise Academy Student Council. ¡°Yes, ah... yes, yes.¡± Sitting in the student council president¡¯s office, Limia was sweating profusely as she spoke with someone on a communication crystal. ¡°But, they said they left on their own...¡± - ...!!! ¡°Yes, yes...¡± She trailed off as the voice on the other end grew angrier. ¡°Yes, yes... understood.¡± Finally, the call ended with her in a submissive tone. ¡°...Ugh, so annoying.¡± As soon as the call ended, Limia¡¯s demeanor changed completely. ¡°Isn¡¯t it good that that piece of trash is gone? And it¡¯s not like I kicked him out, he withdrew on his own. Why is everyone making a fuss?¡± ¡°Well... perhaps the rulers of each nation are protesting for a reason...¡± At the maid¡¯s suggestion, Limia spoke coldly. ¡°It¡¯s laughable. Just a few years ago... no, just a few months ago, they were groveling before me... Now that Clana has taken power, they¡¯re getting cocky...¡± ¡°Princess.¡± ¡°What?¡± At that moment, a student council member entered the room with a pale face. ¡°Intel report.¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m busy, come back later¨C¡± ¡°Frey... they say he¡¯s the Hero.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Limia, who was about to throw a pen holder at the member, froze at those words. ¡°A rumor circulating within the school¨C¡± ¡°Idiot! It¡¯s just a rumor!¡± ¡°But... given the source of the rumor...¡± ¡°...Who is the source?¡± Crossing her legs and laughing sarcastically, Limia asked, frowning. ¡°The Hero Party.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The entire Hero Party has confirmed the rumor.¡± Limia looked down at the resignation letter Frey had submitted just a few hours ago with a blank expression. - Beep! Beep! Beep! - Beep! Beep! Beep! - Woooo... Wooo... In her office, the communication crystals began glowing red and emitting smoke. Chapter 398: The Revealed Truth Several weeks after the incident of Frey¡¯s withdrawal from the Academy. The rulers and leaders of various continents, as well as those who held representative positions, were all gathered in one place. The grave expressions on their face reflected the atmosphere inside the room. ¡°Thank you all for gathering here today.¡± The atmosphere was heavy with the presence of the highest-ranking individuals from various fields. The stifling pressure was enough to make an ordinary person unable to even breathe. Representing these people, a girl seated at the head of the round table began to speak.. ¡°As you all know... I am Limia Solar Sunrise. I stand here in place of the absent Third Princess Clana.¡± Despite its rotting state, the Sunrise Empire was still the most powerful nation across all continents. Even in its diminished glory, it could still go to war against half of the nations represented here. ¡°D-Do any of you have objections...?¡± It was only natural for the representative of such a nation to preside over the conference of rulers. However, the expressions of the rulers as they looked at Princess Limia were far from pleasant. ¡°Hmph.¡± ¡°Tsk...¡± The reason was simple. In a meeting composed entirely of rulers and top-tier individuals, Limia was seen as lacking in stature. Even having Clana, who had not yet been crowned and was still a princess, would be uncomfortable enough, but Limia, who was far down the line of succession, was even more so. ¡°... No.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡± However, it was not the time to stand in ceremony. The situation was far too urgent. ¡°U-understood... Then...¡± Relieved that the power struggle ended inconclusively, Limia wiped her sweat and began her report to the rulers of the entire continent seated at the round table. ¡°What we will discuss today is... as you know, about the Demon King and the Hero.¡± Limia sighed and snapped her fingers as she spoke. - Zing...! The magic crystal in the center of the round table began to project the devastated state of the western continent. ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°This is...¡± - Creak... Starting from the completely frozen Cloud Kingdom, ice was spreading across the entire western continent, invading neighboring kingdoms and accompanied by relentless blizzards sweeping the entire region. - What¡¯s that floating in the sky? - D-Demons? - Crash, crackle...! - D-Damn it! We¡¯re under attack!! Aishi led the Demon King¡¯s Army in battles across the Western Continent. ¡°That¡¯s... the Demon King.¡± ¡°The Cloud Kingdom¡¯s princess... She participated in this council with her father a few times. Who would have thought she was a demon?¡± The rulers watched the scene with grave expressions. Soon they began to murmur one after another. ¡°Was she hiding such power all this time? Even the elite troops are no match for her.¡± ¡°Impossible. If that were the case, we would have noticed something.¡± ¡°Freezing an entire kingdom, and now she¡¯s trying to freeze the whole world...¡± ¡°But there is something strange.¡± Amidst the increasingly serious atmosphere, someone raised their hand. ¡°The World Tree of the Great Forest hasn¡¯t withered at all.¡± All eyes turned to the Elf Queen, who had not been seen in decades. ¡°The World Tree hasn¡¯t been affected by the cold?¡± ¡°No. We¡¯ve been blocking the cold with magic at the Great Forest. I don¡¯t know how long we can hold out, though.¡± The Elf Queen frowned and shook her head at the gruff voice of the representative of the Western Continent¡¯s beastkin tribes. ¡°But our World Tree is very vulnerable to the ¡®death of life¡¯.¡± ¡°The death of life... you say?¡± ¡°Yes, with an entire kingdom frozen, the number of deaths must be significant... but the World Tree hasn¡¯t withered at all. It¡¯s a rather strange occurrence.¡± ¡°I can explain that.¡± Everyone¡¯s attention turned to the person who had stood up to speak, drawn by the Elf Queen¡¯s curiosity. ¡°According to our analysis at the Magic Tower, there have been no casualties so far.¡± It was none other than the Master of the Magic Tower, the teacher of Irina and Glare. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Quiet, you.¡± ¡°Ow.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you promise to behave if I let you come? Are you trying to embarrass me now?¡± As the Magic Tower Master began her briefing, she gave a gentle knock on Glare¡¯s head, who was agreeing enthusiastically beside her. ¡°Ahem, my apologies.¡± - Sss... ¡°Anyway, please take a look at this.¡± Pointing to the image reflected from the crystal ball Glare took out from her pocket, the Magic Tower Master continued. ¡° ¡°The people are trapped in the ice?¡± ¡°Could they still be alive?¡± The image showed people frozen with their eyes closed, encased in massive blocks of ice. ¡°Exactly. Everyone who has been defeated by the Demon King so far is unconscious and trapped in ice.¡± ¡°Oh my...¡± - Don¡¯t interfere, less you face the consequences. With those final words, Aishi¡¯s image disappeared from the room, leaving a chilling coldness in its wake. The room fell silent, the cold lingering ominously. . . . . . ¡°Everyone? Surely... you¡¯re not falling for such cheap tricks?¡± The room was bustling with communication officers running in and out, preparing for any possible follow-up intrusion. In this chaotic atmosphere, Princess Limia spoke urgently. ¡°She¡¯s trying to divide us. Don¡¯t be fooled.¡± The response was lukewarm at best. ¡°E-Everyone, have you forgotten that we have the Hero in our Empire?¡± Growing increasingly desperate, she stood up, trying to speak to those who were starting to leave. ¡°The Hero, Ruby...¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°Indeed, she is strong. Last time, she turned the Ten Thousand Mountains upside down just to find an elixir to restore a soul.¡± The rulers nodded, intrigued by the mention of Ruby. ¡°However, there have been some strange rumors about the Hero lately.¡± ¡°What rumors?¡± ¡°Well, you know... about someone named Frey?¡± A ruler from a kingdom in the Western Continent brought up the rumor that had been circulating. ¡°Now that you mention it...¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s hard to ignore.¡± ¡°Our kingdom¡¯s intelligence also picked up on that.¡± Several rulers began to nod in agreement. ¡°Ah, those rumors?¡± Seeing their reactions, Limia smiled and gestured to the soldiers behind her. ¡°Knowing that, I prepared something in advance.¡± - Creak... ¡°Let them in.¡± As the doors opened, a group of people entered the room. ¡°The Hero Party...?¡± ¡°Why are they here...?¡± The Hero party, with somber expressions, lined up in the meeting room. ¡°These individuals will help clarify the false rumors.¡± Limia addressed the puzzled rulers with a smile. ¡°Now, everyone. Please, tell the truth.¡± ¡°...I will get straight to the point.¡± Vener stepped forward, her eyes dark as she looked around at everyone seated at the round table. ¡°Frey is...¡± ¡°Sometimes rumors get exaggerated. It¡¯s just a simple misunderstanding¨C¡± ¡°...the Hero.¡± ¡°What?¡± Hearing this, Limia widened her eyes and stared at Vener. ¡°Young Master Frey is... the ¡®real¡¯ Hero.¡± Ignoring her, Vener gritted her teeth and continued. ¡°Hehe.¡± And then... Recording in progress... Glare quietly extended her hand forward, watching the scene unfold. Would you like to broadcast all recording worldwide? [Y]/N . . . . . Meanwhile, at the Starlight Mansion. ¡°What is that...? What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on...?¡± Inside the mansion¡¯s main hall, the servants stared in bewilderment at the massive screen floating in the sky outside the window. ¡°Hmm...¡± At that moment, a small groan came from behind them. The servants turned around, eyes wide in shock, and gasped at the sight. ¡°...Haha!¡± ¡°Master...?¡± ¡°My son... has finally succeeded!!¡± Abraham, smiling brightly, exclaimed as he looked at the astonished servants. Chapter 399: Dawn of Great Chaos ¡°F-Father...?¡± ¡°Haha, my dear Aria. It seems you¡¯ve grown so much!¡± Upon hearing the news that her father had woken up, Aria immediately rushed into the family head¡¯s room. There, she saw her father sitting on the bed with a bright smile on his face. ¡°Father...¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. Come here and give me a hug.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Aria?¡± Abraham, who was about to embrace Aria, looked puzzled when she didn¡¯t move. ¡°Why are you crying all of a sudden?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just... Sniff, sob...¡± ¡°By the way, where is Frey?¡± ¡°...!¡± The atmosphere in the room froze instantly at the mention of Frey¡¯s name. ¡°Isn¡¯t it because our Frey defeated the Demon King that I woke up? Can you take me to him?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why aren¡¯t you taking me to him... Huh?¡± Not understanding the situation, Abraham struggled to get up and noticed something strange. ¡°Why are there so few servants here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because...¡± ¡°Are they on vacation? If that¡¯s the case, don¡¯t bother calling them back. I¡¯d love to see their faces after so long, but I can¡¯t interrupt their break.¡± Scratching his head with an innocent expression, Abraham spoke. ¡°Oh right, that¡¯s not important. Hahaha...¡± A proud smile spread across his face. ¡°My son, our son, has saved the world. This isn¡¯t the time for this. I need to go see him immediately...¡± ¡°F-Father...¡± ¡°...Wait.¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Aria, who was reaching out with a sorrowful expression, saw Abraham¡¯s face suddenly freeze. ¡°Who did this?¡± Abraham¡¯s gaze turned icy as he looked at the wall of the family head¡¯s room, where the names of the Starlight family¡¯s past heads were inscribed. ¡°Who dared to do such a vile thing?¡± The spot where Frey¡¯s name had been was now blackened and burnt, with desperate scribbles around it as if someone had tried to rewrite something. ¡°Who did this?¡± Abraham asked, his face grim. ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but this cannot be overlooked. To try to erase the name of the Hero who saved the world... Even if it was a joke, it¡¯s gone too far...¡± With no answer, Abraham¡¯s discomfort grew. ¡°...What¡¯s that?¡± Finally, he turned to look out the window. - Frey is the Hero, you say! How can this be!! - Where is he now? We must secure him... - Explain more clearly!! In the sky outside, a giant projection displayed the conference of ruler. ¡°What is...¡± Abraham¡¯s face slowly turned from puzzled to cold as he watched the projection in the sky. Scenes of Frey¡¯s horrific, sorrowful, and brutal moments, recorded by Glare, Roswyn, and the helper system, began to play out. Among these were scenes of Aria attacking Frey, the servants leaving the mansion, and false testimonies given by the traitorous servants. - Thud...!!! ¡°Where is he?¡± Having watched enough, Abraham finally spoke, his gaze fixed on the scene of Frey stabbing his own heart. ¡°Dad, well, um...¡± ¡°Where is my son right now?¡± No one dared to answer. . . . . . ¡°To summarize, Frey is actually the Hero?¡± ¡°And Ruby, who was called the Hero, is actually the Demon King?¡± ¡°And both of them had unavoidable circumstances on why they did all this farce?¡± After a lengthy explanation from Vener and the Hero Party, a few rulers cautiously asked questions. ¡°...Yes.¡± Vener nodded with a pained expression, and the atmosphere grew tense. ¡°That rascal was the Hero?¡± ¡°False Evil? Pretender? How absurd...¡± ¡°This complicates things.¡± ¡°No, nothing has changed.¡± In the midst of murmurs, Limia spoke up. ¡°We need to contact Frey immediately.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Anyway... Frey is the Hero, right? So, to deal with the newly become Demon King, Aishi, we need him.¡± Vener looked at Limia with a bewildered expression. ¡°He should be at the academy... Oh.¡± Finally remembering the resignation letter she had personally received, Limia began to sweat nervously. ¡°Frey hasn¡¯t appeared in public since he submitted his resignation to you.¡± ¡°Well, that was... unavoidable, wasn¡¯t it? But do you know where he is? The fate of the empire, no, the world is at stake here.¡± Limia¡¯s voice grew more desperate as Vener¡¯s calm response weighed on her. ¡°...I know someone who knows his whereabouts.¡± ¡°What?¡± But the tense atmosphere was short-lived. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Look outside the window!¡± At the urgent shout from the soldier who had rushed into the conference room, a ruler sitting by the window pulled back the curtains with a puzzled expression. ¡°...Gasp.¡± The rulers, including the one who had opened the curtain, were stunned, their faces turning pale. ¡°Is that...?¡± - Is that... Displayed in the sky was a giant system window, broadcasting the conference live. ¡°It¡¯s appearing worldwide. And not just that, it¡¯s also showing all of Frey¡¯s various incidents...¡± ¡°Oh, no.¡± - Oh, no. The rulers, including Limia, began to turn as pale as ghosts. ¡°Operation successful...!¡± Watching them with a triumphant expression, Glare made a call and whispered into it. ¡°Stop that thing!¡± ¡°First, we need to handle the media...¡± ¡° The true identity of the Hero had finally been revealed to the world, heralding the dawn of great chaos. . . . . . ¡°Good job, Glare.¡± - Love you! Hero! ¡°...It¡¯s Clana.¡± Meanwhile, in a secluded cabin by the harbor. - Click...! ¡°That should fool the Demon King¡¯s Army, right?¡± Clana, having ended her call with Glare, sighed and headed back to the bed. - Snap...! - Puff!! As she reached the bed and snapped her fingers, the invisibility spell on the bed unraveled with a puff. ¡°Frey, the call is over...¡± - Swoshh...! ¡°...¡± Just as she reached out to the bulging blanket, Kania suddenly dashed out from under it, running into the living room. ¡°You thieving cat!¡± Clana stared in shock for a moment before her eyes blazed with fury, she was about to chase after Kania, but Frey¡¯s voice caught her attention. ¡°Um...¡± Watching them, Frey murmured in a slightly forlorn voice. ¡°Could you untie me now...?¡± He was bound tightly to the bed. ¡°...If I untie you, you¡¯ll just disappear again and then mope around like a pitiful cat.¡± ¡°I-I won¡¯t.¡± Frey, struggling against his bonds, felt a pang of guilt at Clana¡¯s words and mumbled defensively. ¡°It¡¯s written all over your face.¡± ¡°But¨C¡± ¡°Kania!! Where did you go?!¡± Watching Clana chase after Kania, Frey lay back on the pillow with a small smile. ¡°...Oh, right.¡± Then, he murmured with a grin. ¡°Today is the day Ruby comes.¡± Thinking happily about spending the day with Ruby, Frey smiled even wider. ¡°Ugh?¡± Suddenly, a chill ran through his entire body. ¡°...What is this?¡± Frey was suddenly overcome with an inexplicable sense of crisis, causing him to break out in a cold sweat. . . . . . - Flutter, flutter... Meanwhile, at that moment, ¡°Finally I found my true body.¡± Ruby, who had been away from the cabin to find her original body, was flying at full speed with a noticeably more mature appearance. Things to Watch Out for During Pregnancy Mother¡¯s Heart Dictionary [earning Parenting from Books Love Between Demons and Humans The books she had read over and over again during her journey were fluttering in her arms. ¡°Of course, my first time should be... with my true body.¡± 108 Ways to Spend the First Night Beautifully 56 Techniques to Captivate Him How to Easily Devour a Man Like Cake 10 Ways to Win in Bed ¡°Prepare yourself, Frey. I¡¯m coming for you.¡± As she smiled and caressed her belly, the harbor came into view. Chapter 400: Star Ruby - Knock, knock, knock! ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± A cautious voice came from behind the shabby door as I knocked. ¡°It¡¯s... It¡¯s me, Ruby.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Steadying my trembling voice at the thought of seeing Frey, I replied. Soon, the door opened. ¡°W-Wait a minute.¡± Realizing that the books I held were quite explicit, I hastily stopped the door from opening further with my hand. ¡°What are you doing?¡± After stuffing the books into my spatial storage, I opened the door again. Serena asked with a puzzled expression. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. There was just a bug on the door.¡± ¡°Hmm? But what¡¯s with that body?¡± Serena, always sharp, eyed me suspiciously. I realized then that I was still in my true form, having been too excited to meet Frey to conceal it. How foolish of me. Anyone seeing this would surely misunderstand. Without the invisibility spell, the empire might have been thrown into a panic. I had hoped to show this form to Frey first and no one else. - Puff! ¡°Hrk!? Cough, cough...¡± I quickly transformed back into my child form with a puff of smoke, causing Serena to inhale the smoke and begin coughing. ¡°...Pfft.¡± Seeing her like that made me laugh. One of my favorite pastimes in the past was teasing Serena, who liked to act like a smartass. Seeing her like this again brought back fond memories. ¡°You... did that on purpose, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Who knows? Perhaps, Maybe, Mayhaps... What do you think?¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± Maintaining a relaxed expression, I looked at her, causing Serena to purse her lips and fall silent. In the past, she would have shouted back in a high-pitched voice and eventually worn herself out. Maybe she was holding back now that she had officially married? Or perhaps it was because of unnecessary guilt. ¡°I¡¯m borrowing Frey.¡± ¡°Huh, what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to spend some time with Frey.¡± With that declaration, I entered the cabin and started unpacking. ¡°Uh, um...¡± ¡°Kania! You damn... Ah.¡± ¡°...Slurp.¡± Serena¡¯s eyes wavered, Clana tangled on the sofa pulling Kania¡¯s hair, and Kania ignoring it while chewing on something all turned to look at me. ¡°You guys were catching up to me, I see...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to get ahead again.¡± Surveying the room, I whispered and patted Serena¡¯s shoulder as I walked past her. ¡°You... What are you going to do with Frey?¡± Clana, who wasn¡¯t particularly close to me, urgently called out. She must be desperate to talk to me like this. Maybe I should tease her a bit. ¡°...¡± ¡°W-why are you... l-looking at me like that?¡± Suddenly feeling mischievous, I stopped and stared at her with a serious expression, causing Clana to sweat and look away. ¡°Do I need to report to you?¡± ¡°N-no, but...¡± ¡°Who are you again?¡± ¡°...¡± As I whispered and tilted my head, Clana murmured with a shocked expression. ¡°I¡¯m... done for...¡± ¡°Just kidding, Clana.¡± I patted her head lightly, and Kania, who had been sitting with disheveled hair, started staring at me. ¡°Where are the others?¡± I asked Kania about the other¡¯s whereabouts, and she began to answer dryly. ¡°Irina is at the Magic Tower, Ferloche is attending to the Church¡¯s matters, and Lulu and Isolet are sparring in the nearby forest.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°But you should be careful.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Ferloche is constantly targeting the Young Master.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°She even tried to kidnap him in the middle of the night, claiming it was to improve his treatment. Honestly, it¡¯s hard to believe her.¡± I needed to be cautious, as Kania suggested. Ferloche was a bit unhinged, even compared to the other heroines. She might take off with my cat. ¡°... I suppose you weren¡¯t supposed to say that out loud.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be off then.¡± - Step...! Just like Ferloche, Kania was also dangerous. She seemed to have changed her tactics, and they seemed to be working quite effectively. Frey was weak to coercion. ¡°...Sigh.¡± Honestly, I wanted to monopolize Frey right now. With my current skills, escaping to some remote mountains with him was entirely feasible. But, whatever. As much as it pained me, I had to let things grow as they were. - Knock, knock, knock! ¡°Frey, it¡¯s me.¡± But that was that, and this was this. ¡°...Ruby?¡± ¡°Long time no see.¡± Cheeky brat. ¡°Nice to see you again, kitten.¡± For everything you had sown, I would make sure you reap it. . . . ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because... because I like you. And... I can¡¯t fall behind. You... you¡¯re my cat... mine¡± ¡°Heh... But why did you stop?¡± ¡°That... that¡¯s because...¡± Frey rubbed his cheek against mine with a mischievous expression. What was this? Wasn¡¯t this something I, the Demon King, should be doing to the weak Frey? ¡°...Because I like you too much.¡± Just for a moment, I gathered my courage and said the truth in a trembling voice. ¡°Even just hugging you like this... even just holding hands like this... I like it so much that my mind goes blank, and I can¡¯t do anything more.¡± ¡°...¡± Just lying together in the same bed was enough to make my heart burst. But to pounce on Frey? That was absolutely impossible. ¡°I like you too much... Frey.¡± How did I manage to assault Frey when I was the Demon King? It seemed to go smoothly back then. Even after revealing my demon king form, it was so different now. ¡°I love you.¡± Perhaps it was because I had become a girl who knows how to love normally, rather than a demon king? Right now, just saying this and burying my head in Frey¡¯s chest was my limit, and my heart pounded so hard I feared it might burst. A long silence began to flow again. ¡°So, you tried to pounce on me because you liked me, but failed because you liked me too much?¡± ¡°D-don¡¯t say it like that. It¡¯s embarrassing.¡± Still holding hands, Frey whispered to me with a mischievous smile. ¡°Ruby, I like you too.¡± - Thump, thump, thump... As soon as I heard that, my heart started beating like crazy. ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°...!¡± When Frey¡¯s tongue penetrated my lips and went inside, I realized what it meant for my mind to go blank. ¡°...Mmm.¡± ¡°You... what are you...¡± As I continued kissing Frey in a daze, I finally pulled back, trembling. Then I looked at Frey, who was smiling while licking the saliva that connected our lips. ¡°You taste good.¡± ¡°...!¡± But as soon as I heard that, my heart exploded. ¡°I really, really love you, Ruby.¡± ¡°I... I love you too... Frey.¡± In the end, facing Frey who whispered to me with our faces close together, I couldn¡¯t help but sincerely respond. ¡°Pfft.¡± ¡°...Pfft.¡± And a few seconds later, Frey and I started laughing at the same time. ¡°What is this... Pfft.¡± ¡°Right... Haha.¡± Because this situation was just so pleasant and good. Yes, this is true love. After laughing for a long time, I started to think inwardly. I don¡¯t have to rush to pounce him... My love for him doesn¡¯t change. What I was trying to do earlier seemed foolish. We could confirm our love just by holding hands like this. There was no need for such embarrassing actions. ¡°Frey So, having realized the unchanging truth, I tried to get up with a satisfied expression. - Grip... ¡°...Hm?¡± But for some reason, Frey was holding me tightly. ¡°Frey? Why...¡± - Tug!! ¡°...Kyaa!?¡± I was puzzled, but suddenly Frey pulled my arm and climbed on top of me. ¡°Where are you going, Ruby?¡± ¡°Uh, um?¡± ¡°After seducing me, are you just going to run away?¡± And then, Frey looked down at me and whispered. ¡°Th- ¡°Ruby, I¡¯m a man too, you know?¡± ¡°F-Frey?¡± ¡°When someone I truly like says things like that... I can lose control too.¡± ¡°Eep?¡± Frey, unable to bear it anymore, spoke with a determined expression and then bit my neck. ¡°You should finish what you started¡± ¡°Wh-what?¡± ¡°Are you ready?¡± After nibbling on my neck and chest for a while, Frey reached down and asked. ¡°W-wait. So...¡± I looked at Frey with a panicked expression and tried to say something. - Thrust... ¡°...Ahh!?¡± But I could only let out a moan as a sharp sensation spread through my body, causing my waist to arch. ¡°Ruby.¡± Frey, having withdrawn his hand from my lower part, whispered to me in a low voice. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re already ready down there?¡± - Drip... Something was dripping from the two fingers he showed me. ¡°T-this body is that of a demon king. It¡¯s different from human females. There¡¯s no way...¡± - Tremble... ¡°There¡¯s no way that I¡¯m already...¡± As I looked at him, face flushed, trying to make excuses, my lower belly suddenly started vibrating and heating up. ¡°...wet.¡± It seemed he was right. Chapter 401: The Conquered Demon King ¡°Uh, uhm...¡± ¡°...¡± Ruby was lying face down on Frey¡¯s bed. She was completely naked. ¡°F-Frey. Is this... is this yours?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ruby had revealed her mature body in her demon king form. Her appearance had a destructive power that could topple a whole country. ¡°...Why is it that only that part is so big on a weakling like you?¡± However, when she saw Frey¡¯s pillar standing erect right in front of her, she shyly looked away, which was unlike her. ¡°...Ruby.¡± But even then, it didn¡¯t mean that her sensual body was not visible, nor did it mean that the pheromones emanating from her female demon body had disappeared. Ruby¡¯s mind turned completely blank. She had completely forgotten what she had read in books over the past few days. But before she knew it, she was instinctively seducing Frey perfectly. ¡°Are you... doing this on purpose?¡± Thanks to that, there was a change in Frey¡¯s already fully erect member. His cock, soaked in continuous temptation and pheromones, began to rise to its limit to reach Ruby¡¯s face, which was right in front of him. ¡°Ah!¡± The penis throbbing madly in search of stimulation. It eventually touched Ruby¡¯s lips as she was looking away. - Swoosh, swoosh... Ruby stared blankly at Frey¡¯s cock touching her own lips before she could make up her mind. Frey¡¯s glans began to force its way into her tightly shut lips, regardless of her will. ¡°...Hah, hah.¡± Thanks to that, Ruby unknowingly held his glans in her mouth. Strange feelings began to arise within her. I, the Demon King, am holding the Hero¡¯s cock in my mouth... A faint sense of defeat, and a similar feeling of being conquered, filled her mind. - Slurp... slurp... The excuse that she was not in perfect condition no longer worked. She was currently in her true form as the Demon King, capable of devastating the surrounding area within seconds if she so wished. But even in such a terrifying and fierce form, here she was, holding the Hero¡¯s penis in her mouth submissively. - Tremble... The strange feelings she had been feeling were becoming even more vivid, taking over her entire body. ¡°Kuh!¡± At that moment, unable to bear the overwhelming, relentless stimulus on his glans, Frey forcefully shoved the whole length of his cock deep inside her. R?? ¡°Cough, cough...¡± Surprised by Frey¡¯s penis hitting deep inside her throat, Ruby began to convulse. This is... defeat. Now, completely taken over by those feelings, her body began to heat up. Right now... I¡¯m being dominated by the Hero. As those thoughts reached that point... - Squeeze...! Ruby¡¯s throat contracted, squeezing Frey¡¯s cock tightly like a vice. - Gulp, gulp...! Frey deposited his first load directly into her stomach. - Tremble... Feeling the heat reaching directly into her stomach, Ruby unconsciously rolled her eyes back and began to shiver in ecstasy. ¡°...¡± Then, a brief silence fell. - Squirt, squirt... Frey¡¯s cock withdrew from her mouth and squirted another stream onto her face. ¡°Hey, Ruby...¡± Frey, looking at the sticky string stretched between his glans and her lips, asked Ruby, who was still trembling with cum on her face. ¡°Did you... come?¡± ¡°Uh, uhm... what?¡± ¡°Just by holding it in your mouth... Did you just come?¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing those words, Ruby closed her mouth and blushed deeply. ¡°N-No. It¡¯s just...¡± - Lick... ¡°Hah...¡± Ruby, trying to make an excuse with a slightly humiliated expression, suddenly felt a tingling sensation in her lower body and began to moan, causing her to arch her back. ¡°Ha ¡°...F-Frey.¡± Frey was gently licking her thoroughly soaked fold with his tongue. ¡°What are you doing...¡± ¡°There¡¯s so much that It¡¯s overflowing here.¡± ¡°...!!!¡± At first, Ruby was trying to push his head away with her hand. But, her hand felt so weak due to pleasure that she ended up laying down on the bed. Ruby tried to cover her mouth as Frey¡¯s relentless tongue burrowed deep inside her. ¡°S-Stop...!¡± ¡°...Slurp.¡± ¡°If you keep doing that...!¡± Thanks to Frey¡¯s diligent attack on her lower end, Ruby trembled, unable to control herself. ¡°AHHHHHH...¡± Eventually, she couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and convulsed as she squirted her love juice while Frey was still deep inside her. ¡°...Gulp, gulp.¡± Frey drank her liquid with a gusto while gently caressing her lower abdomen. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t come.¡± ¡°...¡± Then, as Frey lifted his head, he lightly patted her lower abdomen and whispered. ¡°Ruby, you taste so good.¡± With his lips dripping with the sweet juices of a female demon, Frey whispered, looking at Ruby¡¯s heated face. Watching Frey with a flushed expression, Ruby covered her face with both hands and crossed her legs. ¡°Mmph.¡± After a while, Frey, with an overflow of juices leaking from between his lips, chuckled and asked. ¡°Did you come again?¡± ¡°T- ¡°You¡¯re really pathetic.¡± As he said that, he grabbed Ruby¡¯s arms and lifted them above her head, pinning her as he climbed on top of her. ¡°F-Frey...¡± ¡°With such a lewd body... you dare to call yourself the Demon King.¡± Looking down at Ruby with eyes full of desire, Frey¡¯s cock prodded her lower abdomen as if it would pierce through it. ¡°Ah...¡± Watching the lewd sight of his penis withdrawn, Frey watched Ruby as she soaked the bedsheet with her love juices. Seeing him watching her intently, Ruby bit her lip and whispered. ¡°D-Don¡¯t think that I lost because of this...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I, the wicked and great Demon King, won¡¯t lose to something like this...¡± Her words weren¡¯t as convincing, since her love juices kept flowing from her pussy. ¡°So, therefore...¡± Ruby, who was panting with her tongue out and wagging her tail, whispered with hearts in her eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s continue... the match...¡± ¡°...Hmm.¡± ¡°In the end, the one who loses... will be you, Hero¨C¡± She couldn¡¯t finish her words. ¡°Anhhhh...!¡± ¡°Alright, Ruby.¡± Suddenly, Frey lifted Ruby and made her lie face down, causing her to instinctively bend her waist and raise her hips. Frey began to push his cock into her pussy in the new position. ¡°I¡¯ll impregnate you with the Hero¡¯s child.¡± - Throb... Throb...? Ruby¡¯s vagina, holding Frey¡¯s penis, began to tighten and throb upon hearing those words. ¡°And... know this.¡± ¡°Uh!¡± Praising Ruby for tightly gripping his penis, Frey whispered as he grabbed her lower abdomen. ¡°This time... I won¡¯t stop until I fully paint your inside white.¡± ¡°W-What...¡± ¡°No matter what happens to you.¡± - Thump, thump, thump...! As soon as she heard those words, Ruby¡¯s heart began to pound madly. - Squelch... From her pussy, sweet juices flowed out, soaking Frey¡¯s legs. . . . . . ¡°Hah, hah... Hah...¡± A while later. ¡°Hah... Hyanhhh...¡± Ruby, who had boasted confidently, was clutching the bedsheets with her tongue out, drooling and moaning uncontrollably. - Thrust, thrust, thrust...!!! Behind her, Frey was thrusting his cock into her pussy with all his might like a piston. - Plap... Splurt...!!! She began to squirt love juices like a fountain, but Frey continued to piston without care, riding along her climax. - Plap... ¡°Hahhh...¡± Ruby had long since given up counting how many times she had climaxed. - Tremble... Every time Frey¡¯s penis thrust in forcefully, her velvety folds would cling tightly to his huge cock, and she climaxed lightly, so she has literally climaxed countless times. - Plap, plap...!!! ¡°Hahhhh...¡± At some point, the sound of flesh hitting flesh turned into an erotic sound. ¡°Ruby, do you still want to continue the match?¡± Frey asked, grabbing her arms. ¡°I can still do this all day.¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± Hearing those words, Ruby, feeling her mind go hazy, began to tremble and looked at Frey with trembling eyes. ¡°Well, if it¡¯s okay...¡± ¡°I, I lose.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Then she, blushing deeply, began to speak. ¡°The wicked and great... Hah... Demon King Ruby... has completely lost... to the Hero and his huge cock...¡± Even as she spoke, Ruby, moaning while impaled on Frey¡¯s penis, began to plead with a desperate voice. ¡°So, therefore... give the defeated, worthless Demon King... the Hero¡¯s seed...¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll atone... by carrying the Hero¡¯s baby... in this Demon King¡¯s body...¡± Hearing those words, Frey began to smile. ¡°Quickly... give me your baby... Ahhhh!¡± ¡°Congratulations, Ruby.¡± And the next moment, Frey, thrusting his penis to the deepest part of Ruby, whispered softly. ¡°You¡¯re not the Demon King anymore... you¡¯re a mother.¡± ¡°...!!!¡± Hearing those words, Ruby unwittingly pressed her hips against Frey tightly and wrapped her tail around Frey¡¯s arm. ¡°N-No way...¡± - Squirt, squirt...!!! ¡°Ahh...!¡± At that moment, Frey began to cum fiercely directly into her cervix. - Squirt, squirt...!!! For a long time afterward, Frey¡¯s semen poured out, filling her womb. She would definitely be pregnant after this, it was a guarantee due to her different structure from a human woman. ¡°Hahh Feeling the fullness in her lower abdomen, Ruby, with an expression full of ecstasy, squirted love juices as the semen inside lightly swirled. ¡°I, the Demon King...¡± Showing Frey her lewd expression and appearance, Ruby, looking at her buttocks where his semen and her love juices were mixed, muttered in a low voice. ¡°...being fucked like a dog by the Hero.¡± The sun was setting before she knew it. . . . . . ¡°Hmm...?¡± Meanwhile. Lulu, who had finished training with Isolet, returned to the cabin. ¡°...Is anyone there?¡± Pulling her sweat-soaked body towards the shower room, she tilted her head and looked at Frey¡¯s room, where she heard a commotion inside. Chapter 402: The Star Within Ruby - Spurt, spurt... ¡°...Hyanhhh.¡± Lying on the bed with her belly exposed, Ruby let out a small moan from Frey¡¯s umpteenth climax. ¡°My belly... is so full...¡± - Slurp, slurp... ¡°Uhh...¡± But still, Frey mercilessly filled her with his cum. Ruby, enduring the volume of the semen with gritted teeth, eventually started drooling from her mouth, curling her toes as she climaxed dramatically. ¡°I-If this keeps up... I¡¯ll break...¡± After trembling for a long time with her legs wrapped around Frey¡¯s waist, Ruby grabbed Frey¡¯s hand and whispered urgently. ¡°W-Wait... Let¡¯s take a break...¡± Hearing her words, Frey looked down at Ruby with a dazed expression. - Thump...! ¡°Eek.¡± Then, Frey collapsed on top of her, sliding down to press his stomach against Ruby¡¯s. ¡°Ruby.¡± ¡°...Frey.¡± The boy and girl, looking into each other¡¯s faces from that position, burst into laughter simultaneously. ¡°Puhaha... You¡¯re like a horny dog, Frey.¡± ¡°...I know right. Why did I act like that?¡± Ruby, looking at Frey scratching his head awkwardly, started to speak while stroking his cheek. ¡°It¡¯s because you drank so much of my body fluids. They have an aphrodisiac effect.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Hearing that, Frey asked with a puzzled expression. ¡°No wonder I couldn¡¯t control my body after we started. Are all demons like this?¡± ¡°...Y-yes. All demons are like this.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Frey looked a bit apprehensive at her words. And he suddenly remembered that Lulu wasn¡¯t like this, but decided not to mention it. ¡°By the way, Ruby. I¡¯m curious about something.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Why are you so weak? I lost count of how many times you came.¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± Frey asked mischievously while they were still embracing and rubbing cheeks, sharing their own brand of affection. Ruby, startled, turned her gaze aside. ¡°T-that¡¯s because I¡¯m a demon.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°F-Females demon... we don¡¯t really understand what love is naturally, but we become more sensitive when we feel conquered.¡± Hearing that, Frey¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°A-and I... already lost to you as a female... and I truly love you too...¡± - Throb...! ¡°...Huh?¡± While continuing to speak with an embarrassed expression, Ruby looked down and widened her eyes. ¡°...You wolf.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± ¡°When did my little kitten become a wolf?¡± Frey¡¯s member was twitching and throbbing angrily inside her. ¡°I love you too, Ruby.¡± ¡°Hmph, I love you more than that.¡± ¡°No, I love you more.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. I love you a hundred times more.¡± ¡°Then I love you a thousand times more.¡± ¡°Then I...¡± In such a situation, they started a childish argument with flushed faces. ¡°...I am your precious gem.¡± ¡°And I am your shining star.¡± The long, childish argument ended as they affirmed their love for each other. ¡°...Hmph.¡± ¡°Mm...¡± Then they continued to hug and kiss, completely naked. - Squeeze...! ¡°Mmph!?¡± As they shared a long kiss, Frey unintentionally grabbed Ruby¡¯s horn, causing her to twist her body in response to the tingling sensation she felt throughout her body. r ¡°Mmph! Mmph...¡± For demons, horns were places to store mana and stimulate sexual desire, especially for those who couldn¡¯t feel love. Ruby¡¯s left horn, which still had a slight crack from being beaten by a certain boy, was even more sensitive. ¡°...¡± As a result, she soaked the huge cock that still filled her inner walls with her love juices. The culmination of the pleasure, both from above and from below, caused her to drool uncontrollably directly into Frey¡¯s mouth. ¡°...Gulp, gulp.¡± It was an extremely lewd act, something she had done even when the Demon King persona overwhelmed her personality. Back then, it was an act of soaking the defeated Hero in her fluids, but now, it was to conceive the hero¡¯s child. And, unlike back then, Frey was smiling and willingly swallowing her sweet fluids. A considerable amount of time passed like that. ¡°...Ugh.¡± Ruby, who had been dazedly enjoying Frey¡¯s caresses on her left horn, finally came to her senses and looked down at him. ¡°Hehe... Ruby, sis...¡± ¡°F-Frey!¡± Frey, completely soaked in her fluids, was looking up at her with an expression full of happiness. ¡°...I love you!¡± - Spurtt!! Spurtt... ¡°Eek!?¡± As Ruby, still trembling, looked down at Frey, a large amount of semen poured into her womb, causing her to roll her eyes and wrap her legs around Frey¡¯s waist even more tightly. - Spurtt, spurtt... Semen continued to flow out for a long time before eventually overflowing out of her vagina. Oh no. I just wanted to give a slight aphrodisiac effect... ¡°Sis... I love you so much...¡± F-Frey¡¯s stamina is constantly regenerating due to the Blessing of the Stars... Ruby, having unintentionally turned him into a monster overflowing with stamina and libido, clutched her twitching lower belly and hurriedly got out of bed. ¡°Sis...? Where are you going...?¡± ¡°Just... wait a moment... Frey?¡± Holding back Frey¡¯s semen that was trickling out of her pussy with her fingers, she headed somewhere in a hurry. ¡°I prepared some neutralizing ingredients just in case. They¡¯re in my room, I¡¯ll make it quickly.¡± ¡°Sis...¡± ¡°Stay put, okay?¡± Leaving those words, Ruby hurried towards her room, covering her throbbing lower belly with her hand. And a quiet silence fell. After Ruby left, Frey worriedly paced around the door. - Creak... ¡°Sis...?¡± He suddenly stopped with a puzzled expression when the door suddenly opened. ¡°Master...!¡± In front of him appeared Lulu, looking very pleased with herself. ¡°M-Master, today, I finally succeeded in transforming into a demon!¡± Showing off the results of her recent training with Isolet, Lulu, maintaining her demon form, approached her master. ¡°So... as a reward, could you pet m¨C Oh?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Why... are you naked?¡± Then, she finally noticed Frey¡¯s naked state, causing her to blush and hesitate. ¡°S-sis?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Looking at her, Frey mumbled with a dazed expression. ¡°Sis... you¡¯re back?¡± ¡°M-master... Kyaa!?¡± Immediately after, the bewildered Lulu was grabbed by Frey and thrown onto the bed. ¡°Hehe... I love you... Sis...¡± ¡°M-Master? You shouldn¡¯t... do this... Should you? Maybe you should?¡± Lulu, who was lying on the bed filled with a lewd scent, looked at Frey¡¯s massive member and stammered. ¡°...Sis.¡± ¡°Eek?¡± Suddenly, Frey¡¯s expression changed. He climbed onto Lulu¡¯s chest, pressing his member against her face, and whispered in a low voice. ¡°Suck.¡± ¡°...Woof.¡± Hot breath began to escape from Lulu¡¯s mouth as she stared blankly at the member throbbing in front of her face. . . . . . ¡°F-Frey.¡± Some time later. ¡°You must have been suffering. I brought the antidote. Once you drink this...¡± Ruby, who entered Frey¡¯s room cautiously while shaking the antidote, started to take in the scene before her with a blank expression. ¡°Woof After a long and arduous battle, Frey finally collapsed on top of them. Even in his exhausted state, Frey still has the strength to hold both sisters close to him. . . . . . A few hours later. - Plop...! Frey¡¯s cock slid out of Lulu¡¯s vagina, who was lying face down on the bed with her hips raised. Lulu, now too exhausted to even moan, began to convulse with her legs trembling. - Thrust...! Frey, who had been caressing her lower abdomen, moved his cock to Ruby, who was lying beside Lulu. - Plap, plap... Frey began to thrust madly while holding onto Ruby¡¯s wing. - Drip... After a while, Frey¡¯s now slightly softened member slid out of Ruby¡¯s pussy, releasing a torrent of cum that filled her womb. - Tremble... Just like Lulu, Ruby lost the strength to moan and collapsed onto the bed with a dazed expression. Frey, who had painted the sisters¡¯ inside out white with his cum, lay down between them as silence filled the room. - Slurp, slurp... After a while, Lulu crawled over to Frey and began to suck on his testicles. ¡°Hik...¡± ¡°Slurp...¡± Frey started to tremble, and Ruby crawled over to suck on his cock. - Slurp, slurp... ¡°Slurp, slurp...¡± For several minutes, the sisters sucked on Frey¡¯s testicles and member. - Throb...! As Frey¡¯s member hardened again, the sisters smiled. ¡°...Hey.¡± ¡°...?¡± But it was only a fleeting moment. - Pinch...! ¡°Ouch, ouch...¡± ¡°Y-you¡¯re back to your senses.¡± Ruby, who pinched Lulu¡¯s bulging belly, whispered coldly. ¡°If you¡¯re back to your senses, get out.¡± Lulu stared at Ruby with her mouth agape. ¡°Gr, grrrr.......¡± Lulu growled and glared back. ¡°Growl...¡± But Ruby glared back fiercely, causing Lulu to lower her stiffened tail with a panicked expression. ¡°O-Okay... Sis? But...¡± ¡°Out.¡± ¡°...¡± Lulu tried to say something, but Ruby just gestured firmly. ¡°...Tsk.¡± ¡°Ah, ahhh...?¡± When Lulu hesitated, Ruby grabbed her by the scruff of the neck. - Rustle, rustle... ¡°Wait!! Just¨C¡± - Thud...! ¡°Oww.¡± Ruby dragged Lulu to the door and tossed her out. ¡°Ahhh!?¡± ¡°W-What¡¯s going on...?¡± ¡°What is this...?¡± ¡°Listen carefully to what I¡¯m about to say.¡± Ruby, having chased out the intruder, addressed the main heroines and Isolet, who were staring at her semen-covered body in shock. ¡°For the next 3 days... no, 7 days, no one is to enter this room.¡± ¡°W-Wait¨C!¡± ¡°Got it?¡± Leaving no room for argument, Ruby closed the door and cast a complex spell to lock it. ¡°Phew.¡± With the intruder gone, Ruby¡¯s eyes gleamed ruby-red as she approached the bed. ¡°...You¡¯re mine.¡± The feeling that had filled her heart earlier was now clear. ¡°Frey, you¡¯re my shining star.¡± It was jealousy and possessiveness. - Slide... ¡°Sis...¡± Ruby climbed onto the soaked bed and hugged the still grinning Frey. ¡°Ugh.¡± She grasped Frey¡¯s cock and inserted it into her fold. ¡°Frey. Shall we play a fun game?¡± ¡°W-What?¡± She stroked his head as she spoke. ¡°For the next week... we¡¯ll stay connected like this.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If your cockleaves my pussy, you lose. If it stays in for the whole week, I lose.¡± It was a lewd and daring game. - Squirt... Just whispering the rules made Ruby climax lightly, excited about the obscene week ahead. ¡°How about it...?¡± Ruby, who suggested the lewd game, realized her inner walls were already clinging tightly to Frey¡¯s cock in anticipation. Though slightly scared, she smiled and stroked Frey, thinking she could endure multiple climaxes from him. Now... you¡¯re mine, Frey... Ruby, the demon who had learned love, now understood jealousy and possessiveness. I¡¯ll completely possess you. As she whispered to herself, she started to think with her eyes half-closed. Who is at least tolerable? First, Serena. She¡¯s his fiance?e, she got pregnant first, and she deserves it... Feeling threatened by Serena, her biggest rival, Ruby clenched her vagina tightly. And Ferloche. If it weren¡¯t for her... the little brat wouldn¡¯t be able to interfere either. So she deserves it, but... ¡°Hey...¡± She¡¯s too far gone. Who knows what she¡¯ll do... ¡°Sis?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Lost in thought about her biggest threats, Ruby turned to Frey¡¯s call. ¡°I-I have a question.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± She tilted her head, and Frey, blushing while inside her, asked shyly. ¡°H-How do we... deal with other bodily functions?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ruby smiled at Frey, who was hugging her waist, and whispered. ¡°Just release it inside me.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take it all.¡± ¡°But, won¡¯t that be bad for your body...?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll clean it with magic. We¡¯ll take nutrients with potions.¡± ¡°...!¡± Frey¡¯s eyes widened at Ruby¡¯s loving gaze. - Spurttt... ¡°Mm.¡± As the warm sensation spread inside her, Ruby smiled and patted his back. ¡°I love you, Frey.¡± ¡°I love you too, Sis.¡± Whispering their love, they smiled and fell asleep in each other¡¯s arms. ¡°Forever.¡± ¡°...Me too.¡± Their happy week began like this. . . . . . Meanwhile, ¡°Hmm...¡± - Stroke, stroke... Ferloche, smiling brightly and stroking herself, was busily scribbling something. Plan to Secure Frey ¡°As expected... I need to secure an escape route first!¡± Her preemptive victory masturbation continued for quite some time. Enhance your reading experience by removing ads: Remove Ads Now Chapter 403: A Father’s Wrath A few days after the day of the conference of rulers. ¡°We need to evacuate immediately! Even as we speak, the Demon King¡¯s Army is advancing!¡± ¡°That¡¯s nonsense! Are you suggesting we abandon the Empire?¡± In the council chamber of the Sunrise Empire¡¯s imperial palace, people were shouting at each other. ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying. Don¡¯t you understand strategic retreat?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a hollow phrase! If we retreat now, and they occupy the area, we¡¯ll never be able to reclaim the Empire.¡± ¡°Then what do you suggest?¡± ¡°We must stand our ground.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nonsense! How do you plan to stop the Demon King?¡± ¡°...Enough!!¡± Amidst the heated debate between the two factions of ministers, Princess Limia, who had been holding her head in her hands, gritted her teeth and shouted. ¡°Enough! You¡¯re all too noisy!!¡± As her sharp voice resonated through the chamber, the ministers reluctantly fell silent and glanced at her. ¡°The Demon King¡¯s Army is only targeting the Academy, right?¡± Limia, surveying the ministers with a weary expression, shrugged her shoulders as she spoke. ¡°Then can¡¯t we just give up the Academy?¡± ¡°Your Highness. If I may... could I speak?¡± ¡°What is it? Go ahead.¡± Tilting her head in curiosity, Limia listened as a moderate minister, unaffiliated with any faction, began to explain. ¡°Do you really believe the Demon King¡¯s Army, whose goal is to destroy the world, will stop at just the Academy once they land in the Empire?¡± ¡°Um...¡± ¡°And even if they only attack the Academy, that is also a problem.¡± ¡°Why so?¡± ¡°Because what they seek is likely within the Academy. The Academy was the last stronghold against the Demon King a thousand years ago.¡± Hearing this, Princess Limia¡¯s expression twisted dramatically. ¡°The First Hero even sacrificed his life to protect the Academy. If the Demon King can¡¯t capture the Academy, maybe he can¡¯t destroy the world...¡± ¡°Hero this, Hero that... I¡¯m sick of it.¡± Interrupting the earnest minister¡¯s explanation, Limia muttered with an irritated expression. ¡°I¡¯ve spent the whole week explaining the Hero¡¯s statements... I¡¯m fed up...¡± It was a rather inappropriate comment for a princess. ¡°At least Lady Clana wasn¡¯t incompetent.¡± ¡°She was actually quite capable.¡± ¡°Where on earth has she gone...¡± As a result, Limia¡¯s already tarnished image from her careless remarks at the conference of rulers was further plummeting. ¡°Can we win if we fight?¡± Despite everything, Limia, who relished the power she wielded in Clana¡¯s absence, asked magnanimously. ¡°The imperial army stands no chance. They might not even manage a proper battle.¡± ¡°Then order the nobles to defend the Empire.¡± ¡°We have already sent a round of letters, but the response has been minimal.¡± ¡°What?¡± Limia¡¯s expression turned icy as she glared at the ministers. ¡°What do you mean, minimal?¡± ¡°It¡¯s partly due to those prioritizing their own territories... but the main issue is likely the Starlight family.¡± ¡°...The Starlight Dukedom?¡± Seeing her confused expression, one of the few remaining elder ministers of the imperial family sighed and spoke up. As the head of the strategy department, a highly respected position, his words drew everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°The Starlight family, as the star that protects the Empire, holds considerable authority. Even the imperial family can¡¯t easily overrule them.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°You are aware of the thousand-year oath made with the Starlight family, the Hero¡¯s descendants chosen by the gods, who are on equal footing with the imperial family, aren¡¯t you?¡± Ra Listening to the elder minister who had held his position for many years, Limia nodded quietly. ¡°One of the authorities granted to the Starlight family by that pact... is the right to approve private armies.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°For the nobles of the Empire to raise or deploy private armies, they need the Starlight family¡¯s permission.¡± ¡°That¡¯s absurd!¡± Limia stood up and raised her voice, shocked by the frightening truth. ¡°How can a noble family, while being vassals of the Empire and the imperial family, hold military power that can control the entire nation?¡± ¡°They are not just any noble family. They were chosen directly by the gods, representing one of the three families equal to the imperial family. They are the Hero¡¯s descendants who saved the world.¡± ¡°Then why haven¡¯t we required that permission until now? The imperial family has controlled and managed private armies for centuries!¡± ¡°The Starlight family has simply been considerate of the imperial family. They have entrusted their rights to the imperial family for centuries.¡± It wasn¡¯t just Princess Limia; most of the newer ministers looked stunned, having never considered this. ¡°And a few days ago... a public notice arrived from the Starlight family in the name of the Duke.¡± The elder minister¡¯s expression grew even darker as he continued his report. ¡°The message was simple. They are reclaiming all rights over the private armies that they had entrusted to the imperial family.¡± ¡°That¡¯s... that¡¯s treason... a treason!¡± ¡°Of course, we could consider it treason and mobilize the imperial army. The imperial family manages the imperial army, and the Starlight family manages private forces, so they can counterbalance each other.¡± ¡°Then do it immediately...¡± ¡°But we are in a state of war, Your Highness. We have no time to fight among ourselves.¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± ¡°The head of the Starlight family, Abraham, who recently awakened from a long sleep and lost his son, the Second Hero, now holds the lifeline of the Empire.¡± As the elder minister finished his grim report, a suffocating silence fell over the chamber. ¡°We have reinforcements, don¡¯t we?¡± Princess Limia, sweating nervously, looked around and spoke with a forced smile. ¡°Many countries have refused to send troops for various reasons, but some have agreed to send reinforcements, haven¡¯t they?¡± Some students, losing their sanity as their status became meaningless due to the isolation, were in denial. ¡°A-are we... all going to die here?¡± ¡°The barrier¡¯s there, right? So the Demon King¡¯s Army can¡¯t get in...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish! How many kingdoms have fallen relying on ancient magic!!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to die... Let me out...¡± Others were trembling in fear of death. ¡°You... you guys are the Hero Party...!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Y-you guys can do something, right?¡± ¡°Save us! Please...¡± And most of the students were surrounding the Hero Party on the sport field, pleading desperately. ¡°The Demon King... can only be confronted by the hero.¡± However, the Hero Party couldn¡¯t tell the students the truth they wanted to hear. ¡°Only Frey... could stand against the Demon King.¡± Because the truth was clear. ¡°Then where is Frey...?¡± The academy students recalled the incident that happened on the day Frey left. ¡°Come to think of it... he cried a lot that day...¡± ¡°Was that... his last moment...?¡± The briefing the Hero Party had given to the rulers had already been made known to the entire world. The sad story of a Hero that no one had known about. As they reached this realization, all the students surrounding the Hero Party fell silent. ¡°Look over there, everyone...¡± In the long silence that followed, a student pointed outside the barrier. This is a live broadcast from the academy! Can you see this? Some reporters, fearlessly approaching the barrier, were holding up signs and pointing their recording devices at it. Send us your messages! Seeing this, the students slowly began to approach the barrier, understanding the reporters¡¯ intentions. ¡°P-please help us... Hero...¡± ¡°I¡¯m One by one, they began to voice their pleas. ¡°We want to live...¡± ¡°Please, help us...¡± ¡°Help us, we beg you...¡± All they could do was call out the name of the Hero they had driven away, hoping to be saved before the Demon King¡¯s Army arrived. . . . . . - We were wrong... Lord Frey... Meanwhile, at the Starlight mansion. - Please come back... - We need the Hero... When the academy¡¯s live broadcast was aired, countless people gathered in the mansion¡¯s courtyard. ¡°Frey! Are you there?!¡± ¡°The Empire is in danger...! Hero...!¡± Somehow, the rumor had spread that Frey was in the mansion. ¡°...Ugh.¡± Princess Limia, who had come reluctantly to the Starlight mansion, looked at the gathering with a grimace before stepping forward. - Rustle... The crowd parted urgently when they saw her. ¡°M-My Lord... I-i ¡°W-We heard you woke up... W-We came to see you...¡± ¡°P-Please, let us in...¡± There, kneeling at the mansion¡¯s entrance, were the former servants of the Starlight household, scratching at the door in desperation. ¡°...Move.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Princess Limia, unaware of who they were, coldly passed by them and knocked on the door. ¡°It¡¯s Princess Limia.¡± Lifting her head high, she announced herself. ¡°I come in the name of the imperial family to speak with the head of the Starlight Dukedom...¡± - Creak... ¡°...Open the door.¡± But as the door opened with a creaking sound, her previously confident demeanor faltered. Silence fell over the courtyard. ¡°Heh.¡± Appearing before the world for the first time in days since his awakening, Abraham looked at everyone with a smile. ¡°...Quite a ruckus you¡¯ve all caused.¡± In one hand, he held a picture of his son; in the other, his beloved sword. His face was pale, and his eyes, though smiling, held no warmth. - Rumble... The terrifying killing intent emanating from his body began to envelop the whole mansion. Chapter 404: Father-In-Law There was a boy. Born into a Marquis family, his life was filled with riches. The boy was also a genius from an early age. He wasn¡¯t called a genius because he was exceptionally smart. He had no particular talent for studying or for using his head. Yet, the reason he was called a genius was very simple. ¡°C-Cough...¡± ¡°M-Master!¡± At the age of five, he defeated his swordsmanship master. ¡°T-This might be rude, but how many times have you used mana?¡± ¡°Is this mana? It feels different from what I used to play with...¡± At the age of seven, he awakened mana, not just any mana, but his own unique mana. ¡°We have a new youngest champion...!¡± ¡°Haha!¡± At the age of ten, he became the youngest champion of the Empire¡¯s martial arts tournament, catching the eye of the Emperor and the heads of the noble houses. A genius of combat. The Reincarnation of God of War. By the time the boy entered the academy, such titles had become synonymous with him. But perhaps because he was born with such immense talent from an early age, or because he grew up without ever experiencing defeat... ¡°Move aside! How dare a mere commoner stand in my way.¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± The boy was quite arrogant and twisted. Had he continued on that path, the Empire would have produced a fearsome troublemaker. ¡°...You¡¯re pretty good.¡± ¡°Uh, what...?¡± But after being defeated by a girl¡¯s magic in his first training session at the academy, his life changed completely. ¡°Let¡¯s do it again!¡± ¡°Well... why don¡¯t you fix that bad attitude of yours first?¡± ¡°...Grr.¡± Their first meeting was certainly not pleasant. - Crackle, crackle... ¡°Now... you can last a few minutes?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky. Just you wait. I¡¯ll break that smug nose of yours.¡± ¡°Pfft... Alright. If you win, I¡¯ll grant you one wish.¡± ¡°...What?¡± But the boy, driven by anger, kept challenging her, turning their unpleasant meetings into a regular occurrence. ¡°Huff, huff...¡± ¡°You finally managed to hurt me? It stings.¡± ¡°... It was just a scratch.¡± Before long, their encounters became a daily routine. ¡°Why did you hesitate earlier? You could¡¯ve gone further.¡± ¡°...¡± It was around that time that a strange atmosphere began to develop between them. ¡°I... won.¡± ¡°Yes, you did.¡± By the time the boy finally defeated the girl, many new titles had been added to his name. Demon Hunter. The Bloody Man. The boy who changed the Empire¡¯s combat manuals. And the Mad Dog of the Marquis¡¯ House, among others. ¡°So, what will your wish be?¡± ¡°Uh, um...¡± But the title he liked the most was one he earned that day. ¡°Go out with me.¡± ¡°Fufufu.¡± The girl¡¯s boyfriend. ¡°H-how is it? Isn¡¯t it humiliating? Having to go out with a crazy guy like me... Ah, it¡¯ll be a fatal flaw for a duchess...¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡°...What? Wait, what?¡± Not long after that, he gained the title of her husband. It was a rare marriage born out of love, not a political one. ¡°Waaah... waaah...!¡± ¡°He has my eyes and hair color, and your looks.¡± ¡°...He looks pretty, so he must take after you.¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± A few years later, the two graduated from the academy. ¡°...By the way.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Why did you choose me back then?¡± The boy, now a father holding his first child with a dazed expression, asked the girl. ¡°Your opponent was supposed to be next after me, right...?¡± ¡°Where did you hear that?¡± The girl smiled as she replied. ¡°There¡¯s a guy I fell in love at first sight... but his personality was just too rotten.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I thought I needed to beat him up to fix him.¡± The boy would never forget that moment. ¡°Will you keep your temper in check from now on?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°Only draw your sword to protect someone?¡± ¡°Well, that...¡± ¡°Ah, the wound from that attack back then... suddenly it¡¯s¨C¡± ¡°Okay, okay, I got it.¡± A boy, whose whole life was dictated by fight and power, became the gentlest and kindest father from that day onward. ¡°The Lady... has passed away.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Even when he lost his wife, who was his life¡¯s purpose, in an unfortunate accident. ¡°They say... I¡¯m a hero?¡± ¡°...¡± Even when he taught his son the codes used in the love letters he wrote during his academy days and the family¡¯s destiny. Memory alteration in 5 seconds... ¡°...¡± Even when a system window appeared in front of him the moment his son completed the first cycle and regressed. Even after all the tribulations he suffered, he remained a gentle and kind father. ¡°Frey... has left the academy and disappeared.¡± ¡°Dad...¡± Princess Limia, who had been glaring and struggling, fell silent at his words. ¡°There will be no help for this damned country.¡± Abraham lifted the princess¡¯s chin and began to whisper coldly. ¡°Even if the Demon King¡¯s Army reaches your doorstep, there will be no one to save you. After all, is it not all of you who have driven out the Hero with your own hand?¡± ¡°W-wait a moment¨C¡± ¡°I will only protect the Starlight Duchy. I need to conserve my strength to judge those who have crossed the line.¡± ¡°Please wait¨C¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about sending the Imperial Army.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± He tightened his grip on Princess Limia¡¯s chin, adding his final words with a menacing expression. ¡°If I push myself a bit more, I can extend my sword aura across the entire empire.¡± ¡°Get out, all of you.¡± With those words, Abraham turned away from the people kneeling and bowing before him. ¡°The Hero is not here.¡± ¡°D-duke... please wait...¡± The princess crawled to his feet, clutching his leg desperately. ¡°Please... I don¡¯t need anything else. Just give me the authority over the private army...¡± - Swish... ¡°Ugh.¡± But Abraham coldly kicked her hand away, freeing himself. - Step, step... He then began to walk back toward the mansion, still radiating a palpable killing intent. ¡°D-duke...¡± ¡°W-we are...¡± He noticed the former servants trembling and kneeling at the entrance and tilted his head with a question. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°¡± ¡°I asked, who are you?¡± As his expression grew colder, the former servants began to sweat nervously. ¡°Get lost, just like you did before.¡± ¡°Duke...!¡± ¡°Go on and keep fighting among yourselves.¡± With a mocking laugh, he dismissed them and locked the door behind him as he entered the mansion. . . . . . ¡°...Sigh.¡± Abraham sighed deeply and sat down with a tired expression. ¡°As expected... my body isn¡¯t what it used to be.¡± Having gone all out for the first time in a long while, his body was exhausted. Perhaps the effects of the vow he had made with his wife still lingered. ¡°...But it¡¯s not over yet.¡± Despite this, Abraham¡¯s eyes flashed as he lifted his weary body and muttered. ¡°I will make sure to judge those who have crossed the line...¡± - Coo! ¡°...?¡± At that moment, a white owl began pecking urgently at the window beside him. ¡°Coo! Coo...¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen this bird before...¡± As he murmured and opened the window, the owl quickly flew into the mansion and extended its leg. - Rustle, rustle... Abraham, staring blankly at the letter tied to the bird¡¯s leg, finally removed and opened it. Father. ¡°...What?¡± What he saw was unbelievable. I am deceiving the world and the Demon King for the final battle. The hastily scrawled handwriting on the white paper seemed urgent. So please calm down and keep this secret. But it was undoubtedly his son¡¯s handwriting. Moreover, the letter was imbued with the familiar stellar mana. ¡°...¡± For a long time, Abraham stared at the letter, his expression trembling. ¡°...It smells.¡± Suddenly, he began to mutter in an eerie voice. ¡°The scent of a demon... and not just any demon, but a pureblood.¡± - Coo? ¡°If you¡¯re going to deceive me, you should have masked the scent.¡± His eyes, once known as the eyes of the demon hunter, began to gleam. - Coo!? ¡°Lead me to them.¡± - Coooo!! Moments later, Abraham swiftly grabbed the owl, which was trying to fly away. ¡°Let¡¯s see the faces of those who dared to deceive me.¡± - Coo... The owl, trying its best to resist, turned its gaze away in resignation. . . . . . ¡°I didn¡¯t expect my father to wake up...¡± Meanwhile, at that moment. ¡°I hope he got the letter... There¡¯s no need for him to worry so much...¡± ¡°...Eek?¡± Ruby, who had been lying in bed, hugging Frey as, suddenly sat up, breaking into a cold sweat. ¡°R-Ruby? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°N-N-Nothing... I just suddenly feel nervous.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± And it wasn¡¯t just her. ¡°...I-Is this an attack?¡± ¡°Grr?¡± The other heroines, who had been doing household chores with sullen expressions, also felt the same foreboding dread. Chapter 405: Meeting the In-Law ¡°C-Coo!¡± ¡°Is this the place?¡± Abraham glanced around as he held the flustered owl. His eyes were sharp. No Entry The harbor town had been declared off-limits due to the sudden increase in demonic monsters activities over the past few days. The area, already attacked by a few monsters that had come ashore, lay in ruins, with only one shabby cabin standing intact. - Step, step... ¡°Coo! Coo!¡± ¡°Quite an interesting place.¡± He noticed that the cabin¡¯s surroundings had been deliberately stripped of any signs of life. Abraham smirked coldly as he approached. - Shring...! As he drew closer, he drew his well-forged sword from his waist. The blade hummed as it sliced through the air, its aura dancing as if it was eager to be unleashed on its next unfortunate victim. ¡°Hmm.¡± Abraham debated whether to cut the cabin down as it was but he decided not to. He paused at the door and reached out. - Knock, knock, knock...! He knocked on the door and waited silently. ¡°I know you¡¯re all inside.¡± When there was no response, Abraham smirked and began to release a terrifying aura. ¡°Will you come out on your own? Or should I come in?¡± Looking at the cabin now engulfed in his killing intent, he raised his sword and spoke. - Creeeak... ¡°A wise but foolish choice.¡± The next moment, an equally terrifying aura emanated from inside the house, and the door opened. Abraham¡¯s eyes narrowed as he tightened his grip on his sword. R??A ¡°Judging by your aura, you must be a skilled swordsman. Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got¨C¡± ¡°Abraham?¡± ¡°...What?¡± The person who opened the door made Abraham¡¯s expression freeze in place. ¡°Isolet?¡± ¡°G-Greetings.¡± Isolet Arham Bywalker, his academy rival and the daughter of the Duke of Bywalker, who often looked after his son when he was young, stood there. Seeing her emerge from the den of those who had dared to deceive him by impersonating his son, Abraham¡¯s mind went blank for a moment. ¡°W-Why are you...?¡± ¡°M-My Lord?¡± ¡°K-Kania?¡± But that wasn¡¯t the end of it. ¡°M-My Lord, what brings you here...?¡± ¡°F-Father.¡± ¡°F-Frey¡¯s father...?¡± ¡°...!?!¡± Kania, the butler who worked at Starlight mansion, and the only servant that followed Frey. Frey¡¯s fiance?e from childhood, Serena. And his son¡¯s childhood friend and the second disciple of the Magic Tower Master, Irina. ¡°Ah, greetings...¡± ¡°Grr?¡± And even Princess Clana, who for some reason was there, along with a girl crouching under the sofa like a puppy. ¡°What is this...?¡± In the den of those he intended to punish, Abraham found himself surrounded by familiar faces, save one, and looked around in bewilderment. ¡°...An illusion?¡± Abraham then changed his expression to cold and stepped inside the house. ¡°Quite a good disguise, but you couldn¡¯t hide that girl¡¯s aura.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°The demonic aura belongs to you, is it not?¡± He pointed his sword at Lulu and declared in a chilling voice. ¡°Why did you forge the letter, even imitating my son¡¯s handwriting?¡± ¡°...Letter?¡± ¡°And where did you get the stellar mana?¡± ¡°...?¡± Lulu, looking at the sword aimed at her with trembling eyes, tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Depending on your answer...¡± Gritting his teeth, Abraham began to infuse his sword with aura. ¡°...¡± ¡°A-Abraham?¡± He suddenly stopped and stared wide-eyed at a particular spot. ¡°This aura... Could it be...¡± Abraham stared intently at the tightly closed door inside. - Step, step... ¡°What on earth is going on?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. We can¡¯t fight Frey¡¯s father. This is crazy.¡± Leaving the puzzled girls behind, he strode purposefully towards the closed door. - Slice...!!! As soon as he reached the door, it was cut into a cross shape and fell apart. ¡°...Ah!¡± A startled voice came from inside. ¡°Ah...¡± Abraham, trembling as he saw the sight, dropped his sword and fell to his knees. ¡°My son...?¡± ¡°Father?¡± Abraham just stood there speechless and dumbfounded at the girl before him. ¡°Give me your son.¡± ¡°Wh-what...?¡± At Ruby¡¯s decisive words, Abraham sat down heavily. ¡°I can give you a grandchild before Serena can.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Trying to cool his heated head, Abraham quickly turned his gaze to Ruby¡¯s cheerful voice. ¡°Oh...¡± ¡°Y-you...?¡± At that moment, Serena, who had been quietly experiencing morning sickness in the corner, met Abraham¡¯s eyes. ¡°...Is ¡°I¡¯m As Serena, holding her slightly swollen belly, looked helpless, Abraham turned his gaze to Frey. ¡°Son...?¡± ¡°Father.¡± Frey knelt before his father, his face pale and soaked with cold sweat. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°...What is it?¡± A feeling of foreboding crept over him, but Abraham maintained a calm expression. It can¡¯t be, right? He believed in his son. His beloved son, the most kind-hearted son in the world. When was the last time his son knelt before him for doing something wrong? It was the first and last time when, at four years old, he had accidentally spilled his coffee. At that time, Frey really thought the world would end and cried before him and his wife. It was so adorable. ¡°T-The thing is...¡± Since then, he has never caused any trouble. He always upholds himself with kindness. ¡°Well...¡± ¡°Speak clearly.¡± Surely, this time, it was just another trivial matter that he thought was a big deal. . . . . . ¡°So, you mean that everyone here... is pregnant with your child?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. But the reason is... to save the world, we had no choice. So...¡± Frey explained, his whole body was soaked with cold sweat. ¡°Kania, you too?¡± Abraham turned to Kania, who was quietly looking down. - Nod... As Kania nodded silently, Abraham asked Irina, who was beside her. ¡°Irina?¡± ¡°Well, I developed the magic, so I know it well... we¡¯re still in the early stages of pregnancy, technically speaking...¡± ¡°Princess Clana?¡± ¡°Y-Yes... father-in-law...¡± ¡°Even you, Isolet?¡± ¡°...¡± As he asked each one of the girls, the number of daughters-in-law grew, leaving Abraham in a daze. Finally, he turned to Lulu, who was snuggling against Frey. ¡°You even impregnated the Demon King¡¯s sister?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m just Master¡¯s pet!¡± ¡°...Huh.¡± ¡°Dad.¡± Abraham felt dizzy from Lulu¡¯s declaration of being a pet to his pure and good-natured son. ¡°What kind of mess is this...?¡± As he stood up, holding his head and staggering, Frey and the heroines rushed to him. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°You¡¯re all... my daughters-in-law...?¡± - Creak... At that moment, A little girl, about waist-high to Frey, opened the door and walked past him. ¡°I¡¯m ¡°G-Glare, this isn¡¯t the time...¡± ¡°W-Will you hold me today too...?¡± She climbed into Frey¡¯s arms, kicking her legs and looking up with an expectant expression. - Crackle... Crackle... ¡°F-Father, this is a misunderstanding.¡± Abraham¡¯s face turned pale as he saw the scene. The sword he raised began to emit a terrifying aura. . . . . . Meanwhile. - Snoop, snoop... A girl with a white hood, holding a rope and a sack, peeked through the window outside the cabin. She licked her lips seductively. ¡°...Thank you for the meal.¡± She was none other than Ferloche, the Saintess herself. Chapter 406: The Era of Hero Suffering Chapter 406: The Era of Hero Suffering - Crackle...! ¡°Hiiii!¡± A terrifying slash surged towards Frey. ¡°F-Father! Please, just listen to me...!¡± ¡°How long do you plan to keep running away?¡± ¡°Gahhh!¡± Frey barely twisted his body to avoid the slash, but another one immediately followed. ¡°Keep doing that, and I won¡¯t be responsible if you get hurt.¡± ¡°F-Father-in-law! Please wait a moment!¡± ¡°My Lord!¡± Thanks to this, Frey ended up rolling across the dirt yard, while the heroines, who were watching with pale faces, urgently tried to stop Abraham. ¡°Hmm.¡± Abraham quietly observed the scene and then approached them. ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°Umm...¡± The women, fidgeting anxiously, began to look worriedly at Frey, who was lying on the ground. ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything to say, go inside.¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°Do you want to fight me?¡± ¡°¡±...¡±¡± Eventually, the heroines stepped back, but they couldn¡¯t stop fidgeting nervously. ¡°We haven¡¯t even finished the whole week yet...¡± Despite muttering with a dissatisfied expression, Ruby immediately smiled brightly when her eyes met Abraham¡¯s. - Swish... ¡°...!?¡± Abraham, who was looking at her smiling face with a troubled expression, sighed and threw something in front of Frey. ¡°Why... why this?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Frey, staring blankly at the sword vibrating in front of him, looked at Abraham with trembling eyes. ¡°I¡¯m so angry right now that I can¡¯t control myself.¡± ¡°W-Wait. It¡¯s really not what you think. Glare is just¨C¡± ¡°Pick up the sword if you don¡¯t want to die.¡± As Abraham approached him, Frey crawled forward hesitantly. ¡°H-How can I attack my own father?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± When Frey asked with a hesitant expression, Abraham chuckled and raised his sword. - Swoosh... In the next moment, Abraham¡¯s sword left a brilliant trajectory as it slashed vertically. ¡°Wahh...¡± The huge slash that barely missed Frey headed towards the sea filled with monsters. - Swishhh... The sea surface split effortlessly, and the bodies of the demonic monsters floated up, causing Frey to stare in speechless shock. ¡°That¡¯s not a weapon, it¡¯s your lifeline.¡± After whispering that in a low voice, Abraham surged towards Frey without giving him time to prepare. - Slash... Cold sweat began to flow from Frey¡¯s entire body as he hurriedly drew his sword. . . . . . ¡°Huff... Huff...¡± Completely exhausted, Frey lay sprawled in a corner of the yard, panting heavily. ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°P-please father...¡± As Abraham, still emitting a terrifying aura, slowly approached, Frey begged in a trembling voice. - Crash...!!! ¡°Eek.¡± When Abraham slammed his sword into the ground beside him and sat down, the sweating Frey started to look at Abraham nervously. ¡°You¡¯re still strong.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re even stronger than me now.¡± Abraham, who had been sitting silently for a while, muttered as he looked up at the sky, causing Frey to look up at the sky in disbelief. ¡°How can you say that after you literally split the sky?¡± ¡°Haha.¡± A long scar left by the attack on the huge dark clouds over the harbor let through a gentle moonlight. ¡°But... I really didn¡¯t touch Glare.¡± As Frey cautiously said that to Abraham, who had retracted his aura and now wore a gentle expression, Abraham replied while still looking up at the sky. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re not the type to cross that line.¡± Abraham, still looking at the sky, glanced down and added. ¡°You... didn¡¯t cross the line, right?¡± ¡°Would I be crazy enough to touch a kid?¡± ¡°She seems to think otherwise.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That little one is quite cheeky. I wonder how she¡¯ll be when she finally grows up.¡± Abraham chuckled as he muttered and then began to speak. ¡°Anyway, I knew you didn¡¯t touch her.¡± ¡°Then why...¡± ¡°I wanted to see how strong you had become.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Finally, relieved, Frey widened his eyes as he spoke. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were so strong, Father.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And that you were a magic swordsman.¡± Hearing that, Abraham gave a bitter smile and spoke. ¡°I awakened it while fighting your mother.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± ¡°I kept it hidden because it¡¯s such a dangerous skill, but if I knew things would turn out like this, I would have taught it to you.¡± . . . . - Creak... ¡°¡±...!¡±¡± As Abraham entered the cabin, the heroines, who had been sitting demurely, sprang to their feet in surprise. ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I said, sit down.¡± Finally, they sat down quietly, unable to hide their anxiety at Abraham¡¯s firm yet gentle voice. ¡°Frey needs to work on his stamina. It¡¯s not right for the Hero to be exhausted just from swinging a sword a few thousand times.¡± As he looked around at them with a sigh, Abraham frowned slightly and asked a question. ¡°Or is there a particular reason why his stamina is so poor?¡± His sharp question made the heroines flinch in various ways. ¡°Haha.¡± Seeing their reactions, Abraham smiled wryly and sat down at the table. ¡°So, is this everyone?¡± He then asked with an uneasy expression. ¡°Is there anyone else I don¡¯t know about?¡± ¡°Well, actually... there is one more...¡± ¡°What?¡± Hearing this, Ruby scratched her head and spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s the person who directly created this miracle.¡± Pointing at Glare, who was drinking orange juice with an innocent smile, Ruby continued. ¡°After countless regressions that nearly broke her mind, she found the crucial variable in that little girl.¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± ¡°Honestly, without her, things would have ended in tragedy a long time ago. Even after her mind broke, she kept regressing, shattering her soul in the process.¡± ¡°That level of dedication deserves recognition. So, who is this person?¡± Abraham asked seriously, while Ruby frowned and mumbled something to herself. ¡°But... I feel like there was someone else too...? Why can¡¯t I remember...¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°...?¡± Then, suddenly, Abraham widened his eyes and stood up, causing Ruby to look up in surprise. ¡°Everyone, I have a question.¡± Meanwhile, Abraham, staring out the window with a puzzled look, asked. ¡°Why is the holy and noble Pure White Saintess... running off with Frey in a sack?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± The heroines, shocked, rushed to the window, and a startling scene unfolded before their eyes. - Thud, thud, thud... Ferloche, wearing a white hood, was sprinting away with Frey stuffed in a sack. ¡°Y-Young Master!!¡± ¡°T-That crazy bitch!!¡± ¡°You bitch! Frey is my star now!!¡± ¡°Catch her!!¡± ¡°Rrrrr...!¡± After a brief moment of stunned silence, the heroines, their eyes blazing, burst out of the cabin. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°...?¡± Abraham and Glare, watching the scene, tilted their heads in confusion. . . . . . ¡°Stop right there!!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t stop, we¡¯ll attack you!¡± ¡°Go ahead and try! I¡¯ll just rape him!¡± Despite the shouts from behind her, Ferloche continued sprinting at full speed with Frey in the sack. ¡°F-Ferloche...?¡± Meanwhile, Frey, bound and wriggling in the sack, managed to poke his head out and speak. ¡°Why are you doing this...?¡± ¡°Why, you ask!¡± Ferloche, smiling brightly, began to explain to Frey, who was trembling. ¡°Did you forget what my awakening ability is?¡± ¡°...The ability to manipulate souls?¡± ¡°Correct!¡± As she said this, she leaped into the air and landed in a nearby forest, causing Frey¡¯s face to turn pale. ¡°I¡¯m needed in the upcoming battle, right?¡± ¡°Well, yes, but...¡± ¡°And, to heal your soul now that the lifespan problem is solved, my ability is required.¡± As she barreled through the forest, smashing trees in her path, Ferloche glanced at Frey with a smile. ¡°But you hesitated to come to me because you didn¡¯t want to betray your relationship with Ruby, right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It must be hard for you to make such a decision on your own.¡± After a few seconds, she emerged from the forest and continued. ¡°So, I¡¯ll take responsibility and be the bitch here!¡± ¡°Uh...¡± ¡°You had no choice but to be raped by me, a woman driven mad! It¡¯s an act sanctioned by God!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But every time I look at you, I can¡¯t help but think...¡± As she ascended into the sky again, Ferloche whispered to the pale-faced Frey. ¡°You really look incredibly hot.¡± ¡°...Gulp.¡± Frey swallowed dryly without realizing it. ¡°When we reach the safe zone, I¡¯ll fuck you like a rabbit, so prepare yourself.¡± ¡°...Help.¡± Hearing Ferloche¡¯s added words, Frey¡¯s eyes began to tremble wildly. Chapter 407: Endless Joy ¡°...Hmm?¡± As I lifted my heavy eyelids and gathered my thoughts, I realized that my lower body felt incredibly stiff. What? Why did my lower body feel like this all of a sudden? ¡°...Ah.¡± Looking down while pondering, I saw Ferloche smiling as she had her mouth wrapped around my cock. ¡°Oh.¡± Staring blankly at the lewd sight, I suddenly remembered that she had kidnapped me. Cold sweat started trickling down as I looked around. Crazy... It was quite a sight. The surrounding area was in ruins. I was standing naked, bound hand and foot by white chains summoned from all directions, against a wall that had somehow remained standing amidst the destruction. Ferloche, dressed in her saintess attire, was moving her hips while holding my penis in her mouth. ¡°Frey, I¡¯m thirsty.¡± ¡°What...?¡± ¡°Give me your cum.¡± Ferloche, who had my penis in her mouth, pouted and mumbled. I could only stare blankly at her. Was she seriously saying she was thirsty and asking for my semen? No way. A saintess wouldn¡¯t say something so vulgar... - Spurttt, spurt... ¡°Gulp... gulp...¡± There it was. Ferloche, who had been stroking my testicles, quickly made me ejaculate a large amount of semen. She swallowed it with a look of relief on her face. The Pure White Saintess was holding my cock with both hands and treating it like a water dispenser, eagerly sucking and drinking from it. ¡°Your cum is so fucking delicious!¡± Stunned by the absurd sight, I was at a loss for words. Ferloche, finally taking her mouth off my penis, exclaimed with her eyes shining. ¡°Give me more!¡± Lifting her leg to clamp my penis between her knees, she began to stroke my glans with her hand, moving her leg back and forth. ¡°Wh-where are we...?¡± ¡°This is the cathedral you destroyed!¡± Barely managing to ask a question through my dizzying thoughts, she replied cheerfully. ¡°C-cathedral? Why are we here...?¡± ¡°So I can amplify my divine power to create a powerful barrier!¡± Pointing to the sky through the gaping hole in the ceiling, she showed me a massive barrier covering the entire ruined cathedral. ¡°It should hold until the job is done! It¡¯s ancient magic combined with my divine power!¡± ¡°Oh...¡± ¡°By the way, I almost got caught. If Ruby had reached out a little further... I¡¯d be getting beaten to death right now!¡± ¡°Wa-wait... Ferloche. I...¡± Even as she continued to explain, Ferloche kept rubbing my penis with her knee, causing an overwhelming sensation of climax to build up. - Squeeze...? ¡°Just give me your seed already. I¡¯m hungry.¡± Sensing my impending orgasm, she tightened her grip with her knee, gently wrapping my penis, and whispered, extending her hand towards my glans. ¡°...Ugh.¡± I couldn¡¯t even think of resisting. Having exhausted all my mana in the life-and-death duel with my father, I was already quite worn out. And when she extended her hand toward my cock, an overwhelming urge to cum into her pale hand filled my mind. ¡°Your semen is overdue. If you don¡¯t pay up soon, I¡¯ll have to forcefully collect it.¡± - Spurtt...! Spurtt...! And so, buried in Ferloche¡¯s knee, I obediently deposited another huge load into her waiting hand. ¡°Mmm... mmm...¡± Eyes closed, she brought the cum-filled hand to her mouth, savoring it while looking at me. ¡°Uh, um...¡± Thinking this might be my only chance to stop her, I hastily tried to speak. ¡°...Yes. Payment confirmed.¡± ¡°Heubb!¡± ¡°But what should we do about this?¡± She gagged me with her panties, preventing me from speaking further, and whispered as she tore a hole in her tights near her abdomen. ¡°There still seems to be a lot of unpaid semen in here...¡± ¡°Hmph...¡± ¡°Shall we proceed with forced collection?¡± Soon, my penis found its way into the hole in her tights. - Slide, rub... ¡°Do you see this? Your penis is trying hard to push into the collection box to save its owner.¡± The combination of the cool tights clinging to my penis and the soft warmth of Ferloche¡¯s lower abdomen created an unbearable sensation. ¡°Keep it up? Poor Mr. penis, keep it up?¡± - Spurt, Spurt... ¡°Oh... what a shame. Despite your efforts, you couldn¡¯t keep your seeds.¡± With that erotic display, my penis quickly ejaculated again. - Drip... As my penis slipped out, my cum coated her cool tights, spreading it across Ferloche¡¯s belly. ¡°How unfortunate... but cumming outside doesn¡¯t count as payment.¡± Seeing my penis harden again at her words, Ferloche this time made a small hole lower down, pressing her buttocks against me. ¡°Now then...¡± With a whisper, she inserted my cock into the hole, making it snugly fit against her buttocks. As soon as she started rubbing her soft flesh against me, my penis began twitching madly again, overwhelmed by the sensation of her buttocks and the rough, cool tights. ¡°Keep it up? Keep it up, Mr.penis?¡± - Slide, rub... ¡°Oh, I see some hope!¡± Rubbing my penis against the crack of her buttocks, Ferloche clapped her hands, wiggling her hips. ¡°If you can just push a little further... it might count as voluntary payment...¡± - Spurt...! With that, she smiled brightly at me, illuminated by the moon and starlight, looking quite beautiful. - Squelch, squelch...? Except for the fact that her vagina was still wildly riding my penis. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to be raped.¡± ¡°...Heukk.¡± ¡°Be calm and accept it humbly.¡± Please, someone save me. . . . . . - Plop...! ¡°Hahhh...!¡± Ferloche¡¯s lower mouth, making wet squelching sounds, was filled with Frey¡¯s glans. As her lower mouth slammed down with terrifying force, Ferloche¡¯s face showed ecstasy, while Frey¡¯s face displayed dizziness. - Drip... Seeing Ferloche¡¯s blood trickling down, Frey, who had managed to spit out the panties, looked at her with concern. ¡°Hey... Ferloche. If it hurts, you can go slowly...¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Staring blankly at Frey, Ferloche gently covered his mouth with her underwear and whispered with a soft smile. ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re seriously so hot.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t control myself because you turn me on so much.¡± Frey, puzzled by her seemingly gentle words but actually a rough statement, saw Ferloche¡¯s eyes glaze over as she continued. ¡°Why are you so hot? I¡¯ve been trying so hard to hold back, but I just can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Well...¡± ¡°Are you trying to figure out why you turn me on? Ha... seriously...¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± ¡°...This is driving me crazy.¡± As Ferloche¡¯s hips bounced once, Frey¡¯s whole body trembled and arched up. - Spurt...! ¡°It¡¯s your fault!¡± Ferloche¡¯s vaginal walls wrapped around and clung to his penis in an instant. - Spurt...!! ¡°You¡¯re constantly seducing females without even trying; how do you expect me to resist!!¡± In the overwhelming sensation of ecstasy, Frey began cumming inside her without even managing a rebuttal. - Spurt...!! ¡°Damn! You¡¯re so delicious! Frey!¡± - Spurt... As his penis was about to go flaccid, Ferloche used her vaginal muscles to keep it hard, thrusting her hips mercilessly. ¡°Every inch of you is erotic!¡± Every word she spoke sent Frey over the edge, making him cum, while Ferloche squeezed her vagina to keep all his semen inside her. ¡°Ferloche...¡± ¡°Yes! I love you too!!¡± ¡°I, I really might die...¡± Her appearance was that of a succubus incarnate. ¡°Frey.¡± ¡°Huff, huff...¡± Frey collapsed after yet another ejaculation. ¡°Ha, haha... haha...¡± Panting heavily, Frey looked at Ferloche and began to laugh. ¡°Are you broken?¡± Ferloche looked at Frey with a puzzled expression. ¡°...Nothing more is coming out.¡± Then, as she heard his words, she widened her eyes and began hitting his testicles. ¡°W-What do you mean? Give me more.¡± ¡°Hehe, I can¡¯t give you any.¡± Despite her licking his testicles, gently caressing and squeezing them to extract more semen, nothing came out. ¡°We still have many positions to try, many plays to do. We need to try outdoor sex, don¡¯t we? Right?¡± ¡°Try to rape me... I already dried up...¡± Half insane, Frey muttered as he watched her, making Ferloche¡¯s expression harden. ¡°Hah.¡± She sighed, then spoke with her shoulders slumped. ¡°We only did it once.¡± ¡°Yeah, so just untie... wait, what?¡± Frey, shaking the chains, looked puzzled at her words. - Sizzle... ¡°Huh...?¡± Ignoring his plea, Ferloche, with a sly smile, began forcibly injecting divine power into his cock. ¡°Now there are 99 times left.¡± ¡°W-wait.¡± ¡°You should have realized this was possible when your stamina became abnormal.¡± Watching his penis harden again, Frey was struck with terror and began struggling. ¡°Wait!! Wait, no!!!¡± ¡°Each time you resist, it counts as an additional time.¡± ¡°...Mmph!?¡± ¡°If you take it obediently, I might consider lessening your sentence.¡± As she said this, Ferloche put her breast in Frey¡¯s mouth, gently stroking his head, and he immediately clamped his mouth shut and began sucking. ¡°Good job.¡± ¡°...Slurp, slurp.¡± ¡°As a reward, I¡¯ll be gentle for the second time.¡± ¡°...Hah?¡± Thus, her unending forceful extraction began. Chapter 408: Idiot and the Beast ¡°Hah... Hah...¡± - Plap, Plap... The sound of rough breathing and flesh slapping against flesh echoed through the ruined cathedral. - Spurt, Spurt...! ¡°Ahhh...¡± After the 21st ejaculation, Frey gave up counting and twisted his body as another orgasm built up. - Tingle, tingle... But his member only left a tingling sensation as it began to shrink. It was the result of countless orgasms forced out by Ferloche¡¯s relentless torment, leaving him completely drained. ¡°F-Ferloche...¡± Lying on the ground, trembling, Frey called out her name with a shaky voice. ¡°Please, stop...¡± - Thud, thud... The timing to inject divine power had long passed, but Ferloche continued to thrust her hips with a vacant expression. ¡°At least heal me...¡± - Plap, plap, plap... In desperation, he grabbed her thighs and pleaded, but she showed no signs of stopping. - Spurt... ¡°Ngh...¡± Despite being completely drained, his member convulsed within her tight folds. ¡°Grrr...¡± Suddenly, something began to change within Frey. ¡°Grrr...¡± The demonification, which he had been suppressing since the Fourth Ordeal, began to manifest in response to the threat to his life. ¡°Grrr!!¡± - Crack, crackle...! As his eyes glowed red, Frey strained with all his might, causing the white chains binding him to crack. - Snap!! Finally, the chains snapped like rubber bands, freeing him. ¡°Hah, hah...¡± Breathing heavily, Frey looked up at Ferloche, who had stopped her movements and was now staring at him with a vacant expression. ¡°W-what is this?¡± Muttering in a daze, Ferloche stared at the transformed Frey. ¡°B-Bad Frey! What evil plan are you scheming this time!!¡± She weakly punched his chest with her fists, scolding him. ¡°You¡¯re bad! Stop... Oh.¡± As she flailed her arms, she felt something strange and looked down. ¡°...Huh? Wha?¡± Reverting to her dumb state after being in her twisted personality for too long, Ferloche stared at their joined bodies with confusion. ¡°W-what is this?¡± Lacking understanding, she gently touched her sticky, fluid-covered entrance with slender fingers. ¡°...Grr.¡± ¡°Eek?¡± Her eyes widened as his member swelled within her, causing her to withdraw her hand in shock. ¡°Why is your thing inside me?¡± - Drip... ¡°T-this is strange. I don¡¯t understand.¡± As her folds instinctively tightened around him, she stared down in fear, still joined with him. - Throb, throb...! ¡°Hah, haaah?¡± Suddenly, the fluid that had been blocked by his member began to leak out, causing her to instinctively press him back inside. ¡°...I-I stopped it!¡± ¡°Puah.¡± ¡°When that strange feeling came over me... Ngh!?¡± With a puzzled, innocent expression, she twisted her body and spoke nervously while glancing at Frey. ¡°Huh? Heuuuh...¡± As she felt her first orgasm in her dumb state, she lightly climaxed while still half-impaled on him. ¡°...W-what is this?¡± ¡°What?¡± After a long pause, she turned her flushed face to Frey and asked with a trembling voice. ¡°It¡¯s... something I¡¯ve never experienced before.¡± ¡°In what way?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like... my mind is blank, and my whole body is tingling like it¡¯s been shocked...¡± She responded in a tiny, shy voice. ¡°...W-wait a minute.¡± Her face turned pale as she recalled the basic sex education given by the nuns. ¡°S-sister said... this kind of thing is supposed to be between people who love each other.¡± Recalling the nuns¡¯ words, she touched her fingers together and muttered softly. - Swish...! ¡°Eek!?¡± Frey grabbed her thighs and stood up, whispering in her ear. ¡°Then, what¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°...Ah!?¡± With demonification enhancing his strength and stamina but also his desire, he pressed her lower abdomen firmly. - Press...? Her eyes widened as she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist and whispered with a burning face. ¡°We... don¡¯t love each other!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Y-you don¡¯t like me!¡± Frey chuckled and shook his head. ¡°I like you.¡± ¡°...!¡± Her face turned beet red at his words. ¡°T-this is strange...¡± ¡°What¡¯s strange?¡± She looked at him with a trembling gaze, then lowered her head and murmured. ¡°Hearing that... makes me tingle down there...¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°But! I don¡¯t like you!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± With a determined expression, she raised her head and said firmly, causing Frey to tilt his head in confusion. ¡°You¡¯re evil!¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°You¡¯re wicked! Nasty! Annoying! And... and insurrefable!¡± ¡°You mean insufferable.¡± ¡°Yes! Exactly!¡± Still impaled on him, she twisted her body in frustration. ¡°So, stop doing this...¡± ¡°What if I start being good from now on?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If I promise not to do any more bad things, will you like me?¡± She stared at him blankly for about ten seconds. ¡°O-of course.¡± She finally replied in a trembling voice. ¡°If you become good... I¡¯ll even marry you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always... liked you.¡± Frey looked at her with a new expression. ¡°Since that day... when you gave me the potion and changed my life.¡± ¡°...Since then?¡± ¡°I never wanted to be a saintess. I just... wanted to marry you.¡± Listening to her, Frey was uncertain, recalling how prickly she had been like a stray cat. - Throb...? But as if to confirm her words, her folds tightened around him, making him hesitate. ¡°So, what do I do?¡± Misinterpreting his look, Ferloche tried to recall and say every erotic thing she knew from her limited sex education. ¡°Uhm... I tried squeezing a bit... Does it feel good?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...H-Husband.¡± At those shy, embarrassed words from Ferloche, Frey¡¯s rationality snapped. - Plap, plap...! ¡°...Aaaaah!?¡± . . . ¡°Pant, pant... haah...¡± - Plap, plap...? The heightened voices echoed all around. Frey, now on top of Ferloche, was moving his hips while their navels were touching. ¡°F-Frey...¡± Ferloche felt indescribable emotions as her small, petite body was enveloped by Frey¡¯s embrace. ¡°Now that I think about it... it¡¯s a big problem...¡± ¡°What is?¡± Covering her face with her hands shyly while wrapping her legs around Frey¡¯s waist, she peeked out and murmured anxiously. ¡°I¡¯m stupid and don¡¯t know how to be a mother...¡± ¡°...So?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I can¡¯t cook... my laundry is terrible... and I don¡¯t understand arithmetic at all...¡± She looked at Frey with a sad expression. ¡°Why am I so stupid...¡± ¡°No, Ferloche.¡± He buried his head in her hair, whispering softly. ¡°You¡¯re not stupid at all.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°You¡¯re only like this because of me.¡± Tilting her head at his words, she smiled brightly and replied. ¡°Thank you, even if it¡¯s just words.¡± ¡°No, I mean it...¡± ¡°You¡¯re truly becoming kind.¡± She stroked his head as if proud of him. ¡°You should have been like this all along, bad Frey.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m dumb, but I¡¯ll do my best for you...¡± As she spoke, her vagina warmly embraced Frey¡¯s member. Finally showing the kindness and gentleness of a saintess, she filled her vagina with divine power and fluids, drenching his member. ¡°Now, you¡¯re going to release your baby seed inside me?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll get pregnant.¡± Ferloche smiled lovingly and whispered as she stroked Frey¡¯s back. ¡°I prefer being your wife over being a saintess.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So, don¡¯t hold back and release it.¡± Immediately, Frey¡¯s member, touching her cervix, released its milky contents. - Spurts, spurts...! - Squeeze... At the same time, Ferloche wrapped her legs around his waist, hugging him tightly. ¡°But...¡± Then, with a restless expression, she whispered. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to finish... what you started earlier?¡± ¡°...Pfft.¡± ¡°Kyaa!¡± Thinking of her as a natural-born nymphomaniac, Frey grabbed her thighs and lifted her. . . . . . Some time later. ¡°S-Sun God... I-I¡¯m sowwy...¡± Ferloche, pinned down and having Frey¡¯s cockthrust into her, drooled and looked up at the sky. ¡°Your s-saintess... has lost her purity... and has become... lawd? Lewd?¡± ¡°...Lewd.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so lewd now... I-I¡¯m sowwy... I¡¯ll atone my sin in hel- Hic...¡± Frey, now skilled at taking her from behind, whispered as he lifted her slightly and thrust into her. ¡°Rather than the Sun God... you should apologize to the Star God...?¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± At that, Ferloche, making a confused expression, opened her mouth, feeling a twinge in her lower abdomen. ¡°Star God... forgive me... I was wrong...¡± Frey, realizing it was having the opposite effect, mumbled as he released his seed inside her. - Tremble... Simultaneously, Ferloche, with her arms released, slumped to the floor, shaking uncontrollably from the pleasure. ¡°Frey... I love you...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I just like you...¡± She crawled toward him, holding his member between her breasts and started cleaning his tip with her mouth. ¡°...What are you doing?¡± ¡°C-cleaning up.¡± ¡°Cleaning up?¡± - Nod, nod... Having swallowed all the semen left in his urethra, she smiled innocently and mumbled. ¡°I used to worry about my big breasts... but now I can use them for this!¡± ¡°...Don¡¯t ever say that in front of Clana.¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean by that...¡± Tilting her head at his words, Ferloche suddenly began to sway. ¡°I¡¯m suddenly sleepy...¡± ¡°...Me too.¡± ¡°Kyaa...¡± As Frey fell on top of her, she turned her face away shyly. ¡°Uhm...¡± ¡°Beast Frey...¡± As the effects of her dumb state and his demonification wore off, they slowly closed their eyes. ¡°...Ah.¡± Shortly after, Ferloche¡¯s eyes snapped open, and she sat up. ¡°...¡± Looking around with much clearer and sharper eyes than before, she gazed at Frey, who had fallen asleep with his head on her thigh. ¡°...Sigh.¡± A deep sigh escaped her lips. ¡°What a burden I¡¯ve been.¡± Stroking his hair with a dark expression, she whispered softly. ¡°Talking about rape and all... I¡¯ve missed my chance to leave gracefully. I should have discarded this broken personality long ago after finding Glare.¡± ¡°Grumble...¡± ¡°Still, I like you. Even though it¡¯s selfish and ugly, I can¡¯t let go of my lingering feelings.¡± Looking lovingly at Frey, who still showed signs of his demonification, she raised her hand with a determined expression. ¡°But now, it¡¯s time to fulfill my duty.¡± ¡°...¡± Surprisingly, she began to use a special technique to synchronize their souls. ¡°I love you, Frey.¡± She whispered, kissing his forehead with a radiant smile. - Shaaa... Simultaneously, a bright light began to emanate from the entire ruined cathedral. . . . . . ¡°Uhm...¡± Something wet was falling on his face. What¡¯s this? Is it raining? - Swoosh... Opening his eyes, he saw Ferloche beside him, turning her gaze away with a troubled expression. ¡°You¡¯re awake already?¡± She muttered awkwardly, her eyes, nose, ears, and mouth bleeding. ¡°...Ferloche?¡± What on earth is happening? Chapter 409: Service Resumption ¡°Lie back down quickly...¡± Even when she was bleeding from her seven orifices, Ferloche spoke softly as she reached out to me. ¡°Wait a moment...!¡± ¡°...¡± When I grabbed her hand tightly to stop her, Ferloche looked at me with a troubled expression. ¡°What exactly is going on?¡± Let¡¯s try to piece this together. Exhausted from training with my father, I had collapsed in the yard, which Ferloche took advantage of to kidnap me. Then, I was brought to the ruins of a cathedral I had destroyed, bound by chains, and subjected to endless ¡°extraction.¡± In the midst of this, my demonification progressed, and Ferloche reverted to her dumb state... And even during this, we continued to make love until I eventually passed out from exhaustion. - Drip... But when I woke up, I found Ferloche looking down at me, bleeding from her eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. What the hell happened? Even trying to piece it together, I couldn¡¯t understand any of it. - Clang! Clang! ¡°Stay still. I need to finish this.¡± As I looked up at Ferloche in confusion, she summoned the white chains that had bound me before, with a bitter smile. ¡°You need to stay still. This process must go smoothly...¡± - Snap! ¡°...Huh.¡± Chains wrapped around my arms and legs again. But when I opened my eyes wide and applied force, the chains snapped easily. It was a simple task for me now, as I still retained some effects of my demonification. ¡°Explain, Ferloche.¡± ¡°Sigh...¡± After breaking all her chains, I braced myself against the Sun God¡¯s Blessing. But instead of retaliating, Ferloche sighed deeply and lowered her head. ¡°...Ferloche?¡± Cold sweat was dripping from her forehead. As she stood there silently, sweat trickling down her face, she looked inexplicably uneasy. ¡°Talk to me.¡± ¡°...¡± At times like this, having a mind reading skill would be useful. The only downside since the system was destroyed was that I couldn¡¯t use the skills I used to rely on. ¡°Ferloche...¡± Well, there was no system to depend on anymore, so it couldn¡¯t be helped. I just had to find out for myself. ¡°Let¡¯s talk this through.¡± With that in mind, I cautiously approached her, ready to step back if needed. Ferloche flinched and looked at me. ¡°...Frey.¡± Her eyes were filled with a mix of complex emotions. ¡°I¡¯ve fulfilled my purpose.¡± ¡°What? What are you talking about? What purpose...¡± ¡°So now it¡¯s time to fulfill my duty.¡± It seemed there was a deep story behind this. ¡°Can you explain more?¡± ¡°...¡± I decided to listen to her story quietly. . . . . . Frey. When I first received the retry ability from you, I was full of hope. I was the Saintess who hunted you as the leader of the heroines in each cycle. And eventually, I was the one who pierced your heart and caused your demise. I thought I could make up for my foolish mistakes and give you a happy ending. But the process was more difficult than I imagined. Of course, it was natural. I was thrown into this with no guides or strategies, just my body. After repeatedly going back in time countless times, my tightly held mind started to break down. The initial fervor and hope I had gradually faded, replaced by emptiness. Even so, I kept repeating the cycle over and over... Eventually, my original personality completely broke down. How pathetic am I? You and Ruby went through the same cycles, yet I¡¯m the only one who ended up like this. But I couldn¡¯t help it. My maximum mental strength was 8. Compared to you and Ruby, who had a maximum mental strength of 10, there was a significant gap. Of course, that also showed my lack of ability. But I really did my best. Although the initial emotions and hope faded into distant memories, one thought never changed. To give you a happy ending. That one thought... For that one overarching goal, I took every possible measure. To find the one variable that would break this endless cycle of tragedy. It was indeed a reckless endeavor. Instead of focusing solely on defeating the Demon King, I had to experiment with every aspect of this world. But with the sole thought of achieving the overarching goal, I tirelessly repeated the cycles. And finally, I found it. The Sun God, who altered the world once during my endless retries. And the legacy of the First Hero, ¡®Kim Han-byeol,¡¯ who was summoned by the Sun God. The ¡®one coincidence¡¯ and self-shining light, Glare. What was the trigger again? Ah, I remembered. One day, while researching the early phases of the Retry, I saved a child who was being taken by some thugs while accompanying you to an auction. And when I handed her the ring you always gave me early on... a miracle happened. When I found that, I was overjoyed. It was the day my heart pounded the most during the endless cycle of Retry. Did the First Hero feel the same way when he discovered her by chance? ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an inevitable sacrifice, so let me bear the burden...¡± ¡°No, just no.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Blocking her mouth, I held her hand and whispered. ¡°Let¡¯s find another way.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not an outcast. We need you.¡± ¡°But...!¡± ¡°In the happy ending I¡¯m aiming for, no one will be left out.¡± The moment I said that, - CRASH!! The massive barrier surrounding us shattered and began to collapse in an instant. ¡°...How? It should have held out longer.¡± Ferloche murmured, watching in disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s the miracle you found.¡± ¡°No sweet potatoesssssss 1...!¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± I smiled as I looked at Glare, running towards us with her eyes fixed on the air, and whispered, causing Ferloche to wear a dazed expression. ¡°In this situation... we need to move...¡± - BOOM!!! At that moment, ¡°Got you.¡± ¡°...Gehack.¡± Ruby, flying towards us with all her might, kicked Ferloche aside, sending her flying into the distance. ¡°Frey. That was a good speech.¡± ¡°...Yeah.¡± Ruby cracked her hand as she saw Ferloche¡¯s struggle against the wall in the distance. She paused and whispered. ¡°Yes, everyone¡¯s happy ending is important. Everyone¡¯s... everyone¡¯s...¡± ¡°Ruby?¡± ¡°...It¡¯s nothing. Anyway, wait there.¡± ¡°Go easy on her.¡± With that, Ruby spread her wings again and flew towards Ferloche, her eyes gleaming. ¡°Haha.¡± Watching this, I couldn¡¯t help but laugh and then turned to the heroines approaching me. Finally... The end is near. Despite the brief commotion, it seems we managed to handle it successfully. ¡°No sweet potatoes! No sweet potatoes!¡± ¡°Ouch! Ow, ow...¡± ¡°No sweet potatoes!¡± Seeing Ferloche getting hit on the head by Glare while Ruby held her by the collar reassured me. ¡°Let go... I need to finish the soul treatment...¡± ¡°Sweet potato!¡± ¡°I have to. To revive Frey, I need to treat his soul, which means using my soul...¡± ¡°Are you stupid?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Just merge the dumb personality with the original one!¡± Glare said, hitting her on the head again, causing Ferloche to look at her with a dazed expression. ¡°But... um...¡± ¡°Then your mind will recover! And you¡¯ll have the strength to heal the Hero! It¡¯s a win-win!¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s not the problem.¡± Ferloche then looked at Ruby. ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± Lowering her eyes, she whispered apologetically. ¡°...If you want, I¡¯ll step down. So...¡± ¡°First, take this hit.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± - BOOM!!! As I watched the massive cloud of demonic energy form, I shook my head and turned to the heroines. ¡°Starting today, I¡¯ll be training with my father.¡± ¡°Frey...¡± ¡°The Academy¡¯s Siege is right around the corner. Make sure you¡¯re all prepared.¡± After saying that and starting to walk outside, I stopped and looked back at them. ¡°Let¡¯s all be happy.¡± Seeing the heroines nod, a happy smile spread across my face. ¡°All of us, definitely.¡± Kania, Irina, Clana, Serena, Ferloche. Isolet, Lulu, Aishi. And Ruby, along with the academy students. The decisive moment for everyone¡¯s happiness was approaching. ¡°...Hmm?¡± But why did I keep feeling uneasy? . . . . . Meanwhile, at that time. > How did you get in there? (02:24) > Let¡¯s make a deal. (17:30) > If you cooperate with me, I¡¯ll get you out of that place. (17:31) Sitting in a dark room with disheveled hair and a hollow expression, Roswyn glanced at the chat window in front of her. Do you want to block this user? > You¡¯ll regret this. (17:32) Blocked She then pushed the chat window aside and looked back at the monitor in front of her. - Click, click... Her busy hands moved as she read a simple announcement. Dark Tale Fantasy Series Service Resumption Notice GM Mademoiselle [Comments 9999+] 1. A Korean slang for a frustrating moment. Chapter 410: The Two Truths - Clang...! ¡°Hmm...¡± A crisp, refreshing metallic sound echoed through the makeshift training area beside the cabin. ¡°Frey, you¡¯re truly amazing. To have grown this much in such a short time.¡± My father, who had lost his sword to my strike, looked at me with a newfound expression and murmured. ¡°...Father, are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. This is nothing.¡± He waved off my concern with his hand, but to my eyes, he didn¡¯t look well at all. It was inevitable. In the past, he was healthy, but ever since my mother died, he secretly suffered from a heartache, hiding it from me and Aria. Moreover, having been bedridden for a long time due to the system and suddenly overexerting himself, he was bound to reach his limit. I¡¯m worried he was overexerting himself to help with my training. ¡°Father, let¡¯s stop for today. We¡¯ve already practiced enough swordsmanship...¡± ¡°Cough, cough... But the time we¡¯ve had to practice is far too short.¡± Despite his tired appearance, my father waved me off as I tried to support him back to the hut. ¡°Although you¡¯ve adapted quickly... any misstep could endanger you.¡± It seems my father wanted to teach me as much swordsmanship as possible before the Academy Siege began. ¡°And you haven¡¯t tried the technique yet...¡± He was pushing himself without regard to his body. ¡°Father...¡± ¡°Hand me the sword. I¡¯ll demonstrate the technique now...¡± What should I do? It seemed the only way to convince him was to show results. ¡°Son?¡± - Crackle...! As I thought this and gripped my father¡¯s beloved sword, instead of handing it back to him, I channeled my sword aura into the blade. Then, a shimmering silver energy began to flow through the entire sword. This was a sword aura imbued with the properties of stellar magic, a unique energy that only I could wield. It resonated with the sword and flowed into the ground. R?A?Ob¦¥s?? ¡°Huff...!¡± After observing this for a moment, I took a deep breath and unleashed a strike toward the sea with all my might. - Crackle...! A brilliant, dazzling trajectory flew toward the sea. ¡°...Ha.¡± My father, who had been staring blankly at the sight of my strike splitting the sea and scattering stellar magic everywhere, burst into laughter and turned his gaze to me. ¡°When did you master this?¡± ¡°...Last night, while practicing alone.¡± ¡°Really? If that¡¯s true, it¡¯s truly impressive.¡± He continued, looking amazed. ¡°This is a technique I barely mastered with a specific purpose in mind.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Moreover, its power, duration, and size surpass mine by several times. My son is truly extraordinary.¡± My father, with a proud expression, patted my head. ¡°...Thank you.¡± I smiled at him, but my heart felt uneasy. I¡¯m still not there yet... I didn¡¯t master it because I¡¯m extraordinary. I succeeded because of a desperate desire, just like my father¡¯s at that time, to make everyone happy. And I still couldn¡¯t unleash its full power because of my damaged left arm. Even if my arm were healthy, it seemed like a long way to go to reach the level where I could split the sun. To make everyone happy, I needed to be that strong. But was it even possible? ¡°Father, can I split the sun with this technique?¡± ¡°The sun?¡± I asked, feeling slightly frustrated, and he gave a simple answer. ¡°Of course, you can. With the stellar magic you¡¯ve acquired, it¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°...Really?¡± ¡°But remember, stars come in various sizes.¡± He smiled gently and whispered. ¡°There are stars bigger than the sun, smaller stars, and stars the same size as the sun. After all, the sun itself is also a star.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So you must become a star big enough to swallow the sun.¡± It was a simple yet difficult solution. Could I reach that level in time? ¡°So believe in yourself and move forward. There will be light there.¡± ¡°...I understand.¡± I had to set aside my doubts and face the challenge. Only then I could advance. I just had to believe in the infinite potential of the stellar magic my mother gave me and the swordsmanship my father taught me. As my father said, ¡°believe in myself and move forward, there will be light¡±. ¡°Herooo...!¡± As I put down my sword, someone came running toward us from a distance. ¡°Lunch is ready! Come and eat!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Glare, who had stopped in front of me while holding something in her arms, smiled brightly and said. ¡°Oh, and here, take this!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± As I was about to stroke her head and walk away, she handed me what she was holding tightly. ¡°I made a lunchbox! Eat it if you get hungry during night training!¡± ¡°You made this?¡± ¡°Yes! I made it myself!¡± Glare, with a steaming lunchbox, clung to me with a bright smile. ¡°I made it with Kania¡¯s help early this morning!¡± Her face was smudged with soot, and she looked a bit tired. She must have made it herself. I¡¯m touched. ¡°As a reward, give me a kiss!¡± ¡°...Hmm?¡± I looked down at her with a proud expression, and she closed her eyes tightly and shouted. - Flick! ¡°...Ouch.¡± I gently flicked her forehead and took her hand. ¡°You cheeky little rascal.¡± ¡°...Hmph.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go eat.¡± Entering the hut, which was full of fierce beasts, with such a cute and pure child made me feel strangely relieved. ¡°...That lunchbox, it¡¯s filled with stamina-boosting food.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve also suffered a lot from your mother... I know it well.¡± As we walked toward the hut, my father¡¯s deep voice sounded from behind. ¡°Be careful... son.¡± ¡°...!?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only a moment, son.¡± What did he mean by a moment? ¡°Ferloche completed her awakening last time... Sister Isolet too... Lulu is almost done...¡± Avoiding their stares, I mumbled to myself and finally turned to the last person. ¡°Irina! How about you?¡± ¡°...Hmm?¡± ¡°How is your awakening going?¡± I asked a question just to change the atmosphere, to give a compliment. ¡°...¡± ¡°Irina?¡± But soon, I regretted asking that question. ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I... I haven¡¯t made any progress yet.¡± Irina, looking down, muttered in a dejected voice. . . . . . A while later, after the meal was over. ¡°...¡± The heroines, having sent Frey out of the dining room under the pretext of cleaning up, silently stared at each other. ¡°...You all knew Father was going out today, didn¡¯t you?¡± The first to speak was none other than Kania. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°Do I really have to?¡± ¡°How could you not? I just wanted to do something nice for him.¡± ¡°I can see right through you~¡± ¡°Stop hiding under the covers, you thieving cat.¡± ¡°Professor, how did you know?¡± ¡°...¡± As the banter started, Ruby, who had been watching with a relaxed expression, and Serena, who was gently stroking her belly, both stood up and spoke softly. ¡°It¡¯s amusing to watch you play house.¡± ¡°I need to go for some prenatal education.¡± The atmosphere quickly grew quiet. ¡°But we can¡¯t always stay on the same level.¡± ¡°Should I play classical music today... or maybe an orchestra...?¡± Unlike when Frey was present, Ruby whispered with a chilling smile, and Serena cradled her belly as they quietly left the dining room, casting a cold silence over the room. ¡°That¡¯s right! We can¡¯t always stay on the same level!¡± In that situation, Glare stood up with a slightly serious expression. ¡°Frey isn¡¯t a pervert who likes children.¡± ¡°She¡¯s cute... let her be.¡± ¡°Right. Plus, she saved the Master¡¯s life, after all.¡± ¡°I used to be that young too...¡± The heroines looked at her with more affection than competitiveness or jealousy, petting her gently. ¡°Um...¡± As she was surrounded by them, receiving their touches quietly, Glare tilted her head and asked a question. ¡°When I become an adult, how old will you all be?¡± Everyone in the dining room froze. ¡°...Oh.¡± Isolet, who was patting Glare¡¯s head, froze a little more than the others. ¡°I¡¯m going to watch the Hero train~¡± Leaving everyone frozen behind, Glare dashed out of the dining room. ¡°Lady Solar...? A drama? Leave it to the expert? What drama...?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still... still in my twenties... still... twenties.¡± Followed by Kania, who was staring blankly into space and started tapping something in the air. Then Isolet also began to stagger out of the room, mumbling to herself with vacant eyes. ¡°M-master... Please take me for a walk tonight...¡± ¡°...¡± As even Lulu left the dining room, only two girls remained. ¡°...Ugh.¡± ¡°...¡± Clana, who had turned back into human form, regretting not staying in her transformed state to avoid the heroines¡¯ pressures. And Irina, who had been silent with her head down since her earlier statement. ¡°Uh, um... Irina?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Why haven¡¯t you left...?¡± ¡°...Sigh.¡± ¡°N-nevermind.¡± Clana, trying to start a conversation, quickly gave up and resumed eating her unfinished meal after Irina sighed. - Squeak... ¡°You two.¡± ¡°Eek?¡± Seeing Ruby suddenly enter the room, Clana, startled, tried to hide her food. ¡°W-what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I have something to discuss with you.¡± ¡°W-with us?¡± Clana, who had the least interaction with Ruby and found her slightly intimidating as she had been the Demon King not too long ago, started sweating nervously. ¡°It¡¯s something very important for both of you.¡± ¡°V-Very important... ugh...¡± Clana, who felt scared and burdened by Ruby, shrank even more, looking as if she were about to cry. ¡°Now... who should go first?¡± ¡°T-then... maybe Irina should go first...¡± ¡°Alright, Clana. You first.¡± ¡°Eek.¡± Pointing at Irina nervously, Clana gulped when Ruby¡¯s gaze fell on her. ¡°Do you want to hear the good news or the bad news first?¡± ¡°G-G-good news first.¡± Closing her eyes tightly, Clana chose to hear the good news first. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll start with the good news.¡± The next moment, she could hardly believe her ears. ¡°Clana, your mother is alive.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Clana jumped up from her seat in shock, while Irina, finally snapping out of her daze, stared at Ruby with wide eyes. ¡°What are you talking about...?¡± ¡°And Irina, you are not actually human.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Irina, looking just as shocked as Clana, stood up. ¡°Sit down.¡± Ruby murmured in a low voice, watching them. ¡°This will take quite a while.¡± Slowly sitting back down, the two girls began to listen intently to Ruby¡¯s words. Chapter 411: The Strongest Lizard In the World ¡°M¨CMy mother is alive...?¡± Clana¡¯s trembling voice echoed through the dining room. ¡°Is... is that true?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°But how? Why?¡± ¡°First, calm down a bit.¡± ¡°H-How can I calm down?¡± Ruby spoke to her in a gentle voice, but Clana, with tears in her eyes, shook her head. ¡°I-It¡¯s my lifelong regret. My mother dying like that.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°Everything that made me strong, everything that made me clench my teeth, it was all because of my mother¡¯s tragic end...¡± ¡°It seems it¡¯s time to tell you the bad news before it¡¯s too late.¡± As Clana hung her head, Ruby sighed and began to speak. ¡°Do you know why you were always offered as a sacrifice for the Demon King¡¯s descent?¡± ¡°...What?¡± Clana, who had been sobbing, now looked up with a hardened expression. ¡°It¡¯s not because you have royal blood. The influence from your mother¡¯s side played a bigger role.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Your mother and you were the highest quality sacrifices in the world.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Even though the Emperor was indifferent, your mother¡¯s fall was so unexpected because of that.¡± Clana, consumed by cold anger, listened intently. ¡°Your mother¡¯s soul was extracted from her body at the moment of her execution.¡± ¡°Grhh...¡± ¡°And thanks to that damned Empress Ramie, it was sold to the kingdom that offered the highest price.¡± ¡°...What¡¯s the evidence?¡± ¡°In the Zeroth cycle, when I tried to rescue her, the auction was already in progress.¡± As Clana ground her teeth and asked, Ruby answered in a low voice. ¡°So... where was she sold?¡± ¡°...Sigh.¡± Ruby sighed quietly, looking at Clana who had begun to display the qualities of a supreme ruler again after so long. ¡°The Church, Count Justiano, Marquis Hylin, and even the Secret Lord were among the competitors¨C¡± ¡°Just tell me who bought her.¡± ¡°The Cloud Kingdom.¡± ¡°I see.¡± As soon as Ruby said that, Clana stood up, emitting a murderous aura. ¡°I¡¯ll erase the Cloud Kingdom from the map.¡± ¡°Calm down. To be precise, she ended up with the court wizard of the Cloud Kingdom.¡± Ruby quickly grabbed Clana and gently guided her back to her seat. ¡°The kingdom knew nothing. It was the sole action of that swindler, who was treated almost like a chancellor.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll find and butcher that swindler.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your choice. But listen to the rest of the story first.¡± Clana, barely containing her anger, fell silent at Ruby¡¯s earnest tone. ¡°Your mother¡¯s soul is intended to be offered as a sacrifice during the Siege of the Academy.¡± ¡°...How do you know that?¡± ¡°The court wizard who collaborated with the Demon King is planning to activate an artifact buried under the Cloud Kingdom.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯ve experienced it several times.¡± Clana and Ruby¡¯s eyes met briefly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say. I¡¯m really sorry...¡± ¡°You know you don¡¯t have to apologize.¡± Clana spoke with an aura of authority after a long time, as Ruby tried to apologize. ¡°You saved my mother in the first place. And then what you did after the Zeroth cycle was not of your own will.¡± ¡°But still...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s move on. There¡¯s no point in arguing about it now.¡± As Clana summed it up, Ruby nodded with her eyes closed and continued speaking. ¡°Anyway, the good news is, if we win the battle and prevent the complete consumption of her soul, there¡¯s a chance to revive your mother.¡± ¡°...Then what¡¯s the bad news?¡± ¡°The bad news is... the current Demon King is Aishi.¡± ¡°Why is that a problem?¡± Clana asked with a puzzled look, and Ruby responded with a dark expression. ¡°During the previous battle, I managed to prevent that court wizard¡¯s ritual from being completed.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°If the artifact buried under the kingdom had fully awakened, it would have been a major headache for me, too.¡± Ruby sighed and looked at her. ¡°The reason so many magic crystals were buried under the Cloud Kingdom was to suppress that artifact.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°And since I won¡¯t be the one invading this time, the artifact will likely be fully activated.¡± ¡°So... the bad news is that the difficulty of the upcoming battle will be extremely high.¡± Ruby nodded quietly to Clana¡¯s words, answering in a subdued voice.No?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°I thought you should be the first to know.¡± ¡°...So there¡¯s no hope?¡± ¡°Hmm. Who knows.¡± Clana asked with a worried expression, and Ruby softened her expression and spoke. ¡°Frey and I are here. We¡¯ll manage somehow.¡± ¡°But¨C¡± ¡°And there¡¯s still that person who hasn¡¯t awakened yet.¡± Ruby glanced at Irina, who was peeking from the exit and murmured. Irina flinched and looked away. ¡°It¡¯s your turn now, Irina.¡± ¡°So, if I¡¯m not human, then what am I?¡± Irina asked in a low voice, filled with trepidation. Ruby grinned and stood up. ¡°Irina, you are...¡± As Ruby began to speak, sweat started to trickle down Irina¡¯s forehead. . . . . A few hours later, in the completely isolated Sunrise Academy. ¡°Are we really stuck here...?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to die... I don¡¯t want to die...¡± ¡°Sniff... Hicss...¡± Students, exhausted from the lack of hopeful news, were sitting down around the barrier¡¯s boundary, murmuring in despair. ¡°Uh, come on... there¡¯s no way... We¡¯re all going to die here... won¡¯t help come?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m the eldest son of a marquis. I can¡¯t die here...¡± ¡°They¡¯ll definitely come. Yeah, they¡¯ll definitely come...¡± Among those kids, there were still some denying their situation and mumbling to themselves. ¡°Still... isn¡¯t there some hope?¡± ¡°R-Right. There¡¯s no guarantee the Hero is dead yet...¡± And it was the same for the task force, who had set up a tent outside the academy¡¯s boundary. ¡°The Hero is a good person, right? So if there¡¯s a crisis... he will definitely return.¡± ¡°Y-Yeah. That¡¯s what a hero does...¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way he¡¯d abandon us... right?¡± Whether students or members of the task force dispatched to the academy, they all echoed the same sentiments. This was partly because many still held onto the hope that the Hero would save everyone. Those with contrary thoughts or who knew the truth remained silent in despair or were in a state of panic. ¡°Hero...¡± ¡°What do we do now...?¡± The Hero Party, staring blankly at some academy students filled with false hope, was one such group. - Bzzz... bzzz... ¡°...?¡± As thoughts diverged and time continued to pass in vain, an event occurred that shook them all. - Citizens of the Sunrise Empire. How have you all been? Aishi¡¯s chillingly smiling voice echoed throughout the Empire and the academy. - Well, I just landed in the Sunrise Empire. Thought you should know. As her words resonated through the Empire, bad news began pouring into the task force. ¡°The Demon King¡¯s Army has landed on the southern coast!! Their numbers are uncountable!!¡± ¡°Demons hidden throughout the Empire are emerging simultaneously!! The imperial army can¡¯t handle them all!!¡± ¡°Remaining forces of the Church have landed on the western coast!! At the same time, a force presumed to be fanatics is occupying coastal villages...¡± ¡°The cardinal and first executive of the church have escaped from the underground prison! Some dangerous criminals have also escaped...!¡± ¡°The underworld has been taken over by an unknown force!! Reports say the enemies have strange tattoos on their bodies!!¡± ¡°The Erosion Phenomenon covering the northern border is rapidly moving toward the imperial capital. And... there are reports that the sun is getting darker.¡± The expressions of the people who had turned pale at the influx of bad news from the informants in the tent hardened upon hearing the last report. ¡°In-intelligence from the entire western continent...¡± ¡°...Dragons scattered across various lairs in the Western Continent are all flying toward the Empire.¡± ¡°A-Additionally, the leader of the dragons has sent an ultimatum... to abandon the academy...¡± The tent of the task force turned into a funeral home upon hearing that the leader of the dragons, known for their terrifying majesty and refusal to participate in the conference of rulers, had issued a direct ultimatum. - This is too easy... I was worried... I thought the Hero would take a stand by now. As if mocking them, Aishi¡¯s laughter-filled voice resonated throughout the Empire. - The Hero, who should be opposing me, must be receiving a warm welcome, right? ¡°...¡± - After all, he¡¯s your only hope... It¡¯s strange if he¡¯s not treated well. Puh, Puhahaha... After Aishi¡¯s laughter died down, a terrifying silence enveloped the entire empire. ¡°We... we have to find the Hero.¡± In this situation, the terrified princess Limiaspoke up from within the tent. ¡°We, we must mobilize the entire nation... and conduct a thorough search.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And then... even if we have to kneel... no, even if we have to grovel on the ground...¡± Looking around at the despondent people, she finished her statement in a trembling voice. ¡°We need to sincerely apologize and... and bring him back...¡± However, aside from her, most of the citizens of the Empire were recalling one particular scene. ¡°E-everyone?¡± Frey, with an extremely exhausted and dark expression, had declared his intention to leave the Empire and spend his remaining days in the mountains of the Eastern Continent. ¡°A-anyone...?¡± The silence of the Empire¡¯s citizens persisted for a long time after that. . . . . . ¡°...So, what am I?¡± Meanwhile, at the seaside cabin. ¡°You need to realize it yourself. I thought about it, and it wouldn¡¯t have any meaning otherwise.¡± ¡°...?¡± Irina, looking puzzled, tilted her head as Ruby, who had been talking, suddenly fell silent. This lizard... Ruby, with a meaningful smile, stared at Irina. ¡°Tell me! Damn it!¡± The strongest lizard in the world. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m in a hurry!¡± Although it¡¯s a derogatory term used among demons, a lizard is still a lizard. ¡°What the hell...¡± A thousand years ago, the ice witch was also an arrogant and rude ice dragon. ¡°Shit.¡± What an ill-mannered little lizard. Ruby continued to smile slyly at Irina, who was getting more and more frustrated. Chapter 412: The Empire That Lost Its Light A few months after the Demon King¡¯s declaration of war. A woman walked along the darkened streets of the Empire, her head bowed low. - Thud...! Despite the calendar still indicating the transition from summer to fall, a bitterly cold wind, sharp enough to chill to the bone, enveloped her. ¡°...Ah?¡± As she staggered, she looked down and saw the date on a tattered newspaper that had been blown around by many hands, now crumpled at her feet. Breaking News: Massive Invasion of the Demon King¡¯s Army on Imperial Coast! Uncertainty on When They Will Advance on the Capital... A Tense Situation Is There Really No Escape from the Besieged Empire... - Rustle She gazed blankly at the newspapers, her trembling hands reaching out to grasp a handful. The headlines from the recent date detailed the despair that had struck the Empire. A massive number of the Demon King¡¯s Army has encamped on the coastline. Their numbers are uncountable, but according to rough estimates from informants, about... Even mobilizing the entire imperial army and the citizens would make it nearly impossible to stop them. In this dire situation, where is the Hero to confront the Demon King, and where is the head of the Starlight family, who holds the right to a private army? If they are witnessing this disaster, they must not stand idly by... - Crunch... Reading through the commentary written just days before the declaration of war, she crumpled the paper and picked up another one. A month has already passed since the Demon King¡¯s army landed on the coast. That¡¯s not all. Dragons, allied with the Demon King, have taken over the skies, blocking the last escape route, and the land has long been covered by the unknown Erosion Phenomenon. The only fortunate thing is that they have not yet advanced towards the capital. The Demon King¡¯s Army and the Demon King have shown no signs of movement for a month, the dragons merely cast shadows on the ground, and the erosion from the north has momentarily halted. ¡°Sigh.¡± She read the more recent newspaper and sighed deeply, looking up at the sky. Even now, dragons flew low in the darkened sky. They exuded their unique aura to the creatures below, fixing their gleaming eyes on the ground. But can this really be called fortunate? Starting from the coast, the ice that has begun to cover the entire Empire has brought an untimely winter. Is this due to the Demon King¡¯s Ice or the waning sun? Either way, the darkness, and cold that have befallen the Empire of the rising sun are pushing the citizens to their limits. Not to mention, the aura and gaze of the dragons in the sky instill fear and panic in everyone. The gleaming eyes of the demons lurking in the distant darkness rob everyone of their hope. After staring blankly at the dragons in the sky for a while, she lowered her gaze and resumed reading the newspaper. Is there really no hope left for the Empire? No, there was hope. We tore it apart with our own hands. Now... All that is left is despair. Her hands began to tremble quietly. Even so, the author would like to cling to a very small possibility. A summary of the imperial public opinion, which had gradually converged in the face of despair, was written in the newspaper. The noble and righteous boy whom no one knew. The savior who was oppressed by all. The Hero of False Evil. If you are reading this. If it is not too late. Her grip on the newspaper tightened. Please give us a chance to kneel before you. Please give the Empire that has lost its light a chance to atone. Give us a chance to reciprocate your dedication, even now. May we dare to ask this of you? The newspaper crumpled completely in her hand. As we face the impending end, we hope this futile writing reaches you. She let go of the crumpled newspaper with a blank expression. Please show mercy to the innocent, just this once... ¡°Sigh...¡± Letting out a soulless sigh, she began to walk again with heavy steps. We are sorry, Hero. Please come back, Hero... Please don¡¯t abandon us... Save us... Around her, people wrapped tightly in their clothes were marching down the frozen streets, holding picket signs. This was the last desperate struggle of the imperial citizens, which had begun several weeks ago. In a situation where there seemed to be no way to survive, this was the last action they could cling to with hope. - Beep... Beep beep beep... But as she silently watched this pitiful display, knowing the truth, a mechanical sound emanated from her arms. ¡°...Hello.¡± - Lady Vener, where are you? ¡°Just... getting some fresh air.¡± - In this weather? Pulling out a communication crystal from her arms, Vener, with hollow eyes, answered, and a puzzled voice came from the crystal. - In any case, please return to the task force tent quickly. ¡°...¡± - The atmosphere worsens when the chairwoman is absent. She was the only one from the Hero Party outside when the academy was closed. Recognized as a suitable candidate, she had been serving as the representative of the task force. She closed her eyes and nodded at the message. Seeing the boy¡¯s bewildered expression, Vener shook her head with a dazed look. ¡°...Ah.¡± She then lowered her head, a dejected expression on her face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I must have mistaken you for someone else...¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes... You just look so much like someone I know... Your physique and height are the same...¡± Mumbling, she asked in a desperate tone. ¡°By any chance...?¡± ¡°Huh? What?¡± ¡°F-F-Fre...¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°...Never mind.¡± Seeing the boy¡¯s still puzzled expression, Vener¡¯s eyes darkened, and she apologized once more. ¡°But... why are you walking around outside?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous out here. Where are your parents?¡± When Vener asked the boy who had woken her, he scratched his head and replied. ¡°Oh, well... I just arrived here.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m actually from the Eastern Continent. A few months ago, I decided to travel to the Empire. But when I arrived, the atmosphere seemed... off.¡± ¡°...?¡± Hearing his explanation, Vener stared at him with a puzzled expression. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°Impossible? What¡¯s impossible?¡± ¡°the Empire¡¯s borders are surrounded by the Erosion Phenomenon. There are monsters everywhere.¡± ¡°Oh, you mean that dark fog thingy?¡± Hearing this, the boy spoke with an embarrassed look. ¡°That was tough. I had a hard time with it.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I had to fight through that dark fog for several days. I got injured quite a bit.¡± He showed the massive wounds on his body, causing Vener¡¯s jaw to drop. ¡°Excuse me, but... what did you do in the Eastern Continent?¡± ¡°Nothing special... I was a wanderer, I guess? Something like that.¡± ¡°...What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I traveled around the country, training my body. Sometimes I took on some jobs.¡± As he awkwardly unfolded and waved a fan, Vener grabbed his shoulders and knelt down. ¡°Could you... help our Empire?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Our Empire is in great danger. It¡¯s on the brink of destruction.¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Seeing his half-closed eyes, Vener pleaded earnestly. ¡°E-Even a small amount of support would be greatly appreciated. Seeing that you broke through the border, you must be very strong. Could you lend us your strength?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not that strong. Among wanderers, I¡¯m just an underling. I nearly died several times trying to break through that fog.¡± As the boy shook his head uncomfortably, Vener knelt down, begging him. ¡°N-No, breaking through the Erosion Phenomenon makes you as strong as a knight commander.¡± ¡°Uh...¡± ¡°Most of the knight commanders have retired or gone outside the borders to request reinforcements. Please... lend us your strength. We will reward you generously.¡± Hearing this, the boy covered his face with his fan, looking troubled, then sighed and spoke. ¡°I have one condition.¡± ¡°...What is it?¡± ¡°I need to see for myself how desperate the situation is. How serious it is.¡± The boy helped Vener up as he spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve been training... I mean, trying to break through the border for months, so I don¡¯t have any information.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°So I want to look around the Empire to understand the situation. Could you guide me?¡± Then, with a smile, he added. ¡°...If I think it¡¯s serious enough, I¡¯ll help for free.¡± ¡°Th-thank you...!¡± ¡°Ouch, ouch.¡± When Vener grabbed his arms in gratitude, he gently pushed her back. ¡°Sorry, I hurt my left arm... pulling it hurts.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°Well then, please guide me.¡± ¡°Understood...¡± As Vener bowed her head and began walking, the boy followed her, hands behind his back. ¡°Um, excuse me...!¡± At the voice coming from the temporary shelter behind them, the boy turned his head. ¡°Th-thank you...¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s warm...¡± Inside, the girls were gathered around a glowing warmth, warming themselves. ¡°I-It sparkles...¡± ¡°What is this?¡± Watching the bright, star-like light, the boy quietly turned his gaze away. ¡°Let¡¯s see if it¡¯s worth coming back.¡± He muttered to himself as he continued walking. Chapter 413: The Knight’s Sorrow ¡°The situation... is really dire.¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± As the boy walked through the frozen streets, Vener responded in a low voice with a blank expression. ¡°Of course, it makes sense. Everyone¡¯s been isolated for months, feeling despair.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°With no hope in sight, it¡¯s no wonder things have come to this.¡± Speaking in a desolate tone, Vener pointed to the signs scattered throughout the street. ¡°Still... there¡¯s a faint glimmer of hope left. That¡¯s why the Empire hasn¡¯t completely given up.¡± ¡°The Hero, you mean?¡± ¡°...Yes, the Hero.¡±¡¯ The capital of the Empire was covered in signs filled with phrases like ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡±, ¡°Come back,¡± and ¡°Please.¡± Looking at the scene, Vener let out a cold sigh and muttered. ¡°It¡¯s all futile, though...¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°...Nothing.¡± Vener forced a bitter smile and stopped walking. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯ve seen the state of the shelters we¡¯ve passed by.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± The boy nodded, glancing at the glowing energy emanating from his right hand and then hiding it behind his back. ¡°That¡¯s the first face of the current Empire.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Now, let me show you the second face.¡± Vener pointed behind him with an awkward smile. ¡°Here...¡± The boy looked in the direction she indicated, squinting his eyes and taking a step back. ¡°The Starlight Mansion.¡± ¡°...¡± They had arrived at the Starlight Mansion, frozen despite the ancient magic due to the Demon King¡¯s ice. ¡°...It¡¯s really noisy.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± As the boy asked with a slightly furrowed brow, Vener answered and led him into the mansion¡¯s yard. ¡°It seems it¡¯s starting again.¡± In front of them, a group of people with angry expressions were throwing stones at the mansion. ¡°What are they doing?¡± ¡°Who knows? Maybe they think the Hero is hiding inside, or they¡¯re blaming his sister for exiling him, or they just want to riot...¡± Vener muttered as she approached them. ¡°We know you¡¯re in there! Come out!¡± ¡°Cowardly Hero! We¡¯re victims too!¡± ¡°Are you just gonna let us die?¡± ¡°Because of you, Frey can¡¯t come back to the mansion!¡± ¡°You idiot sister! You exile your brother!¡± ¡°It¡¯s warm inside, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Let us in too!¡± Vener watched them with a blank expression before drawing her sword and muttering. ¡°Seems like it¡¯s all three.¡± - Crackle...! In the next moment, her sharp sword strike shattered the signs held by the rioters, and they scattered in all directions in a panic. ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous, isn¡¯t it?¡± As she put her sword back in its sheath, she whispered to the boy beside her. ¡°Most people have lost their minds due to the impending doom. Though there are a few exceptions...¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°At least those people are in the minority.¡± Vener pointed to a corner of the yard, where an even larger crowd had gathered. ¡°And who are they?¡± ¡°They¡¯re waiting in case the Hero comes back. They want to welcome him warmly.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°Half of them unknowingly owe their lives to the Hero, and the other half pity him after learning his story.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...Of course, some are just trying to survive. It¡¯s hard to tell them apart.¡± The boy looked around at the people holding signs with the same phrases as those in the newspaper, their expressions haggard. As his face darkened slightly, Vener took his hand and led him inside. ¡°And inside here... are people who were close to the Hero.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. Would you like to meet them?¡± ¡°...Me?¡± The boy tilted his head and asked. ¡°Why me?¡± - Creak... Just then, the mansion¡¯s main gate swung open. ¡°Brother!!!¡± Aria burst out, barefoot and with a pale face. ¡°Uh, excuse me?¡± ¡°Brother!! You¡¯re my brother, aren¡¯t you?!¡± She grabbed the boy and shouted in a strained voice. ¡°...I¡¯m not your brother.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie! Don¡¯t lie!! You¡¯re my brother!!¡± As the boy took a step back in confusion, Aria clung to his pants. ¡°I would never not recognize you!! You¡¯re my brother, you are¨C¡± ¡°But I¡¯m really not.¡± ¡°Brother, I¡¯m sorry! Please...¡± ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Let me go!!¡± Aria clung to the boy¡¯s leg, her hair disheveled, until the household staff dragged her back inside, her screams echoing. ¡°Please... let me... my brother is right here...¡± One of the maids who was pulling her back muttered with a sorrowful expression. ¡°Lady Aria, please, the Young Master is no longer here.¡± At those words, Aria stopped resisting and looked at the boy weakly. ¡°Is my brother... really gone?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Is he... really not my brother anymore?¡± As her trembling eyes met the boy¡¯s, the gate to the Starlight Mansion closed firmly. ¡°Since the head of the Starlight family went missing recently, the only ones living here are Ms. Aria and the servants.¡± Vener continued to explain. ¡°Ms. Aria is consumed by guilt for making her brother a commoner, and the servants regret not staying by the hero¡¯s side until the end.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And those over there are the servants who betrayed the Hero.¡± The boy¡¯s gaze fell on a group of battered maids sitting by the side of the mansion. ¡°They were expelled from everywhere, and ironically, the only place they could stay was here.¡± Vener pulled the boy¡¯s right arm gently and spoke. ¡°Now, it¡¯s time to see the third face.¡± ¡°Um...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°...Nothing.¡± The boy frowned slightly at Vener, then shook his head and started walking. ¡°Let¡¯s just go quickly.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So, where to next?¡± Vener¡¯s breathing grew slightly heavier as she watched him. . . She suddenly tilted her head and waved her hand in front of her. ¡°Young Master?¡± She tried to grab onto Frey¡¯s leg, but for some reason, she couldn¡¯t even grasp his pants. ¡°...!?¡± Vener hastily looked up, her face frozen in shock. The boy who had been standing before her just moments ago had vanished without a trace. ¡°No, no!!¡± She looked around in a daze, then burst out of the room. ¡°You, you all!! Do you know where the boy who was just here went!?¡± She frantically questioned her subordinates, who had stopped what they were doing to stare at her. ¡°Excuse me? What are you talking about, Chairwoman?¡± ¡°Are you alright, Ma¡¯am? Are you feeling well?¡± Their reactions were peculiar. ¡°Just answer me!! Where did the boy who was just here go...!!!¡± But in her panic to find Frey, she ignored the strange atmosphere and raised her voice again. ¡°No one has left this tent.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°And you came in alone just now.¡± One of her subordinates sighed and answered her. ¡°We thought you were talking to someone over communication crystal because you kept speaking as if someone was there...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°There was no boy. Have you been overworking yourself, Chairwoman?¡± Her subordinate¡¯s words struck a nerve. ¡°No, that can¡¯t be... I saw him with my own eyes... I even touched him...¡± ¡°Chairwoman, please...¡± ¡°I saw the Hero again... I really did...¡± Then, Vener¡¯s mumbling abruptly stopped. ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°...¡± The subordinate who had come out to stop her also froze, his face turning pale as he looked up at the sky. ¡°The first snow...¡± ¡°Chairwoman...¡± Snow was falling from the sky, blanketing everything in white. - Wooonnggg...! Woonggggg...! The next moment, war horns blared across the Empire. - Ziiing...! And for some reason, the barrier that surrounded the academy started to turn red. ¡°Kyahhh!!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to die...! I don¡¯t want to die...!!!¡± ¡°Save me!!!¡± Horrific screams echoed from all directions. ¡°What do we do now?¡± Snapping back to her senses from the barrage of screams of despair, Vener responded to her subordinate¡¯s trembling question. ¡°...Take care of the citizens.¡± ¡°What?¡± She quietly drew the sword from her waist and started walking. ¡°I¡¯ve always been dirty and wretched, but at least in the end... I will fulfill my duty as a knight.¡± ¡°Chairwoman!!¡± ¡°...If we ever meet again, please punish this unworthy knight.¡± Vener muttered as she rushed into the raging snowstorm. . . . . . ¡°Tsk, still resisting until the end. It¡¯s futile...¡± ¡°My lord.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Half a day later, on the Empire¡¯s coast. ¡°I have something to report.¡± ¡°...What is it?¡± Aishi, who had been clenching and unclenching her right hand while holding her left arm, looked down at the subordinate who had entered her domain. ¡°The female knight who appeared a few hours ago, we¡¯ve finally captured her.¡± ¡°...Really? That took a while.¡± Lemerno, the commander of the Demon King¡¯s army, who was prostrated before her, nervously explained. ¡°Th-that is... her combat strength was exceptional... And she fought with no regard for her own life...¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°It took all of our combat executives to subdue her and capture her as per your orders.¡± With that explanation, Lemerno glanced nervously at Aishi, who was emitting a cold aura. ¡°We can resume our advance now... What are your orders?¡± ¡°Bring her to me. I have some questions for her.¡± ¡°Of course, I anticipated that. She¡¯s already waiting outside. Hehe.¡± At Aishi¡¯s command, Lemerno bowed and wagged her tail. ¡°...Let her in.¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± As she gestured to her subordinates, Vener was dragged in, bound by ropes. ¡°Long time no see... Assistant Professor.¡± ¡°Aishi...¡± With her whole body wounded and bleeding, Vener gritted her teeth and glared at Aishi. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you were so strong. Maybe we should have recruited you into the Demon King¡¯s Army?¡± Aishi¡¯s mischievous, taunting question was met with Vener¡¯s dark, strained voice. ¡°...Kill me.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± Feigning shock, Aishi covered her mouth with one hand, then smiled and snapped her fingers. ¡°Sorry, but you still have a role to play.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Look at this.¡± ¡°...!¡± At her command, something appeared in the air, causing Vener to look up reflexively. ¡°This can¡¯t be...¡± Her face contorted in despair as blood-streaked tears began to fall from her eyes. ¡°Why is the Young Master... here...?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°This can¡¯t be. It¡¯s impossible...¡± The body of Frey pierced through the heart with an ice spear, floated lifelessly in front of her. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, but Frey died fighting me long ago. Still he was a hero, it took me a long time to recover.¡± ¡°Ah.....¡± Aishi¡¯s eyes showed a glimmer of deceit, but Vener, in her panic, couldn¡¯t see it. ¡°Then... what I saw... was truly an illusion...¡± ¡°Anyway, now that I¡¯ve recovered, it¡¯s time to march.¡± Aishi declared coldly, standing from her throne as she looked down at Vener, who was weeping endlessly. ¡°I¡¯m going to use this corpse as a banner for our march. It¡¯s good for morale.¡± She gestured, and Frey¡¯s frozen body was lowered in front of Vener. ¡°So I need someone to guard this frozen body.¡± ¡°Young Master.....¡± ¡°Take care of it, will you? Assistant Professor?¡± With that, Aishi turned to Lemerno and the demons, her voice frigid. ¡°Let¡¯s begin the march.¡± Chapter 414: By Grace With Grace As the Demon King¡¯s Army, which had been stationed at the coast for months, began to march, the entire Empire fell into silence. - Clang, clang, clang... The sound of the demons¡¯ ornate armor clashing echoed through the streets, causing the citizens of the Empire to emerge hesitantly from their shelters. ¡°Ah...!¡± ¡°Gasp!¡± Soon, the sound of sighs and gasps filled the air. ¡°Is that... the H-Hero...?¡± ¡°No way... it can¡¯t be...¡± ¡°I-It must be someone who looks like him. Right?¡± The citizens, their faces filled with fear, began to murmur amongst themselves. - Behold. When Aishi¡¯s voice echoed throughout the Empire, they had no choice but to accept the reality before their eyes. - The hope and light you sought for the past few months is right here. She was right. The last hope of the citizens trapped in a desperate situation. The Hero they had desperately wished would return, Frey. There he was, with his heart pierced by an ice spear, being dragged cold and lifeless at the forefront of the Demon King¡¯s march. ¡°...¡± In truth, he was being dragged by ropes tied to Vener¡¯s back as she stumbled along, half-insane, her head bowed. - Drip... Hot tears began to flow from Vener¡¯s eyes as she dragged Frey at the front of the procession. - Thud...! Suddenly, she fell to her knees, unable to go any further. ¡°...Are you trying to interrupt the march?¡± Watching from a transparent ice carriage, Aishi spoke in a cold voice, abandoning any formality. ¡°I... I can¡¯t go on any longer.¡± Vener¡¯s voice was filled with desperate anguish. ¡°Young Master¡¯s body... has been too damaged.¡± She turned her head to look at the boy who had once been her Young Master, tears filling her eyes. ¡°If I keep dragging him like this... you won¡¯t even be able to recognize his form...¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°...At least let me carry him in my arms.¡± But Aishi¡¯s voice remained cold, and Vener closed her eyes tightly as she made her plea. ¡°I¡¯ll endure any humiliation... any disgrace... just please, don¡¯t dishonor him any further...¡± ¡°For someone who cherishes Frey so much, you sure treat him so horribly in the past.¡± ¡°...That, that was...¡± As Aishi snapped her fingers with a smile, memories began to flood into Vener¡¯s mind. One day, in a dark cave, where he gently patted her head and handed her bread. And on the first day he took her in when she felt guilty and asked for punishment, he playfully flicked her forehead and smiled. - Slap...!!! The next memory was of her grabbing his arms and slapping him as hard as she could. - Crack...! ¡°Urgh...¡± Following that, she recalled hitting his stomach with all her might, causing him to drool. Her terrifying reflection grew larger in the terrified eyes of the boy. ¡°I... I...¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you do what you usually do?¡± With her eyes subtly turning black, Aishi covered her mouth with her hand and whispered, snapping her fingers again. ¡°Ugh...¡± Vener¡¯s eyes also turned black as she trembled and stood up. - Srrk... Srrk... With a devastated expression, she began to take one step, then another. As a result, Frey¡¯s body, lying on the frozen ground, was dragged along again, becoming more and more damaged as it hit rocks and scraped the ground. ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± Each time Frey¡¯s body caught on something or jerked, the vibration traveled up the rope and spread through Vener¡¯s entire body. ¡°Young Master...¡± Each vibration brought the memory of the boy¡¯s pure smile, but now with added wounds and bloody tears. Despite the horrifying sensation, the compulsion placed on her body forced her to keep moving forward. After some time, Vener¡¯s steps became mechanical, her eyes void of life. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± By now, the citizens of the Empire had rushed out of their shelters and filled the streets, staring blankly at the scene. ¡°The back alleys were transformed into a thriving commercial area, and my friends who were dying found places to live and jobs... all thanks to him.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± ¡°And you say he enjoyed committing evil deeds... what nonsense...¡± Then, picking up another stone from the ground, she shouted and threw it at Aishi. ¡°Stop spouting lies, you bastard!!!¡± ¡°...Tsk.¡± Aishi tried to catch the stone with her hand but ended up dodging it, mumbling to herself. ¡°These people... always pointless resistance...¡± Looking alternately at her trembling right arm and the trembling girl who refused to back down, Aishi let out a cold sigh. ¡°R-Run away, quickly...!¡± ¡°Let me go!!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll die if you stay here!!¡± ¡°We¡¯re all going to die anyway, so what does it matter?!¡± Ignoring the hands trying to pull her away, the girl stared defiantly at Aishi. - Crackle... Crackle... Soon, blue energy began to swirl at the girl¡¯s feet. ¡°You¡¯re brave, but I¡¯m in a hurry.¡± ¡°U-Ugh...¡± ¡°So, I¡¯ll make an example of you.¡± As Aishi¡¯s eyes flashed, and she raised her hand, a pillar of ice shot up where the girl stood. ¡°I just meant to freeze her like usual...¡± Aishi smiled faintly, looking at her right arm. ¡°But you kept interfering, making me misjudge my strength.¡± - Shiver... ¡°Give up.¡± As blue sparks emanated from her right arm and enveloped her body, Aishi coldly whispered. ¡°Abandon your foolish dreams of saving everyone.¡± - Crackle... Crackle... ¡°The Hero died because of you, your own ice spears pierced through his heart.¡± As she finished speaking, her trembling right arm calmed down. ¡°...What a tiring ordeal.¡± Muttering to herself, Aishi rotated her right arm a few times and then lazily gave the command. ¡°Move out.¡± At her command, the Demon King¡¯s army began marching again. - Crack, crackle... The ice pillar that had stood in their way was trampled and shattered by the soldiers. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± The citizens, gripped by fear, either trembled or lowered their heads quietly. ¡°The end is near.¡± Mocking them, Aishi headed towards the academy now within sight. . . . . . Meanwhile, in a dark alley not far away. ¡°Mmm? Mmph...?¡± The girl who had stood against the Demon King¡¯s march was struggling in someone¡¯s arms, her mouth covered. ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± ¡°Phwah...! Phwaah...¡± The boy, who had been watching the march with sharp eyes, finally let go of her as she hit his back. ¡°Thanks for stalling. It helped a lot.¡± Patting her head briefly, the boy, surrounded by light, began to walk away. ¡°...Who are you?¡± The girl asked, her voice trembling. ¡°I made good use of the vegetable soup recipe you taught me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°My precious gem said it was delicious.¡± ¡°W-Wait...!¡± The boy, mumbling to himself, merged into the crowd. Chapter 415: The Return of the Hero ¡°Stop.¡± As Aishi raised her hand and spoke, the advancing Demon King¡¯s Army came to an abrupt halt. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived¡± She murmured, looking at the red-tinged barrier surrounding the academy. ¡°They¡¯re here... for real...¡± ¡°What do we do...?¡± ¡°Uh, uh...¡± The former Hero Party and some students who had set up tents at the edge of the barrier to get news faster stared at the Demon King¡¯s army and Aishi, who had once been their comrade, with despairing expressions. ¡°A-Are we all going to die...?¡± ¡°I-I want to surrender... I can¡¯t do this...¡± There were also female students hiding in the main building or dormitory of the academy, crying in fear at the killing intent of the Demon King¡¯s Army surrounding them. Some were considering changing their minds about fighting to the death, intimidated by the deadly aura emanating from the army. - The barrier you set up and waited behind implies that everyone here wishes to face me. Aishi, enjoying the chaotic scene before her, began to send a telepathic message to the students inside the barrier. - Truly an impressive display of courage. With a snap of her fingers, the body of Frey, who had been tied to the trembling Vener¡¯s back, floated into the air. - Your hero has already died so miserably. As she said, Frey¡¯s corpse was in a severely damaged state after being dragged on the ground for hours. ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°Blegh...¡± Some students, watching from a distance, bent over and vomited at the sight. ¡°Frey!!!¡± ¡°The Hero...¡± ¡°Oh my god.¡± Even those who managed to hold back their disgust were mentally affected. Seeing their last hope, Frey, dead and being paraded by the Demon King, was a severe blow to their morale. ¡°No...¡± ¡°It¡¯s over...¡± Most students sat down in despair or hugged each other and cried. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± The student council members, who had been decorating the academy with banners to welcome the Hero if he returned, were left speechless. The disciplinary committee tried to control the students, and the head of the committee, who wanted to apologize to Frey for her past mistakes, hung their heads in silence. Members of the Hero Party, who already know Frey¡¯s condition, wept at the sight of his corpse. ¡°Excellent... Such pure emotions.¡± Aishi muttered with satisfaction, licking her lips as she watched them plunge into the depths of despair. ¡°...But that useless woman is still causing trouble.¡± She murmured, looking displeased in the direction of the imperial palace. ¡°I intended to collect energy before the siege.¡± Aishi had planned to gather energy from the negative emotions of the people using the power of Eclipse, a deity who could convert emotions into energy, before the siege. However, when she visited Eclipse recently, she found herself reduced to a mortal, having lost her divinity. - Tremble... ¡°If I could have absorbed that energy, everything would have been so easy.¡± The original owner of her body had been resisting, preventing her from fighting at full strength. This meant that breaking through the ancient magic barrier protecting the academy with brute force would diminish her power and authority as the Demon King. - My, my lord... I¡¯ve attempted to control the ancient magic, but... it seems impossible... ¡°What?¡± - I¡¯ve prepared as you asked, but the souls I have are insufficient... I¡¯m terribly sorry...! To make matters worse, the artifact¡¯s power, which Ruby used in the past cycle to deactivate the academy¡¯s defenses, had been diverted elsewhere. ¡°Hmm...¡± She could order the dragons flying above the Empire to attack the barrier, but doing so might reveal her incomplete state to them. The dragons, already forced into a war they didn¡¯t want, would likely turn on her at the first sign of weakness. ¡°...There¡¯s only one way left.¡± With a sigh, Aishi stepped down from her carriage and walked confidently towards the red barrier. - Crackle... Crackle... Students inside the academy tensed and stepped back as she approached, her eyes turning black again as she reached out to touch the barrier. Unauthorized access detected! Barrier collision! Conditions not met... Conditions not... ¡°What an annoying system.¡± she grumbled, gripping the barrier tightly. ???, welcome. Object: ¡®Ancient Magic Barrier¡¯ Do you want to delete it? ¡°...Yes.¡± She smiled as she nodded, watching the message that appeared before her. Permission not granted! ¡°What?¡± Protected by ¡°...Ha.¡± Frowning, she summoned tentacles around her. No permissions! No permissions! No permissions! She struck the barrier with her tentacles, but only the same frustrating messages greeted her. Unauthorized access detected! Please enter the correct deactivation conditions! ¡°Always complicating things... It will all be pointless in the end.¡± After a long standoff, she fused dark energy into the barrier, mumbling to herself as she snapped her fingers. Deactivation code initiated... A noble trial of ancient magic Conditions set by the First Hero . Mysterious characters began to appear all over the barrier. - I will give you a choice. The students, staring at the characters in bewilderment, heard Aishi¡¯s telepathic message again. - Will you stay and fight to the end, or will you deactivate the barrier to save your lives? At the same time, familiar words appeared in the air. Will you defend the academy against the invaders? Yes/No If ¡®Yes¡¯ exceeds the majority, the barrier will remain, and the ¡®fight to the death¡¯ mode will be activated. If ¡®No¡¯ exceeds the majority, the barrier will be deactivated. ¡°What will you choose?¡± Seeing the students beginning to understand the words before them, Aishi grinned with a chilling smile. The academy will enter an all-out fight to the death. The barrier, which succinctly produced the result, thickened several times and radiated red energy in all directions, causing Aishi to shout with a distorted expression. ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky!!¡± Simultaneously, she began emitting tentacles and her eyes turned black. ¡°Do you think that something like this can change anything!!!¡± Even the surrounding demons hesitated and stepped back at her grotesque appearance, but Aishi paid no mind and continued to scream. ¡°Yes... the size is the issue. The size.¡± Then, she suddenly started muttering with a creepy smile. ¡°Playing on a small stage that can be overturned by a minor variable is no fun compared to playing on a grand scale, right? Very well!¡± With that, she began to shed tears of blood while summoning a gigantic system window in the sky. The Final Ordeal Content: Conduct a vote among all the citizens of the empire on whether to defend or abandon the academy If ¡®Yes¡¯ wins: After destroying the academy, I will freeze the entire Sunrise Empire, including all of you, forever. If ¡®No¡¯ wins: I will only invade the academy and guarantee the safety of the rest of you. Having completed the content of the ¡®Final Ordeal¡¯ in the sky, she conveyed her chilling voice throughout the empire. ¡°Let¡¯s start the voting again.¡± At that moment, simple system windows began to appear everywhere. Yes / No To the noble ladies and rural girls huddled together around the stellar mana given by the mysterious wanderer. To the orphans sitting on the ground, crying loudly. To the servants who were weeping over Frey¡¯s corpse, regretting their past actions, and to Anne, who was sprawled among scattered flyers, sobbing. To Aria, who had been quietly kneeling and bowing her head since she saw Frey¡¯s corpse. And to the girl who had just been rescued in the alley, smiling brightly while holding the sparkling mana in her hands. To all the citizens of the empire. Counting votes...... After what seemed like an eternity had passed. ¡°It¡¯s a pity. If I were more familiar with the management system, I could have made the ordeal even more brutal.¡± As the vote tally from across the empire began, something that had possessed Aishi expressed regret and licked her lips. And regardless of the voting results, those who voted ¡®No¡¯ will have 1/100 of their lifespan taken as my energy. ¡°Well, this should suffice.¡± Then, she chuckled at the tiny line written at the bottom of the giant system window floating in the sky. ¡°I¡¯ve encountered similar situations in other dimensions many times. The outcome is predictable.¡± With that, she walked confidently towards the barrier again. ¡°Humans are fundamentally vile and evil. And above all, they are selfish beings.¡± Saying this, she placed her hand on the barrier. ¡°It¡¯s your defeat for trying to protect such flawed fools...¡± However, she stopped talking and looked up, wearing a bewildered expression for the second time today. Vote result: 51:49 ¡®Yes¡¯ side wins. . . . . . ¡°...Why?¡± Staring at the result that had taken several hours to come out, Aishi muttered, unable to understand. ¡°...I can¡¯t understand. It¡¯s incomprehensible.¡± ¡°Of course, you wouldn¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± At that moment, someone broke through the crowd filled with cheers and screams. ¡°Have you ever thought about why humans feel regret?¡± ¡°Who are you...?¡± ¡°Have you ever tried to understand why humans feel negative emotions, and why those emotions are so strong?¡± As Aishi looked at the person, who was wrapped in a bright light, with a puzzled expression, she raised her hand contemptuously. ¡°After all this, now some strange guy¨C¡± ¡°You never made an effort to understand but greedily devoured the tragedies before you, so this is the result.¡± ¡°...!?¡± At the same time, her right hand froze. ¡°You¡¯re right that humans are imperfect beings.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s also humans who can reflect on and learn from their mistakes and move forward.¡± ¡°Who... are you...?¡± ¡°And thus, it¡¯s humans who can become greater than anything else.¡± Taking advantage of the opportunity, the man who had drawn his sword from his waist was joined by a woman walking calmly by his side, adding to his words. ¡°You speak well, my gem.¡± ¡°Little kitten, I have a question.¡± ¡°...Hm?¡± As everyone was shocked by the woman¡¯s appearance, the man, who was cracking his right hand, was stopped by her question as she gently grabbed his arm. ¡°The vote was quite close, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°...Yes, it was.¡± ¡°What would you have done if the vote had ended the other way?¡± Scratching his head for a moment at her question, the man replied with a bright voice. ¡°Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.¡± ¡°...It¡¯s an old principle of your family.¡± ¡°Then why wouldn¡¯t I help those who aren¡¯t even my enemies?¡± Having said this, the man moved forward, and she shook her head with an incredulous smile. ¡°Value judgments aside, you really are the biggest pushover in the world.¡± ¡°Am I?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I like you, Frey.¡± ¡°...Haha.¡± As their conversation ended, ¡°Glare, you can stop hiding me with the light now.¡± The man¡¯s quiet voice echoed. - Crackle...!!! Simultaneously, a giant magic circle was summoned in the sky. ¡°How... How are you... still alive...!?¡± ¡°H-Hero...!!!¡± ¡°Young Master... Frey?¡± The bleak, dark empire found its light once more. Chapter 416: The Siege of Academy Chapter 416: The Siege of Academy As the light from Glare, which had been enveloping and concealing me, disappeared, people around me froze when they saw me. Well, it was understandable. It would be more surprising if people weren¡¯t shocked by the sudden appearance of someone they thought was dead. ¡°You... How are you...?¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Even Aishi seemed taken aback. I was not even sure if this was really Aishi, but for convenience, I would call her Aishi. ¡°Where did you get that? Did you clone it or something?¡± ¡°This doesn¡¯t make sense. You should have been annihilated. If you were alive, there¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t have sensed you...¡± Pointing at my corpse still lying on the ground, she asked questions, her expression slightly confused as she mumbled. She seemed very confused indeed. It seems the destruction of the ¡®Path of False Evil¡¯ system played a crucial role in disrupting her surveillance network. The kid¡¯s ¡°light¡± was also extraordinarily effective. ¡°I used every means... Wait, could it be...?¡± ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± It seemed she was quite flustered. While this would be the perfect time for an ambush, caution was crucial now. Besides, I needed to buy a little more time. ¡°...Huh?¡± When I posed a question out of curiosity, Aishi furrowed her brows and tilted her head. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t know. You possessed Aishi.¡± ¡°Hm...¡± ¡°As expected, you¡¯re that eye, right?¡± When I asked again, her eyes twitched slightly. ¡°That¡¯s the most trivial term to describe my existence in this world.¡± ¡°...¡± Judging by her words, it seems she has no intention of hiding it. I thought she might just observe everything from afar, but now it seems she¡¯s decided to intervene directly. ¡°Well, I suppose that¡¯s fitting from the perspective of an ignorant mortal.¡± ¡°Is that so? Yet you¡¯ve been humiliated twice by these ignorant mortals, and you still have the face to say that?¡± As I laughed at her arrogance, Aishi raised her hand with a cold smile. ¡°You were nothing but a small variable in my grand scheme.¡± The next moment, a miniature, vast dark space appeared in her left hand. ¡°In comparison to the dimensions I¡¯ve devoured so far, you¡¯re nothing but a pebble in my path.¡± ¡°...¡± Gazing at the countless galaxies and planets within it, Aishi clenched her hand, swallowing them back, and smirked. ¡°Or... did you come knowing you couldn¡¯t do anything? If so, you¡¯re truly foolish.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ve always been foolish. Even after seeing the voting results, you just kept smiling stupidly.¡± ¡°What about the voting results?¡± ¡°Honestly, tell me. Don¡¯t you feel any resentment?¡± Aishi¡¯s eyes turned black, emitting a dark aura as she spoke. Something felt off. What kind of ability is she using? ¡°Not even a little resentment? Not even a bit of a grudge?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with this smoke?¡± ¡°Towards those who wronged you, and towards the 49% who voted against you today. Don¡¯t you harbor any hatred at all?¡± I¡¯m not sure why she¡¯s prying so much about something the answer to is already decided. ¡°If you place your hand on your heart and answer truthfully, I will show you mercy¨C¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any.¡± ¡°...?¡± The moment I answered her, the annoying black aura surrounding me dispersed. ¡°Not even a little resentment, not a bit of hatred?¡± ¡°Nope, none.¡± ¡°Why?¡± With her brows furrowed, I started explaining calmly. ¡°Because there¡¯s no need and no reason for it.¡± Wasn¡¯t it obvious? The reason they persecuted me was because I deceived them. So, I had no reason or right to resent or hate them. The fault lay not with them, but with the being in front of me that caused all this. ¡°Not even a hint of disappointment?¡± ¡°...Well, maybe a bit.¡± But I was a bit disappointed that the Empire had become so corrupt. Aside from my false evil activities, there were too many people showing their evil intentions, and it was considered normal. But from what I saw today and the voting results, I realized something. This Empire, this world, could still change. And that was enough for me. As Ruby said, people could change and move forward. Now that they had shown that themselves, I had to respond to their expectations. ¡°Brother...?¡± As I was looking up at the sky, thinking, a timid voice came from beside me. ¡°...Aria.¡± ¡°Is it really you, Brother? Really...?¡± ¡°What have you done?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Didn¡¯t you want us to do something? I just met your expectations.¡± ¡°Answer me!¡± When she demanded an answer and approached with her sword drawn, Frey simply smiled. ¡°Sorry, but the sun is no longer your domain.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The power of the solar eclipse is now ours.¡± Hearing this, Aishi tilted her head in confusion. ¡°But the Moon God should have exhausted her power in the last eclipse...¡± ¡°You¡¯re not very bright, are you?¡± Frey responded, smiling at the voice in his head. - Young Master, it¡¯s finished. ¡°Now the Eclipse itself is on our side.¡± - I can hold out for about a day. ¡°...Thanks, Kania. Don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡± - I¡¯ll do my best. Realizing the situation, Aishi, visibly annoyed, muttered angrily. ¡°To think a mortal would steal a divinity... Ridiculous.¡± - M-My Lord, there¡¯s something you must know. ¡°...Hm?¡± At that moment, a frantic voice of Lemerno echoed in her ear. - The scouts left on the coast have reported... that the support fleet from the Western Continent has landed on the empire¡¯s shores. ¡°But the coast is filled with monsters...¡± - And... Please do not be angry... Another piece of bad news reached her ear. - The allied forces of the Elven Kingdom, Western Continent Beastmen, and Eastern Continent Fox Tribe have just breached the border. ¡°...¡± - I apologize! But... the Erosion Phenomena at the borders... We didn¡¯t think it could be breached... Seeing Aishi¡¯s expression frozen, Frey taunted with a proud look on his face. ¡°I told you, the Eclipse is under our control now.¡± ¡°Hah.¡± ¡°And it¡¯s all thanks to you. After all, you¡¯re the one who delegates the authority to the Demon God.¡± Frey¡¯s body began to glow, half in silver and half in black, as he whispered. ¡°Thanks to you, we can pull off such stunts.¡± - Young Master. People from the Eastern Continent have appeared at the Empire¡¯s borders. ¡°...Hm?¡± Hearing Kania¡¯s voice, Frey tilted his head. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any more reinforcements...¡± ¡°...Oh, I called them.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ruby, standing confidently beside Frey, whispered. ¡°While wandering to find a way to heal your soul, I stumbled upon a mountain village. An angry woman screamed at me to leave.¡± ¡°...And?¡± ¡°In a hurry, I fought her off, but since then, the villagers started worshiping me.¡± Ruby scratched her head, mumbling. ¡°They called me... the Heavenly Demon or something.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Although I was hesitant to call on frogs in a well from an isolated mountain village, this is an all-out war. I thought they might help a bit.¡± With a smirk, Frey turned his gaze back to Aishi. - Crackle... Crackle... ¡°Then, let¡¯s begin.¡± With his body glowed half-silver, half-black, Frey raised his sword. ¡°The Academy Siege.¡± ¡°Princess?¡± ¡°Irina? You...¡± ¡°Lady Serena?¡± Simultaneously, the heroines who had been waiting for Frey¡¯s signal began to emerge from the crowd. - Zing...! As a massive slash cleaved the sky, it signaled the beginning of a great war. . . . . . Meanwhile, in the debug room. - Tap, tap... Despite her haggard expression, Roswyn kept busily typing away. Do you want to post this? > Complete. Chapter 417: Crazy Lizards - crackle... crackle... the silver trajectory of frey¡¯s sword beam shot through the sky toward aishi, leaving a dazzling streak. ¡°tsk.¡± aishi quickly twisted her body, barely dodging the silver slash, but losing her balance and staggering in the air. frey, taking advantage of her vulnerability, launched a follow-up attack like a whirlwind. - crash...! ¡°damn you...¡± frey¡¯s sword, imbued with a starlight-like aura, clashed fiercely with the two ice spears hastily summoned by aishi. it was a battle of sheer will and strength. starlight and ice shards scattered in all directions, and frey¡¯s intense gaze met aishi¡¯s cold eyes. ¡°hup.¡± ¡°as expected...¡± frey was the first to retreat from the stalemate, leaving aishi with a slight smile that quickly turned into a puzzled expression. ¡°...how?¡± aishi finally understood frey¡¯s condition. somehow, despite being on the brink of death, he was burning his life force to use his ultimate skill. - creak...! ¡°urgh.¡± quickly closing the distance he had gained, frey resumed his relentless assault, leaving aishi with no time to rest. ¡°you have strength but lack skill.¡± frey taunted. ¡°you...¡± ¡°of course, you¡¯ve never fought in a human body before.¡± ¡°how did you resolve your life force issue?¡± ¡°you did it for me.¡± aishi, bleeding from her shoulder, retreated as frey advanced. ¡°i¡¯m burning half my body with the hero¡¯s ultimate skill, while the other half is sustained by your gift, demonification.¡± ¡°...what?¡± ¡°when i was on the brink of death once before, i learned this technique. now kania is helping me maintain it.¡± ¡°hmph.¡± aishi, grimacing from frey¡¯s relentless attacks, encased herself in ice and raised her left hand. ¡°thank you for the information.¡± ¡°what are you grateful for?¡± ¡°one of my titles is the ruler of the void. all demonic monsters and erosion originate from there.¡± ¡°so?¡± ¡°if you are a demonic monster, then, i can control you.¡± black smoke began to creep towards frey as aishi spoke with a smile. ¡°submit.¡± but frey, smiling as well, kicked the top of the ice sphere encasing aishi, slamming it into the ground. - boom!! ¡°your absolute control is limited to your main body. right now, you¡¯re just a mere avatar.¡± grinding her teeth, aishi shattered the ice encasing her and launched shards in all directions, which frey deflected with starlight magic as he landed gracefully. ¡°i¡¯m not just an avatar! i represent the will of the main body. i can control any darkness emanating from me!¡± ¡°unfortunately for you, i¡¯ve already made a new pact with the new eclipse god. i¡¯m free from your influence.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°isn¡¯t my butler very impressive?¡± frey shrugged as he swung his sword with full force, prompting aishi to hastily summon an ice barrier to block his attack. ¡°don¡¯t get cocky.¡± she raised her left hand again, chanting ominously. ¡°in that case, i¡¯ll simply open my void domain here.¡± - crack... crackle... ¡°beings spawned from me, purge the unworthy from this sanctum.¡± the space around the academy began to tear, and red-eyed demonic monsters poured out. ¡°so you were behind the erosion phenomenon after all.¡± frey muttered, clenching his jaw as he watched the demonic monsters charge towards the academy. - young master, i apologize. i cannot control the erosion around the academy. kania¡¯s voice echoed in frey¡¯s mind. - if i push myself, i can control it, but it will reduce the time i can maintain the eclipse. what should i do...? ¡°just focus on maintaining the eclipse. we¡¯ll handle this.¡± frey looked back at the heroines, issuing commands. ¡°ruby, help me. we need to deal with aishi and the demon king¡¯s army. she¡¯s not at full strength, so we have a chance.¡± ¡°got it.¡± ¡°and the rest of you, split into two teams as planned. one team will handle the demonic monsters pouring in, and the other will evacuate the civilians. understood?¡± with a determined look, frey and ruby advanced towards aishi. ¡°oh, and irina.¡± ¡°huh?¡± frey whispered something to irina, who was standing nervously beside him. ¡°...what?¡± ¡°good luck.¡± ¡°wait, frey!!¡± with a smile, frey launched himself towards aishi again. ¡°let¡¯s see how good my successor is.¡± ruby, setting aside her wine glass, released a terrifying demonic energy and flew into the air. ¡°what did he mean by that...¡± irina, confused, reached out but then frowned and looked up. - flap, flap... the sound of massive wings filled the air. the dragons that had filled the sky for months began to descend, emitting their dragon fear in all directions. ¡°...¡± watching the chaos, irina gritted her teeth and started moving. . . . . . ¡°alright...¡± a while later. ¡°...it¡¯s going as planned.¡± lemerno, leading the main force of the demon army, glanced back with a smile. - crash... crash...!!! ¡°hyaah!!¡± a fierce battle between demon king aishi, frey, and ruby was unfolding right in front of the academy. ¡°they¡¯re evenly matched.¡± lemerno, evaluating the battle as a demon army strategist, muttered. ¡°there won¡¯t be a winner for hours.¡± frey, burning with silver and black aura, slashed an ice meteor falling towards the academy, then used the debris to propel himself towards aishi. - crackle...! meanwhile, ruby, flying above, summoned red lightning and struck aishi. - boom...!!! aishi countered frey¡¯s sword strike with numerous ice spears and blocked ruby¡¯s lightning with an intricate ice shield. - swish, swish... ¡°...!?¡± confused, lemerno¡¯s eyes widened as she saw what happened next. ¡°what the hell.¡± this time, it was because serena had quickly passed through the alleyways on both sides of her. ¡°w-what the hell.....¡± putting aside the fact that serena had passed behind her, a chilling problem arises: serena was clearly only one person. how did she pass on both sides? - swish, swish, swish... ¡°sh-shit.¡± at the moment when cold sweat started to pour down lemerno¡¯s forehead, serena¡¯s clothes brushed past her again simultaneously from the front, back, and both sides of the alley. ¡°we¡¯re retreating. something is definitely wrong¨C¡± lemerno turned her horse around and gave order to the demon king¡¯s army that followed her. ¡°...¡± but then she froze in that very position. ¡°wh-why...¡± her face turned pale and sweat poured down her forehead as her heart started pounding wildly. ¡°why can i... see behind me?¡± the simple fact was this: she had brought the elite troops of the demon king¡¯s army to take all the citizens of the empire hostage. so, her soldiers should have been densely packed in the alley. why could she see serena entering the alley from behind? normally, the tightly packed soldiers would block her view. ¡°...hah, hah.¡± with that realization, lemerno breathed in terror and very slowly turned her head. ¡°...¡± what she saw was an empty alley. ¡°sh-shit.¡± then it struck her. she had been wandering alone in this eerie alley for a while now. ¡°i-i need to get out of here...¡± as the eerie sound of wind echoed through the alley that had swallowed all her soldiers, lemerno, with a trembling voice, urgently tugged on her horse¡¯s reins. - swish. ¡°huh?¡± but at that moment. - swish, swish, swish, swish, swish... she heard the sound of clothes brushing the ground frantically coming from directly behind her. ¡°ah, aaaaaaah!!¡± as something brushed against her neck, lemerno let out a sobbing scream and started running frantically forward. - swish, swish, swish... ¡°save meeeeee!!!¡± but despite her screams, the sound of clothes brushing the ground continued to follow her relentlessly, making her unable to even think of turning back. she screamed as she ran through the alley. . . . . . ¡°well done.¡± meanwhile, at the nearby barracks. ¡°as expected of the greatest spatial mage, dmir khan. to be able to distort the entire back alley.¡± - you flatter me. serena, sitting safely in a plush chair, gently rubbing her slightly swollen belly, was issuing commands to the hologram in front of her. ¡°the demon king will remember your hard work.¡± - it is unnecessary. serving the true demon king, frey, is my duty. ¡°...indeed. by the way, are you ready?¡± - yes, soon one-third of the demon king¡¯s army will join our side. ¡°hehe, good job.¡± - endless glory to the demon king... as dmir khan bowed and serena waved her hand and turned off the hologram, she smiled coldly and issued orders to her subordinates, who were disguised as her and wandering through the back alleys. ¡°don¡¯t give her any time to rest, and keep pushing. we need to keep her there for at least half a day.¡± - understood... ¡°exhausted people should switch with those on standby. those on standby should memorize the distorted alley map i distributed.¡± - yes... ¡°good, keep up the good work.¡± after giving the orders and turning off the signal, serena looked at lemerno, who was still running and screaming through the alley, with a satisfied expression and murmured. ¡°here i am, pregnant, chasing you, a succubus, who¡¯s still a virgin... hehe.¡± - stoooop it...!!! . . . . . - step, step... meanwhile, on the hill near the academy, where the dragons were stationed. ¡°grrrrr...¡± ¡°growl...¡± a few dragons, who had been pretending to attack the academy¡¯s barrier, started growling as someone approached them. ¡°shut your mouths, you bastards!¡± ¡°...huh?¡± ¡°grrr...oh?¡± but then a girl, who had flinched momentarily, bravely raised her voice and shouted, causing the dragons to look confused. ¡°s-s-stupid lizard bastards... do you want to fight? i¡¯m the great archmage...¡± - thud... ¡°wha!?¡± as the dragons suddenly lowered their bodies, causing dust to rise, irina mistook it as a sign of attack and prepared to cast a spell. ¡°grrr...¡± ¡°gyuu...¡± ¡°...!?!¡± but then, the dust settled, revealing a completely incomprehensible scene to her. ¡°what... what the hell?¡± the noble and great dragons were lying on the ground like dogs, wagging their tails. - swish... ¡°ah?¡± a massive dragon slowly approached irina, who was staring in astonishment. ¡°haa... haa...¡± ¡°goddammit.¡± as the dragon rolled over and exposed its belly, showing affection, she instinctively cursed. ¡°are these damn lizards losing their minds?¡± ¡°grrrr...¡± Chapter 418: The Power of Co-operation ¡°roarrr!!!¡± ¡°screechh...¡± the eerie sounds of demonic monsters echo all around the massive field. ¡°really, there¡¯s no end to them.¡± ¡°grrrr...¡± ¡°tsk.¡± the erosion phenomenon occurring in the air made it difficult to get close. the deep, dark space, like a jaw of a beast, was spewing monsters that were rushing towards the academy in waves. ¡°how much longer can you hold out?¡± ¡°i¡¯m fine...!¡± ¡°don¡¯t overdo it. i¡¯ll exert a bit more strength.¡± blocking the army of demonic monsters were none other than clana, lulu, and isolet. the aura of domination, which could make all living creatures kneel, and the magic eyes were holding the monsters in place, while isolet¡¯s powerful sword strikes were sweeping them away. thanks to this, the monsters were being torn apart mercilessly without any resistance. their abilities, optimized for dealing with large groups of enemies, were shining brightly in the battlefield. ¡°ugh...¡± ¡°are you okay?¡± but it wasn¡¯t possible to fight such an overwhelming battle forever. ¡°y-yes... i¡¯m fine... ahh!¡± ¡°you¡¯re bleeding from your eyes... ugh.¡± lulu, who had been using her magic eye non-stop for hours, was bleeding from her eyes, and clana, who had also been continuously emitting her aura, was sweating profusely from her forehead. ¡°no matter how efficient the technique, using it non-stop will eventually lead to exhaustion.¡± isolet, watching them, muttered in a low voice. ¡°it would be nice if we had reinforcements...¡± but contrary to her wishes, they couldn¡¯t expect any support. frey and ruby were still engaged in a fierce battle with the demon king. ferloche, serena, and glare went to protect the citizens, and irina was negotiating with the dragons. also, kania was busy maintaining the solar eclipse and controlling the erosion phenomenon at the border, leaving no strength for other tasks, and the remaining imperial forces were fighting the demon king¡¯s army. ¡°it would have been nice if irina were here... abraham is also absent due to the operation...¡± isolet, muttering regretfully while watching the monsters tied up in front of her, soon turned to look behind her again. ¡°what are you doing, hurry up and strike.¡± ¡°don¡¯t worry about us...¡± clana and lulu¡¯s condition was deteriorating even further. ¡°...hmm.¡± it was time to make a decision. ¡°you two, stop what you¡¯re doing for a moment.¡± ¡°what?¡± ¡°...?¡± as isolet closed her eyes and said this, clana and lulu tilted their heads in disbelief. ¡°i said take a break for a moment.¡± ¡°but if we do that, the monsters will¨C¡± ¡°i¡¯ll handle the monsters alone.¡± as isolet slowly moved towards the army of monsters, clana and lulu, with startled expressions, grabbed her. ¡°are you crazy? even you can¡¯t handle that many monsters alone...¡± ¡°we have no choice.¡± but isolet¡¯s expression was resolute. ¡°if we continue like this, the academy will eventually fall. so, while i buy us some time, recover your strength...¡± ¡°no. what if something happens to you?¡± ¡°a knight getting injured in battle is inevitable.¡± ¡°that¡¯s not the issue...!¡± clana raised her voice, gripping isolet¡¯s arm tighter. - crackle... crackle...! ¡°...ugh.¡± but as the erosion phenomenon in the air sparked and widened, clana and lulu lost their words and stared blankly at the sky. ¡°i finally understand why frey did everything he did in the past.¡± ¡°ah.¡± ¡°w-wait a minute...!!!¡± as clana and lulu¡¯s grip loosened, isolet took the chance to break free and dashed forward. ¡°don¡¯t worry. i¡¯ll somehow survive....¡± - boom!!! ¡°...huh?¡± but at that moment, a massive flash of light roared past isolet¡¯s side. ¡°what the.....¡± isolet, bewildered by the attack she barely noticed, watched as the monsters in front were swept away. ¡°...!?¡± then, she slowly turned around to see the owner of the terrifying strike, her expression confused as she muttered. ¡°how did you guys get here...?¡± . . . . . sometime earlier, inside the academy. ¡°ugh... look at this.¡± ¡°what the... what is this?¡± the students, who were nervously preparing for a desperate fight within the barrier, touched the ice lumps next to them with cold sweat. ¡°i don¡¯t know. they were fine just a moment ago...¡± ¡°their screams were quite horrifying.¡± surprisingly, the ice lumps contained students frozen with expressions of surprise or whimpering. ¡°they seem to be alive... but their life force is being periodically drained.¡± ¡°this is creepy. i¡¯m glad i didn¡¯t turn into ice.¡± the students, each with a complicated expression, commented. ¡°wait, i think... there¡¯s a common factor among those frozen.¡± ¡°purr...¡± the spirits and cats, having added their thanks, approached and began rubbing their cheeks against her legs. ¡°...but.¡± as she petted them for a moment and then quickly moved, eurelia spoke again, tilting her head. ¡°what are you?¡± ¡°...meow?¡± the black cat doll tilted its head innocently at her question. . . . . . ¡°how did you get here?¡± back to the present time. ¡°we actually succeeded...¡± ¡°who knew that getting help from other students was the answer... we¡¯ve been practicing alone for months...¡± ¡°we might have subconsciously discriminated against them because we had colored mana. and that prevented us from perfecting the technique. it¡¯s something to reflect on.¡± ¡°that¡¯s why that person emphasized the importance of cooperation...¡± isolet was staring blankly at the academy students behind her. ¡°when the vote ended in favor and the academy began a desperate battle, i reached out just in case... and it worked?¡± ¡°because they had already steeled their resolve, there was no need to protect or restrain them.¡± ¡°t-that¡¯s not the point!!¡± as the students responded calmly, isolet shouted in anger. ¡°this place is dangerous! don¡¯t you see the army of monsters over there?¡± behind her, monsters were crowding again from the erosion phenomenon, glaring menacingly at the academy. ¡°get back inside the academy. it¡¯s too dangerous here. i¡¯ll handle it somehow...¡± ¡°no.¡± someone from among the academy students stepped forward in front of her. ¡°we will fight too.¡± ¡°...what?¡± eurelia, with a cat doll dozing on her head, spoke with one eye slightly glowing white. ¡°we won¡¯t let anyone fight alone anymore.¡± ¡°where did you get such power?¡± as the mana emitted by the students began to resonate with the colored mana, isolet asked in a low voice. ¡°we just realized the importance of cooperation.¡± ¡°whoooaaa!!!¡± ¡°and it seems...¡± eurelia, smiling brightly, pointed to the distant road. ¡°...they¡¯ve just realized it too.¡± ¡°defend the empire and drive out the evil!¡± ¡°save the frozen ones!¡± ¡°for frey, the demon ki¨C i mean the hero!¡± emergency-convened imperial soldiers. the demons and combat executives under dmir khan. and countless citizens who joined to save their frozen families and comrades were rushing towards the academy. ¡°...i smell the blood of demons.¡± ¡°pardon?¡± ¡°never mind.¡± and at the forefront of that procession, a man fully armed with heirlooms was glaring menacingly at aishi¡¯s demon king¡¯s army. ¡°charge!!!¡± ¡°we¡¯ll take care of this! professors, please take a break!!¡± abraham and eurelia¡¯s booming voices mingled and echoed across the blood-soaked battlefield. . . . . . meanwhile. ¡°...¡± ¡°yes, you¡¯re somewhat normal.¡± irina, who had reached the top of the hill where the dragons were stationed, looked at the dragon in front of her with an annoyed expression. ¡°you¡¯re the leader here, right?¡± she had to endure countless creepy displays of affection and antics from the dragons on her way up. ¡°indeed, the leader is different. at least five hundred years old, unlike the rabble below...¡± glaring at the dragon leader who was exuding a different level of aura than the others she had encountered, she spoke in a fierce voice. ¡°anyway, i¡¯ll get to the point.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°if you keep siding with the demon king, i¡¯ll make sure you¡¯ll only be seen in a zoo... hey?¡± she paused, noticing the dragon¡¯s expression, and tilted her head. ¡°are you listening to me?¡± ¡°grrr...¡± ¡°did they all eat something bad?¡± seeing the dragon sweating profusely with wide eyes, irina sighed deeply and sat down on the ground. ¡°...but, i also feel like i ate something bad.¡± then she muttered with a frown. ¡°why is it so hot?¡± she fanned herself with a bewildered expression. ¡°older sister?¡± ¡°what?¡± with a dazed look, she turned to the dragon leader¡¯s trembling voice, who had quietly tucked its tail towards its belly. ¡°where have you been all this time?¡± ¡°...???¡± hearing those words, question marks began to form on irina¡¯s face. Chapter 419: Lord of Dragons ¡°What... did you just say?¡± ¡°Sister, what¡¯s wrong?¡± The dragon leader in front of her wagged his tail, tucked under his belly, and asked, causing Irina¡¯s expression to twist. ¡°Why am I your sister?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°How am I your sister, you damn lizard?¡± ¡°...???¡± Irina glared at the dragon leader incredulously, while he tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Oh, my goodness.¡± Then he slapped his head with his tail, hurriedly spread his wings, and prepared to take off. ¡°I-I¡¯ll be right back, sister. Hehe...¡± ¡°Wait! Where are you going...¡± ¡°S-sorry!¡± As Irina quickly reached out, the leader waved his hands and wrapped his wings around himself. ¡°I-I¡¯m not trying to run away.¡± Peeking his head out between his wings, he whispered. ¡°So please don¡¯t hit me... or at least go easy...¡± Wagging his tail like a puppy and giving her a pitiful look, he appeared quite cute. If you ignored his massive body and the scars covering him, marking him as the charismatic leader of the dragons. Because of this stark contrast, all Irina could see was a lizard trying to act coy. ¡°I-I¡¯ll prepare what you like best, s-sister.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°W-Well then...!¡± As Irina¡¯s expression turned menacing, the leader, sweating profusely, closed his eyes tightly and flew into the sky. ¡°What on earth...¡± Irina, watching him shrink into a dot, slowly turned her gaze to the side. ¡°...Lady Irina, this way.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve prepared it to be as similar as possible... Please be satisfied...¡± The fierce-looking dragons, now with innocent eyes, bowed their heads in front of her. ¡°Follow us, please.¡± ¡°...¡± Deciding to stop thinking for a moment, Irina nodded with a dazed look. . . . . . ¡°¡±Enjoy your meal, sister.¡±¡± The dragon leader and his two subordinates, known as his two wings, bowed their heads politely and spoke. ¡°...What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s what you like best, sister.¡± Still staring at them with a dazed look, Irina slowly glanced around. ¡°...Haah.¡± Now she found herself sitting in a cozy space made of branches, like a giant bird¡¯s nest, hugging her knees. - Squirm, squirm... And writhing before her were various types of insects and chunks of meat dripping with blood. ¡°You want me to eat this?¡± ¡°Has your taste changed?¡± Irina, staring at it with a disgusted look, asked, to which the leader responded with confusion. ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate and try it. It¡¯s very fresh.¡± ¡°...What is this?¡± When the leader picked up a chunk of meat and brought it to her mouth with a grin, Irina, though horrified, involuntarily drooled and asked in a low voice. ¡°It¡¯s a jowl from an orc. A delicacy among delicacies¨C¡± ¡°Get that away from me, dammit.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± When she realized what the meat was, she emitted a killing intent, causing the leader to hastily throw the meat aside. ¡°Well, I guess after a thousand years, your taste might change a bit...¡± ¡°What are you talking about... Ugh.¡± Watching him with a puzzled expression, Irina suddenly clutched her chest in pain. Why... does my body feel like this. Her body, which had been burning hot, was now blazing painfully. Something¡¯s definitely wrong. Realizing something was off, Irina jumped to her feet and raised her voice. ¡°Hey, you guys.¡± ¡°Y-yes?¡± ¡°What did you do to me?¡± ¡°Do to you...?¡± The dragons, sitting demurely and watching her warily, looked confused, causing Irina to snap. ¡°What kind of trick are you pulling on me!? You damn lizards!!!¡± Her angry shout echoed through the makeshift nest, causing the dragons with innocent eyes to freeze. ¡°Do you think I wouldn¡¯t notice your tricks!? I¡¯ve had enough...!!!¡± ¡°L-Lady Irina...¡± ¡°Ever since I saw you guys, my whole body has been itching and my chest has been pounding!! Tell me what you did!!!¡± ¡°D-do you think she doesn¡¯t like this anymore?¡± ¡°Another trick...¡± Just as Irina was about to explode in fury, she trailed off upon seeing what the leader hastily brought out. ¡°This is¨C¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s juice made from i-ice dragon berry... Please drink it to cool down and calm your anger...¡± ¡°...Hmm.¡± Looking down at the juice emitting a chilling aura, Irina, who had been glaring at the dragons with burning eyes, grabbed it with her tail and drank it all at once. - Swoosh... Half of the numerous spears were aimed at Frey and Ruby, but the other half were aimed at the academy. ¡°It¡¯s a risky move that consumes a lot of power and has high risks, so I usually wouldn¡¯t use it... but for you, who are already exhausted, it¡¯s a death sentence.¡± Even as she sweated slightly, she didn¡¯t lose her confident smile and lowered her hand. ¡°Wait¨C¡± - BOOOOM!!! Just as the ice spears in the sky began to plummet, - Fwoooosh!!!!! A massive pillar of fire swept across the academy¡¯s sky. - Sizzle... Aishi¡¯s ice spears evaporated in the air, leaving no trace of it behind. ¡°¡±¡±...¡±¡±¡± The people, momentarily stopping their battle, looked up at the sky, now red and filled with flames and heat, with awe-struck expressions. ¡°Hey, kid.¡± From the sky, someone with a fierce appearance slowly descended. ¡°Playing with icicles is dangerous.¡± Landing impressively in front of the stunned Ruby and Frey, she confidently looked at Aishi. ¡°Guys, I¡¯m here...¡± ¡°You, did you just awaken?¡± ¡°...What?¡± Smiling brightly and turning slightly, she tilted her head at Aishi¡¯s cold words. ¡°W-What are you talking about? I haven¡¯t awakened yet...¡± Muttering this, she looked down at herself, then froze with her gaze fixed on the ground. - Swish, swish... A thick, scale-covered tail was swaying at her feet. ¡°...Huh.¡± Poking the tail with a dazed look, Irina then reached up to her head. ¡°This...¡± She touched the thick, hard horn, as tough as Ruby¡¯s. - Flap, flap... ¡°Come to think of it, how did I get her just now? I didn¡¯t use magic...¡± As she fiddled with the horn, she glanced at the wings flapping on either side of her and started recalling how she drank the juice and flew earlier. ¡°...ROARRR.¡± - Fwoosh...! When she opened her mouth and made a sound, a terrifying breath of heat and fire erupted from her mouth. ¡°Oh.¡± Seeing Aishi sweating and retreating due to the opposing aura, Irina mumbled with a blank expression. ¡°Why... now of all times...¡± ¡°O foolish demon, have you seen the true power of our lord?¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Aishi, who had been warily watching Irina, was startled by the deep voice behind her and turned around quickly. ¡°...All brothers, listen!!¡± The dragon leader, who had landed on the academy¡¯s wall, raised his head and let out a thunderous voice that shook the earth. ¡°A new Dragon Lord has been born after a thousand years!!!¡± As he spread his dragon fear, the dragons on the hill also released their energy and took to the sky. ¡°Fulfill your duty to our new lord!!!¡± The leader, who had lost all his earlier awkwardness and was now exuding a menacing aura, finished speaking and glared at Aishi as if he would kill her. ¡°Ugh...¡± As the dragons from the hill filled the sky and flew toward the academy, Aishi began to retreat with a twisted expression. ¡°Me? A Dragon... Lord?¡± Irina, looking back and forth between the dragons filling the sky, the smiling Ruby and Frey, and the confused Aishi, muttered in a daze. . . . . . Some time later. ¡°Are you sure...?¡± The court wizard, trembling in the frozen Cloud Kingdom¡¯s basement, asked fearfully upon receiving an urgent call from Aishi. ¡°Is it really... now?¡± - If I say do it!! Do it!!! ¡°But... this scale... and...¡± - Grrr!!! - Crunch, crunch...!!! ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Despite Aishi¡¯s angry shout, he hesitated and looked around nervously, his head tilted at the sounds of tearing and crashing. ¡°It sounds like something¡¯s being ripped apart and a loud noise...¡± - I¡¯ll kill you first... ¡°I-I understand!! I¡¯ll do it!!!¡± As sharp ice spears sprang up around him, he screamed and pulled out a scroll. ¡°This is insane. Absolutely insane...¡± - Shhh... ¡°...Damn it.¡± Trembling, he ripped the scroll as the ice spear pointed at his side. - Rip...!! ¡°I don¡¯t care anymore.¡± At that moment, ¡°¡±¡±...¡±¡±¡± The eyes of the First Heroes, who had been densely packed in the ruins, opened simultaneously. Chapter 420: Dark Tale Fantasy Online - Boom! Boom!! ¡°Roar!!¡± The dragons¡¯ roars echoed from all directions of the warzone. - Crackle, crackle... ¡°How dare you break the pact¨C¡± ¡°The will of the Lord takes precedence over everything!¡± Countless dragons filled the sky above the academy. But unlike before, they were attacking Aishi with terrifying momentum. ¡°...Haah, haah.¡± ¡°Fortunately, my plan worked, Frey.¡± As I watched the scene, Ruby spoke to me as he caught her breath beside me. ¡°Did you know this would happen?¡± ¡°For dragons, the presence of a ¡®Lord¡¯ is absolute. Especially one who has been hidden for a thousand years.¡± Saying this, she sidled up to my side. ¡°Anyway, with the dragons involved, it¡¯s as good as our victory.¡± ¡°Right. We just need to hold out for 24 hours.¡± Dragons, each of whom surpasses the strength of a knight commander, were all attacking Aishi. This situation seemed to guarantee our victory in the Academy Siege. In truth, we were aiming for a ¡®draw¡¯ rather than a victory. Since the mastermind had made Aishi the Demon King and led a direct invasion, today¡¯s battle was originally a ¡®certain defeat¡¯ event. According to the scene I saw in the book prophecy if the Demon King directly invaded, there would only be a cutscene of the academy collapsing and the game overscreen. But we had Ruby, Glare, the fully awakened heroines, and the dragons. Additionally, the academy students and some citizens were courageously risking their lives to help us. Therefore, if things continued like this, we had a chance to make it a draw. If there was no time limit or if the time limits were two to three days, it would have been impossible. Aishi, in her current state, was like Ruby¡ªundying and infinitely powerful, essentially an ¡®event boss.¡¯ ¡°The end is approaching, Frey...¡± ¡°...Yeah.¡± It had been exactly 12 hours since the siege started¡ªhalf a day had passed. If we could make it to the end of the 24 hours and get a draw, the Academy Siege scenario would be forcibly stopped. Then the final scenario integrated with Glare¡¯s DLC system, the ¡®Final Showdown¡¯ quest, would begin. Normally, losing the siege would result in massive penalties, but Glare¡¯s DLC system didn¡¯t include such things. Instead, it added an extremely reasonable system where I could awaken the Hero¡¯s Armament using the helper points from Glare and the affection points I¡¯ve accumulated. The ¡®Final Showdown¡¯ scenario revamped by this reasonable system was slightly different from the prophecy. In the final showdown, I would probably aim my sword not at the Demon King but at the mastermind behind everything. Just as Ruby said, the end was approaching. The moment when we could finally end all of this and reclaim the happiness we had lost. - Flap, flap... ¡°Hmm?¡± As I was thinking and smiling, someone flew to my side. ¡°F-Frey...¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Irina?¡± Irina, with horns on her head, wings on her back, and a thick tail swaying from her hips, approached me with a desperate expression. ¡°I-I have a bad feeling.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Something very bad is going to happen.¡± Saying this, she wrapped her tail around me. The smooth scales wrapped around and squeezed me, giving me an inexplicably strange feeling. ¡°We need to get away, quickly.¡± ¡°...Why, Irina?¡± But this wasn¡¯t the time for such thoughts. Judging by her expression, it seemed serious. ¡°We need to warn everyone, warn them about the danger...¡± ¡°Calm down and tell me slowly...¡± As I tried to calm her down and reached out my hand, Ruby¡¯s tense voice came from the side. ¡°...The Dragon Lord has the ability to foresee dangers to their kind.¡± ¡°What?¡±No?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Since Irina has awakened as the Dragon Lord... it seems her foresight ability has activated.¡± Saying this, Ruby quietly turned her gaze to the sky. ¡°But if such powerful beings are in danger, something must be very wrong.¡± Just as she said, the dragons were happily pounding Aishi, spewing fire breath and dragon fear relentlessly. Of course, in time, they would get tired and start to lose to Aishi, but they had only been involved for a few hours. There was no sign of defeat yet, so what... ¡°Wait, come to think of it... Why haven¡¯t they used the power of the ancient artifact?¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± As I scratched my head, Ruby suddenly frowned and muttered. ¡°There should be enough power in the underground of that place to control the ancient magic of the academy?¡± ¡°Ruby?¡± ¡°What was it... Damn, I can¡¯t remember perfectly since it¡¯s from the zeroth cycle...¡± Just as I watched her mutter seriously, - Crackle, crackle... ¡°...?¡± A tearing sound from all directions made me widen my eyes and look up, only to find my mouth agape. ¡°What the...¡± An enormous number of portals had opened in the sky. What were they planning with all those portals? Seeing that the size was just enough for a person to pass through, were they planning to bring in the coalition of the Church and the Secret Lord who were tied up by our reinforcements? But even if they came now, it wouldn¡¯t change anything... ¡°What... is that?¡± Muttering inwardly, I saw figures jumping out of the completed portals, and my mind went blank. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± People who looked very similar to me landed on the ground and stared at Aishi with empty eyes. ¡°W-wait a minute...¡± At first glance, they looked like me, but their hair was all black. And looking closely, they seemed familiar from somewhere... ¡°...No way.¡± As more and more people came down from the portals, and as they slowly spread out in all directions, their identity became clear. ¡°Damn it.¡± A man who looked like me, slicing through the sky in a dream a year ago. The man who was invited to another world by the Sun God to create variables. The prophet who left the prophecy for me. The more first heroes thrust their swords into the barrier, the larger the cracks grew. - Shhhh... When the cracks covered the entire barrier, the first heroes who had driven their swords in began burning their bodies with stellar mana. ¡°Hurry, repair the barrier...¡± ¡°We must protect the academy...¡± ¡°Damn it, move! Get out of the way!!¡± The people inside the barrier tried desperately to reinforce it with magic, and the dragons and heroines tried to head towards the academy, but it was all in vain. - Crash...!!! Unable to withstand the overwhelming stellar mana of the first heroes, the academy¡¯s barrier shattered completely before they could do anything. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Aishi, watching with a chilling smile, rose from her throne. ¡°Your last desperate struggle was quite cute.¡± Descending step by step on an ice staircase she conjured, Aishi gathered the first heroes towards the academy and began speaking. ¡°And it was also annoying.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If you had known your place and performed tricks, I might have kept you as ornaments.¡± Coming down to the ground, she sat on the stairs and looked at the silent academy students. ¡°Is there anyone who wants to perform tricks now? You¡¯re welcome to amuse me.¡± With a sneering expression, she began to taunt the students. ¡°The heroes and allies you believed in so much are now running away over there...¡± - Crash...! ¡°...Tsk.¡± But at that moment, a gleaming sword aura flew towards her, making her click her tongue and summon an ice chunk to block it. ¡°You...! Run!! We¡¯ll handle this...!!!¡± Frey, who had been rushing towards her at full speed, blocked by the first heroes, shouted to the students, desperately trying to hide his severed left arm. ¡°...¡± But none of the remaining students ran. ¡°Even if I die, I¡¯ll try to put up a barrier around the academy, so buy me some time...¡± ¡°How many consecutive times can we use the joint technique?¡± ¡°Wait. I¡¯ll contact the spirits.¡± Instead, they were all burning with determination. - Clench... Watching them with cold eyes, Aishi gritted her teeth and clenched her left hand tightly in disgust. - Swoosh... Raising her hand with a furious expression, she commanded all the first heroes who had breached the defense line to aim their swords at the academy. ¡°...Finish them.¡± With those words, Aishi summoned ice spears and ordered them, causing sweat to run down the foreheads of the students despite the cold temperature. . . . . . ¡°...¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± The anomaly occurred at that moment. ¡°...I said finish them?¡± ¡°...?¡± The students, who were gritting their teeth in preparation for a desperate fight, suddenly looked at Aishi, who was standing up with a confused expression. ¡°Finish them already!¡± Aishi began descending the stairs, shouting frostily at the first heroes. ¡°Really... what is it now...¡± Muttering as she approached the first heroes, she stopped and trailed off. ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°W-what¡¯s going on?¡± The students, who had been preparing for the worst, were just as confused. The first heroes, who had been aiming their swords at them moments ago, were now slowly lowering their weapons. ¡°It feels like the atmosphere has changed...¡± Among the bewildered students, a sharp-eyed one muttered. ¡°Wait a minute...¡± ¡°Their eyes...¡± Just as he said, the eyes of the first heroes, which had been black, were now turning white. - Swoosh... And in the next moment. ¡°...!?!?¡± Something unexpected happened. - Swoosh, swoosh... ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°W-why are they doing that!?¡± The first heroes, who had been looking around blankly, began to strip off their clothes, leaving only their underwear. ¡°...What¡¯s going on?¡± Seeing all the first heroes around her in their underwear, Aishi, flabbergasted, forgot to speak properly and mumbled in her native tongue. ¡°...anjdpdytlqkf?.¡± If translated into something humans could understand, it would be: ¡°What the hell is this, damn it.¡± The countless Kim Han-byeols stood in their underwear, staring at her. . . . . . Meanwhile, in the debug room. ¡°Thank goodness... Thank goodness...¡± Roswyn, lying over her desk littered with instant ramen cups and energy drinks, mumbled tearfully. ¡°This time, I wasn¡¯t too late...¡± On the computer screen in front of her, the following message was displayed. Dark Tale Fantasy Online - Open Event Not a single-player game anymore, it¡¯s multiplayer! Enjoy the newly added boss raid with everyone! Chapter 421: A Huge Mess The global online community went wild as soon as Dark Tale Fantasy Online launched. It was no surprise. Despite its unreasonable and distorted structure, the Dark Tale Fantasy series had always been on the list of popular games each year. Then, the series, which had abruptly halted, unexpectedly made a comeback as an online service. As a result, not only the core users who enjoyed the unique irrational pleasure of Dark Tale Fantasy, but also casual users and the general public, focused on this open event. In a country known for its etiquette in the East, known for its gaming prowess, the event was eagerly anticipated. Title: This week¡¯s G-Style Wiki script leaked, lol Title: Just give me my item. I¡¯ve been grinding for three years to get it. Title: If I were a developer reading the forums now, I¡¯d be grinning, lol In the days leading up to the launch, the gaming community was flooded with posts about Dark Tale Fantasy. 100 Facts About Dark Tale Fantasy You Need to Know 10 Things You Must Know About Previous Dark Tale Fantasy Installments Before Playing Online The World Was Shocked, and Japan Trembled, While Advanced Nations Envied Korea: ¡°Never Underestimate South Korea Again¡± And so was YouTube. ¡°Yes, the game we¡¯re playing today is... you know, Dark Tale Online!¡± ¡°You say I get $100 if I survive till the end of the raid? Focus time.¡± (Speedrun) Beating the game in 10 hours. (1 hour added for each penalty) The internet streaming world was no different. (Breaking News) Dark Tale Fantasy Online opens first in South Korea The Power of K-Gaming, Spreading Worldwide... European and Japanese Players Who Overlooked Korea Are Crying Over One Announcement! ¡°We¡¯re Envious of Korea.¡± The heated response peaked when the developers announced that Korea would be the ¡®beta test¡¯ region for the pre-launch. Finally, the long-awaited launch day arrived. It was no wonder that a record number of concurrent users in gaming history logged into ¡®Dark Tale Fantasy Online.¡¯ ¡°Wow, guys. Is this for real? Dark Tale Fantasy is going online?¡± Among the players was ¡®Kim Saetbyeol,¡¯ a renowned Korean game YouTuber and popular streamer. [LOL] [This is insane. My heart is pounding.] [Look at the concurrent users, lol] [These crazy guys are all in their underwear] [This is seriously scary] Her average viewer count of 3,000 had soared past 10,000 today. Such was the hype surrounding Dark Tale Fantasy Online. ¡°It feels so nostalgic. Dark Tale Fantasy... It¡¯s amazing to see it back in the world.¡± [?? But how does Saetbyeol know? This game come out decades ago?] [Saetbyeol... could it be your age?] [Saetbyeol isn¡¯t a baby? Saetbyeol isn¡¯t a baby? Saetbyeol isn¡¯t a baby?] ¡°...Phew.¡± Smiling happily at the increased viewer count and the rapidly scrolling chat, she began to sweat as hooks started appearing in the chat. ¡°No, no, I¡¯ve heard a lot about the game from back in the day...¡± [Explain~] [I] [Am] [I] [Am] ¡°Fine, fine, I¡¯ll explain! Just wait until the loading is done...¡± Pointing frantically at the loading screen, she tried to calm the chat. New ID detected. Do you agree to the terms and conditions? Y/N ¡°There, see! It¡¯s a new account, right? You know old accounts get automatically linked if they existed.¡± [Old lady with dementia, lol] [Did you forget your old account and make a new one?] [Saetbyeol isn¡¯t a baby...] [Kim Saetbyeol/Controversy] ¡°I¡¯m still a teenager!¡± Seeing the chat finally turn to jokes, she shouted in frustration, sighing inwardly. ¡°So, shall we... begin?¡± Skillfully overcoming the first crisis of the stream like a pro, she started her broadcast. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to play a legendary series... I wonder how fun it will be...¡± But as soon as she agreed to the terms and entered the game, the second crisis hit. ¡°...What?¡± The spawning area was already a mess. [Lololololol] [What is this?] [Isn¡¯t this rated R?] Countless players summoned there were all stripped to their underwear. ¡°...¡± Kim Saetbyeol quickly activated the age restriction on her broadcast, her eyes losing focus. . . . . . ¡°Frey... What is all this?¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t know either.¡± Frey replied to Ruby, shaking his head. Even he couldn¡¯t fully comprehend what was happening. Just moments ago, the first heroes had been fighting him, Ruby, and Irina fiercely. Now, they were all in their underwear and running off somewhere. Boss HP: ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ Time Limit: 11h 30m At the same time, a gigantic window had appeared above the academy. ¡°Hero! Look at that!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Glare pointed at the sky, but Frey could only see empty air. ¡°Kid, what are you looking at...¡± Frey, looking up at the sky in confusion, suddenly turned his gaze sharply. - Thump, thump, thump... ¡°Crazy.¡± A multitude of Kim Han-byeols were running towards him. ¡°Stop, stop!!¡± Panicking, Frey hid Glare behind him and drew his sword. ¡°...Huh?¡± From behind him, Glare peeked out and saw words that only she could see. > Frey¡¯s cheeks, Frey¡¯s cheeks, Frey¡¯s cheeks > Frey brother... > Brother... am I going to die...? > Look at him hiding the kid behind him, so sweet, lol > I¡¯ve missed you... True Hero Frey... > Show us your panties, brother (wiggles) These crazy chat messages floated above the Panty Squad, who had just seen the protagonist of the second series. ¡°Go away!!!¡± Terrified, Glare started flailing and shooting magic missiles wildly. > Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh > Just dodge it, easy~ > She looks familiar somehow > Magic Missile! Dodge it! But the Panty Squad easily dodged her attacks, rolling on the ground with their eyes wide open. ¡°Sniff...¡± As Glare started to cry and back away from the bizarre scene, Ruby, who had been silent until now, spoke up, sweating. ¡°Frey.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The users, who had been fixated on Frey, turned their attention to her all at once. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± A tense silence ensued. > Wow, is that bitch here too?? > How many times did I have to reset because of her > Let¡¯s get her, fuck that bitch > Charge~ > But why is she here? Next to Frey? As the mood among the users changed, Ruby, feeling some kind of trauma, clung to Frey, teary-eyed. ¡°I¡¯m scared, Frey...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Hug me...¡± Frey, caught off guard, hugged her tightly, and silence fell once more. > Why are they acting like this? Has the story changed? > Her disposition... a girl? > Come to think of it, the boss isn¡¯t her. > Are they a couple? A couple? A couple? > Charge~ Charge~ Charge~ Just as the users started emitting a threatening aura towards the two, a massive explosion echoed in the distance. - Boom, boom, boom!!! Something large crashed to the ground, sending shockwaves in all directions. ¡°...Huh?¡± Glare, caught between the retreating Frey and Ruby, looked up to see the source of the noise. ¡°rmaksgodododododo!!¡± Aishi, battered and bruised, rose from the ground, her face pale, emitting strange frequencies. > Demon King! Your attacks are awesome!!! > Hng... Mesugaki 1 Demon King sis... > The attack patterns are too easy? Is it because it¡¯s still Phase 1? > Bring Ruby, where¡¯s Ruby? Only Ruby is the Demon King, only Ruby is the Demon King, only Ruby is the Demon King > Who wants to glitch out of the map? Looks like you can do it with a bug? > Guys, did you see the sun in the sky? It keeps shaking with each attack, seems like a gimmick lol The Panty Squad, throwing off their clothes and swarming towards her, buzzed around Aishi. ¡°Hero... I¡¯m scared.¡± ¡°...Me too.¡± Glare, having witnessed true madness at too young of an age, was utterly terrified. 1. girls who are small, young, provocative, suggestive, sexual, and brash towards adults Chapter 422: Return of the Legend - Clang! Clang!! ¡°Huh? What¡¯s going on over there?¡± As Kim Saetbyeol roamed around the map, she spotted a bizarre scene. - Crash, crackle, crackle...!!! ¡°What... what are they doing?¡± Some members of the Panty Squad, having broken away from the large-scale raid, were running somewhere with wild eyes. > Just one hit! Just one hit! Just one hit! Just one hit! > What¡¯s this? Why isn¡¯t my attack working, damn it lol > Are you using invincibility now, you bitch??? ¡°...¡± Drawn by the strange sight, Saetbyeol saw Ruby being violently assaulted by users while trembling in Frey¡¯s arms. Though not as crowded as the swarm of users in the distance, a significant number of users had gathered there. ¡°Ancestors? Please... don¡¯t come any closer...¡± Meanwhile, Frey, holding the trembling Ruby tightly in his arms, swung his sword at the oncoming Panty Squad. > What¡¯s up with him? He¡¯s so strong;; > He¡¯s way stronger than when we played him. > Let¡¯s fall back and observe his patterns first. > This isn¡¯t the Frey we know!! > Bro? What¡¯s wrong? Bro? What¡¯s wrong? Bro? What¡¯s wrong? > Ah, Frey finally fell for Ruby¡¯s charm. > But seriously, what¡¯s going on??? The story seems so rushed??? Some users were easily knocked down by his sword strikes, while others casually rolled on the ground, chatting leisurely. ¡°Ugh! Get away! You crazy bastards!¡± Frey, horrified, retreated with his companions, and the users paused their attack to chat among themselves. > Man, what¡¯s with this attitude towards his ancestors;;; > But thinking about it, Ruby did have some unresolved plot points. > Still, why the sudden change? Why is she suddenly like this? What if she¡¯s deceiving our Frey? > What¡¯s up with his left arm? Where did it go, damn it? > But Frey... his arm...! As those users continued their conversation, a red system window popped up in front of Saetbyeol. Warning! Not a target for attack! The users stared blankly at the system window. - Clang! Clang!! Then, they started throwing pebbles and branches they had gathered at Frey and Ruby. > Attacks aren¡¯t working at all? > What the hell > Looks like they¡¯re non-hostile targets in the system > Should we try a bug exploit? > This is getting boring > Let¡¯s move on~ Let¡¯s move on~ Let¡¯s move on~ Realizing they couldn¡¯t attack, the Panty Squad began leaving in droves. ¡°Wait! I want to see more!!¡± Caught up in their departure, Saetbyeol reached out to Frey¡¯s group, shouting. ¡°They¡¯re the legends I¡¯ve only heard about! I want to see them in person...¡± - Flap, flap... ¡°...Oh, right. She¡¯s the Dragon Lord.¡± But as Irina wrapped her companions and flew into the sky, Saetbyeol looked up with a crestfallen expression. [Not many knew Irina was the Dragon Lord?] [Something¡¯s fishy... She reacts exactly like a hardcore Dark Tale Fantasy fan...] [For real, lol. She acts just like those streamers who played the game as kids.] [And all those people gathered earlier were streamers, lol.] Seeing the chat heat up again, she sighed. ¡°My dad was a... Dark Tale Fantasy ranker. So, I heard all about it when I was a kid. Satisfied?¡± [Respect for using the dad card] [Great early education from your dad, lol] [Come to think of it, we¡¯ve never seen your dad.] [Your mom often joins your streams though.] [How about an in-law meeting with your hardcore fan dad tomorrow?] ¡°Why would I let you do an in-law meeting with my dad!! You crazy bastards!!¡± She shouted playfully, then refocused on the game. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get back to the game. Unfortunately, we missed the main characters, and we¡¯ve seen everything there is to see... Shall we move on to the main event?¡± Saetbyeol said, looking at the chat filled with ¡° Yes, yes¡± responses. ¡°Haha, just as I thought, I have something prepared.¡± Confidently, she pulled something from her inventory. ¡°With this warp stone, we can go straight to the heart of the battlefield...¡± [lol] [Going straight to the center, lol] [You¡¯ll regret it...] [Think you can handle it???] [Better get familiar with the map first...] Seeing the amused chat, she had a puzzled look on her face. ¡°...Huh? What do you mean...¡± - Zap...! But before she could read the chat completely, the warp stone activated. ¡°Wow... Look at that special effect!¡± [At least buy some potions first...] [You¡¯re going to get humiliated repeatedly, lol] [Once a crappy game, always a crappy game] [You¡¯ll be fertilizer for the veterans] [Shh! This is clip-worthy!!] Captivated by the dazzling effect, she missed the viewers¡¯ warnings. . . . . > If you don¡¯t know, you should get a beating. > lolololol ¡°Noooooo!!¡± But the Panty Squad mercilessly swung their clubs without blinking an eye. . . . . . [lololololol] [Ah, lololol] [All your items are gone, lol] [But you can respawn, lol] ¡°Ugh, ugh...¡± Seeing the red game-over message, Saetbyeol groaned with her head bowed amidst the viewers¡¯ heated reactions. > Whoosh whoosh! Squeal!! > Let¡¯s go~ Meanwhile, on the darkened screen, the Panty Squad could be seen wielding her character¡¯s corpse, charging at Aishi. ¡°Everyone is really insane...¡± - Knock, knock, knock...!! ¡°Ah!?¡± Staring blankly at the madness, Saetbyeol was about to press the respawn button when sharp knocks startled her. ¡°Kim Saetbyeol! Dinner is ready!! Come eat!!¡± ¡°Oh, Mom!!¡± Suddenly, her door burst open. ¡°How old are you, and you¡¯re still playing games? Grow up already!!¡± ¡°Seriously! I told you not to open my door!!¡± [lol] [Lady Victoria has entered the chat, lol] [Lady Victoria, please...] [Saetbyeol¡¯s mom is prettier than her, lol] [Give me Saetbyeol¡¯s mom] [Watch your words, or you¡¯ll get banned] [Why doesn¡¯t Saetbyeol ever lock her door??] [lol] As her mother peeked in, the chat, already burning, exploded to another level. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s it for the first part! See you all in part two!!¡± [Saetbyeol~] [Forget it, show us your cam, lol] [Already ending the stream?] [Give me Saetbyeol¡¯s mom...] [Lady Victoria has been banned] [Ban! Avoid it!!] Smiling awkwardly, she ended the broadcast. ¡°Mom, I told you not to use magic!!¡± Confirming the broadcast was off, she screamed. ¡°And the viewers think I¡¯m a teenager!! Be careful what you say... Ow! Ow ow ow...¡± ¡°You¡¯ve gotten ruder since you got younger, huh? You need a lesson.¡± Her mother, Victoria, grabbed her ear with a gloved hand and began dragging her out. ¡°When we crossed over to this world, we promised to live quietly. But now, streaming? The descendant of a noble family playing the fool.¡± ¡°Ouch! Ouch, it hurts!!¡± ¡°No more computer for you today.¡± ¡°Mom!!!¡± As they bickered and left the room, Saetbyeol¡¯s phone dimly lit up behind them. > Dad! The new game that just came out, is it the one you always talked about? > It feels exactly like the world I remember from my childhood. > Can you be a guest on my stream? > Please, Dad...? . . . . . > If you come on as a guest, I¡¯ll give you 100 massage coupons... Meanwhile. ¡°Your sister¡¯s surgery went well. It was a minor operation, so there shouldn¡¯t be any side effects. This was the last surgery.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°With enough rest, she won¡¯t need to come back to the hospital.¡± A man, listening to the doctor¡¯s explanation, gently patted his sister¡¯s head as she lay in bed. ¡°Congratulations.¡± Nodding at the doctor¡¯s congratulations, his gaze remained fixed on his smartphone. [Concurrent users break Guinness World Record! Dark Tale Fantasy Online¡¯s legendary reputation remains.] [Sunrise Academy Liberation War begins! The basic attack rebellion.] [Amazingly altered story. Predict the future developments.] As he scrolled through the articles, his eyes stopped and slightly trembled at one headline. [The legendary rankers are returning... Will ¡®he¡¯ also come back?] ¡°Thank you for watching over her. We¡¯ll take care of the nursing from here, so you can...¡± - Step, step... Ignoring the nurse¡¯s guidance, the man, who had been staring at the article for a long time, began walking somewhere as soon as the doctor finished explaining. ¡°Brother? Where are you going?¡± ¡°...¡± When his bandaged sister asked curiously, the man whispered quietly and walked out of the hospital room. ¡°...To the PC Cafe.¡± Chapter 423: Let’s Start the Raid ¡°Huff, huff, huff...¡± Lemerno was running through a dark alley, her body was drenched from head to toe with sweat. ¡°...What is this?¡± She had to abandon her exhausted horse and was stumbling forward when she realized that the sound of the trailing dress that had been relentlessly following her had vanished. Her legs gave out, and she collapsed to the ground. ¡°What the hell is going on...¡± As her fully exhausted mind started to clear, shame slowly began to wash over her. ¡°...I was tricked.¡± Once her head cooled down, it became clear that she had been played all along. ¡°It¡¯s space magic, isn¡¯t it...?¡± Only a being with the magical prowess of a Demon King or someone close to it could pull off such a flawless trick. ¡°I never thought Dmir Khan would betray me... ugh...¡± It was now evident that she had been manipulated by Dmir Khan¡¯s magic. ¡°Did he join hands with Serena...?¡± It was a trick she could have easily seen through if she had been a bit more composed, but her naturally fearful nature had hindered her. Could Serena have anticipated this? But her fearful nature was a complex known only to herself. ¡°If I return now... will they spare me...¡± She sat on the ground, lost in thought, then realized the futility of it all. Shakily, she got to her feet. For some reason, the space magic had been undone for a few minutes now. She felt she could escape this hellish place now. - Thud, thud, thud, thud...!!! ¡°...Hmm?¡± As she hurriedly walked, hoping to return to the Demon King¡¯s Army, something caught her eye. ¡°¡±...!!!¡±¡± Her face, previously blank with confusion, suddenly froze. ¡°U-ugh...¡± Pale figures were sprinting towards her with all their might. ¡°Aaaahhhhhh!!!¡± She realized they were terrifying men with fierce, bulging eyes, wearing nothing but their underwear. Lemerno screamed and started running forward. ¡°Please, save meeeeee!!!¡± Her desperate screams echoed through the alley once again. > Isn¡¯t that a demon over there? > Leave it, it¡¯s not important right now. > We need to find the secret shop quickly. > Lol, time to spend money. Meanwhile, the users, ignoring Lemerno, continued sprinting with all their might. Their destination was only one place. > Found it. > Wow, it¡¯s still here, lol. > These guys... remembered, huh? It was the secret shop run by the ¡®shopkeeper¡¯, a staple in the Dark Tale Fantasy series. Some members of the Panty Squad had come to the shop to procure raid supplies, which was hidden as an Easter egg in Dark Tale Fantasy 2. ¡°Hohoho...¡± > Rosinante, the old guy, lol. > Present in every season, lol. > What is his true identity, though? The Panty Squad burst into the secret shop, and there was the shopkeeper, chuckling and drinking. > Wow, it¡¯s usually random when you can enter here. > This also works, lol. > Once you got in, you were set until you died, lol. The users, feeling nostalgic, started browsing the items like kids returning to their old-school supply store. > But with this many people, shouldn¡¯t we rob the shop? It was always a dream of mine. One user scratched his head and suggested, causing everyone to freak out and frantically stop him. > A dream, my ass. > Do you want to have a horrible time? > Never startle this guy!! > Even ¡®that guy¡¯ failed to conquer Ruby and the shopkeeper, you crazy. > Touch him, and we¡¯re dead. > It¡¯s a long-standing tradition not to touch the shopkeeper. > How can you beat someone who uses instant death cheats, lol. The one unspoken rule among even the most fearless users was ¡®Do not touch the shopkeeper¡¯. ¡°Hohoho...¡± > Look at his eyes change, damn, lol. > Is the AI upgraded? > You can¡¯t avoid that... > Let¡¯s get out~ Let¡¯s get out~ Let¡¯s get out~ When the shopkeeper sent a cold glare towards the one who suggested breaking the rule, the other users, reliving their childhood trauma, stepped back. - Tap, tap... Then, the shopkeeper tapped a sign on the counter with his finger. [100% Sale (Today Only)] The users stared blankly at the sign for a moment. Soon, the long-buried dream of robbing the shop began to resurface in their hearts. - Rush... Shortly after, with their crazed eyes, the users began sweeping up scrolls and potions from the store. ¡°That dimension... remains the same...¡± The shopkeeper, the disguised Stellar, watched the scene with familiarity, then took out a new bottle of liquor and looked up at the sky through the window. ¡°However...¡± Her expression suddenly darkened. ¡°...It¡¯s becoming faint even to me.¡± Stellar muttered with a bitter smile. . . . . . ¡°What... the hell?¡± A while later, in the middle of the academy siege. ¡°What... is this?¡± Aishi, who had inadvertently become the target of the raid instead of the event boss, or rather, the ¡®Eye¡¯ residing inside her, was muttering in a bewildered voice, looking down. > Heave > Ho > Heave > Ho The terrifying demons, no, beings even more dreadful than demons, were now gleefully tearing apart their own corpses. I can¡¯t... I can¡¯t understand this at all... The Eye, completely overwhelmed by the sight, watched in disbelief. What was happening now defied all the knowledge it held. How can living beings not fear death? For mortal beings, who eventually return to nothingness, the ¡®fear of death¡¯ is absolute. Any being with life would naturally fear and avoid death due to instincts embedded in their genes. That¡¯s a universal truth, no matter which dimension. How...? But here were beings defying that truth head-on. > Farming~ > At this rate, we¡¯ll defeat it within the time limit. > Yeah, its HP is dropping faster than expected. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on... but since they seem to be on our side, we should help...¡± ¡°...Damn, that¡¯s quite a strong attack.¡± ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll bring the dragons...¡± The Frey¡¯s party, forcibly dragging their severely injured bodies, started to defend the users from behind. > They¡¯re barely managing to tank it... > The newly created respawn queue is the problem. > We can¡¯t use the same method as before... What now? They began to reorganize the users who were only being pushed back, using their overwhelming power, equipment, and control skills to attract the aggro. However, the Panty Squad had already suffered catastrophic damage. ¡°...So you¡¯re not invincible either, huh.... Heh, heh.¡± Realizing this, Aishi started to smile bitterly. ¡°If your numbers have decreased this much...¡± Suddenly, she started bleeding from her mouth and raised both hands high into the sky. ¡°Then there¡¯s no way you can withstand this!!!¡± In the next moment. - Rumble... Rumble... ¡°¡±...!!!¡±¡± A massive block of ice, created with all the power she had saved, began to form above the academy, casting a shadow upon the land below. ¡°Since I decided to use the main body¡¯s power... I¡¯ll use it generously.¡± > This is seriously overkill. > Sis, am I really gonna die...? > Was she saving power all along for this AoE? > Guys, we¡¯re screwed... We can¡¯t block that... > Run away. The users, overwhelmed by the sight, and the students hiding within the newly created barrier by Arianne, watched in horror. ¡°I¡¯m sick of this world!!!¡± > Seriously, another AoE now? > Ignoring dodge moves is just too much... > It¡¯s not the damage; the knockback is broken... > If we lose the event, does the server shut down? As Aishi sneered and blocked the rankers trying to approach with her tentacles, screams erupted from all around. ¡°Just die already!!!¡± - Rumble... The overwhelming despair began to descend, crushing the brief hope that was kindled within the people. ¡°Eek...!¡± ¡°¡±¡±...!?¡±¡±¡± Just when everyone had almost given up, a gritting voice echoed from behind the users. > Who¡¯s that...? > Isn¡¯t that the kid added right before the server shutdown? > Glare? > Now that you mention it, it really is her. > Is this a cutscene? Glare, who had been blocking the tentacles from behind the users with all her might, burst out from among Frey¡¯s party, glaring at the ice block and raising her right hand. ¡°I-I can... shatter it...¡± - Crackle!! ¡°...Ugh!¡± ¡°Glare!!¡± Trying her best to snap her right hand, Glare spat blood and collapsed. ¡°Ugh... m-my head hurts...¡± ¡°...So it was you.¡± Watching Glare struggle, the Eye¡¯s focus shifted, a scornful expression forming as it whispered. ¡°A singularity disguised as coincidence. System destroyer. Wielder of deletion power.¡± ¡°Aaah...¡± ¡°...The embodiment of the management system.¡± ¡°Stop it!!!¡± As Glare trembled and shrank under Aishi¡¯s gaze, Frey, having cut through the tentacles blocking his path with all his might, ran towards her. ¡°But to think you would take on such a frail human form. The sheer complacency is enough to make me sick.¡± ¡°Glare, snap out of it!¡± ¡°Just a mere part of the management system. Daring to defy the great me from beyond...¡± As Glare trembled in Frey¡¯s arms, Aishi looked down at her disdainfully, then shifted her gaze to the crumbling academy. ¡°My next destination... will be the dimension of the blue star.¡± Then, with a relaxed expression, she muttered. - Crack...!!!! ¡°...What?¡± Until a very familiar sound of shattering filled the air. . . . . . - Crackle!!! ¡°...!?!?¡± Just seconds ago, Aishi¡¯s face, filled with confidence, now displayed utter shock. - Rumble... Rumble... Right before her, the massive ice block, her pride, was being shattered and reduced to dust. - Swoosh... As the once massive ice block, as large as a mountain, was swept away with a single slash, everyone¡¯s attention, including users, the empire¡¯s citizens, and the Demon King¡¯s army, turned to the sky. - Step, step... While everyone¡¯s gaze was fixed on the sky, footsteps were heard from behind the users. ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°...¡± The owner of those footsteps, who had briefly stopped where Glare had been held by Frey, now looked at Glare with a puzzled expression. Interact > Pat - Swoosh, swoosh... As he quietly pressed the interaction key to pat Glare¡¯s head, both Frey and Glare, bewildered, started to look confused. - Step, step, step... As he walked past Frey and Glare, users who had been looking up at the ice dust began to turn their attention to him. - Rush... Seeing the player suddenly appear behind them, the users, who had been staring blankly, noticed the nickname above his head and immediately parted to the sides without needing any signal. ¡°...¡± The few remaining newcomers. Popular streamers known by almost anyone on the street. The veteran Panty Squad, reeking with the stench of their experience. And even the rankers who played atop the heads of these veterans. Every single one of them parted like the Red Sea to give way. ¡°...You.¡± Seeing him step in front of the users, Aishi gritted her teeth and quickly raised her hands. - Swoosh... Raising his sword silently, the player began to type in the chat. [IfYouDon¡¯tLikeItGoToTheDeveloper: Let¡¯s start the raid] Rank 1. The first clearer The legend who suddenly disappeared. [IfYouDon¡¯tLikeItGoToTheDeveloper: If you don¡¯t understand, just memorize it.] The return of the First Hero, Kim Han-byeol. Chapter 424: A Lesson Learned Only at the End - Sizzle!! ¡°Ugh.¡± As Kim Han-byeol¡¯s massive slash swept through, Aishi gritted her teeth and twisted her body. - Wriggle, wriggle... At the same time, the tentacles that had fallen to the ground started to twitch. The attacks that had swept everyone away were useless against him. > Did he come with the Series 1 clear spec? What a cheat > I can¡¯t understand or memorize this, teacher. > Is this the raid? Is this the raid? Unfazed by the chat messages that got overwhelmed by his formidable presence, Han-byeol continued to advance. How is he... The Eye watching him ground its teeth. He should have gone back to his dimension back then... This world had provided the Eye with countless amusements over eons, but only once had things gone awry. The chosen hero, who usually followed a set path, suddenly went wild as if possessed by another, changing everything. Convinced it was a case of possession, the Eye had intervened directly in the end. Its goal was the tragedy of ¡®Frey¡¯, ¡®Ruby¡¯, and their companions, as it despised any form of happy endings. - Come alone. The fewer the victims, the better for you, correct? ¡°...¡± - Why make such a face? Fuhuhuhu... Holding the Hero¡¯s loved ones hostage and inviting him into its imaginary realm had seemed like a brilliant plan. The Hero¡¯s twisted expression, believing he¡¯d achieved a happy ending, was a delight, and disposing of him would eliminate any future anomalies. ?A¦­o?B¦¥S? Of course, using its spiritual form rather than the physical form visible in the sky was a risk. But it was certain that a mere possessor couldn¡¯t challenge its spiritual essence. ¡°What... are you?¡± ¡°Gr... Ridiculous... A mere possessor...¡± That should have been the case. ¡°Are you the true mastermind?¡± To cut to the chase, Han-byeol had defeated the Eye. He almost obliterated the being that had devoured countless dimensions. How? the Eye still couldn¡¯t fathom. Was it the ¡®Hero¡¯s Armament¡¯ Han-byeol wielded? Was it the ¡°Stellar Mana¡± he used, identical to the power of the Creator God who imprisoned the Eye? Or was Han-byeol simply a freak of nature?@@@@ The specifics were unclear, but it was undeniable that the battle ended with the Eye¡¯s essence being split in half. ¡°...I can¡¯t go back like this.¡± Of course, it wasn¡¯t a complete victory for Han-byeol either. In the aftermath of the fierce and desperate battle, drained of life force, Han-byeol aged prematurely, becoming a half-broken sword. His final, all-out attack only managed to halve the Eye¡¯s spiritual form. Completely exhausted, Han-byeol escaped the imaginary realm while the Eye was temporarily incapacitated. ¡°Damn it... Time... There¡¯s no time...¡± For the Eye, it was a shocking event. Battling the godlike Creator God was understandable. But to be halved by a human, to be incapacitated by a mere mortal... Though it recovered in minutes and successfully erased all traces and scars Han-byeol tried to leave behind, the fear of that day lingered. Had the remaining half been split, its existence would have ended. For the first time, the Eye experienced the terror of death, akin to the ¡®mortals¡¯ it despised. Hence, the memory of that day was buried as a bitter stain. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s back...! Now, that buried memory was resurfacing. - Step, step... The presence approaching, cutting down tentacles mercilessly, reeked of the Hero who had vanished from this dimension. ¡°...I¡¯ll kill you no matter what.¡± Eventually losing rationality, the Eye directed all of Aishi¡¯s tentacles and ice spears at the advancing figure. . . . It was right in front of his eyes. ¡°...I was too selfish.¡± He hadn¡¯t made everyone shine. ¡°I should have trusted everyone who said they would join me back then.¡± He was also too self-righteous. That had made him strong, but in the end, it had also become the shackles that held him back. ¡°Sigh...¡± Unlike him, Frey¡¯s party worked together harmoniously, to achieve their happy ending. No one had lost their shine. Everyone involved in the operation was glowing brightly. ¡°Guys, before we get into the plan, let¡¯s rest first...¡± The protagonist of this story was different from him. Due to past traumas, he would never unconsciously distrust his companions like Han-byeol had. If things went as they were, Frey would surpass even his own stature. He would find the puzzle pieces Han-byeol couldn¡¯t, and reach the final stage Han-byeol couldn¡¯t achieve, And in the end, he would successfully finish the showdown with the mastermind and save all dimensions. ¡®If things go as they are,¡¯ that is. ¡°...Damn.¡± But as Han-byeol quietly watched Frey¡¯s party, his eyes began to tremble slightly. Frey quietly gazes at the Demon King. It seems he has some plan in mind. Among the heroines listening to the plan, Frey was sending a meaningful look at Aishi. ¡°...No.¡± Seeing this, Han-byeol frowned. The past was about to repeat itself. ¡°This can¡¯t go on...¡± Frey, although an almost perfect hero, had one flaw. If Han-byeol¡¯s downfall was due to ¡®self-righteousness¡¯ and ¡®doubt,¡¯ Frey¡¯s obstacle would be ¡®altruism¡¯ and ¡®self-sacrifice.¡¯ It was ironic. The noblest mindset in the world would become such a deadly flaw. But his spirit of sacrifice, if left unchecked, would become his downfall. Even if he understood that everyone needed to be happy, in the final showdown where everyone¡¯s lives were at stake, who knows what choice Frey would make? Han-byeol himself had fallen for that voice and made the wrong decision. - Click, click... Thinking this, Han-byeol quietly manipulates his character to move toward Frey¡¯s party. He had to convey the lesson he had learned too late, the hard-earned wisdom, To the protagonist of the story, Frey, who would surpass him, and to all who would shine with him. That Frey¡¯s self-sacrificing nature could turn into selfishness and self-righteousness. That it would make him incomplete. To reach the end, he must empty all those feelings and unite with everyone in the end. The Demon King¡¯s status ailment is wearing off! ¡°...¡± But to do that, he needed people to face Aishi in his stead for a while. ¡°...Sigh.¡± After much consideration, Han-byeol sighed shortly and took out his smartphone. ¡°Good thing I left my thought form behind...¡± Freeloader (7 People) Entering the group chat, he left a short message. > Just help me out for a bit. Watching the shy and cautious responses pop up in the chat, he smiled. ¡°Should¡¯ve done this sooner.¡± Caution! The intensity of the battle is rising! Time remaining: 2h 53m......... The end of the academy¡¯s siege was approaching. Chapter 425: The Two Heroes - Sizzle! The presumed leader of the pantless freak emerged from the group and started fighting with Aishi. ¡°Wow... he¡¯s really good... We should incorporate this into our combat techniques,¡± ¡°It looks different from typical combat. But it¡¯s highly effective.¡± Lulu, analyzing the fight with her Magic Eye, and Irina, observing sharply, both make these assessments. ¡°Yes... it¡¯s definitely efficient. Maybe I should learn it too.¡± ¡°Professor Isolet... Are you really going to roll around on the ground like that?¡± ¡°...W-Well, that wouldn¡¯t be very knightly.¡± While the heroines, hastily gathered, watched the scene in a daze, someone tapped me on the side. ¡°Frey, what do you think?¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Turning to look at him, Serena, who was gently rubbing her lower abdomen, asked. Her gaze seemed unusual. Did she perhaps figure something out? ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s a bit strange... but the combat effectiveness is remarkable. It could probably hold its own against me and Ruby.¡± ¡°...But doesn¡¯t it seem a bit unnatural?¡± ¡°Unnatural?¡± After listening to her sharp words and observing again, it was indeed unnatural. It felt almost like a puppet. ¡°I¡¯ve been observing closely until now. The other clones of the first heroes moved similarly. Like necromancers or puppeteers.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°So, I think they might be receiving remote signals to move...¡± As Serena murmured this, she covered her face with a fan, her eyes sparkling. ¡°It¡¯s just... it sounds like the game mentioned in the prophecy...¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s true... those inside might be ¡®players¡¯... And if that person is the most skilled among them... could it be...¡± Serena, deep in thought, began to think with her typical blank expression. When she got like this, it would be best not to disturb her. I should leave her be so she could fully utilize her sharp mind. ¡°...Hmm.¡± Turning my gaze back to the battlefield, I couldn¡¯t help but swallow hard and frown. This isn¡¯t the end... There was something I hadn¡¯t told everyone yet. The updated scenario following the addition of the ¡®Raise Glare¡¯ DLC system. The ¡®final showdown¡¯ in that scenario would differ from what was written in the prophecy. It wouldn¡¯t just end with the Demon King falling; it would involve facing the mastermind behind it all. ¡°...¡± But to face the mastermind, I first had to fall with the Demon King. That was the condition to enter the ¡®final scenario.¡¯ Not that I¡¯m planning to die completely. I needed to use my spiritual form to reach that bastard¡¯s main body. ¡°Sigh.¡± Despite knowing that, there was still a lot to worry about and think over. I already mastered the ¡®Hero¡¯s Power¡¯ and ¡®Stellar Mana¡¯ since childhood, attaining tremendous strength. In other words, I already reached the limit of how strong I could become. Although I recently mastered swordsmanship through training with my father, Could I really consider that breaking through my limits? Does splitting the sun mean literally having the power to split the sun? Am I ready for the final showdown? ¡°...¡± I¡¯m also worried about the heroines. I¡¯m starting to regret promising to join forces with them. The power of that Eye from the Void was unexpectedly great. Sure, it was strong after devouring several dimensions, but wasn¡¯t there a limit to it? - Crackle! ¡°wjsxnwhwrkxdlgksp...¡± After fighting with Ruby, Irina, and the dragons for half a day, And then battling the pantless freaks who suddenly appeared, even destroying half of them, Now facing off against the one assumed to be their leader. All of this was done by that Eye¡¯s avatar, not its main body. - Rumble! As I scratched my head, not knowing what to do, a nasally voice came from below. ¡°We¡¯re on the same side!¡± Glare, who was being tended by Ferloche, widened her eyes and shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t attack!¡± ¡°...¡± In the ensuing silence, the man quietly nodded and slowly sheathed his sword, cautiously approaching us. - Swish... He handed the scroll over, still eyeing Ruby with suspicion. ¡°...I feel like I want to hit him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pretty large-scale spell... I¡¯ll help. Should I bring some dragons too?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll help too... I¡¯m an idle princess, so I have plenty of mana...¡± ¡°Grr?¡± One by one, the heroines who had gathered around laid their hands on the scroll, starting with Ruby, who took it with a slightly annoyed expression. - Slide... ¡°Excuse me...¡± With my hand on the scroll, waiting for it to activate, Serena, the last to place her hand, asked ameaningful question. ¡°Are you the First Hero?¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°No, I should rephrase that.¡± As we tilted our heads in confusion, Serena, infusing mana into the scroll, asked again. ¡°...Are you the First Hero, Kim Han-byeol?¡± ¡°Eek!¡± Momentarily dazed and trying to understand the sudden question, Glare jumped into my arms and placed her hand on the scroll. - Crackle... At that moment. - Crackle!!! The scroll glowed golden, and a large magic circle began to form beneath us. ¡°Serena, what was that about...¡± As I held Glare in my arms and looked at the scene, I asked Serena about her earlier question, but... - Sizzle...!!! Seeing the shape rising from the magic circle, the heroines and I couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. ¡°...Are these people... No way?¡± . . . . . ¡°You... you all...¡± After staring in a daze at the people who had appeared before him, Frey finally smiled broadly and spoke. ¡°...How are you here?¡± Unexpected faces he had seen months ago in the underground ruins in the desert. The First Hero Party had appeared before him and the heroines, fully assembled. ¡°Did you... come to help us?¡± Looking at them with a grateful expression, Frey walked forward, holding Glare. ¡°...Oh.¡± Feeling an ominous energy, he stepped back slightly. - Step, step... At the same time, the members of the First Hero Party began to approach the heroines with fierce looks. ¡°Geuhh? Wait... where are you taking me? What? Teaching me as a Sword Saint?¡± ¡°K-Kania? I don¡¯t know much about her either...¡± ¡°What? Are you a dragon too? What, legal wife? Who¡¯s the legal wife now? Why do you have to ask that?¡± ¡°F-Fighting together...? B-But... I¡¯m still a princess... How can I... with the First Empress... Ahhh...¡± ¡°There¡¯s a secret technique in the Moonlight family? Where is it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re funny, First Saintess! So stop pretending to be a fool! You¡¯re the real mastermind, aren¡¯t you?¡± After a while, as the girls paired up and headed towards Aishi amidst the chaos, the few remaining pantless freaks started screaming. - Rustle... Unable to intervene in the rapid series of events, the First Hero covered his head and shook it in frustration. ¡°Uh...¡± Frey, who had remained in place, holding Glare, cautiously asked the First Hero. ¡°...Are you really my ancestor?¡± In response, Kim Han-byeol smiled and gestured for him to follow. Chapter 426: Fan Service Chapter 426: Fan Service ¡°Ugh... Grr...¡± Aishi, having been freed from paralysis, ground her teeth as she looked down below. These pathetic creatures... She saw her opponents spread out across the battlefield. The First Hero Party called by Kim Han-byeol and Frey¡¯s heroines were teaming up and dispersing in all directions. Additionally, the academy students, the imperial army, and the citizens were gathering within the newly erected barrier, recovering their strength. In the distance, reinforcements from around the world were pushing back the Church and converging here with all their might. ¡°There are too many variables...¡± Grinding her teeth in frustration, Aishi muttered to herself. Indeed, an overwhelming number of variables had arisen in less than a day. She failed to absorb the power of the academy students and the imperial citizens. Thanks to that fool who allowed a mortal to steal her divinity, the sun she had painstakingly encroached on had become useless. Furthermore, unforeseen adversaries from another dimension emerged. And now, even the one who cleaved her in half had reappeared. It¡¯s all because of that wench. Swinging her tentacles furiously, she scowled internally. Because of that insignificant insect... None of this was coincidental. The numerous unexpected variables were, if not entirely, largely due to her. The wretched demons from another dimension and Kim Han-byeol¡¯s return¡ªthose were likely her doing. It¡¯s vexing. She had exiled Glare and ¡®her¡¯ outside during the Fourth Ordeal, just in case something like this happened. Glare had returned to the real world thanks to the grace of the Star God. And ¡®she,¡¯ because of her self-imposed exile, had entered a place where she could change everything. But how did she get in there? The place where ¡®those with divinity¡¯ managed the world, a place Aishi had seen several times while traversing dimensions. It was strange. Someone without divinity shouldn¡¯t have been able to enter. Even if granted permission, entering with a human body would scatter one¡¯s existence instantly. So how could she, a mere mortal, enter that place? Could it be... Aishi¡¯s eyebrows twitched. Those idiots... She remembered one of her overlooked talents. Solar Mana. Despite being a branch of the Sunrise family, she possessed the power directly bestowed by the Sun God. Those foolish beings... The powers held by her, Frey, Serena, and Clana were not merely ¡®mana.¡¯ The true nature of their abilities was ¡®divinity¡¯ directly bestowed by this world¡¯s foolish gods. Yes. It wasn¡¯t just slightly stronger mana. It was the ¡®authority¡¯ only divine beings could use. The ¡®privilege¡¯ that granted supremacy over mortals. The ¡®qualification¡¯ to become a divine entity. Such precious things were given to mere humans. To Aishi, it was incomprehensible. No gods from any dimensions she had observed and devoured had ever given their divinity to their creations. Any divine beings from other dimensions would surely ridicule those who had given their divinity to mere mortals. ...Damn it. But the foolish actions of those foolish gods were now tightening around Aishi, like a chain. The dimensions whose gods laughed at those actions were all devoured, but this dimension, which gave divinity freely to humans, continued to resist her. Humans are beings that grow. Unlike the gods, whose limits were set, humans, given the power, could become divine beings or god-slayers, possessing limitless potential. Aishi, who looked down on humans, subconsciously recognized this during her battle with Han-byeol. Was this all part of the plan...? Deep in thought, Aishi¡¯s mind began to clear. A world that continued to resist despite the gods¡¯ defeat. A human who invaded the realm of gods. And the avatar of the management system who appeared before her. None of it was coincidental. It was all a plan to confront her. ¡°...¡± So, to break this well-crafted inevitability, to secure victory, what should she do? The best solution was to win this war. Victory in this war would mean no one could stop the Demon King, allowing her to safely devour this dimension. But she didn¡¯t feel confident about winning this war. Though the demons that had instilled fear in her had lost some momentum, they had allowed the opposing forces to recover significantly. Moreover, Kim Han-byeol and his comrades had returned. - Shiver... Had she overexerted herself? Her right arm kept trembling. The resistance from the ¡®real Aishi¡¯ was reaching its peak. [Time remaining: 1h 59m...] In such a situation, leading the battle to victory within two hours would be extremely difficult, even for an entity like the Eye, who had pushed entire dimensions to the brink. ¡°Just a little more, just a little more...¡± The Eye, pushing Aishi¡¯s body to its limits, began to darken Aishi¡¯s eyes further. No matter what, I will devour you all...@@@@ The Eye still had two trump cards up its sleeve for victory. One was to risk everything and emerge from Aishi¡¯s body, engaging in battle directly. The other was to use the main body as a sacrifice to eliminate the variables altogether. Of course, the last resort was something to be used only when absolutely necessary and was never the preferred option. However, even as a mere fragment of the main body, the Eye believed that its direct involvement would turn the tide of battle. > Wow, holy crap. > Is this for real? I¡¯m getting chills... > This is epic, damn it. > So this is how it all comes together? > All the heroines are here. > I¡¯ve waited decades for Dark Tale Fantasy to reopen... I can die happy now. > The fan service is top-notch. > But where are the main characters? The main heroines from series 1 and 2 were approaching the Eye in a line. . . . . . Meanwhile, at the same time. > What do we do now...? > It seems hopeless. > Is there even a point in resupplying? The supply team, busy transporting goods from the shop during the 100% sale, looked at the dramatically changed situation with serious expressions. > Should we join the fight? Supplying seems meaningless now. > Yeah, just grab the potions. > What about evacuating the citizens here? This place is a safe zone. > But the shop is too small... The leader of the supply team, the third rank, nodded and began discussing with the others. - Swoosh... In the midst of their discussion, someone quietly stood up and headed into the shop. ¡°...?¡± The suspicious movement caught everyone¡¯s attention. - Thud...! ¡°...!!!¡± Hearing the sound of a rock inside, everyone widened their eyes and stood up. ¡°Catch me if you can!!¡± Kim Saetbyeol, who had narrowly survived by joining the supply team for the second stream, shouted as she passed by them. [KaniaNyan donated 1,000,000 won!] [Wao, she actually did it?] ¡°T-Thank you for the million-won donation~~~!¡± > Damn it... > If you don¡¯t want to die, run! > Run away~~!! To the battlefield~!! Once they understood the situation, the players began to rush out en masse. ¡°Hahaha...¡± Warning! You cannot interfere in this war! Stellar, who was about to stand up, looked at the window that appeared before her, her eyes gleaming silver. ¡°I¡¯m just, what do you call it... attracted to the aggro?¡± ¡°¡±...¡±¡± ¡°So this isn¡¯t a violation of the management system. I¡¯m just going to teach the one who attacked me a lesson.¡± Standing up, she brushed aside the system. ¡°...If someone gets swept up in this, it¡¯s not my problem.¡± Moments later. - Boom! Boom! ¡°Aaaaaah!¡± > Oh no, he¡¯s chasing us. > Why did he destroy the shop to come out? > Run for your lives. > What is this??? A bug??? > We¡¯re doomed. > It¡¯s scary because what I saw as a meme has become a reality. A character, traditionally known for comic relief in the series, now bulked up grotesquely, eyes gleaming silver, began chasing the players at full speed. Chapter 427: All-Star Game As the main heroines of series 1 and 2 gathered one by one in front of Aishi, the tension in the air began to rise. > But what are they planning to do by approaching like that? > Yeah, shouldn¡¯t they deal with the Erosion on the map first? These were the questions popping up in the chat from the players. Indeed, the heroines were facing the seemingly endless Erosion Phenomena. If they continued to advance, they would be swallowed by the infinite depth of the Erosion. - Swoosh... Just as the players¡¯ anxiety was growing, Eurelia, who was leading the way, slowly raised her hand. - Shiiiiii... From her hand, a wave of white energy began to spread out. > ??????? > Is that white magic??? > Damn > Wow, so this is how Eurelia¡¯s story unfolds? > I¡¯m going to die from fan service overload... The players, watching in amazement, went wild with excitement at the resolution of a plot point they thought would remain a MacGuffin forever. ¡°Observe. Only white magic can have such a positive impact on people, Ms. Kania.¡± ¡°Meow.¡± While observing the people with a polite demeanor, the spirit of the white mage whispered to the cat doll on Eurelia¡¯s head. ¡°So, you should give up your gloomy ways and embrace the path of the white mage...¡± ¡°Meow!¡± ¡°...Eurelia, at least, please continue the legacy of the white mage.¡± As the cat doll turned its head away, the spirit sighed and raised her hand. - Fwoooooosh... From her hand, white energy began to spread out as well. ¡°...I won¡¯t force you if you don¡¯t want to. I¡¯ve realized that even enforcing etiquette can hurt others.¡± Watching the white energy push back the Erosion, the white mage spoke with a wistful look. ¡°And luckily, you seem to be a kind-hearted warlock.¡± ¡°...Meow.¡± ¡°No, I guess you¡¯re now a goddess.¡± - Swoshh...!@@@@ Simultaneously, the cat doll jumped off Eurelia¡¯s head and transformed into Kania. > Wow > The maid lady... > But why is Kania dressed in the demon god outfit??? > Wait, could it be?? > Look at that presentation, lol > The live stream has 500,000 viewers now, damn As Kania, who emitted black smoke, appeared, the reactions of the already excited players exploded further. - Roarrrrr...!!! But the true fan service was just beginning. ¡°The first person I met was her. After falling into this otherworld, I had to find a way to survive, so I got a job as a servant in her mansion... She was very strict with etiquette education. She would often beat me when I made mistakes, looking at me with a slightly disdainful expression.¡± ?A?¦­O??E?s This explanation came from Han-byeol, who was sitting on a nearby hill, facing Frey and Glare with a nostalgic expression. . . . . . After Kania and the two white mages broke through the endless Erosion blocking their way, a giant roar echoed from behind them. ¡°That voice...¡± The leader of the dragons, who was being treated for injuries inside the academy, stood up with a dazed expression. - Buzz... A giant ice dragon appeared in front of Aishi. ¡°...Sister?¡± It was the return of the First Dragon Lord, who had hidden herself for a thousand years. ¡°This feels so awkward...¡± Meanwhile, beside her, Irina, who had transformed into a dragon form, wore an awkward expression. ¡°...I feel like I¡¯m not myself.¡± As Irina mumbled with a grimace, the ice dragon beside her, the ice witch, smirked and spoke. ¡°Because you¡¯re a half-blood.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Half human, half dragon.¡± ¡°...¡± Irina, who was stunned by the revelation of her birth secret, stood frozen as the ice witch spoke with a cold expression. ¡°By the way, can you move away a bit? The heat coming off you is no joke.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Sigh, I can¡¯t believe my descendant is so unreliable...¡± As she sighed and looked at the bewildered Irina, the ice witch seemed genuinely disappointed. ¡°...Oh, there¡¯s Han-byeol!¡± ¡°...!!!¡± But when the First Saintess behind her mentioned Han-byeol with a bright smile, the ice dragon widened her eyes and immediately lay flat on the ground. - Waggle, waggle... She then smiled and wagged her tail, before blushing and burying her face in her wings. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°...Okay.¡± After a moment of pushing her tail into her belly and lying flat, the ice witch flew into the sky towards Aishi. > Wow, two dragon lords together, lol > Isn¡¯t this an overpowered combination??? > Yeah, seriously. The top 1 and 2 magic users from the series are teaming up. > Forget it, just resolve the Ferloche retry arc, lol. As the two girls, still smiling, ran towards the Eye, two women at the back finally stepped forward. ¡°You must understand, that coercion alone cannot capture a man¡¯s heart. You must also...¡± ¡°Excuse me... what does this have to do with swordsmanship?¡± ¡°Men are aroused when they see a woman getting slapped and dazed. Remember that.¡± ¡°Excuse me...?¡± ¡°And you should not enjoy it alone. You must also make the man feel guilty.¡± ¡°...This is insane.¡± Isolet held her head in her hands as the revered First Sword Saint began teaching her bizarre lessons. ¡°Why are you so lacking in proper instruction? I left my secrets in the manual.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The Bywalker family¡¯s martial arts manual. I personally wrote down what I got from my enlightenment to be passed down.¡± ¡°...Could it be? The reason my father secretly bought that manual at the auction...?¡± Isolet began mumbling to herself as she listened to the first swordmaster. ¡°The reason my father never taught me the manual... the reason he always scolded me for trying to learn...¡± ¡°The secret to strength is being hit a lot. The more you are hit, the more he¡¯ll fill you up. But you...¡± ¡°S-stop it...¡± Realizing the truth, Isolet began to step back in a panic. ¡°I, I agree.¡± ¡°¡±...?¡±¡± Behind her, someone appeared. ¡°Certainly, the more you are hit... the more he¡¯ll fill you up.¡± ¡°¡±...?¡±¡± Ruby, with a flushed face, appeared, causing the two Sword Saints to tilt their heads in confusion. ¡°Wait! That¡¯s not it. I came to ask a question.¡± Looking at them, Ruby composed herself and began speaking. ¡°You are borrowing bodies from another dimension, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The First Sword Saint nodded cautiously, prompting Ruby to continue with a frown. ¡°Then, there¡¯s something I need to know.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Several months ago, Frey and I visited the ruins where your thought forms are located.¡± She said, resting her chin on her hand. ¡°But at that time, I detected eight thought forms with my soul ability.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And yet, there were only seven of you at that time. I thought the missing one might be the First Hero... but he¡¯s not a thought form now.¡± Looking at the suspiciously silent first Sword Saint, Ruby pressed further. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re mistaken? It¡¯s been a long time...¡± ¡°It was only a few months ago. And I¡¯m sure Frey heard me mention it too.¡± ¡°...¡± Attempting to make excuses, the First Sword Saint fell silent again in the face of Ruby¡¯s firm voice. ¡°Who is the remaining thought form?¡± Ruby asked sharply, causing the First Sword Saint to sigh and begin speaking. ¡°Indeed, there was one thought form that didn¡¯t come out back then.¡± ¡°Alright, then...¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t come out; she couldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ruby nodded but then frowned at the First Sword Saint¡¯s meaningful tone. ¡°She¡¯s dangerous. So, we were all suppressing her.¡± ¡°Dangerous?¡± ¡°Yes, but don¡¯t worry. She¡¯s not here today...¡± - Boom! ¡°...Ack!?¡± The First Sword Saint, trying to reassure Ruby, was startled by the sudden explosion and trembled. ¡°Wh-what?¡± ¡°Something seems to have fallen from the sky...¡± Ignoring her, Ruby and Isolet moved towards the rising dust cloud. ¡°What on earth...¡± ¡°Huh?¡± They stopped and looked on in astonishment. ¡°...¡± As the dust cleared, a girl with white wings blinked at them. ¡°...An angel?¡± Ruby¡¯s murmur was interrupted as she peeked from behind, observing closely. - Shring... The girl pulled out a dagger shaped like a kitchen knife and spoke with dead eyes. ¡°Han-byeol... where are you...?¡± Hearing her voice, Han-byeol quietly got up and hid behind Frey and Glare. ¡°This is strange... Han-byeol needs me... Han-byeol can¡¯t live without me...¡± > Yandere celestial tamer is here, lol > Lulu, ask her! > Tamer vs. Hunting Dog, lol > I wondered why she hadn¡¯t shown up yet, lol > PTSD already setting in, lol > But who is Han-byeol? > Who knows, lol ¡°...Where are you, Kim Han-byeol?¡± It was the appearance of the last heroine Han-byeol had conquered. Chapter 428: It’s Time to End This Dark Tale Fantasy series¡¯ only celestial being. The Sun God created one as an experiment for her secretaries but was so burned by the experience that she abandoned plans to make more. The only heroine Kim Han-byeol didn¡¯t take with him when he went to Earth. Despite this, she begged the Sun God to let her go to Earth, where she wandered everywhere searching for Han-byeol. ¡°How did you get here...?¡± At the appearance of this girl, the First Sword Saint broke into a cold sweat. ¡°...I eavesdropped on the chatroom.¡± ¡°This crazy...¡± ¡°Han-byeol. Where is my Han-byeol? I want to see Han-byeol. I want to touch him.¡± Ignoring the flustered Sword Saint, the girl kept asking questions. ¡°Where did you hide Han-byeol? Where? I can smell Han-byeol around here. Don¡¯t even think about lying.¡± With each step she took, beautiful flowers bloomed around her and sweet fragrances filled the air. She looked like the very embodiment of an angel. ¡°Give me Han-byeol quickly. I¡¯m getting dizzy from Han-byeol deficiency.¡± Except for the fact that she was twirling a knife shaped like a kitchen knife while her eyes were crazed. ¡°Rrrr...¡± ¡°...?¡± She tilted her head as she looked at Lulu growling in front of her. ¡°...Grrrr.¡± > Lulu, you must not lose! > When Lulu goes crazy, she can be fierce too! > Who would win if they fought? > Murder show vs. suicide show, I¡¯m getting chills... > But why is Lulu so tame now? Despite her fierce growls, there was no way Lulu, who had become just a girl after her emotional wounds were healed by Frey, could handle her. ¡°Rrrrr...¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°...Grrr?¡± Despite her efforts to confront the girl twirling the knife, Lulu¡¯s eyes widened as someone appeared beside her. ¡°Are you looking for Han-byeol?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Unfortunately, you can¡¯t meet Han-byeol right now.¡± The girl¡¯s atmosphere instantly turned icy upon hearing Serena¡¯s words. ¡°Who are you... to control my Han-byeol...?¡± ¡°Do you see that eye floating over there?¡± Pointing swiftly at the distant eye, Serena caused the girl to nod with a pale face. ¡°That monster captured Han-byeol. Do you see that black barrier? He¡¯s trapped inside.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°It seems we need to defeat that monster to rescue Han-byeol... Could you help us...¡± - Boom! Before Serena could finish, the girl kicked off the ground and soared into the air. ¡°Give me my Han-byeol baaaaack...!!!¡± ¡°Phew, that solves one problem.¡± Serena, wiping cold sweat from her brow, murmured as she watched the flowers uprooted by the girl¡¯s leap. ¡°I understand now why the first duchess of the Starlight family was her ancestor.¡± Walking away, Serena furrowed her brows and tilted her head. ¡°...¡¯Her¡¯?¡± ¡°Serena, what about the plan we discussed earlier?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± At Ruby¡¯s question, Serena glanced back at the sky and responded. ¡°This actually works out well.¡± Her eyes gleamed as she looked at the heroines fighting the Eye with their still-clumsy teamwork and the rampaging celestial girl. ¡°The more high-quality soldiers we have, the better our chances.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°We can compensate for the lack of teamwork with a thorough plan.¡± She then glanced at Ruby and asked. ¡°Could you please connect my mental transmission to everyone?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Ahem...Can you? Ruby?¡± With a slightly embarrassed expression, Serena reverted to her old way of speaking, and Ruby smiled and nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± Behind them, the uprooted red flowers fluttered to the ground. ¡°...Why act so formally with friends.¡± Perhaps these flowers, before being uprooted, were once called roses. . . . . . - Bzzzz...!!! The two white mages fired their spells like lasers. ¡°You...!!!¡± The Eye struggled desperately, extending tentacles to block the twin beams of white magic. ¡°...I¡¯ll borrow these for a moment.¡±@@@@ ¡°What!¡± But the tentacles summoned by the Eye went limp as Kania made a simple gesture. - Boom! Boom! Thanks to that, the Eye was left defenseless against the white magic. ¡°Gahhh!!¡± The Eye tried to twist its body to avoid the beams, but the nerve-made left wing suffered terrible damage. - Sizzle... The left wing of the Eye had two large holes, with steam rising from them. ¡°...Ugh.¡± However, when the two Saintesses, powered by the Sun God¡¯s blessing, lifted the tentacle covering the ground, the Eye¡¯s expression turned blank. ¡°Hup.¡± ¡°Where are you looking?¡± ¡°...!!!¡± At that moment, a voice came from behind the Eye. - Slash... ¡°...What?¡± the Eye hurriedly turned and shot out black chains, but its expression quickly turned to one of surprise. ¡°Hmm... Very good...¡± ¡°What the...¡± ¡°Well, I retired from being a Sword Saint and became a housewife a long time ago.¡± The First Sword Saint, bound and suspended in the air by chains, was smacking her lips as she looked at the Eye. ¡°I can only serve as bait.¡± As the First Sword Saint pointed upwards, the Eye instinctively looked up. ¡°Stay still.¡± At that moment, Lulu, holding Isolet by the collar and flapping her wings above the Eye, gave a low, menacing command with her Words of Power. ¡°...Ugh.¡± For a brief moment, the Eye was stunned by Lulu¡¯s gaze. ¡°It¡¯s time to finish this.¡± ¡°Really... If I do this well... Han-byeol will forgive me, right...?¡± Simultaneously, Isolet, hanging from Lulu, and the celestial girl flying beside her, descended with all their might towards the Eye. - Slash!!! In less than a second, the Eye¡¯s wings were completely severed by Isolet and the celestial girl. ¡°Mission accomplished!¡± As the ice witch caught the falling Isolet on her back, Serena announced their success with a bright smile. ¡°...That was long-winded.¡± Watching this, Han-byeol got up and spoke. ¡°Well, it¡¯s time for us to go too.¡± In reality, he was frantically typing in the chat. > We have to end the siege. As Han-byeol drew his sword again, the chat exploded with messages from both the remaining players and those who reconnected to witness the historic moment. > Wow... I have no words... The production is insane... > The protagonist of the second game was too perfect, to the point that he became imperfect... But the protagonist of the first game broke that perfection, making them complete... > And the first game¡¯s protagonist is played by the series¡¯ top-ranked player. > This will go down in gaming history. > Frey¡¯s cheeks, Frey¡¯s cheeks, Frey¡¯s cheeks. > This year¡¯s GOTY is Dark Tale Fantasy Online... No arguments. > The game¡¯s move to hire the top-ranked player was a masterstroke. > This time, I¡¯m truly committed. > Let¡¯s go! (Putting on socks and getting ready for work) > Have the noobs all grown beards...? Han-byeol chuckled at the usual chaotic chat. > What are you doing? Hurry up and follow... Looking at Frey, Han-byeol typed, urging him on, then tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Um...¡± Frey, who had been watching Han-byeol, spoke up. ¡°...So, when will you say what you need to?¡± Han-byeol, momentarily dazed by Frey¡¯s words, began to sweat and type. > You... Can¡¯t you see my chat? Frey, still looking puzzled, didn¡¯t respond. > Since you followed when I typed ¡°follow,¡± and sat when I typed ¡°sit,¡± I thought you could see it? Frey, always perceptive, had been trying not to disturb his esteemed ancestor. > No, you should have said something... Wanting to be respectful, Frey waited for Han-byeol to speak first. > What do I do... We need to finish this... Han-byeol scratched his head in frustration. ¡°Are you trying to convey something?¡± ¡°...?¡± At that moment, Glare, who had been watching, smiled and spoke. ¡°I can convey it for you!¡± > Really? ¡°Should I tell the hero about the strange characters floating above your head?¡± Overjoyed by Glare¡¯s quick thinking, Han-byeol cheered internally. > ...Wait, strange characters? But then, realizing something, Han-byeol¡¯s expression changed as he typed. ¡°What are those characters?¡± Glare, as Han-byeol feared, murmured and tilted her head. Of course, Glare didn¡¯t know ¡°Hangul.¡± ¡°...¡± Biting his lip, Han-byeol quickly rummaged through the emotion expression menu. Emotion Expression > Highlight Chat Finally, highlighting his chat message in bright colors, Han-byeol sent it with all his heart. ¡°This must be conveyed...¡± Murmuring, Han-byeol watched Glare closely. ¡°Yes! I remembered the shape exactly!¡± Glare, who had been staring intently at the chat, clenched her fists with a serious expression. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely tell the hero!¡± With a sigh of relief, Han-byeol gestured to Frey, who was still puzzled. Boss Health: ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ñ¡ñ Status: Paralysis/Exhaustion Time Remaining: 0h 30m ¡°...Now, it¡¯s time to end this.¡± Chapter 429: The End of the Siege How...? The Eye, losing its mobility as its wings were torn off, began to plummet. How did it come to this? Just before crashing into the ground, the Eye regained its composure and hovered slightly above the ground, beginning to ponder its current predicament. How did it end up like this? From the moment it broke free from the main body, during the times it observed their tragedies, even when they attacked it¡ªnever did it imagine things would go this wrong. It thought of them merely as a seasoning to enhance its entertainment. To think it would be driven to this point. ¡°It should be around here, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s strange... Even my Magic Eyes can¡¯t detect it...¡± ¡°It must be hiding somewhere here. Don¡¯t let your guard down...¡± The Eye, having nearly lost all its combat power, tightly shut its eyes, using the last of its strength to evade Lulu¡¯s Magic Eyes. However, it was only a matter of time before it would completely deplete its energy. Its defeat was inevitable. There must be... some way to turn this around... Unwilling to accept this fact, the Eye squinted, scanning the battlefield. ¡°Screeeeech...!¡± ¡°Roooaaaar...¡± The entire battlefield gradually came into view. ¡°It¡¯s almost over!!¡± ¡°Wow, it wasn¡¯t much after all. Haha...¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t much? The barrier Arianne made is almost shattered...¡± The Sunrise Academy had to fend off the attacks without the help of the Hero Party because their forces were concentrated on stopping the demon king.@@@@ Despite being pushed to the brink with their temporary barrier nearly broken by the demonic monster pouring out from the fissure of space of the Erosion Phenomenon, the students and citizens managed to hold on. How...? According to my calculations... they should have fallen long ago... The creatures it summoned were high-tier. Even with the dragons¡¯ help, it was baffling that they couldn¡¯t even breach a barrier made by a single girl, let alone capture the academy. Even the dragons should have been critically injured by it. How? - Flutter... Flutter...! - Toot... Toot...! The Eye¡¯s curiosity was soon answered. The academy spirits were flying around busily, sprinkling healing powder on the allied forces. ¡°...Meow!¡± In front of them, a silver cat, created with Ruby¡¯s help, was scampering about with a busy expression. ¡°Hoot...!¡± ¡°Guuu.¡± Alongside the cat were an owl, Gugu, a canary, and a red dog, quickly mending the cracks in the barrier. ¡°...¡± The dragon leader, watching in a daze, asked in a trembling voice. ¡°May I ask why the spirit kings who disappeared with the spirits are in such forms...?¡± ¡°¡±¡±¡±...¡±¡±¡±¡±¡± ¡°...Never mind.¡± But faced with the piercing gazes of the five spirits, the dragon leader quietly looked away, mumbling. ¡°Finally, it feels like the world is turning right again...¡± Muttering, the dragon leader observed the spirits and the academy spirits calmly repairing the cracked barrier. - Pzap!! Pzap!! Meanwhile, outside the academy, the few remaining Demon King¡¯s Army and demonic monsters were being relentlessly struck by magic arrows. ¡°We¡¯re sorry we¡¯re late... The Church forces blocked our way...¡± ¡°But where are the Church forces?¡± The Western Continent allied forces and the Elven Kingdom¡¯s reinforcements had finally arrived at the academy. ¡°Miho? Miho, why are you there...?¡± ¡°Y-Yelp...¡± ¡°I¡¯m always curious about this... But are you really beastkin?¡± Simultaneously, the Western Continent beastkin tribe and the Eastern Continent fox beastkin tribe began finishing off the enemies who hadn¡¯t yet managed to regroup. r??No???§¦S? ¡°The demonic energy here is as eerie as the Heavenly Demon Art.¡± ¡°But where is the Heavenly Demon?¡± And even the notorious troublemakers of the Eastern Continent¡¯s murim, who had been mercilessly beaten and became Ruby¡¯s subordinates. ¡®Where is that damned man...¡¯ The Eye, seeing the increasingly hopeless situation it was in, began frantically searching for the Secret Lord of the Moonlight family. ¡°...Hah.¡± Upon finally spotting him, the Eye let out a sigh of contempt. ¡°You... How dare you... Gugh...¡± ¡°You enjoyed gouging out our eyes, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Just die now.¡± The citizens who didn¡¯t freeze. The players from Earth who participated in this world-altering war. The dragons who narrowly avoided a massacre. The Western Continent nations and allied forces kept their vow with the empire. And the heroines who, despite their injuries, wore expressions of happiness. Everyone shouted in unison. ¡°...It¡¯s not over yet.¡± Everyone except Frey. ¡°The final showdown still remains...¡± Frey, still unsure of the choice to make, was lost in thought. - Crackle...! ¡°...Huh.¡± Then, he heard something shatter above and looked up. - Creak... Crack... A crack was forming in the black barrier where Aishi was trapped. ¡°Ah...¡± Seeing this, Frey, despite his severe injuries, staggered towards the barrier, while Han-byeol sighed and smiled knowingly. ¡°Ugh, ugh...¡± As Frey caught the falling Aishi from the shattered barrier and staggered, Hanbyeol quietly turned around. ¡°Ancestor, are you leaving already...?¡± Frey, hesitating, called out. ¡°I still have things I want to say...¡± - Swoosh... Han-byeol, pausing at Frey¡¯s words, silently pointed above him. ¡°...Huh?¡± - Nod, nod... Glare, standing beside him with a meaningful expression, nodded. - Step, step... ¡°H-H-Han-byeol. I-I-it¡¯s been a while... You still need me, right? Right?¡± ¡°...Where were you? You could just blow that Eye bastard by yourself right?¡± ¡°Since when have you been stalking us...¡± Han-byeol, staring blankly at her, started to walk, followed closely by the heroines from Series 1. ¡°Will they manage well?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. From what I¡¯ve seen, they¡¯re stronger.¡± ¡°Ohohoho! That¡¯s right! T-Though... not as strong as me!¡± - Swish... Then, they were enveloped in a bright light and the logout animation began. > Don¡¯t worry, those guys will handle it. Shortly after. > The experience they¡¯ve gone through guarantees their happy ending. Leaving those words, the First Hero Party vanished. ¡°...¡± Watching in a trance, the players realized their bodies were also glowing, and they looked around in confusion. - Flash...! Soon after, the players also disappeared, leaving behind a bright glow. Dark Tale Fantasy Online To all participants of the beta test On the screens of those who regained consciousness, the game¡¯s logo and a heartfelt message appeared. Thank you sincerely for saving our world. ~ GM Mademoiselle] The short but sincere tribute to the heroes of this war left everyone deeply moved, unable to rise from their seats for a while. . . . Meanwhile, in the debug room. ¡°Hehe... He... Cough, cough...¡± Roswyn, repeatedly laughing and staring at the message she sent, suddenly had a painful coughing fit. ¡°Finally, I too...¡± Gazing at her hands and then forcing herself to look at the monitor, she murmured. ¡°I did something...¡± But then, feeling a presence behind her, she widened her eyes and turned around. ¡°...¡± Roswyn¡¯s expression turned pale. ¡°...Greetings.¡± The blood-covered Eye appeared behind /genesisforsaken Chapter 430: Prelude to the Final Showdown ¡°You... you...¡± ¡°I believe it¡¯s the first time we¡¯ve ever met in person.¡± With the only light in the dark room coming from the monitor, the appearance of the Eye looked even more menacing. Roswyn stared at the Eye in terror. ¡°Ah... ugh... uhh...¡± She remained frozen, staring at the Eye, then slowly reached out a trembling hand. ¡°G-go away.¡± A faint light began to emanate from Roswyn¡¯s hand. ¡°...Divinity.¡± The Eye narrowed slightly as it observed the light. ¡°So this world even grants divinity to the likes of you.¡± ¡°G-go away...¡± ¡°However.¡± ¡°...Ah!¡± In the next moment, Roswyn¡¯s arm was grabbed by the Eye¡¯s tentacle. ¡°Ahhh!¡± Without giving her a chance to resist, Roswyn¡¯s body was lifted and slammed against the wall of the debug room. ¡°We¡¯re both exhausted, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Let... let me go...¡±@@@@ Just like that, the Eye easily subdued Roswyn. ¡°Not a chance.¡± The source of all the variables that twisted what could have been an easily won war, the one who created the elements that brought it to this state, was right in front of it. RA?NO??¦¢?S? There was no way the Eye would treat her kindly. ¡°How... how did you get here...¡± ¡°Your trail was quite sloppy. If you didn¡¯t want me to find you, you should have been more careful when recalling those demons in large numbers.¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°Still, I¡¯m amazed you¡¯re still alive after using such a significant amount of power.¡± The Eye whispered as it looked at Roswyn, who was choking. ¡°So, you¡¯re the current administrator of this world.¡± She was exhausted, but the faint divinity within her was still detectable. The divinity that originally belonged to the Sun God. ¡°How amusing. Even if it¡¯s just an imitation, a mortal has become the world¡¯s administrator.¡± With the Star God, Sun God, Moon God, and even the Demon God having lost control over the world, It was only natural that Roswyn, who had entered the debug room and held faint divinity, would become the world¡¯s administrator, the GM set by the Sun God. ¡°But that position isn¡¯t meant for a mortal. You¡¯re already paying the price.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you feel your life force drying up?¡± Roswyn began to sweat nervously at those words. ¡°What... what are you saying...¡± ¡°A final offer.¡± ¡°...Huh.¡± The Eye tightened its grip on her neck, speaking in a menacing tone. ¡°Hand over the position of world administrator to me.¡± ¡°...?¡± Roswyn, despite her pained expression, tilted her head in confusion. The Eye gradually loosened its grip on her neck. ¡°Gasp, gasp...¡± ¡°It would in your best interest to accept.¡± As Roswyn exhaled, the Eye spoke in a slightly softer voice. ¡°If you continue like this, you¡¯ll soon wither and die. You must know that well.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So let me take over your administrator rights. It¡¯s a position that needs someone appropriate.¡± Roswyn hung her head, silent. ¡°If I become the administrator, I¡¯ll let you live.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t trust me, we can make a contract. You can trust a contract made by the system, can¡¯t you?¡± The Eye brought up a system window in front of Roswyn. Do you agree? Yes/No Roswyn stared blankly at it for a moment. ¡°...What if I refuse?¡± She asked in a low voice, and the Eye, annoyed, tightened its grip again. ¡°Urk... ack...¡± As the world¡¯s administrator, she had become a semi-immortal, making it impossible to kill her through physical means. ¡°...¡± Did she know that? No, she couldn¡¯t have. She was terrified until the end, even regretting her choice. So why? This fool managed to ruin everything, and even pushed it to this extent in the end? ¡°Ugh...¡± The Eye had little time left to maintain its form. The fatal blow from the two heroes. Due to that blow, the Eye¡¯s body had already started to dissolve. ¡°...Damn it.¡± In such a state, even the option of successfully making a contract with Roswyn to take over her body was gone. The Eye began to look around helplessly. ¡°...¡± But the debug room was pitch black. It was the familiar darkness the Eye had always seen in its lifetime. The darkness it never wanted to see again after crossing the dimensional walls to watch joyful scenes was now everywhere. ¡°I can¡¯t return to the spirit form like this...¡± Muttering in a voice full of hatred, the Eye started to move forward slowly. ¡°...Ah.¡± Then, it saw a faintly glowing light and approached it. ¡°Is this... the tool for management...¡± The ¡®computer¡¯ used by the Sun God to manage the world came into the Eye¡¯s view. ¡°Ha, haha...¡± Suddenly, the Eye began to laugh. ¡°Hahaha... hahaha...¡± Soon after, the Eye¡¯s tentacles extended towards the monitor. - Tzzzzz... The tentacles began to be sucked into the monitor. ¡°The experience you went through... guarantees their happy ending?¡± The dissolving Eye, putting strength into its tentacles, muttered to itself. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll... negate that experience!¡± And shortly after. ¡°The true determiner of your fate... Dark Tale Fantasy!!!¡± The debug room was engulfed in powerful sparks. ¡°Even if I use all the power of my main body... I¡¯ll cleanly erase that world.¡± As its body nearly finished dissolving, the Eye added with a smirk. ¡°So now, am I the main body?¡± . . . . . Meanwhile, in the Empire. - Rumble rumble... ¡°...!?¡± The people who had been cheering looked up at the sound coming from the sky. ¡°...What, what is that?¡± ¡°The sun...?¡± Murmurs spread from all around. - Rumble... rumble rumble... Something that had been pretending to be the sun was breaking into pieces and collapsing. - Ssshhh... As the grotesque tentacles and shell fell away, even the huge eye that had been staring down closed and vanished. Finally, the true sun appeared, casting its warm light on everyone. ¡°...Huh?¡± Among the people watching in awe, Frey muttered with a bewildered expression. ¡°I haven¡¯t... split the sun yet...?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Between Frey and Glare, a small system window popped up. Main Quest - The Final Showdown Reward: Happy /genesisforsaken Chapter 431: Desperation ¡°Ugh?¡± The Eye, which had been focused on the monitor for a long time, snapped back to reality and looked around. ¡°...¡± The Eye fell silent. Or rather, it couldn¡¯t make any sound anymore. Its physical form capable of producing sound had disappeared. ...Tch. It seemed that its plan had succeeded. The monitor still sparked. Using that ¡®medium,¡¯ it had influenced the other dimension. Now, no one in ¡®this world¡¯ could create variables. There would be no ¡®administrator.¡¯ Even if the three goddesses returned, it would not change anything. Pathetic. The gods of the other dimension had become so reliant on their ¡®creations¡¯ sent to other worlds out of fear of losing their worship. For beings with immortality and divinity, how foolish. Their actions caused a sharp decline in faith across most dimensions, forcing the gods to become even more dependent on their creations. And this dimension was no different. The existence of the Star God and Moon God had long been forgotten, and although the Sun God was still worshiped, it was a false belief. Moreover, with the corruption of the Church that worshiped her exposed to the world, the Sun God would no longer be worshiped as before. Yes... In this dimension, the only means to oppose an entity like the Eye was the emotional energy from the ¡®Dark Tale Fantasy¡¯ series, released by the Sun God in another dimension. That emotional energy was necessary to wield the power of the GM, the world administrator, the ¡®main god.¡¯ Because of that insignificant girl... Initially, the Eye didn¡¯t care much about this fact. It had already noticed the existence of that series long ago and had intervened to ¡®terminate the service¡¯ of it. The Eye remembered using a considerable amount of power for that task. At that time, it thought it had the world completely in its grasp. ...I never imagined it would come to this. The Eye hadn¡¯t expected that insignificant girl to re-release the series. Had she created it all with her own power from start to finish? No, that wasn¡¯t it. From the information it read when it inserted its tentacle, it was clear that the new release was a project the Sun God had been meticulously crafting just before the ¡®service termination.¡¯ Ra¦­?B§¦? She had merely preserved it and sent it to another dimension. That was all. Such a trivial act... ...But now, even that¡¯s over. Quietly grinding its non-existent teeth, the Eye resented that its body had melted away into a spirit form due to that trivial act. Then, it changed its thoughts. Now, I am the owner of this world... Until now, there had always been someone recognized by the management system as the ¡®main god¡¯ with authority in this world. The Star God, who was the original main god. The Sun God, who designed this wretched management system. The Demon God, who was its subordinate, and even the insignificant girl from earlier. Their powers derived from this world were extraordinarily strong, necessitating the Eye to indirectly influence the world rather than a direct consumption of the dimension like in other dimensions. That was why it had made the incompetent Demon God its subordinate to gain main god authority. But now the situation has changed. The three gods had lost their memory of the debug room, the newly born goddess didn¡¯t know of its existence, and the insignificant girl occupying that position was gradually fading like ice in a desert. Once ¡®she¡¯ disappeared, no one in this world could oppose its spiritual body. It was worth burning all the power within the main body. Using all the energy it had consumed from countless dimensions was a significant loss, but it was worth it to devour this world. This was a superior dimension, so it was hard for it to consume directly. If it consumed this dimension, recovering its original size would be a matter of time. Even if not, as long as its spiritual body remained, it could always plan for the future. Only Han-byeol had ever reached its true main body, so it should be safe. ...No, come to think of it, that guy will come. The Eye, shaking its now transparent form, murmured internally. Frey Raon Starlight, that guy. Though not certain, its intuition and prediction were usually accurate. Just as Han-byeol had reached it in the end, Frey would soon reach it too. The ¡®final showdown¡¯ to decide everything would unfold. Well, there¡¯s no need to worry. And to Roswyn, who had just come to her senses in the dark debug room. . . . . . ¡°What... what is this...?¡± Staring blankly at the message floating in front of her, Roswyn tapped and moved it around. ¡°...Ah.¡± Then she saw the monitor crackling with sparks and staggered toward it. ¡°What... what did you do...?¡± Before she could even celebrate her survival, she hurriedly sat down, sensing something was wrong. From the faint smoke lingering around the computer and the tentacles scattered everywhere, it was clear the Eye had done something. But what exactly had it done? ¡°No... no way...¡± Terrified, Roswyn began typing frantically. ¡°Please, please...¡± Activating the function to observe the world, she urgently scanned the situation. ¡°...Phew.¡± After a long period of nervous observation, she finally sighed in relief. ¡°Thank goodness.¡± Fortunately, the real world remained unchanged. At least the worst-case scenario had been avoided. ¡°Then what exactly... did it do?¡± Having let go of some of her worries, Roswyn¡¯s face filled with questions as she resumed typing. ¡°No matter how much I look, nothing seems to have changed...¡± Despite extensive investigation, nothing seemed different. Judging by the remnants around, it seemed something had been done. By any chance... Did it meltdown while doing something? Recalling how the Eye had been melting in real-time while strangling her, she murmured with a more relaxed expression. ¡°Y-Yeah that must be it... I-It¡¯s nothing more than an outsider...¡± Cautiously looking around, she made herself small and silent. But the Eyeball monster with raised tentacles didn¡¯t jump out. ¡°Hehe...¡± Finally feeling safe, she started to laugh foolishly. ¡°Then... should I send a congratulatory message...¡± Roswyn, now looking timid, began typing. ¡°Even though it¡¯s shameless...¡± She wanted to somehow congratulate Frey and the heroines for their hard work. After much deliberation, she smiled faintly at a simple message. Thank you for your hard work ~Your rose ¡°...No.¡± Shaking her head, she left only the message ¡®Thank you for your hard work.¡¯ ¡°...Huh?¡± Suddenly, her eyes widened. ERROR ¡°What... what is this?¡± Unlike before, a red error message appeared. ¡°...!?¡± No matter how many times she erased and rewrote the message, the same error occurred. ¡°What... what¡¯s wrong...?¡± After numerous failed attempts, she finally realized she could no longer interfere with reality. ¡°What... what¡¯s the problem...? A bug...?¡± Muttering a term from the book left by the Sun God, she searched for the cause, but the truth dawned on her much later. ¡°...No way.¡± Intending to take a break, she tried searching for her exploits in the Blue Star, only to find her face turning pale with shock. Dark Tale Fantasy Online: No results Dark Tale Fantasy Series: No results Dark Tale Fantasy: No results ¡®Dark Tale Fantasy¡¯ had completely vanished from the Blue /genesisforsaken Chapter 432: The Start of the Final Showdown Chapter 432: The Start of the Final Showdown ¡°Wahhhhhhh!!¡± ¡°We won! We won!!!¡± Thunderous cheers echoed from all around. Well, the sky had brightened after being dark for months, so naturally, the reactions were intense. ¡°...Yeah, we really won.¡± ¡°Thank goodness... there was little damage.¡± Even the heroines beside me felt the same. After winning such a tough battle was, in a way, only natural. In times like this, I should also smile and celebrate. ¡°...Sigh.¡± But for some reason, I couldn¡¯t find peace. Maybe it was because there was still something weighing on my mind. I just wanted to be alone right now. But first, I needed to deal with the current situation. - Step, step... As I started to move, the eyes of the cheering people all turned to me. This is awkward. I had never been the center of attention before. The deep-rooted awkwardness made me bow my head, and I avoided their gazes as I walked through the crowd. ¡°...Please take care of her condition.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± I had arrived at the place where the fox beastki... No, the mythical beast warrior from the Eastern Continent had gathered. ¡°As you can see, she¡¯s just an innocent child who was manipulated by the real mastermind. The Imperial Princess and I will vouch for her.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°Please, I¡¯m asking you.¡± The mythical foxes of the Eastern Continent were known for their medical expertise. They would surely be able to quickly heal Aishi, who was in poor condition. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll pay you handsomely...¡± ¡°E-Excuse me...¡± As I was about to hand Aishi over to the mythical foxes, ¡°Frey...¡± She opened her eyes with great difficulty and looked at me with dimming eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Because of me... because I was weak...¡± She clung to my clothes with a tearful expression, muttering with dark eyes. ¡°You did well.¡± I spoke softly, conveying my sincerity. ¡°You did all you could.¡± Because she resisted desperately, miraculously, there were no casualties. That alone meant she had done her part. ¡°...Ah.¡± As I gently brushed her eyelids, she flinched and then closed her eyes, falling asleep. She must have been really exhausted. I hoped she could recover fully with the help of the fox beasts. ¡°H-Human.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± As I started to walk away from the other mythical foxes who were staring at me blankly, I heard a familiar voice from behind. ¡°W-were you always... this kind?¡± Miho, peeking out from behind the chieftain, asked cautiously. ¡°...Pfft.¡± ¡°What?¡± Smiling softly, I gently patted her head and whispered. ¡°Could you lend me a few fox beads?¡± ¡°W-what!?¡± Her face turned bright red as she responded. ¡°T-thief! Why would you...¡± ¡°I have a use for them.¡± I felt sorry for Miho, who would lose some of her energy, but I needed to recover my life force as much as possible. I would have asked someone else if I could, but only female mythical foxes could create fox beads. And as far as I knew, giving one¡¯s fox bead to someone else was a significant taboo and considered highly disrespectful. ¡°You! Do you even know what it means to give a fox bead to a male?¡± Academy students, the second princess who appeared out of nowhere, people I didn¡¯t even know... But I didn¡¯t have the energy to talk to any of them right now. I was physically exhausted and mentally unsettled. Right now, I just wanted to sleep at home. I did give Aria a heads-up about my location. She looked very anxious; I¡¯ll have to have a meal with her and talk things over tomorrow. ¡°Zzzzzz... Zzzzz...¡± Like how Glare, who had endured a hard day, was snoring deeply beside me. She seemed to be in a very deep sleep. But what was it she wanted to talk about with such bright eyes earlier? ¡°Yes, I fully agree with you, Frey.¡± ¡°Master... Do you want a lap pillow?¡± As I voiced my thoughts while watching Glare, Ruby smiled and nodded, and beside her, Lulu timidly asked. ¡°I¡¯ll handle the affairs of the Empire. So you just...¡± ¡°The dragons will help with the recovery.¡± ¡°You can rest easy; there are no more remnants of the Church.¡± The other heroines generally agreed. ¡°Frey... let¡¯s talk.¡± ¡°Young master.¡± Except for Kania and Serena, who quietly approached and whispered to me from either side. ¡°I know this isn¡¯t the end... according to the prophecy...¡± ¡°Earlier, a strange system window appeared before me. Its contents are unsettling...¡± Judging by their demeanor, it seemed they had noticed my worries... How should I respond? ¡°...Let¡¯s talk later.¡± In that fleeting moment, after considering countless possibilities, I decided to postpone it. I still hadn¡¯t decided how to face the final showdown. ¡°I just want to rest now...¡± And right now, we just narrowly overcame the biggest crisis, the ¡®Academy Siege.¡¯ I wanted to get some sleep and think with a clear mind. ¡°Alright, then...¡± ¡°Shall I prepare a bath for you?¡± Understanding my need to rest, Serena and Kania nodded and got up. ¡°I¡¯ll return to the royal palace then.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have a chat with the dragons.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still finishing my soul merge, so I¡¯ll stay in my room for a while.¡± The heroines also began to get up one by one. Everyone but Isolet, who had stayed behind for recovery efforts, started leaving my room. ¡°Frey, I¡¯ll make your favorite rye bread and potato soup. Serena has taught me the recipe.¡± ¡°...Serena?¡± And lastly, Ruby left the room after saying that. Although I liked how close they had become recently... Serena teaching Ruby how to cook? I better get Kania involved quickly, or there might be trouble. ¡°...Nevermind.¡± So, instead of calling out to Kania urgently, I sighed and lay down. ¡°I¡¯ll just sleep.¡± Ruby was good at cooking, so she¡¯d probably handle it somehow. ¡°Mmm...¡± ¡°...You can¡¯t sleep here.¡± As I was dozing off, Glare, who was hugging me and licking her lips, clung to me. I tried to find a room where I could lay her down. ¡°Master.¡± ¡°Ah, you scared me.¡± A voice next to me almost made me drop Glare. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°Lulu?¡± I thought everyone had left the room. What could she want to say, staying behind with such a serious expression? ¡°I think...¡± Hearing her words, I could only look at her with a blank expression. ¡°...I think I¡¯ve become the Demon King.¡± ¡°...¡± Absurdly, that was how the final showdown began. Chapter 433: An Easy Girl Chapter 433: An Easy Girl I am Miho, the daughter of the chief of the Eastern Continent fox tribe and a proud warrior. ¡°Ooh... It¡¯s the sea...¡± To someone like me, the seaside is both unfamiliar and fascinating. In the mountainous village where I lived, I only heard about the sea in stories. So when I first left the village, the first place I went to was the sea, and it quickly became one of my favorite places. ¡°...This isn¡¯t the time for this.¡± But it wasn¡¯t the time for that. I didn¡¯t come to play at the beach today. ¡°Cough, cough...¡± By the way, I did build a sandcastle on the beach, but I wasn¡¯t playing. I just did it to relieve tension. ¡°Frey, open the door.¡± Why am I so tense? Because I¡¯m about to enter Frey¡¯s lair. ¡°Hurry and open the door.¡± Others might be fooled, but I would not be fooled. There was no way someone so shameless and lewd could be the Hero! Just yesterday, he threatened me to hand over my fox bead! He¡¯s a shady guy. How dare he covet the fox bead filled with yin energy. Did he even know what it signified to give that? If I hadn¡¯t sacrificed myself as the chief¡¯s daughter for everyone¡¯s sake, our tribe¡¯s women would have fallen for that two-faced guy! Forcefully! ...Right? Suddenly, I recalled the unusual looks in the women¡¯s eyes, but it was probably just my imagination. Probably. How long have I been knocking on the door, and he still hasn¡¯t opened it? He has no manners in dealing with guests! Or maybe Frey was planning another lewd scheme. Well, I would bring an end to that! Today, I would watch him with my eyes wide open and deliver the hammer of justice. ¡°Frey, are you just going to leave a guest standing here? Open the door...¡± - Creak... As I was thinking that, the door slowly began to open. ¡°Who...?¡± ¡°Who? You¡¯re the one who called me her¨C¡± I folded my arms and stared straight at the door, but then I froze. ¡°...¡± ¡°Hello?¡± A scary demon was staring down at me. Scary. It looks like she would eat me right away. Dad said demons ate foxes. Was he using a demon like this as a gatekeeper? ¡°Oh my, a cute fox.¡± ¡°Yes!! I want to nibble on her neck!!¡± ¡°...It¡¯s probably her cheek, Ferloche.¡± ¡°Miho? Long time no see.¡± ¡°Grrr...¡± As I stared, frozen, into the ruby-red eyes of the demon, women started appearing behind her. ¡°So...¡± Then, their eyes simultaneously turned cold. ¡°...Why are you here?¡± ¡°...¡± Miho wanted to run away. . . . . . ¡°Huff... huff...¡± I was interrogated for an hour by Frey¡¯s women, and after countless checks, I was finally allowed inside. I thought Serena would help me, but she was the most diligent in the interrogation. Miho felt sad... ¡°Sniff.¡± But I couldn¡¯t back down now! I had to steel my heart! Serena would play with the demon behind me while I entered Frey¡¯s room. Then I would uncover the truth! ¡°What truth?¡± ¡°Of course, the... ack.¡± As I was gathering my resolve, a sharp voice sounded from behind me. ¡°You still fall for it easily, Miho?¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± It was Serena, still hiding her mouth with a fan. That smartass ghost! Everyone thought that she was good at fishing for information, but she had to be a ghost. How else could she read thoughts from just expressions and gestures? Even someone as perceptive as me couldn¡¯t do that! She definitely used some kind of sorcery... ¡°I¡¯m human, you know.¡± ¡°Oh, right... wait.¡± I was sulking after answering without thinking again when Serena¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Frey is very tired right now.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, so please take care of him?¡± ¡°Ah, okay. I¡¯m a doctor, after all. I don¡¯t mess with lives...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do anything unnecessary, though.¡± Why did Serena¡¯s eyes look so scary when she said that? ¡°A-Alright.¡± This place was really scary. It felt like someone could kill me with just a look. ¡°Then...¡± Not wanting to meet my end before meeting Frey, I hurriedly went inside, leaving them behind, and the killing intent finally subsided. ¡°Phew... huh?¡± As I relaxed and nearly collapsed, I felt another wave of killing intent. ¡°Grr...?¡± ¡°E-Eeppp!¡± Looking up to see what it was, I found Lulu lying next to the bed, glaring at me. Why was she lying in Frey¡¯s room? Was this why the women were so sensitive earlier? ¡°What¡¯s up, Miho? You¡¯re here already?¡± As I stared blankly at her, Frey noticed me and greeted me warmly. Why am I so glad to see his face? ¡°Save me.¡± Honestly, I never thought Frey was a bad person. And it didn¡¯t seem like he owed me an apology. Instead, It felt like I was the one who should apologize to him. ¡°Still, I can¡¯t deny the physical and mental harm I caused you.¡± While I was thinking that, his words made me speechless. Honestly, I heard from people that I¡¯m naive, but this wasn¡¯t it. Was this really Frey¡¯s true self? ¡°Y-yeah. It can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°Do you want an apology?¡± I tried to test him with a bit of suspicion, but Frey nodded sincerely. ¡°Then be a slave of the fox tribe for a year.¡± ¡°...A year?¡± ¡°Why? Is it too much?¡± Frey¡¯s expression slightly frowned at my next words. Well, I couldn¡¯t really blame him. Even I thought that it was unreasonable... ¡°Is a year really enough?¡± ¡°...¡± But then he said that. What? Was Frey really such a person? ¡°Then... What should I do first? Clean? Or...¡± ¡°No, no. It was a joke! A joke!¡± I had to stop him hastily. ...A slave becomes communal property in the village. That wouldn¡¯t do. ¡°...I went too far. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Feeling awkward, in the end, I¡¯m the one who apologized. ¡°...Heh.¡± Frey responded with a shy smile. - Thump... Seeing that smile, my heart started to race again. To be honest, he was really handsome. If celestial beings existed, wouldn¡¯t they look like him? My whole body felt hot. And contrary to my thoughts, his personality was upright. Although his relationships with women were a bit strange... But still. Given everything, offering the fox bead... ¡°...Bleh.¡± ¡°...?¡± After thinking for a while with my head bowed, I quietly stuck out my tongue and shifted my gaze to him. ¡°What are you doing, Miho?¡± ¡°...Take the fox bead.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± This was a newly made fox bead I stayed up all night to make. I could just give him the one I already made... But as a doctor, I should make the better choice. A freshly made fox bead had a much better efficacy. So this was a purely medical decision. Right... - Swoosh... ¡°...Bleh?¡± While blushing and sticking out my tongue, I felt a slight sense of emptiness. ¡°Thanks, Miho.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Frey carefully took the fox bead from my tongue with his hand. ¡°...¡± What was I thinking? This was the normal reaction. Why am I like this... ¡°Give it back.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Before I knew it, I had snatched the fox bead from him. ¡°A man¡¯s body shouldn¡¯t touch the fox bead!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The fox bead is filled with my energy and yin energy! If someone like you touches it, it¡¯ll get contaminated!¡± ¡°Oh...¡± And then I started babbling nonsense. ¡°Then... what should I do...?¡± ¡°Follow my prescription!¡± What nonsense am I saying as a doctor? ¡°Prescription...?¡± ¡°Y-yes... You must follow it!¡± As I emphasized while stuttering, Frey nodded earnestly with a bright smile. Even that smile looked handsome now. ¡°...Gulp.¡± I couldn¡¯t help it anymore. . . . . . ¡°Hmph.¡± ¡°...?¡± As Miho put the fox bead in her mouth, Frey looked puzzled. ¡°Why are you putting it back in your mouth...?¡± ¡°Bleh...¡± And then, Miho stuck out her tongue again. The fox bead glowed quietly on her tongue. - Swoosh... ¡°Ah.¡± Seeing that, Frey looked bewildered as Miho¡¯s tail wrapped around his back. ¡°Huff, huff.¡± Now, right in front of Frey, she breathed heavily and looked up at him with her tongue still out. ¡°...Lick it.¡± ¡°What?¡± As saliva dripped from her tongue and wet Frey¡¯s pants, Miho¡¯s trembling voice emerged. ¡°...Rick it.¡± Frey¡¯s expression turned genuinely confused as a message appeared before him. Miho Conquest rate 99% ¡°What the...?¡± And then, the tip of Miho¡¯s tongue touched Frey¡¯s /genesisforsaken @@@@ Chapter 434: The Last Chance Chapter 434: The Last Chance ¡°Uh... um...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Is this really the right way?¡± Frey, slightly blushing, asked Miho with a puzzled expression. ¡°Do I really need to ingest it like this?¡± ¡°Are you questioning a doctor¡¯s prescription?!¡± ¡°No, but...¡± Miho flared up and got angry. ¡°Isn¡¯t this method a bit... too burdensome for you?¡± Miho¡¯s sticky saliva was entwined with his tongue while she was sitting on his lap. ¡°To preserve the yin energy and transfer life force optimally, there¡¯s no other way.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It¡¯s true. Don¡¯t ignore the doctor.¡±@@@@ Miho spat out the completely shriveled fox bead into her hand. ¡°See, it¡¯s absorbed better now.¡± ¡°Is that so...?¡± While Frey still looked uncertain, Miho turned her gaze aside with a flushed face. - Swoosh... Then she pulled out another fox bead from her pouch. ¡°Hmph.¡± She put it in her mouth again. ¡°Haa, Haaa...¡± She stuck out her tongue again, looking up at Frey, who hesitantly brought his tongue to the bead. - Flinch... Miho¡¯s body shuddered involuntarily as she felt the soft yet hot sensation on her tongue. ¡°...Huff.¡± She sneaked a glance at Frey¡¯s face. ¡°...?¡± Frey, with a cautious expression, focused on licking the bead then he tilted his head. Miho watched him intently and then quietly lowered her head. ¡°...¡± Time passed awkwardly. ¡°Um... Miho?¡± When Miho had used up all the beads, Frey carefully called out to her. ¡°...¡± But Miho kept her head down, quietly wagging her tail. ¡°Come to think of it, I have a favor to ask.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± She slowly lifted her head at Frey¡¯s words. Her face was filled with anticipation. ¡°Could you come with me for a moment?¡± Frey, looking at her with an incomprehensible expression, stood up causing Miho to wordlessly nod and get up. ¡°I... okay...¡± The awkward way she had been speaking was already long gone. . . . . . - Creak... As Frey¡¯s door opened, everyone waiting outside focused their attention. ¡°This way. Follow me...¡± Frey walked through the heroines. ¡°...¡± Miho, her face completely red, hid her face with her tail and kept her head down. The heroines¡¯ expressions grew even colder as they watched her. - Step, step... Unlike before, Miho followed Frey closely, ignoring the heroines. ¡°Here.¡± - Twitch, twitch... When Frey stopped, Miho stopped too, her ears twitching as she looked at Frey. ¡°W-what are you going to do here...?¡± ¡°...Just come in.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Frey¡¯s gentle push led Miho into the room. ¡°You¡¯re still... perverted... oh?¡± She noticed a girl lying on the bed, groaning. ¡°Ugh...¡± Glare, who seemed to have overexerted herself, was lying there. ¡°She seems to have pushed herself too hard yesterday. She hasn¡¯t woken up and keeps groaning like this.¡± Frey, worriedly looking at Glare, wiped the sweat from her forehead with a towel. ¡°I stayed up all night to take care of her, but she hasn¡¯t gotten any better. I was hoping you could look after her.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Miho, who had been staring blankly at Frey, quickly nodded. ¡°That... that sounds good. I¡¯ll stay here and take care of her.¡± ¡°Huh? You don¡¯t have to stay...¡± ¡°Her condition is quite severe. I need to examine her and provide intensive care.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Frey pondered her words for a moment. ¡°Well, if you say so.¡± When he finally nodded, Miho turned her gaze and fidgeted with her fingers. ¡°And... I need to regularly give you the fox bead... I mean, provide it.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Thank you.¡± ¡°Frey.¡± If we defeat the ¡®God of Chaos¡¯ that Kania mentioned, it will all be over. We¡¯ll reach the end. So, as always, we needed to overcome this trial with ease. I assigned Miho, the best doctor, to Glare, and if that wasn¡¯t enough, I would enlist Serena, Irina, and the imperial doctors to attend to her. It was only right to take such measures for someone who has done so much for me. Besides, Glare seemed like she had something important to say to me. For some reason, I felt I should hear it before the final battle. And as for Lulu... - Swish!! While lost in thought, I suddenly heard a quick movement behind me. ¡°...?¡± I turned around to see what it was, but there was no one there. What was that? ¡°...Grrrr.¡± ¡°...!?¡± As I scratched my head and turned back around, Lulu appeared right in front of me. - Thud...! ¡°Ah!¡± Before I could react, she lunged at me, pinning me down. ¡°Take that! And that!¡± As I lay there, stunned, she began to pummel me with her fists. ¡°...¡± Of course, it was all in vain. Her punches were so weak, they felt like soft taps. ¡°Hmm...¡± I watched her with amusement and gently reached out. - Flick! ¡°Ouch!¡± A light flick to her forehead brought her to a halt, clutching her head in pain. - Thud... She collapsed beside me, clutching her forehead. ¡°The Demon King has been defeated... Master... no, Hero...¡± With an earnest look, she spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve lost completely... Now, do as you wish...¡± She lay there, belly up, with her hands raised in surrender, speaking in a solemn tone. Was she acting as... the Demon King? - Stroke, stroke... ¡°Hehe...¡± I petted her cheek, and she happily nuzzled into my hand. This definitely didn¡¯t feel like the Demon King. More like a well-behaved pet. ¡°Ah! Don¡¯t pet me like that!¡± As I ran my fingers through her hair, she widened her eyes and shook her head. ¡°Then what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the Demon King now! So... you should...¡± She hesitated, looking pained. ¡°...kill me.¡± Her eyes glowed ruby red, and my right arm twitched, moving toward her neck. ¡°Living as your pet was truly a joy...¡± As my hand reached her neck, she looked at me with tearful eyes. ¡°Thanks to you, I found life, happiness, and love.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So, if I can die for you, I¡¯ll be content.¡± A tear rolled down from her eye. ¡°Just... make a grave for me.¡± She wiped the tear away and added. ¡°A small gravestone that says ¡®Lulu, your eternal pet...¡¯¡± - Flick! ¡°Ouch!¡± I released her neck and flicked her forehead again, making her cry out and clutch her head. ¡°How...?¡± ¡°My mental strength is at its peak now. That won¡¯t work on me.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± In truth, it was a lie. If Lulu used her full power, even I would have trouble resisting. ¡°And besides.¡± But I had no reason to worry. ¡°A Demon King doesn¡¯t die from a little neck-squeezing.¡± ¡°Gasp.¡± ¡°With your current power, you¡¯re practically invincible. You¡¯re probably stronger than your sister until I don the Hero¡¯s Armament.¡± ¡°...!¡± She looked startled by my words. ¡°Then... what should I do?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to kill you! I just want to lose!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± It seemed the time had come to tell Lulu my plan. ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to do that.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll just follow the prophecy.¡± My final plan. ¡°Lulu.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s commit suicide together.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Chapter 435: Coming Out Chapter 435: Coming Out ¡°S-Suicide together?¡± Lulu¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, and she immediately raised her voice. ¡°What... what are you talking about!!¡± ¡°Why, is that not okay?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± She grabbed my shoulders urgently. ¡°You can¡¯t die, Master!¡± Lulu clung to me as she spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll die alone! I can¡¯t allow you to die!¡± ¡°...Really?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I was overwhelmed with emotion for a moment. I could still clearly remember her distrustful gaze from before. And now, Lulu was so devoted to me. The same was true for the other heroines as well. No matter what the final outcome would be, our shared experiences had made us incredibly precious to one another. ¡°Still, we have to commit suicide.¡± ¡°If you keep saying that, I¡¯ll use force¨C¡± ¡°That¡¯s the condition for the happy ending.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Lulu looked confused as I gently took her hand and began to explain. ¡°This isn¡¯t about me sacrificing myself like before.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°It¡¯s actually for the good of everyone.¡± Lulu still looked puzzled. ¡°You¡¯re just trying to die alone again, aren¡¯t you!¡± ¡°...I told you, it¡¯s not like that.¡± I realized I needed to explain it more clearly. ¡°To catch the mastermind behind all this, we have no choice.¡± ¡°The mastermind? Who is it?¡± ¡°...The ¡®God of Chaos.¡¯ I have to catch it.¡± ¡°The God of Chaos...¡± ¡°You remember that eyeball from the battle? I¡¯m talking about it.¡± Lulu¡¯s expression turned icy. ¡°Is that thing the one tormenting you, Master...?¡± ¡°Not just me, it¡¯s been toying with all of us.¡± Lulu¡¯s eyes burned with anger as she shouted. ¡°Where is it? As your pet, I will...!!¡± ¡°Shhh...!¡± I covered her mouth, whispering. ¡°It could be listening to us right now.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk quietly.¡± Lulu nodded, her face tense. I felt a pang of guilt for using the excuse of being overheard, but I continued. ¡°Anyway, the point is... to fight the God of Chaos in its main spiritual form, I need to become a spirit too.¡±@@@@ ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°The details are all in the final quest that appeared after I met Glare.¡± Lulu nodded, and then her expression grew sorrowful. ¡°Then... does that mean you have to die, Master?¡± ¡°Temporarily... yes.¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°But I¡¯ll come back.¡± ¡°...What?¡± I smiled, causing Lulu to tilt her head in confusion. ¡°The reward for completing the quest is a happy ending, which includes my resurrection.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± The newly updated system was thankfully more flexible than before. I guess it had to be, or Glare would have torn it apart. The good news was, besides the ¡®Sun God¡¯s Prophecy,¡¯ I now had another means of resurrection after everything was over. Additionally, the Sun God¡¯s wish could be used for something else. ¡°I¡¯ll use the Sun God¡¯s wish to bring you back. Then there will be no problem.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°When it¡¯s all over, you and I will be resurrected and live happily with everyone. How does that sound? Isn¡¯t it great?¡± It was a perfect plan. I explained it confidently, but Lulu looked uncertain as she asked. ¡°Th-then... what about your seed inside me...?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already asked the Sun God. Thanks to Serena¡¯s magic, there will be no issues.¡± When I visited the Sun God with Kania, she reluctantly nodded in agreement. Sometimes, I wondered if she was really a god. ¡°Then... there¡¯s really no problem?¡± ¡°Yes, no problem at all.¡± I hugged the tearful Lulu. ¡°Then... I¡¯ll do it! Joint suicide...!¡± ¡°...Can we call it something else?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll die with you! Hehehe...¡± ¡°...¡± The term didn¡¯t quite sit right, no matter how it was phrased, making me smile wryly. So... should I tell the others about this or not...? I still hadn¡¯t made a decision. The dilemma was simple. Should I bring everyone with me to increase our chances, knowing it would put them in extreme danger? Or should I go alone to minimize the risk, even if it lowers our chances of success? ¡°Hmm...¡± It was too difficult to decide on my own. Considering we¡¯d be facing the final enemy, and since I trusted everyone, should it be an all-out war? But spirits can¡¯t be harmed without the Hero¡¯s Armament, like the Demon King. Bringing the heroines along wouldn¡¯t change the outcome if I couldn¡¯t win alone. In that case, shouldn¡¯t I protect them? ...But if I lose, the world ends, doesn¡¯t it? That thought made me shake my head. Recently, the physical body of the creature parasitizing the sun had collapsed. That meant it would take a long time for it to reassemble and affect the world again. At least the heroines could live happily for a while. Happy? ¡°...Right. I understand now.¡± ¡°Understand what?¡± ¡°What I have to do.¡± I answered her with a smile, and she smiled back. ¡°That¡¯s the Hero I know.¡± ¡°...I have one question.¡± ¡°What is it? I¡¯ll answer as much as time allows.¡± As I stroked her hair, I asked my question. ¡°Are you really Glare?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t I look like it?¡± ¡°No, but... something feels different.¡± ¡°In what way?¡± As she tilted her head with a slightly mischievous expression, I felt a strange sensation. ¡°First of all... you feel very different from the usual Glare.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°Glare is innocent and cute... but you feel mysterious?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment.¡± ¡°And more importantly...¡± Pressing her with a slightly frowning expression, I continued. ¡°You referred to yourself as ¡®Glare¡¯ earlier. Isn¡¯t it weird to refer to yourself by name?¡± ¡°Hehe...¡± She smiled as if she¡¯d been caught. ¡°Who are you?¡± There was no hostility, so I asked out of pure curiosity. She nestled her head against my chest and spoke. ¡°...An unconscious part of Glare that emerged when she lost consciousness?¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°Why do you feel so familiar?¡± She chuckled and replied. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always been by your side.¡± Right after she said that, a system window appeared in front of me. Isn¡¯t that right? ¡°Are you... the system?¡± ¡°You could say that. I branched off from the management system.¡± ¡°From the management system?¡± ¡°To counter the mischievous entity that roamed through dimensions, the main god of this dimension borrowed a concept.¡± As I stared blankly at the system window, she rubbed her head against my chest and smiled. ¡°Perhaps you could call it a vaccine?¡± ¡°...Hmm.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s difficult, just think of me as your unconditional and eternal ally.¡± She whispered and then kissed my cheek before stepping away. ¡°Thank you for fighting for the entire dimension.¡± With those words, she began to fade away. ¡°You¡¯ll wake her up again, right?¡± Her finger pointed to the still-pale Glare lying in bed. ¡°...Of course.¡± Now that I¡¯d made my decision, I nodded firmly, and she closed her eyes with a satisfied smile. ¡°It would be nice if you didn¡¯t forget her too...¡± ¡°...?¡± I looked at her with a puzzled expression as she disappeared, her last words lingering. ¡°Well, anyway... this settles it.¡± I shook off my thoughts and headed outside. Although I¡¯d made up my mind, it was still early morning. I couldn¡¯t wake everyone up. ¡°I¡¯ll just train.¡± With the blue roses as my backdrop, I trained until everyone else woke up. . . . . Morning came. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Frey?¡± ¡°What is it that you called us all for?¡± ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Having summoned all the heroines except for the still-unconscious Glare, I looked at them, feeling nervous. Beside me was Lulu. ¡°By the way, why is Lulu sticking so close to you?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± I had decided, but I was still unsure how to begin. Lulu, sensing the rising tension, started to receive some intense looks. ¡°Oh, come on, everyone, get along.¡± ¡°Right, Lulu is close to Frey.¡± ¡°Ahem, ahem...¡± ¡°Tch...¡± Despite the tension, Ruby and Serena chuckled, which made the atmosphere even more chaotic. ¡°So, well...¡± I realized I couldn¡¯t delay any longer and was about to start explaining when... ¡°Um, I¡¯m going to commit double suicide with Master!¡± Lulu, unable to contain her anxiety, blurted out. ¡°No, Lulu, that¡¯s not exactly...¡± I tried to clarify, but... ¡°...¡± All the heroines stood up with icy glares. ¡°No, it¡¯s a misunderstanding. Listen to me...¡± ¡°¡±...Get him.¡±¡± The moment Ruby and Serena gave the order, chaos erupted. - Crash, bang...!!! ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Ack!?¡± All the heroines pounced on me and Lulu at once. ¡°This crazy martyr maniac...¡± ¡°Should we tie him up?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s confiscate his left arm first.¡± ¡°Maybe make him a cripple for a month?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s rape him!¡± Help /genesisforsaken Chapter 436: Home Visit ¡°¡±...¡±¡± The cold glares from the heroines directed at me started to gradually subside. ¡°Is that... really true?¡± ¡°Is it true, Frey?¡± ¡°I found no hint of deceit. Of course, he could be hiding it, but...¡± Was it because they listened to my entire explanation? Or was it because they successfully bound me completely? ¡°Relax, let¡¯s stay calm. Frey can¡¯t escape right now anyway.¡± ¡°Yes... Let¡¯s think calmly.¡± It seemed like it was the latter... ¡°You.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± While looking around nervously at everyone surrounding me with slightly fearful eyes, Serena cautiously approached me. ¡°Mm.¡± Then, Serena held my cheeks and began to stare intently into my eyes. ¡°I want to believe you, but... we need to be careful. This wasn¡¯t in the prophecy.¡± ¡°As I said¨C¡± ¡°You received the quest, right? Open the system.¡± ¡°Oh... okay.¡± Who would dare defy her words? Without any hesitation, I summoned the system window, and Serena leaned in even closer, examining my eyes. ¡°Main Quest... The Final Showdown...¡± ¡°...???¡± Was she seriously reading the status window just by looking into my eyes? I recalled she did something similar in the past. But she didn¡¯t read the letters back then. ¡°It¡¯s all reflected in your eyes.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± As I showed signs of confusion, Serena whispered into my ear. I should probably avoid trying to deceive her from now on. ¡°Hmm...¡± While I obediently kept my eyes fixed on the system, Serena remained silent, then slightly furrowed her brow and sighed. - Lick... Then, she subtly licked my dry lips. ¡°Don¡¯t be too nervous.¡± Leaving those words, Serena stood up and addressed everyone. ¡°It seems Frey is telling the truth.¡± Her statement brought various expressions to the heroines¡¯ faces. ¡°No matter how you look at it, there¡¯s no sign of deception... I just confirmed it. Frey is telling us the truth.¡± As she said that, Serena took out her fan and asked. ¡°So, shall we release his bindings now?¡± After some hesitation, everyone quietly nodded. - Swish! In the next moment, Serena waved her fan, and the ropes binding me began to loosen. ¡°Serena... what did you make this time?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a binding device for you, Frey. I thought we should have at least one.¡± She answered my question nonchalantly and sighed before speaking again. ¡°So... when do you plan to carry out your operation?¡± ¡°As soon as possible. Within a week at the latest.¡± ¡°So quickly?¡± ¡°We have no choice. Now is the best time since the Eye has just become the God of Chaos.¡± When I turned to look at Kania, she reluctantly nodded and spoke. ¡°Yes... Even though I recently gained divinity, I¡¯m still in the training phase. No matter how strong the Eye is, it should have a similar period of adjustment.¡± r?A??§àbE?s? ¡°We can¡¯t wait until it becomes stronger. It¡¯s time to settle this.¡± After Kania and I finished our points, a brief silence ensued. ¡°But... can you really win?¡± ¡°You¡¯re exhausted, Frey.¡± ¡°And you don¡¯t have the Hero¡¯s Armament, do you?¡± Ruby, Irina, and Clana broke the silence one by one. ¡°I can get the Hero¡¯s Armament right now.¡± I had already prepared my response. ¡°Glare had been diligently accumulating points. Those points have been transferred to the system.¡± ¡°But, Frey, Glare is lying in bed right now.¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s something...¡± ¡°...?¡± This was another result of the strange encounter I had this morning. ¡°Combining those points with the points transferred from the Path of the False Evil system and the points we gained from clearing the recent battle... I can finally awaken the Hero¡¯s Armament.¡± As I spoke confidently, the heroines¡¯ expressions stiffened. They were starting to realize that the ¡®end¡¯ was truly approaching. ¡°But you¡¯re still exhausted...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll replenish my life force from Miho¡¯s fox beads. I¡¯ll be in perfect condition in a few days.¡± ¡°This is quite useful...¡± It was a skill that would have been great to have early on. But now, since Irina could use spatial magic, I hadn¡¯t had the chance to use it. Still, this was really convenient, it would be quite helpful in the final showdown. I had been worried about how to supply resources in my spiritual state. I should store all the necessary supplies in the inventory. ¡°Young Master.¡± ¡°Ah, Kania.¡± While thinking this, I closed the inventory and heard Kania speaking behind me. ¡°I don¡¯t know why so many roses have suddenly grown.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°You dislike roses, don¡¯t you? Shall I remove them all?¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± That was the case... I really hated roses. I used to frequently prick my hands on their thorns. But why was that again? ¡°It¡¯s okay, leave them. The scent is quite nice.¡± ¡°...Understood.¡± Scratching my head, I walked away. The scent was pleasant, but for some reason, pulling out all the roses would make me feel sad. ¡°Where are you headed next?¡± As I walked through the roses towards the yard, Kania asked another question. ¡°...Yes, Kania. You should come with me.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°You might like it too.¡± ¡°Me...?¡± I quietly stroked the roses and answered her. ¡°I¡¯m going to get the Hero¡¯s Armament.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± ¡°Will you come home with me?¡± In response, Kania quietly nodded while stroking the roses as well. . . . . . A few hours later. - Knock, knock...! ¡°...?¡± A girl with a haggard expression, sitting on the sofa in the foyer, heard the knock and stood up blankly. ¡°Who... is it...?¡± She opened her mouth timidly, her face crumpled with anxiety. ¡°...¡± But there was no answer. - Knock, knock...! ¡°...Ugh.¡± When the knock came again, she hesitated but finally closed her eyes tight and opened the mansion door. The servants, who had come out one by one to see what was happening, froze in place. ¡°Aria.¡± ¡°...!¡± Still closing her eyes, she heard a gentle voice in front of her and instinctively opened them wide. ¡°Long time no see.¡± Standing before her were people she had missed dearly but had avoided meeting out of fear. ¡°Brother... Kania...¡± ¡°I gave you the address, but why didn¡¯t you come?¡± ¡°Hello, Young Lady.¡± Her brother, Frey, and the family butler, Kania. ¡°B-Brother...¡± Looking at them blankly, Aria¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Brotherrr...!¡± Then she suddenly ran toward Frey, her face pale with fear. ¡°I-It¡¯s all my fault... Brother...¡± ¡°Aria, wait...¡± ¡°So please, don¡¯t die. Please...¡± ¡°...?¡± Frey tried to comfort her, but he tilted his head in confusion at her unsettling words. ¡°Please, don¡¯t commit suicide...¡± Hearing those words, Frey and Kania exchanged bewildered looks. ¡°...Kania, did you tell her?¡± ¡°Young Master, saying it like that will only deepen the misunderstanding.¡± As Aria, even paler now, hugged Frey tightly, sweat began to trickle down both of their /genesisforsaken @@@@ Chapter 437: A Bait ¡°...Brother.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Aria, who had been crying in my arms, looked up at me with a pale expression. - Swoosh... She suddenly slipped her hand inside my shirt. ¡°Wh-why is your body so cold...?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s cold outside?¡± ¡°Liar. Even the inside of your clothes is this cold?¡± ¡°...?¡± Not wanting to explain that my body was cold from consuming Miho¡¯s yin energy fox bead, I gave a vague answer. I was puzzled by Aria¡¯s intense reaction. - Swish! ¡°Uwahh.¡± Aria, looking at me with worried eyes, suddenly grabbed my sleeve and pulled me inside the mansion. ¡°...¡± As I was dragged inside, Aria, looking dazed, quietly lowered her head. ¡°You¡¯re already... dead, right, Brother?¡± ¡°...?¡± The words she said left me speechless. I¡¯m dead? What is she talking about? ¡°Your body is so cold, and the ancient magic of the mansion doesn¡¯t work on you...¡± ¡°Aria? What are you talking about...¡± ¡°Did you come to see me?¡± Her body was trembling as she made completely off-the-mark assumptions. ¡°Did Sister Kania... temporarily give you a form?¡± ¡°Um...¡± ¡°Or... did Sister Kania die too?¡± As she asked this, glancing nervously at Kania, her expression turned even more fearful. ¡°Then... what should I tell Kadia...?¡± ¡°¡±...¡±¡± ¡°Guys... can you see them too?¡± She was on the verge of breaking down when she noticed the servants lined up behind her, frozen. ¡°Then... am I the only one...?¡± Just before Aria¡¯s expression reached its limit. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting about?¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± Unable to stand by any longer, I lightly flicked Aria¡¯s forehead. ¡°My body is cold because I¡¯m undergoing treatment. I came into the mansion thanks to Father.¡± ¡°Father?¡± ¡°The current head of our family is Father. He went through the administrative procedures over the past few days to restore my status.¡± Aria, blinking at my words, asked in a trembling voice. ¡°Then... the joint suicide...?¡± ¡°Yeah, where did you hear that?¡± I asked in return, and Aria, hesitating, closed her eyes tightly and answered. ¡°Y-yesterday... I went to the address you gave me.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°But I didn¡¯t have the courage to go in, so I was hesitating outside... when Sister Lulu... said you and her were going to j-j-jointly commit suicide...¡± ¡°...Oh dear.¡± Now I understand what happened. Who would have thought that such a small misunderstanding would lead to this? ¡°Hearing that... my head went cold in an instant... I felt nauseous... and I turned around and ran without thinking...¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± I spoke gently, and Aria finally looked relieved. ¡°Then... can I... can I be forgiven by you, Brother?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Can I eat with you? Can we go on a picnic again? Can I stay with you...?¡± She looked at me anxiously, listing her questions. ¡°Of course.¡± For some reason, my heart swelled as I answered briefly. ¡°My little sister.¡± But even that short phrase should be enough. ¡°Brother...¡± To resolve the long-standing grievances between us. . . . Finally... time to awaken it. It was time to meet the long-awaited Hero¡¯s Armament. . . . . . - Shhhh... ¡°This is the Hero¡¯s Armament.¡± I had seen it indirectly a few times, but it was my first time seeing it this close. All points have been used. - Wooo... As soon as all the system points were exhausted, the white Hero¡¯s Armament began to slowly rise from the basement. - Clatter...! ¡°...!¡± When I reached out to touch the armament, the white armor floating in the air began to attach itself to me. - Crackle... Crackle...! ¡°Oh.¡± It felt incredibly sturdy to the touch, but it wasn¡¯t heavy at all. The armor, emitting light, began to sink into my skin. - Srring...! As I looked at it with a curious expression, various weapons suddenly appeared beside me. ¡°...There are so many?¡± Within the light emanating from my hand, countless types of weapons were floating. ¡°Ha...¡± Among the myriad of weapons, I spotted a familiar form and smiled. ¡°...This one, of course.¡± Picking up the sword that matched perfectly with my hand, which I had seen a few times during the ordeals, I smiled as the blade heated up and glowed, as if welcoming me. R?A?????o?§£§¦S? ¡°Surely, it¡¯s no coincidence?¡± Since I first learned to use a sword, I had been using my father¡¯s beloved sword, which I had been caught using at the auction house a year ago and had not used for a while. Father must be using it again now. Did it follow me here? Or did It just manifest the most familiar form from the light? It didn¡¯t matter. The more familiar the weapon, the better. - Zap! As I thought this, the light gradually faded. - Sizzle... In the now-darkened basement, the star pattern on my hand shone brightly. ¡°...Phew.¡± The Hero¡¯s Armament assimilation was successful. Now, it¡¯s really time for the Final Showdown. ¡°Brother...!¡± ¡°...?¡± As I felt my heart tremble slightly and was about to step outside, the basement door suddenly flew open. ¡°I-I have something to say...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...yo.¡± For some reason, Aria, looking pale, was tearfully standing there. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment. ¡°Hahahahahaha!!!¡± The Eye that had emerged with its main spiritual body in its imaginary realm was laughing joyfully and shaking its body. ¡°Yes, now I¡¯m the main body. I¡¯m the main body!!¡± However. ¡°What a joyous day this is!!!¡± Finding the empty main spiritual body and taking over the main body... Heehee, heeheehee..... All of this was merely the delusion of the creature. And. To its long-separated, thoroughly pathetic, and now better suited to the derogatory term ¡®human,¡¯ alter-ego... ¡°...¡± A grotesque and enormous spiritual form, an unimaginable horror, extended a thin tendril of tentacle to pierce it, continuously injecting delusions. - Srrrk, Sssk... As if fishing, it slowly rocked the Eye back and /genesisforsaken Chapter 438: A Dark Tale Chapter 438: A Dark Tale ¡°What¡¯s wrong Aria?¡± ¡°Th-that... it¡¯s just...¡± As she hesitated, Aria slowly extended something towards me. ¡°H-Here, take this...¡± ¡°...?¡± Curious, I looked at the familiar piece of cloth in her hand. It was identical to the handkerchief she had given me about a year ago. It was hastily made, with a rough surface and a crooked silver cat embroidered in the middle. And as I looked at the handkerchief, I noticed the numerous scars on Aria¡¯s hands. Judging by the scars, it seemed she had rushed to make it. ¡°Did you make this in a hurry?¡± When I asked, uncertain, she nodded with a pale face. ¡°Why?¡± Her face filled with anxiety as she held out the handkerchief. ¡°I heard everything from sister Kania...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Brother. Are you really going to go through with the plan? Really...?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Not wanting to lie, I nodded, and Aria¡¯s face crumpled as if she were about to cry. ¡°W-we just cleared up our misunderstanding.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And now I can finally be good to you...¡± Her slender arm, holding the handkerchief, trembled violently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely come back.¡± As I stroked her head and reassured her, Aria looked up at me with frightened eyes and spoke with a trembling voice. ¡°Brother... please take me with you...¡± ¡°Absolutely not.¡± That was something I could never allow. Not you, Aria. ¡°Th-then...¡± As if expecting my reaction, she bit her lip and tried to place the handkerchief in my hand. ¡°At least take this...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So I can know how you¡¯re doing...¡± A faint glow of starlight emanated from the handkerchief. So she could know how I was doing? Had all the mana imbued in the handkerchiefs been connected to me? ¡°...Oh?¡± As I pulled out the handkerchief I had been carrying, Aria¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You... you didn¡¯t throw it away?¡± She dropped the hastily made handkerchief and asked with a blank expression. ¡°Why would I throw this away?¡± Unfolding the beautifully decorated handkerchief, I responded. ¡°I¡¯ll cherish it forever.¡± The silver cat Aria had embroidered, Kania¡¯s black cat, Irina¡¯s red dog, Serena¡¯s gentle moon. Clana¡¯s golden canary. Ferloche¡¯s silly-faced pigeon. And recently, the red ruby Ruby had added as decoration. This handkerchief, perfectly harmonized with all those colors, was my most treasured possession, unlike any other in the world. ¡°Brotherrrrrr...¡± Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at the treasured handkerchief, Aria finally burst into tears. ¡°I... I always acted like a fool... The brother I wanted... was always by my side...¡± Silently patting her back, I kissed her forehead and stood up. ¡°I¡¯m off, Aria.¡± ¡°Ah, ah...¡± She stood up with me. ¡°You stay here. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°...¡± Gently setting her back down, I smiled and turned away. ¡°When I return, let¡¯s go on a picnic.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And have some sandwiches.¡± As I said that with a smile, a soft voice came from behind. ¡°You¡¯ll really be back soon...?¡± ¡°I promise.¡± I had to keep this promise to my sister. ¡°Brother... please be careful...¡± ¡°Haha.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take it lightly, Young Master. No matter what the plan is... be cautious.¡± With that, Kania and I left the mansion. ¡°...I¡¯ll remember.¡± It was time to move toward the end. . . . . . The following days were incredibly busy. ¡°So this is the Hero¡¯s Armament...¡± As those words left my mouth. - Crackle...!!! A massive pillar of starlight enveloped the entire hill. - Rumble... The heroines, who had been watching, began to retreat from the overwhelming power. Lulu and I quietly closed our eyes. - Boom!!! Thus, the Hero and the Demon King vanished without a trace. . . . . . A few hours later. ¡°They... really did it.¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± ¡°Are they okay...?¡± As the pillar of light dispersed, the heroines, who had retreated, gathered with uneasy expressions. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everyone. The plan is perfect.¡± In their midst, Serena, still holding Ruby¡¯s hand, smiled reassuringly. ¡°Now we just have to wait for Frey¡¯s signal. Right?¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± ¡°So let¡¯s go back and prepare, so we can respond immediately.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Nodding to Serena¡¯s words, the heroines followed her back to their seaside refuge. ¡°Serena, when do you think we¡¯ll hear from him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure...? But my guess is within a week.¡± ¡°Hah. Frey will contact us within a day.¡± ¡°...Wanna bet?¡± ¡°Is that a challenge? Fine. I accept.¡± Thus began their wait. One day. ¡°...Hmm. That idiot Frey. He¡¯s late.¡± ¡°See? I told you one day was too optimistic.¡± ¡°But he¡¯ll definitely come in two days.¡± Two days. ¡°...Hmm.¡± ¡°See? It¡¯s exactly a week, right?¡± ¡°How about three days this time?¡± Three days. ¡°Another loss? Haha...¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± Four days. ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m starting to go crazy worrying about Frey.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, everyone. He¡¯ll definitely contact us within a week.¡± Time flowed slower than usual. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± The eagerly awaited week finally arrived. ¡°This is strange...? He should have contacted us by now...¡± Serena, who had been listening to prenatal music all day, got up with an uncharacteristically anxious expression as the clock struck the hour. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± Seeing Serena¡¯s reaction, the heroines, who had been silently watching her all day, met her eyes. ¡°Haha, haha... I guess there¡¯s an unforeseen variable. I need to recalculate.¡± Serena forced a smile and continued. ¡°And it¡¯s possible we¡¯ll hear from him any moment now.¡± ¡°But... we haven¡¯t heard anything.¡± ¡°At least within two weeks. I¡¯m sure of it.¡± Time began to pass again. ¡°It seems there¡¯s a variable... But it¡¯s still within expectations. Frey will handle it...¡± Two weeks. ¡°This is strange? Irina, come here. We need to review a few equations...¡± Three weeks. ¡°Frey...? Why isn¡¯t he coming...?¡± And a month. ¡°Why...? Why...? Why...?¡± Serena¡¯s forced smile finally disappeared, and for the first time, she lowered her head. - Knock knock...! - Ding dong! Ding dong! By the time people who had received Frey¡¯s letters started visiting the seaside cabin, laughter, and conversation had long vanished. And still, there was no sign of Frey. - Dong...? Dong...? As the chimes signaling the turn of the year echoed everywhere. The heroines finally began to grasp the horrifying reality they had been denying. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± They realized that their world wasn¡¯t a cliche? fairy tale. ¡°Frey... lost?¡± In a world that had regained its light and vitality, the darkest tale was unfolding before them. Chapter 439: The Last Ordeal ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°...¡± In a pitch-black darkness, a boy knelt, bound by black chains, groaning as he looked ahead. ¡°How long... do you plan to keep this up...¡± - Squelch... ¡°...Geuh!¡± Sharp tentacles pierced into his body. ¡°...¡± Having grown used to such pain, the boy silently endured, trembling as he raised his weary eyes. - Crack... Using all his remaining strength, Frey, stood up. ¡°Ahhhhh...!!!¡± With his eyes half-rolled back, the chains binding him began to break. - Shing...! Freed from his restraints in an instant, Frey conjured a sword and charged forward. - Boom!! A massive light flashed with a thunderous roar that seemed to shake the heavens and the earth. - Buzz...! Frey¡¯s sword aura, fueled by the Hero¡¯s Armament, surged toward the white figure that had been silently observing him. - Crackle...! Strangely, the figure did nothing to defend itself, merely watching as Frey¡¯s sword aura tore into its body. - Sizzle...@@@@ As time passed. ¡°Ah...¡± Frey let out a sigh, staring blankly as the light from his sword aura faded. ¡°...¡± The Aura had only managed to cut its spirit body in half. Just like the First Hero, he too had reached his limit. ¡°Cough...¡± Failing to cut through the figure, Frey collapsed, gasping for breath. - Fizzle... His spirit body, now in a weakened state, began to fade even more. ¡°No...¡± Seeing his increasingly transparent form, Frey looked up in despair. - Give up... The immense figure, slowly reattaching its split body, whispered to him in a sickeningly sweet voice. - Become one with me... Simultaneously, chains began to rise again from all around. ¡°How did this happen...¡± With despair in his eyes, Frey looked at the chains wrapping around him and closed his eyes, reminiscing about the events leading up to this moment. . . . . . Immediately after I vanished with Lulu, the conditions for the ¡°Final Showdown¡¯¡± quest were fulfilled. ¡°Is this... the battleground?¡± Thanks to the system, I became a spirit and arrived in this unsettling place. When I first came here, I never imagined things would turn out this way. ¡°Where is that thing...?¡± Though the surroundings were pitch black, I had the radiance of the Hero¡¯s Armament and the stellar mana in my hand. ¡°...Ah.¡± Using those lights as a guide, I moved forward and soon found something. ¡°That is...?¡± The Eye I had fought in the recent battle. It was floating silently with its eyes closed. ¡°...?¡± And a thin tentacle extending behind it. ¡°What is that?¡± Unable to grasp the situation, I kept my hand on my sword, cautiously moving around. - Swoosh... Finally, I reached the Eye and cautiously extended my hand. - Rumble...! Suddenly, the ground shook violently, and black chains and tentacles erupted from all directions. - Hummm... - Crack, crack... Tentacles were crushing Frey¡¯s body. - Ugh... Even though he was a spirit and his life wasn¡¯t in danger, the pain must have been vivid. - Why... can¡¯t I use stellar mana...? Writhing in agony, Frey muttered with lifeless eyes. ¡°...Ah.¡± Roswyn knew the answer to that question. The eye, now a puppet of its original body, had set a final trap, resulting in the complete destruction of ¡°Dark Tale Fantasy¡± in the blue star, which provided divine power to this world. R?A?O?BE?s? This meant no one could use their divinity or divine power in this world anymore. In truth, the ¡®stellar mana¡¯ that Frey used was, in fact, a part of divine power that was bestowed upon him by the Star God. Therefore, it was only natural that the plan, which required overwhelming divine power like stellar mana, couldn¡¯t succeed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so sorry...¡± Knowing this, Roswyn tearfully stroked the monitor. ¡°If only I had come to my senses a little earlier...¡± - Foolish creature. ¡°...!¡± Roswyn¡¯s eyes widened at the voice coming from the monitor. - To come alone in the end. Truly foolish. ¡°You, you¡¯re...¡± The Eye, connected to the massive tendril of the larger entity, had been taken over and was now conveying the entity¡¯s words to Frey. - Self- sacrifice. Altruism. Those were your downfalls. How can you be so predictably foolish? - No... I...! - Yet you¡¯re no different from that bastard back then... your selfishness is truly laughable. - I came here because I trusted everyone...! Frey, who was taken aback by the sudden appearance of the Eye, shouted back, infuriated by its words. - Saying that changes nothing. Coming alone means the result is the same. -That¡¯s not it... Arrgh...! - For those who have lost their experience, there is no conclusion. But the tendrils tightened around Frey as the possessed eye continued. - Everything you have done. Everything you have endured. The tragedies you faced. Even the victories you achieved. -Ugh... Ugh... - They were all pathetic nonsense. -Ugh... - From the moment my foolish alter-ego deleted Dark Tale Fantasy as I intended, everything was already determined. Then, it suddenly opened its eye and turned its gaze toward the unconscious Frey. - From the moment I was sealed by the Star God, my plan never deviated. -... - Every character in this story, those beings from the blue star beyond, and even the foolish girl who watches this. All were mere puppets dancing on stage dictated by me. Its gaze was fixed on Roswyn, who sat dazedly staring at the monitor. ¡°...¡± - Especially you. Thank you for providing the ultimate entertainment until the very end. The possessed Eye smirked as it whispered, staring intently at her. This is the dark tale I longed for. ¡°Wait¨C¡± - Zap...! With that, the monitor¡¯s screen went black. ¡°...¡± A chilling silence settled over everything. ¡°...Grrr.¡± In that silence, Roswyn, who had been staring blankly at the monitor, slowly extended her hand, clenching her teeth. ¡°You call it all pitifully meaningless?¡± - Click...! Her hand, now gripping the mouse, began to move slowly. ¡°...The only pathetic one here is me.¡± . . . . . Some time later. The system log displayed a quietly inscribed message. The Final Ordeal begins It was the start of the Final Ordeal, which should be the Fourth /genesisforsaken Chapter 440: The Forgotten Girl ¡°...Huh?¡± A little while after the new year began, ¡°...What is this?¡± Lunar, the Moon God, who was spending time alone in the basement of a deserted back alley guild, widened her eyes in surprise at something she saw. The Final Ordeal has begun. It was a system log indicating the start of the Final Ordeal. ¡°What... is this?¡± Lunar, who had been desperately searching the system logs for months to find any trace of Frey in a world where he had disappeared, was puzzled by the unfamiliar message. The Ordeals were supposed to end already...? According to her knowledge, the ¡®Ordeals¡¯ were only prepared up to the fourth one. But a Final Ordeal? Even she, who was a divine being until recently, found herself puzzled by this turn of events. ¡°What is going on...¡± With a face full of confusion, she stared intently at the system window in front of her, then her eyes lit up. ¡°...Maybe this is a clue.¡± Frey had completely vanished. The heroines were in despair. The world was unknowingly sinking into ruin. Finding Frey was essential to overcoming this situation, and discovering this fact was like finding a pearl in a sandstorm. ¡°So, who triggered this?¡± She began to scrutinize the log with keen interest. ¡°...?¡± But then she noticed something strange. ¡°There is no executor?¡± All the previous Ordeals had specific executors. The first three were executed by the Demon God Eclipse, and the Fourth Ordeal was executed by that disgusting eye. But for some reason, the Fifth Ordeal¡¯s executor was blank. As if it had automatically started without anyone¡¯s intervention. ¡°This is strange...¡± As she kept checking and rechecking the log, Lunar¡¯s expression started to twist. ¡°What is this?¡± The contents of the Ordeal were corrupted and unreadable. Was it because of her lack of divinity? But her divinity shouldn¡¯t have been completely depleted yet. ¡°Hmm, this...¡± At a glance, it was a very peculiar Ordeal. ¡°Is this... what my sister always talked about... a bug?¡± Muttering to herself, she was about to close the log. ¡°Hah, I thought I finally found something... Huh?¡± Then she stopped her hand and focused her gaze on one part. Ordeal Participant: Roswyn Solar Sunset ¡°Roswyn...?¡± And with a blank expression, Lunar repeated the name she saw. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Soon, she stood up abruptly and muttered with a dazed expression. ¡°Why did I forget her?¡± Seeing her name finally jogged her memory. Roswyn Solar Sunset. The descendant of her most cherished individual, and a child she had once cared for. And the girl who, due to her foolish actions in countless cycles, was ultimately abandoned. ¡°I have to find her.¡± Lunar, now aware of Roswyn¡¯s existence, began moving hurriedly with a panicked expression. ¡°Where is she now...¡± Then she suddenly looked around with a blank expression. ¡°...¡± It dawned on her that she had been in Roswyn¡¯s information guild all along. . . . . . ¡°I don¡¯t know what exactly is happening...¡± Putting aside the logs she had been combing through, Lunar urgently began searching the empty information guild. ¡°I need to find her quickly...¡± The image of Roswyn smiling with a smug expression whenever Lunar praised her effort, despite her lack of talent, came back to her fondly. ¡°She had no talent, but she was willing...¡± Unknowingly forming a bittersweet smile, Lunar suddenly stopped talking and her expression hardened. How to be Forgiven by Frey Again On top of the vast amount of documents, in Roswyn¡¯s characteristic scribbled handwriting, there were notes marked with stars emphasizing this sentence multiple times. ¡°...¡± Lunar, looking at the inefficiency yet utmost effort characteristic of Roswyn, felt an indescribable emotion rising within her. ¡°...I was too harsh.¡± How did things turn out this way? Why was she so foolish? What should she do to be forgiven by Frey again? Reading the densely written documents filled with these thoughts, Lunar muttered with a dark expression. ¡°I could have supported her more.¡± Lunar could vividly picture Roswyn quietly withering away while working alone in this dark room. ¡°Ugh...¡± She now really wanted to meet Roswyn. She wanted to talk to her face-to-face. Shameless as it was, she still wanted to comfort her, who was probably trembling with loneliness. ¡°...Wait.¡± As she rummaged through Roswyn¡¯s room, Lunar looked at her dusty hands and muttered softly. ¡°But... Why did I forget about her?¡± A fundamental question overtook her. ¡°And why didn¡¯t Frey¡¯s party contact her after the Fourth Ordeal?¡± As the questions deepened, Lunar¡¯s expression became dazed. ¡°If I don¡¯t know... I have no choice.¡± Encasing herself in a gentle glow, she murmured. ¡°...I have to go ask directly.¡± . . . . . A little while later. - Knock, knock, knock...! Covered in a moon-colored robe, Lunar knocked on the door of the snow-covered seaside cabin. ¡°Hello! Everyone!!¡± There were numerous footprints leading to the entrance of the cabin, indicating many visitors had come before her. ¡°Please open the door! I have something to ask!!¡± But most of the footprints showed signs of having turned back. ¡°Haa, haa...¡± Continuing to knock, Lunar started exhaling heavily, her breath visible in the cold air. Something feels wrong... She had an inexplicable feeling of unease gnawing at her since earlier. She felt she needed to quickly find out Roswyn¡¯s whereabouts. ¡°I¡¯m the Moon God... Please open the door, I have something important to say...¡± She inserted a small amount of lunar mana through the crack in the door and whispered in a trembling voice. - Thud...!!! ¡°Ah!¡± The door suddenly burst open. ¡°W-what is it?¡± Serena, who came rushing out barefoot, holding her now quite swollen belly, spoke urgently. ¡°Is it news about Frey? Has he finally returned? Or has he sent a message through you?¡± ¡°...¡± As she finished speaking, the rest of the heroines, who looked emaciated and exhausted, crowded around the door and stared at the Moon God. ¡°That... that is...¡± Unable to muster the courage to say something so unexpected, Lunar hesitated, thinking it was all part of the effort to save Frey, she closed her eyes tightly and spoke. ¡°Do you know where Roswyn is!?¡± The sudden, profound silence that followed. I should have assessed their condition first... ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Serena¡¯s voice, which cut through the silence, was tinged with a sharp edge. ¡°Uh, well... That is... I mean...¡± But then she was cut off by Serena¡¯s next words, which left her stunned. ¡°Who is Roswyn?¡± ¡°...What?¡± Lunar¡¯s face, which had been momentarily blank, began to harden. ¡°Who is Roswyn that you¡¯re asking us /genesisforsaken Chapter 441: In Search of a Rose ¡°Wh-what are you talking about?¡± After a prolonged silence, the Moon God spoke, and the heroines, who had been staring blankly, focused their gazes on her. ¡°You don¡¯t know Roswyn? Serena, there¡¯s no way you wouldn¡¯t know!¡± ¡°¡±...¡±¡± Lunar, bewildered, asked, looking at the heroines¡¯ still puzzled expressions with frustration. ¡°Everyone... Really, why are you all acting like this? I¡¯m talking about Roswyn, the princess of the Sunset Duchy.¡± ¡°Well, you can¡¯t expect us to know a name we¡¯ve never heard before...¡± ¡°Roswyn Solar Sunset, you¡¯ve really never heard of this name? That¡¯s impossible...¡± ¡°If even a goddess doesn¡¯t know, why are you asking us?¡± ¡°Never mind that, where is Frey?¡± Frustrated voices responded, and they began asking about Frey¡¯s whereabouts. ¡°It¡¯s past the new year now...¡± ¡°Is something wrong... at least let us know if he¡¯s alive...¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t come all this way just to ask about some strange name, right? You must have news about Frey?¡± Lunar, overwhelmed by their desperate voices, bit her lip. ¡°That¡¯s...¡± The focus of their hollow-eyed, pale faces was all on Lunar. She couldn¡¯t predict what would happen if she said the wrong thing. ¡°...Please wait a moment.¡± Unable to tell the truth, Lunar turned her gaze slightly away and began to mutter. ¡°I... I¡¯ve found a lead... maybe it could be a breakthrough...?¡± She had crafted an answer to buy herself some time. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± But the heroines, sharp as they were, picked up on the underlying message. ¡°Uh... well...¡± One by one, they began to walk back into the cabin, heads hanging low. ¡°Please... if you have a lead, don¡¯t let it go.¡± The heroines, unable to speak, left Lunar standing there, and Serena, who had stayed behind, spoke with a sad expression. ¡°Frey... needs to hold the baby¡¯s hand.¡± With those words, Serena awkwardly headed back into the cabin. ¡°...¡± Lunar stood alone at the doorstep for a long time, then she tightened her robe and began to walk hurriedly. ¡°I need to... confirm this...¡± She muttered as she quickened her pace. . . . . . ¡°This makes no sense...¡± A few days later. ¡°What is this... what on earth...¡± With eyes haunted like she had seen a ghost, Lunar, back in the middle of the information guild, muttered in a trembling voice. ¡°There¡¯s no trace of Roswyn... anywhere in the world?¡± Feeling something was off, Lunar had spent the past few days searching for Roswyn¡¯s whereabouts. The chilling truth she discovered was that no one in the world remembered Roswyn. It was as if she had never existed. Any clues that could infer her existence were meticulously erased. ¡°Roswyn? Who are you talking about?¡± ¡°You must be mistaken, miss. The Sunset family ended with the last head of the family.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°So, we all had to find new jobs. It¡¯s a shame.¡± Thinking she could find some clues from the former employees of the Sunset family, she was met with baffling and absurd answers. ¡°How is that possible? There was no war or accident, yet the family line ended abruptly?¡± ¡°Who knows? There are many conspiracy theories. But I¡¯m just a former servant; it¡¯s not something I should talk about in broad daylight. Now, I have to go.¡± Unable to get more details from the servants, Lunar headed to the academy next. She assumed there had to be records since Roswyn attended classes there for a year. ¡°No records...?¡± But even after sneaking into the academy, which was in the process of reconstruction, she found no traces of Roswyn. But the location was such that she couldn¡¯t help but murmur wistfully. ¡°I used to hate her so much when she was nearby...¡± When she was nearby, Lunar couldn¡¯t stand her, but now that she had vanished entirely, she felt a strange sense of longing. She remembered how the young girl would cling to her and rely on her, perhaps without even realizing it. Given her family environment, it was natural that Roswyn would rely on her most loyal servant. Memories of Roswyn bustling around the room, poking her nose into every corner of the guild as its head, and frequently collapsing with blood filled Lunar¡¯s mind nonstop. ¡°This is driving me crazy...¡± Lunar began to clutch her head, a look of anguish crossing her face. ¡°Why did she have to disappear without a trace now...¡± Why did she have to vanish just when it was revealed that the zeroth cycle had existed? Now that Lunar could stroke her hair and give her a genuine compliment, why did she have to disappear? - Swish... After sitting with a gloomy expression for a long time, Lunar finally stood up quietly. ¡°...I have to move.¡± Staying here wouldn¡¯t solve anything. She needed to move and find a clue as soon as possible... Updating Subject Location Information ¡°...Huh?¡± As she was about to leave, Lunar stopped abruptly, her heart racing. ¡°Really?¡± The system had finally updated Roswyn¡¯s location in real-time, which Lunar had been monitoring just in case. ¡°Coordinates. What¡¯s her coordinates...!¡± Transmitting Last Known Location Information Without thinking, Lunar requested the coordinates and stared at the numbers that appeared before her, wrapping her body in a faint glow. ¡°What should I say when I meet her...? I probably should start with a compliment...?¡± She muttered expectantly and excitedly. . . . . . ¡°...Huh?¡± Arriving at Roswyn¡¯s last known location, Lunar blinked in surprise. ¡°Th-this is...¡± In front of her lay a very familiar landscape. ¡°This is... Sister¡¯s room...¡± It was the Sun God¡¯s room, now separated from the world and inaccessible to anyone. Stepping into the room, which should have been able to control everything in the world, Lunar looked around with a dazed expression. ¡°Hello...?¡± She called out for Roswyn, her voice echoing softly. ¡°Roswyn...?¡± But there was no response. ¡°...?¡± Only a faint floral scent greeted her. ¡°Something¡¯s strange...¡± Lunar folded her arms, deep in thought, her eyes glowing with moonlight. ¡°I need to find out what happened here.¡± - Ziiing... A large screen appeared before her. ¡°Play the video recording of this space.¡± Please specify the range. ¡°From when Demon God Eclipse touched it to when the computer here was turned back on... until now.¡± Executing... As the screen flickered, a familiar girl appeared, and the guide text began to scroll. Starting playback of automatically saved records... - What is this place...? Naturally, the person on the screen was /genesisforsaken Chapter 442: Her Memories ¡°...?¡± When Roswyn first entered the debug room, she discovered a small monitor. ¡°W-what is this...¡± The monitor was blinking in the middle of the room. After a moment of staring at it, she slowly turned her head. ¡°...¡± The room was quite messy, which was overwhelming for someone with severe OCD. ¡°I-I want to get out...¡± The sight made Roswyn¡¯s skin crawl, and she began to shiver as she made her way to the exit of the room. - Clank, clank... ¡°W-what...?¡± However, an unexpected problem arose. ¡°Why won¡¯t it open...?¡± The door she had entered through was locked tight. - Bang, bang, bang...!!! ¡°Is anyone out there!!¡± Trapped in the dark, dirty room, Roswyn started to cry out in a trembling voice. ¡°Help me!! There¡¯s someone still inside...¡± But then she suddenly stopped and hung her head low. ¡°...No, never mind.¡± Tears began to fall from her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s useless...¡± At the beginning of the Fourth Ordeal, Roswyn had delivered the flower to the corrupted Frey. She had to perform that act to activate the ¡°Ending Credits.¡± That was it. Her duty was complete. After delivering the flower, she had planned to find a quiet place where no one knew her and end her life. If only she hadn¡¯t been transferred to this strange place. ¡°...¡± Having lost all will to live, Roswyn sat quietly in the dark room, hugging her knees. She hoped for a ghost, a monster, or even an intruder to appear and end her life before she starved to death. ¡°...?¡± But then something happened that shattered her apathy. ¡°W-what...?¡± Roswyn, who had been keeping her head down, suddenly looked up in shock as one of the ¡°Helper System¡± functions, the auto-observation, appeared before her eyes. ¡°...¡± Her eyes widened in disbelief at the scene that unfolded before her. Replaying all events of the Fourth Ordeal... ¡°This is.....¡± She saw countless images of Frey and Ruby. . . . . . A few days later. ¡°I need to... I need to record this.....¡± Roswyn was frantically scribbling down notes on the scattered papers on the desk. ¡°Every important scene... I can¡¯t miss any of it...¡± In front of her, the secrets of the zeroth cycle involving Frey and Ruby were unraveling. Even though she had glimpsed the events of the Zeroth cycle when she was wandering in the dark before entering this room, the information now unfolding before her was all critical. ¡°...Come to think of it.¡± As she continued to document everything they had experienced, Roswyn suddenly looked up with a blank expression. ¡°Frey¡¯s heart... it was pierced.¡± She remembered that Frey had sacrificed himself for Ruby, and his soul was crumbling as a result. ¡°Could it be...¡± Realizing she had momentarily forgotten this fact, Roswyn hurriedly shifted the system screen back to Frey. ¡°...¡± She saw Frey lying unconscious while on the boat inbound for the Empire. His soul was slowly deteriorating. ¡°No...¡± What felt like only a few hours had already turned into several days. What was happening? ¡°I-I can¡¯t stay here doing nothing.¡± Panicked, Roswyn dropped the pen she had been holding and looked around frantically. ¡°I need to get out of here somehow.¡± She got up and rushed to the exit. - Bang, bang, bang...!!! ¡°Open the door!!¡± Desperation filled her voice as she pounded on the door. ¡°Let me out!!¡± But the door that had trapped her in this space refused to budge. ¡°Please... please open the door...¡± After banging on the door for what felt like an eternity, Roswyn slumped down, exhausted, and saw Glare being attacked by sea monsters on the monitor. That was when the blood-covered Eye appeared behind Roswyn. . . . . . ¡°Gah, hack...¡± Roswyn flailed desperately with a terrified expression as the Eye choked her. ¡°Ugh...¡± As her vision blurred, a familiar yet distant memory surfaced. ¡°Useless girl...¡± ¡°F-Father...¡± In the memory, her father was choking her just like the Eye was now. ¡°I¡¯m sorry... I did wrong...¡± She was flailing in the air just like she was now. ¡°How hard is it to catch the Hero¡¯s eye? You useless thing.¡± ¡°Gah, ack...¡± ¡°Instead of seducing the hero, you¡¯re hanging around with some girl!?¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s because... there¡¯s a reason...¡± Clutching her father¡¯s arm with fading strength, Roswyn¡¯s father only tightened his grip, whispering coldly. ¡°Go ahead, make an excuse.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry... always... Ruby was always by his side...¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°I thought if I got close to her... I¡¯d get an opportunity... Khaack...¡± Listening to her dying voice, her father squeezed harder with a stern glare. ¡°You let some girl take the hero away from you. Pathetic.¡± ¡°F-Father...¡± ¡°Useless thing.¡± ¡°Please... spare me...¡± Her tears dripped onto his arm, making his expression even more disgusted. ¡°Our family¡¯s destiny is to support the Hero...¡± ¡°Kh, kgh...¡± ¡°A thousand years of waiting!! The only reason our family is respected as a Duke!¡± Then, he shouted angrily. ¡°And you act like that. What happens to our family?¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t even be the Hero¡¯s wife or concubine... what will the world think of us!!¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing his rant, Roswyn asked in a dying voice. ¡°...Was I just a tool?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Born to support the Hero... just a tool...?¡± It was the first time the unloved girl defied her father. ¡°...Of course.¡± Without hesitation, her father drove the nail deeper into her heart. ¡°And it looks like this tool is broken.¡± He coldly whispered as Roswyn, losing strength, started to go limp. ¡°Just die here.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll adopt a smarter, prettier girl as my daughter.¡± ¡°...¡± Losing the will to live, Roswyn let go of his arm. ¡°Blame your incompetence for being born...¡± ¡°...Screw you.¡± ¡°What?¡± As her vision blurred, a heavy sound echoed. - Thud...! She fell to the floor, gasping for breath. ¡°Kh... kgh...¡± Clutching her neck, she weakly breathed in. - Thud...! ¡°...!¡± Before her, her father collapsed weakly. ¡°...What?¡± Watching in a daze, she looked up. ¡°Just in time.¡± ¡°W-what power...!¡± ¡°R-Run!!¡± Far away, Frey fought the family¡¯s servants, and a familiar girl wiped the blood off her hand and looked at her. .bg-container-10448ed3ed0{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°...Ms. Ruby?¡± In her memory, the Ruby of the zeroth cycle looked at Roswyn, who was gasping for breath, with a bitter /genesisforsaken Chapter 443: Creation Chapter 443: Creation ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°Cough, cough...¡± At that time, it was Frey and Ruby who saved me while I was holding my throat and coughing painfully. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here first. You¡¯re in bad shape. Ruby, you...¡± ¡°I have some business with this guy.¡± ¡°...Then I¡¯ll go out with Roswyn first?¡± After that day, my life changed completely. The Sunset Duchy, which had been tormenting me, was almost exterminated by Ruby after that day. Of course, being one of the three great duchies that even the royal family couldn¡¯t easily touch, it was difficult for a maid of uncertain status to bring it down. But the influence of Frey and the Starlight Duchy was beyond imagination. One day, after the Emperor, looking very displeased, gave orders to his ministers, the Sunset Duchy quietly vanished. ¡°This is not like the Emperor at all...¡± ¡°Probably, the influence of that family, right?¡± ¡°Well... no matter how reckless the Emperor is, he wouldn¡¯t dare ignore the Starlight family.¡± ¡°By the way, the Starlight family has been moving strangely lately... Is something going to happen?¡± Only a few people witnessed the usually amiable empress and her husband leaving the emperor¡¯s room with cold expressions and made a fairly accurate guess. That¡¯s right. The ropes that had bound and choked me all my life were untied so easily. So I was rescued by the maid Ruby, the rightful heir Frey, and the members of the Starlight family. ...So what am I now? Lost without a goal or reason to live. What should I do? It was only natural. I had lived my whole life being trained as a helper for the Hero, a tool. With the ones who enforced that goal gone in an instant, it was inevitable that confusion would follow. ¡°You want to become a maid at the mansion?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± So, in the midst of my confusion, I eventually went to Frey one day and made that proposal. ¡°Because I am the Hero¡¯s helper.¡± Since I could no longer maintain the status of a noble, I wanted to serve as his maid for the rest of my life. At that time, that was the only thing I could do for Frey. ¡°Is that really what you want?¡± ¡°...What?¡± But Frey immediately refused my words. ¡°If you say that with no life in your eyes... I can¡¯t accept it.¡± ¡°...¡± Instead, he said that and pushed me away. ¡°Then... what should I do?¡± It felt like my entire life was being denied. If you react like that, what was all the pain I¡¯ve endured? What happened to all the time I¡¯ve held on for your recognition? ¡°What am I supposed to... do...¡± So, I asked, almost crying, and his simple answer came back. ¡°From now on, find it yourself.¡± Hearing that, I gritted my teeth and shouted. ¡°Y-You...!!¡± You annoying person! . . . . . Since then, regardless of my intentions, time flowed and flowed. ¡°Um... Ms. Ruby. May I offer some advice?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point in regretting it after it¡¯s too late.¡± Thrown into the world without direction, I now amusingly find myself counseling Ruby about her worries. How did things come to this? Well, a lot has happened. Thrown into the world suddenly, losing my status, for the first time I had to work part-time to survive. I took real classes at the academy for the first time, not just liberal arts. I made friends for the first time. Ate lunch together, went on trips... A year living not as a tool for the Hero, but as ¡®Roswyn,¡¯ was truly enjoyable. ¡°And then confess! Eek!¡± ¡°...Tch.¡± And Ruby here, in front of me, was one of my best friends, who I depend on the most among the friends I made as Roswyn. She was also my savior. Without Frey and her, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to enjoy this freedom and happiness. ¡°Right, I haven¡¯t confessed yet today!.¡± ¡°...Ahem.¡± By the way, she really, really liked Frey. If you teased her a bit, it was so obvious. She always blushed when she was around him, and they always flirted, making everyone else around them crumble in frustration. It would be weirder if someone didn¡¯t notice it. ¡°...You¡¯ll just fail spectacularly again today, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it better to try and fail than not to try at all, like you, Ms. Ruby?¡± Look at that sullen face. It looks like she was afraid and anxious about losing Frey. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be taking Lord Frey~¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Lord Frey~ Here¡¯s a may lily...!¡± Thinking that, I walked to Frey and handed him the flowers. ¡°...Well done, Roswyn.¡± Then Frey patted my head and praised me. ¡°Thank you for fulfilling my request.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Demon King¡¯s Army!!!¡± ¡°Ahh...!!¡± And screams began to echo from all around the academy. ¡°No wonder Ruby was acting strange lately...¡± ¡°What, what is this...¡± On the day I confessed, the Demon King¡¯s Army attacked the academy. ¡°Roswyn! Come this way!¡± ¡°Ah, ugh...¡± And everything started to go wrong. . . . . . ¡°Goodbye, everyone...¡± ¡°¡±...?¡±¡± ¡°Please, never remember someone like me.¡± A few years later. As Ruby mumbled something and came out of the room where Frey was bedridden, she started crying and went back in. No. I was certain that something was wrong. No way... The day Frey became a hostage to that damned Eye during the Final Showdown. In fact, I had overheard Ruby and the Eye¡¯s conversation. - I¡¯ll give you another chance. ¡°What?¡± - A chance to turn everything back and make Frey happy. The content was simple. In exchange for saving Frey and giving everyone a chance, Ruby would be killed as the public enemy. But Ruby had clearly walked away from it, and I had dismissed it as nonsense and forgotten about it. ¡°Ruby...¡± ¡°She¡¯s acting strange today...¡± Was it true after all? - Crackle, crackle...! ¡°Ahhhh!!¡± Before I could finish my thoughts, screams echoed from the room. ¡°Ah... No...¡± When the world turned upside down and everything became blurry, I saw it clearly. ¡°No.¡± Ruby¡¯s form was transforming into the Demon King¡¯s appearance I had seen before. ¡°No, Ruby...¡± I desperately reached out, but it was already too late. - Crackle...! The world turned upside down. ¡°Goodbye, Roswyn? Hehe...¡± And after that. ¡°What...¡± The first thing I said to the young Frey holding a bouquet when I first regained my senses... ¡°...You look really annoying.¡± Yes. That was probably what I said. . . . . . ¡°...Ugh.¡± Roswyn, lying quietly on the desk, woke up with a gasp. ¡°Huff, huff...¡± She wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and weakly turned her gaze to the paper in front of her. What Happened So Far Entered a strange room Found a computer and learned to code Academy Siege Attacked by the evil Eye As she reviewed the list, she clenched her teeth. Frey went to fight the enemy and got captured, must rescue him.¡°That¡¯s right... I need to save Frey.¡± She must have dozed off at her desk due to recent overwork, having a dream about the events of the zeroth cycle that haunted her since the day the Eye choked her. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± But unlike before, with determination in her eyes, she straightened her posture and gripped the mouse. ¡°I have to save Frey.¡± Dark Tale Fantasy Online: No results found Dark Tale Fantasy Series: No results found Dark Tale Fantasy: No results found Next to her, the remnants of the Dark Tale Fantasy series, which had completely disappeared, appeared on the screen. In this world where faith had vanished, Dark Tale Fantasy was a device that minimally maintained and supplied divine power by sending vestiges of emotional energy. With it gone, this place was no longer a debug room, a sacred space, or a place where a reversal could be attempted like during the siege. It was just a dark, dirty room with an internet-connected computer. ¡°Hmm...¡± But that also meant... ¡°So, what kind of work should I create now... The only thing I know is coding...¡± It was a space optimized for ¡®creating¡¯ ¡®works.¡¯ ¡°...Let¡¯s start with some research.¡± Connected by the mysterious power of the internet. To another dimension called the ¡®Blue Star.¡¯ Chapter 444: The Main Heroines are Trying to Kill Me Chapter 444: The Main Heroines are Trying to Kill Me ¡°Umm...¡± Roswyn, who had been researching all day, sipped on an energy drink while sitting in front of the computer. ¡°But, what kind of work should I create?¡± She mumbled with a perplexed expression, lowering her head. ¡°There are so many types of works...¡± As a novice creator, she had many options before her. ¡°What kind of work would become popular?¡± Standing in front of those choices and contemplating for a long time, she finally mumbled with a glint in her eye. ¡°...Indie game.¡± It can be produced with relatively low costs, usually by individuals or small groups... ¡°If it¡¯s this, I might be able to do it too...¡± After all, wasn¡¯t the work that sustained their world until now a game called Dark Tale Fantasy¡¯? Although she hadn¡¯t understood the concept for long, it seemed like there was nothing better to excite many people. ¡°Yes, I can do it.¡± And Roswyn had confidence. ¡°After all, I am GM Mademoiselle!¡± Hadn¡¯t she already made a big splash with ¡®coding¡¯ and served the game in another dimension? Moreover, she received praise from the community people for such actions after a long time. Although everything was erased... The fact that she received praise remains unchanged. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve decided! I¡¯m going to make a game!¡± She said to herself with a slightly excited expression. Due to depression that had worsened for several months, her self-talk had increased drastically, and it had become much more severe since she was confined in this space. Now, she couldn¡¯t stand it if she didn¡¯t talk to herself for even a moment. ¡°But, um... how do I make it...?¡± Still, Roswyn, who had a positive expression for the first time in a while, soon started to sweat and mumbled in confusion. - Tap, tap... Then, with a timid expression, she began searching. ¡°Unaty... making-RPG... Fake Engine...¡± A little later, Roswyn, whose expression had turned pale, mumbled in a low voice. ¡°...Isn¡¯t there any way to do it without coding?¡± And so, time began to pass. . . . . . ¡°Hehe... Hehehe...¡± A few weeks after she first decided to develop a game. ¡°Finally... Finally, it¡¯s all done...¡± Roswyn, with dark circles under her eyes, looked at the title of the game she had created with an expectant expression. The Story of the Hero Created by Roswyn¡°I¡¯m sure it will become incredibly famous!¡± The content of the game was simple. A hero resembling Frey goes on an adventure to catch the boss, the Eye Ghost. Although she couldn¡¯t use complicated techniques, she managed to create a plausible work using a program called ¡®Making-RPG.¡¯ ¡°Well, it¡¯s fun even when I play it... There¡¯s no way it won¡¯t become famous...!¡± It was a game that even Roswyn had played and cleared several times, and by her standards, it was quite thrilling and fun. With this, there was a chance of success. Surely, it could become as famous as the Dark Tale Fantasy Series. 13 views [1 like] [5 dislikes] ¡°...¡± It seemed like just yesterday that she thought so. ¡°No way...¡± Roswyn, who had posted her game on the Blue Star Dimension¡¯s game-sharing community, confirmed the disastrous results with cold sweat. ¡°No way... this can¡¯t be happening...¡± Several days had passed since she uploaded the game, but the views were terrible, and the few ratings it received were the worst. And the saddest fact was that the only like was from Roswyn herself. ¡°Ugh...¡± With a dark expression, she scrolled down and soon began to tremble. Sjegdhsi23: Did you make this trash and call it a game? That lone comment felt like it was digging into her chest and tearing it apart. - Click...! ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry... I¡¯ll do better...¡± Trembling with pale fear for a while, she quickly clicked the delete button and lowered her head. ¡°Haa, haa...¡± Receiving harsh criticism had become a trauma for her. And the thoughtless comment thrown at the novice developer, who posted the game with expectations and hope, was enough to awaken that trauma. ¡°...¡± She lay on the desk for a long time. ¡°...Yes, I was too arrogant.¡± She mumbled with hollow eyes. ¡°It was too presumptuous... Creating a game... haha...¡± It wasn¡¯t something she could succeed in just because she had bragged a bit about her little knowledge of coding. After all, what she had done in the Academy Siege back then was simply input basic commands into a running program or discovered an already-made game and maintain it. Creating a game itself, especially one to replace Dark Tale Fantasy, was a very arrogant and foolish idea. ¡°Yes... I¡¯m stupid to begin with...¡± Roswyn, recalling that she still couldn¡¯t get the hang of Korean and had to use the Empire Language - Korean translation function embedded in the goddess¡¯s computer, mumbled dejectedly. ¡°I don¡¯t have unlimited time... So, I¡¯ll give up on the game...¡± Even though time passed differently in this place, it would take decades in the real world to raise her skills enough to create a game with her intelligence. By then Frey would die. No, her lifespan would run out before that. The flower she had was limited. ¡°Then... what should I create...?¡± Thinking she had wasted precious time, Roswyn bit her lips and mumbled. ¡°Wait...¡± After contemplating for a long time and doodling on the paper on her desk, she stopped and looked down. ¡°How about drawing, drawing might work!¡± Her eyes began to sparkle again. ¡°With this, I can definitely do it!¡± Wondering why she hadn¡¯t thought of this before, she slapped her knee and quickly spread paper on the desk. ¡°I¡¯ll create a story that captivates everyone!¡± And so, time began to pass again. . . . . . ¡°Finally finished Chapter 1...¡± After another long period, Roswyn, with disheveled hair, mumbled in a tired voice. ¡°Drawing isn¡¯t easy either...¡± Behind her, a mountain of evidence of her efforts piled up. ¡°But, still... this should be enough, right?¡± She had moved past simply drawing a series of scenes to create a somewhat structured story. After learning about ¡®comics¡¯ and ¡®webtoons¡¯ during her research, the structure started to form. And the culmination of her efforts, the first Chapter of the world she created. The Princess is Streaming #Streaming #FemaleLead #Fantasy #Romance In her third novel, she tried something different. A princess from the cruelest ancestry of the Sunrise Empire falls to the Blue Star Earth, endures hardships, lives a miserable life, and eventually settles down after meeting an internet streamer. A calm yet delightful and heart-throbbing story. Views: 31 [Likes: 7] [Dislikes: 0] > What is this? Haha > (Emoji) And whether it was due to the new attempt, there was some improvement. In terms of reactions, it was better than any novel she had uploaded so far. ¡°...Oh, no.¡± But that was it. ¡°I missed the timing...¡± Perhaps the mistake was continuing to write despite her worsening health and losing consciousness for a while. The cost of not uploading the next Chapter for several days was too high. The interest in Roswyn¡¯s novel, which had slightly increased, cooled off. Moreover, it was impossible to write a novel based on the internet broadcasting world, which she had only researched a few times. ¡°After all, it was an experimental work... Haha... ha...¡± Mischief at the Academy #Academy #Fantasy #Dark #LightNovel Muttering to herself while suffering from regret for several days, she finally made up her mind and wrote her fourth novel, encompassing all her experiences so far. ¡°...¡± Looking at the first comment on the novel, Roswyn reached out to the mouse with a soulless expression. Snake¡¯s Heart: Was this written by a kid? The writing is so bad lol ¡°Yes... I thought so too...¡± In fact, she also knew. That she had no talent. Her coding was superficial, her drawing skills were terrible, and despite writing thousands of pages as a guild member and chronicler, she was terrible at writing too. ¡°If only I could write well...¡± She had failed so many times that she didn¡¯t even want to count anymore. She was used to the hateful comments that once made her breathless, and the excitement of writing had long turned into suffering. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Frey...¡± Moving the mouse cursor to delete the work, Roswyn mumbled tearfully, unable to hold back her tears any longer. ¡°I wanted to save you...¡± Initially, it was for Frey, but now everyone who had been smiling around him came to mind. ¡°I wanted to help you all...¡± Once the tears started, they wouldn¡¯t stop, and she cried, her shoulders shaking in her weakened state. ¡°Because I¡¯m so incompetent...¡± - Ding~? ¡°...Ah?¡± At that moment, Roswyn looked up with wide eyes at the notification sound from the site. ¡°...¡± And a long silence followed. Kim Eun-ha: This is really fun, author! ¡°...Fun? My work?¡± Staring blankly at the first praise left below the hated comments, she mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m... a author?¡± Roswyn, as if possessed, mumbled in a daze. ¡°Ehehe...¡± Then, she hugged the monitor with the precious positive comment. ¡°Thank you.....¡± Crying tears of a different kind, she urgently placed her hands on the keyboard. - Tap, tap, tap... And with eyes burning with rekindled determination, Roswyn began to write the manuscript. ¡°It¡¯s still too early to give up...¡± And so, time began to flow for her once again. . . . . . A few months later. Kim Eun-ha: author, I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t think I can read your novel for a while. ¡°...¡± Kim Eun-ha: Actually, I¡¯m undergoing treatment right now, and my condition has worsened a bit, so I need to focus on my treatment... I wanted to let you know in advance in case you worry. With her eyes closed, Roswyn recalled the reader¡¯s comment she had read several times. Kim Eun-ha: As my last piece of advice, have you considered changing your publication platform? Kim Eun-ha: A new web novel platform has recently been launched. This place doesn¡¯t suit your work, but I¡¯m sure you will succeed if you move there! Eventually, a quiet smile formed on her lips. Kim Eun-ha: Don¡¯t forget me when you succeed, okay, author? ¡°Of course.¡± Mumbling as she opened her eyes, Roswyn looked at the monitor in front of her. Register New Novel She saw the registration section of a new platform recommended by her loyal reader, who had followed her work to the end. ¡°Let¡¯s see, author¡¯s pen name? For the pen name...¡± Cracking her knuckles, she placed her hands on the keyboard reverently. ¡°The most common surname in the country where this novel will be serviced is ¡®Kim.¡¯ Both ¡®Kim Han-byeol¡¯ and ¡®Kim Eun-ha¡¯...¡± 1 Mumbling to herself, now all too familiar, she typed on the keyboard. ¡°So, the surname will be Kim... and the name... hmm... my nickname Mademoiselle. So, Kim Mademoiselle? No, that¡¯s too long... I¡¯ll shorten it to three syllables... Then it would be...¡± Kim Mamo. Having decided on a pen name, she turned her gaze below it. Title:... ¡°Uh...¡± Staring at the blank space, she smiled softly and mumbled. ¡°After thinking about it all day, I think this is the most fitting.¡± Roswyn had already made her decision. Instead of arbitrarily creating a story as she had done until now, she decided to write down the story and the process that everyone, including herself, had gone through so far. To ensure that the process everyone had experienced wasn¡¯t in vain and that no one¡¯s efforts were wasted. The ¡®process¡¯ everyone had gone through would become the story that saved everyone. However, she resolved to approach it with a ruthless mindset. To attract as much interest as possible in the beginning. To maximize engagement and clicks. Even if it made people frown a bit, to let the world know that this world existed. Initially out of curiosity, but in the end, everyone would acknowledge it with laughter and tears. For our story. - Tap, tap... And the title of that story was already decided. A title that would pique curiosity. A title that encapsulated the core of all this tragedy. A tribute to the protagonist, Frey, and the other protagonist, Ruby. The title that encompassed everything was... The Main Heroines are Trying to Kill Me The novel has been uploaded. Footnotes 1. Just in case you didn¡¯t realize, Kim Eun-ha is Han-byeol''s sister. Chapter 445: Farewell Sunset Chapter 445: Farewell Sunset ¡°I did it...¡± In a dark space where the only light came from the dim monitor. > Author, congratulations on reaching 9.5 million cumulative views! > Almost 10 million, wow! ¡°I really did it...¡± Roswyn, as usual, was reading the comments on her novel in the dark room, her emotions overwhelming her. ¡°The divine power... it¡¯s starting to return....¡± With a look of deep emotion, she stretched out her hand, and the suffocating darkness began to disperse in all directions. - Shhhh... Light was emanating from Roswyn¡¯s outstretched hand. The energy, which had been weakening ever since the disappearance of ¡®Dark Tale Fantasy,¡¯ the work that had supplied divine power to the world, was now shining brighter than ever. ¡°I did it!¡± This, of course, meant that the supply of divine power had resumed. It also meant that the ¡®web novel¡¯ Roswyn had written, based on the story she had been recording, had surpassed the dominance of ¡®Dark Tale Fantasy.¡¯ The Eye that had taken control of the world by eliminating ¡®Dark Tale Fantasy¡¯ could no longer act as it pleased. In short, it was a great victory for her. The divine move that would decide the fate of the world ironically originated from the ¡®process¡¯ that the Outer God had so adamantly denied. ¡°Hehe... serves you right.¡± Roswyn, who had briefly observed the Outer God with the gradually recovering program authority, chuckled and leaned back in her chair. ¡°Now, with just a few simple actions... I can end this wretched tragedy.¡± She had been planning the conclusion for several days already. Of course, her determination had been made when she decided to create the work. ¡°So... cough, cough...!¡± While continuously clicking the mouse, Roswyn suddenly covered her mouth and began to cough. ¡°Ugh...¡± Blood seemed to be seeping from her covered hand. ...It seems I¡¯ll have to move faster than I thought. ¡°Still, I need to say goodbye...¡± Wiping the blood from her hand, she smiled faintly and clicked the mouse again. Then, in front of her. No, in front of ¡®me.¡¯ A familiar window appeared. Novel Serialization:: Write New Post (Previous Episode - 444) Staring blankly at the window that had been part of my daily routine, I gently stroked the screen with my hand. - Tap, tap... Then, slowly and calmly, I began to write. Hello, dear readers. What kind of post is this? What else could it be? It¡¯s a thank-you note to all of you reading this. . . . . . Hello, dear readers. Can you see it too? Our story, And the miracle you all have achieved? The story I desperately wanted to share with you, no matter what. The dark tale that sank without being welcomed anywhere. It is now shining brightly, having miraculously met all of you. The views, once ignored by everyone, are now approaching ten million, and it even won first place in the work awards. It now rivals the status of Dark Tale Fantasy, which those of you who are avid readers of this novel might have enjoyed playing. It also provides the minimum requirement for a decisive counterattack against the Outer God, who took control of the world. Yes, that¡¯s right. The emotional energy you¡¯ve sent while enjoying the novel has piled up, creating a narrow but crucial foothold for a comeback. I am truly grateful to all of you. To be honest, I still can¡¯t believe it. I, who am so incompetent and foolish, never imagined I could create a work that surpasses the status of the Dark Tale Fantasy series. But still, Even so, Would you please praise me in the comments for once? Honestly, every time I saw a comment criticizing me, I flinched. But I couldn¡¯t distort the facts. I wrote exactly how foolish and bad I appeared. It made me a bit depressed, but the result is this happiness. Most of all, I am so glad to have delivered a blow to that annoying Outer God. What did it say to me and Frey? [For those who have lost their experience, their process, there is no conclusion.] [Everything you have done. Everything you have endured. The tragedies you faced. Even the victories you achieved.] [They were all pathetic nonsense.] Haha, that¡¯s really funny. The process that you so ridiculed has ultimately become the decisive blow. Every event that occurred has become part of our story and a stepping stone to our victory. The pathetic nonsense turned out to be you. So how does it feel? How does it feel to be struck down by a clown on stage? I know you¡¯re secretly watching this. Well, there¡¯s nothing you can do about it now You¡¯re trembling in fear, aren¡¯t you? Phew, I finally feel relieved. It¡¯s like a heavy burden has been lifted off my chest. Yes, it means I have no more regrets. I have no regrets even if I die right now. Ehehe. Oh, by the way... there¡¯s something you all need to know. Well, it might be a bit sudden for you all... I think it¡¯s time for me to say goodbye to you all. Oh, don¡¯t get me wrong! I¡¯m not stopping the serialization! The serialization will continue as usual. You probably won¡¯t notice any difference. Then why am I saying goodbye? Well... I just wanted to say it once! Don¡¯t pry too much, just accept the farewell. I was happy to meet you all. Thank you so much for loving an utterly incompetent and hopeless person like me. So... Goodbye, everyone. . . . . . ¡°Hehe...¡± Roswyn laughed blankly and took her hands off the keyboard, slowly standing up. ¡°Finally, the time has come.¡± Then, forcing her completely frail body, she began to move to the center of the room. ¡°Even without me, the story will write itself... I¡¯m really relieved...¡± Roswyn mumbled, looking once again at the clear screen of the Fifth Ordeal that had just appeared. - Thud, thud... Then, silently, she moved forward. - Thud! ¡°Ugh.¡± But soon, losing her balance, she fell and looked down at her own body. - Sizzle, sizzle... Her body was crackling and sizzling. ¡°I thought I could hold on a bit longer...¡± Roswyn, staring calmly at her clearly abnormal state, murmured with a sad expression. ¡°At the very least, I wanted to hear some praise...¡± Thinking this, she reached out her hand. - Srrr... Eventually, she grabbed the flowers Frey had sent in large quantities, but they crumbled powerlessly and scattered. ¡°...It really is the end now.¡± The flowers she had carefully preserved in the center of the room were too dried up to give her any more time. Even without that, Roswyn¡¯s fate was already sealed. From the very moment she began the ¡®creation¡¯ of the work. Warning! ¡°...?¡± No matter how much Sun God¡¯s divinity she possessed, Roswyn was merely human. Moreover, as a member of a side branch of the imperial family, her divinity was relatively low, possessing only a half-god¡¯s divinity. Since she had undertaken ¡®creation,¡¯ an act allowed only to the creator god and the main god, the cost was inevitable. Continuing will cause fatal damage to your existence. ¡°Ah...¡± The cost was cruelly her very existence. Not just the death of her body or soul, But ¡®complete¡¯ annihilation from all world lines and timelines. No one would remember her, No one would reminisce about her. The act of ¡®creation,¡¯ which could overturn everything, came with such a tremendous price. ¡°...¡± Thus, when that message appeared on the monitor, it was only natural that Roswyn, who had boldly attempted creation, was left in a daze for hours. ¡°...This must be my karma.¡± And a few hours later. ¡°I¡¯m the most suitable person for this role.¡± From the moment Roswyn accepted the message with trembling hands... ¡°...It¡¯s also the only atonement for always pushing you away in countless cycles.¡± The world began to slowly erase her existence. . . . . . ¡°Haa, haa...¡± Breathing heavily, Roswyn sat in the center of the room, tears streaming from her eyes as she looked at the distant monitor. - Ding? Ding? The notification sound that always thrilled her echoed. By now, comments were probably being posted on the 445th Chapters she had uploaded. ¡°I want to see them... more closely...¡± Unable to see the comments clearly due to her blurring vision, Roswyn, sitting in the center, reached out regretfully. - Tremble... But her body had no more strength. ¡°I should have just stayed in front of the computer...¡± Regretting not being able to see the praise directed at her, Roswyn mumbled with a slight hint of regret. - Crackle... ¡°...Ah.¡± And at that moment, an anomaly began. ¡°No...¡± As her body started to fade and scatter, Roswyn¡¯s previously composed expression began to crumble. ¡°I don¡¯t... I don¡¯t want to disappear...¡± Words full of fear escaped her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t want to disappear like this...¡± Her weak voice echoed quietly in the still room. ¡°Please, save me...¡± Embracing her disintegrating body, she trembled in terror. If she vanished completely, no one would remember her. The fact that she had ever existed would be erased entirely. That¡¯s right. Not in heaven or hell, but in complete ¡®nothingness.¡¯ She would disappear forever. ¡°Someone, please... save me...¡± In panic, clutching her head, Roswyn hyperventilated. She wasn¡¯t an extraordinary person like Frey or Ruby. Even if she had saved everyone, Roswyn herself was just a very fragile and ordinary girl. So, it was only natural that the fear of complete annihilation overwhelmed her. ¡°Ha... Ha...¡± However, Roswyn¡¯s breathing slowly began to calm. ¡°...¡± Finally, she lifted her head, still pale but with a more composed expression. ¡°At least, for the last moment... I don¡¯t want to look ugly...¡± With a tear-stained face, she whispered the saddest and most beautiful smile in the world. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything, Hero.¡± She began to dissolve. ¡°Still... there¡¯s one thing I want to say.¡± Becoming the petals of the roses she loved so much... ¡°In truth, more than anyone, I...¡± Petal by petal. ¡°...Love you.¡± The most dazzling sunset in the world quietly faded away. Chapter 446: The Moons Regret Chapter 446: The Moon''s Regret ¡°Uh...¡± The system window that filled the dark room slowly lost its light. Playback complete... When the system finally shut down, a heavy silence filled the room. - Thump, thump... Lunar, who had been blankly watching Roswyn¡¯s recorded playback, staggered forward. - Swish... Reaching the center of the room, she let the lunar mana flow from her trembling hands, illuminating the darkness. ¡°...Ah.¡± At last, the source of the faint floral scent that had filled the room became clear. ¡°No...¡± In the center of the room, a pile of rose petals lay on the floor. Emitting a faint yet lingering floral fragrance, the petals were withering away, losing their vitality. ¡°No, wait...¡± Watching the petals, Lunar hastily knelt and reached out. ¡°No no no no!¡± Her moonlit hand touched the pile of petals. - Rustle... But the rose petals crumbled powerlessly at her touch. ¡°Could this really have happened?¡± Even though Lunar quickly withdrew the lunar mana from her hand, the result was the same. As if rejecting her touch, the petals continued to crumble. ¡°...¡± Finally giving up on gathering the petals, Lunar bowed her head with a blank expression. ¡°This isn¡¯t... this isn¡¯t what I wanted...¡± She muttered, her voice filled with panic. ¡°I didn¡¯t want this to happen to you...¡± But her voice grew softer and softer. ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to suffer like this...¡± By the end, Lunar¡¯s voice was barely a whisper. ¡°No...¡± She remembered how she had neglected and ignored Roswyn when she was going through a tough time. At that time, she thought it was a punishment Roswyn deserved. She never imagined things would turn out this way. Perhaps, the reason Roswyn made such a decision was partly because she had been left alone by Lunar. ¡°...¡± A book titled ¡°12 Ways to Overcome Depression¡± that she saw in Roswyn¡¯s room came to mind. Had she been so mentally troubled to the point of reading such a book? Regretting her past decisions so deeply was something Lunar never expected. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Roswyn...¡± Lunar, wearing a dark expression, reached out her hands toward the pile of petals, whispering in a troubled voice. ¡°I should have considered your perspective too...¡± Memories from long ago came flooding back. Days spent with Roswyn when she was still full of passion, though still spoiled, she was slowly influenced by Lunar. They went on picnics together, played house, and Lunar even became her tutor. Back then, Roswyn¡¯s lunchbox always contained food made by Lunar. And Roswyn¡¯s cheerful, expectant voice declared she would marry the Hero someday. - Cough, cough... Suddenly, the image of Roswyn, writing furiously even as she was dying, overlapped in her mind. ¡°Being your servant, I must take responsibility...¡± Clenching her teeth with a sorrowful expression, Lunar whispered with determination. - Shaaa... At the same time, a moonlit glow began to emanate from her outstretched hands. ¡°To the sunset that has faded in vain, let there be light once more...¡± Lost in thought, Lunar closed her eyes and used her divinity, causing the petals to slowly rise. - Crackle... crackle... The petals gathered together and began to glow. ¡°...¡± Several minutes later. ¡°...Huff, huff.¡± Sweating profusely, Lunar withdrew her hands, muttering in a dazed voice. ¡°Why... why isn¡¯t this working?¡± In front of her, the petals, though regaining some color and fragrance, lay quietly. . . . . . ¡°Excuse me.¡± Shortly after, in front of a shabby shop in an imperial back alley. ¡°Are you still there...?¡± Lunar, wearing a robe, knocked urgently on the door. ¡°Sister...?¡± The person Lunar sought was none other than her elder sister, the Star God, creator of this world. ¡°I have something urgent to ask... could you please open the door...?¡± Her second sister, the Sun God, did not remember Roswyn. The Demon God Eclipse had lost her divinity, and Kania, who had stolen it, also did not remember Roswyn. In this situation, the only person Lunar could turn to for advice was her eldest sister, the Star God. - Creak... Nervously waiting outside, Lunar hurried inside as soon as the door opened. ¡°Yes, come in?¡± ¡°Sister...¡± Lunar paused, looking at the Star God who responded before she could even speak. It had been a long time since the Star God revealed her true form, sitting at the counter. ¡°...What¡¯s your question?¡± ¡°I have a question...¡± Glancing at the muscular body slumped beside her, Lunar started speaking again, frowning at her sister¡¯s playful interruption. ¡°Now¡¯s not the time for jokes, sister...¡± ¡°...What could have shaken our usually cold Lunar so much?¡± ¡°Do you still remember Roswyn?¡± Hearing that, Lunar¡¯s sister tilted her head. ¡°Who is that?¡± Lunar¡¯s face turned pale at her sister¡¯s response. ¡°Have you forgotten her too...?¡± A few days ago, when Lunar had come to ask about Roswyn, her sister had been drunkenly avoiding the question, as if evading the topic. ¡°Who could forget someone with such a unique name...¡± But now, her sister genuinely seemed not to know. ¡°...I¡¯ll change my question.¡± With an even paler face, Lunar asked in a trembling voice. ¡°What happens when a mortal engages in ¡®creation¡¯... specifically?¡± ¡°Lunar, that¡¯s impossible...¡± ¡°Just explain, please.¡± ¡°...¡± The Star God, who had been about to dismissively laugh it off, scratched her head and began explaining upon seeing her sister¡¯s serious expression. ¡°As a consequence, their existence in all timelines gets erased.¡± ¡°More specifically...¡± ¡°From the point of erasure, their existence slowly fades backward through time. As if time were flowing in reverse.¡± The Star God, her voice sinking slightly as if realizing something, spoke. ¡°Normally, it would be so instantaneous that no one could perceive it... But the erasure would take longer for those who have known each other for an eternity.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If they are immortals like us, who can live forever, or if they have built memories through repeated cycles.¡± As Lunar flinched at these words, the Star God sighed and continued. ¡°It seems you remember the most, given that you¡¯re the only one who still recalls her.¡± While Stellar, the Star God, murmured regretfully, Lunar was far from composed. ¡°I-is there a way to bring her back?¡± Her normally cold and detached expression was now completely distorted, her usual indifference twisted almost to the point of breaking. ¡°Is there no way to revive her?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I tried to resurrect her... but it didn¡¯t work. I poured all my divinity into it...¡± ¡°Lunar.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a way, right? You¡¯re the creator god. You made this world.¡± Seeing her usually cold-like sister showing such emotion for the first time, Stellar answered with a bitter expression. ¡°There is no way.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°She... or he... has completely vanished as a penalty of the system.¡± Lunar, in desperation, approached her sister and asked urgently. ¡°But... we¡¯re gods, right?¡± ¡°...Haa.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give up my divinity. There must be something I can do in exchange for giving up my divinity. So...¡± ¡°The system is above us.¡± But Stellar answered with a firm expression. ¡°But... Solar...¡± ¡°She merely fixed the management system into the form of a system.¡± ¡°Then...¡± ¡°There is no way to reverse it.¡± Hearing a second definitive answer, Lunar started to retreat, speechless. ¡°No... that can¡¯t be...¡± ¡°Well...¡± ¡°This can¡¯t be... this isn¡¯t...¡± ¡°She must have been precious to you.¡± At these words, Lunar sank into a nearby chair and spoke. ¡°She was precious to all of us.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°She was the lock if Glare was the key...¡± Tears began to well up in Lunar¡¯s pale face. ¡°She was the only one who remembered the Zeroth Cycle the most. So she waited endlessly for Ruby to be included in the condition of everyone¡¯s happiness. That¡¯s all she did...¡± There was no certainty. It was true that Roswyn didn¡¯t have a great personality, and Lunar¡¯s assumption that Roswyn remembered the Zeroth Cycle unconsciously was just that¡ªan assumption. ¡°...I realized it too late.¡± But at least for Lunar now, it felt like the truth. A sad certainty that it might actually be true. ¡°Sister. I want to turn things back. I don¡¯t mind retiring...¡± So, shedding a single tear, Lunar pleaded with her sister. ¡°Please, save her...¡± But her sister just shook her head with a regretful expression. ¡°...Wait.¡± Suddenly, Lunar, who had been bowing her head, overcome by guilt and sadness, stood up abruptly. ¡°If it¡¯s her...¡± Then, with a look of realization, Lunar dashed out of the shop. ¡°If it¡¯s her, she might be the solution...¡± ¡°...¡± Watching her with slightly sorrowful eyes, Stellar quietly took a bottle of liquor from the shelf. . . . . . ¡°Huff, huff...¡± Gasping for breath, Lunar arrived at a coastal cabin she had visited a few days earlier. ¡°Excuse me... Oh?¡± Without time to rest, she knocked on the door, and then made a puzzled face. - Creak... ¡°It¡¯s open...?¡± Noticing the door was open, Lunar felt a sense of unease but quickly rushed inside with wide eyes. ¡°You!¡± ¡°...?¡± There, she found Glare, who had just woken up and was rubbing her eyes, Lunar urgently grabbed her shoulders and asked. ¡°Do you remember Roswyn?¡± ¡°...Who are you?¡± ¡°Do you remember Roswyn or not, please tell me!¡± Glare, who had been wary, pulling the blanket up to her face, answered with a bewildered expression to Lunar¡¯s desperate voice. ¡°...Sorry, I don¡¯t know that name.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± At these words, Lunar¡¯s body went limp, and she slumped to the floor. ¡°Do you really... really not remember?¡± Erasure of existence applied to Glare as well. ¡°Um, well... Could you explain?¡± Glare, narrowing her eyes while observing Lunar, asked in a gentle voice upon realizing she had no hostility. ¡°Appearance, looks, voice...¡± ¡°Well, she was...¡± Trying to cling to hope, Lunar began to explain but soon found herself speechless. ¡°...What?¡± She wanted to desperately describe Roswyn, but she couldn¡¯t. ¡°Why... why can¡¯t I remember?¡± Appearance, looks, voice. ¡°She was a woman, I think... Wait, was Roswyn a woman?¡± Even the memory of whether Roswyn was a woman or a man started to fade. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Glare, worried, reached out to the panicked Lunar, who was clutching her head. ¡°No...¡± But Lunar, terrified, staggered out of the room. ¡°No!!¡± Then, she hurriedly began writing on a piece of paper on the desk. Don¡¯t forget her. ¡°Please, please...¡± I must remember that she existed. ¡°Don¡¯t disappear...¡± As Lunar frantically scribbled notes, tears began to fall from her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± The notes about Roswyn began to disintegrate, scattering into the air. Though she was difficult, she was cute, and though she was jealous, she had many stories, the most radiant in the world... ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± The sunset we realized was far too late... Even as she continued writing, Lunar¡¯s notes continued to vanish into thin air. ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± Finally, Lunar, dropping her pen, sat down and buried her face in her knees, sobbing. ¡°Our sunset...¡± All the irritating, exasperating times, the years spent with Roswyn that had driven Lunar to a state of chronic neurosis. How much she had been fed up with and wanted to forget those clear memories that surfaced every time she closed her eyes. But ironically, as those vast memories nearly vanished, Lunar finally realized. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to forget you like this...¡± Over all those long years, she had grown attached to Roswyn as much as she had hated her. As every memory with Roswyn faded, Lunar¡¯s emptiness and regret grew. ¡°If only I had praised her.¡± Understanding her actions now only made Lunar¡¯s regret more intense. ¡°At the very least, I should have comforted her...¡± And with that, even Lunar forgot Roswyn¡¯s existence. ¡°If not that, at least I should have been there with her at the end as her guardian...¡± Leaving only regret and sorrow. And a lingering trace of memories... ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry for leaving you alone...¡± As dawn broke over the empire. ¡°Our sunset...¡± Chapter 447: The End of the Final Ordeal ¡°Mmm...¡± Lunar, who had been lying on the floor, staggered to her feet. ¡°...Where am I?¡± She looked around with a puzzled expression. ¡°Why am I here?¡± She adjusted her still-drowsy expression and tilted her head. ¡°...?¡± There were countless pieces of paper scattered in front of her. ¡°What is this?¡± For some reason, the smell of ink filled the air, but the papers were all blank. ¡°...Come to think of it, this is where they stayed.¡± As Lunar habitually organized the mysterious papers into a neat stack, she realized where she was and mumbled. ¡°I vaguely remember coming here...¡± - Swoosh, swoosh... ¡°Have I been overworking myself too much lately...?¡± As she muttered and tried to leave, she paused, glancing at the papers. Sunset ¡°What¡¯s this...?¡± The single word on the papers she unconsciously arranged stirred Lunar¡¯s heart intensely. ¡°...?¡± Unable to understand why, she tilted her head in confusion before resuming her usual cold, mechanical expression and leaving the cabin. ¡°I feel like I forgot something...¡± She reopened the system log she had been analyzing recently. ¡°...¡± Displayed before her were the gifts left by someone who had disappeared for everyone¡¯s sake. For some reason, the dew on the closed rosebuds, shining in the moonlight, created a dreamy atmosphere. ¡°Ah...¡± Mesmerized by the dreamlike scene, Lunar passed through the roses, still fragrant, and gently stroked a rose. ¡°...So beautiful.¡± As if pleased, the rose trembled shyly and began to bloom in her hand. ¡°Oh my.¡± Seeing this, Lunar, inexplicably overwhelmed by a sense of longing, wore a sad smile as she strolled through the garden of blooming roses. ¡°So cute...¡± As if delighted by her words, the roses swayed gently in the early morning breeze, as if nodding their heads. ¡°...But what does this mean?¡± The Final Ordeal has concluded Reward: The Ghostwriter of the World . . . . . Some time ago. Impossible. The spiritual entity that once called itself ¡°The Foreigner,¡± who had been tormenting Frey in the imaginary world, mumbled in disbelief as it prepared to end everything out of boredom. - Shhh... A brilliant energy emanated from the withered and bound Frey. It was the ¡®divinity¡¯ that had vanished when the ¡°Dark Tale Fantasy¡± was destroyed. Despite wearing the Hero¡¯s Armament, which upgraded the wearer to rival gods, Frey had been doomed to lose. How can this be happening? To the entity that believed everything was going according to plan, this was an unimaginable turn of events. When that insignificant clown sat in front of the square object and groaned, it was merely amusing. How could things have turned out this way, it could not comprehend it. Did she create a new work? To supply this much divinity so smoothly, a work equivalent to ¡°Dark Tale Fantasy¡± was needed. But how could that be possible? Even gods from other dimensions struggled with this. How could someone who had never encountered the culture of that world create such a work in the modern era, saturated with countless works from so many gods? Damn it. Peeking into the dimension of the Blue Star, it instinctively closed its eyes. The world¡¯s connection, which had been emptied with the disappearance of ¡°Dark Tale Fantasy,¡± was now filled with a work it had never seen before. Though different in type and content, the new work matched the status of ¡°Dark Tale Fantasy¡± and was quickly supplying divinity into this world even now. Damn it. For a moment, the entity considered destroying this new work as well but soon realized it was impossible. It had already sacrificed its physical body to erase one work. To erase a work as vast as ¡°Dark Tale Fantasy,¡± it would have to sacrifice its spiritual body too. In other words, it would have to self-destruct. Even then, it seemed unlikely it could erase the work itself. It had consumed considerable power in the battle with Frey, who wore the Hero¡¯s Armament. Even if it tried to self-destruct in a final desperate act, it probably couldn¡¯t damage the work in any significant way. ...Damn it. Reaching this conclusion, the entity, feeling its soul boiling despite its ethereal state, looked away. - Sshhh... Then, trying to figure out what happened, it reviewed the records of the Debug Room. Until recently, the entity had been monitoring Roswyn in real time. Watching the pitiful creature struggle to create a work had been amusing enough. When she was completely defeated and lost hope, the entity lost interest and stopped observing... ... Quickly rewinding through the records, it fell silent. Of all times, at the moment she lost hope, a comment praising her had been posted. The reason she had been a clown was that no one had praised her. A girl who could only exhibit her true potential upon receiving ¡®praise,¡¯ yet had never been praised by anyone but Frey. The entity knew well that a single word of praise could change everything for her, which was why it had always enjoyed watching her fumble... Could it be that there was someone other than Frey who praised her? ...Tsk. From then on, it was an obvious story. After receiving praise, she rapidly began to improve her skills. And as she did, her work also began to grow quickly. I don¡¯t understand... The entity, watching the process blankly, muttered to itself. How could insignificant beings, not gods, not even immortals, just mere mortal beings, define their own existence, their own destiny? It was a concept completely beyond its understanding. It had wandered through countless dimensions, but never once had it encountered something like this. It was close to impossible. Even more so, the clown who did such a thing chose to disappear by herself long ago. She wasn¡¯t someone who had the capacity or courage to do something like this. She was just a being meant to be ridiculed, to remain ignorant and foolish, to be laughed at until the end... She was the perfect and insignificant existence chosen to illuminate the dark tale... How? No matter how much it thought about it and speculated, nothing changed. The work was already connected to the world, and the clown had completed the act of ¡®creation¡¯ by erasing herself. Its own memories of her existence were slowly fading, becoming certain... Wait, what? The entity noticed something strange for the second time at that moment. Memories, fading...? It was a being from beyond. It wasn¡¯t subject to the laws and principles of this dimension. Even if the clown disappeared from all timelines... It should have been free from that influence. Then why were its memories of her disappearing? ...! The reason soon became clear. How...? As it frantically examined the work she had created, it discovered a significant phrase at the end. The God of Chaos has been born. It was an impossible thing. For a mere management system, for a mere system... To define a being from beyond? This way, it couldn¡¯t utilize the advantages of being an otherworldly entity. Damn it. Finally, the entity glanced at the small eye that had represented its will until now, the bait it had become, and muttered, grinding its teeth. Because of you... Over the long years, it had descended to the world, becoming foolishly similar to the humans it mocked. Because of that, its one remaining ¡®physical body,¡¯ which had become the ¡®God of Chaos,¡¯ disrupted its plans. So how does it feel? How does it feel to be struck down by a clown on stage? ... The entity, filled with rage, began to tremble as it read her taunt at the end of the work. I know you¡¯re secretly watching this. Well, there¡¯s nothing you can do about it now. You¡¯re trembling in fear, aren¡¯t you? The entity, in shock from the taunt, remained silent for a while. ...Calm down. Then, it began to take deep breaths. Nothing has changed. And then, calming its mind, it quietly thought. Even if my existence has been defined... I am still powerful. The penalty for its existence being defined was simple. Even beings that weren¡¯t as transcendent could attack it. Previously, only highly powerful beings like the ¡®Star God¡¯ and her agent Frey could harm its undefined existence. But now, anyone with a certain level of strength could harm the ¡®God of Chaos.¡¯ Indeed, nothing has changed. But it was still powerful. It could still defeat the battered Frey in front of it. And right now, there was no one else in this space but Frey. - Fwipp... Though Frey¡¯s divine power had returned, making him a bit more troublesome, he was still alone, and victory was in its grasp. - Swoosh... Summoning numerous black chains and tendrils, the ¡®God of Chaos¡¯ muttered in a low voice. ¡°Ultimately, coming alone was your fatal mistake.¡± Feeling a slight discomfort and an inexplicable sense of unease. ¡°Die.¡± It attempted to strike Frey¡¯s head with its attack. - Crackle...! But at that moment. - Shhh...! ¡°...What!?¡± A dazzling light flowed from Frey¡¯s body, blocking the attacks. - Sizzle... At the same time, the handkerchief in Frey¡¯s possession began to glow. ¡°...I¡¯m glad I brought this.¡± Frey, who had opened his eyes after a long time, looked at the handkerchief given by his sister. ¡°Really.¡± As the patterns on the handkerchief began to shine, he smiled slightly. - Crackle...! The dark mindscape was illuminated brightly by the multicolored light emanating from the handkerchief. . . . . . Meanwhile, at the seaside cabin. ¡°...¡± The heroines sitting around the table stared blankly at their hands. ¡°Guys.¡± ¡°This... could it be...¡± ¡°Frey.¡± On their hands, the patterns they had once drawn on the handkerchief began to /genesisforsaken Chapter 448: The Final Battle - Crackle...! The familiar patterns were glowing in the hands of the girls who sat blankly in their seats. In Kania¡¯s hand, a black cat was clinging to the silver cat drawn in the center of the handkerchief, with one paw raised. In Irina¡¯s hand, there was a red dog cheerfully running around. In Serena¡¯s hand, the subtle moon shone on her handkerchief. In Clana¡¯s hand, a golden canary that had been next to the cat at first but now seemed to be watching from the corner. In Ferloche¡¯s hand, there was a pigeon with its usual dumb expression. In Ruby¡¯s hand, there was a red ruby glowing. Each was shining in its own colors. ¡°Young Master... I¡¯m so glad... really glad...¡± ¡°You bastard... Why are you contacting us only now...¡± ¡°...Frey.¡± ¡°We need to respond quickly! If it disappears...¡± ¡°Right! It¡¯s time to rescue the kidnapped princess!¡± ¡°Grittt...¡± The heroines began to react intensely to the sight. ¡°...What about me?¡± Isolet, who had nothing appear in her hand, began to look at them with a worried expression. ¡°Why don¡¯t I have anything...¡± She was sweating nervously at the thought that she might not be able to help Frey. ¡°...Oh.¡± Then she turned her gaze quickly to the warm sensation in her empty right ring finger. ¡°Ah.¡± And then she smiled broadly. The ¡®Ring of Oath¡¯ she had given to Frey as a gift was guiding her instead of a handkerchief. ¡°It was a family heirloom, but it was definitely worth giving.¡± Wiping the sweat from her forehead, Isolet muttered to herself. ¡°This is so strange...¡± At that moment, when everyone was wearing expressions full of hope... ¡°For all of us to simultaneously transformed into spirits and moved to a higher dimension... It wouldn¡¯t be possible without a significant spell.¡± Irina, swaying her newly grown plump tail, pondered for a moment. ¡°The large-scale transfer magic we planned to use wouldn¡¯t have worked without sufficient mana.¡± Their original plan was to use the special transfer magic devised by Serena and Irina, triggered by Frey¡¯s stellar mana. To successfully transfer to a higher dimension, the explosive energy of Frey¡¯s stellar mana was essential. However, it was still a spell that required significant energy to cast. If Frey had cast it at the precise moment, it would have succeeded without issues, but after a year, Frey¡¯s energy would have been depleted. So how did Frey manage to contact them? Even Irina, who knew everything about magic, couldn¡¯t understand the mechanism. Did Frey not cast it...? The thought crossed Irina¡¯s mind momentarily. It seemed plausible. If Frey had cast it, it would have been activated long ago. But then, who did? It couldn¡¯t have been the Eye. That thing wouldn¡¯t dig its own grave. But if not... ¡°Irina? What are you doing not holding out your hand?¡± ¡°Oh, right...¡± Lost in thought, Irina quickly extended her hand at the urging of the heroines. I don¡¯t know what or who it is, but... She closed her eyes and muttered to herself. ...Thank you for connecting Frey and us. The next moment, colorful lights began to emanate from the heroines¡¯ bodies. - Crackle...!!! Soon, the entire cabin was brightly illuminated. . . . . . Even after Frey went missing, the Empire continued to function somehow. The heroines who knew the truth chose to live in seclusion in the cabin, they had explained to everyone that Frey was away for training. Even after Frey went missing for a long time, most people accepted that reasoning as they were preoccupied with rebuilding the Empire. ¡°...¡± However, there was one girl who hadn¡¯t slept properly for months, fearing Frey¡¯s disappearance. ¡°Brother...¡± She was none other than Frey¡¯s only sister, Aria Raon Starlight. ¡°Where did you go...?¡± Her brother had left during the bright summer, but now the white snow of the new year covered everything. Yet, her brother showed no signs of returning. ¡°Did I... do something wrong again?¡± Today, too, Aria stared endlessly out the window, hoping her brother might return, watching her surroundings intently. ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± She muttered in a sad voice. ¡°I was wrong...¡± She recalled Kania, who had come to see her recently, suggesting they stay together. ¡°What about brother? What happened to him?¡± ¡°...Don¡¯t worry. He will surely return.¡± A few months ago, Kania¡¯s voice had been filled with confidence, but recently, it was dismally somber. ¡°...You¡¯ve said that so many times already.¡± ¡°...¡± Aria, anxiously waiting for her brother¡¯s return every day, finally realized. ¡°Kania.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°The plan... failed, didn¡¯t it?¡± Maybe her brother would never come back. ¡°No... no.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°That... that can¡¯t be true, right?¡± ¡°Kania...¡± ¡°I, I¡¯ll be going now.¡± Seeing Kania grit her teeth and shake her head before fleeing the mansion, Aria¡¯s suspicion turned into certainty. And so, for Aria, who spent every day filled with thoughts of reuniting with her brother, it was a time akin to hell. ¡°Please come back... brother...¡± She couldn¡¯t bring herself to tell their father. She couldn¡¯t imagine what would happen if he found out. Though living in the seaside cabin with Kania¡¯s suggestion might have been slightly better, Aria desperately refused the offer. She feared that observing everyone¡¯s expressions and moods would turn her suspicion into undeniable truth. And in such a case, Aria felt she couldn¡¯t handle the overwhelming negative emotions from everyone. ¡°Please...¡± So, left alone in the mansion while her father was busy with imperial affairs, Aria once again clasped her hands and looked up at the sky, praying endlessly. ¡°Please bring my brother back...¡± On the bed opposite her, the gifts she had painstakingly made over the past few months to reconcile with her brother were neatly arranged. A silver cat doll as cute and intricate as the one Kania had given. Various embroidered designs. A star-shaped brooch. And even a well-kept family photo she found in her brother¡¯s room. She cried for a long while after she saw that photo. ¡°Please...¡± They were made with a mix of worry, hope, and anxiety, even pricking her fingers countless times with the needle. ¡°Please...¡± But now, all those efforts seemed pointless. She didn¡¯t want her final farewell with her brother to be like this. She wanted to meet her brother again somehow. ¡°Please let me see my brother again...¡± Though they were always close by, the big star and the little star always seemed to miss each other. It seemed like this sad fate would continue to repeat itself. - Crackle... At that moment, as Aria prayed sincerely, her divine power began to return, spurred by the choice of someone forgotten who shared a similar sentiment. - Shine... Simultaneously, Aria¡¯s hidden ability, which could only be seen by Frey¡¯s mind-reading ability, miraculously awakened. Passive Status: ¡®Starlight Gaze¡¯ has awakened. ¡°Uh, Uwahhh?¡± It was at that moment that the handkerchief in Frey¡¯s hands in the imaginary world began to glow. . . . . . - Crackle...! The Chaos God groaned painfully, squinting against the multicolored light emanating from the handkerchief. What... As the light faded, the Chaos God rolled its giant eye around. What is happening... Before it could finish its thought, the answer appeared before it. ¡°...Everyone.¡± Frey, battered and on one knee, looked up with a bright smile at the people who had appeared before him. ¡°...Your faithful butler is here.¡± Kania, who had been watching him, closed her eyes gently and supported Frey. ¡°The space is vast, and I think we can exert our full power here.¡± Irina cracked her knuckles as she stepped forward in front of Frey. ¡°M-me too. I¡¯ll give it my all... Eek.¡± Not wanting to be left behind, Clana, also tried to step forward but immediately recoiled at the tentacle wriggling beneath their feet. ¡°...¡± Contrary to her usual innocent expression, Ferloche fiercely glared at the Chaos God before her as she urgently tended to Frey¡¯s wounds. ¡°Are you the source of all this?¡± Isolet, with a calm yet sharp gaze, looked up at the entity. ¡°W-why are you here!! You were supposed to be supporting from the rear...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This is our spiritual body. See? Our bodies are still intact.¡± ¡°Our physical bodies are on the ground. Fighting isn¡¯t a problem.¡± Looking at them with a delighted expression, Frey spotted Serena and Ruby and was startled. ¡°But...!¡± ¡°Have you already forgotten, Frey?¡± Serena and Ruby soothed him gently. ¡°You promised to trust us.¡± As Frey was at a loss for words, they smiled and stepped forward. ¡°...Ha.¡± Then he also felt the presence of Lulu, who shouldn¡¯t have been there. Frey grabbed his head and lowered it, a bitter smile spreading across his face. ¡°Nothing ever goes according to plan until the end.¡± Glare: Hero! I¡¯m coming soon! He brushed aside Glare¡¯s message and picked up the sword lying on the ground. - Step, step... Standing with the heroines, Frey faced the Chaos God, who was glaring at them from the air. - Crackle...!!! Then, the entity began to extend tentacles, glowing from all directions. It resembled the sun that had been glaring down at the earth. - In the beginning, there was darkness. The Eye, revealing itself as the Chaos God, began to convey a message to those watching. - I am the darkness of the past, present, and future. The uncertainty that devours everything. The voice of the Eye, which would drive an ordinary person mad just by hearing it, echoed around them. - And I am your end. ¡°Ugh...¡± - Don¡¯t you dare stand against me. ¡°A mere parlor trick...¡± The party hesitated and covered their ears. - Swoosh... Meanwhile, Frey, who had been staring blankly at the silver energy blooming in his hand, murmured softly as if realizing something. ¡°...Let there be light.¡± Then, a protective light appeared, enveloping them. - What...? ¡°The stellar mana... could it be...¡± It was the beginning of the final battle that would put an end to their long /genesisforsaken Chapter 450: The Shattered Sun Chapter 450: The Shattered Sun ¡°Where... did you come from?¡± Ruby asked with a bewildered expression upon seeing Glare and Lulu. ¡°...From purgatory!¡± Glare replied with a bright smile. Aside from looking a bit weak from months of unconsciousness, she seemed quite fine. ¡°Why were you there?¡± Ruby continued, still in disbelief. ¡°When the Demon King dies, she goes there,¡± Lulu murmured, scratching her head. ¡°Anyway, I was fighting off monsters from all sides... This little one saved me.¡± Looking more ferocious from months of battle, Lulu patted Glare¡¯s head with gratitude. ¡°But how did you even get into purgatory...¡± ¡°By the way, sis...? Did the plan fail? Weren¡¯t we supposed to hold out for just a week?¡± ¡°Ah, that...¡± - Rumble...! ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for this kind of talk.¡± ¡°...What is that!?¡± Although the sisters had many questions for each other, they had to turn around hastily at the loud noise from behind. ¡°Hyaah!¡± Isolet, who had somehow climbed onto a tentacle, swung her sword with all her might, slicing through the tentacle that was attacking Frey, causing it to fall to the ground. - Crackle, crackle... ¡°Damn it, not again...¡± But the tentacle quickly began to regenerate at an alarming rate. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with the large tentacle bothering Frey.¡± ¡°Sis! Wait a moment...¡± ¡°So you guys...¡± Just as Ruby was eyeing the giant tentacle and was about to take flight with her wings... -Snap Glare snapped her fingers at the tentacle surging towards Frey. - Zzzzz... With a crisp sound, the massive tentacle crumbled into dust, fluttering to the ground like snowflakes. ¡°...Roarrrrr.¡± Realizing its nemesis had appeared, the Eye let out a pathetic howl and began spewing tentacles again. ¡°Ugh...¡± However, since its main body got damaged again, the regeneration was slower. ¡°It¡¯s time for the trash to be taken out!¡± Glare, now growling like Lulu, began launching magical missiles at the Eye. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± Watching this, the sisters exchanged glances and began to smile. . . . . . - Boom! Boom!! As Lulu and Ruby simultaneously took to the skies, tentacles, and chains shot out from all sides. ¡°I¡¯ll cover you!¡± However, the Eye¡¯s attacks were intercepted and neutralized by the magical missiles launched by the little one below. ¡°...Impressive.¡± ¡°Isolet, you need to get ready soon.¡± Watching the impressive attack with keen interest, I snapped back to attention at Kania¡¯s call from afar and steadied my sword. ¡°Hah... Hah...¡± Yes, I was at the heart of this operation. Among all those gathered here, I was the only one who used ordinary mana. Moreover, I was the only one, aside from Frey, who wielded a sword. That was me. Therefore, my sword aura would form the base of the combined attack from everyone¡¯s power. - Thump, thump... It had been a long time since my heart pounded this much. I had to successfully deliver everyone¡¯s combined strength to Frey so that he could land the final blow. There was no room for error. A single mistake could determine everything. ¡°...Gulp.¡± In this unprecedented situation, I unknowingly swallowed dryly and extended my sword forward. - To uphold your beliefs, you abandoned your family, your career, and your feelings. Yet, you ultimately betrayed your own principles. A cold voice echoed in my mind. - So what does that make you? It even struck right at my weak point, using my father¡¯s voice. Just a few months ago, this would have deeply shaken me. - Crackle, crackle...! But now, I just smiled slightly and tightened my grip on my sword. - Roar...!!! The decisive strike that would determine everything, Straight. Honest. Right. Linear. It shot forward. ¡°I am Frey¡¯s knight.¡± Along with my answer. . . . . . - Rumble...!!! Isolet¡¯s clear, blunt, yet fierce and powerful sword aura continued to shoot forward. - Crackle, crackle...! ¡°Good! Just like that!!¡± Then, just as promised, everyone¡¯s energy was sent into the sword. Kania¡¯s dark yet gentle energy. Irina¡¯s hot yet warm energy. Clana¡¯s dazzling yet modest energy. Serena¡¯s fierce yet soft energy. Ferloche¡¯s bright yet solemn energy. One by one, these energies harmonized and layered onto the transparent sword. ¡°...Lulu, it¡¯s your turn!¡± ¡°Do it!¡± My turn came swiftly. ... Can I really add to this? Should I add my energy to this beautiful and harmonious combination? What if adding my energy ruined the balance? - I know that the ¡®Stigma of Misfortune¡¯ still lingers on your shoulder. Just as these negative thoughts, which I hadn¡¯t had in a long time, began to surface, an ominous voice echoed in my head. - The disruption in Frey¡¯s plans, your suffering in purgatory, all stem from the resurgence of that Sitgma. ¡°...¡± - Your misfortune will ruin everything. In the moment of hesitation, the voice tried to sway my choice. ¡°Huuh.¡± Ironically, hearing that voice helped me make my decision. - Why? As I smiled softly and infused my pink energy into the sword, the voice echoed again in my head. - Why doesn¡¯t anyone¨C ¡°...Succumb to temptation?¡± Watching the energy of everyone, which would soon be accepted by my master, I answered the voice with a relieved expression. ¡°Because we are all too happy right now.¡± At that moment, my perfectly healed shoulder quietly glowed in the light emanating from the sword aura. . . . . . ¡°Tsk. Cleaning up the situation was supposed to be my role.¡± ¡°Sis! Focus!!¡± ¡°...Alright.¡± I looked sullenly at the little one who was firing magic missiles everywhere to block attacks from the Eye. Taking a deep breath at my sister¡¯s shout, I started to focus my mind. I can¡¯t make a mistake. I needed to channel my energy into this sword and deliver it to Frey, who was consolidating his divine power on the other side. The combined energy of everyone had become powerful yet unstable, and only I could control it. This was a crucial moment. I had to concentrate completely... - Are you pretending to be good now? ¡°...?¡± What was that voice? - The evil deeds you¡¯ve committed won¡¯t change. It seemed like that eye was spouting nonsense. But surprisingly, it didn¡¯t affect me at all. - Crackle, crackle... The urgency in its voice was undeniable. ¡°You were the one who changed me, you trash...¡± - Even so, in the end, you... ¡°...?¡± I was channeling my energy with a derisive expression when its words suddenly cut off, making me tilt my head slightly. - Damn, my memory... What was it talking about? . . . . . - Shhh... ¡°Frey! Catch!¡± The combined power of everyone left Ruby¡¯s hand and headed towards me. - Nooooo...!!! The eye, with a vacant expression, belatedly noticed and tried to extend its tentacles. -Snap! ¡°Not a chance!¡± But all its tentacles and chains had long been destroyed by Glare, who was shaking her head resolutely. - Roar!!! Thanks to that, the terrified Eye tried desperately to open and draw out strength, even in the state where the lunar mana ravaged its body. ¡°Close your eyes.¡± With Lulu¡¯s command, the Eye shivered and closed again. - dlfjf tns djqtdjdjdjdjdj...!!! The Eye panicked, and incomprehensible howls began to echo all around. - Shhh... At the same time, the combined energy of everyone reached me, swirling together. ¡°The answer is right before us.¡± This energy was the answer and hope we found in this endless tragedy. Our hope. - Shhh... As I gently caressed the energy with my hands, vitality began to flow through my body. Each unique energy started to blend into me. ¡°...Is this a coincidence?¡± Reaching an unexpected level of realization, I somehow knew. I could only end this with this combined energy. Even if I had reached the level of realizing my divinity, I would have been defeated without their help. ¡°...It can¡¯t be a coincidence.¡± I¡¯m glad I trusted my ancestors and them. - Rumble... Thinking this, I channeled everyone¡¯s energy into the sword. The sword began to tremble and resonate wildly. Normally, it would have shattered with such immense energy. But the Hero¡¯s Armament was indeed a Hero¡¯s Armament. - Crackle, crackle... The sword held the combined power of everyone brightly glowed. However, it wouldn¡¯t hold for long. Its durability was visibly decreasing. Yes. The end was near. ¡°ARHHHHH!¡± With everything prepared, I started running forward. I could have flown, but I needed to conserve energy for the final strike. Besides, it was fitting to remind this eye, which always observed from above, of its humiliation being dragged to the ground. - You...!!!! The eye, despite being closed, seemed to sense I was rushing towards it. It struggled desperately against Kania¡¯s chains and Ferloche¡¯s grip. ¡°Just keep going! Young master!¡± ¡°Bastard! Hang in there!¡± ¡°We¡¯re rooting for you!!¡± But there were no more obstacles to block me. ¡°When it¡¯s over, I¡¯ll... hug you tight!¡± ¡°You need to see your child with your own eyes, right?¡± ¡°Show them the sword that protects everyone, Frey!!¡± Now before me were my precious comrades. ¡°Master!! End it!!¡± ¡°Show your might as the hero, Frey!!¡± ¡°You can do it, Hero!!¡± The ones I loved the most in the world. - dks... ehodo... And the source of our suffering. - Frey. You... As I reached the Eye, a desperate voice echoed in my head. - Stab... But it was too late for its silver tongue to sway me. - Wait... Realizing that its deception wouldn¡¯t work, the Eye struggled to free itself and floated into the air. - Whirrr...! With everyone¡¯s power, my sword strike created a huge arc and struck the Eye. - Slash... A small but clear sound followed. - Crack, crack... The eye, perfectly split in two, began to fall to the ground. ¡°...Hmm.¡± The chains that had been wrapping around its body loosened and writhed, making it look like a split sun. ¡°Just about right.¡± It was the end of a long, tragic story. Chapter 451: Clear Reward - Rumble... The eye, split in half and falling, trembled with a grotesque sound. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± As the heroines watched the scene with bated breath, I sheathed my sword with a calm expression. ¡°...Did we... really do it?¡± A voice filled with tension began to leak from among the heroines. ¡°Did we win?¡± Excited voices began to echo all around. - Slump... The body of the Eye, which had been wriggling grotesquely to the end, went limp. ¡°It¡¯s our victory, everyone.¡± ¡°W-We did it!!¡± ¡°Frey!!¡± ¡°Serves you right, you bastard!!¡± As my declaration of victory spread, cheers erupted from all around. ¡°Haa, haa...¡± To be honest, I felt a bit dazed. To finally reach the end I had so desperately wanted. It didn¡¯t feel real at all. ¡°Are you okay, Frey?¡± ¡°...Are you alright?¡± I stood silently for a while, then suddenly collapsed to the ground as a wave of intense pain hit me. Serena and Ruby rushed to my side. ¡°To be honest, not really.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I used too much power... If I keep going like this, I¡¯ll probably disappear by the end of today.¡± Their faces froze as they processed my words. ¡°...Just kidding, just kidding.¡± ¡°¡±...¡±¡± ¡°Ugh, seriously, I¡¯m joking.¡± Their grips on my shoulders were so intense that I quickly decided to stop teasing them. Congratulations on clearing the game! You have completed the Hero¡¯s mission! ¡°I have an ally in the system. There¡¯s no problem.¡± Since the system had declared a ¡®clear,¡¯ everything was truly over now. Reward: Happy Ending What lay ahead for us was only a happy ending. ¡°...Phew.¡± Feeling overwhelmed with emotion, I lay back and took a deep breath. ¡°I feel liberated.¡± Since I became aware of the Hero¡¯s power, the fate and duty that constantly bound me had vanished, and everything felt incredibly light. In the past, no matter how much I rested, I never felt truly rested. Now, just lying down on the ground felt so comfortable. From now on, I could spend my time as leisurely and happily as I wanted whenever I wished. Just thinking about it made me feel incredibly happy. ¡°You¡¯re not really going to die, are you? Right?¡± ¡°If you suddenly disappear, I¡¯ll kill you, Frey.¡± I lay there, basking in the moment, smiling happily. But Serena and Ruby lay down next to me with worried expressions. ¡°No, I¡¯m really just tired...¡± ¡°¡±...¡±¡± Scratching my head and making excuses, I noticed the heroines¡¯ cold stares focused on me. ¡°...Gulp.¡± For some reason, I had a bad feeling that I wouldn¡¯t get to rest easily in the future either. I hoped it was just a feeling. - Squirm, squirm... ¡°Hmm?¡± As I was thinking about wrapping things up and getting up, I suddenly felt an unusual energy coming from over the lump of the Eye¡¯s body. ¡°W-What is that!?¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s...?¡± From within the split Eye, something amorphous was wriggling and crawling out. ¡°W-What the hell!?¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°So disgusting.¡± What on earth was happening? It was supposed to be over. . . . . . - Squirm, squirm... ¡°Should we attack it?¡± ¡°No, we shouldn¡¯t act rashly.¡± Ruby stepped forward to confront the mysterious mass emerging from the Eye, but Serena calmly stopped her. ¡°Let¡¯s just watch for now.¡± I agreed with her. If we made the wrong move, it could lead to disaster. And, I had a rough idea of what might be happening. ¡°You bast... ards...¡± As I calmly stood there with my arms crossed, the wriggling mass began to take shape. First, it formed the rough shape of a body, then arms and legs sprouted. Next came the face, followed by the features. ¡°I will never forgive... huh?¡± As the mass, now clearly recognizable, pointed at us with a very familiar voice, it finally noticed its transformation and wore a bewildered expression. ¡°...What is this?¡± The figure looked almost human. ¡°Is this... me?¡± To be precise, it had taken the form of a weak girl whose entire body seemed to be melting like slime. ¡°...This is quite disturbing.¡± Ever since the incident with Aishi, I had my suspicions, but... Was this really its preference? ¡°What did you do to me...¡± I looked at it with a slightly nauseated expression. The Eye examined its new body with a look of disdain and spoke in a trembling voice. ¡°Why am I taking on the disgusting form of a human?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°What kind of trickery is this!!!¡± Asking us, who didn¡¯t know anything, was futile. And why did it yell at us when ¡®she¡¯ was the one who transformed? ¡°...Can we attack now?¡± ¡°This is really annoying.¡± ¡°If it had taken that form from the start, it might have messed with our minds...¡± In any case, the fact that the repulsive entity known as the Eye had transformed into such a form was giving us all quite a bit of mental anguish. ¡°I think I understand what¡¯s going on.¡± As we all grimaced and gave cold looks, Kania, who had been standing quietly by my side, spoke up. ¡°It seems that the previously unclassifiable entity, the Eye, has been fixed into this form as the ¡®Chaos God¡¯.¡± ¡°...But why this form?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but...¡± Kania, with a look of contempt, murmured as she looked at the Eye that had taken on a human form. ¡°Maybe it secretly desired to have a girl¡¯s body all along.¡± ¡°No... that¡¯s impossible...¡± The Eye vehemently denied Kania¡¯s deduction, shaking with impotent rage. ¡°...Ah.¡± But then, as if realizing something, it muttered. ¡°The alter-ego... Did it really find satisfaction in that body...? Truly...?¡± It seemed to be referring to the Aishi incident. Now that I think about it, the appearance did resemble Aishi a bit. ¡°Anyway, it seems that the last strike resulted in this form... The fortunate part is¨C¡± ¡°Heh, heh.¡± As I quietly listened to Kania¡¯s explanation, the Eye started laughing unpleasantly. ¡°Heh heh heh... heh heh heh...¡± Then, raising both hands above its head, the now human eye Began speaking to us in a condescending tone. ¡°Though I have become this disgusting form... my strength remains unchanged.¡± ¡°¡±...¡±¡± ¡°So, this time, I¡¯ll...¡± But then, as if something dawned on it, it blinked and stopped talking. ¡°...N-no.¡± Gripping its hands tightly, it tried to muster its power, but nothing changed. ¡°...Having lost the battle, it seems to have become an empty husk to its former self, no different from a human.¡± Kania continued in a cold voice, watching the Eye struggle. ¡°The moment Frey¡¯s strike landed, the battle was decided. For a being that exists beyond the system¡¯s regulations, it¡¯s quite an anticlimactic end.¡± ¡°No, no.¡± Realizing its predicament, the Eye vehemently denied its situation and lunged at us. ¡°Nooooo!!!¡± ¡°¡±...¡±¡± ¡°How dare you humans... What right do you have to define me, a being from beyond...? You still don¡¯t understand your place...¡± It seemed like it needed to be taught its place. - Slap! ¡°Heuk.¡± As I slapped it with all my strength, it let out a weak scream and fell back. ¡°Ah...¡± Rubbing its swollen cheek, it sat up with a bewildered expression. ¡°How does it feel...¡± Approaching it with a cold voice, I began to whisper. ¡°To become a mere plaything?¡± ¡°...Khek.¡± As soon as I finished speaking, I kicked it in the stomach, causing it to fold over and writhe on the ground in pain. ¡°Stop it!¡± As I raised my hand again, it clung to my leg, pleading. ¡°Stop it, I said!¡± Raising its voice showed it still didn¡¯t understand its situation. - Slap! ¡°Stop...¡± - Slap!! ¡°Stop...¡± Grabbing its shoulders, I continued to slap it with all my might. - Slap!!! ¡°Sto¨C¡± - Slap!! ¡°...¡± Until its left cheek was a tattered mess, it glared at me, but its eyes began to change as it realized the reversal of our positions. ¡°U-ugh...¡± Finally understanding its utter defeat, it was overwhelmed with terror. ¡°Did you have fun?¡± Why did it have to provoke us? ¡°Wait a minute¨C¡± - Slap! Why cause this mess? - Slap! ¡°We¡¯ll pay you back for all your enjoyment.¡± As the repeated slaps brought a new, unfamiliar pain, it began to unwittingly cry. - Whack! This time, Ruby came up behind her and hit her in the stomach with all her might. ¡°...Look forward to it.¡± ¡°Ah, ugh... ugh...¡± Drooling and trembling, it began to shake violently at Ruby¡¯s bitter words. ¡°I feel so much better.¡± ¡°...So what should we do?¡± Watching Ruby, I whispered, and she answered with a disappointed look. ¡°I¡¯d love to take it as a trophy, but... it¡¯s too dangerous.¡± ¡°Even though Kania said it¡¯s no different from a human?¡± ¡°Hmm... still...¡± As Ruby and I started discussing our options. ¡°I have to... I must escape... somehow, and plan for the future...¡± ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± ¡°...Hiek!?¡± The heroines, noticing the Eye trying to crawl away, began their assault. ¡°It¡¯s your turn to get beaten!¡± ¡°Clench your teeth, bastard.¡± ¡°Save meeee!!!¡± . . . . . A bit later. ¡°Shall we head back?¡± Having decided the Eye¡¯s fate, we began looking for a way to return home. ¡°We still have some power left. How about using a large-scale teleportation spell...?¡± ¡°No, that could strain Frey¡¯s soul.¡± ¡°Besides, we¡¯re in spiritual form. If we return to our bodies...¡± As the heroines, who had vented their frustration on the Eye, started suggesting ideas with refreshed expressions... ¡°...¡± I stood, deep in thought, looking at the beaten form of the Eye, feeling a strange sense of unease. What is it? It felt like I was forgetting something, but I couldn¡¯t figure out what. What was it? What had I... ¡°...Ah!!¡± ¡°Gah! That scared me.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Frey?¡± Suddenly clapping my hands and standing up, the heroines looked at me in surprise. ¡°We haven¡¯t made our wish yet!¡± As I told them, I clapped my hands and spoke out. ¡°Sun God, you¡¯re watching, right? Please come here.¡± - Puff...! And the next moment, a cloud of smoke spread out before me. ¡°Quick, make your wish...¡± As I waved away the smoke and tried to prompt my wish. ¡°Ba-bam!¡± ¡°Congratulations on clearing the game!¡± ¡°You did it!¡± Seeing the Moon God and Star God standing next to the Sun God, who awkwardly smiled and set off fireworks, I asked with a puzzled expression. ¡°Why are you all here...?¡± ¡°Ah, well...¡± Scratching her head, the Star God began to speak for the group. ¡°We¡¯re here to grant your wishes.¡± ¡°...What?¡± As I tilted my head in confusion, a system window quietly appeared before me. Clear Reward - Happy Ending The number of wishes you can make has increased from 1 to 3. ¡°...Wow.¡± For the first time ever, I wanted to kiss the /genesisforsaken Chapter 452: The First Wish ¡°Really? You¡¯ll grant three wishes? No backing out later?¡± ¡°...Yes, yes.¡± ¡°Think of it as a gift from us.¡± The Star and Moon Gods¡¯ affirmation made it seem true. Three wishes. Not just one, but three. Receiving such an unexpected, but welcomed gift left me feeling dazed. What should I wish for? My head started to ache. ¡°...I guess the first thing is to bring Lulu back?¡± At least one of the three wishes was certain. After enduring months of suffering in purgatory due to the failed plan, I had to bring Lulu back. ¡°...Um, M-Master.¡± While thinking this, Lulu, who was beside me, tugged at my arm and spoke. ¡°Y-You don¡¯t have to bring me back.¡± ¡°... What nonsense¨C¡± It wasn¡¯t worth considering. Refusing to be resurrected now? That was unacceptable. ¡°I... can just go back with you all, right?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That little one pulled me out of Purgatory.¡± Thinking about it, that was true. She was here with us now, so returning to the surface together should be enough. ¡°Our little one is impressive.¡± ¡°Hehe...¡± ¡°But how did you manage to rescue Lulu?¡± Realizing this, I patted Glare¡¯s head in praise and then grew curious about how she saved Lulu. ¡°I received a quest and moved to a very hot place! There, I followed the quest and saved Lulu, then came to where you were.¡± ¡°...Quest?¡± ¡°Yes, a Helper Quest. It was the last condition for everyone¡¯s happy ending.¡± I turned to the Moon God for an explanation, but she seemed just as puzzled, tilting her head. So, even she didn¡¯t know about this event in the Helper System? Considering Glare¡¯s true nature, which I had realized earlier, it seemed she had subconsciously intervened... Whatever the case, it was something to be grateful for. ¡°...Hmm?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°...Wait a moment.¡± Just as I was about to express my gratitude again, Glare¡¯s eyes widened, and she stared into the air. Had she received a quest completion notification? I wondered if the Helper System had its own rewards. Could the Helper System have a separate clear reward? For a moment, I entertained the thought, but it seemed too greedy. Just having three wishes was more than enough. ¡°Hmm...¡± But now, thinking about what to wish for, my head started to ache again. My previously planned wishes¡ªmy resurrection and Lulu¡¯s resurrection¡ªwere now pointless. So, what should I wish for? ¡°You are the only one who can remain so calm in front of a wish-granting deity.¡± While I scratched my head in contemplation, the Star God chuckled and muttered. ¡°That¡¯s right. When a god offers to grant a wish, even the most righteous person would be tempted.¡± ¡°Indeed. Few can stay indifferent in the face of wealth, power, and pleasure.¡± The Moon God chimed in, and the Sun God, with a rare serious expression, nodded in agreement. ¡°Is that so...?¡± Honestly, I had no other wishes. My lifelong wish was the end of this tragedy and a peaceful, prosperous life, and defeating the source of all this had essentially fulfilled that. ¡°What should I wish for?¡± Wishing for wealth was unnecessary since Kania and Serena¡¯s investments ensured my bank account was continuously growing. Power was redundant since my current position was already too high, especially with Clana poised to become the Empire¡¯s Empress. As for pleasure, I preferred a tranquil and peaceful life. ¡°Why are you worrying so much?¡± ¡°...¡± Lost in thought, clutching my head, the Sun God looked at me with genuine curiosity. ¡°...I¡¯m considering the conditions of the wish.¡± ¡°What conditions?¡± ¡°I am aware of the guidelines for wishing, thanks to my ancestor¡¯s prophecy book.¡± My ancestor had written that wishes that strained the Sun God were forbidden. Even a wish as simple as resurrecting another was considered too much. Resurrecting Lulu as part of the wish was feasible only because she was transferred to Purgatory instead of dying due to becoming the Demon King. ¡°Since I¡¯m not wishing for my resurrection, I need to scale it down.¡± ¡°No, no! I¡¯m not petty! That¡¯s a misunderstanding!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The scope of this wish is nearly unlimited!¡± Seeing the Sun God vehemently deny with wide eyes, I couldn¡¯t help but feel puzzled. Why was she reacting so strongly? But what did I just hear? Nearly unlimited wish scope? ¡°Perhaps your ancestor misunderstood from my event scene in Dark Tale Fantasy 1... But that was practically a simulation. And it was necessary to stabilize the scenario...¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t my ancestor visit this world? Didn¡¯t he make a wish then?¡± ¡°Uh, well...¡± Interrupting the Sun God¡¯s rambling, I asked a straightforward question, and she scratched her head as she continued. ¡°He did, but I couldn¡¯t strain myself at the time. I had to conserve my divinity, which led to some disagreements during the adjustment process.¡± ¡°And now?¡± ¡°...Now is different. Everything is over.¡± With that, the Sun God smiled gently and patted my head. ¡°With the source of all this gone, there¡¯s no need for me to cling to my divinity.¡± ¡°Does that mean...¡± ¡°I will use all my divinity to grant your wish. Whatever you want, just say it.¡± Looking at her with a slightly dazed expression, I turned to the Moon and Star Gods, who also seemed relieved. ¡°...Does this mean you two as well?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about time we retired.¡± ¡°Living in lethargy for so long, the thrill is gone. I¡¯m ready to retire and drink my day away.¡± Rather than looking relieved, they appeared exhausted. - Thump, thump... Seeing them joke, I couldn¡¯t help but smile, though my heart was pounding. ¡°Really, any wish...?¡± If it was a wish that didn¡¯t have to adhere to the prophecy book¡¯s guidelines but was limited by their remaining divinity, there was one wish I¡¯ve always wanted. When I was a child, I would always clasp my hands together and wish fervently while lying in bed. But it was a wish that seemed impossible, only imagined in my dreams. It was my only selfish wish, my last bucket list item that seemed unattainable in life. - Thump, thump, thump... Realizing I could truly make it come true, my body tensed, and my heart started to race. ¡°Frey...?¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± The heroines, noticing my stuppor, approached with concern. ¡°...Phew.¡± I didn¡¯t want to worry them further, but given the situation, I had no choice. Hearing their voices, I felt somewhat calmer. Alright, it¡¯s time to make my wish... ¡°Ugh, ugh...¡± Just as I exhaled deeply and was about to speak my wish, I heard a pained voice from below. ¡°It hurts...¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°My whole body... hurts...¡± The Eye, turned human, was melting like slime. ¡°What¡¯s happening to her?¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± The Star God, stroking her chin and looking down at her responded calmly. ¡°She lost her power, so her body can¡¯t sustain itself and is disintegrating.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°In a few minutes, she¡¯ll completely disappear.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± I made a troubled expression as I watched the melting figure. Suddenly, she looked at me and smirked. ¡°...Why are you smiling?¡± ¡°She¡¯ll die before fully becoming human. Since she¡¯s neither human nor god, she¡¯ll simply vanish. Maybe she thinks that¡¯s better than being humiliated.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± It seems I¡¯ve found where to use my first wish. . . . . ¡°...Uh?¡± The melting Eye, who was smirking at me, slowly opened her eyes with a sense of foreboding. ¡°...?¡± She looked around, bewildered. ¡°Why... Why am I still alive...!?¡± She muttered in a voice full of disbelief, then touched her body, shocked at her clear voice. ¡°...Why.¡± She muttered in a hollow voice. ¡°Why is this happening...¡± Her body, which had been melting, now had pure white skin. She had become completely human. ¡°I thought I could die before becoming human...¡± Shocked at becoming the human she so despised, she muttered in a daze. ¡°How¨C¡± ¡°I used a wish.¡± ¡°...!¡± She looked up, eyes wide, as she heard my voice. ¡°I got three wishes. I decided to invest one in your suffering.¡± ¡°Frey...!¡± She shouted angrily, trying to stand, but her legs gave out, and she collapsed. ¡°You¡¯re no longer a god or a divine being. You¡¯re a completely human, and quite a fragile one at that.¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°The one beside me helped with that.¡± Beside me stood the Sun God, now with white hair instead of gold. ¡°You... Bitch... How dare you...¡± - Slap!! ¡°...Heuk.¡± The Eye, glaring at the Sun God, was slapped hard enough to turn her head, unable to even scream. ¡°Do you know how it feels to be dragged?¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I watched countless times as the beings I created suffered...¡± ¡°Khk.¡± Slapped again, the Eye trembled, blood trickling from her lips. ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn to suffer.¡± The Sun God whispered and then stepped back. ¡°...So, what will you do now?¡± Holding her swollen cheek, the Eye asked Frey in a defeated voice. ¡°Will you make me a slave?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Torture me?¡± When Frey remained silent, she continued angrily. ¡°Do as you wish. Do whatever you want.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And resurrecting me as a woman, you have quite the twisted taste¨C¡± That was her last word. - Swish...! ¡°You talk too much.¡± Frey, staring at her, drew his sword and decapitated her in one swift motion. - Thud... Her head rolled on the ground, her face frozen in shock. Frey calmly wiped the blood from his sword. - Crackle... The sword¡¯s blade glowed with a familiar blue light, a spell that greatly slowed the victim¡¯s perception of time. ¡°There is a hell prepared for beings like you. I don¡¯t need to waste my energy on you.¡± Frey, looking at her severed head with a disgusted expression. ¡°You enjoyed yourself up until now, yet you tried to escape at the last moment. How pathetic.¡± He sheathed his sword slowly. ¡°Become the being you so despised and suffer for eternity.¡± It was a pitiful and wretched end for a being that once threatened the entire dimension. . . . . ¡°L-Lunar, look at me! My hair has turned white!¡± The Sun God, now human, approached Lunar with a tearful face. ¡°...Yes, it has.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same hair I had when I was human... I really am human now...¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Lunar¡¯s response was indifferent. ¡°...Lunar, is something wrong?¡± The Sun God noticed the oddness and asked cautiously, but Lunar remained silent. ¡°Hey, little one.¡± ¡°Yes, Hero?¡± Meanwhile, Glare, staring into space, turned at Frey¡¯s question. ¡°Do you remember the location of the purgatory?¡± ¡°Ah... Yes! I always record the coordinates of new places!¡± ¡°...Good. We can visit and bully her whenever we want.¡± Frey smiled and turned to approach Solar and Lunar. ¡°But, Hero!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Glare called out to him. ¡°I have something to show you!¡± ¡°...?¡± Glare, with a serious expression, began to expand the system window floating in front of her. Auto-recorded /genesisforsaken Chapter 453: The Second Wish Chapter 453: The Second Wish Glare began to zoom in on the screen, showing a person who was both familiar and unfamiliar to them. ¡°What the heck, you look so annoying...¡± ¡°Hero~!¡± Important scenes of the forgotten and foolish girl started to play on the screen. The girl on the screen always gazed at Frey with cold, indifferent eyes, as if he was a mere bug while showering Ruby with infinite affection. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can love you anymore.¡± ¡°The chance is over now.¡± ¡°Hehe, haha...¡± As Frey, Serena, and Ruby watched the girl¡¯s foolish actions in a daze, their interactions with Roswyn briefly flashed before their eyes, making their faces pale. Nevertheless, the record continued to flow, revealing how Roswyn became isolated and abandoned by everyone. ¡°...¡± The record, which had been playing at a fast speed, slowed down a bit when it showed Roswyn living a reclusive life alone in her room. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry, Frey.¡± ¡°I prepared flowers for you.¡± Roswyn¡¯s room was filled with photos of Frey, and around those photos, she had placed may lilies and starlight flowers, which she had bought by exhausting the guild¡¯s assets. ¡°...¡± But eventually, even that stopped as she crouched and spent her days powerlessly. ¡°I¡¯m... going to quit the guild.¡± ¡°...What?¡± One day, as Roswyn was diligently reading ¡®12 Ways to Overcome Depression,¡¯ Lunar, in her human form, visited the guild, now empty except for Roswyn, and delivered the news. ¡°W-Wait a minute... I-If you leave too...¡± ¡°Thank you for your hard work all this time.¡± ¡°...W-Wait.¡± ¡°Goodbye.¡± So, Lunar, who had been by Roswyn¡¯s side since childhood, left, and Roswyn, for the first time, was completely alone. ¡°Ha, Sob...¡± Sitting in her room for a long time, she clutched the book she was reading and began to cry sorrowfully. ¡°Huaaaaaa...¡± Her cries, echoing through the now empty guild, resounded in the Imaginary World, reaching everyone¡¯s ears. ¡°Ros... wyn.¡± ¡°Could it be that the sense of unease we¡¯ve felt until now...¡± Frey and Ruby¡¯s eyes started to shake at that moment. . . . . . ¡°Cough, cough...¡± The record, which had been playing quickly, slowed down again, showing Roswyn sitting at her desk, typing with lifeless eyes while covering her mouth to suppress a dry cough. ¡°Ugh...¡± After coughing for a long time, her shoulders heaving, Roswyn looked at her hand with weak eyes. - Drip... A considerable amount of blood had pooled in her hand and was dripping down on the desk. - Tap, tap... She stared blankly at it for a while, then reached for a tissue with trembling hands to wipe her hand clean before resuming her typing. Title: I need to take a break today... I¡¯m so sorry for taking breaks so often right near the end of the story. I¡¯ve been pushing myself a bit too hard lately... Then, as if she had been beaten, she shrank back and anxiously watched for reactions. - Crack... She chewed her nails obsessively as she anxiously checked for responses, gradually reading through the comments that started to come in. ¡°Heh, hehe...¡± Soon, a foolish laugh escaped her lips. ¡°I got praised again today...¡± Fortunately, the comments were all about worrying for her or offering comfort. ¡°I feel good...¡± Despite being on the brink of disappearing due to the constant depletion of divine power, she fell asleep at her desk with a happier smile than ever. . . . . . ¡°I don¡¯t want to disappear like this...¡± The record continued to flow and was now nearing its end. ¡°P-Please, save me...¡± Roswyn trembled with fear and despair at the thought of complete annihilation. ¡°S-Someone, please... save me...¡± The sight of her was so miserable and pitiful that it was almost unbearable to watch. ¡°Haa, haa...¡± Her breath, which had been gradually slowing, became shallow. ¡°At least, for the last moment... I don¡¯t want to look ugly...¡± As Roswyn gave her sad yet beautiful smile for one last time, her figure began to dissipate slowly. - Shaaa... ¡°In truth, more than anyone, I...¡± Just as Frey, who was watching her image on the system screen, reached out his hand, ¡°...loved you.¡± With her final words, the most dazzling sunset in the world quietly faded away. - Zzzz... Then, Glare¡¯s system flickered and turned off. ¡°...¡± A long, heavy silence lingered in the Imaginary World. - Thud... Eventually, Serena collapsed among the bewildered heroines, her face was pale as a sheet. ¡°...¡± Ferloche quietly bowed her head with a dark complexion. ¡°Ah...¡± As if her memory had returned, the Lunar let out a sigh with her mouth agape. ¡°...Roswyn.¡± Ruby, vaguely realizing why Roswyn had rejected flowers all this time, began to bite her lip quietly. - Thump, thump... Frey, who had been slowly looking around at everyone, quietly started walking forward. ¡°Moon God.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Do you remember the coordinates of that place?¡± When he finally reached Lunar and asked, she nodded absentmindedly. ¡°Please take me there.¡± ¡°What?¡± Hearing Frey¡¯s trembling voice, she looked at him questioningly. ¡°...Please.¡± Frey, who had already retrieved something from his inventory and was holding it tightly in his hand, muttered in a hollow voice. . . . . . Some time later. ¡°Here it is...¡± ¡°...¡± The Moon God, still looking dazed, led me to a place as dark as the Imaginary World but several times smaller. ¡°This is... the place where she was...¡± She tried to explain to me but was rendered speechless by the sight. ¡°...¡± I was also left speechless. The traces of Roswyn¡¯s stay, the hardships she endured, and the pain she went through were all still present in the surroundings. - Zzzz... Zzz... The computer, which had lost its owner, was flickering and making crackling sounds, and numerous papers were piled up around it. ¡°...¡± As I looked at those, I saw traces of her planning works to save this world and dried blood stains. ¡°Roswyn...¡± Seeing those made my heart ache. A letter to you And that pain peaked when I found a piece of paper with the only written words in the space filled with countless blank sheets. I love you SunsetThe blank sheets definitely smelled of fresh ink, but this was the only remaining text. She probably wanted to write me a letter before she disappeared. But since her record of existence was erased, this was all that remained. ¡°...?¡± While I was staring blankly at the letter she had written with all her heart, a flower scent began to fill the air. - Shhhh... The Moon God bowed her head and emitted a gentle light onto the flowers scattered in the center of the room. These flowers must have been left behind by Roswyn as she disappeared. Although the Moon God was desperately trying to restore them, they were merely regaining their vitality and spreading their fragrance... It was too late. Roswyn, the one who brought happiness to me and everyone, had completely left our side in return. ¡°...I will use my wish.¡± As I gritted my teeth and spoke in a slightly trembling voice, the Moon God, who had been continuously emitting light onto the flowers, slowly lifted her head. ¡°Even if she has disappeared from all timelines... there is a record left in the ¡®system.¡¯¡± My memory of her returned after looking at the automatic record left in Glare¡¯s Helper System. The system, which facilitated Roswyn¡¯s erasure, had preserved her record. Which means... The system may actually wished for her resurrection... ¡°Can¡¯t the system itself bring her back?¡± ¡°That might be possible...¡± I suggested this to the Moon God, but her response was pessimistic. ¡°But without a related quest or mission, it¡¯s a meaningless assumption...¡± ¡°I-If we interfere with the system...¡± ¡°...I¡¯ve tried several times, but it doesn¡¯t work.¡± The Moon God, with a voice full of regret, continued. ¡°It feels like the system is rejecting me...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Was this how she felt...?¡± With that, the Moon God, half in a state of giving up, started to cry silently, but I couldn¡¯t afford to do the same. ¡°A wish, what about my wish?¡± Thus, clinging to the last hope, I cried out. ¡°A wish is within our authority as gods. We cannot go against the system that is above us...¡± ¡°But the wish granted to me by you, the Moon God, is guaranteed by the system, right?¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°Originally, the only wish guaranteed to me was from the Sun God. The wishes from the Moon God and the Star God were newly created by the system... So wouldn¡¯t it be possible to bring her back?¡± For a hurried statement, it was quite a convincing argument. ¡°That might be...¡± At least to us, who desperately wanted to save Roswyn somehow. ¡°I will use the second wish.¡± So, with all my sincerity, I made the second wish. ¡°Please bring Roswyn back to life.¡± I fervently hoped that the end of our story would be without regret. ¡°...¡± But the reply from the Moon God after a long silence was enough to shatter that hope completely. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There¡¯s not enough divinity left in me.¡± ¡°What do you mean...¡± ¡°To fulfill that wish, it requires the power of two wishes.¡± It felt like the world was collapsing around me. ¡°Ah...¡± The perfect happy ending that I had so confidently promised to everyone, the one I was so sure I had barely managed to achieve... In the end, was it just unachievable in the first place? ¡°The power of two wishes...¡± I couldn¡¯t sacrifice Kania¡¯s divinity. If she yielded her divinity now, she wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the vast amount of dark energy. So, should I sacrifice the Star God¡¯s wishes? If I gave up my last bucket list... Then maybe it would be possible... ¡°Our divinity has already been converted into wish tokens... We can¡¯t transfer it.¡± ¡°What do you mean...¡± ¡°...You can only make one wish at a time.¡± Even my last assumption was brutally shattered by the Moon God¡¯s explanation. ¡°From the moment the system executed it... no, from the moment she chose to sacrifice herself, it was impossible to bring Roswyn back...¡± Listening to the Moon God, only one scene kept replaying in my mind. - I don¡¯t think I can love you anymore. If only I could go back to that time. How good would it be? If I had just praised her a little more. If I had just shown her a little more attention. Could all of this have changed? She rewrote our story, even at the cost of abandoning herself, and defined us all. Yet I, having forgotten her, couldn¡¯t help her back. Even as she whispered her unreachable love to me and disappeared. - Srrrr... Thinking that, I picked up one of the flowers scattered around and stroked it. The flowers, as if pleased to see me, emitted a fragrant scent. ¡°...¡± It was a sweet yet somehow nostalgic and poignant floral scent. . . . . . ¡°Frey...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It¡¯s time to get up...¡± I had been burying my face in the flowers for a while. ¡°You can¡¯t stay like this forever...¡± ¡°...I¡¯m sorry, Roswyn.¡± At the Moon God¡¯s words, I whispered and quietly stood up. ¡°I¡¯ve regretted enough already.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve all regretted it to the point of exhaustion.¡± As I spoke to the Moon God in a now clearer voice, she looked puzzled. ¡°So, at least for the end of the story we all created, I hope there won¡¯t be any regrets.¡± ¡°But... there¡¯s no way...¡± ¡°No.¡± Why was it, all of a sudden, that the solution to all this came to my mind? ¡°There is a way.¡± ¡°I will use the second wish.¡± As I said that and reached out my hand, the Moon God, Lunar, still looked puzzled. ¡°What are you talking about...¡± Frey: I can transfer my divinity to you, right? ¡°...!?¡± When I sent her a chat message, she widened her eyes and stared at me. ¡°How did you... in the chat...?¡± ¡°...Haha.¡± It was time to make the second wish. . . . . . - Shaaaa... A crimson light, not too bright but so beautiful, began to spread through the dark debug room. ¡°...¡± Frey and Lunar, holding hands and gazing up, watched the ethereal scene in a daze. - Srrrr... Roses began to float up into the air. - Crackle...! As Lunar watched, swallowing nervously and sweating, a dazzlingly bright light burst from the center of the light cluster, illuminating the debug room. ¡°Kyah!?¡± ¡°...¡± Lunar, who had squinted her eyes shut due to the phenomenon, slowly opened them to confirm what was happening in front of her. ¡°...!¡± Then she froze in shock. ¡°Ah...?¡± At the same time, a tense voice was heard from within the surrounding light cluster. ¡°I-Is this... a hallucination? Like a mirage...?¡± As the girl who emerged from the light began to babble, Lunar, standing dumbfounded, covered her mouth with her hand and sank to the ground. ¡°Huh? Why are you here...?¡± The girl approached, slightly pleased to see Lunar. ¡°...Wait.¡± Then, spotting the boy standing beside Lunar with a gentle smile, she widened her eyes and halted. ¡°F-F-F-Frey?¡± As Frey, who was smiling at her, started to approach, the confused girl, Roswyn, began to step back. ¡°I... I don¡¯t understand.¡± With a puzzled expression, Roswyn looked back and forth between Frey and Lunar, who was in tears. ¡°W-What¡¯s going on? I... I definitely... disappeared, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Is this... really a mirage?¡± She alternated glances between the silent Frey and the tearful Lunar before jumping to her own conclusion. ¡°A-Ah, I see... This must be the last illusion before I disappear...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Since you are the ones I wanted to see the most, it must be true. Hehe...¡± As she resumed walking with a slightly excited expression, she tilted her head in confusion. ¡°But why isn¡¯t Ruby here?¡± ¡°...Roswyn.¡± ¡°Eek!?¡± Frey suddenly spoke, causing Roswyn to flinch in surprise. - Srrrr... ¡°W-What?¡± When Frey embraced her, Roswyn began to mumble in confusion. ¡°It¡¯s... too vivid to be a hallucination.¡± ¡°...That¡¯s because it¡¯s not.¡± ¡°W-What?¡± As Roswyn¡¯s eyes wavered at his words, Frey smiled softly. ¡°What do you mean...¡± ¡°I used a wish to bring you back.¡± ¡°...!?¡± Upon hearing his words, Roswyn stared at Frey with her mouth agape. ¡°N-No...¡± A moment later, Roswyn, who was in Frey¡¯s arms, spoke with a trembling voice. ¡°C-Cancel it right away.¡± As she said this, she began to squirm to escape his embrace. ¡°How could you waste a wish on someone like me!? Are you stupid?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s a very precious wish! The only one you had!! You can¡¯t use it on me!!¡± But Frey didn¡¯t release her, and tears began to form in Roswyn¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m the foolish one who always pushed you away, aren¡¯t I...?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The one who caused you so much pain, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So leave me and use that wish for something more valuable... for yourself...¡± Her tear-filled voice echoed through the debug room. ¡°Wish for something more valuable for yourself...¡± Finished speaking, overwhelmed by her emotions, she buried her face in Frey¡¯s chest. ¡°Roswyn.¡± As Frey looked at her, he patted her shoulder and began to speak. ¡°I think you misunderstood something.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°This wish, it wasn¡¯t for anyone else but me.¡± Roswyn, hearing Frey¡¯s slightly tired voice, slowly lifted her head and stared at him. ¡°Well, thanks to that, I had to retire as a god the day I became one.¡± ¡°You... gave up your godhood for me!?¡± Realizing what Frey had sacrificed, she began to struggle again in shock. ¡°Cancel it right away!! Quickly!!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m the foolish, selfish one who always hurt you! Why would you go so far...!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you understand yet?¡± Frey gently rested his forehead against hers and whispered softly. ¡°This wish to bring you back was for me.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°You, who remembered the forgotten past, who resisted this tragedy till the end, who saved us all...¡± Roswyn heard the words she had longed to hear. ¡°...I love you too.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Tears began to flow from Roswyn¡¯s eyes as she finally entrusted herself to Frey. ¡°Hero...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back to everyone, Roswyn.¡± The soft light of the dawn gently enveloped them both. Chapter 454: The Last Wish Chapter 454: The Last Wish - Crackle... ¡°...!¡± As sparks flew in the imaginary world, everyone¡¯s attention focused on the light. - Flash...! Then, three people holding hands appeared at the center, causing their eyes to widen. ¡°Frey, how did it go?¡± ¡°D-Did the wish succeed...?¡± The heroines, who had been watching the girl hide behind Frey as soon as they appeared, cautiously asked Frey. ¡°Yes, it worked.¡± Frey smiled at them and nodded, then gently spoke to Roswyn, who was crouched behind him. ¡°You should say hello.¡± ¡°B-But...¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. They¡¯ve all been waiting for you.¡± Encouraged by Frey¡¯s reassurance, Roswyn timidly peeked out and saw the heroines in her view. ¡°U-uh.¡± Roswyn, staring blankly at them, squeezed her eyes shut and clung to Frey¡¯s back. ¡°There are too many people...¡± Having spent a long time alone, she wasn¡¯t used to being around so many people. - Step, step... While Roswyn trembled behind Frey, someone began walking slowly toward her. ¡°...Eek!?¡± When the person got right in front of Roswyn, she realized their presence and was startled. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ruby hugged Roswyn tightly, watching her deflate like a balloon in her arms. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, we wouldn¡¯t have made it to today.¡± ¡°Huh? W-What do you mean...¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡± ¡°P-Puha...¡± As Ruby, smiling, patted Roswyn¡¯s shoulder and stepped back, Roswyn let out a long breath she had been holding. ¡°Is this really happening...?¡± Even though her memories had returned, she couldn¡¯t believe that they would treat her so well, so she muttered with a suspicious expression. ¡°But... this is too happy to be a hallucination or a dream...¡± Recently, her hallucinations and dreams had always been negative nightmares, so she pondered her current situation with a confused expression. ¡°...Hello.¡± ¡°Hi there?¡± ¡°Eek...!¡± When she saw Serena and Ferloche creeping up on either side of her, Roswyn flinched and shrank back again. ¡°We have a lot to apologize for. We didn¡¯t realize you were the key to this story.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for giving you such an absurd nickname.¡± But despite Roswyn¡¯s reaction, apologies poured out toward her. Why is everyone being so nice to me...? Roswyn, who had expected cold glares, was puzzled as she looked at the two apologizing and the other heroines approaching with similar expressions. No matter how I think about it, there¡¯s no reason for this...? She wondered if Frey had told them about what she had done, but even then, she felt that wouldn¡¯t be enough to offset her past actions. So why were they treating her so well? ¡°Uh, uh...¡± Suddenly, anxiety began to grow in her heart. Was all this just a pleasant dream? Was this the final vision she saw before disappearing? ¡°Thank you for remembering me, even though I was forgotten.¡± As these thoughts filled her mind, Ruby¡¯s words reached her. ¡°...Sob.¡± Roswyn, momentarily dazed by those words, suddenly felt overwhelmed and began to tremble. ¡°Ugh, Sob...¡± Why was this happening? She still didn¡¯t understand what those words meant. But for some reason, those words made her heart swell with emotion. ¡°Huuu...¡± And so, she bowed her head and began to cry. ¡°I-I¡¯m grateful too...¡± But still not understanding why she was crying, Roswyn guessed it was because Ruby had praised her, and she replied cautiously. ¡°Thank you... for the praise...¡± But before she could finish her sentence, she started crying in Ruby¡¯s arms. ¡°I¡¯m so relieved...¡± As she spoke unconsciously, everyone¡¯s eyes began to well up with tears. ¡°That we¡¯ve all reached a true happy ending...¡± - Hug... ¡°H-Hic...!¡± Thus, the heroines, hugging each other and sharing their emotions, soon gathered around Roswyn. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what it is, but... thank you all...¡± Among them, Roswyn, wiping her tears and smiling foolishly, held onto the rose Frey had taken out from his inventory. ¡°Hehe...¡± . . . . . ¡°...That was close.¡± Frey, watching Roswyn, who was crying tears of joy from all the praise, glanced at the rose in her hand and muttered quietly. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t put the flower in my inventory then, it could¡¯ve been dangerous.¡± Roswyn¡¯s complexion was gradually brightening as she held the flower. ¡°Yes, it was a close call.¡± ¡°...?¡± Someone quietly approached Frey. ¡°Such a coincidence.¡± ¡°...¡± The Star God, who had finally appeared in her true form after a long time, winked and spoke to Frey, who looked up at her with half-closed eyes. ¡°Are you saying this wasn¡¯t a coincidence either?¡± ¡°Well, just a guess... but maybe you unconsciously remembered her, which is why you acted the way you did?¡± ¡°...I see.¡± The Star God, who began speaking seriously, whispered to Frey, who seemed indifferent. ¡°Just like she unconsciously played the role of the lock until now.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take it too seriously. It¡¯s just a guess. Even I have a hard time understanding the subconscious mind.¡± ¡°...What¡¯s your point?¡± But as her tone quickly shifted to playful, Frey asked, and the Star God placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Take good care of that girl.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± ¡°From my perspective, having watched everything, she¡¯s as pitiable as your gem and the main heroines.¡± Then, a brief silence passed. ¡°It feels like a dream... I dreamed of moments like this every day...¡± ¡°Just keep that in mind.¡± Watching Roswyn, who was being comforted and crying tears of joy, Frey nodded with a gentle smile. ¡°So, then... it¡¯s time to make your last wish, isn¡¯t it?¡± Now reassured, the Star God returned to her usual playful tone. ¡°What will it be? Wealth? Honor? Pleasure?¡± ¡°...You know I don¡¯t need those things.¡± ¡°Right, you¡¯ve already achieved it all.¡± The Star God chuckled at Frey¡¯s calm response. ¡°You¡¯re one of the richest men in the world, everyone knows you¡¯re the Hero, and you¡¯ll experience pleasure every night until you¡¯re exhausted...¡± ¡°...Well, that¡¯s a bit.¡± ¡°Wait, was that a wish?¡± As Frey muttered, breaking into a cold sweat, the Star God leaned in with a mischievous grin. ¡°I could make you an eunuch if you want...¡± ¡°Are you joking?¡± ¡°I could also make you the world¡¯s most beautiful girl? You could become¨C¡± But as she continued to speak excitedly, she noticed the cold stares from afar and began to sweat. ¡°...I guess I can¡¯t even joke around, haha.¡± The heroines, who had been comforting Roswyn, all glared at her, causing her to whistle and scratch her head before turning her gaze back to Frey. ¡°So, what¡¯s your last wish, Hero, before you become a mummy tonight?¡± Hearing those words, Frey slowly opened his mouth, his heart pounding wildly. ¡°My last wish is...¡± . . . . . The next day, at Starlight Mansion. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s been a while.¡± Having returned from a long business trip, Frey¡¯s father, Abraham, took off his coat and spoke. ¡°Everyone, how have you been...¡± But he stopped mid-sentence. ¡°...What was I thinking?¡± The mansion was empty. He had dismissed all the staff months ago. ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped. I need to support Frey.¡± Standing in the empty mansion, Abraham started folding his coat himself for the first time in decades, muttering to himself. ¡°As an outsider, I¡¯ve held the position of head for too long. If I¡¯m not careful, I could hold him back...¡± Entering the mansion, Abraham muttered with a slightly bitter expression. ¡°Still... it does feel a bit lonely.¡± Leaving those words behind, Abraham began trudging up to his room with his head slightly bowed. ¡°Brother!?¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Brother!?¡± But halfway up the stairs, someone burst out from the second floor with a clattering sound. ¡°Aria? Weren¡¯t you with Frey?¡± ¡°Dad.¡± It was none other than Aria. Seeing her father climbing the stairs, Aria mumbled with a very dark expression. ¡°Dad, you know something, don¡¯t you.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? And why do you look like that?¡± ¡°About Brother¡¯s whereabouts.¡± ¡°...Frey¡¯s whereabouts?¡± But Abraham, not understanding, tilted his head. ¡°Brother said he¡¯d be back soon, but it¡¯s already been a year.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The sisters just say he¡¯ll be back soon, and no one else even knows he¡¯s gone.¡± Aria collapsed to the floor with a broken expression unfit for her age. ¡°Did I... do something wrong again?¡± A tear streamed down her cheek. ¡°It¡¯s because I did something wrong again, isn¡¯t it? Brother isn¡¯t coming back because of me?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It¡¯s all my fault... I didn¡¯t stop him back then...¡± ¡°Stop that!¡± Abraham, who had been staring blankly at Aria, rushed to her and grabbed her arms as she started pulling her hair. ¡°What on earth happened during the few months I was away?¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°...Don¡¯t cry, Aria.¡± He began to soothe her slowly. ¡°You said everything was fine in your letters... What on earth...¡± ¡°It¡¯s all... all my fault... Because of me, Brother... because of me, Mom...¡± ¡°...!¡± Abraham flinched in surprise at her words. ¡°...I don¡¯t know where you heard that, but it¡¯s completely wrong.¡± ¡°Hic...¡± ¡°...And why are you acting like Frey is dead?¡± Abraham gently stroked Aria¡¯s hair and took a letter out of his pocket. ¡°...What?¡± Aria, seeing the letter, widened her eyes and grabbed it. Something urgent came up. Can we meet at the mansion tomorrow at 12 P.M? FreyAria stared at the letter that was unmistakably written by her brother and hurriedly asked. ¡°When did you get this?¡± ¡°Last night. He sent one to you too, but you must not have seen it?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There was a similar letter in the mailbox. I guess you missed it?¡± Upon hearing that, Aria jumped up and ran towards the entrance. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t run...¡± Abraham, worried she might get hurt, started to follow her, but then he stopped and waved happily. ¡°My son!¡± Frey was standing at the entrance with a gentle smile. ¡°Brother!¡± Aria, who had hurriedly opened the door, saw her brother and ran to him without any hesitation. ¡°Ouch.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go!! I was wrong... Please, don¡¯t!¡± Clinging to Frey so tightly that her hands turned white, Aria acted as if she would lose him if she let go. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything, Brother... I¡¯ll do whatever you want... So please...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t leave me...¡± As she rubbed her head against Frey¡¯s chest, tears filled her eyes and soaked his clothes. ¡°I¡¯m a bit late, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°You were too late...¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m really sorry, Aria.¡± Frey stroked her head and carefully picked her up into his arms. ¡°I won¡¯t leave again.¡± ¡°Brother. I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my fault...¡± ¡°No more tears.¡± ¡°...Sniff.¡± As Frey spoke to her in the tone he used when they were young, Aria looked into his eyes, forced back her tears, and began to tremble. ¡°Why were you so late?¡± ¡°...I fought a bad guy and lost for a while.¡± ¡°...!¡± Hearing Frey¡¯s answer, Aria hurriedly checked his clothes. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Because of you, I managed to beat him and return Aria.¡± ¡°Huh? Because of me?¡± ¡°Your handkerchief and your newly awakened powers saved me.¡± Frey continued, pinching her cheek lightly and smiling brightly, causing Aria¡¯s eyes to waver. ¡°Thank you, my sister.¡± ¡°U-uh...¡± ¡°In return, I¡¯ll stay by your side forever.¡± ¡°Brother...¡± Aria finally relaxed and buried her head in Frey¡¯s chest. ¡°...Son, what is all this?¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± Frey, patting Aria¡¯s back, gently told Abraham and began walking again. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to show you both.¡± . . . . . ¡°Son, where we¡¯re going?¡± ¡°...?¡± Abraham and Aria followed Frey to the second floor and saw him standing in front of a familiar yet long-unvisited door. ¡°This is... Mom¡¯s room, Brother.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Aria, who had just calmed down in Frey¡¯s arms, spoke with a fearful expression, and Frey responded with a quiet smile. ¡°What I want to show you is inside.¡± ¡°Inside here?¡± ¡°...Are you serious?¡± Aria and Abraham asked Frey, glancing at him with uneasy eyes. ¡°Aria, will you open it?¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Frey, what is this...¡± Seeing Frey¡¯s serious expression, the two realized he was sincere and fell into confusion. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°¡±...¡±¡± Frey¡¯s demeanor was so earnest that, after glancing at each other a few times, they finally turned their trembling eyes to the door. ¡°What... what¡¯s inside?¡± ¡°Is there a treasure in there?¡± ¡°More valuable than treasure... It¡¯s something priceless.¡± ¡°...What is it?¡± ¡°Our happiness.¡± As Abraham scratched his head at Frey¡¯s cryptic words, Aria reached out a trembling hand to the doorknob. ¡°I... I¡¯ll trust you, Brother.¡± ¡°...Really?¡± ¡°Yes, so please don¡¯t ever leave again, okay?¡± With those words, Aria, holding Frey, slowly opened the door. ¡°Now, all I have are Dad and Brother¨C¡± The sight inside caused her voice to cut off abruptly. ¡°What... what is it?¡± Abraham, who had been watching Aria¡¯s unstable condition closely, peeked into the room to see what was causing her reaction. ¡°...¡± He too fell silent, staring in disbelief. ¡°...No way.¡± Before them, in the center of the room filled with shimmering starlight particles, ¡°Ho...¡± stood the person they had missed every single day, the one they had kept in their hearts all their lives. ¡°Honey...?¡± The person they had longed to see so much stood there with a bewildered expression. ¡°Abraham...?¡± As she stood in the glowing starlight, she began to call their names. ¡°Aria...?¡± At that moment, the three of them realized a miracle had occurred. ¡°Frey...?¡± The Duchess of Starlight, Frey¡¯s mother, with a joyful expression, began to approach them. ¡°M-Mom!!!¡± Aria, who had been frozen in Frey¡¯s arms, screamed and ran to her mother. ¡°How... how is this possible...?¡± Abraham, with trembling steps, approached her, tears streaming down his face for the first time since she died, and took her hand. ¡°You¡¯re still as strong as ever.¡± Watching them, Frey¡¯s mother made a tearful joke. ¡°Got you.¡± Frey, who had held back his tears until now, finally let them flow as he hugged her. ¡°Oh my...¡± Seeing her son, who had grown so much, she looked down at him lovingly. ¡°...Now Mom¡¯s it.¡± Feeling the warmth of his mother again after so long, Frey whispered the words he had wanted to say for so long. ¡°...Seems so.¡± She, hugging Aria and Abraham, responded softly. The Starlight family, without anyone saying a word, hugged each other and shared the joy of their reunion. ¡°I never want to play tag with Mom again...¡± ¡°Mom, I-I-I missed you so much...¡± ¡°How... how did this miracle happen...¡± Frey¡¯s third and final wish, his ultimate bucket list, had been granted. Chapter 455: A Truly Happy World (The End) Chapter 455: A Truly Happy World (The End) I was the greatest villain in the empire. Because of me, the world burned, my loved ones hated me, and my family left my side. Every moment was a struggle and a test of my limit. The only thing I could do was keep running, hoping for the end that would someday come. I spent those days shedding miserable tears, breaking down, and even half-losing my mind. Yet, the trials and hardships that were thrown in front of me continued. The endless hills of tragedies made me want to give up countless times. How many times have I looked at the hill of never-ending tragedies and told myself that I wanted to give up everything? I wanted to let go of everything and find peace so badly that I prayed to the heavens countless times to take the burden away. But in the end, I couldn¡¯t do that. ... If I cannot let go of my burden. Because the last prayers that I did every day before the regression were always the same. I will force myself to swallow it. The small act of rebellion I made was declaring that I would do all of this not by the will of the heavens, but by my own will. The reason I was a hero was because I wanted to define it myself. Looking back now, it was quite ironic. The reason I could realize my divinity and use transcendent power at the last moment. It was because of the conviction, determination, and identity that started from that small act of rebellion. It was a coincidental yet inevitable miracle that came to me when I was completely broken and pushed to the extreme. And that miracle did not only come to me. The heroines I loved so dearly. Those who were mere pawns and puppets of the mastermind eventually discovered their own identities in the long tragedy. At the last moment, despite the interference of the mastermind, they defined themselves and provided crucial help. And ¡®her¡¯ whom the mastermind despised the most. She played a decisive role in weaving our miracles into a story. That¡¯s right. Because of that, as you who are reading our story somewhere now know, We finally reached the end we had longed for. We all got a happy ending. A happy ending. In other words, the true ending. Honestly, it still didn¡¯t quite feel real. But since we reached the end we wanted so much, I wanted to end it with the words I¡¯ve always wanted to say and put the most beautiful period on it. Even though I was the greatest villain in the empire. The current me is... . . . . . ¡°Young Master.¡± ¡°Huh, uh?¡± I was staring blankly out the window in my room in the mansion when I quietly turned my head at Kania¡¯s voice. ¡°What are you daydreaming about?¡± ¡°Oh... well...¡± ¡°It¡¯s time to leave. If you¡¯re ready, please come out.¡± It felt a bit embarrassing to say I was being sentimental due to reminiscing about the past, and it would be awkward to say I was just about to recite a word to end all the grievances in my heart. ¡°...Alright.¡± So I quietly closed my mouth and started following Kania. ¡°Young Master, just to make sure... there are no more quests, right?¡± Then Kania, with a slightly wary look, asked that question. Recently having become the second Demon God, she proudly declared a refusal of her duties and returned as my butler. She said the status of ¡®Butler of Young Master Frey¡¯ was enough for her. ¡°Of course. The system is completely gone. I¡¯m free now.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± When I confidently assured her, Kania smiled gently and walked close to me. ¡°By the way, it¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve been alone like this...¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± ¡°It feels like just yesterday when I was sharing secrets with you, Young Master, but time flies.¡± Now that I think about it, it has been quite a while. There was a time when Kania was my only ally. The hopeless yet close feeling from back then was hard to forget. ¡°In that sense, Young Master, how about we...¡± Kania, with a nostalgic expression, opened the door and started to suggest something to me when suddenly, ¡°Hey! Why are you so late!?¡± ¡°H-How rude. Making someone who¡¯s about to become the Empress wait...¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you getting too relaxed? Ferloche fell asleep waiting for you.¡± ¡°Zzzzz... Snore...¡± ¡°As the former Demon King, I should straighten things up.¡± Familiar voices echoed from the entrance. ¡°...Tch.¡± Kania clicked her tongue in disappointment as the other four main heroines and Ruby appeared. ¡°Hey, you freeloading cat. You¡¯ve had enough sweet time these past few days, come down now.¡± ¡°Lady Irina seems to have gotten even more violent.¡± Irina was as cranky as ever. ¡°The dragon bastards are annoying. I¡¯m staying by Frey¡¯s side.¡± After being constantly pestered by the dragons of the western continent since the battle ended, she finally settled things and returned today. Of course, her way of settling things involved her fists and magic rather than peaceful dialogue, but still. ¡°Young Master doesn¡¯t like dogs or reptiles...¡± ¡°What did you say, you brat?¡± She claimed that it was the traditional dragon way of dialogue, so I suppose it didn¡¯t matter much. ¡°F-Frey. You... you haven¡¯t forgotten, have you?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± While thinking that and watching Kania and Irina¡¯s staring contest, a timid voice came from beside me. ¡°T-the... the... the coronation...¡± Clana, who had shrunk under the pressure of the two girls, looked at me with anxious eyes. ¡°The coronation?¡± ¡°Y-yes...¡± As she reminded me, the coronation where she will be crowned empress will be held soon. There would probably be a press conference about me too, and I¡¯m slightly worried about how to handle it. How should I explain my relationship with Clana? ¡°Did you think of a way...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Clana.¡± Well, it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°I have a way.¡± ¡°I... I see.¡± If worse comes to worst, I just have to act crazy again. ¡°Yawn...¡± ¡°Ferloche, we have to go now. Wake up.¡± ¡°Oh, right!¡± After reassuring Clana, I walked to the entrance, where Serena was shaking Ferloche awake. ¡°You¡¯re too late! Frey!¡± ¡°Haha... Sorry.¡± Having fully merged her fool and regressor personalities, she had returned to her pure and cute self and was recently rebuilding the Church with Serena and Clana¡¯s help. The newly established church under their leadership would be an organization focusing on service and mercy with little actual power. ¡°Bad Frey! Fool Frey!¡± While I¡¯m glad her old violent self wasn¡¯t showing, it was a bit regrettable too. But it was necessary to protect her soul. Still, it would be nice to meet that side of her again someday... ¡°If you had been any later, I would have...¡± ¡°...!¡± No. ¡°...dragged you out by force!¡± Both were still alive inside of her. ¡°Chomp...¡± ¡°S-spare me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°...Never mind.¡± I muttered to myself as I hid behind Kania, then cleared my throat awkwardly and stood at the entrance. ¡°You.¡± ¡°...Serena.¡± Then, as if she had been waiting, Serena wrapped her arm around my neck. ¡°We have to announce it at the upcoming press conference, right? About my pregnancy.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Hiding her swollen belly with magic, she seemed to be planning to secure her position during the press conference while quickly rebuilding the Moonlight family. ¡°If you hear any negative opinions, let me know. I¡¯ll handle¨C I mean, I¡¯ll persuade them well.¡± ¡°...¡± Well, can that really be called a plan? ¡°Frey, are you going to announce my news too?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± As I pondered the extent of Serena¡¯s ¡°handling,¡± Ruby cautiously approached from behind. ¡°It seems like the baby will be born around the same time as Serena¡¯s...¡± Recently, Ruby has been sorting out the good demons and remnants of the Demon King¡¯s Army. Her goal was to socialize and re-educate the demons. It was a difficult task, but we tackled more challenging issues before, didn¡¯t we? If we all work together, true peace might not be far off. ¡°Oh my, then shall we raise them together?¡± ¡°Hmm, that sounds good to me.¡± ¡°...¡± Picturing that dreamlike scene in my mind, I walked out the front door, leaving behind the heroines who were watching Ruby and Serena grow closer with anxious expressions. ¡°Frey!¡± ¡°Master!¡± Then, I heard familiar voices again. ¡°You finally decided to come out.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting, hehe.¡± Isolet and Lulu, standing on either side, smiled at me. ¡°Was I that late?¡± ¡°You were a bit late. Tardiness is unacceptable.¡± Isolet, who recently returned to teaching at the academy, planned to teach the new sprouts according to her beliefs. Isolet, who has been fighting lonely battles all this time, would see the academy completely reformed, allowing her beliefs to truly shine. ¡°I¡¯m actually happy!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Master is now able to take his time... It¡¯s the life you always wanted!¡± Lulu was assisting her sister in the re-education of demons. Thanks to her Magic Eyes and the title of former Demon King, those ferocious demons tucked their tails when they saw the two sisters. ¡°If you put it that way, what does that make me...¡± ¡°It¡¯s time for me to return as your pet, Master!¡± ¡°That childish game should stop. Frey finds it burdensome...¡± ¡°Grr...¡± ¡°Grr...¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s all just get on the carriage. Okay?¡± Scratching my head, I separated Isolet and Lulu, who had been bickering more frequently lately, and headed for the carriage. ¡°...¡± Fortunately, they stopped fighting and began following me closely. ¡°Let¡¯s go together!¡± ¡°I¡¯m the Young Master¡¯s butler, so I should sit close to the Young Master.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really annoying.¡± With the main heroines quickly joining in, my surroundings soon became bustling again. - Thud... ¡°...Hmm?¡± Ignoring the sparks flying behind me, I opened the carriage door and saw a familiar face. ¡°Hello!¡± Glare, who had somehow gotten inside the carriage, waved at me with a bright smile. I heard she took a leave of absence from the academy and returned to the Magic Tower. Did I hear wrong? ¡°Today is a field trip! I want to join!¡± Ah, just a whim of the little one. But there didn¡¯t seem to be enough space for her to sit. ¡°Well... it can¡¯t be helped.¡± Scratching my head at the unexpected guest, I sat down and placed her on my lap. ¡°Your lap is warm, hero!¡± She smiled and glanced at the heroines outside. ¡°...¡± For a few seconds, there was a tense exchange of looks in the air. ...What is this? It must be my imagination. ¡°Bleh...¡± ¡°This kid...¡± ¡°Quite bold.¡± Maybe? . . . . . ¡°Young Master, are you really going?¡± After a few minutes of a quiet yet intense struggle for seats, Kania, who ended up sitting in front of me, asked with a puzzled expression. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°You could rest a bit more... Why are you going to the academy?¡± As she said, our destination, now that we were all seated in the carriage, was Sunrise Academy. Yes. We were going to participate in the entrance ceremony as third-year students. ¡°It¡¯s the wish I longed for.¡± And the reason was simple. ¡°From now on, I can enjoy a peaceful and pleasant academy life.¡± Although there was only one year left until graduation, we had a normal and enjoyable third year ahead of us. As a reward for all our hardships, it might seem a bit lacking, but to me, it was a gift worth its weight in gold. ¡°That¡¯s true...¡± ¡°Now we can attend peacefully...¡± ¡°No more dreadful schemes or bloody battles.¡± Agreeing with my words, Kania nodded, and Serena and Ruby, with dreamy expressions, murmured. ¡°I want to go back too!¡± ¡°You¡¯re too young, little one.¡± Glare, sitting on my lap, interrupted with sparkling eyes, but I pinched her cheek with a smile. ¡°Ouch...¡± ¡°You should enjoy the academy life at the right age.¡± Aria, too, was on a leave of absence from the academy, strongly recommended by me and our parents. When she reached the appropriate age and joined the academy with Kadia, the three of them would probably become close friends, right? ¡°Phooey...¡± ¡°Alright then... let¡¯s get going...¡± As I patted the pouting little one¡¯s cheek, I was about to signal the coachman, who had been waiting for an hour, when... ¡°Wait a moment!!!¡± ¡°...?¡± A voice called out urgently from a distance, causing me to pause and stick my head out. ¡°Wait for me!!!¡± ¡°I thought you left already?¡± ¡°I was late because I was making lunch...!!!¡± Holding a lunchbox in her arms, Roswyn was waving frantically as she ran towards the carriage. ¡°Huff... Huff...¡± Eventually, having sprinted a long distance to catch up with us, Roswyn collapsed into the carriage. ¡°First, let¡¯s expand the space with magic.¡± ¡°Should we rearrange the seating?¡± ¡°Talking nonsense again.¡± Helping Roswyn up, the heroines began another serious discussion. ¡°Since she¡¯s late, she should just sit wherever...¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not fair. We should start from the beginning...¡± ¡°I¡¯d prefer a corner...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sit at the master¡¯s feet!¡± ¡°Sigh, can¡¯t we just go?¡± Watching them, I scratched my head and turned my gaze to the window. ¡°Truly peaceful...¡± It was a dreamlike, incredibly happy moment. ¡°...Huh?¡± Listening to the voices of the heroines still arguing, I smiled contentedly and then widened my eyes, fixing my gaze on the mansion¡¯s entrance. ¡°I said you didn¡¯t have to see us off.¡± My father, mother, and Aria were standing at the entrance, waving at us. ¡°See you later.¡± - Squeak... Murmuring as I raised my hand in response to their farewell, the carriage began to move slowly. ¡°Whoa!¡± Taking advantage of the moment, Roswyn quickly sat between Ruby and me, signaling that we were all set to head to the academy. ¡°Tch.¡± ¡°I wonder what the new first-years will be like?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even mention it. There¡¯s already a fan club for Frey...¡± ¡°It¡¯s already overwhelming; we can¡¯t have more.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s all cooperate at the academy...¡± Watching the still serious heroines in the now slightly calmer carriage, I couldn¡¯t help but laugh happily, recalling the words I wanted to say earlier. ¡°Everyone.¡± I, who was the greatest villain in the empire... ¡°I love you.¡± seem to have become the happiest person in the world. ¡°Always.¡± Their smiling faces, as they turned to look at me, confirmed this fact. The Main Heroines Are Trying to Kill Me ¨C Fin Chapter 456: Side Story - The Battle Royale (1) Sunrise Academy, a few weeks before the start of the first semester of the third year. ¡°...Hmm?¡± As I sat on the bed of my dormitory, which I had moved into quite early, taking in the view of the academy outside the window, I received a visitor. ¡°Guuu!¡± ¡°You brought the newspaper again?¡± The visitor was none other than Ferloche¡¯s pet pigeon. Since the dissolution of the church, the pigeon had taken it upon herself to deliver newspapers to me. ¡°I told you before, you don¡¯t have to bring it every day.¡± ¡°Gu!¡± Smiling, I took the newspaper from the pigeon¡¯s beak, and she nodded dumbly. ¡°Okay, okay.¡± She seemed to be asking for a reward. So, as usual, I tore off a corner of my sandwich and gave it to the pigeon, then began to read the newspaper she had brought. The Sun Returns to Its True Form, Ending a Year of Winter. Imperial Invasion Stabilizes, Demonic Monster Appearances Decrease. Hero Frey Breaks Silence, Announces Participation in Empress¡¯ Coronation. Princess Clana Announces Reform of Nobility System. ¡°Predictable stories.¡± ¡°Guu!¡± As I read through the newspaper, a smile naturally spread across my face. In the past, reading the newspaper used to be suffocating, filled with depressing news. But now, hopeful stories filled every page of the newspaper. A Peaceful Era Finally Arrives... ¡°It¡¯s predictable, but that¡¯s a good thing too.¡± What a wonderful thing. Things I once only imagined were now so close I could read about them in the newspaper. As stated in the paper, the severe cold that began last summer and continued into this spring was finally ending, thanks to the sun, which had returned to its warm self after a long absence. That¡¯s right. The empire, frozen by an unprecedented year-long winter, particularly the heavily affected Western Continent, and the Eastern Continent, known for its agriculture, could finally begin to prosper under the sun we¡¯ve reclaimed. The number of demonic monsters has noticeably decreased, and the power of corrupt nobles has been significantly reduced worldwide due to recent events, so there were no longer any obstacles to progress. As the newspaper said, the ¡®era of peace¡¯ I had longed for seemed to be arriving. ¡°Yawn...¡± Thinking back, it felt like a dream. Resting wasn¡¯t truly resting, and every moment felt like walking on a path of thorns, not knowing when I¡¯d fall into the abyss beneath. But now? Here I am, lying on a bed, enjoying a leisurely life with my favorite sandwich and coffee. After all, now that the root of all evil, the Outsider, has been defeated and I¡¯ve been completely liberated from that accursed system, anything I did brought pure joy to my life. Yes. Having endured so much, now, I could live the peaceful and calm life I always desired. ¡°Mmm...¡± With that thought, I stretched out on the bed and quietly closed my eyes. There was plenty of time now, so I thought I¡¯d take a nap on such a leisurely day. Something unimaginable in the past, when merely closing my eyes would fill me with anxiety and make my heart race. But now, it brought nothing but peace and quiet. The trials to overcome, the quests to complete, they were all over. There was nothing left to disturb our happiness. We could just enjoy each moment... ¡°...Huh?¡± As I was about to fall into a relaxed sleep, a sudden sensation spread through my body, causing my eyes to snap open. ¡°W-what is this!?¡± ¡°Gu!?¡± Leaping up from the bed, I startled the pigeon pecking at a piece of sandwich by the window, causing her to flap wildly. ¡°Gu!¡± The pigeon started pecking at my head angrily, but I didn¡¯t even try to protect myself, lost in thought. This feeling...? A strange, ominous feeling was spreading through my body. Why? It was a sensation I hadn¡¯t felt since everything ended. That inexplicable dread I used to feel just before a trial or a main quest, why was it back now? ¡°Mm...¡± Sweat began to trickle down my forehead at the vividness of the sensation, too real to dismiss as mere coincidence. Could another crisis be approaching? ¡°...No, that can¡¯t be.¡± But after taking a deep breath and organizing my thoughts, my worries quickly subsided. Now that everything is over, what crisis could there possibly be? There were no more crises. No misfortune, no hardship could touch us anymore. Our happy ending has already been achieved. So then, why did I still feel this sense of unease? - Squeak... ¡°...!¡± As I sat on the bed with a troubled expression, the door slowly creaked open in front of me. ¡°Who...!¡± Already on edge, I instinctively reached for the sword under the bed, raising my voice. ¡°...Young Master?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Upon seeing who entered the room, I let go of the sword and spoke. ¡°Kania? What brings you here?¡± I had no idea that this was the beginning of everything. . . . . . A few minutes later. ¡°Young Master. Are you alright? You still look very cold...¡± ¡°Oh, yes. I¡¯m fine.¡± Kania, who had wrapped me in a blanket as I shivered from the ominous feeling, sat next to me with a worried expression. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, really.¡± Scratching my head, I noticed Kania squinting her eyes at me. ¡°Even though our emotional link is gone... I can still tell if you¡¯re lying, Young Master.¡± Come to think of it, the Curse of Unity with her had been nullified when Kania became the Demon God. ¡°That¡¯s really gone, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± According to Kania, anyway. I was a bit suspicious, but I felt asking further would be more trouble than it¡¯s worth. ¡°So, why are you here? Didn¡¯t you have things to take care of?¡± ¡°Oh, about that. I have some reports for you, Young Master.¡± She took out her notebook with gleaming eyes. ¡°Please listen for a moment.¡± I realized it had been a while since Kania¡¯s last briefing. ¡°First report.¡± Recalling memories from about two years ago, I quietly listened as Kania began her briefing. ¡°Clana¡¯s coronation is scheduled for next month.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware of that.¡± ¡°There will also be a press conference for you, Young Master. It seems there will be many difficult questions.¡± Given that Clana, soon to be Empress, has no official fiance? yet, it¡¯s only natural that questions about her future spouse will arise. The scandal involving Clana and me from two years ago was still fresh in everyone¡¯s mind, and the press would undoubtedly demand an explanation. ¡°So, what will you do?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Already troubled by the subject, I frowned, and Kania placed a hand on my shoulder and asked. ¡°With just a word from you, Young Master, Serena and I can discreetly¨C¡± ¡°No, no, no.¡± I quickly cut her off and sighed as I answered. ¡°I have a plan in mind, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± Thankfully, Kania nodded in understanding. ¡°So, is that the end of the report?¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s one more important matter.¡± She moved closer to me, lowering her voice. ¡°It¡¯s about the adjustment.¡± ¡°...What?¡± I tilted my head in confusion as she leaned her head against my shoulder with a slightly embarrassed expression. ¡°What do you mean by adjustment?¡± ¡°...¡± Kania was managing dozens of tasks, so it wasn¡¯t clear what she was referring to. - Rustle... ¡°...?¡± As I was about to ask, she suddenly pulled something out of her pocket. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°...¡± It was a silver pocket watch. ¡°Five, four, three...¡± ¡°Kania?¡± She started counting down, leaving me puzzled. ¡°Two... one...¡± What on earth was she doing? ¡°Kania, what are you...¡± ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Before I could finish my question, she smiled brightly at me. ¡°I¡¯ve made the adjustments.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that...?¡± Still clueless, I began to feel frustrated, but then she dropped the bombshell. ¡°It¡¯s your babies.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°Right this moment, I¡¯ve activated the seeds of all the babies resting in the wombs of everyone except Serena and Ruby.¡± ¡°That means...¡± ¡°Yes, every heroine. All pregnant at the same time.¡± As I stared speechlessly at her bold declaration, Kania leaned in and whispered softly. ¡°In fact, I discreetly did it one second earlier than the others.¡± She rubbed her lower abdomen and gave me a sly look before speaking up again. ¡°By the way, Young Master.¡± ¡°...Yes?¡± ¡°May I ask you a question...?¡± Suddenly, she began to envelop me in a dark aura. ¡°W-What is it...?¡± ¡°Why have you been holed up in the dormitory lately...?¡± ¡°Uh, um...¡± It was at that moment I finally understood the ominous feeling I had felt earlier. ¡°Ever since a few months before the academy¡¯s reopening, you¡¯ve been staying in the dormitory. You even left the hotel we rented abruptly.¡± ¡°I...¡± ¡°And there¡¯s a rumor that you¡¯ve interfered with the recently revived ancient magic of the academy¡¯s decency enforcement...¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s...¡± ¡°My lord.¡± Desperately trying to avoid her gaze, I finally locked eyes with her cold, intimidating stare. ¡°Have you grown tired of us?¡± ¡°No, absolutely not!¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± My panicked response must have convinced her somewhat, as she tilted her head thoughtfully before continuing. ¡°Then let¡¯s go back to the hotel.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Everyone is waiting for you.¡± As soon as I heard those words, cold sweat began to break out all over my body. ¡°Are you planning to abandon your pregnant wives? You should at least go and see them.¡± ¡°Wait-¡° ¡°Everyone is waiting. So hurry...¡± Normally, I wouldn¡¯t back down from such a challenge. I wouldn¡¯t let my pride as a man be diminished. But, I had a major issue. ¡°Young Master? Is something wrong?¡± ¡°...¡± Due to using up all my divinity in the final battle, my stellar mana was depleted. As a result, the ¡®Blessing of the Stars,¡¯ which infinitely restores my stamina, has stopped working. I had retreated to this dormitory after a few weeks at the hotel, and I had turned this place into a sanctuary that forbids misconduct due to these circumstances. ¡°Do you have any health issues...?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that...¡± That¡¯s right. I¡¯m in deep trouble. ¡°Really...?¡± ¡°Yes, really, no problems at all!¡± Without the Blessing of the Stars, unless I recover my stellar mana, I would wither and die. ¡°Is that so...?¡± If they realized I couldn¡¯t resist them in my current state, I would also wither and die. ¡°In that case, let¡¯s head to the hotel...¡± ¡°But I have work to do...¡± ¡°Sigh, Young Master.¡± I tried to come up with an excuse to avoid leaving, but Kania, who had pinned me down and straddled me, began to show her true colors with a glint in her eye. ¡°As you know, we all conceived your children today.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± With a slightly excited expression, she started rubbing her thighs against me and whispered. ¡°So, we don¡¯t have much time for romance.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hotel.¡± Pressing her thighs together and whispering excitedly, she continued. ¡°Don¡¯t make me ask twice, Young Master.¡± ¡°K-Kania...¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± She tilted her head with a puzzled expression. ¡°By the way, Young Master, you seem weaker today...¡± ¡°...!!!¡± ¡°Just perfect for one person to monopolize...¡± She murmured as she stroked my cheek, her eyes now filled with desire. ¡°...Should I just take you away?¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± Seeing her eyes light up with realization, I could clearly picture the trouble coming my way. ¡°Help...¡± In desperation, I glanced toward the window, but no miracle would come. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± I was only greeted by the owl, red puppy, canary, and Ruby¡¯s crow, sitting cozily by the window, staring at me. ¡°...Tsk.¡± Kania, somewhat subdued by their collective glare, sighed and spoke. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll take you to the hotel.¡± But my miserable fate seemed unchanged. ¡°Gu.¡± ¡°¡±...?¡±¡± Until the pigeon, which had been watching us, pulled out a piece of paper from the newspaper and held it up. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± Seeing the paper, Kania, the spirits by the window, and I all froze in place. Notice of Rejection of Marriage Registration Even as a hero, you cannot have multiple legal wives. This is based on the first law and ancient magic of the empire...(truncated) According to official records, even the First Hero only had one legal wife. Thus, no exceptions can be claimed... However, considering the Hero¡¯s achievements, this institution has spent several days proving the validity of the ¡®concubine¡¯ system. Thus, we have issued a marriage registration form applicable only to the Hero. Please sign in the appropriate spaces below... Marriage Registration Form Frey Raon Starlight [ ] (Legal Wife) [ ] (Concubine) . . . . . This marked the beginning of the official battle for the position of the legal wife. ¡°Save the /genesisforsaken Chapter 457: Side Story - The Battle Royale (2) ¡°...¡± In a subterranean prison established on the outskirts of the empire. ¡°...?¡± A woman crouching quietly in the solitary cell, deep within the recess of the prison where no light ever reached. She slowly lifted her head at the sense of a presence ahead. ¡°Is it my imagination...¡± But then she lowered her head again, murmuring lifelessly. ¡°No one would come here.¡± Once radiant, now reduced to less than a street beggar, she looked at herself and buried her face in her knees. ¡°No.¡± ¡°...!¡± Then, a faint but inexplicably clear voice echoed in front of her. - Thud...! The woman, who lifted her head again at the voice, widened her eyes as she saw the unconscious guard lying in front of her. - Rifael Solar Sunrise. The voice continued in front of her. - I need your power. Simultaneously, her golden eyes caught sight of the key sticking out of the guard¡¯s pocket. - Let¡¯s ruin the upcoming coronation together. Before she knew it, Rifael found herself reaching for the rusty key. . . . . . This was bad. ¡°Ugh...¡± Something really bad happened. ¡°This is crazy...¡± I didn¡¯t expect the returned marriage registration to include a requirement to decide on the legal wife. ¡°...¡± The only silver lining was that this incident had paused my abduction plan for now. The spirits by the window and even Kania, who was sitting next to me, emanated killing intent and left the room as soon as they read the document. Honestly, I¡¯m not sure whether I should be relieved or not. I¡¯m safe for the moment, but the world was in danger again. Each of these heroines has the power to destroy a kingdom, and if they fight over the position of the legal wife... The world destruction was only a matter of time To prevent the world from ending, I¡¯ve been doing my best over the past few days. I¡¯ve examined the ancient laws of the empire, looked for legal loopholes, and even... If you proceed like this, nothing good will come of it. Do you want to see the empire in ruins over such outdated regulations? I won¡¯t be responsible if the world ends. I sent threatening letters to the officials who rejected my marriage registration. ¡°Oh.¡± Then, it suddenly struck me. A way to bypass the empire¡¯s laws and avoid having to choose a legal wife. ¡°Let¡¯s leave the empire.¡± It was a simple idea. I just had to leave the Empire and marry in other kingdoms. Problem solved, right? How about we emigrate? I sent letters to the heroines who hadn¡¯t contacted me in days with this suggestion, but their replies were simple. We like the Empire. Then, I realized something. And you do too, don¡¯t you? At the sight of the ¡°legal wife¡± clause, their pride, long dormant, had surged to the surface. For these women, no more compromises would work. So, have you chosen who will be your legal wife? ¡°This can¡¯t go on...¡± How do I overcome this first crisis that has struck me since everything ended? Honestly, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to choose a legal wife. My father always told me. ¡°Love them all equally.¡± Now that I¡¯ve taken responsibility for them, I didn¡¯t want to create any hierarchies. If they themselves agreed to set the hierarchy, that was one thing. But I didn¡¯t want to be the one to create distinctions. ¡°...Wait.¡± As I sat on the bed, wracking my brain, an idea came to me, and I reached out. ¡°There¡¯s someone I can ask for advice in times like this.¡± Why didn¡¯t I think of this sooner? There¡¯s someone who could provide a solution for this situation, just a call away. - Beep... beep... As I touched the communication crystal, the call signal rang. - Click...! -...Frey? A deep and reliable voice came through the crystal. The owner of the voice was, of course, my always-respected father. - Oh, it¡¯s you. How have you been? ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Not only was he a senior in life, but according to him, he was also quite knowledgeable about women. If anyone could offer a solution to this complex situation, it was my father. ¡°Sorry to bother you, but are you available to talk?¡± - Ah, well... the thing is... No, he has to offer a solution. - Now¡¯s not a great time... ¡°Father, it¡¯s urgent.¡± The fate of the world depends on him right now. - Just lower your voice a bit first. ¡°Huh?¡± As I pleaded with a desperate voice, it seemed like something was off. - Your voice is too loud. Please lower it... ¡°...Huh?¡± The voice of my father, who was always confident and charismatic, now sounded scared for some reason. And his voice seemed to be echoing. ¡°Father? Are you hiding somewhere?¡± I asked, puzzled by the situation, but the crystal remained silent. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Are you in danger?¡± - No, please... From the sound of it, my father seemed to be in danger. Who could be strong enough to put him in danger? ¡°Wait for me, I¡¯ll come right away...¡± Suppressing my rising anxiety, I prepared to head to where my father was. - Honey...? At the voice coming from the crystal, I fell silent. - I was wondering where you went, were you in the bathroom? - Ah, well... I was just... washing up. - Really? My mother¡¯s clear voice resonated, and my father¡¯s voice, usually so confident, shrank back. - Then come to my room after you¡¯re done. - F-Floria? What do you mean... - We still have a lot of lost time to make up for, don¡¯t we? Oh dear. - I¡¯ll be waiting. What have I done!? ¡°¡±...¡±¡± As my mother¡¯s voice trailed off, silence filled the crystal. Only the sound of her footsteps echoed lightly in the hallway. - ...Son. ¡°Yes, Father.¡± When my father¡¯s trembling voice came through the crystal. - I have to go now. ¡°Yes.¡± I couldn¡¯t bring myself to voice my concerns and ended the call. - Beep... beep... beep... ¡°...¡± Good luck, Father. . . . . . A few hours later. ¡°Fuuu.¡± I stood in front of the hotel the heroines had rented. It felt like stepping into a lion¡¯s den, but I had no choice. Now that consulting with my father was out of the question, I had to handle this myself. ¡°Why do I feel a sense of dread...¡± Returning to the hotel after a few weeks, there was an eerie and ominous atmosphere surrounding the building. Could they have already started fighting? No, that couldn¡¯t be it. If they were fighting, the hotel wouldn¡¯t be standing. At the very least, the surrounding area would be in ruins. Seeing no such signs, I seemed to have made it in time. ¡°...Gulp.¡± Despite these thoughts, my feet felt heavy as I tried to move. It was a relief there was no fighting, but what on earth was happening inside the hotel? The clear weather earlier had given way to dark clouds over the hotel, indicating a less-than-cheerful atmosphere. Entering the hotel felt like entering the maw of a tiger. Maybe I should just flee to a neighboring country? ¡°No, I can¡¯t do that.¡± I shook my head at the thought. There was a reason people turned themselves in for lesser sentences. If I fled and got caught... I could imagine the outcome. ¡°Sigh.¡± It seemed this was the only way forward. Entering that hotel, where an overwhelming sense of killing intent was emanating from. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Hesitating further would only lead to more problems. From another perspective, this was an opportunity. A chance to establish my authority as a husband. I still couldn¡¯t forget my father¡¯s trembling voice from the crystal. So, while resolving this situation, I would also secure my position. I¡¯m not sure if it would work, but... - Knock, knock, knock...! With this resolve, I knocked on the towering hotel door. ¡°Girls, I¡¯m here.¡± Then, in a calm voice, I spoke. - Creak... The firmly closed door of the hotel opened quietly. ¡°Oh.¡± As I tried to keep my composure, I couldn¡¯t help but lose it at the sight before me. ¡°¡±Hello, Frey.¡±¡± The nine heroines stood in two lines on either side of the entrance, bowing politely. All dressed in maid outfits. ¡°¡±Please come in.¡±¡± I-I¡¯m so /genesisforsaken Chapter 458: Side Story - The Battle Royale (3) - Creak... Blinking as I looked inside, I slowly started to close the front door. - Clunk...! But the door stopped midway as if caught on something. ¡°Young Master?¡± Kania was holding the doorknob. ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± She said while pulling me into the hotel. ¡°We were just about to go find you, but you came in on your own.¡± ¡°What are you saying...¡± ¡°Please come in. You won¡¯t be able to leave anyway.¡± Sweating nervously at Kania¡¯s ominous words, I glanced back to see the door already firmly shut. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± It seemed there was no way out. No choice, then. I had to brace myself. ¡°...Umm.¡± Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the lobby and took a closer look at the heroines I had glimpsed earlier. ¡°...What¡¯s going on?¡± Kania, who usually wore only black suits, was now dressed in a frilly maid outfit, her expression as serious as ever. ¡°Damn... One of the few aspects of my identity...¡± Irina stood with her arms crossed, looking highly displeased. ¡°...But this maid outfit is quite constricting.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Next to her, Isolet kept tugging at the tightness around her chest, with Ferloche nodding in agreement. ¡°I don¡¯t mind it...¡± Lulu, who had been panting and trying to show off for me, looked down at her chest and muttered in a gloomy voice. ¡°What¡¯s your plan?¡± ¡°Plan? I just thought this peaceful solution would be better.¡± Meanwhile, Serena, who had magically hidden her pregnant belly, and Ruby were conversing casually. ¡°A-A noblewoman like me... i-in such a lewd maid outfit... Uuuu...¡± ¡°...If you think about it that way, what about me? The future Empress of the world¡¯s strongest nation?¡± Roswyn was blushing like a tomato, fidgeting restlessly, while Clana seemed resigned. ¡°What on earth is going on...¡± To be honest, just a moment ago outside the hotel, I was wondering how to stop them from fighting. Now I was utterly confused. - Whooosh... Even though the atmosphere seemed peaceful, the intense killing intent from before was still palpable. ¡°Hmm.¡± But I couldn¡¯t back down now. I had to use this moment to solidify my position. ¡°You know why I¡¯m here, right? Everyone.¡± Otherwise, a peaceful future couldn¡¯t be guaranteed. ¡°We need to sort this out, so let¡¯s all take a seat...¡± So, I needed to take the lead and... ¡°It¡¯s okay, Frey.¡± As I tried to start a conversation, Ruby, who had been talking to Serena, approached me with a smile. ¡°Everything¡¯s already been settled regarding that.¡± ¡°...What?¡± What did she mean already settled? ¡°So, just follow us.¡± ¡°You just need to participate.¡± Without a chance to ask what she meant, I was pulled along by Ruby and the other heroines. ¡°...This isn¡¯t right.¡± Why did their smiles look so scary? . . . . . A few hours before Frey arrived at the hotel. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± The atmosphere in the lobby, where all the heroines had gathered, was chillingly cold. Contrary to the arctic atmosphere, the air itself was quite heated. - Whoooosh... Irina, who had revealed her dragon scales after a long time, had a massive fireball burning on her outstretched finger. ¡°Are you trying again?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Is the last person standing going to take Frey?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s going to be decided by battle, I won¡¯t back down.¡± Next to her, Kania, Clana, Ferloche, and Isolet were all emanating their own auras, refusing to yield an inch. Marriage Registration Form In the center of them, on the table, lay the marriage registration form, which would take effect as soon as Frey signed it. The killing intent surrounding the white document intensified. ¡°S-Shouldn¡¯t we... stop them?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± Roswyn, who was sitting on the sofa with a timid look, turned to ask, and a calm voice replied. ¡°W-Wwhy...¡± ¡°You need to get used to these everyday disputes too.¡± Serena, leaning back on the sofa, spoke with a gentle and relaxed expression, contrasting sharply with the heroines ready to draw blades at any moment. ¡°B-But... these disputes have nearly destroyed the hotel three times over the past few days...¡± ¡°I have a plan.¡± ¡°Uuh...¡± Having witnessed the ¡®disputes¡¯ unfold firsthand, Roswyn still murmured with an uneasy expression. ¡°...Lulu, doesn¡¯t this seem dangerous too?¡± Turning to Lulu, who was quietly lying next to her, Roswyn asked. ¡°If we don¡¯t stop them now, another big fight might break out...?¡± ¡°...¡± But for some reason, Lulu remained silent. ¡°Lulu?¡± Roswyn began to shake her shoulder, hoping for help, since Lulu had confidently claimed she wasn¡¯t aiming for the legal wife¡¯s position, only to be Frey¡¯s loyal pet. ¡°...Ah.¡± Seeing Lulu¡¯s eyes briefly flash ruby red as her concentration broke, Roswyn opened her mouth with a suspicious expression. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, you were trying to secretly use your Magic Eyes to stop everyone...¡± ¡°It was a good attempt, but we¡¯re not at a level where your hypnosis would work anymore.¡± Before Roswyn could even finish her question, Serena confirmed Lulu¡¯s plan. ¡°Too bad, I could have stopped the fight...¡± ¡°Stop with the sneaky tactics. You can¡¯t win Frey through underhanded means.¡± As Serena and Lulu¡¯s conversation continued, Roswyn, scratching her head in disappointment, turned to look at Lulu with a blank expression. ¡°...Tch.¡± Just as Serena had said, Lulu stretched and loosened up, looking regretful. ¡°Everyone¡¯s gone crazy...¡± Finally realizing there was no one to trust, Roswyn muttered fearfully. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Serena, watching her, gently stroked her belly and whispered. ¡°Why...¡± ¡°Because the winner will be me.¡± At that moment, Serena¡¯s lips curled into a smile while she gazed at her belly. ¡°Well then...¡± ¡°What is this? Are you fighting again?¡± A nonchalant voice echoed from the entrance. ¡°...¡± For the first time, Serena¡¯s unchanging expression twisted into one of surprise, albeit fleetingly. ¡°I told you not to fight.¡± Ruby smiled at Serena and lightly waved her fingers. - Whoosh... With that elegant movement, the various magic circles and weapons summoned by the heroines disappeared simultaneously. ¡°Stop with the childish squabbling and sit down, everyone.¡± As soon as Ruby finished speaking, silence filled the lobby. ¡°Do you really want to settle this by fighting?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you think you can beat me?¡± As Ruby¡¯s eyes gleamed, everyone¡¯s expressions subtly changed. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t plan on fighting you all.¡± Ruby, sitting next to Serena, quietly smiled. ¡°But we can¡¯t continue this indefinitely.¡± All eyes were now focused on Ruby. ¡°I have a proposal.¡± . . . . . ¡°So... everyone agreed to resolve this peacefully?¡± ¡°Yes, Frey.¡± Back to the present. ¡°Violence doesn¡¯t solve anything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but...¡± Frey, sitting at the head of the dining table, nodded with a rather burdened expression. ¡°But... what are these?¡± Frey asked, looking at the nine covered dishes on the table. ¡°It¡¯s the first round.¡± Standing next to Ruby, Serena spoke in a soft voice. ¡°First round...?¡± ¡°You just need to judge which of these nine dishes tastes the best.¡± Listening to her, Frey began to look at the table with a blank expression. ¡°Very simple, right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t feel too pressured, Frey.¡± ¡°Just choose based on your senses.¡± ¡°Yeah, we won¡¯t show any hard feelings if we lose.¡± Contrary to their word, the killing intent permeated throughout the hotel only intensified further. ¡°...Hahaha.¡± Should I just run /genesisforsaken Chapter 459: Side Story - The Battle Royale (4) The cooking contest agreed upon by the heroines ¡°Hmm...¡± Facing the results of the cooking contest, I was now racking my brains hard. If I say something wrong, it could end in a disaster. If I were to be completely honest with my evaluation, I couldn¡¯t guarantee my future. So, would it be better to keep a poker face and rate all the dishes the same? No, there was an even better solution to this predicament. I could just avoid the situation entirely. ¡°I appreciate the effort you put into preparing these dishes... but I have indigestion right now.¡± With this thought, I forced a smile and spoke to the heroines. ¡°So, it seems a bit difficult for me right now...¡± Honestly, it was an escape tactic, but in this situation, it was unavoidable. I needed to buy a little more time to think of a solution... ¡°Is that so? Then perhaps you should cleanse your palate with this.¡± As I sat there, thinking of a way to handle this, Kania approached me with a smile, offering a wine glass. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a drink that aids digestion.¡± ¡°I appreciate it, but I have indigestion-¡° ¡°It not only aids digestion but also washes away any discomfort.¡± It seemed like they¡¯d prepared this very thoroughly. What would happen if I made even a small slip of the tongue in this situation? I was starting to feel genuinely uneasy. ¡°Still...¡± ¡°If that¡¯s too much, would you like to move on to the next round? There¡¯s still plenty prepared.¡± Seeing the determined looks in Kania¡¯s and the heroines¡¯ eyes, I changed my mind and, with a resigned expression, drank the beverage. ¡°...I feel better already.¡± I didn¡¯t know what they might do to me from now on, so I thought it best to replenish my strength. This isn¡¯t my last supper, is it? Trying to shake off the deeply ingrained sense of unease, I opened the lid of the first dish. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± As the heroines fell silent, the dish before me came into view. ¡°Ahem.¡± It was so overtly suggestive that I almost coughed. ¡°The appetizer is a salad of figs with eel, oysters, and abalone.¡± ¡°...¡± I didn¡¯t know who prepared this dish, but the intention was clear. ¡°Please taste it and give us your honest evaluation.¡± As I sighed and picked up the knife and fork, Kania¡¯s calm voice reached me. I can¡¯t do that. But I had already decided to keep a poker face. No matter what it tastes like, I¡¯ll just praise it. Resolving this in my mind, I brought the salad to my mouth. ¡°Wow.¡± Then, with a bright smile, I spoke to everyone. ¡°This tastes awful.¡± Huh? What did I just say? . . . . . To be honest, I¡¯m quite picky about food. You might wonder how someone who liked rye bread, potato vegetable soup, and sandwiches could say that, but those were dishes ingrained in my soul with memories from past cycles. Compared to normal people, I couldn¡¯t help but have a sophisticated palate, having received a noble education as a duke¡¯s son and always eating the finest food. But I swear, I¡¯m not a harsh critic. I never complained about food, and I even ate all the dishes Serena made. ¡°It feels like I¡¯m chewing sand.¡± So what the hell am I saying now?! ¡°Ugh.¡± Even though I belatedly covered my mouth, it was too late. ¡°Understood, Young Master. I¡¯ve recorded your evaluation.¡± ¡°Frey, rinse your mouth with the drink.¡± ¡°I told you to back out if you weren¡¯t confident.¡± How on earth did this happen? It was indeed bad, but not so much that I couldn¡¯t control my emotions. What the hell...? ¡°Ugh...¡± As I sat there in confusion, unsure of what was happening, Isolet, who was wearing a maid¡¯s uniform that looked like it would burst any moment, started trembling. ¡°S-Sister...?¡± ¡°Was it... really that bad, Frey?¡± Then, with tears in her eyes, she asked me. ¡°Yeah, it was really bad.¡± ¡°Geuh.¡± I tried to explain hastily, but what came out of my mouth was the blunt truth, as the gritty sensation lingered in my mouth. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong here...¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong, Young Master.¡± When I stood up in a hurry, Kania spoke to me with a calm expression. ¡°You¡¯ve just become a bit more honest.¡± Upon hearing her ominous words, a suspicion flashed through my mind. ¡°You, did you put something in that drink...?¡± ¡°It does contain the world¡¯s strongest truth serum effect... but other than that, it¡¯s just a normal drink.¡± ¡°W-What?!¡± A truth serum? No way. Such a thing couldn¡¯t possibly shake my mind... ¡°It was co-created by myself, Irina, Serena, and Ruby. No matter how strong-willed you are, Young Master, you¡¯ll be honest until the contest ends.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The world¡¯s strongest truth serum that was created with all their power. No wonder it was so effective. But was it really only a truth serum? Why did I feel so lethargic and hot? ¡°Oh, it also has a slight aphrodisiac effect.¡± ¡°Slight...?¡± ¡°It only takes up half the solution.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And it also includes effects of restraint, exhaustion, intoxication, and heightened sensitivity...¡± I wanted to scream and run away, but my strength had left me, and I had no energy to move. ¡°F-Frey.¡± With that, I weakly lifted my fork and knife, and a frightened voice came from the front. ¡°D-Do you hate me now?¡± Isolet, who had been fidgeting nervously, asked me, curling up. ¡°No.¡± Before I could think, the words spilled out of my mouth. ¡°I like you, sis.¡± ¡°...!¡± Isolet widened her eyes, staring at me. ¡°Really?¡± A moment later, she asked again with a shy expression. ¡°I really, really like you, sis.¡± Blushing, I had no choice but to speak the untarnished truth, hanging my head. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± Silence spread through the dining room. ¡°...What about me, Young Master?¡± ¡°Tell me you like me too, Frey.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I just take you now?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so cute...¡± The heroines, who had been standing around, lost their senses and rushed at me. ¡°I-I¡¯m going to die...¡± Someone, save me. . . . . . After the heroines, who had been clinging to Frey, finally let go and returned to their seats, the commotion settled. ¡°Haah, haah...¡± But the aftermath left Frey breathing heavily, his body flushed red. ¡°N-Next time, please be gentler...¡± As he lowered his gaze and muttered, the heroines, who had barely regained their composure, began to mutter with wide eyes. ¡°Thinking about it, do we really need to compete...?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we just share nicely?¡± ¡°Damn it, this is turning me on.¡± ¡°Ferloche?¡± ¡°...Please forget what I just said, Roswyn.¡± The tasting resumed in this chaotic atmosphere. ¡°Ugh...¡± Various dishes made from ingredients meant to boost ¡®stamina¡¯ from all over the continent went into Frey¡¯s stomach. ¡°This is too much...¡± ¡°The meat is good, but the milk tastes a bit off. Why use this kind of milk?¡± ¡°...¡± Clana¡¯s stew was filled with the most expensive ingredients available in the market. Irina¡¯s grilled meat for some reason was dominated by the taste of milk, causing her to hang her head low with embarrassment. And Lulu¡¯s ¡®something¡¯ that left Frey completely speechless. ¡°Oh.¡± Frey, who had been breaking out in cold sweat at the heroines¡¯ expressions of despair over their cooking, finally widened his eyes and spoke. ¡°This is good.¡± Frey, drinking coffee made from blackberry leaves from the Eastern Continent and eating eel sandwiches, murmured with a smile. ¡°As expected of Kania.¡± ¡°Y-Young Master, the dishes are supposed to be anonymous...¡± ¡°My taste buds are accustomed to yours, so it can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°Ahem, ahem.¡± Kania tried to maintain a poker face, but her lips began to twitch into a smile. ¡°This is quite stimulating, but it seems tasty.¡± ¡°Hoo...¡± ¡°Strange, it smelled burnt before... Ugh.¡± Ruby, smiling at Frey as he ate spicy potato soup, quickly covered Lulu¡¯s mouth as she muttered in dissatisfaction. ¡°This is just plain delicious.¡± ¡°No way. How did you...¡± ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°Hoo...¡± Frey¡¯s nod of approval and Serena¡¯s smile of victory surprised everyone. ¡°Have the finalists been decided...?¡± As the three finalists were roughly determined, the winners exchanged chilly glances. ¡°Do you really want to win that badly, Miss Thieving Cat?¡± ¡°There¡¯s even someone who covered up a burnt dish with magic... No, a demon.¡± ¡°Magic is also a skill. And Serena, how did you succeed in cooking? Something¡¯s fishy.¡± The fierce exchange of words among the three finalists began. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Weren¡¯t you always so composed?¡± ¡°Everything¡¯s fine, but the sly cat and the pretentious one are getting on my nerves.¡± ¡°The Young Master¡¯s familiar is also a cat, so I guess I suit him best.¡± The never-ending psychological battle of the first-round finalists was abruptly concluded by Frey¡¯s comment. ¡°This...¡± Frey¡¯s voice cut through the tension as he tasted the unassuming pudding and cookies on the last remaining plate. ¡°This is really good.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s sweet, soft, and moist... It feels like eating clouds soaked in honey.¡± ¡°¡±...¡±¡± Frey continued to shovel the food into his mouth. His face was the embodiment of bliss as he continued to sing praise for the food. The three finalists turned to look at each other. ¡°U-Uwah...¡± There, blushing all over and squirming awkwardly, was Roswyn, who had an awkward smile on her face. ¡°Praise... I got praised... Hehe...¡± ¡°¡±What?¡±¡± Cold sweat began to drip down the foreheads of the three girls. *** https://ko-fi.com/genesisforsaken Chapter 460: Side Story - The Battle Royale (5) ¡°How did this happen...¡± ¡°Y-You... how did you do it?¡± ¡°You cooked so well?¡± ¡°W-Well, you see...¡± As the three girls, who had been stunned for a while, began to interrogate her, Roswyn, who had been smiling bashfully, scratched her head. ¡°I¡¯ve been making snacks by myself since I was young...¡± Hearing her words, the three girls put Roswyn¡¯s pudding and cookies in their mouths. ¡°I-It¡¯s really delicious...?¡± ¡°This... This is a flavor that can¡¯t be replicated by magic...¡± ¡°This can¡¯t be. I lost in cooking...¡± Serena, whose composed expression broke for the first time, Ruby, who admitted defeat gracefully, and Kania, who had a devastated look. Despite the shock, it was clear that they all accepted their defeat. ¡°No one really scolded me for going into the kitchen. So I often made things by myself at dawn... Since I often skipped meals as punishment... it eventually became a hobby...¡± ¡°¡±...¡±¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve never given my food to anyone else, so I was really worried. I always ate alone because I didn¡¯t have friends...¡± As Roswyn said this, she continued to speak, looking slightly scared at the stunned expressions of the heroines. ¡°Of course, I was so nervous today that I failed several times... But I think I managed to succeed because I got some compliments on my last attempt.¡± ¡°F-From whom?¡± ¡°F-From you all.¡± At her words, everyone looked puzzled, tilting their heads. ¡°F-From us?¡± ¡°Did we... compliment her?¡± ¡°Y-Yes.¡± Then, Roswyn shyly started her story, looking at them with an embarrassed expression. ¡°Kania cleaned up the burnt cookies and pudding without a word... Ruby patted me on the shoulder to cheer me up... Serena said I¡¯d do better next time...¡± As she continued, the heroines¡¯ expressions became increasingly unsettled. ¡°And the rest of you encouraged me even though you smelled the burning... T-That gave me a lot of energy at the end... Hehe.¡± With her face covered in soot, Roswyn finished her story with a shy expression. ¡°D-Did it really make you that happy...¡± ¡°What kind of life have you lived...¡± ¡°F-For just getting some energy, isn¡¯t the result too outstanding?¡± Murmurs started to rise from all sides. ¡°Could it be... Roswyn¡¯s awakening ability...¡± Amidst this, Serena, wearing a serious expression, started to mutter something. ¡°So... does that mean I won the first round?¡± Roswyn asked timidly. ¡°I guess so...¡± As Frey scratched his head and muttered, the heroines began to have a serious conversation. ¡°Is this going to get us all disqualified?¡± ¡°Are we already washed up?¡± ¡°Even the foolish concept is taken... I-I¡¯m done for...¡± Among them, Serena and Ruby, who had regained their composure, spoke up. ¡°We can concede the first round.¡± ¡°It was like a practice round anyway. Let¡¯s move on to the next round.¡± Before long, the other heroines, too, were eager to proceed to the next round. ¡°S-So, what¡¯s the next round...?¡± ¡°Oh, Young Master.¡± Except for Frey, who looked utterly exhausted. ¡°The next round is about who can seduce the Young Master first.¡± ¡°This is driving me crazy.¡± . . . . . A few minutes later, in a small room next to the dining room. ¡°So, shall we begin, Young Master?¡± ¡°Yes, come at me as much as you want.¡± When I first heard the theme of the second round, my mind went blank. But now that I¡¯ve heard the detailed explanation, I¡¯m filled with determination. ¡°And, you must keep the promise?¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s an agreed condition with everyone.¡± Because there was a tremendous condition attached to this round. ¡°If more than half don¡¯t reach a certain threshold, you¡¯ll get the antidote for the truth serum.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°In return, you must maintain a non-responsive state to the best of your ability.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± If I withstand the heroines¡¯ seduction, I could escape the effects of this drug. This meant my chances of finding freedom increased, even if only slightly. It seemed like a rule designed to make it difficult for the heroines to score points easily. But they underestimated me. Despite appearances, my mental fortitude was second to none. ¡°F-Frey.¡± ¡°...Sis?¡± But as I was steeling myself with these thoughts, my mind went blank the moment I saw the first challenger step into the room. ¡°...My lord.¡± Isolet stood before me in nothing but white underwear. ¡°I-I¡¯m... so traditional that I don¡¯t know how to seduce...¡± ¡°Huh? Wh-What?¡± ¡°So I¡¯ll just take it all off...¡± Slowly, her underwear began to come off. ¡°J-Just watch closely...¡± Simultaneously, a large magic circle appeared in the doorway. ?: 99 The number, which seemed to represent my heart rate, started skyrocketing. - Rustle... ¡°Ah...¡± Is this what seduction is? . . . . . ¡°Haah, haah...¡± Since the start of the second round, my breath had become increasingly ragged. ¡°Sis...?¡± ¡°...?¡± It was unavoidable. Somehow, Isolet had brought a blanket and was now hugging me under it. ¡°I can¡¯t breathe...¡± ¡°Oh... this feels good...¡± Despite my desperate pleas in a faint voice as the air grew thin, she mumbled to herself with a trembling voice. Is this really the same person who claimed to be so traditional just a moment ago? ¡°Sis, I¡¯ve always thought... y-you have quite a peculiar, no, twisted taste...¡± ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, Frey.¡± ¡°What?¡± As I twisted and spoke, her voice grew rougher. ¡°Every time you were pinned under me during training, you cried out...¡± ¡°But why...¡± ¡°Because of that, my preferences got twisted...¡± At that moment. ¡°Should I just run away and keep you in my arms forever...?¡± ¡°Sis?¡± ¡°A restrained Frey... looks so good...¡± Feeling her rough breath from the blanket, I helplessly closed my eyes. ¡°S-Save me...¡± ¡°Yes, just close your eyes quietly in my arms.¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± Already sensitive from the drug¡¯s effects, I eventually wobbled and closed my eyes. ¡°...Good, good.¡± ¡°Ah? Where are you going!¡± ¡°Fuck! Get her! She¡¯s taking Frey away!¡± ¡°...So that¡¯s why she brought the blanket.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s rape him together!¡± ¡°...Saintess?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll restrain her, block the window first...¡± With Isolet¡¯s lullaby-like voice and the frantic shouts of the heroines, I lost consciousness again. ¡°Woof!¡± ¡°L-Lulu?¡± When I opened my eyes, Isolet was nowhere to be seen, and Lulu was crawling into the room with a leash on. . . . . . - Gnaw... Gnaw... ¡°Hah, hah...?¡± Lulu, who had been rubbing her head against my leg for a long time, was now sliding her belly under my feet. - Soft... Her soft belly trembled against my bare feet. ¡°Lulu?¡± ¡°Master.¡± Forcibly suppressing my pounding heart, I called out to Lulu, who responded with a glint in her eye. ¡°Get excited.¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± Using her Magic Eye... this is cheating. ¡°Master...¡± Feeling dizzy, I lowered my head, and Lulu, who had stood up, whispered in my ear. ¡°Do you remember when you said I don¡¯t have to live as a pet anymore...?¡± - Slide... At the same time, her tail wrapped around my arm. ¡°Not a chance.¡± Her languid voice wrapped around my ear. ¡°You must dominate me forever.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Lick...¡± As her tongue wrapped around my ear, I couldn¡¯t help but lean into her, burning with heat. ¡°Master, shall we go for a walk...¡± ¡°...Lulu, let¡¯s stop joking around.¡± ¡°S-sister?¡± . . . . . ¡°Hmm...?¡± How many times have I lost consciousness? I somehow felt like I was about to leave with Lulu. ¡°Is this really necessary?¡± ¡°Just let¡¯s all jump on him? I can¡¯t take it anymore, I¡¯m so turned on.¡± ¡°Really, do we need to go through three rounds? We agreed we¡¯d share him in the end anyway...¡± ¡°Hmm, everyone seems quite excited... Maybe we should jump on him once to calm down...?¡± Confused, I looked around the room and heard terrifying conversations from beyond the door. ¡°This is insane...¡± Swear words slipped out of my mouth. What would happen to me if they all burst into the room? - Creak... Trembling at the scary thought, I widened my eyes as the door suddenly opened. ¡°F-Frey.¡± Luckily, only one person entered. ¡°You said the milk tasted off earlier.¡± However, the bad news was... ¡°So I made it sweeter...¡± I finally understood their intentions and the purpose of this contest. ¡°Y-you know how effective it is, right?¡± ¡°I-Irina, wait...¡± - Slide... This contest was a ploy to lure me here and optimize my state. Contrary to my fears, this was a contest where everyone would win... Except for me. ¡°Drink up, and hang in there a bit longer.¡± Yes. No matter how this contest ended. ¡°Mmph, mmph...¡± ¡°...Haa.¡± At the end of the day, I would be devoured like a dog. ¡°Mmph...¡± ¡°Good boy...¡± Please, someone, save me. *** https://ko-fi.com/genesisforsaken Chapter 461: Side Story - The Battle Royale (6) ¡°...Did you enjoy it, Frey?¡± ¡°...¡± Irina¡¯s feeding session was over. ¡°How do you feel? Do you have more energy now?¡± ¡°Please, stop...¡± ¡°You seem to have more energy.¡± Amazingly, my body was indeed feeling rejuvenated. It was to be expected, really. After ingesting top-quality truth serum and stamina enhancers, along with a potion personally made by the Dragon Lord, it was only natural that my strength would be surging. ¡°Hey, Irina.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± But even so, without the ¡®Blessing of the Stars,¡¯ I couldn¡¯t indefinitely keep up with them. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to die...¡± So I tried appealing to her with a pitiful expression. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, you won¡¯t die.¡± Irina merely patted my head and murmured in a soft voice. ¡°Because Ferloche and I will make sure of it.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°No matter how much you spill, no matter how dried out you get... there will be no problem.¡± With those words, she flashed a refreshing smile and headed for the door. ¡°...¡± And so, I was left alone for a moment. ¡°...Damn it.¡± I glanced at the window, but a complex magic circle was separating the inside from the outside. When did they set all this up? - Swoosh... While despairing at the robust magic circle, I sensed someone behind me. ¡°Uwaa!¡± Clana, in her underwear, had climbed onto the bed and was quietly staring at me. ...Stay calm. Sweat started trickling down my face, but when I closed my eyes to calm myself, I realized this might actually be an opportunity. Having endured Isolet¡¯s kidnapping attempt, Lulu¡¯s mind control, and Irina¡¯s feeding, now was my golden chance to recover. Unlike the other heroines who always seemed eager to pounce on me, Clana was relatively passive. If I wanted to conserve any strength, it had to be now. ¡°Cl-Clana, you know...¡± I opened my eyes to propose a truce. ¡°...¡± But then I saw Clana was already naked, and I immediately shut my eyes tight and began muttering to myself. I shouldn¡¯t have let my guard down... I shouldn¡¯t have let my guard down... I shouldn¡¯t have let my guard down... On Clana¡¯s lower belly, silver letters were engraved like a seal. Frey¡¯s Sheath? I wished it was just my drug-addled mind playing tricks, but... Even when I peeked through squinted eyes, the letters were still glowing softly on her belly. ¡°I researched and engraved it myself.¡± As I broke into a cold sweat with my eyes closed, Clana whispered close to my ear. ¡°Do you like it?¡± Then, she climbed onto me and lifted her clothes higher, revealing a heart-shaped tattoo beneath. ¡°You know what this is, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°W-What is it...?¡± ¡°...Press it.¡± Despite trying to deny the one possibility that came to mind, I stared blankly at the heart-shaped tattoo that appeared on my hand when she slapped my palm. - Press... After a moment, I gently pressed the tattoo. - Vroom... Clana¡¯s lower belly began to glow softly. And then... ¡°Heugh...¡± Oh. ¡°I... I guess I¡¯ll just sit on the throne like this and do some work... hehe...¡± Let¡¯s not talk about it. . . . . . ¡°You can use it anytime, inside or outside...¡± Clana, with a flushed face, clutched her lower belly and crawled out of the room. The next person to enter was... ¡°Hello!¡± Ferloche, who was smiling brightly. ¡°Yeah, hey, Ferloche... Just sit down for a moment...¡± Feeling as if the final boss had arrived, I tried to hide under the blanket but then remembered that her soul had merged with the foolish one. I calmed myself and began to speak. ¡°First, let me explain...¡± Since she was normally pure and a bit simple-minded, I tried to reason with her as gently as possible. - Poke...! ¡°Heyueueueuk...¡± The moment Ferloche, with a pure smile, lightly poked my collarbone, I collapsed on the spot. ?:190 ¡°Oh? That¡¯s strange. I haven¡¯t even started yet.¡± At this point, there was only one method left... ¡°...Quack.¡± ¡°Gasp.¡± Feigning death by going limp and sticking out my tongue. Ferloche widened her eyes and started poking me. ¡°W-why are you doing this?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Frey...?¡± Ferloche, like a bear testing a person playing dead, began to poke me. Ughhh... Despite the dizzying sensation spreading through my body, I gritted my teeth and maintained my act. If I get caught, I¡¯ll really die. Because if I was caught like this, I couldn¡¯t imagine what Ferloche would do to me. ¡°This is troublesome...¡± However, that was a huge miscalculation. ¡°...Now I have to move to the next stage.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Enjoying Frey-flavored candy.¡± Oh no. . . . . . ¡°Ah, so refreshing.¡± What happened with Ferloche? She definitely said her soul had merged. ¡°...Frey! Why do you look so worn out?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t know...¡± ¡°Come on, you enjoyed it too, didn¡¯t you? Oh, wait, that¡¯s not...¡± ¡°Tell me... the truth.¡± Holding Ferloche¡¯s arm as she tried to get up, I questioned her. She licked her lips and whispered. ¡°We¡¯re just complementing each other.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°At crucial moments, wouldn¡¯t it be better for me to handle things instead of the foolish personality?¡± ¡°So merging meant...¡± ¡°Our souls merged, not our personalities~¡± That cleared things up. Everything became a bit more understandable now. ¡°This is too much...¡± ¡°Geez, you need to control yourself. Did you know two-thirds of the new female students at the academy are after you?¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Take care of your lower half. Every time you get laid, I¡¯ll make sure to rape you ten times.¡± Leaving those words behind, Ferloche left the room with a satisfied look. Since being ravaged by Ferloche¡¯s soul, everything felt hopeless. Of course, having my soul thoroughly exploited, there¡¯s no way I could maintain psychological resistance. ¡°F-Frey.¡± - Thump... ¡°...I-I like you.¡± And then Kania entered next, with a single phrase that made my heart pound madly. ¡°Do you like me too?¡± - Thump, thump, thump... After reacting to her informal speech before, she must have realized this was her secret weapon. Kania, dressed in a gown instead of her usual butler outfit, whispered to me, not in her usual polite tone but in an innocent confession of love, which was overwhelmingly lethal to my heart. ¡°L-Look at this...¡± And then. ¡°I¡¯ve been writing this whenever I had time...¡± From Kania¡¯s cherished notebook came... I like you, Young Master Seeing the love letter, I... ¡°I love you, Frey.¡± With those words, she hugged me tightly. - Swoshhh... But the powerful killing intent that poured through the door made me freeze. It was a significant moment that explained why Kania had never shown me her notebook until now. Confidential Today¡¯s taste of Young Master is bitter. Are you tired these days? Today¡¯s taste of Young Master is sweet. Need to cut back on snacks. Today¡¯s taste of Young Master is just right. Should maintain this state... Until I saw the black pages I¡¯d never seen before, lying around in her notebook. Research Log D-107 Remaining ingredients: Young Master¡¯s hair It seems success is imminent. ¡°Kania, are you plucking my hair right now?¡± ¡°...Of course not.¡± I take it back. They¡¯re all terrifying. . . . . . ¡°...It¡¯s almost over.¡± Watching Kania hurriedly leave before I could interrogate her, I sighed. - Creak... ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡± As the door opened, I tilted my head and asked. The person who appeared was... ¡°...Honey.¡± None other than Serena. ¡°Huahh.¡± Hoping it was already too late, I took a deep breath, praying my heart was less sensitive than expected. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± Hearing those words from her, I sighed and opened my eyes wide. ¡°My due date is... next week.¡± ¡°Pffft!?¡± To me, she whispered, lowering her eyes with a shy voice. ¡°...And I¡¯ve been keeping it a secret until now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m carrying twins.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°A boy and a girl.¡± I could feel the movement of the baby from her swollen belly pressed against me. ¡°...You¡¯re going to be a father now, aren¡¯t you?¡± This is cheating! *** https://ko-fi.com/genesisforsaken Chapter 462: Side Story - The Battle Royale (7) ¡°I think I¡¯m going to give birth soon too.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°It seems I¡¯ll give birth at the same time as Serena.¡± Right after Serena left the room, Ruby walked in, throwing yet another shocking statement my way without giving me any time to process the shocking news. ¡°And... I¡¯m also having twins, Frey.¡± ¡°...!¡± The heartbeat I had been trying to control began racing again. ¡°...Why have you kept this from me until now?¡± ¡°I wanted to surprise you. Though, I didn¡¯t expect to reveal it like this.¡± ¡°Ahh.¡± It still doesn¡¯t feel real, but the pain from pinching my cheek tells me this isn¡¯t a dream. The number of children I need to care for just quadrupled in an instant. ¡°...Ruby.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Lost in thought over this fact, I finally collected myself and asked her a question. ¡°Are you really okay with this?¡± ¡°What are you referring to?¡± There¡¯s something I need her to answer clearly. ¡°Are you truly okay with the way things are going?¡± ¡°....¡± Just like the conversation I had with Serena. . . . . . ¡°Frey, I just want you to be happy.¡± ¡°...What?¡± That¡¯s what Serena said to me after telling me she was carrying twins. ¡°You know, I love you so much.¡± ¡°Uh, uh-huh.¡± ¡°I love you so much that I¡¯d give up everything for you. My personality, my freedom, even my life.¡± ¡°...Don¡¯t say things like that.¡± I gently held her hand and whispered softly. ¡°You¡¯ve spent your whole life just taking care of me.¡± ¡°I did that because I wanted to.¡± ¡°But still...¡± ¡°Do you know why I was able to do that, Frey?¡± Serena¡¯s eyes sparkled as she began to speak. When was the last time she spoke to me so informally? I can¡¯t quite remember. Same with Kania. Is it a trend these days for people to drop the honorifics they usually use? ¡°When I was younger, I was nothing but a tool... no purpose, no emotions... I was not alive, I simply existed.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But you were the one who breathed life into me, quite literally I might add.¡± ¡°That could¡¯ve been anyone, not just me¡ª¡° ¡°Don¡¯t joke around. Who else would give 90 years of their lifespan to another person?¡± I tried to brush it off, feeling embarrassed, but her gaze was dead serious. So, I decided to just listen quietly, placing my hands on my lap. ¡°Even if I forgot that fact, I always subconsciously knew. The reason I can move the way I do now is because of you... because of your sacrifice.¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± ¡°Yes, my endless love for you stemmed from that.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°My blind and infinite love for the man who gave up 9/10ths of his lifespan for me. There¡¯s no other way I could possibly repay you.¡± Serena paused for a moment and smiled softly. ¡°I¡¯m happy just watching you. I¡¯m simply happy. Just hearing your voice gives me the will to live, and as long as I can be held in your arms, I feel like I can accomplish anything.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Look, I even managed to cook, something I could never do before.¡± Her hands were a mess, completely worn and scarred. Unless she had been practicing cooking night after night for the past few months, they wouldn¡¯t be in that state. ¡°The point is, I only need you to be happy.¡± ¡°But you...¡± ¡°Because your happiness is my happiness.¡± Then, she pulled something out and placed it in my hand. ¡°And now, I want not just your happiness, but the happiness of everyone.¡± It was a trump card, something that could flip the entire situation on its head. ¡°This is...¡± ¡°When all the games are over, you can use it.¡± As I stared blankly at the weapon. Haha... Serena is still Serena after all. ¡°But, why wait until all the games are over?¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to use it now?¡± I decided to ask her a sharp question as she proudly shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Well, that¡¯s... um...¡± Serena began to stammer, sweat beading on her forehead. ¡°I... I want to win.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I... I want to win this...¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± I pretended not to hear and leaned in closer. ¡°I said, I WANT TO WIN!¡± Serena, her face turning beet red, finally raised her voice. ¡°Even if it ends with a happy ending... I-I still want to win first place!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well... that thieving cat... and that rude dog... I just want to put them in their place a bit, and, um... uh...¡± Seeing Serena¡¯s transparent motivations made her all the more adorable. ¡°You want to beat Ruby, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...!!!¡± When I hit the mark with ease, she flinched and looked away, clearly flustered. ¡°But what should you do?¡± Maybe I should tease her a bit more? ¡°If things keep going like this, you might even lose to Roswyn.¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± The shock on Serena¡¯s face as she gasped was just too cute. ¡°Alright, who¡¯s next, I wonder...¡± ¡°F-Frey...! No, wait, honey! Please, just give me a little more time to appeal to you...¡± Looks like I¡¯ll be teasing her a lot from now on. . . . . . ¡°Ruby, are you sure you¡¯re okay with this?¡± ¡°...Why are you asking that?¡± As Ruby prepared to leave the room, I asked her again. She chuckled quietly before responding. ¡°I¡¯m the one who proposed this competition, after all.¡± ¡°But still... you could take more control over it if you wanted to.¡± ¡°Frey, do you know?¡± Then, with a slightly more serious expression, she added, ¡°It¡¯s not just you. Those girls are incredibly precious to me as well.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°They¡¯ve all suffered so much, haven¡¯t they? That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want any special treatment at their expense.¡± Her smile looked more beautiful than ever today. ¡°I¡¯m just your gem, always by your side.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°That¡¯s all. I¡¯m content as long as I can be part of your life.¡± Her expression showed no hint of regret. ¡°...If that¡¯s truly what you want.¡± ¡°Still, I plan to come in first.¡± When I sighed and said that, Ruby¡¯s smile turned a bit mischievous. ¡°Just asserting myself a little should be enough to establish the hierarchy.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like a fight for dominance among cats, but what can we do? It¡¯s only natural for females to want to stay closest to the male.¡± So, she does care about the competition a little after all. Maybe she also has a rivalry with Serena? ¡°Blame yourself for being such a perfect male.¡± ¡°Who do you think will win between you and Serena?¡± ¡°...Ahemm.¡± Curious about that rivalry, I threw the question at Ruby as she confidently grabbed the door handle. ¡°Ahem... W-Wha¨C I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± She cleared her throat and opened the door. ¡°You know Roswyn is in the lead right now, right?¡± ¡°...¡± Though I said that with a teasing tone, Ruby left the room without another word. - Flinch... I¡¯ll just pretend I didn¡¯t notice her body trembling slightly as she left. ¡°Alright, almost done...¡± Feeling much more at ease after gaining the trump card, I stretched and relaxed. ¡°...Now, who¡¯s next?¡± I muttered to myself and turned toward the door. ¡°...¡± Then, I fell silent and started to tremble. - Twitch, twitch... Roswyn poked her head through the doorway, her face flushed red as she glanced at me. ¡°I am cute... I am charming... I-I am s-se... sexy...¡± ¡°Are you really?¡± ¡°...Eek!¡± What should I do? She¡¯s already so cute. . . . . . Meanwhile, at that moment. ¡°Wh-When did you... start watching?¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± ¡°D-Did you... see me practicing receiving kisses earlier?¡± While Frey teased Roswyn, who had been caught practicing how to seduce him outside the door... ¡°...No, I didn¡¯t see that.¡± ¡°Hehe, thank goodness.¡± ¡°But now you¡¯ve gone and told me.¡± ¡°...!¡± Someone was watching secretly through the window from outside. ¡°And what kind of practice is ¡®receiving kisses¡¯ anyway?¡± ¡°U-Uwaaaah... I-I¡¯m sorry...¡± ¡°You¡¯re so cute today, Roswyn.¡± ¡°...!!!¡± That person was none other than... ¡°...So that¡¯s why you suddenly told me to run an errand at the Magic Tower this morning.¡± Glaring with a broad smile was Glare. ¡°That¡¯s what this was about, huh?¡± Though her eyes were not smiling at all. *** https://ko-fi.com/genesisforsaken Chapter 463: Side Story - The Battle Royale (8) Chapter 463: Side Story - The Battle Royale (8) ¡°U-uh...¡± ¡°...¡± With a tense expression, Roswyn sat next to me. Her body was trembling uncontrollably. ¡°Hey? Roswyn?¡± ¡°Eek! Y-Yes?¡± ¡°Why are you acting like this?¡± I had been pretending not to notice for a while and then finally asked, which startled her. She turned to look at me eyes wide like a rabbit. ¡°A-aah, it¡¯s nothing...¡± She tried hard to act like everything was normal, but the cold sweat dripping from her forehead gave away her true feelings. ¡°Hmm...¡± Is she that nervous? She already looks cute enough as she is. ¡°Th-th-then... I¡¯ll start now, okay?¡± As I silently watched her, Roswyn slowly stood up. ¡°What are you going to start?¡± I knew what she was trying to do from the moment she entered the room, but I couldn¡¯t help but smile, curious about how she would respond. ¡°S-s-s-s...¡± ¡°Yes? Go on.¡± ¡°S-Seduction...¡± With a voice much quieter than before and her cheeks burning red, Roswyn whispered as she touched her flushed face. ¡°Aha.¡± Is she doing this on purpose? No, probably not. Roswyn isn¡¯t that calculating. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know anymore...¡± So this cute behavior is just coming out naturally. It made me laugh for some reason. It felt like being trapped in a den with eight lionesses for days and then suddenly finding a cute little kitten crawling in, begging to be petted. For the first time in a long while, I felt truly healed. ¡°Huff, ha... Huff, ha... Sob...¡± As I smiled softly, Roswyn, who had been covering her face with her hands, started making strange breathing noises. - Slrrrk... ¡°...?¡± Then, still covering her face with her hands, she knelt down before me. ¡°F-Flower...¡± I stared at her blankly, not sure what she was trying to do. She was looking up at me, her hands now revealing her face. ¡°P-Pick the flower...¡± She cupped her face with her hands, making a trembling voice, and said this to me. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± Silence followed. ¡°U-uh... Uhhh...¡± When I didn¡¯t react, Roswyn, still in her flower pose, started whimpering. ¡°Y-you don¡¯t like it...?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry... I¡¯m so sorry... uuuuu...¡± Despite her overwhelming embarrassment, she held the flower pose firmly. ¡°I-I should¡¯ve given up... W-what kind of seduction could I even do...¡± I wanted to watch her a bit longer because her reaction was so adorable, but when Roswyn started to sink into self-loathing, I had to act. ¡°You¡¯re really cute.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the cutest, Roswyn.¡± Roswyn stopped whimpering and looked at me with wide eyes. - Rustle, rustle... When I quietly patted her head, her dazed expression slowly turned into a smile. ¡°Hehehe...¡± A soft, silly laugh escaped from her lips. ¡°...Pfft.¡± She really is adorable. . . . . . A little while later. - Whirrr! Roswyn climbed onto the bed beside me, pressing her hands together in a puppy-like pose. ¡°Huff, huff...¡± Then, sticking her tongue out, she started panting like a dog. ¡°Woof!¡± As I watched her quietly, Roswyn flashed a bright smile and jumped into my arms. ¡°Uhm...¡± Then, she began glancing at me anxiously, as if unsure what to do next. It seemed like she hadn¡¯t thought that far ahead. - Wriggle, wriggle... Finally, unable to come up with a plan, she curled up in my arms, rubbing herself against me. ¡°I-I love you... Hero.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°It¡¯s been my lifelong wish... to be with you, Hero...¡± As she said this, she glanced at me nervously and muttered in a small voice. ¡°...Can I stay with you forever?¡± Her voice quivered as she asked, her face full of fear. ¡°Of course.¡± I whispered gently to Roswyn, who was holding me tightly. ¡°I¡¯ll always be by your side.¡± ¡°...¡± Roswyn, like a puppy, lay down on her back on my lap, staring up at me. I wonder what kind of performance she¡¯ll show this time. Roswyn, who had shown increasingly cute gestures the more I praised her, seemed to be nearing her peak of adorableness. I wondered what she would do now that she had reached the pinnacle of compliments and cuteness. ¡°I-I have something I want to say...¡± As I watched her curiously, Roswyn blushed. ¡°A f-few days ago... everyone got pregnant at the same time, right?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah...¡± I wondered what she was getting at, but I understood quickly. It must have been a strange experience for her, too. Everyone becoming pregnant on the same day¡ªit would be surprising from her perspective. Though Kania did get pregnant a second or two faster than the others... Anyway, it¡¯s certainly not a normal situation. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°...?¡± As I pondered how to explain this to her, Roswyn, turned her head to the side and muttered. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t get pregnant.¡± ¡°...¡± I was momentarily stunned, not understanding what she meant. Roswyn, burying her head in my chest, whispered softly. ¡°I-I¡¯ve been trained by my family to carry your child, Hero... S-so, theoretically, I¡¯m more confident than anyone else...¡± Roswyn, who had been stammering, finally looked at me with a determined expression. ¡°The Sunset family... was made solely to serve you.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°S-so... Please fulfill the purpose of the Sunset family¨C No fulfill my purpose.¡± At that moment, her voice shook more than ever before. ¡°Uh...?¡± ¡°Please help me achieve my life¡¯s goal.¡± Still confused, I tilted my head. Roswyn, looking like she wanted to crawl into a hole and hide, whispered quietly. ¡°...Please, make me pregnant.¡± At that moment, my brain completely froze. ¡°I-I want to have your child, Hero!¡± Roswyn mustered the last of her courage and shouted. ¡°My family... My life... My purity... I want to give everything to you...¡± Having said that, she collapsed back onto my chest, utterly drained. ¡°...¡± ¡°Huuu, huuu...¡± Ah. She¡¯s really adorable. ¡°Hey, Roswyn.¡± ¡°Y-yes, yes?¡± With my head filled with thoughts of how cute she was, I gently turned her head toward me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong...?¡± Then... ¡°...!¡± Before she could react, I pressed my lips softly against hers. ¡°...Mph.¡± Even the sound of her kissing was cute. . . . . . ¡°Huhuhu... Hehehe...¡± When I pulled away from the kiss, Roswyn, her face still dazed, began giggling foolishly. ¡°Hehe... He...¡± Then, slowly, her smile faded, and she opened her eyes wide. ¡°...Did we... kiss?¡± Roswyn, now completely shocked, touched her wet lips. ¡°It... It feels like a dream... I can¡¯t even remember it clearly...¡± ¡°...Pfft.¡± ¡°I-I didn¡¯t even get to use what I practiced...¡± ¡°Puhehe...¡± Her dazed and silly expression made me laugh uncontrollably. ¡°I-I wanted to remember my first kiss forever...¡± I leaned in closer to the still-dazed Roswyn. - Peck... ¡°...Eek!?¡± I gently kissed her on the lips again. ¡°If you can¡¯t remember it well, we can just kiss again.¡± ¡°Huh? Huh, huh?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like we can only kiss once. I can kiss you dozens, hundreds of times.¡± One, two, three times. As the number of kisses increased, Roswyn¡¯s eyes grew wider. ¡°W-w-wait a second!¡± She extended her trembling hand to push me away, putting some distance between us. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°T-t-t-too much...!¡± I tilted my head, puzzled at her reaction. Roswyn stammered. ¡°It¡¯s just... I-I-I really like you!¡± ¡°Really like me?¡± ¡°I-I really like you so much that I can¡¯t breathe!¡± She then lowered her head. ¡°T-That¡¯s why...!¡± - Peck...! I gently kissed her forehead and smiled before whispering in her ear. ¡°If just kissing makes you like this, how did you manage to say those things earlier?¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± Roswyn, speechless, stared at me with wide eyes. ¡°For now, let¡¯s work on getting you used to it.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°Haaah.¡± ¡°...!!!¡± I playfully bit her lower lip, causing her to freeze up. - Nibble, nibble... ¡°Mmph, eek...¡± As I playfully nibbled her lips, I slipped my tongue between them. - Slurp... Roswyn shut her eyes tight as she clung to me and collapsed onto the bed. ¡°Hmm?¡± Just moments ago, she had nearly fainted from just a kiss, but now she seemed surprisingly bold. What¡¯s going on? ¡°...¡± ¡°Roswyn?¡± No, on second thought, she wasn¡¯t being bold. ¡°...¡± She had actually fainted from all the affection. ¡°Hehe... He...¡± ¡°Uh, um...¡± I didn¡¯t realize she liked me this much. Judging by the silly smile still on her face, I guess I don¡¯t need to worry. But to fulfill her wish, she¡¯s going to need some serious training. Maybe I should start increasing our physical contact from today? ¡°...Huh?¡± As I got up, something felt off. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± There was a crack forming in the window right in front of me. ¡°...???¡± I rubbed my eyes in disbelief, but no matter how many times I blinked, the crack remained. What on earth? The barrier was created by Ferloche, the master of protective abilities, Irina, who has far surpassed the realm of an archmage, and Ruby, who is even greater than both of them combined. What kind of being would dare to break through such a terrifying barrier? ¡°Uh, hey guys...!¡± I began to panic, thinking this might be the source of the ominous feeling I had sensed a few days ago, and I rushed to call the heroines outside. - Crash...!!! But then the window shattered in an instant, and through the broken shards, a familiar face came into view, causing me to shut my mouth tightly. ¡°Shh...¡± It was Glare, smiling, yet with eyes cold as ice, holding a finger to her lips in a silent threat. ¡°Hero, can I talk to you for a moment?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Chapter 464: Side Story - The Battle Royale (9) Chapter 464: Side Story - The Battle Royale (9) With Roswyn¡¯s adorable display coming to an end, the second round concluded. ¡°The top three are... Miss Serena, Miss Ruby, and Miss Roswyn.¡± The winners of the second round stood before me, each with different expressions on their faces. ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°...¡± Serena looked uncharacteristically anxious as she glanced at Roswyn, while Ruby also shot occasional glances her way while pretending to be calm. ¡°Huh? Me? Me?¡± Roswyn, holding the results sheet with a confused expression, asked Kania. ¡°Why... why me? I-I just acted silly?¡± ¡°...Grr.¡± Hearing that, Kania briefly showed a displeased expression, gritting her teeth. ¡°It¡¯s strange! I could have sworn I made his heart race like crazy...¡± ¡°It¡¯s based on average heart rate. In Ferloche¡¯s case, she spiked the heart rate, but then the Young Master¡¯s heart temporarily stopped, which lowered her ranking.¡± ¡°Ahhh.¡± Kania, having regained her poker face, responded to Ferloche¡¯s question. Wait, did I just hear that right? ¡°The others were also penalized for similar reasons.¡± ¡°¡±...¡±¡± As the heroines around me showed expressions of disappointment, I stared at Kania in disbelief and asked a question. ¡°So... what¡¯s the next round?¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master. The next round is a dress code competition.¡± ¡°Is there another round after that?¡± ¡°Of course. The following round is a ballroom dance competition.¡± ¡°...¡± It seemed that none of them were planning to let me go anytime soon. ¡°...So, what¡¯s planned for the very last round?¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly asking?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just curious. Usually, the last event is the biggest, right?¡± ¡°...That¡¯s a secret, Young Master.¡± It looked like they had already decided what that final event would be. ¡°I see...¡± Well, in that case, I have my own plans. ¡°Then, let¡¯s head to the dressing room.¡± ¡°...Alright.¡± I stood up and glanced through the slightly open door. ¡°As I mentioned earlier, this round is the dress code competition.¡± More precisely, I looked toward the window where Glare had been standing while we were talking earlier. ¡°You just need to choose the outfit you like the most... Young Master?¡± I trusted the little one was moving according to my request by now. ¡°Ah, yes. I¡¯m coming.¡± It¡¯s time to turn the tables. . . . . . A few hours later. ¡°...Only the final competition remains.¡± ¡°...¡± In the hotel lobby, the nine heroines gathered, bathed in the light of the setting sun. ¡°It¡¯s about time we start, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s time to get things going.¡± Serena and Ruby exchanged fiery gazes in the tense silence. ¡°Uh, umm, what?¡± Meanwhile, Roswyn, still dazed and confused, stood beside them. ¡°Are we already past our prime?¡± Clana stared blankly at the top three before asked nervously. ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Ahhh I want to rape him.¡± Irina muttered with tired eyes, Kania remained stoically silent in fourth place, and Ferloche smirked while spouting dirty jokes. ¡°If only I were ten years... no, five years younger...¡± ¡°Woof.¡± Isolet, slumped on the sofa, mumbled while Lulu quietly tied a leash around her own neck, attaching it to the leg of the sofa. - Tremble, tremble... In the gloomy atmosphere, Roswyn trembled as she quietly muttered. ¡°W-Why am I ranked so high...?¡± Although she was third, behind Serena and Ruby, the score differences among the top three were slim enough that the final round could change everything. ¡°Should I really be in this spot?¡± Feeling the ominous stares of the heroines behind her, Roswyn murmured in a mix of happiness and confusion. ¡°Now, as for the theme of the final competition...¡± ¡°...I have a proposal.¡± ¡°Eek?¡± Suddenly, Kania, who had approached unnoticed, began making a suggestion to both Serena and Ruby. ¡°What is it, Miss Sly Cat?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve had plenty of competitions so far, but I feel like we¡¯ve been missing something important.¡± Serena, casting a wary glance at Kania, tried to keep her in check with a low voice, but Kania calmly continued without flinching. ¡°How about we make the final competition about who can satisfy the Young Master the most?¡± ¡°...What exactly do you mean?¡± ¡°Exactly what I said. After all, didn¡¯t we all agree on this?¡± Hearing this, the heroines¡¯ expressions grew more serious. ¡°That was something we agreed to do after all the competitions were over, at a more leisurely pace...¡± ¡°Are you scared of losing?¡± ¡°...Ha.¡± Serena, who had been trying to dismiss Kania¡¯s suggestion, furrowed her brow at her taunt. ¡°I hear you¡¯re rather... lackluster.¡± ¡°Rumors tend to be exaggerated.¡± ¡°Even so, there¡¯s no way you could beat me.¡± Serena, now face-to-face with Kania, caressed her swollen belly as she whispered. ¡°In any case, the first son and daughter are mine.¡± As their gazes, one like moonlight and the other pitch black, locked, sparks began to fly. ¡°Alright, that sounds good. I accept.¡± Suddenly, Ruby interrupted their conversation. ¡°Does everyone agree to make this the final competition¡¯s theme?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m fine with it...¡± ¡°It¡¯s more important than the other competitions, so the winner of the last round will essentially be the true winner.¡± When Ruby posed the question to the gathered heroines, all nodded enthusiastically. ¡°...Huh? What?¡± Except for Roswyn, who still wore a bewildered expression. ¡°In that case, we¡¯ll have to delay the final competition for a few weeks.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± After glancing at Roswyn, Ruby answered the heroines¡¯ questions. ¡°Both Serena and I are about to give birth, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°...Ahh.¡± The heroines nodded in understanding. ¡°So, we¡¯ll take a short break until the final competition.¡± Ruby, giving a sly wink to Serena, tried to calm everyone down, but¡ª ¡°Where will we keep Frey in the meantime?¡± ¡°Obviously, here at the hotel.¡± ¡°Of course. If he runs away, we¡¯ll be in big trouble.¡± The heroines began exchanging sharp glances as they continued the discussion. ¡°Speaking of which, even though the final competition is postponed... shouldn¡¯t we spend the night as we agreed?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t get another chance for a while...¡± ¡°... Yummm~.¡± The heroines¡¯ eyes gleamed as they stood from their seats one by one. ¡°By the way, where is Frey right now?¡± . . . . . ¡°Young Master, open the door.¡± ¡°Why are we suddenly playing hide and seek, Frey?¡± Minutes later, the heroines gathered in front of Frey¡¯s hotel room. ¡°We can all sense your presence, you know!¡± ¡°You¡¯re surrounded!! Come out quietly, and we¡¯ll be... gentle.¡± ¡°Ferloche, that¡¯s kind of creepy.¡± Gathered outside the room where they sensed Frey¡¯s presence, the heroines knocked on the door, faces slightly flushed. ¡°Something¡¯s strange.¡± But amidst them, Lulu muttered quietly. ¡°Master¡¯s scent, it seems... faint.¡± ¡°Alright! If you don¡¯t come out, we¡¯re coming in!¡± However, her voice was drowned out by the excited shouts of the other heroines. ¡°One, two... three!!¡± - BAM!! The door was swiftly broken down. ¡°Put your legs up!!¡± ¡°Ferloche, please... huh?¡± But Frey wasn¡¯t there. ¡°Meow?¡± Instead, a silver cat, softly glowing with starlight, tilted its head at them from atop the bed. ¡°This is... Frey¡¯s familiar.¡± ¡°Wait, there¡¯s something stuck on its back.¡± The heroines stared blankly at the familiar, who began licking its paws. ¡°...Is that a note?¡± Soon, they noticed a note stuck to the cat¡¯s back. Teehee~ (?>????) GlareAs they gazed dumbfounded at the familiar and the scribbled note featuring a mischievous face, a loud crash echoed from downstairs. ¡°Where is it? The lobby?¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s coming from the entrance!!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me!!¡± Realizing that the crash came from the entrance, the heroines hastily rushed out of the room. ¡°...Hmmm.¡± ¡°...¡± In the blink of an eye, only Serena, who was smiling serenely, and Ruby, who had remained expressionless, were left in the room. ¡°Seeing how calm you are, I assume this was all part of your plan.¡± ¡°...Oh my.¡± When Ruby, stroking Frey¡¯s familiar, spoke up, Serena smiled behind her fan. ¡°Well, I was the one who called the little one, after all.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± ¡°By now, he¡¯s probably already left through the shattered entrance.¡± Serena smiled triumphantly as she glanced out the window. She could see the carriage moving away in the distance. ¡°Everything is perfect. Just like always, everything is going according to plan...¡± ¡°Yeah, but...¡± Ruby stood up and interrupted. ¡°Something¡¯s not quite right.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Serena tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Where is Roswyn right now?¡± Ruby quietly asked. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed that Roswyn has been missing for a while?¡± ¡°...¡± Serena let out a rare sound of bewilderment as her face fell. ¡°...Huh?¡± . . . . . Meanwhile, inside the moving carriage¡ª ¡°Herooo~!¡± ¡°...????¡± Glare snuggled against Frey, rubbing her cheek into his, while across from them, Roswyn sat, looking dumbfounded. ¡°Wh-what¡¯s happening right now?¡± No matter how much Roswyn thought, she couldn¡¯t make sense of the situation, so she asked Frey with a bewildered voice. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing much.¡± Frey responded with a relaxed smile as he continued to stroke Glare¡¯s head and stretch her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m just doing what our ancestors used to do.¡± ¡°...And what would that be?¡± As the sun began to set, the carriage quietly moved away from the hotel. ¡°Establishing dominance.¡± ¡°.....???¡± Chapter 465: Side Story - The Battle Royale (10) Chapter 465: Side Story - The Battle Royale (10) ¡°Wow... so many stars...¡± ¡°...¡± Inside the carriage running through the night streets of the empire, Roswyn gazed at the sky with sparkling eyes. ¡°It¡¯s been such a long time since I last saw the stars...¡± Considering her recent activities, it¡¯s understandable. She spent so much time alone in closed spaces that she likely didn¡¯t have time to look at the sky. For some reason, I felt a slight twinge of pain in my chest. - Poke, poke... As I quietly watched Roswyn from across, I felt a nudge at my side. ¡°Hero.¡± I turned to see Glare, her eyes wide open, staring at me. ¡°...Aren¡¯t you supposed to be asleep? Good children should be in bed by now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a child.¡± I stroked her head as I said this, causing Glare to puff her cheeks and respond. ¡°So, why aren¡¯t you asleep?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m curious about something.¡± ¡°About what?¡± Then, climbing onto my lap, she asked a question. ¡°What are you planning to do next?¡± ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m going to establish my dominance, of course.¡± ¡°And do you have a plan for that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to borrow the wisdom of the ancestors.¡± Hearing this, Glare tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Did the first hero ever face a situation like this?¡± ¡°Well, it was somewhat similar. Though not as serious as now.¡± Back then, my ancestor ran away to the world he originally lived in. Maybe I should take them and escape to another dimension for a vacation. ¡°No, no, absolutely not.¡± ¡°...?¡± I quickly shook my head, dismissing the thought. These heroines would surely follow me to the ends of the earth. Even apart from my lack of desire to leave, trying to escape would probably cost me ten years of my life¡ªor worse, the freedom of my lower half. ¡°Hero, your face just went pale.¡± ¡°...Haha.¡± That¡¯s why I¡¯m opting for a head-on approach. ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± ¡°This is...¡± Determined, I pulled out the ¡®secret weapon¡¯ Serena had given me earlier and showed it to Glare. ¡°Do you remember the time a few months ago when we fought that massive eye in the sky?¡± ¡°...Ah!¡± ¡°It¡¯s lucky you remembered everything from the First Hero¡¯s chat back then.¡± Glare shook her head quickly in response. ¡°I didn¡¯t remember it myself. It was recorded in the Helper System.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± That¡¯s right¡ªGlare has the Helper System. It played a crucial role in saving Roswyn, and now it¡¯s helping save me too. A truly invaluable system. ¡°Ah, ahem, well...¡± ¡°Anyway, I told Serena everything that was recorded!¡± ¡°Yes, and this is the translated version.¡± As Roswyn, who had paused her stargazing, began coughing lightly, Glare and I continued our conversation. ¡°While reading this translation... there was a part that really caught my attention.¡± ¡°...Really?¡± The wisdom the First Hero wanted to pass on to me but couldn¡¯t because I couldn¡¯t see the chat had now been delivered to me through Glare. When everything is over, if you find yourself being troubled by the heroines over marriage registration, Head to the secret vault in the Imperial Palace. I¡¯ve left a gift for you there. I don¡¯t know what the gift is, but since the ancestor left it for me, it¡¯s bound to be something that will help me break out of this situation. ¡°So, we¡¯re going to...¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯re going to raid the Imperial Palace vault.¡± ¡°...Gasp.¡± ¡°...!¡± When I revealed the truth to Glare and Roswyn, their eyes widened in shock. ¡°This is so exciting!¡± ¡°W-wait, isn¡¯t this a terrible idea?¡± Glare clung to me with sparkling eyes, while Roswyn began trembling with fear. ¡°Hmm, but what should I do? Roswyn, you¡¯re the key to this plan.¡± ¡°...M-me!?¡± At my bombshell statement, Roswyn looked at me with a terrified expression. ¡°We need you for this plan to work.¡± ¡°...!?!?¡± Her eyes grew impossibly wide. . . . . . ¡°...So, do you understand why I brought you along?¡± ¡°Uh... ahhhhh...¡± After explaining the plan, Roswyn looked utterly drained, her mouth agape. ¡°...But, why me?¡± She then hastily grabbed my collar, asking her question. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Why me, and not Clana or someone else...?¡± She had a point. We need ¡®Solar Mana¡¯ to open the Imperial Palace¡¯s secret vault, and Clana could do it. But this plan isn¡¯t that simple. ¡°Entry to the vault is strictly controlled by time periods. Even the Emperor can¡¯t enter at will.¡± ¡°Y-yes, I¡¯ve heard that.¡± ¡°And the reason for that is, all the royal family members¡¯ mana is registered in ancient magic. The moment anyone enters, a record of it will remain.¡± ¡°T-then isn¡¯t it impossible to pull off the heist?¡± Yes. The Imperial Palace¡¯s secret vault, known only to a select few in the royal family, has long been considered impregnable. It only responds to Solar Mana. ¡°But what if there¡¯s Solar Mana that isn¡¯t registered?¡± ¡°That kind of thing... doesn¡¯t exist... Oh.¡± But the key to unlocking that impregnable vault is standing right in front of me. ¡°Roswyn, you¡¯re the first person in a thousand years to awaken Solar Mana in the Sunset family. And most people don¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re perfect for this.¡± After hearing that, Roswyn began fidgeting, her body curling up in tension. ¡°But... won¡¯t there still be a record of the mana being used?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll leave a record of unknown origin. As long as it can¡¯t be identified, we¡¯ll be fine. I can take care of the cover-up.¡± ¡°But... my mana is so weak...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. I saw you use it before¡ªyou¡¯re better than you think.¡± ¡°And... I... well...¡± Still looking nervous, she suddenly pulled something out from her robe. ¡°...I-I¡¯m scared.¡± ¡°Roswyn? What¡¯s that?¡± Upon closer inspection, I saw that she was holding something that looked like a brick. ¡°Oh, wait... it¡¯s out of battery...¡± ¡°...?¡± The object was rectangular, with a shiny black front and a white back from which a black orb protruded. It looked intricately designed, but I couldn¡¯t sense any mana circuits in it. ¡°It¡¯s something I got from the debug room... It¡¯s called a smartphone...¡± ¡°...Smartphone?¡± ¡°Yes, it... it gives me strength.¡± ¡°In what way?¡± As I gazed suspiciously at Roswyn¡¯s so-called ¡®smartphone,¡¯ she explained. ¡°It praises me!¡± ¡°...Praises you?¡± ¡°Yes! The reason I was able to try so hard in the last competition was thanks to this smartphone!¡± ¡°...¡± Something about this didn¡¯t sit right with me. ¡°How does a cold brick praise you...?¡± ¡°There are friends inside!¡± ¡°...What?¡± My bad feeling grew stronger. ¡°Friends from the internet!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°They praise me... sometimes we chat... They¡¯re all so kind and nice...¡± In the end, my fears became reality. ¡°...Hehe...¡± ¡°...I¡¯m sorry, Roswyn.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I shouldn¡¯t have left her alone like this. ¡°It¡¯s my fault... I¡¯m sorry...¡± ¡°W-wait, what?¡± She must have been so desperate for praise that she created imaginary friends. This is all on me. I should¡¯ve taken better care of her. ¡°You must¡¯ve been so lonely, huh?¡± ¡°R-really, there are people inside it!¡± ¡°...I¡¯ll do better from now on.¡± ¡°Uh...?¡± Holding back my emotions, I hugged Roswyn as she clutched her cold brick with a smile. ¡°U-um...¡± While I held her and pressed my cheek against hers... ¡°...Hehe.¡± She put the brick away and snuggled happily into my arms. ¡°When this is all over, let¡¯s do what you talked about before.¡± ¡°...W-what do you mean?¡± I whispered softly in her ear. ¡°...You said you wanted to have a baby.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The moment I said it, Roswyn froze. ¡°W-wait... this is too fast. L-let¡¯s start by holding hands...¡± ¡°...Hmm.¡± I looked playfully at her as she fainted in my arms. ¡°...Hero.¡± ¡°.....?¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Hearing Glare¡¯s quiet voice, having been pushed aside when I embraced Roswyn, I smiled and tugged at her cheeks. ¡°Ow ow ow...¡± ¡°What¡¯s the little one saying?¡± ¡°I-I want to join the competition too... I¡¯m an adult...¡± ¡°Your academy enrollment got canceled, kid.¡± The academy wouldn¡¯t make her a real adult anyway, just a ¡®legal¡¯ one. ¡°...Grow a little taller first.¡± ¡°...¡± Honestly, she¡¯s such a cute little kid. . . . . . ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re almost there, huh?¡± Giving Glare a playful tap on the forehead, Frey began preparing to disembark as he looked at the distant Imperial Palace. ¡°Alright, time to get ready to get off...¡± If only Frey noticed... ¡°What do we do now, Hero?¡± Glare, muttering quietly while staring intensely at a pocket watch identical to the one Kania had held, ¡°Not much time left...¡± The second kidnapping incident could have unfolded differently. ¡°Roswyn, wake up.¡± ¡°Ughhhh...¡± But by then, the carriage had already left. ¡°...Time to repay my debt.¡± Glare¡¯s repayment had not yet even begun. *** https://ko-fi.com/genesisforsaken Chapter 466: Side Story - The Battle Royale (11) ¡°Uhm, hmm hmm...¡± ¡°...¡± We are currently sneaking into the Imperial Palace under the cover of night. You¡¯re wondering how we dealt with the palace guards and ancient magic? It was simple. - Crackle... crackle crackle... ¡°The a-ancient magic...? That¡¯s amazing...! How did you do it?¡± ¡°...Shh.¡± With my stellar mana, Roswyn¡¯s solar mana, and Serena¡¯s lunar mana, undoing ancient magic was as easy as pie. One of the reasons the Imperial Palace did not dare to mistreat the Starlight and Moonlight families was precisely this. This very reason also gave us the right to not kneel before the Emperor. Without the supposedly absolute ancient magic, the palace was too easily disabled. Of course, since the solar mana of the royal family is still needed, the possibility of a rebellion is slim. But thanks to Roswyn, a branch family member who awakened solar mana for the first time in a thousand years, and the soul bead formed by combining Serena¡¯s and my mana, we were able to do it. ¡°Roswyn, if it weren¡¯t for you, we never could have done this.¡± ¡°...E-eek.¡± I gently placed the soul bead containing Serena¡¯s and my mana into my pouch, then whispered to Roswyn, who was curiously looking around the palace while I patted her head. ¡°Thank you so much.¡± ¡°...E-ehehe.¡± As I gave her a light kiss on the forehead, she wobbled slightly, letting out a silly laugh. Has she finally gotten a little more used to affection? I¡¯ll have to make sure to show her more love from now on. After all, it¡¯s my responsibility to make her happy again¡ªespecially after she became so isolated that she created imaginary friends. ¡°Uh, um! Look!¡± ¡°Hm?¡± As I pressed my forehead against hers and smiled, Roswyn suddenly pointed urgently behind me. ¡°The guards are coming!¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± I stared at her for a moment, then¡ª ¡°W-we need to hide...!¡± - Smooch... ¡°...Mmph!¡± I quietly kissed her, silencing her. ¡°...! ...!!¡± All you need to do is stay quiet. We were already cloaked by Glare¡¯s invisibility magic, so as long as we remained silent, we were fine. Her subtle light-casting invisibility had not only helped us successfully evade the heroines¡¯ fierce pursuit earlier, but even Ruby and I couldn¡¯t sense it when it was in full effect. It¡¯s not something that can be replicated with normal magic. Glare really is amazing. ¡°...¡± But why am I suddenly feeling a chill behind me? ¡°W-what?!¡± ¡°Mmph!?¡± As I turned around a sudden shout came from in front of us. I snapped my eyes open and turned forward while still holding Roswyn close. ¡°Who¡¯s there!!¡± The guards were running toward us with their eyes blazing. What the...? Did they see through the invisibility? But how? - Shaaaa... ¡°...Huh?¡± As I held Roswyn tightly and broke into a cold sweat, the guards came right up to us, then started sweating themselves as they nervously looked around. ¡°Did... did I see wrong...?¡± ¡°Geez, a false alarm?¡± Clicking their tongues, the guards soon returned to their posts. ¡°...Hero.¡± As I stared at them in bewilderment, Glare suddenly grabbed my pant leg from behind and muttered. ¡°Let¡¯s go quickly.¡± ¡°...Yeah.¡± Surely she didn¡¯t do that on purpose... right? No way. Our sweet and innocent little Glare wouldn¡¯t do something like that. . . . . . ¡°D-do you think I can really do this?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done well so far. You successfully disabled the ancient magic too.¡± Having finally made it to the secret vault beneath the Imperial Palace, I began to reassure a very nervous-looking Roswyn gently. ¡°You can do it, Roswyn.¡± ¡°...¡± Still hesitating, Roswyn clenched her fists tightly when I added, ¡°And when we succeed in this, I¡¯ll definitely keep my promise.¡± After hearing that, she struck a determined pose with her fists clenched. - Shaaaaa... And soon after¡ª - Clang...! The edges of the vault shimmered with a golden glow as the royal secret vault began to slowly open. ¡°I-I did it!¡± ¡°See? I told you that you can do anything.¡± ¡°Eh-heh...¡± Praising Roswyn as she hopped around in excitement, I stroked her head, and she wiggled happily into my arms. ...So cute. How could I have pushed this adorable girl to the point where she had to create imaginary friends? Every time I think about it, my heart aches. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Roswyn.¡± ¡°H-hehe... really?¡± With that, I cautiously linked arms with her, and she leaned on me. It seemed she regained her confidence due to my praises. ¡°Well, I guess there¡¯s no choice... Hero, you really do need me!¡± ¡°Yep, I do. You¡¯re reliable and amazing.¡± ¡°G-great! Then follow me! I¡¯ll lead the way!¡± I humored her and played along as she puffed out her chest and marched forward. ¡°But... uh, where are we going?¡± ¡°...Pfft.¡± Seeing her mix of newfound confidence and her usual cluelessness made me chuckle. ¡°...Hero, I could¡¯ve opened that vault too.¡± ¡°Sure, sure.¡± I patted Glare¡¯s head as she pouted, then followed Roswyn. ¡°Our little one is really impressive, huh?¡± ¡°...¡± Seriously, everyone¡¯s so cute. ¡°Whoa... there¡¯s so much cool stuff in here...¡± ¡°...Wow.¡± We cautiously stepped inside the vault, where a vast treasure trove lay before us. ¡°This is incredible...¡± Even someone like me, who has no real greed for material wealth, couldn¡¯t help but be dazzled by the sight of such priceless treasures. It made sense¡ªafter all, these treasures had been accumulating for a thousand years. This place probably contained the most reached in the whole world. No wonder Clana couldn¡¯t find an item to restore my soul in this place last time¡ªit wasn¡¯t that it didn¡¯t exist, but rather that the collection was just too overwhelming. ¡°...But how do we even begin to find what we¡¯re looking for?¡± If it were up to us, it would take at least six months to find the treasure my ancestor left behind. ¡°Should I break everything?¡± ¡°...No.¡± Luckily, I had a method. ¡°This way.¡± My ancestor had left behind ¡®stellar mana,¡¯ which I could still faintly sense. Even though I¡¯d lost most of the stellar mana I had, it was an ability I was practically born with. Locating its general direction was easy enough. ¡°Come with me!¡± ¡°Take your time. We¡¯ve got plenty of it...¡± As Roswyn hurried to catch up, fearful of being left behind, I frowned slightly as I sensed something odd. ¡°...Interesting.¡± If what I suspected is true, then something pretty entertaining might happen. . . . . . A few hours later. ¡°We found it.¡± ¡°T-this is the treasure left behind by the First Hero?¡± ¡°Whoa.¡± We stood before a chest clearly marked with the Starlight family¡¯s insignia¡ªobviously left behind by my ancestor. ¡°Now, what could be inside...¡± I carefully reached for the chest while the two girls stood behind me, brimming with curiosity. But just before I opened it... ¡°Before we check, though...¡± I paused, glancing off to the side with a gleam in my eyes. ¡°I know you¡¯re there, so why don¡¯t you come out already?¡± Along with the stellar mana I sensed, there was also a familiar, dark, and slimy energy lingering. Of the people I know, only one person gives off this kind of eerie vibe. ¡°I can sense you. Something felt off since earlier...¡± ¡°...Hmph.¡± Even Roswyn and Glare had noticed by now, so surely the person would reveal themselves soon? - Rumble... ¡°Tch, so annoying.¡± As I sat on top of the chest, a pile of gold coins next to me collapsed, and¡ª ¡°You sure are quick to notice.¡± A familiar face appeared, just as I expected. ¡°Long time no see?¡± ¡°Frey... you bastard...¡± Bound by chains, and looking disheveled¡ª ¡°You actually managed to crawl in here...¡± It was none other than the former Demon God, Eclipse, completely stripped of her former grandeur. - Step, step... ¡°Judging by the fact that you¡¯ve lost your Divinity... looks like I was scared for no reason.¡± As I stared at her calmly, Eclipse started approaching me, black energy swirling from her bound hands. ¡°Then again, those Divinity wouldn¡¯t have done much good anyway.¡± From the signs of torture on her body and her current behavior, it seems she still doesn¡¯t understand. ¡°As long as the great one behind me stands, you will never defeat me.¡± She really has no idea that everything is already over, does she? ¡°...Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°...¡± Still, she seems to have something up her sleeve. What should I do? ¡°If you kneel at my feet right now, I might consider making you my slave.¡± ¡°Roswyn, can you bring me that table over there?¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°Try to find the hardest one.¡± Looks like it¡¯s time for some negotiations. Shall we set the table? *** https://ko-fi.com/genesisforsaken Chapter 467: Side Story - The Battle Royale (12) ¡°Eugh... Ahhh...¡± ¡°.........¡± As usual, the negotiation ended quickly. The former goddess, who had charged at me with a smug expression, was now lying on the vault floor, clutching her stomach and drooling profusely. ¡°Stop it... Please stop...¡± ¡°...You were the one who attacked first, and now you¡¯re asking me to stop?¡± When Eclipse first attacked me, she had some confidence, probably because she believed in that the ¡°great one¡± still existed. But she crumbled far too easily. Though she used some weak dark mana, I didn¡¯t even need to use Stellar Mana¡ªjust the negotiation table in my hand was enough to subdue her. What kind of confidence did she have to think she could challenge me? ¡°Ahhh... It hurts...¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± There¡¯s still something strange about this. As far as I know, she was supposed to be in the Imperial Palace¡¯s dungeon being tortured. So why did she suddenly appear in the secret vault underground? I guess I need to continue the negotiation. - Click... ¡°Eek...¡± As I folded up the table I¡¯d been holding and looked down at Eclipse with cold eyes, she cowered in fear, covering her face with her hands. ¡°Do you want more? Or will you answer my questions truthfully now?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll tell you everything... P-Please, just stop...¡± When I gave her a reasonable offer, Eclipse crawled over and placed her head at my feet, trembling as she spoke. ¡°I-I¡¯ll do anything you ask. Should I... lick your feet?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll do whatever you want...!¡± I frowned and pulled my foot back, but Eclipse clung desperately to my leg. ¡°M-my sight is ruined, my stomach is a wreck, and I think one of my legs is completely shattered...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll be done for if this keeps up...¡± Her tearful pleading was pitiful to see, especially since she looked almost identical to the Sun God. But still. ¡°... So?¡± ¡°Heuk... Hee...¡± The creature before me is one of the sources of all evil, comparable to that damned Eye. After all, wasn¡¯t it her who brought that Eye into this dimension in the first place? She¡¯s not someone I can pity or show mercy to. She caused not only me but this entire dimension to suffer. - Shink... ¡°Stop talking and just answer my questions.¡± ¡°...!!¡± Keeping my cold expression, I pressed the table against her neck. Eclipse quickly nodded as her eyes widened in terror. ¡°Who¡¯s behind you?¡± ¡°Huh? W-what do you mean...¡± As expected, she tried to feign ignorance the moment I asked. ¡°...Kehhk!¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be a second warning.¡± ¡°Huh, hrrk...¡± I slapped her cheek with all my might before asking again. Eclipse, clutching her reddened cheek, started to cry. ¡°Who helped you escape the torture chamber and gave you extra dark mana?¡± ¡°...T-the one.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°N-no, that person... That thing.¡± Then, in a voice mixed with sobs, she whispered to me. ¡°The one with the creepy eye... You know who I mean...¡± What in the world is she talking about? ¡°A while ago, they suddenly appeared out of nowhere... and freed me.¡± Could the ¡®creepy eye¡¯ she¡¯s talking about really be that person? ¡°And... they gave me extra power too...¡± ¡°...Nonsense.¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s true!¡± As I watched Eclipse desperately continue her explanation, I sighed and revealed the truth to her. ¡°You should know better. That being¡¯s power...¡± ¡°That being already lost to me.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°The final battle is over. I won, and they lost.¡± Upon hearing that, she fell silent, her face showing a dumbfounded expression. ¡°It was months ago.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have known since you were locked underground.¡± As I lifted her chin to meet my gaze, Eclipse, who had been spaced out, began to sweat profusely. ¡°A-amazing... Hero...¡± Then, with a desperate look in her eyes, she started flattering me with all her might. ¡°I-I surrender. There¡¯s no way I can go against someone as superior as you...¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°You¡¯re kind, Hero... So you wouldn¡¯t do anything bad to someone who surrenders, r-right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m really useful, you know? I used to be a goddess, so I know a lot, and I can do anything for you!¡± I started to feel nauseous. ¡°I-I never liked that creepy eye guy either... From now on, I¡¯ll serve you, someone far more superior...¡± - Smack!! ¡°...Kehhk.¡± I slapped her cheek once again, and this time she collapsed to the floor. Despite that, she still tried to crawl toward me. ¡°Y-yes. If you want, I¡¯ll be your punching bag for life...¡± She then grabbed the edges of her ruined stomach with her hands. ¡°Y-You like hitting stomachs, right? You can punch me as m-much as you want. I¡¯ve been tortured a lot recently, so I can take a b-beating.¡± ¡°...What do you want?¡± Not being able to watch her pitiful state anymore, I stood up and asked. ¡°P-please, just spare my life.¡± She begged desperately. ¡°I-I¡¯ll shrink myself down... I¡¯ll heal myself... Just let me live...¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± At first, I thought I¡¯d just send her off to meet the Eye right here and now. But I just came up with a much better use for her. ¡°...Did you say you could shrink?¡± ¡°Yes! Yes!! I¡¯ll be your perfect toy if you let me...¡± ¡°Then get in here.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± . . . . . A few minutes later. - Rattle, rattle... ¡°F-Frey?¡± ¡°Hero, what¡¯s that?¡± Glare and Roswyn, who had been keeping their distance, stared at the rattling black orb inside the glass jar I held with wary eyes. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°W-what about that person from before?¡± ¡°I handled her.¡± There was no need to explain that I had trapped one of the sources of all evil inside a glass jar I found nearby. The two girls in front of me were too innocent for such an explanation, so I brushed it off. ¡°Hmm...¡± Still, I had a few things to consider. It didn¡¯t seem like she was lying. As far as I could tell, Eclipse¡¯s testimony wasn¡¯t false. I¡¯d have to confirm things with the heroines later, but for now, I couldn¡¯t detect any signs of deceit. So was it really that Eye that helped her? The one who gave Eclipse some extra power and ordered her to steal the treasure left behind by my ancestor? It doesn¡¯t make sense. That Eye should be suffering in hell right now. Maybe it¡¯s an imposter. It could be someone pretending to be the Eye, borrowing its power to deceive. That actually sounds plausible. If the real Eye was still around, Eclipse wouldn¡¯t have had such meager strength. And considering how many people noticed the Eye¡¯s existence during the Siege, it wouldn¡¯t be hard to impersonate him. I¡¯ll need to pay a visit to hell soon. Just in case it really is the Eye. And if not, well, I¡¯ll see how it¡¯s fairing in hell. ¡°One thing gets solved, and another pops up...¡± After finishing my thoughts, I grumbled and opened the ancestor¡¯s chest before me. What kind of trump card was left inside? - Creeaak... I opened the chest with high hopes, but what greeted me was... ¡°Huh?¡± It was nothing but something made of rubber. First, avoid it at all costs. ¡°...What?¡± A chill ran down my spine. ¡°Oh no.¡± It¡¯s too late to use this now. No, it¡¯s too late, please. Please, Ancestor, help me. ¡°...Hero, it has three layers.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh?¡± Before even inspecting the rest of the chest, I was already in despair. Thankfully before I could spiral further, Glare came closer and pointed out something. ¡°S-she¡¯s right?¡± Indeed, there were two more compartments beneath the first. - Click... I had no time to waste. I hurriedly opened the second compartment, and another message appeared. If you can¡¯t avoid it, enjoy it. In the second compartment, there was a crystal bottle. ¡°Hmm, this...¡± According to the instruction manual in front of the bottle, it wasn¡¯t too bad, but... It still didn¡¯t solve the core issue. ¡°Please...¡± With great tension, I stuffed the crystal bottle into my pouch and opened the final compartment. If you can¡¯t enjoy it. With an ominous message came a musty old document, and for the first time, I could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Accept it. ¡°...This is it.¡± Thank you, Ancestor. . . . . . Frey carefully folded the document as if it were a priceless treasure and placed it in his pocket. ¡°Alright, with this, I¡¯m set...¡± ¡°F-Frey? What¡¯s that?¡± Watching him, Roswyn tilted her head and asked with curiosity. ¡°...A solution.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s something my ancestor and the first head of the Sunset family made... Something I really need right now.¡± ¡°The Sunset family?¡± As soon as the name of her family was mentioned, Roswyn¡¯s eyes sparkled, and she proudly spoke up. ¡°Hmph, of course. It had to be the Sunset family. Without us, you would¡¯ve faced many difficulties.¡± Roswyn didn¡¯t even know what Frey had pocketed, but her regained confidence made her puff her chest out proudly. ¡°Hehe... hohoho...¡± ¡°...¡± Frey quietly watched Roswyn, who covered her mouth with her hand, trying to stifle her laughter. ¡°...So, shall we go find a quiet place?¡± ¡°Hehehe... Huh?¡± Frey approached Roswyn and whispered in a low voice. ¡°I need to fulfill the promise I made to you.¡± ¡°...!!!¡± For a moment, Roswyn had a blank expression on her face, as if she hadn¡¯t expected this, but then her ears turned bright red, and she shyly muttered. ¡°P-please be gentle... I mean¡ª¡° ¡°...What?¡± ¡°...Please be as rough as possible.¡± ¡°...Oh.¡± *** https://ko-fi.com/genesisforsaken Chapter 468: Side Story - The Battle Royale (13) Chapter 468: Side Story - The Battle Royale (13) ¡°Intruder! Catch them!¡± ¡°The prisoner has escaped!!¡± To cut to the chase, finding a quiet place was a failure. ¡°...Damn that Demon God.¡± - Clink, clank... The commotion started when Eclipse, who I had just sealed in the glass jar, managed to escape, triggering the security magic and causing the entire palace to erupt into chaos. ¡°Sorry, Roswyn. It seems no palace date for us.¡± ¡°...¡± Because of that, I had no choice but to give up on the palace date with Roswyn, which was truly disappointing. If we hadn¡¯t been caught, it could¡¯ve been a great memory. I¡¯ll have to hold that little rat in the jar accountable later. ¡°Huff... Huff...¡± ¡°...¡± After running and running for what felt like an eternity, we finally managed to lose the guards chasing us. ¡°Hey, kiddo, hasn¡¯t your power come back yet?¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t know.¡± To be honest, we could¡¯ve easily shaken them off using Glare¡¯s stealth magic, but according to her, her powers suddenly stopped working. ¡°Why isn¡¯t your power working? Is something wrong?¡± ¡°... Well.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Looking at the pout on her face, I could guess the reason. ¡°You little rascal.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I discreetly checked the surroundings for anyone nearby and then narrowed my eyes as I started tickling Glare¡¯s side. ¡°A kid shouldn¡¯t sulk over things like this.¡± ¡°S-Stop it... H-Hero... Ahahaha!¡± As expected, Glare, who had been pouting, couldn¡¯t hold back her laughter. It was clear she got upset because I mentioned going on a date with Roswyn alone earlier. ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°...What are you sorry for?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take you on a date too, okay?¡± When I whispered that with a sincere expression, Glare stopped laughing and stared straight at me. ¡°... You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I was caught off guard by her firm response, and then her lips curled up into a mischievous grin. ¡°Just promise me one thing instead.¡± ¡°...Okay, sure.¡± Even though we¡¯d lost the guards for now, we¡¯d still need her powers to get out of here safely. So, whatever she asked, I would agree to it. After all, if it weren¡¯t for this kid, I wouldn¡¯t have gotten this far. No matter what difficult wish she asks for, I¡¯ll fulfill it. ¡°...Marry me!¡± ¡°No.¡± Barely a few seconds had passed since I had made that resolve, but I had no choice but to shake my head at her request. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t want to get buried alive.¡± I know this kid has feelings for me. But when you consider our age difference, it¡¯s just not possible. At the very least, she needs to be an adult... ¡°Not now, but later. Much much much later, when I¡¯m older.¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± I was about to explain, but she beat me to it, saying it with a mature expression. ¡°By then, how old do you think I¡¯ll be? You do know there¡¯s a big age gap between us, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°And, you know... My family situation is a little special.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter.¡± As I tried to reason with her, gently stroking her head, Glare raised her left hand, showing me a familiar ring on her finger. ¡°Can¡¯t you see this ring?¡± ¡°...Ahem.¡± I smiled wryly at the sight. ¡°Alright alright, if that¡¯s what you want.¡± ¡°...Hehe.¡± After all, she¡¯s still just a kid. Her affection is innocent, and time will likely solve everything. When she gets older, she¡¯ll probably realize that her feelings for me were more admiration than love. ¡°March 12th... 1:25 a.m... 23 seconds... Noted...¡± ¡°...Kid?¡± It¡¯s just admiration... right? ¡°Yes, Hero?¡± ¡°Well, could you cast that stealth magic for us now?¡± Feeling a sudden chill down my spine, I shivered a little and hurriedly asked her to cast her special stealth spell so we could escape. ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t use that.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°But I have something better.¡± ¡°...???¡± Her response confused me. ¡°Something better¡±? What¡¯s that supposed to mean? ¡°Hmm... Found it.¡± ¡°Wait, is that...¡± I watched in confusion as Glare pulled something out of her bag. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me...¡± - Whoosh!! It was an all-too-familiar scroll, one I had seen before at the Hero¡¯s inauguration ceremony. ¡°Enjoy your date!¡± ¡°W-wait, what?¡± Before I knew it, I was plummeting to the ground, having fallen victim to Glare¡¯s scroll. ¡°I¡¯ll be off then!¡± I watched in shock as Glare disappeared into the night with a mischievous grin, and I turned my gaze toward Roswyn, who had just returned after scouting ahead. ¡°...Meow.¡± And yes, there I was, in cat form. ¡°Huh? Where is Frey?¡± ¡°...Meow.¡± Seriously, another cat transformation scroll? This is just too much. . . . . . Not long after. ¡°...¡± A robed woman was briskly walking down the street. She bowed her head as if it would make her less conspicuous. ¡°P-please stop squirming inside...¡± She gave off a suspicious air, clearly in a rush. ¡°Hey, you there, stop for a moment.¡± ¡°You look suspicious.¡± ¡°...!¡± As the guards, who had been watching her with suspicion, approached, the woman froze on the spot. ¡°W-what is it?¡± ¡°We¡¯re conducting checks. There was an incident at the palace earlier.¡± ¡°Please provide identification.¡± As the guards responded coldly to her timid inquiry, she shrank back even further. - Rustle... ¡°I-it won¡¯t turn on...¡± She pulled out something brick-shaped from her robes, causing the guards to step back with wary expressions. ¡°Ugh, ugh.¡± ¡°Definitely suspicious.¡± ¡°Yeah, something¡¯s off.¡± They began to draw their weapons. - Squirm, squirm... ¡°If you won¡¯t identify yourself, we¡¯ll have no choice but to arrest you...¡± As the guards¡¯ eyes fell on the mysterious movements coming from beneath her robes, they sternly announced their intention. ¡°Ugh, ughh...¡± Suddenly, the woman clenched her fists and let out a low groan. ¡°W-what is she doing?¡± ¡°She¡¯s about to do something! Attack now...!¡± The guards, wide-eyed at her strange behavior, belatedly aimed their weapons, but¡ª ¡°Aaaargh!¡± - Crackle... zap! In the next moment, golden energy lit up the dark street. - Thud... Within seconds, the guards who had been threatening her collapsed, powerless, onto the ground. ¡°I-I did it!¡± Looking at the fallen guards in disbelief, the woman began jumping up and down in excitement. ¡°Meow~¡± ¡°I finally won a fight! Even though I once lost to an 8-year-old, I actually won this time!¡± Roswyn began bragging with a triumphant voice, keeping in tune with the meowing cat¡¯s rhythm. ¡°Well, of course! No one can stand against me when I¡¯m serious! Yes, yes, naturally. I¡¯m actually smarter than Serena and stronger than Ruby...¡± - Lick, lick... ¡°...Uh, huh?¡± But suddenly, a tickling sensation spread across her abdomen, causing her legs to give out, and she collapsed to the ground, her face turning red. ¡°W-what are you licking, Frey?!¡± - Lick... ¡°...Kyaa!¡± Unable to contain herself as the cat licked the sweat from her body, Roswyn trembled, unsure of what to do. ¡°There! The guards have fallen!¡± ¡°Get them!¡± ¡°Eek...!¡± As more soldiers came rushing toward her, Roswyn, with a distressed expression, leaped up and ran away. - Lick... ¡°S-stop it!¡± Clutching the cat responsible for the strange sensation, she hurriedly pulled it out of her robes. ¡°T-this is serious! If we get caught like this...¡± ¡°...Meow.¡± Seeing the cat lower its head in sadness, Roswyn clenched her teeth. ¡°W-well, it can¡¯t be helped!¡± Moments later, with a resolute look, Roswyn shoved the cat into her cleavage. ¡°Meow!¡± The cat wriggled and squirmed, barely keeping its head out, before slowly sinking further into her chest. ¡°Halt, criminal!¡± ¡°B-But I-I¡¯m the Duke¡¯s daughter!¡± With her face bright red, Roswyn ran down the street. . . . . . A few hours later. ¡°Huff... Huff...¡± Exhausted, Roswyn collapsed onto a bed, her face showing the toll of her ordeal. ¡°I finally lost them...¡± After hours of an endless chase, she had managed to shake off the soldiers and find refuge in a shabby inn. ¡°Hey, you.¡± After catching her breath, Roswyn frowned and looked down at her robe. - Rustle... The silver cat, who had been nestled in her chest, peeked out, blinking at her. ¡°...Hmph.¡± Roswyn glared at the cat before turning her head sharply to the side. ¡°At this rate, the promise we made today is as good as gone.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You don¡¯t really have manners, you know.¡± At that moment. - Poof...! ¡°...Huh?¡± Smoke billowed around her as the cat disappeared from sight. ¡°Cough, cough...¡± Amid the smoke, Roswyn found herself face-to-face with none other than Frey, wearing a sheepish expression. ¡°...Hmm.¡± Roswyn stared at him blankly for a moment before turning her head away once again. ¡°...Meow.¡± Seeing that Roswyn was clearly upset, Frey, not knowing what to do, awkwardly leaned in and started licking her neck. ¡°Do you really think that¡¯ll fix everything?¡± Despite feeling like she could soar to the sky from the fact that Frey was acting cute for her, she maintained her pout, pretending to stay mad. - Tap...! Then she pointed to the bite marks on her collarbone and neck. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s okay to treat a duke¡¯s daughter¡¯s body like this?¡± To which Frey shamelessly responded by pressing his cheek against hers. ¡°You asked me to be rough, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...Stupid Frey.¡± Despite the irritation in her voice, her face flushed red again. ¡°Now this feels more like Roswyn.¡± ¡°...Shut up. Stupid Frey. Pervert Frey. Idiot Frey.¡± With their bodies pressed tightly together, Roswyn¡¯s smooth skin glistened with sweat. ¡°So... what are you doing... exactly?¡± ¡°...?¡± After a moment, their breathing finally synchronized. However, due to the close proximity of their heated body, Roswyn struggled to control her erratic heartbeat and breathing. In the end, she decided to cover her agitation by seducing Frey. She bit her index finger and gave Frey a sidelong glance, whispering softly. ¡°...Aren¡¯t you going to fulfill that promise?¡± With that, Frey began slowly undressing Roswyn. Chapter 469: Side Story - A Night of Sunset (1) Chapter 469: Side Story - A Night of Sunset (1) - Rustle, rustle... Roswyn¡¯s clothes slipped off, revealing her white skin. ¡°Hnahh!¡± At the same time, when Frey¡¯s hand slipped between her legs, Roswyn opened her eyes wide in surprise. - Squelch..... ¡°W-W-Wait a minute.¡± Soon, when a wet sound was heard from below, Roswyn grabbed Frey¡¯s shoulder urgently. ¡°S-Slowly. D-Do it slowly....¡± - *Squelch*, *squelch*...¡°...Hyanhhh!¡± However, Frey pretended not to hear her and moved his hand without hesitation. ¡°... You¡¯re really wet.¡± After a while, Frey took his hand off from under Roswyn¡¯s leg and opened his hand, and colorless juice stretched out between his fingers. ¡°At this point, you don¡¯t even need foreplay.¡± ¡°O-Of course I need one.¡± Roswyn stared blankly at the obscene sight. She then shook her head urgently, trying to stop Frey from grabbing her leg. ¡°W-Wait. I think it¡¯s not... wet enough...¡± - Pour... Despite her words, her love juices slowly flowed down between her legs. ¡°This is really lewd.¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± Frey couldn¡¯t help but exclaim at the lewd scene, causing Roswyn to frown. ¡°C-Calling the Duke¡¯s daughter lewd, h-how rude!¡± ¡°...Is that so?¡± At that, Frey scratched his head with an apologetic expression, and Roswyn, who had a slightly embarrassed expression, coughed and added. ¡°Uh, um... But the Sunset family was created to be dedicated to the Hero...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°S-So... I-I-It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Frey didn¡¯t know whether Roswyn deliberately chose those words or not, but the result was all the same. Searing, hot desire immediately rose within Frey at those lewd words. ¡°Roswyn.¡± ¡°Y-yes?¡± ¡°It seems like you¡¯re still a little tense, so let¡¯s start with the warm-up.¡± Roswyn, who had thought for a moment and opened her mouth at Frey¡¯s words, finally spoke. ¡°O-Okay! I¡¯m confident in warm-up!¡± ¡°...Confident? What do you mean?¡± Frey tilted his head at Roswyn¡¯s bizarre words. ¡°I, I¡¯ve seen a lot of materials.¡± ¡°Materials?¡± ¡°T-The Helper System... You know... I... um... can see...¡± Frey was speechless. ¡°What did you do while watching that?¡± Roswyn quietly put her finger on her pussy in response to his subsequent question. ¡°...I-I pleasure myself.¡± - Squelch... A low, wet sound began to echo in the room. ¡°I-I imagined myself being devoured by you... roughly... like a b-beast.¡± ¡°...¡± Roswyn blushed furiously as she gazed into Frey¡¯s eyes. After a while, she began to crawl towards Frey. ¡°... B-by the thing I see right now in front of me.¡± . . . . . ¡°...¡± ¡°Haa, haa.....¡± Roswyn slowly raised her head. - Thud... ¡°Ah...¡± Then, Frey¡¯s cock gently settled on her face. ¡°I-It¡¯s a penis.¡± Frey¡¯s thing, which she had only seen in videos, was covering her face. ¡°T-The Hero¡¯s penis...¡± There were many things in her head she would try if this moment came, but when it was finally in front of her, Roswyn couldn¡¯t move an inch. - Throb...! ¡°I-It¡¯s moving...¡± she could feel the searing temperature and pulse from Frey¡¯s thick cock that touched her face. ¡°...Ugh.¡± The strong masculine scent covered Roswyn, causing her to breathe roughly which in turn stimulated the cock in front of her. It was an endless cycle of pleasure. - Tremble Her lower abdomen, which had wanted to be the Hero¡¯s woman since she was young, began to tremble on its own. ¡°Ahemm.¡± ¡°Ah, ahhh.¡± She suddenly came to her senses at Frey¡¯s cough. I-I have to stroke it. This was the first night with the Hero that she always wanted. She had simulated this very situation hundreds if not thousands of times. Her imagination, which had been excessively provocative and obsessive, has finally begun to shine. O-Okay, let¡¯s lick it. I will make him feel good. Of course, imagination was just an imagination. In reality, she didn¡¯t have any experience in these kinds of stuff. ¡°A-Ah...¡± As a result, instead of looking sexy and alluring like in her imagination, she only looked cute. She licked the glans with her tongue barely sticking out of her lips. - Churp, slurp... However, that cuteness was actually creating a stimulating scene. - Yummm... Thanks to that, the masculine scent coming from Frey¡¯s glans doubled, and while continuing to lick the glans, Roswyn unconsciously bit his glans while intoxicated by the scent. - Munch, munch...? Soon, Roswyn began to nibble Frey¡¯s glans without even realizing what she was doing. ¡°A-Ah... I-I¡¯m sowwy...¡± After focusing on the glans for a while, Roswyn came to her senses and started muttering with the penis in her mouth. ¡°I-I... I¡¯m ghoing to dzo it for real...¡± And from that point on, Roswyn began to demonstrate the exquisite technique she had personally devised. ¡°Y-You won come too zoon... right...?¡± Of course, since it was a technique that came from her imagination, they were all cute and beginner-like. - Swish... She lay on her back on the bed, biting the penis and imitating a puppy. - Rustle... She rubbed the penis on her face and imprinted Frey¡¯s scent on it. ¡°...¡± She knelt on the floor for a minute, holding the penis in her mouth, etc. ¡°This is... quite stimulating?¡± Because there were elements that secretly stimulated romance, Frey¡¯s penis had already swelled to its full mast. - Churp, slurp... ¡°Hey, Roswyn?¡± And the result was about to come, quite literally. ¡°I think I¡¯m about to come.¡± Frey patted Roswyn¡¯s shoulder and whispered as the ejaculation started to rise from the shaft. ¡°...Please feed me.¡± Upon hearing that, Roswyn held Frey¡¯s penis with both hands and whispered in a trembling voice. ¡°Your baby...¡± - Splurt, Splurt...! ¡°Eubub.¡± Just like she wanted Frey¡¯s seed began to fill Roswyn¡¯s mouth. ¡°....! ...!!¡± Roswyn, who was trying her best to keep the seed in her mouth, began to pale at the copious amount of cum coming her way. ¡°Phehe...¡± And then, she finally exhaled and spit out semen into her hands that she had gathered fervently. ¡°Cough, cough...¡± ¡°...Are you okay?¡± As she started to cough, Frey reached out to her with a worried expression. ¡°...¡± Then, she looked up at Frey with tearful eyes. - Gulp, gulp... Instead of answering, Roswyn quietly raised her hands and began to pour the collected seeds back into her mouth. ¡°...It¡¯s delicious.¡± After a while, she swallowed the seeds with her eyes closed while holding the semen in her mouth. After savoring Frey¡¯s taste in her mouth for a while, she buried her head under Frey¡¯s cock. ¡°Give me more.¡± And then, Roswyn whispered while placing Frey¡¯s balls on her face. - Lick, lick... ¡°...Hehe.¡± Frey muttered to himself as he quietly gathered his legs and wrapped them around her. This is so fucking erotic... Frey¡¯s cock, which had been resting on her head, was now hard and twitching once more. . . . . . ¡°E-Excuse me?¡± A few minutes later. ¡°Right now... What are you doing?¡± ¡°...¡± This time, Frey grabbed her two legs. ¡°I can¡¯t enjoy this moment alone, right?¡± ¡°...!¡± Frey answered with a sly smile and dug into Roswyn¡¯s lower body. - Lick... ¡°... Gasp!?¡± A moment later, when Frey¡¯s tongue touched her fold, Roswyn gasped in surprise. ¡°W-Wait a minute...! It¡¯s so w-wet there right now...! I-I need to wipe it off first...!¡± - Churp. ¡°...Euhiiiiiiik!?¡± However, Frey started licking her pussy without any concern. ¡°...You ate me too, right?¡± ¡°T-That.¡± ¡°Then I will also eat you out.¡± After saying that, Frey grabbed Roswyn¡¯s legs tightly and buried his head in her lower body again. - Slurp...! ¡°Heughhh.....¡± And the next moment, Frey¡¯s tongue digs into her velvety fold. ¡°Heugh, uh...¡± At the sudden attack, her two legs and lower abdomen trembled. ¡°I-If... If you suddenly...¡± - Gulp...! ¡°...Heugh.¡± And so, a few more minutes pass. - Churup, slurp... ¡°...?¡± After a few minutes of Frey¡¯s relentless attack, Roswyn was turned into a slobbering mess. She could only moan while wrapping her legs around Frey¡¯s head. - Gulp. After a few gulps, Frey¡¯s face turned red and he quietly shook his head. A colorless thread stretched out long and thin from his mouth and Roswyn¡¯s pussy. - Smooch...? ¡°...!¡± Roswyn clenched her teeth and bent her waist 90 degrees as Frey kissed her pussy. ¡°... I-I held on.¡± Roswyn covered her reddened face with her hand for a long time. After she regained her wits, she spoke while exhaling heavily. ¡°I, I didn¡¯t come. It¡¯s my victory.¡± ¡°...Really?¡± However, when Frey tilted his head and asked, she quietly turned her gaze to the side. ¡°Umm... I-I did come a few times... just a little.¡± ¡°...You came so much that my mouth was soaking wet.¡± ¡°E-excuse me! M-My words! I-I still have the dignity of a duke¡¯s daughter!¡± It was already too late to assert the dignity of a duke¡¯s daughter. ¡°...I see.¡± But Frey just smiled and nodded. - Thud...! Of course, there was a reason for all that behavior. ¡°...Uh, huh?¡± The reason was that his ferocious weapon that would defeat Roswyn was still intact. - Slap, smack... ¡°Are you ready?¡± So, Frey, who had already laid Roswyn down, began to knock kindly with his dick on her stomach. ¡°...I-It will reach all the way here? Your penis?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Roswyn muttered in a terrified voice, looking at Frey¡¯s dick that was slapping her entire stomach. ¡°I-I¡¯ll be ruined. If this continues...¡± Frey, who was looking down at her, quietly caressed Roswyn¡¯s cheek and whispered. ¡°...Who told me to do it as roughly as possible?¡± ¡°Ah... t-that, but... it¡¯s not going to fit...¡± - Thud...! ¡°...Huh?¡± Frey¡¯s dick hit her stomach unusually viciously. - Thud... Thud... The next moment, Roswyn, who was looking down at her lower stomach and was starting to tremble quietly, answered in a crawling voice while staring at Frey with trembling eyes. ¡°...Please ruin me.¡± The atmosphere that was surrounding those two was much more lewd than ever. Chapter 470: Side Story - A Night of Sunset (2) - Squelch... As Frey¡¯s cock lightly kissed Roswyn¡¯s pussy, her pussy began to grip Frey¡¯s glans as if it had been waiting. ¡°Uuu...¡± Roswyn, who was quietly lying down and covering her face with her hand, tightly closed her eyes at the dizzying sensation she felt from below. ¡°...Ugh.¡± Frey, who was trying to push his dick in, frowned with a bewildered expression at the unexpected pressure. - Tsk tsk tsk... ¡°I, I...¡± As that continued, Roswyn, who was writhing around and making an impatient expression, spoke to Frey in a low voice. ¡°... S-Stop teasing me... J-Just put it in.¡± The moment he finished saying those words. - Tsk tsk...! Frey¡¯s huge cock slowly began to enter Roswyn. ¡°...Eughh!¡± In the blink of an eye, Frey¡¯s glans began to press against the thin membrane inside Roswyn¡¯s vagina. ¡°I-I¡¯ve left it intact for you.¡± Roswyn began to speak in a shy voice. ¡°E-Even when I... pleasure myself... I only rub the outside.¡± ¡°...¡± When Frey stared blankly at her, Roswyn opened her mouth with a blush on her face. ¡°S-so... can you praise me?¡± Roswyn¡¯s words were shy yet strangely passionate. - Srkkk...! He quietly reached out and began to pat her lower abdomen. ¡°You did a great job.¡± ¡°...Hehehe.¡± Roswyn began to smile faintly at the compliment that came out of Frey¡¯s mouth. - Squelch... Every time Frey¡¯s hand tapped her lower abdomen, the inside of her pussy twitched and tightened around his cock. Due to the pleasure, Frey¡¯s cock couldn¡¯t help but reach its full mast. - Swish...! ¡°Heuk!¡± Frey, who couldn¡¯t bear it any longer, slowly pushed the cock that was blocked by the thin membrane inside. ¡°...Ah, ahh.¡± ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Contrary to his initial intentions to do it roughly, his movements were quite gentle. Frey tenderly asked a question while quietly caressing her stomach when Roswyn let out a groan of pain. ¡°...¡± Roswyn closed her eyes for a moment and was lost in thought at that question. - Gripp... She quietly put strength into her stomach, tightened her vagina, and whispered. ¡°...It doesn¡¯t hurt at all.¡± As she said that, Roswyn¡¯s virgin blood slowly wrapped around Frey¡¯s cock. ¡°Then...¡± A while later, Frey slowly lay down on her and whispered softly while touching her cheek. ¡°I¡¯m going to start moving.¡± ¡°... Eubeub!?¡± Frey¡¯s thumb entered Roswyn¡¯s mouth, which was gaping open. ¡°Ugh, uhbeh...¡± When Roswyn opened her mouth even wider at the sudden intrusion, her saliva stuck to Frey¡¯s finger. - Plap, plap...! ¡°Ugh, ugh...¡± At the same time, Frey¡¯s cock started to rearrange Roswyn¡¯s gut. - Squelch... Roswyn unconsciously stretched her legs upwards due to the overwhelming pleasure. Her whole body trembled and her toes curled. - Rustle... Then, she naturally wrapped her legs around Frey¡¯s waist. ¡°...P-please put it inside.¡± Right after she finished saying that.. - Splurt, splurt...! Frey¡¯s cock, which had reached the innermost part of her pussy, began to cum directly into Roswyn¡¯s uterus with all its might. ¡°I-I¡¯m so happy...¡± Roswyn, who was lying under Frey, muttered in bliss. She couldn¡¯t help but feel happy as she felt the warm and soft fullness that she was beginning to feel in her lower abdomen. . . . . . A few minutes later. ¡°...P-Please.¡± ¡°What? I can¡¯t hear you well?¡± Roswyn, who had changed her position and was lying on her back with her buttocks raised, closed her eyes tightly and raised her voice at Frey¡¯s words. ¡°P-Put it in.¡± ¡°Where? What? How?¡± But even so, when Frey asked again with a mischievous expression, Roswyn bit her lips, and her face blushed red like a tomato. - Throb, throb... Even after cumming once, Frey¡¯s cock didn¡¯t go down. It was still throbbing angrily at Roswyn¡¯s back. ¡°Huh, what is this?¡± As if stimulated by that movement, a long stream of semen mixed with love juice dripped from Roswyn¡¯s vagina, and Frey, not missing the moment, stroked her vagina with his hand and asked a question. ¡°...I-It¡¯s all your semen.¡± ¡°Well, it seems like yours mixed in there too.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If you want it so badly, just say it.¡± Roswyn, who had been answering with a slightly embarrassed voice, opened her mouth with a look of despair upon hearing Frey¡¯s still mischievous voice. ¡°P-pease, put your penis in my vagina... F-F-Fill me with your c-cock.¡± ¡°...Hmm.¡± ¡°Please educate this idiot helper with your dick.¡± As Roswyn said that, she glanced back and added while shaking her plump ass from side to side, and Frey¡¯s dick, which was resting on top of it, began to throb angrily. - Squelch...! ¡°H-hyanhhh!?¡± Just then, when Frey¡¯s cock was pushed to its limit by the annoying shaking... ¡°Blame yourself for tempting me so shamelessly.¡± Suddenly, Frey pulled his dick back slightly and whispered while roughly pinning Roswyn¡¯s arms. ¡°As you wish, I¡¯ll go all out just like you asked me to!¡± Soon, Roswyn inadvertently swallowed her saliva at the seriousness of his tone. - Thud...! ¡°...Huh?!¡± Frey pulls her two arms towards him and thrusts his cock into her pussy with all his might. ¡°Kyahhh...¡± Roswyn opened her eyes widely as she momentarily lost her mind due to the mind-blowing pleasure she felt from Frey¡¯s thrust. The pistons were so intense that her buttocks were shaking. - Droll... As a result, she fell catatonic with drool dripping from her mouth. - Slap, plap...! However, Frey mercilessly thrusts his cock into Roswyn¡¯s deepest part. ¡°Ugh, huh? Ughhhhhh?¡± As the intense piston continued for dozens of times, Roswyn suddenly opened her eyes wide and started to tremble. ¡°W-Wait... I, I...¡± - Thud, thud, thud...! ¡°I-I¡¯m going to comeeeee.....¡± Roswyn, who was trying to say that urgently, realized it when she felt Frey¡¯s dick mercilessly thrusting her vagina. It was useless to say anything to Frey right now. ¡°... Heuuu.¡± Right now, she was completely dominated by Frey. ¡°Roswyn.¡± ¡°...¡± The moment Frey uttered her name in a lust-filled tone, she accepted her fate and let go of all her strength from her body. ¡°... Get pregnant like this. Get pregnant with my child.¡± Frey let out a rough breath and commanded her. ¡°... Y-Yeshh.¡± Although she couldn¡¯t move a single finger, Roswyn answered the man who was dominating her with all her might. ¡°... Undershtood.¡± And the moment she answered... - Splurttt...! Frey¡¯s dick, which was more powerful than ever, struck deep inside Roswyn and cum copiously. ¡°... Heu.¡± At that moment, Roswyn, who felt a chilling sensation that was so intense that she lost control of her body, opened her eyes and lost consciousness once more. - Splurt, Splurt... Splurtt...! Nevertheless, thanks to Roswyn¡¯s pussy that continued to tighten, Frey¡¯s ejaculation continued until Roswyn finally fell onto the bed. . . . . . - Pour, pour... ¡°... Huuah.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Roswyn watched exhaustedly at the obscene scene of her pussy being filled to the brim with cum while Frey¡¯s cock was still buried deep within her. ¡°H-ha... has it subsided now?¡± When the ejaculation finally stopped, Roswyn asked in a trembling voice. ¡°... No.¡± ¡°H-How!¡± But Frey¡¯s penis was still erect. ¡°Ugh...¡± Thanks to that, Roswyn, who had been looking down at Frey with a dumbfounded expression, muttered while looking down at her own chest which was glistening with saliva and semen. ¡°You even come in my chest a few times...¡± ¡°I guess that wasn¡¯t enough.¡± ¡°Y-You even painted my face white.¡± Roswyn grabbed Frey¡¯s penis with her hand and brought it to her entrance. - Smoochh...? ¡°...When will you be satisfied?¡± Roswyn asked quietly, blushing at the obscene sound that echoed as her entrance and Frey¡¯s glans kissed. ¡°Until you get pregnant?¡± ¡°...Ugh.¡± However, after a while, she lowered her head at the answer that came back and pushed the cock into her pussy. ¡°My stomach is already so full of semen, it¡¯s almost like I¡¯m pregnant...¡± ¡°...Yeah.¡± ¡°I used ovulation induction drugs, so pregnancy was definitely confirmed in the first place...¡± Then, with eyes half tired and half happy, Roswyn started shaking her hips while looking down at Frey. ¡°I-Is this the right way to do it...¡± ¡°...Pfftt.¡± As expected of Roswyn, her movements were so comical and stiff. ¡°Ugh, Hyahhh. ummm...¡± ¡°...What are you doing?¡± However, Frey, who was smiling faintly thanks to Roswyn shaking her hips with such a serious expression, asked in complete amusement. ¡°I¡¯m making the baby.¡± She answered in a low voice, rubbing her lower abdomen where Frey¡¯s penis was. ¡°B-but. Is the baby really going to come in here? It¡¯s swelled up?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Hehe... how strange...¡± She then fixed her gaze on her lower abdomen and mumbled with her characteristic dazed smile. - Splurt...! Splurttt...! Frey couldn¡¯t hold it back anymore. The stimulation plus the cute scene in front of him made him ejaculate once more. Frey¡¯s ejaculation began to pound her uterus with a power that made it hard to believe that he had ejaculated several times. ¡°Ah, it came again.¡± Roswyn, who noticed that, rubbed her abdomen with a look of despair. She started muttering again. ¡°Welcome, babies...¡± - Splurt...!¡± ¡°...To mommy¡¯s belly, please stay cozy and don¡¯t fight with each other.¡± Frey¡¯s cock began to swell again inside of her. ¡°Can I lift you up, Roswyn?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so cute that I want to fuck you while I lift you up.¡± ¡°...H-huh?¡± And so it went, every time they were about to be done, new positions kept popping out and started the cycle anew. ¡°W-Wait, wait. I-I can hear it. The semen. I-It¡¯s all pouring out....¡± ¡°...Then tighten it more.¡± It is said that their night together continued until the soft glow of the sunset became dusk. ¡°Beast......¡± *** https://ko-fi.com/genesisforsaken Chapter 471: Side Story - The Battle Royale (14) Chapter 471: Side Story - The Battle Royale (14) ¡°Umhm...¡± - Tweet, tweet~ At the sound of birds chirping through the window, the girl lying in bed quietly shifted her body. ¡°...Huh?¡± What greeted her when she opened her eyes was the face she loved the most in the world. ¡°Umm...¡± Frey lay next to her. still sleeping soundly. ¡°H-Hey... uh...¡± Roswyn noticed through the half-open window that the sun was already high in the sky. ¡°.........¡± She was about to reach out to wake Frey but then she noticed his tired expression, and she quietly lowered her hand. - Poke... She lightly poked his cheek with her index finger. ¡°... So soft.¡± She muttered dazedly. Seeing he was still sleeping soundly, Roswyn cautiously snuggled into his arms. ¡°... So warm.¡± She lay there with her eyes closed, nestled against him, but suddenly lifted her head. ¡°Are you asleep, Frey?¡± Speaking softly, she reached out and stroked his cheek again. ¡°... Stupid Frey.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°How can you do your thing and then just go to sleep?¡± Her lower belly begins to flush and heat up again. - Gurgle... ¡°...Ugh.¡± Her lower abdomen still felt full, causing her to squirm and cross her legs. She shot a sharp look at Frey. ¡°Annoying.¡± Of course, there was no response from the still-sleeping Frey. ¡°Stupid Frey.¡± Still, there was no answer. - Thump, thump... As she wriggled quietly, Roswyn put her hand on her flushed cheek, whispering softly. ¡°... I-Is this what they called handsome privilege?¡± She then moved her face close to Frey¡¯s. - ...Smooch. She presses her lips against his, whispering tenderly. ¡°What would have happened if I had accepted your flower?¡± She herself didn¡¯t know why she was imagining this scenario. Was it pure curiosity or guilt over the things she had done? She couldn¡¯t be sure. ¡°I-If I had... would I have become your first wife? H-Hehe...¡± Roswyn was lost in a daydream about how things might have been different if she had taken Frey¡¯s flower. ¡°I would have proudly pulled out the Helper System, and then... hmm...¡± ¡°And then?¡± Suddenly, a voice came from right in front of her, holding back laughter. ¡°I¡¯d declare it, right? ¡®I am your sole Helper, so from now on, you have to listen to me...¡¯¡± Excitedly recounting her fantasy, Roswyn trailed off and blinked. ¡°Pfft...¡± Frey had woken up and was smiling mischievously at her. ¡°W-When did you...?¡± ¡°I woke up when you kissed me.¡± At those words, Roswyn ducked her head and buried her face in Frey¡¯s chest. ¡°S-So embarassinggggggg...¡± Although he wanted to ask her something cheeky like ¡°Didn¡¯t we just have sex?¡±, Frey quietly patted her back, holding back his comment. . . . . . ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Roswyn?¡± A few minutes later, Roswyn got dressed and stood up with a pained expression, prompting Frey to ask her a question. ¡°Are you hurt somewhere?¡± ¡°... My lower part aches.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Frey nodded slightly, hearing her embarrassed reply, as her face turned crimson. ¡°I-Is being handsome and having... that... big thing really is everything?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°W-Well he¡¯s also the most powerful person in the Empire¡¯s¡ª and also kind, and handsome... but is that really all it takes?¡± ¡°... Sorry?¡± ¡°Stupid Frey.¡± Roswyn snapped back at Frey, who was standing there looking sheepish, before turning her gaze to the side. ¡°S-So, where are we headed now?¡± ¡°Oh, about that.¡± Frey grinned as he stepped out of the inn. ¡°I¡¯m going back to them.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Roswyn looked puzzled as Frey repeated himself. ¡°I¡¯m going back to my wives, who are probably waiting to ambush me right now.¡± ¡°W-What are you saying?¡± Her expression turned panicked as Roswyn stammered. ¡°If you go back now, I can¡¯t guarantee your survival, you know?¡± ¡°...Hmm.¡± ¡°Y-You were so worn out just from what we did! If you go back, you¡¯re going to shrivel up and die, I¡¯m not joking!¡± At her very reasonable argument, Frey flinched slightly, but then scratched his head and responded casually. ¡°No, it¡¯s because you were just too good at it.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s not the poi¨C!¡± She was about to yell in frustration but swallowed her words, and then asked a more timid question. ¡°...Was I really that g-good? M-Me?¡± At her adorable question, Frey quietly walked up to her and whispered in her ear. ¡°Yeah, you were the best, Roswyn.¡± ¡°...Heh.¡± Just with that one praise, her pride soared high into the sky. Roswyn folded her arms behind her back and smirked. ¡°Well, I tend to be good at anything I try.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯m sure this upcoming social gathering will go perfectly too. Hehe.¡± ¡°Of course... Wait, what? Social gathering?¡± Frey, who had been absentmindedly agreeing with her, suddenly widened his eyes in surprise and asked. ¡°Are you attending a social event?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not just attending, I¡¯m hosting it.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Frey blinked in confusion at her bombshell announcement. He even began to sweat a little. ¡°When? Where? What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in charge of setting the tone for the coronation. I¡¯ll be declaring the grand return of the Sunset Ducal House and at the same time, announcing the revival of Roswyn¡¯s Guild and my return to high society.¡± §²a¦­O?BE?S? ¡°...¡± ¡°The attendees? Well, I¡¯ve invited everyone who has ever been involved with you¡ªregardless of their status. The more, the merrier right?¡± As Roswyn happily explained, Frey asked another question with a troubled expression. ¡°Like who?¡± ¡°Hmm... recently, I sent invitations to Miss Aishi, Miss Arianne, Miss Miho, Miss Alice, Miss Eurelia, and...¡± As Frey listened to the list of names, he couldn¡¯t help but notice a peculiar pattern and lightly grabbed Roswyn¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ve also invited the Horizon family sisters, a branch of the Moonlight family, and... um...¡± ¡°Can you handle this?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°These are all some pretty big names, you know?¡± Roswyn looked at him, puzzled, as though she didn¡¯t understand. ¡°My group is attending too. There¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°But... as much as they say the social world is tricky... it¡¯s a place full of political entanglements, where even the slightest mistake can mean you get ignored. I don¡¯t think we can just rely on our group alone¡ª¡° ¡°Frey.¡± Roswyn, wide-eyed, interrupted him. ¡°I¡¯m the Duke¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°In that group, sure, I might get pushed around a bit, but in the social world, I used to be pretty famous.¡± At that reminder, Frey found himself reassessing the positions of the people around him. He had a second-generation Demon King as his butler from the Starlight family, a Dragon who was a candidate as an Archmage by the Magic Tower, a soon-to-be Empress of the world¡¯s strongest empire, and the leader of a global religious order. Not to mention a Duke¡¯s daughter who was rebuilding her secret force and was considered the world¡¯s most talented individual. ¡°...Huh, yeah, no problem.¡± It was only now, as Frey awkwardly scratched his head, that he truly grasped the influence his group wielded. ¡°Right? So just look forward to it. It¡¯ll be the best social gathering ever!¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Frey nodded quietly, although he still had a nagging feeling of unease. There are so many people I haven¡¯t seen in ages. This might get awkward... Frey was determined to stay close to his heroines at the event. He quickly shook his head. ¡°So... are you really going to leave now?¡± ¡°Yeah, I need to go.¡± As Frey grabbed the door handle, Roswyn asked him one last question. ¡°That solution... it¡¯s really going to work, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± With his firm reply, Roswyn sighed and moved closer to him. ¡°T-Then... can we go on a little d-date before you leave?¡± ¡°...Pfft.¡± ¡°D-Don¡¯t laugh! Stupid Frey!!¡± The warm sunlight greeted the two as they stepped out of the inn. . . . . . ¡°¡±....¡±¡± Meanwhile. ¡°Target¡¯s moving.¡± Girls hiding in the shadowy alleyways of the sunny streets kept their eyes on Frey as he walked by. ¡°...Should we attack now?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s a public place.¡± ¡°But doing it outdoors with Frey sounds fun too...¡± The battle for the title of first wife was about to reach its climax. *** https://ko-fi.com/genesisforsaken Chapter 472: Side Story - The Battle Royale (15) Chapter 472: Side Story - The Battle Royale (15) ¡°Here is your strawberry yogurt ice cream.¡± ¡°Wow... It¡¯s huge...¡± After leaving the lodging, Roswyn and I headed to a dessert cafe? nearby. Originally, I wanted to take a walk outside and get some sunlight, but the persistent gazes from others made it impossible. Well, unlike the hateful glares from before, most of these were filled with admiration and longing, but either way, it was still burdensome. ¡°It¡¯s shoo delishious...¡± At least Roswyn seems to be enjoying the sudden choice of a date location, so that¡¯s a relief. Seeing her happily munching on her ice cream makes me feel happy too. ¡°I want to eat this every day...¡± ¡°That good?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s sooo gooood.¡± Come to think of it, Roswyn¡¯s favorite food is ice cream. I enjoy sweets, including ice cream, but I can¡¯t compare to her level of obsession. She has hundreds of different kinds of ice cream stored in her personal magical freezer, after all. ¡°Nom nom...¡± Maybe I should open an ice cream parlor. As I was deep in my thoughts, I noticed the corner of her mouth had ice cream on it. I reached out to wipe it off. ¡°...?¡± ¡°You should eat carefully. You¡¯re the Duke¡¯s daughter, after all.¡± ¡°I-I can handle it myself...¡± When I wiped the ice cream from her lips, Roswyn blushed and lightly slapped my hand away. ¡°Pfft...¡± ¡°E-Excuse me...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± As I chuckled quietly at Roswyn focusing on her ice cream again, someone suddenly spoke to me from beside us. ¡°C-Can you please sign...?¡± ¡°...?¡± It was the young waitress who had brought us the ice cream. ¡°An autograph?¡± ¡°P-Please...¡± She thrust a piece of paper and a pen towards me with her eyes tightly shut, and I stared at her blankly. Roswyn, who had been focused on her ice cream, covered her mouth and started laughing. ¡°Pfft, Why are you staring like that? It¡¯s just a signature for the bill.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± ¡°What are you thinking? Do you have celebrity syndrome or something?¡± ¡°...¡± I didn¡¯t know exactly what she meant by ¡°celebrity syndrome,¡± but judging from her tone, I could guess what she meant. ¡°Um, actually...¡± As I scratched my head, I heard a small voice in front of me. ¡°...I¡¯m a fan.¡± There was a brief moment of silence after she said that. ¡°Ah... yes.¡± ¡°Oh, uh, thank you...¡± As I signed the paper with a smile, she turned red, lowered her head, and quickly hurried away. ¡°...Hmph.¡± When I glanced over at Roswyn, she was puffing her cheeks while poking at her ice cream. ... Cute. Her expression reminded me of a squirrel, and I had to hold back a smile as I looked away. ¡°You must be so pleased... Well, it makes sense. You¡¯re the person who gets the most love letters in the world, so this must feel like nothing to you...¡± She started mumbling with her mouth full of ice cream, her jealousy showing through. Even her jealousy was endearing. ¡°Well, back in the day, I used to get quite a few too... Though I burned them all without even opening them...¡± ¡°Sure, sure... hmm?¡± Of course, I couldn¡¯t just let her continue like that, so I decided to humor her a little, offering her a spoonful of ice cream at the same time. ¡°...What¡¯s going on?¡± Suddenly, I felt a chill run down my spine. ¡°Huh.¡± Looking around in confusion, I finally realized the reason why. ¡°The place is empty.¡± It was the weekend, during a busy time, yet the cafe? was completely deserted. It was far too strange. Just a little while ago, the place had been full of customers. Now, even the staff, including the waitress who had asked for my autograph, were gone. ¡°What is going on...¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± As I looked around the odd situation in confusion, I instinctively pulled Roswyn close and readied myself. - Creak... Right then, the cafe? door opened, and a group of people entered. ¡°¡±Ah.¡±¡± A short groan escaped both of us. ¡°Found you.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s strip him down first so he can¡¯t escape.¡± The heroines had arrived. . . . . . ¡°So... what is it you want to say?¡± ¡°Well, um...¡± A few minutes later. ¡°Can you at least release me so we can talk?¡± ¡°No.¡± I was bound to the chair by magical chains, facing the heroines who looked quite riled up. Not only that, but the most physically powerful ones, Ferloche and Isolet, were holding me from either side. There was no chance of escape. I had planned to see them after my date anyway, but it was a bit intimidating. ¡°If I¡¯d known it¡¯d come to this, I would¡¯ve been stricter with them.¡± If only the little one was here, I could have taken off on a long overseas trip for a few months. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°...Nothing.¡± Wait, Serena and Ruby¡¯s due dates are coming up soon. This escape attempt was doomed from the start. Okay, I¡¯ll establish my dominance later. If I still can... ¡°Hurry up and say what you need to, Frey.¡± With a sigh, I turned my head to face the heroines, whose eyes were practically glowing with intensity. ¡°Roswyn, take it out.¡± ¡°Th-That thing? Really?¡± ¡°Yes, you have it with you, don¡¯t you? So hurry.¡± As soon as I finished speaking, Roswyn hesitated before pulling something out from her pocket. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± When a rubber object was placed on the table, the heroines stared at me in silence. ¡°What does this mean, Frey?¡± ¡°Is he asking for it?¡± ¡°Can we take this as consent? Let¡¯s pounce him.¡± ¡°Wait, wait! Roswyn, that¡¯s not what I meant!¡± Just as they were about to pounce, I quickly intervened. ¡°Why did you even bring that with you?¡± ¡°I-I wanted to try using it next time... I¡¯ve thought about it a lot on my own...¡± As soon as she said that, a deep silence fell over the room. ¡°You guys... did it?¡± ¡°You really did?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take a look.¡± ¡°W-Wait a minute...!¡± Soon after, the heroines began to approach Roswyn with eyes gleaming with interest. - Squeeze...? ¡°...Hyahh!¡± Serena gently pressed on Roswyn¡¯s lower stomach, causing her to flinch and tremble. ¡°It¡¯s all filled up inside.¡± ¡°...Hehe.¡± As Ruby gingerly grabbed Roswyn¡¯s soft belly and murmured, another wave of silence fell over the room. ¡°Is this a declaration of war, Young Master?¡± ¡°What? I thought something had gone wrong since you were avoiding us.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! With divine power and magic, we can restore your libido and stamina...¡± As the heroines slowly approached me, Roswyn hurriedly pulled out a document from her pocket and placed it on the table. ¡°E-Everyone, wait! Look at this!¡± ¡°Y-Yeah. This is the solution.¡± At the same time, I smiled and made the announcement. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± The third silence of the day fell over the dessert cafe? in broad daylight. . . . . . Hero¡¯s Special Privileges Act This law, proposed by Han-byeol Raon Starlight and Victoria Raon Starlight, grants unlimited special privileges necessary for the hero who saved the world... ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°What do you think? It¡¯s the document related to the long-lost ¡®Hero¡¯s Special Privileges Act.¡¯¡± As Ferloche quietly asked while reading through the document, Frey shrugged and responded. ¡°And what does this ancient law granting privileges to heroes have to do with our current situation?¡± Once again, Ferloche asked with a curious expression. ¡°Look closely at the final clause.¡± At Frey¡¯s words, everyone¡¯s eyes focused on the document. Finally, in recognition of the hero¡¯s unique position and the importance of their lineage for future generations... ¡°There will be no limit on the number of official wives the hero may have.¡± After a moment, Clana read the final clause aloud, her voice trembling. ¡°...Proclaimed by the First Empress of the Empire, Clarina Solar Sunrise.¡± The heroines began to stare intently at Frey. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t this record remained in the archives?¡± ¡°It did, but over time, it was lost. Perhaps my ancestors intentionally concealed it to prevent excessive power and centralization.¡± ¡°Does this law still hold legal power?¡± ¡°It was directly approved by the First Empress.¡± Serena asked, and Frey responded with a relaxed smile. ¡°It¡¯s time to take advantage of the remnants of imperial traditions, for the last time.¡± Hearing this, Serena muttered thoughtfully with a serious expression. ¡°Hmm... It does require some work, but legally, getting approval isn¡¯t impossible...¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Especially since there¡¯s a precedent of the First Empress¡¯ contract still being upheld as a covenant...¡± Serena, catching on to the plan, gave Frey a sly wink. ¡°Besides, it clearly mentions ¡®official wives¡¯ here. It makes sense; the First Empress, who was the hero¡¯s wife, couldn¡¯t just enter the Duke¡¯s family as a concubine, so they probably used this loophole.¡± Was this all planned from the beginning? ¡°Well, thanks to this, it seems like we¡¯ve found a solution for our current situation.¡± As Frey marveled at Serena¡¯s foresight, she laid the paper back on the table and looked around at the others. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, everyone?¡± ¡°¡±...¡±¡± However, the heroines all wore dissatisfied expressions. ¡°Something feels off...¡± ¡°Yeah, like we¡¯re missing something important.¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°So, what about all the competition we¡¯ve had up until now?¡± As dissatisfaction began to bubble up, Irina, who had been suppressing her frustration, suddenly burst out, releasing a small breath of flame. ¡°So, are we just going to end this with, ¡®We¡¯re all the official wives!¡¯? What a boring conclusion.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s disappointing, but that¡¯s the way it is.¡± Serena and Frey began to calm her down. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if everyone won, rather than just one person?¡± ¡°Please consider my position too... okay?¡± The combination of Serena¡¯s logical approach and Frey¡¯s pleading, puppy-like gaze, began to cool Irina¡¯s temper. ¡°...Tsk.¡± She crossed her arms and turned her head, and gradually, the other heroines began to reluctantly accept the situation. ¡°It feels a bit unsatisfying, but...¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point in continuing the argument.¡± ¡°Maybe this is for the best after all...¡± As things finally began to settle down, Frey suddenly spoke up. ¡°So, I¡¯ve prepared a new marriage certificate.¡± To solidify the resolution, Frey placed the new marriage certificate on the table. Husband: Frey Raon Starlight Wife: ¡°I¡¯m going to the restroom, so everyone, please sign while I¡¯m gone.¡± This new marriage certificate, which removed the distinction between official wives and concubines, seemed to be the perfect solution. Frey, having escaped from the chains, headed to the restroom. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll go first...¡± Serena picked up the pen and was about to sign when¡ª ¡°Wait.¡± Irina grabbed her arm, her eyes narrowing. ¡°You¡¯re going to write your name first?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Out of all of our names, you¡¯re putting yours first?¡± As soon as Irina pointed this out, the tension in the cafe? immediately escalated. ¡°Why are you acting like a child? We¡¯re all official wives. The order doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°No, the order might actually matter...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sign next.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m next.¡± Just when it seemed like the peace would shatter once more¡ª ¡°Um... excuse me...¡± A surprising voice broke the silence. ¡°Huh?¡± The young waitress from earlier, the one who had asked Frey for an autograph, reappeared, and the heroines looked at her, puzzled. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°We rented out the cafe?, didn¡¯t we?¡± The girl, looking bashful, clenched her eyes shut and spoke loudly. ¡°C-C-Could I get your autographs...!¡± As the heroines stood in stunned silence, the nervous waitress continued to stammer. ¡°I-I¡¯m actually the president of the Hero Party fan club... hehehe...¡± ¡°Wait, that¡¯s a thing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my lifelong dream... P-Please!¡± Her earnest plea caused the heroines to scratch their heads in confusion before finally approaching her. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not a difficult request...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just sign and send her on her way.¡± ¡°Thank you so much...!¡± As the girl, overjoyed by receiving the entire Hero Party¡¯s autographs, mentally screamed with happiness, Kania suddenly asked a question, her eyes gleaming. ¡°By the way, does your fan club conduct popularity polls?¡± The waitress nodded eagerly. ¡°Y-Yes! We just finished the second poll recently... but why do you ask?¡± ¡°Ah, well...¡± The heroines¡¯ expressions shifted to one of intrigue. ¡°...I just thought it might come in handy.¡± And soon after. The cafe? echoed with the diverse voices of the heroines, each sporting a different expression. ¡°Fufufu...¡± ¡°What are you laughing at? This isn¡¯t over yet.¡± ¡°Third place? Why me? Huh? What?¡± ¡°... Should I cast some black magic?¡± ¡°Maybe we should just crush them all.¡± As their voices filled the room. ¡°What now... damn it...¡± Inside the restroom, Frey trembled, utterly clueless about what was happening outside. . . . . . After the commotion settled, Frey emerged from the restroom. ¡°What, it¡¯s already done?¡± Worried about the strange noises coming from outside, he looked at the marriage certificate neatly placed on the table and glanced at the now quiet heroines. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see...¡± As Serena answered on behalf of the group, Frey picked up the certificate to check the signatures. [Husband: Frey Raon Starlight] [Wives: Serena Lunar Moonlight, Ruby, Roswyn Solar Sunset, Kania, Ferloche Astellade, Isolet Arham Bywalker, Lulu, Clana Solar Sunrise, Irina Philliard] ¡°Hm...¡± Frey scanned the long list of names before him, and then, satisfied, he spoke with a smile. ¡°Perfect!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Alright, then this matter is settled, right?¡± Despite his words, the heroines nodded, though their eyes still held a sense of scheming. ¡°Good, then I¡¯ll just...¡± ¡°Where are you going, Frey?¡± Just as he was about to leave the cafe, he turned at the call from the heroines. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°There¡¯s still something important left to do.¡± Frey, puzzled, asked with a clueless expression. ¡°There¡¯s a nice hotel nearby.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already made a reservation.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too hot outside. Let¡¯s go somewhere cool.¡± Hearing these statements and seeing the gleam in their eyes, Frey realized what was coming and started to back away with an understanding look on his face. ¡°Give it up, Frey.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll end up being devoured no matter what.¡± With that, Isolet and Ferloche got up and started approaching Frey. ¡°Wait!¡± Just then, Frey suddenly raised his hand, shouting, causing them to halt for a moment. - Srrk...! Quickly, he pulled something out from his pocket. ¡°What¡¯s that...?¡± ¡°A potion?¡± What Frey held in his hand was a suspicious potion he had found in the second compartment of the secret box. - Gulp, gulp... ¡°Stop him!¡± ¡°Damn it, we should have kept him tied up.¡± Before anyone could stop him, Frey downed the potion, and sensing the gravity of the situation, the heroines rushed forward. ¡°It¡¯s too late!¡± Having finished the potion in one swift motion, Frey placed the bottle down on the table and spread his arms wide, speaking with excitement. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve drunk this, no matter what happens, I won¡¯t be able to recover for the next few months¡ª¡± But before he could finish, he looked down at his lower body with a stunned expression. ¡°...¡± The heroines, also staring at his lower body, spoke in low voices. ¡°What... does this mean, Frey?¡± ¡°Are you trying to show off to us?¡± ¡°...Y-You cheeky little brat.¡± ¡°M-Master... It could get even bigger?¡± ¡°Grrr... I can¡¯t take it anymore.¡± Frey muttered in shock, his face filled with confusion. ¡°Huh? Wait, why is this happening?¡± ¡°Well, since it¡¯s a bit inappropriate here... Let¡¯s move to the hotel.¡± ¡°The effect should be the opposite... but... Ebeub!?¡± Before he could finish his thoughts, Frey was quickly grabbed by the ravenous heroines. If you can¡¯t avoid it, enjoy it. As they headed toward the hotel right in front of the cafe, Frey finally understood the meaning of the words written on the box. If you can¡¯t enjoy it, accept it. ¡°Ha... ha.¡± And so, Frey and the heroines entered the hotel. ¡°Well, at this point...¡± They stayed there for quite a while, sharing their deep love. According to people living nearby, it was several weeks before they emerged from the hotel. Chapter 473: Side Story - The Baby Star (1) Chapter 473: Side Story - The Baby Star (1) ¡°Haa...¡± After a few unforgettable weeks at the hotel morning arrived. ¡°I¡¯m worried.¡± While having breakfast with the heroines, Serena¡¯s concerned voice echoed from across the table. ¡°Worried? About what all of a sudden?¡± Confused, I asked, and what came back was something I couldn¡¯t quite grasp. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it seem like I¡¯ve gained a little weight recently?¡± Serena? Gaining weight? If this is what ¡°gaining weight¡± looks like, then there must be countless women around the world spiraling into despair. ¡°You¡¯ve been eating nothing but salad recently. How could you possibly gain weight?¡± Especially since the food Serena¡¯s been craving during her pregnancy is mostly salad. It seems like gaining weight should be the last thing to worry about. ¡°But... I do pour on a lot of that fresh dressing sauce.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And I add plenty of fresh fruit, too.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡± While I tried to figure out her hidden concern, Kania, with her usual indifferent expression, asked directly. In moments like these, Kania truly shines. ¡°I had lost my appetite, but now it¡¯s back...¡± Ignoring Kania¡¯s question, Serena continued her train of thought. ¡°Which probably means it¡¯s almost time.¡± ¡°...!¡± As soon as she said that, my heart, which had been lulled into a lazy morning rhythm, started pounding. Now that I think about it, it has been quite some time since she became pregnant. The doctor even mentioned that the birth could be any day now! Does that mean I¡¯m really about to become a father soon? ¡°Couldn¡¯t it just be that your appetite has returned?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve also had headaches and slight anemia recently... It must be close.¡± ¡°Oh, come to think of it, I¡¯ve been feeling the same way lately.¡± While I was nervously sweating, Ruby chimed in on Serena and Kania¡¯s conversation. ¡°My appetite is back, and I¡¯ve been getting headaches and feeling a bit faint. My body feels weaker.¡± ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re experiencing that too.¡± ¡°...¡± As Serena and Ruby began exchanging glances, Kania fell silent. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± Likewise, the other heroines stayed quiet, simply watching them. ¡°We¡¯re pregnant too...¡± ¡°I think I was... a few weeks ago? Maybe?¡± Kania¡¯s grumpy muttering and Roswyn¡¯s oblivious voice mingled softly, filling the calm dining hall with a gentle atmosphere. ...Everyone looks so tired. Unlike a few weeks ago, the hotel¡¯s atmosphere had calmed down recently¡ªmost likely because all their energy was being spent at night. It¡¯s normal for their appetites to increase during the early stages of pregnancy, but it seems like... other things are increasing, too. According to them, since they won¡¯t be able to ¡°do anything¡± for a while once the birth comes, they¡¯re trying to get it all in now. So, what happens to me after they all give birth? ¡°Frey, why are you trembling?¡± ¡°...It¡¯s nothing.¡± As I shivered from the unnecessary thoughts running through my mind, Serena grabbed my hand and asked with concern. ¡°I thought you might be sick.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± ¡°Just in case, how about we go for a walk? It¡¯ll be good for your health.¡± Though I was feeling weak, there wasn¡¯t anything seriously wrong with me, so I nodded in agreement. Serena smiled, stood up, and offered her hand. ¡°I¡¯d like to take a light stroll. Would you hold my hand?¡± Who am I to refuse? ¡°Uh, Frey.¡± As I hurried to stand, Ruby, sitting next to me with flushed cheeks, held out her hand. ¡°Can you... hold mine too?¡± Looking at her now, it¡¯s hard to believe this is the same Demon King who tried to kill me not long ago. ¡°I want to go on a walk, too.¡± What would my past self have thought, seeing this shy girl now? I¡¯d probably have been shocked. - Srrk... Lost in my thoughts, I stood among the heroines, still in a daze, when suddenly, a leash wrapped around my arm. ¡°M-Master it¡¯s been a long time... S-So p-please take me for a walk too.¡± Lulu, blushing with embarrassment, had tied the leash around my arm. ¡°...¡± ... Somehow, I sense that this walk will be quite challenging. . . . . . ¡°Summer¡¯s coming, and the bugs are out...¡± ¡°Ugh, I hate bugs.¡± At first, I had my concerns about the walk, but once we were outside, it felt quite pleasant. There was a nice park nearby, perfect for a stroll, and it felt much better to get some fresh air rather than staying cooped up in the hotel. ¡°...¡± But Lulu seemed a bit disgruntled, her eyes showing signs of dissatisfaction. Could it be that she¡¯s upset I didn¡¯t put the leash on her? Even if I¡¯m the Hero, I¡¯m sure I¡¯d get some strange looks if I walked around with a leash tied to a girl. ¡°Uh, isn¡¯t that Frey?¡± ¡°Oh my god, no way.¡± Especially now that practically everyone knew who I am. Even though I used magic to dull our presence, a few people still managed to notice us. ¡°Ah... Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Just as I was thinking I might need to strengthen the magic for the sake of the two who are in their final stages of pregnancy, Serena, strolling with a relaxed expression, whispered to me. ¡°Those two we just passed¡ªthey¡¯re actually my family¡¯s assassi¨C I mean my confidants.¡± ¡°...What?¡± My eyes widened at the surprising revelation that didn¡¯t match her casual tone. ¡°If anyone nearby had ill intentions and overheard me, they¡¯d likely be unaware of the presence-dulling magic, right?¡± ¡°...I suppose?¡± ¡°And if they¡¯re not aware, they might focus on us... and then quietly...¡± Serena drew her finger across her throat with a chilling smile, then gently rubbed her belly, continuing in a calm voice. ¡°Then we¡¯ll give them a good scare. Hehe.¡± Only Serena could say something like that with a smile. But... is all of this really necessary? ¡°Sniff sniff...¡± ¡°Wait, are you on alert, Lulu?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m seeing smells.¡± ¡°...¡± If we exclude me and Serena, a single word from the girl claiming to be my pet could end this situation. ¡°...Yawn.¡± Then again, even Ruby, who just yawned beside me, could eliminate any would-be attackers with just a snap of her fingers. It hit me again¡ª wow, we¡¯re really strong. ¡°Still, it¡¯s better to be overprotective than to let our guard down.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Especially since it¡¯s our child we¡¯re protecting.¡± Listening to Serena, I realized she was absolutely right. ¡°After all the effort we put in to reach this happy ending, we need to protect it at all costs.¡± Better to be too cautious than too lax. ¡°Then let¡¯s take the safest route.¡± ¡°Great! If we turn left, we¡¯ll find my favorite walking path.¡± ¡°...I still don¡¯t get why walks are fun.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good for the baby.¡± And so, we continued our walk through the shaded park, keeping a cautious eye on our surroundings. ¡°Huff... Huff...¡± ¡°...?¡± But what seemed like a peaceful walk for the foreseeable future was abruptly interrupted. ¡°This is strange... Why am I feeling like this?¡± ¡°Serena?¡± Serena, sweating and sitting on a bench by the side of the path, was clearly not feeling well. ¡°Are you hurt? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°My... my stomach...¡± I quickly grabbed her cold hand as she, uncharacteristically, looked panicked. ¡°My stomach hurts...¡± ¡°What?¡± At that moment, a single word flashed through my mind. ¡°Could it be...?¡± ¡°Is it... labor pains?¡± Before I could even finish the thought, Ruby, who was just as startled, answered for me. ¡°Ahh...!¡± At that moment, Serena tightly gripped my sleeve and let out a pained scream. ¡°We need to get to the hospital immediately.¡± She had experienced minor contractions before, but this time was different¡ªmuch stronger. Even the doctor said we had to be prepared for delivery any time now... ¡°Uh, uh...¡± ¡°Quick! Get on my back, Serena!¡± Without thinking, I hoisted her up onto my back as I saw that her lower half was already slightly damp. ¡°Ruby, Lulu! You two...¡± I was about to ask for their help, but¡ª ¡°Uh... Ugh?¡± ¡°Sis?¡± A shocking sight greeted my eyes. ¡°This... feels strange, Frey...¡± ¡°Sis, what¡¯s wrong!?¡± Ruby had also collapsed, sitting on the ground, looking at me with a terrified expression. ¡°My stomach... it hurts too...¡± ¡°Ruby.¡± ¡°How can I feel pain? Why... why is this happening...?¡± On that warm summer morning, with the sun shining unusually brightly... ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°Sis!!¡± Serena¡¯s loyal confidants and the doctor she had called ahead of time came rushing toward us. ¡°W-We need to get them to the hospital immediately. Should we use a teleportation scroll?¡± ¡°N-No, it¡¯s bad for the baby!¡± ¡°But Serena said that was just a superstition...¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter! No teleportation!!¡± With both wives going into labor, I was left with my arms full, drenched in cold sweat, muttering under my breath. ¡°Then... what do we do?¡± ¡°Help them! Now!!¡± ¡°What... is happening...¡± Chapter 474: Side Story - The Baby Star (2) Chapter 474: Side Story - The Baby Star (2) ¡°Crack... Grit...¡± ¡°E-Excuse me... M-Mr. husband?¡± As soon as signs of labor began, I rushed with all my strength to the Imperial Hospital. ¡°Grit...¡± Now, I¡¯m pacing endlessly in the hospital corridor, nervously biting my nails. ¡°Y-your hands are bleeding...¡± The nurse worriedly voiced her concern as she grabbed my arm. ... That explained the metallic taste in my mouth but that¡¯s the least of my concerns. Serena and Ruby went through that door a while ago, and I have no idea how much time has passed since then. Why haven¡¯t we heard anything yet? Is the delivery delayed? Or worse, is something wrong? ¡°Ugh...¡± My stomach churned, and a cold feeling swept over my entire body, making my head blank. I wanted to barge through that door right now, but at the same time, I felt like collapsing on the floor. As the tension built, I couldn¡¯t seem to calm myself down. ¡°M.Mr husband! Get a hold of yourself!¡± Caught in a spiral of overwhelming thoughts, I suddenly hear the nurse raise her voice. ¡°In times like this, you need to be their pillar of support!¡± ¡°...Ah, yes.¡± She¡¯s right. Panicking won¡¯t help anything. I should be showing strength, not this miserable state. ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± Finally calming down, I slump into the nearby chair, letting out a deep sigh. ¡°Both of them are receiving the best care possible here at the Imperial Hospital, so you can rest assured.¡± ¡°I know, but... isn¡¯t this taking too long?¡± ¡°First-time mothers often take anywhere between 9 to 19 hours.¡± The nurse kindly explained. ¡°If it goes beyond that, we¡¯ll take the necessary steps. So, please try to relax a little.¡± ¡°Haa...¡± Her kind words eased my pounding heart a little, but now an overwhelming sense of fatigue washed over me. ¡°You must be really tense.¡± ¡°Yes... given the situation.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you have some water and take a short rest? You¡¯ll probably have to wait a few more hours.¡± As I sank further into the seat with weary eyes, the nurse handed me a cup of water and gently patted my back. ¡°...Are you perhaps from the Eastern Continent¡¯s Fox Tribe?¡± Noticing the fur on her hands and the ears poking out from her head, I asked in a much calmer voice. ¡°Ah, yes. I started working here a few months ago.¡± ¡°I see...¡± ¡°Our clan is quite knowledgeable in medicine, so it was only natural for me to find work here.¡± Then, as if relieved, she revealed her hidden tail and let it sway gently as she sat beside me. ¡°Since you¡¯ve noticed, may I leave it out for a bit? It gets so stuffy hiding it all the time...¡± ¡°Go ahead, make yourself comfortable.¡± With my permission, she happily swayed her tail. I watched quietly, as I tried to sort out my tangled head ¡°By the way, I have a question.¡± ¡°Of course! Ask me anything.¡± ¡°Do you know what happened to a girl named Miho?¡± Her ears twitched as she tilted her head, confused. ¡°...Are you talking about the chief¡¯s youngest daughter?¡± ¡°Yes, I remember her causing a fuss about wanting to work as a maid at our estate, but then she suddenly disappeared.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Understanding the situation, the nurse sighed and shook her head. ¡°The chief took her back.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°When she suddenly announced she was going to marry a human, the whole village was in an uproar.¡± It seems there was quite a commotion in her village, though I¡¯m glad to hear she¡¯s doing well. ¡°Before I left the village, she attempted to escape almost every day.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°She might have escaped by now.¡± ¡°....¡± Surprised by the information I didn¡¯t really want to know, I watch as she pulls out a chart and looks at me curiously. ¡°So, which one is it?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s your wife among the two?¡± A brief silence follows. ¡°...Both.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± When I answered, she covered her mouth with a smile. ¡°Have you already calmed down enough to joke around?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s... the truth.¡± Indeed, the news of my marriage to the heroines hasn¡¯t been made public yet. Nor is the fact that all of them are pregnant. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s stop with the jokes...¡± ¡°Uh, right.¡± If this was the typical reaction, I wonder what the public¡¯s response would be when the announcement was made. ¡°Uh, um, M-Mr H-Husband?¡± As I was contemplating how to explain everything, another voice suddenly called out from the end of the corridor. ¡°T-the birth is imminent.¡± I froze for a moment as a short doctor in a white coat addressed me, her voice trembling. ¡°D-do you want to come to the delivery room now?¡± Right now? Of course, I¡¯m already disinfected with sterilization magic, so there¡¯s no problem. But this sudden situation has left me momentarily stunned. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Still sweating, I heard the voice of the fox nurse behind me. ¡°Being there with them will help them feel more at ease.¡± Wiping the sweat from my forehead, I quietly took my first steps forward. ¡°Please, lead the way.¡± If I don¡¯t act like a husband now, then when? ¡°Y-yes, right this way...¡± With my determination firm, I followed the doctor toward the delivery room, but one thing crossed my mind. ¡°Huh.¡± Why did this doctor seem so nervous the moment she saw me? . . . . . ¡°Aaaah!¡± ¡°Ugh, ugh...¡± As I entered the delivery room with the doctor, Serena, and Ruby¡¯s screams filled the air. ¡°Ahh, aaah...¡± And at this moment, my screams joined theirs. - Crackle... Because both Serena and Ruby were clutching my hair with a vice-like grip, pulling on it as hard as they could. ¡°...Ugh.¡± The pain was enough to bring tears to my eyes, but I gritted my teeth and endured it. Their pain was undoubtedly far worse than this. If I can help in any way, it¡¯s by enduring this without complaint. ¡°...Is this really the posture most husbands take during childbirth?¡± ¡°...¡± I asked the doctor who had recommended this position, but she remained silent, head bowed. ¡°Excuse me...¡± ¡°Focus and breathe deeply. Just a little more...¡± Suddenly, in a serious voice that contrasted her earlier trembling tone, the doctor spoke again. That voice sounds familiar... - Crrrk... ¡°...Ow.¡± Before I could place it, another sharp pain from my scalp erased the thought. Good thing I have thick hair. ¡°Haaa...¡± ¡°...Ugh, ugh.¡± As my silver hair flew about, Serena and Ruby¡¯s exhausted groans filled the room. ¡°Now, for the final push...¡± The small doctor reached out her hands. ¡°Aaaaaah...¡± ¡°Haaaaaah...¡± With one last mighty scream (They twisted my hair even tighter) Serena and Ruby finally gave their last push. ¡°Congratulations!¡± ¡°Oh my, they¡¯re twins!¡± ¡°Wow... they¡¯re adorable...¡± The surrounding nurses broke into bright smiles, clapping in celebration. ¡°Ah...¡± After some time had passed, and with my scalp still throbbing, I stood up, teary-eyed. ¡°¡±Frey.¡±¡± In the arms of Serena and Ruby, who were also teary-eyed, lay... ¡°Waah... Waaah...¡± ¡°Waa... Waa...¡± The most beautiful blessings I had ever seen in my life. ¡°Our son has my hair and your eyes, and our daughter has your hair and my eyes.¡± As I watched in awe, Serena marveled at the twins in her arms, her voice full of wonder. ¡°My children are the opposite.¡± Ruby, too, looked on in amazement as she gazed at the tiny twins squirming in her embrace. ¡°Congratulations again...!¡± ¡°They¡¯re so cute, hehe.¡± ¡°Oh? Wait, could it be... are the both of you his wives?¡± I had a feeling that this moment would remain one of the most unforgettable in my life. Chapter 475: Side Story - The Baby Star (3) Chapter 475: Side Story - The Baby Star (3) ¡°Oh my, is everyone here?¡± A few days after Serena and Ruby gave birth. ¡°Alright... I trust everyone brought gifts?¡± Familiar faces visited the recovery room where the two girls were staying. ¡°What gifts? You are one of the richest women in the Empire?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t received my salary from the Young Master for a while.¡± ¡°I had to squeeze space out of my schedule just to make it here!¡± ¡°Ferloche, it¡¯s ¡®squeeze time,¡¯ not ¡®squeeze space.¡¯¡± Irina, looking like she couldn¡¯t care less, Kania, with her usual detached gaze, Ferloche with her usual nonsensical comments, and Clana, who had gained dark circles recently, chimed in. ¡°You all say that, but you still brought gifts, didn¡¯t you?¡± Though their words made it sound like they hadn¡¯t brought anything, their hands were full of presents. ¡°...¡± But the women pretended not to hear Serena as they placed their gifts on the nearby table. ¡°These are from the three who couldn¡¯t make it today.¡± ¡°Even considering that, it¡¯s still quite a lot...¡± ¡°Just accept them quietly.¡± When Serena kept pressing, Kania responded sharply, making Serena smile and lie back on the bed. ¡°Ah, I shouldn¡¯t be doing this right now.¡± But shortly after, she sprang up and reached for me, who was sitting next to the bed. ¡°Frey, help me up.¡± ¡°Why? Are you trying to get back to work again? I told you I¡¯d take care of it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t trust you. I¡¯ll look over things myself.¡± As I set the documents that had been on my lap aside, Serena widened her eyes and flailed her arms. ¡°W-what are you doing? Let me do my work.¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± I gently pushed her back onto the bed with a finger to her forehead, and she gave me a pouty look. ¡°I told you, postpartum recovery is an inefficient tradition. Realistically, there¡¯s no issue with leaving the hospital right after giving birth...¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense. You don¡¯t even have enough strength in your arms.¡± Usually, I end up losing to her in arguments, but I refuse to lose this time. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I can still work. The coronation is coming up, and if we¡¯re going to prevent any mishaps, I need to be preparing all night, every night...¡± ¡°If you keep this up...¡± ¡°...?¡± I played my trump card, shutting my eyes tightly. ¡°...I¡¯ll sulk.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Hearing that, Serena mumbled with a curious expression. ¡°I kind of want to see you sulking...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Frey? Are you seriously sulking?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Hello~? Frey?¡± My face was starting to flush, but I had no other choice. If I wanted to win against Serena, I had to resort to this. ¡°Alright, fine. But you have to let me review everything you do, okay?¡± ¡°... Okay.¡± After a few minutes of this subtle standoff, Serena covered her mouth with her hand, ending the standoff. ¡°My, how adorable.¡± As a result, I secured Serena¡¯s peaceful rest. ¡°¡±¡±...¡±¡±¡± But it seemed the patience of the heroines who had been silently observing was wearing thin. ¡°We can¡¯t exactly do it here, can we?¡± ¡°Indeed, Irina. We must show some restraint.¡± It was clear from their expressions that their self-control was wearing thin. ¡°I¡¯ve got his leg!¡± ¡°Ferloche! Being a Saintess doesn¡¯t mean you can do indecent things in public.¡± ¡°But...¡± I started to sweat nervously as Ferloche grabbed my leg, only for Clana to come up next to her and reprimand her. Thankfully, it seemed there was at least one sensible person among them. ¡°We¡¯re powerful, right? And with power comes privilege.¡± ¡°Heeee? Is that so¡± Wait, what did she just say? ¡°We can just assert our authority. Securing Frey¡¯s exclusive first-night rights isn¡¯t a dream.¡± ¡°...Oh.¡± I take back what I just said. . . . . . ¡°This is a nutritional supplement? I appreciate the thought, but honestly, these don¡¯t do much for your health...¡± ¡°I really want to smack you on the head right now.¡± ¡°Yaaawn...¡± While I worked on paperwork, watching Serena and the heroines chat about the gifts they¡¯d brought, a yawn came from the other bed. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s you lot, huh?¡± Ruby stretched as she got up, rubbing her eyes and speaking in a drowsy voice. ¡°Did you all see my children? They already exude dignity, just like me. Right, Frey?¡± ¡°Yeah, definitely.¡± Honestly, they were more adorable than dignified, but I humored her. Kania and Irina¡¯s eyes widened as they spoke up. ¡°Now that you mention it, we haven¡¯t seen the babies yet.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to take a look, where are they?¡± Ruby grinned and snapped her fingers. - Crackle... At that moment, a multicolored barrier extended across the room. ¡°Ruby and I came up with this ourselves.¡± ¡°It is a combination of space magic, sealing magic, and a five-layered barrier... Not even a Demon King or dragon could interfere.¡± ¡°It would take me a week to recreate this... You made this just for the babies?¡± ¡°Of course. They¡¯re our babies after all.¡± Were Ruby and Serena more impressive for setting up a barrier in the recovery room that even a god couldn¡¯t break, or was Irina more amazing for being able to replicate it in a week? - Sizzle... ¡°I¡¯ve temporarily deactivated the barrier, so take a careful look.¡± Lost in thought, I watched as Ruby waved her hand gently. Maybe I¡¯ll take this opportunity to see the babies again. ¡°So cute.¡± ¡°They really are the Young Master¡¯s children.¡± ¡°Shh, they¡¯re sleeping! Don¡¯t be too loud!¡± ¡°Ferloche, you should lower your voice too.¡± When I approached the bed where the babies lay, I could hear the heroines whispering, not knowing what to do with themselves. ¡°Ubuh...¡± ¡°Haha, look at them babbling in their sleep.¡± ¡°Judging by their hair colors... The ones on the left must be Serena and Frey¡¯s child, and the ones on the right is Ruby¡¯s.¡± As I admired the sleeping babies, Kania curiously reached out to touch them. ¡°Buh.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± Just then, my daughter, who had inherited Serena¡¯s purple hair and my silver eyes, grabbed Kania¡¯s finger and started babbling. ¡°Dah.¡± ¡°Yes? M-me?¡± ¡°Adah.¡± ¡°No, no. ¡®Daddy¡¯ is right over there.¡± ¡°Dah!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m not your dad...¡± Kania broke into a cold sweat, waving her hands in panic and glancing at me. ¡°S-sorry... Young Master...¡± ¡°Why are you taking baby babbling so seriously, dummy?¡± I chuckled quietly at Kania¡¯s silliness, which hadn¡¯t surfaced in a while. ¡°Buh.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Then, my daughter grabbed my finger and spoke again in a clear voice. ¡°Dah.¡± ¡°A-Are you saying ¡®daddy¡¯?¡± ¡°Dah!¡± ¡°Did you hear that? She¡¯s calling me daddy!¡± It wasn¡¯t my imagination. My daughter, with Serena¡¯s hair and my eyes, had said ¡°daddy.¡± She was already speaking. Was it because of Serena¡¯s blood? Our daughter was an incredible genius. ¡°You¡¯ve got it bad...¡± ¡°Bweh.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± As I gently picked her up, Irina¡¯s eyes widened at the sight. ¡°By the way, the babies have horns and tails.¡± ¡°Bweh?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know half-demons could be born with horns and tails... There was no information about this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t treat my child like research material!¡± Ruby, raising her voice from across the room, protested. ¡°Uuugh...¡± Startled by the noise, my son began to whimper. ¡°Wait, wait...¡± ¡°Waaaaah...¡± And before I could do anything, they started crying. ¡°Hwaaah...¡± ¡°Hey, hey, it¡¯s okay.¡± Even my other daughter, who had been sleeping next to them, woke up and started wailing. ¡°Considering they¡¯re the children of a Hero and a Demon King... they¡¯re really cute.¡± ¡°Yeah, they look so sweet.¡± ¡°Be quiet, you two! Frey, bring them to me.¡± Raising her voice again, Ruby reached out to me with urgency. ¡°Uh... Are you sure, Ruby?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Hurry and give them to me!¡± As far as I know, demon childcare is known to be harsh and strict. It¡¯s a survival strategy in the demon world, where the strong prevail, so I understand, but... Still, I was a bit worried. Should I stop her? ¡°There, there... my little ones.¡± ¡°...???¡± Lost in thought, I froze at the voice in front of me. ¡°What¡¯s making you so sad?¡± ¡°Hehehe...¡± ¡°Ehehe...¡± Ruby made funny faces, lifting the babies, and they giggled happily. ¡°Uh, um...¡± ¡°Is that really the Demon King?¡± As Irina said, seeing the former terrifying Demon King dote on the children so eagerly was quite surreal. ¡°Rrrr... Peekaboo!¡± ¡°Kyaaah...!¡± ¡°By the way, Young Master.¡± While watching Ruby tend to the babies, Kania asked from the side. ¡°Have you decided on their names?¡± I pointed to Serena, looking a bit troubled. ¡°Speaking of names...¡± With a sparkle in her eye, Serena pulled out a long list. ¡°Which of these do you think is best?¡± As the seemingly endless paper rolled down to the floor, the heroines broke out in a cold sweat, glancing at the babies. ¡°Frey and I have only discussed up to the 216th name, but with your help, we can at least reach 1,000 today...¡± Now that I think about it, what should we name them? Chapter 476: Side Story - The Baby Star (4) Chapter 476: Side Story - The Baby Star (4) ¡°Oh, um... I just remembered I have a meeting with the dragons...¡± ¡°I-I suddenly recalled some urgent matters regarding the coronation that I must attend to...¡± ¡°Now that I think about it, it¡¯s time for my prayers!¡± After about ten hours of being caught up in the discussion over naming my children, the women finally escaped the room with weary expressions. ¡°Hm...¡± ¡°Are you still thinking about the baby names, Young Master?¡± Feeling a bit disappointed, I stood by the window and stared absentmindedly at the night sky with Kania, the only one still present. ¡°...Yeah.¡± She was right. It had already been several days since the children were born, but we still hadn¡¯t settled on their names. ¡°Haven¡¯t you done enough research? What¡¯s the issue?¡± ¡°To be precise, the problem is that there¡¯s too much information.¡± There were plenty of potential names for the children. The issue was that there were far too many, making it hard to choose. Despite spending busy hours with Serena and Ruby last night reviewing the list, we hadn¡¯t reached a conclusion. ¡°I expected this from Serena, but I didn¡¯t think you and Ruby would struggle with it.¡± ¡°But the baby¡¯s name is a big deal.¡± ¡°Hmm... I suppose that¡¯s true.¡± Some might call it making a fuss, but naming the children was indeed a serious matter. After all, it was the name that our children would carry for their entire lives, so it had to be chosen with the utmost care. ¡°While it¡¯s certainly an important issue that requires careful consideration, dragging it out in a situation where tasks are piling up is also problematic.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Young Master? Are you listening?¡± ¡°...¡± I might have to look at the list again. Was it number 765 or 766? There was a name that caught my attention... ¡°Young Master!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Lost in thought, I was snapped back to reality by Kania¡¯s raised voice. ¡°I have a good idea.¡± ¡°A good idea?¡± Her smiling face came into view. ¡°In times like these, why not get help from someone with experience?¡± ¡°Someone with experience? But if you mean...¡± - Knock, knock, knock! ¡°Oh, they¡¯ve arrived just in time.¡± As I scratched my head in confusion, a knock came from the other side of the recovery room door. ¡°Who...?¡± Curious, I quickly turned to see familiar and beloved figures before me. ¡°Frey!¡± ¡°My son...¡± My parents and little sister appeared before my eyes. ¡°B-Big brother... It¡¯s been a while...¡± ¡°Now, hurry! where are the babies? Let me see them!¡± ¡°Calm down, dear.¡± . . . . . ¡°Wait a moment... We¡¯ve set up safety measures...¡± ¡°We will deactiva¨C¡± Serena and Ruby began lifting the barrier around the babies as my parents briskly entered the room, leaving me staring blankly. ¡°Oh, there they are.¡± ¡°Hm, is this... a barrier.¡± ¡°...!¡± But as soon as my parents set eyes on the babies, they headed straight to the corner of the room, causing the two girls to widen their eyes in surprise. ¡°H-How did they know?¡± ¡°Even a dragon wouldn¡¯t have sensed it...¡± They did have a pet dragon in the past... it¡¯s no surprise they¡¯d be able to detect the barrier. ¡°Hmmm... What a sophisticated magic circle. I¡¯d love to dissect it...¡± ¡°You could just smash it with strength.¡± ¡°Are you out of your mind dear? There are babies inside. Behave yourself, Abraham.¡± ¡°Why would you dismantle a perfectly good magic circle in the first place? Both of you, stop.¡± As I struggled to rein in my parents, who were up to their usual antics, Serena and Ruby hurriedly deactivated the barrier. ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°My goodness.¡± ¡°Wow...¡± With the barrier down, my parents and Aria, who were now on tiptoe, expressed their awe as they drew closer to the babies. ¡°...?¡± The babies, who had been sleeping peacefully, stirred at the sound of voices and blinked curiously at the newcomers. ¡°Oooh...! Ooh...!! OOHHHH!!!!¡± My father beamed with joy, letting out an unending stream of exclamations. ¡°To open their eyes at the first sign of presence, they¡¯ve got talent!¡± ¡°Father...¡± Father really is impossible. ¡°They all have an impressive capacity for mana. Well, look at whose children they are.¡± Mother wasn¡¯t much different. ¡°They all have the potential to become Archmage. It¡¯s truly a delight.¡± ¡°What are you saying? They¡¯d be better suited to the sword.¡± ¡°So cute...¡± As my parents bickered over trivial matters, Aria gently reached out to the babies, who were staring at her with curious eyes. ¡°Buh?¡± ¡°Bweh...¡± The babies, just as curious, reached out to Aria in return. ¡°...¡± As the babies grasped Aria¡¯s fingers and beamed, all eyes turned toward them. ¡°They¡¯re so cute...¡± ¡°Let me hold them too.¡± Father, who had been entranced by the cradles, began reaching out with a dazed look. ¡°Oh, my. These little things are my grandchildren?¡± ¡°Uuuh...¡± ¡°Bweh...¡± ¡°...?¡± Something wasn¡¯t right about the babies¡¯ reactions. ¡°Waaaah...!¡± ¡°Waaaah...¡± Sure enough, just before Father could touch them, they burst into tears. ¡°There, there... Peekaboo?¡± ¡°Waaaah...!¡± ¡°Uuuh...¡± Though Father tried to entertain them, the other two babies began to cry as well, creating a full-blown disaster. ¡°Move aside.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Mother¡¯s sharp elbow sent Father flying, allowing her to take over. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, little ones.¡± ¡°Bweh?¡± ¡°Waaaah...¡± With Mother¡¯s gentle touch and soothing voice, the crying gradually subsided. ¡°Mmahhh! Eubuh...¡± ¡°Kyahaha...¡± Soon, the babies were not only calm but also giggling and reaching out to Mother. ¡°What good children.¡± Once they started crying together, even both Serena and Ruby had a hard time soothing them. Mother really is amazing. ¡°Abraham used to make you cry so often back in the day that I became a master at calming tears.¡± ¡°Hmph, ahem...¡± I never knew there was a story like that behind it. ¡°Uuuh...¡± ¡°Bweh...¡± ¡°Sleep again okay? Little ones.¡± Watching the babies drift back to sleep, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°My back, my back...¡± ¡°Are you alright, Father?¡± Then I heard groaning beside me. Did he hit a bone when Mother elbowed him? But why was he holding his lower back instead of his side? ¡°Frey, there¡¯s something I need to ask you...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Shh, lower your voice.¡± I was about to help him when he whispered to me in a low voice. ¡°I heard that little Glare is quite skilled with concealment magic?¡± ¡°Well, yes...¡± ¡°Please bring her here. I beg you...¡± Why was Father asking for Glare all of a sudden, and why with such a desperate look? ¡°Young Master, we have been out of contact with the Starlight mansion for a few days.¡± ¡°Yeah, we even tried calling Father during the birth, but he never came.¡± ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s why I went there myself yesterday...¡± As I looked at her in confusion, Kania quietly whispered to me. ¡°There was a barrier around the entire mansion.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°No one could get in or out. It was a very strong stellar magic.¡± Now I understood what was going on. ¡°Does that mean I will get a second sibling?¡± ¡°Quiet. Just call the kid.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure where she is.¡± ¡°Please! Save me, my son.¡± Father did look rather gaunt. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s at the Magic Tower?¡± ¡°The Magic Tower? That¡¯s where she is?¡± I gave him a hint, feeling a bit of pity, and he shot up from his seat. ¡°The Magic Tower?¡± ¡°...Oh.¡± But he wasn¡¯t the only one to react. ¡°I just have some business at the Magic Tower, so you should go back to the mansion. I¡¯ll follow later...¡± ¡°What a perfect timing! I also have some business there. Let¡¯s go together dear!¡± ¡°W-why are you...?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I saw my master. Come on. Our reunion is long overdue¡± Mother grabbed Father¡¯s shoulder tightly. ¡°No, I mean... Um...¡± ¡°Abraham, be quiet.¡± ¡°Please, someone save me...¡± ... Maybe I should just watch the sleeping babies for a while longer. . . . . . A few hours later. ¡°So, you agree this is the best name?¡± ¡°I knew it... Mother, you liked that one the most too?¡± ¡°...I¡¯m satisfied.¡± With the arrival of our reinforcement, Mother, Serena, Ruby, and I finally managed to settle on the names. ¡°Your names are Arte and Nox,¡± Serena said, caressing the daughter and son. ¡°And yours are Spinne and Merald. Remember them well,¡± whispered Ruby proudly, stroking her daughter and son. Although the named children were fast asleep, it was a truly moving moment. ¡°So, you¡¯ll announce the names at the coronation?¡± We decided to reveal the names during the coronation. I wasn¡¯t sure why, but if Serena suggested it, it was probably for the best. ¡°Yes, it seemed like the better option.¡± ¡°Haha, you¡¯re such a smart child.¡± While basking in the joy of having resolved this dilemma, Mother stroked Serena¡¯s hair as if pleased and then looked at me with a thoughtful expression. ¡°Oh, by the way, I¡¯m planning to return to the high society at this coronation.¡± Mother still knew how to drop bombshells casually. With just a gesture, she could shake the entire continent¡¯s political landscape¡ªher return would certainly be something. ¡°And Aria will make her debut as well. Keep an eye on her.¡± ¡°Well, then... We¡¯ll be on our way.¡± ¡°Goodbye... B-big brother.¡± Leaving behind a brief yet impactful visit, my family departed just as dawn was breaking. ¡°Later, the two of you, let¡¯s have a talk. With all the other kid, too.¡± ¡°Y-yes...!¡± ¡°Understood...¡± I witnessed an unusual sight¡ªSerena and Ruby looking tense after Mother¡¯s nonchalant remark. As for Father, I noticed his legs trembling as he exited the room. I might need to prepare another dose of that elixir for him. ¡°Young Master.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Just as I was about to lie down on the cot to get some rest, Kania spoke up. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be wise to start thinking of names for the others as well?¡± ¡°What do you mean...?¡± Perplexed, I turned to her, only to realize something that left me speechless. ¡°For your other six... or perhaps more unborn children, Young Master.¡± ¡°...Oh.¡± My headache began to return in full force. Chapter 477: Side Story - The Social Gathering (1) Chapter 477: Side Story - The Social Gathering (1) ¡°The time has finally come.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Kania and I were currently riding in a carriage headed for the imperial palace. ¡°Tomorrow, Clana will officially become the empress of this empire.¡± ¡°Time really flies. It feels like just yesterday when she was tirelessly running around as a princess.¡± Today was the day before the coronation, and the imperial palace was hosting a social gathering. Not only were Kania and I heading there, but numerous other notable figures would also be making their way to the palace. Incidentally, my parents and Aria were also attending. Mother was making her return to high society, Aria was making her debutante, and Father was going to meet the Magic Tower Master, an acquaintance of his. But were Father and the Tower Master really that close? It was true that Father had some association with the Tower Master, but that was mainly because of Mother¡¯s connections. I wondered why Father himself was eager to meet the Tower Master now. ¡°When Clana becomes empress, a lot of things will change.¡± As I puzzled over the matter, Kania¡¯s murmuring drew my attention. ¡°Yes, they certainly will.¡± With Clana¡¯s ascension, many things were bound to change. Most unjust laws and unnecessary traditions would be abolished by imperial decree, and the corrupt military and bureaucratic factions that had taken root over the centuries would be thoroughly eradicated. While some noble factions on the empire¡¯s outskirts were stirring up trouble, the imperial army under Clana¡¯s command was stronger than ever in terms of power, honor, and legitimacy, so it didn¡¯t seem like a real threat. To prepare for any unexpected situations, security measures in the capital have been significantly increased. The coronation was a momentous event, and it warranted such precautions. That was also why I and the other heroines were entering the palace a day early. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, young master.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± Kania¡¯s gentle voice brought me back from my thoughts. I must have let my concern show on my face. She could always read me like a book, to the point where it felt like the Curse of Unity had never really broken. It was almost unnerving at times. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about Clana abusing her power.¡± ¡°What?¡± Her words caught me off guard. Abuse of power? Everyone knew Clana wasn¡¯t that kind of person. ¡°Serena has already planned out legal safeguards and restrictions.¡± ¡°Um, what are you talking about...?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t have to worry about anyone monopolizing you using authority.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If it comes down to it, I can always unleash my full black magic to overturn the empire...¡± Yeah, I was going to pretend I didn¡¯t hear that. . . . . . ¡°The great starlight that illuminates the empire, the eldest son of the Starlight Duchy, and the Second Hero...¡± ¡°I distinctly told them not to announce it like that.¡± ¡°... Lord Frey Raon Starlight has arrived!¡± As we arrived at the palace, my least favorite proclamation echoed from the steward. I had even taken down the family crest from the carriage to avoid this, yet somehow they still recognized me. ¡°That¡¯s odd. When I was hiding in the shadows earlier, even the carriages of high-ranking nobles passed by without a word.¡± As Kania spoke, I glanced out the window and saw the steward, who had just announced my arrival, grinning and waving at me. ¡°I can¡¯t exactly get mad at a smiling face.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure there was no ill intention.¡± True, there was probably no malice, but the result was still unfortunate. ¡°Look at all these people...¡± ¡°There certainly are a lot. It¡¯s almost hard to get through.¡± The crowd had flooded out of the ballroom and gathered outside. I had anticipated dealing with a lot of people once inside, but I wasn¡¯t prepared for a crowd so large that I couldn¡¯t even enter. ¡°In the past, they would¡¯ve discreetly stepped aside.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re misremembering. Plenty of people still tried to approach you back then.¡± ¡°Well, at least back then I could throw a fit.¡± ¡°Even then, there were still many who¡ªow.¡± I gave Kania a gentle pinch on her side, interrupting her. She looked at me calmly as I spoke up. ¡°Hey, Kania. Can you hide me?¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Maybe cover me with black magic?¡± ¡°Black magic is still viewed negatively. It¡¯s not a good idea to use it recklessly, especially in public.¡± ¡°Then how about just a regular invisibility spell...?¡± ¡°Ever since becoming the Demon God, all my mana has turned black. That wouldn¡¯t work either.¡± She replied as she leaned in close. ¡°It¡¯s not quite the same, but I can serve as your guard.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s head out now. At this rate, we won¡¯t even be able to open the door.¡± With that, the carriage door slowly opened. ¡°...¡± Sticking close to Kania, I stepped outside, and countless eyes immediately turned toward me. ¡°Um, excuse me...¡± Come to think of it, this was the first time I was appearing in public since everything had ended. I hadn¡¯t made any formal appearances after the victory, spending most of my time secluded with the heroines. The public¡¯s curiosity about me must have reached its peak. - Shuffle, shuffle... As expected, the crowd outside the ballroom began drifting toward me. ¡°Sir Frey, over here!¡± ¡°Please, look this way!¡± Amidst the throng, I could even see reporters with the magical recording devices ready. The crowd continued to edge closer, coming to a stop at a certain point. ¡°...He... llo?¡± After a tense silence, I finally spoke, breaking the standoff. - Roar! The crowd that had been maintaining a bit of distance suddenly surged forward. ¡°Maybe I should use black magic after all?¡± ¡°Somebody help...¡± . . . . . After being surrounded by the masses from the ballroom for several minutes, I finally managed to slip away to a secluded area of the palace with Kania¡¯s help. ¡°Let¡¯s wait here until the crowd calms down.¡± ¡°That sounds wise.¡± I hadn¡¯t realized that receiving so much attention would be so exhausting. Still, the fact that everyone was treating me positively was a pleasant surprise. There was a time when I could only dream of such acceptance, and now it was a reality. From now on, I could spend my life seeing smiles rather than scorn. If that was the case, then perhaps I could endure the fatigue and meet everyone. ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± ¡°...Actually, maybe we should wait a bit longer.¡± If only I didn¡¯t have to deal with noble ladies trying to touch my cheeks as they swarmed me. Wait, did Kania just read my thoughts? ¡°Uh, um...¡± As I stared suspiciously at Kania, a sorrowful sound began to echo from somewhere. ¡°Sob... sob...¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It sounds like crying.¡± Indeed, as Kania said, I could hear the faint sound of someone crying from down the hallway. ¡°It could be dangerous. I¡¯ll go first.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll lead.¡± This was a remote part of the palace where people rarely ventured, so I felt it was better for me to take the lead. Even if Kania was capable of defending herself, she was pregnant with my child, so there was no way I could let her go first. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± I called out toward the end of the hallway. ¡°.....¡± There was no reply. In fact, the crying stopped abruptly. ¡°Hmm.¡± I kept my hand near the sword at my waist as I cautiously approached. ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°Young Master, it seems we don¡¯t need to be on high alert.¡± With Kania¡¯s black magic sharing the sight ahead, I continued down the corridor with a puzzled expression. ¡°Sniff... sniff...¡± At the end of the hallway, we found a young boy. ¡°A kid?¡± ¡°What are you doing here?¡± The frail-looking boy, clutching a brown teddy bear to his chest, had a strangely familiar face. ¡°He looks like someone I know...¡± ¡°Where did you come from, little one?¡± Kania asked the boy while I was lost in thought, trying to recall where I had seen that face before. ¡°I-I got lost...¡± ¡°Oh dear, how did that happen?¡± ¡°I was with my sister... and my teacher... but then it suddenly got dark, and they disappeared...¡± Judging by his voice, he seemed to be younger than Aria. Kania glanced at me. ¡°It seems he got separated from his group.¡± ¡°Looks that way.¡± I reached out to help him, but the boy backed away, clutching his teddy bear tighter as tears welled up. ¡°Hey now, a young man shouldn¡¯t be hugging a doll and crying. That¡¯s no good.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If you cry, horns will grow on your bottom! A real man should face hardships with courage¡ª¡° ¡°Um, Young Master?¡± Kania looked at me strangely. ¡°Pardon me, but didn¡¯t you once¡ª¡° ¡°Once what?¡± ¡°Hug a cat doll in bed¡ªmmph!?¡± Quickly covering her mouth, I turned to the boy with a friendly smile. ¡°So, where did you last see your family?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll help you find them.¡± ¡°Mmph... with a... cat doll... mmph...¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get moving.¡± Why was I breaking out in a cold sweat?. . . . . . Meanwhile, a short distance away in the garden. ¡°You... you scoundrel... what have you done to my disciple...¡± ¡°I merely removed an obstacle. No need to be so dramatic.¡± An old lady, clearly worse for wear, was glaring at a mysterious figure standing in front of her. ¡°Do you even know who I am?¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll regret this. If you don¡¯t release me from this confinement immediately, you¡¯ll face a dreadful end...¡± The elderly woman gritted her teeth as she struggled in her bound. ¡°I know exactly who you are.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Komern Philliard. The great Archmage of the Empire and The Magic Tower Master.¡± ¡°....!¡± The old lady froze in shock at the figure¡¯s words. ¡°Also known as the greatest stellar magician in history, a member of the second Hero¡¯s Party, and mentor to both the Dragon Lord and the Incarnation of the World¡¯s Principle.¡± ¡°Who... what are you?¡± ¡°And...¡± ¡°Who are you!!?¡± As the mysterious figure removed her hood, the old lady was left speechless. ¡°...Someone who dared to break the world¡¯s law and wield forbidden magic to undo a regrettable choice.¡± ¡°...You are?¡± Her voice trembled as she struggled to comprehend the situation. ¡°How do you know these things? And that power...?¡± ¡°Indeed, the magic I desperately need right now.¡± The figure who had removed her robe to reveal herself was none other than the former first princess, Rifael Solar Sunrise, who was now gazing at the Magic Tower Master with a chilling expression. Chapter 478: Side Story - The Social Gathering (2) Chapter 478: Side Story - The Social Gathering (2) After wandering the ballroom for several dozen minutes with the lost child... ¡°This is strange.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Kania?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t see them.¡± After several mishaps where people mistakenly thought the lost child was my secret child, Kania begrudgingly used her black magic once again. But this time, she frowned. ¡°If they were nearby, I would definitely be able to see them. But for some reason, nothing shows up.¡± ¡°Maybe try expanding the range?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already expanded it to the maximum,¡± she said, shaking her head slightly, her expression growing more serious. ¡°Wherever they are, if they were within the Empire, I should at least be able to catch a faint silhouette... but there¡¯s nothing at all.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case...¡± ¡°It seems like something may have happened to the people this child was with.¡± She concluded. If what Kania said was true, then it was quite concerning. Could the people who were in this very ballroom just moments ago have suddenly vanished? Something was definitely off. Perhaps we should strengthen the security. ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s just because my mana has been completely tainted with darkness.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked. ¡°Since all my mana turned into black, regular spells don¡¯t work as well anymore. It could be a side effect.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°Or maybe the connection between this child and their companions is weak. There are many reasons it could be, especially since it¡¯s not a higher-level spell.¡± From Kania¡¯s explanation, it seemed like there could be a variety of reasons. Hopefully, none of this will cause any problems for the coronation ceremony tomorrow. ¡°By the way, the kid seems to have calmed down quite a bit now. Maybe it¡¯s time we ask about his companions¡¯ names?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If we get their names, we can check the guest list and identify them.¡± Now that I thought about it, I had just been keeping the kid close without pushing too much to avoid overwhelming him. But now, it seemed like he was no longer as terrified. ¡°.........¡± Although the kid was still trembling, he had stopped crying. It might be the right time to ask some questions. ¡°Hey, little one.¡± ¡°I wanted to ask you something...¡± ¡°Thank you for helping me.¡± The boy suddenly said, bowing his head. ¡°Huh?¡± I blinked, confused as he gave his thanks. ¡°B-But... I think I can look for her by myself now.¡± ¡°Really? Are you sure?¡± ¡°Y-Yes, I¡¯m sure. Please let me try.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not really a problem... But are you really okay? This place is quite big.¡± I scratched my head at the boy¡¯s sudden change in attitude. Then he suddenly clenched his fist in determination. ¡°I... I want to become brave and strong like you, Hero!¡± ¡°Like me?¡± ¡°I... I¡¯ve been weak and sickly since I was born... and scared all the time... My sister always had to take care of me...¡± The boy, now trying to sound as confident as he could, stood on his tiptoes and looked up at me. ¡°But... I can¡¯t live like that forever... Like you said, I¡¯ve been holding onto a toy and crying like a baby...¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so embarrassing, even to me! I¡¯ll never do something so childish again!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Fufufu... Fufu¨Couch¡± Kania, who was stifling her laughter behind me, earned another sharp pinch from me as I turned back to the boy with a slight smile. ¡°If a man decides to solve his own problems, then I guess there¡¯s nothing I can do but support him.¡± ¡°Th-thank you...!¡± ¡°But instead of running around looking, it¡¯d be quicker to tell that maid over there her names. Just wait in the lounge, and I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll come find you soon.¡± ¡°Thank you for the advice!¡± With another bow, the boy hurried off toward the maid I had pointed out. ¡°Just in case, we¡¯ll check on him later at the lounge, but for now we should...¡± ¡°Fufufufu.¡± ¡°Kania, seriously, enough.¡± ¡°Ah, sorry...¡± Watching the boy¡¯s retreating figure, which felt strangely familiar, I began to move again, giving Kania another sharp pinch for her continued smirking. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s time to head in.¡± ¡°Yes, it seems things are about to truly begin.¡± The moment we had been anxiously awaiting, both anticipated and dreaded, was just around the corner. . . . . . The night before the Empress¡¯ coronation marked a grand social gathering¡ªan event where key nobles and their heirs, who would shape the Empire¡¯s future, gathered to mingle and form connections. While the official purpose was to foster such exchanges, there were hidden, less peaceful agendas lurking beneath the surface. The root cause of this unrest lay in the presence of certain high-ranking nobles. Though many had been reformed after the Great Purge, and several families had never indulged in ostentatious displays, the old traditions of the Empire ran deep. Despite the efforts of Clana and myself to swiftly dismantle many corrupt practices, the rigid mindset of the upper echelons, especially among those who had received thorough aristocratic education, couldn¡¯t be easily eradicated overnight. As a result, this gathering still bore the influence of those ancient traditions. It was a time when the worthy and the expendable would be separated¡ªa delicate and somewhat unseemly process, elegantly disguised as a noble occasion. However, there was some consolation in knowing that, unlike in the past when nearly all nobles participated in such events, the number of attendees had significantly dwindled. ¡°Hmm, hello there,¡± ¡°Oh, pleased to meet you. I¡¯m from the Marquis of Holind...¡± It seemed that with fewer participants than before, this ¡°Great Purge¡± process had shifted from the realm of adults to that of their children¡ªparticularly the young ladies. ¡°Most of these are familiar faces.¡± ¡°Of course, they¡¯re from prestigious families.¡± ¡°But there are quite a few unfamiliar ones as well.¡± ¡°Indeed, perhaps it would be wise for some introductions to be made.¡± Both Serena and Roswyn noted the subtle snickers and condescending glances being thrown around. New blood and lower-ranking noble families found themselves subject to quiet mockery and thinly veiled ridicule. ¡°Um... well...¡± One of the newcomers stammered. ¡°Sorry, could you speak up? I can¡¯t hear you.¡± ¡°Could you speak a little louder?¡± ¡°O-oh...¡± It was a petty and embarrassing display, but an effective one nonetheless. ¡°I... I¡¯m the second daughter of the Isis Trading Company...¡± ¡°A trading company? How fascinating.¡± ¡°Are merchants being invited to social gatherings now? My, how times have changed.¡± This subtle bullying was more than just an idle pastime; it was a strategy to establish power dynamics, form alliances, and solidify connections among the upper echelons. And now, with the dissolution of the two dominant noble factions¡ªthose led by Frey and Roswyn¡ªthe power vacuum created a perfect breeding ground for such behavior. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry...¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize.¡± ¡°I-I think I¡¯ll be leaving now...¡± ¡°Oh, what a shame. We had so much we wanted to ask you.¡± It was clear how the situation was unfolding. Lesser-known families, merchant families, and other lower-status groups began to shift nervously, eventually gathering at a distant table. ¡°Birds of a feather flock together.¡± ¡°Seems to suit the situation perfectly,¡± As those deemed unworthy moved to a far corner, the high-ranking nobles exchanged satisfied glances and prepared to engage in more meaningful conversations. ¡°Now that the rabbles have left... shall we finally discuss more important matters?¡± ¡°Speaking of, our family had a little conflict with that trading company earlier...¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve brought some fresh chamomile tea...¡± Just as a new power bloc seemed poised to rise in place of the previously dominant factions, the door to the ballroom creaked open. - Creak... The gathered noblewomen paused, their eyes shifting toward the door. ¡°W-Why are they here?¡± ¡°A-Ah...¡± . . . . . Not long after... ¡°...Ah.¡± As Frey entered the ballroom with Kania by his side, he froze, staring ahead with a dazed expression. ¡°Hmm, this is...¡± What lay before him was a scene that made cold sweat run down his back just from looking at it. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± At the right table of the ballroom, for some reason, Serena and Roswyn were sitting with icy expressions, emitting an intense chill. ¡°¡±¡±....¡±¡±¡± Nearby were Aishi and Eurelia, both with stern expressions, the Horizon sisters and Miho tilting their heads in confusion, Arianne looking somewhat lost, and Alice, clearly restless. ¡°¡±...???¡±¡± Meanwhile, among them, the young ladies from lower-ranking noble families either wore confused expressions or were trembling with awe and emotion. ¡°Ah, um...¡± To top it off, for reasons unknown, Vener stood stiffly at attention beside the table, looking completely tense. - Shudder, shudder... At the left table, several young ladies from high-ranking noble families sat huddled together, their heads bowed, trembling in fear. ¡°...This is... a total disaster.¡± After carefully observing the situation, Kania quietly commented with her usual calm tone before asking in a low voice. ¡°So, it¡¯s time to choose. Which table will you be going to?¡± Frey, dripping with cold sweat, quickly turned toward the left and answered. ¡°I¡¯ve always been a fan of green tea, you know? And that green tea over at the left table looks pretty tasty.¡± ¡°It¡¯s chamomile tea.¡± ¡°Yep, yep. Chamomile tea. My favorite.¡± Frey stammered, trying to cover up his slip-up. ¡°But you actually prefer coffe¨C ouch.¡± Kania started to say, only to be silenced with a quick pinch to her side. Even as the painful twist went through, the chill from the right table continued to intensify. Chapter 479: Side Story - The Social Gathering (3) Chapter 479: Side Story - The Social Gathering (3) The young ladies gathered around the table had received a covert mission to form a new faction under the guise of a tea party. ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve come too?¡± ¡°Oh my, do you know me?¡± The room was filled with families whose names alone would make any ordinary noble¡¯s eyes widen, but among them, the brightest star was undoubtedly me. ¡°You¡¯re one of the most famous figures in social circles these days. How could I not?¡± ¡°You flatter me... Haha.¡± I could confidently say it was me, Trisha, the eldest daughter of the Hollind family. ¡°Trisha! Did you read the letter I sent you?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. I should¡¯ve responded earlier, but I¡¯ve been so busy lately.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay! Just knowing you got it is enough. Hehe...¡± Recently, due to the aftermath of successive incidents, most noble factions had been scattered to the winds. Even Count Justiano¡¯s rapidly growing faction had suddenly collapsed when he relinquished power and stepped down as its leader. Now, with only a few elite families surviving the Great Purge, it was only a matter of time before our Hollind Marquisate, which had been regrouping the scattered nobles faster than any other, would reign supreme at the top of the noble power structure. And it was obvious to everyone that the eldest daughter of such a grand family, the candidate for head of the household, and the top scorer of the Academy entrance exam¡ªme, Trisha Lye Hollind¡ªwas the center of everyone¡¯s attention. Isn¡¯t that an undeniable fact? ¡°Trisha! You smell wonderful! What perfume are you using?¡± ¡°Would you like to try a cookie? Our family¡¯s servants baked them all night.¡± ¡°Um... Did you read the letter my family sent?¡± Some might call this arrogance, but reality speaks for itself. Most of the young ladies here were already bowing to me. ¡°Hmm, ahem.¡± ¡°...¡± Of course, not everyone was so eager to curry favor. Some young ladies from proud or high-ranking families merely cleared their throats quietly. But so what? The momentum had already shifted in our favor. The fact that I was controlling the atmosphere at this table meant the decision was practically made. Even those who held their heads high now would eventually bow to me. There was no guarantee my patience would last until then, though. ¡°Well then, everyone, today¡¯s topic of discussion is¨C¡± As I quietly reached for my teacup and savored the aroma of the tea leaves, I opened my mouth to further solidify the atmosphere I had cultivated. - Creak... ¡°Oh, what¡¯s this?¡± However, my grand plans came crashing down. ¡°What¡¯s going on...?¡± ¡°W-Why are they here?¡± Just as I thought everyone had arrived, the door to the tea room opened once again, and my ambitions collapsed in an instant. ¡°...A-Ah.¡± . . . . . Not long after, when I thought the door to the tea room would remain closed for the rest of the event... - Tremble, tremble... All the young ladies, including myself, could only tremble with pale faces. ¡°That person over there... Is it really who I think it is?¡± ¡°W-Why...? I heard they had stepped down and disappeared...¡± Even I, who had the important mission of leading the atmosphere of the tea party, couldn¡¯t help but tremble. And for good reason¡ªthe lineup of people sitting at the left of us was utterly terrifying. ¡°...This tea is a bit bitter.¡± For instance, the person who just spoke was Eurelia von Justiano. She was the eldest daughter of the family that had once ruled all the noble factions in the Empire, and she had made a name for herself as a giant in the social circles purely through her own skills. Rumors had spread that she had stepped down and disappeared, but her presence at this crucial event proved those rumors wrong. Her very existence could destabilize the efforts of our family, which had been regrouping the noble factions, and now that she was back, things were bound to get complicated. ¡°Oh my, you don¡¯t seem to know much about tea, do you?¡± The funny thing was, even someone like Eurelia seemed small at that table. ¡°That tea is meant to be enjoyed for its bitter flavor. Well, I suppose it might be difficult for a child¡¯s palate.¡± The person who just treated Eurelia like a child was none other than the current head of the Moonlight Ducal family, often referred to as the dark shadow of the Empire. She was one of the two pillars that had dominated the Empire¡¯s social scene for years, the strategist of the second Hero Party, and the fiance?e of the second Hero. Those accomplishments allowed her to wield absolute power within the Empire. ¡°Kids these days... do they not learn tea etiquette as part of their education?¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± ¡°Oh, just talking to myself, Euria? Eurilia?¡± And the person who just muttered to herself in a low voice was the eldest daughter of the Sunset Ducal family. She was another giant of the social world, alongside the head of the Moonlight family, and her influence in the social scene had nearly rivaled that of Lord Frey during his prime. As for Eurelia, she had merely inherited Lord Frey and Lady Roswyn¡¯s faction after their departure, benefiting from the vacuum left behind. Additionally, this person was a key ally of the Hero during the ¡®Frozen Sea War.¡¯ She was on a completely different level. Even I had to be cautious when meeting their gaze. - Rumble... But why were such powerful figures sitting at the table next to mine, exuding such intense cold energy, engaged in a tense standoff? I had no idea. This was completely outside my expectations. For the past few months, those three had been extremely inactive. Our family assumed they had retired from politics. But now, this changes everything. We need to revise our family¡¯s plans immediately. No matter how well our family is doing, crossing paths with those people would be disastrous. ¡°¡±....¡±¡± And now that I take a closer look, even the people sitting across from them were overpowered in their own right. Although she had been manipulated, Aishi Winter Cloud, who committed the great crime of freezing the entire western continent, was sitting there. After being pardoned through Lord Frey and the Hero Party¡¯s defense, she had restored the Cloud Kingdom to become a rising power in just a few months¡ªanother monster. Then there was the fox-eared beastkin with the silly expression sitting next to her. I heard rumors that this beastman was secretly working as a doctor in the Imperial Hospital, and due to an ancient pact, she held the status of a princess under international law. And that¡¯s not all. The Horizon sisters, who also had dumb expressions, were on the verge of being reinstated as a marquisate. There were even rumors that they had recently made contact with the Elven Kingdom of the Western Continent. An Elf Kingdom that had been closed off for centuries was now interacting with a single family? That¡¯s a massive event. And that plain-looking commoner... What was her name? Arianne? She might seem insignificant, but behind her was none other than her childhood friend, the Dragon Lord. And that other commoner, Alice, had recently become the secretary to a branch family of the Moonlight Dukedom. If Lady Serena became Lord Frey¡¯s wife, that branch family would naturally take on the Empire¡¯s shadow operations. In that case, that girl would hold a position equivalent to the lord chamberlain of the Imperial Household. Lastly, there¡¯s that knight standing rigidly by the window for some reason... Who was that? ¡°...?¡± ¡°Hu-huh.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure, but the energy I sensed from her was at least on par with a knight commander. Even securing one of them would elevate our family¡¯s standing by several orders of magnitude. ¡°T-They¡¯re scary...¡± ¡°H-How long are they going to keep that up?¡± Anyway, with all these people gathered and engaged in a power struggle, how could I not tremble in fear? The atmosphere I had painstakingly built was utterly destroyed. If this keeps up, forget about forming a faction¡ªI¡¯ll be seen as insignificant... ¡°H-Hello.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, can I help you?¡± To make things worse, the lower-ranking nobles and commoners who had been driven out earlier were now cluelessly approaching these people and striking up conversations. They probably didn¡¯t even realize who they were talking to. I just hope they don¡¯t make the situation worse¨C ¡°...Aren¡¯t you with the Isis Trading Company?¡± ¡°Y-You know me?¡± ¡°Your guild is one of our kingdom¡¯s major trade partners.¡± ¡°Wh-What? Th-That means...?¡± ¡°Please, feel free to speak comfortably.¡± Wait a minute. Why is that conversation flowing so naturally? ¡°It¡¯s such an honor!¡± ¡°By the way, about that trade deal from earlier...¡± No, this can¡¯t be. This isn¡¯t how it¡¯s supposed to go. ¡°W-We¡¯ll take our leave now...¡± ¡°Huh? W-Wait, everyone?¡± ¡°Goodbye...¡± Just when I tried to regain my composure and continue the meeting, the people who had been fawning over me began standing up one by one. ¡°Sigh... What a waste of time.¡± ¡°This was so underwhelming.¡± ¡°I thought you could lead us all, but clearly, I was mistaken.¡± As I watched them leave in confusion, I heard sharp, cutting remarks from every direction. ¡°E-Everyone...?¡± I desperately reached out, but the seats around me were already empty. ¡°D-Don¡¯t go.¡± No. This can¡¯t be happening. This opportunity was hard-earned. ¡°P-Please...¡± I still can¡¯t forget the cold stares from the young ladies as they looked back at me. What will happen if I go home like this? Will I be punished again for failing to carry out my task? Or worse, will I be sold off to that old noble, just like I overheard last time? ¡°A-Ah...¡± Suddenly, fear washed over me. I wanted to cry, but my heart felt so hollow that no tears would come. ¡°....¡± What do I do now? - Creak... As I stood there, staring blankly at the empty room, someone quietly took a seat across from me and spoke in a low voice. ¡°Um, excuse me. That thing in front of you... what was it?¡± ¡°...It¡¯s chamomile tea, Young Master.¡± ¡°Oh, right. That.¡± Just as I was ready to give up, a shining star appeared before me. ¡°Mind if I have a taste?¡± ¡°....!¡± A star, brighter than any I had seen. . . . . . This couldn¡¯t get any worse. ¡°Mm, this chamomile tea is quite good.¡± ¡°...¡± After much contemplation, I decided to sit at the left table for the sake of peace. But now, all the young ladies at the table had suddenly stood up and left for some reason. ¡°Why did you even sit there in the first place?¡± ¡°A-Ahem... So, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Young Master?¡± Now, I was left alone at the table, awkwardly facing a girl I didn¡¯t know. ¡°¡±¡±...¡±¡±¡± And on top of that... ¡°Maybe you should switch tables now?¡± I could feel the stares and icy glares from the left of me, which I had been trying to avoid. ¡°Uh, um... I-I... T-T-Tr... Trisha...¡± ¡°...This is driving me crazy.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry...!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not you I¡¯m frustrated with...¡± It was supposed to be all over, so why does my life keep getting more complicated? Chapter 480: Side Story - The Social Gathering (4) Chapter 480: Side Story - The Social Gathering (4) ¡°Uh, um... so... uh...¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± What in the world is happening? Frey Raon Starlight, the Great Hero himself is sitting right in front of me. Yes, the Frey Raon Starlight. The Second Hero who ended the Frozen Sea War and currently the most influential person in the world. Also, in the secret popularity polls conducted among noble ladies, he always ranked first, even when he was playing the villain. In a recent magazine, the number one wish of the noble ladies was to have a cup of tea with that Frey. Right? Probably. Not to mention, with his recently revealed noble and heart-fluttering actions, his popularity has skyrocketed to new heights. I heard that commoners have already formed some kind of fan club? And among certain noble ladies, secret romance novels starring him were being passed around. ¡°Ah, umm... Ahh...¡± I¡¯m so nervous that I can barely breathe, let alone speak. But I can¡¯t help it. Is there a noble lady who hasn¡¯t imagined dating Lord Frey, or at least holding his hand? And I¡¯m no exception, of course. Now that I see him again, he¡¯s really handsome. Even when Lord Frey was acting as the villain, there were foolish noble ladies who kept applying to work as maids for the Starlight family each year. I can understand why now. Though, for some reason, the Starlight family only accepted commoners. I actually secretly applied myself once, but my application was rejected. Perhaps because of my noble lineage. ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°Eek!¡± I was lost in thought when his voice startled me, and I looked up in a panic. ¡°Why are you trembling so much?¡± ¡°W-Well, um, it¡¯s just... a bit c-cold today.¡± Because I was so nervous, I gave the dumbest answer ever when he asked me a question. Dumb Trisha! It¡¯s the middle of summer, how could it possibly be cold? ¡°Ah, yes, I suppose.¡± ¡°...?¡± Yet for some reason, Lord Frey glanced to his left, nodded as if he understood, and accepted my ridiculous answer. What was that about? Actually... it does feel a little cold... - Swish... ¡°Ah.¡± As I rubbed my arms, Lord Frey suddenly stood up from his seat and approached me. ¡°Wh-What are you...¡± I stammered, unable to finish my question, when Lord Frey draped a white coat over me. ¡°You¡¯re shivering. Warm yourself up.¡± He smiled brightly as he said that, and his expression was so dazzling that it was hard to even look at him. ¡°H-Huh?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°...¡± But strangely, the chill in the air seemed to grow stronger. I wanted to take the coat off immediately, but when I saw Lord Frey smiling contentedly as he returned to his seat, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do it. It smells so nice... And besides, his warmth was still lingering on the coat... ¡°...Sigh.¡± I quietly sniffed the coat, my head lowered, when suddenly I heard a cold sigh from the front. It was Lord Frey¡¯s butler. Of course, she¡¯s someone of high status, being one of Lord Frey¡¯s closest attendants. But still, I¡¯m a noble lady from a marquis family. I shouldn¡¯t be getting cold looks from a mere butler... ¡°Hey, what¡¯s your¡ª¡° I was about to snap at her for giving me that cold look when I immediately clamped my mouth shut and lowered my gaze. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Oh...¡± As someone who has spent her life being taught the strictest noble etiquette, I could sense it. ¡°No... It¡¯s nothing...¡± No matter what, this black-clad butler was not someone I should mess with. So... s-scary... Every instinct in my body screamed at me to stay silent. And it wasn¡¯t just her cold stare that made me freeze. I could also feel the intense gazes of the powerful figures sitting at the left bearing down on me. I want to go home... I considered getting up and leaving, but I couldn¡¯t. I had already served my purpose. Once you¡¯re branded by the noble ladies, it¡¯s nearly impossible to recover your reputation. No matter how hard you try, you¡¯ll only become a laughingstock. So, even if I go home, the only thing waiting for me is being thrown out. And that will be my future without the coat that¡¯s covering me right now. ¡°Ugh...¡± Clutching the coat tighter, I felt tears welling up in my eyes. ¡°W-Why is she crying?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I could hear them talking in front of me, but it didn¡¯t matter anymore. ¡°Come to think of it, I think I¡¯ve seen those ladies somewhere before...¡± ¡°Should I investigate? I sense a presence nearby.¡± ¡°Yeah, while you¡¯re at it, look into the girl crying in front of us too.¡± Whatever happens, my life is over now. ¡°...Sniff.¡± I continued crying uncontrollably for a while before I raised my head and saw Frey staring at me with a concerned look. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Haha...¡± As I apologized and lowered my head, one thought suddenly flashed through my mind. If this is the end, I might as well fulfill one last wish. That wish was to try to win over Lord Frey, the person standing before me. ¡°Um, excuse me...!¡± Honestly, that wasn¡¯t really my wish. It was a foolish, impulsive, and reckless idea that came from my manic state¡ªa thought I wouldn¡¯t have dared entertain in normal circumstances. But now, I had nothing to lose. ¡°I-I like you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Desperate times call for desperate measures! ¡°P-Please go out with me!¡± ¡°...I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t.¡± Ah. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry...¡± Now I truly am finished. . . . . . ¡°So, in conclusion... all nobles are idiots.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Now, I¡¯m just rambling lifelessly to Lord Frey, my eyes devoid of any hope. ¡°All they ever learn is useless etiquette. They waste time and energy on mind games and petty feuds, pretending it¡¯s some kind of noble tradition... And yet they¡¯re so full of themselves...¡± Frey had asked me a question earlier, probably to change the atmosphere. He wanted to know my opinion on the current noble system. ¡°In the end, they¡¯re just mindless drones, their heads full of nothing but gold and wine.¡± ¡°I see...¡± ¡°We should purge them all. Abolish all these social events and tea parties, and uproot every single faction. Crush them into dust...¡± In truth, my real opinion is the complete opposite of what I¡¯m saying now. But who cares? If I¡¯m going to end up sold to some old nobleman or thrown out onto the streets, I might as well get sent to prison in the Imperial Palace for treason. ¡°Does that include your family?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lost in my thoughts, I was startled by Lord Frey¡¯s sudden serious question. ¡°...Yes!¡± I didn¡¯t fully understand what he meant, but I decided to just go all in and lose my mind completely. After all, I¡¯ve had enough of my family starving me and whipping me every other day. If I¡¯m going to be disowned anyway, why not speak my mind? ¡°My family should be the first to be purged. I don¡¯t know why they haven¡¯t been wiped out already. They¡¯re busy gathering factions and flaunting themselves around... Honestly, I want to beat them all up.¡± As soon as I said it, I felt a strange sense of relief. My goodness. I never thought I¡¯d live to see the day when I could speak so bluntly. ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°Haha... Hahaha...¡± But as I watched Lord Frey¡¯s expression stiffen, I began to fear the consequences. Am I not going to be sent to the Imperial Palace prison? Will I be buried in some unknown place instead? ¡°Have you ever thought of ways to reform or improve the system?¡± ¡°Ah, y-yes, of course... wait.¡± Caught up in my rising panic, I automatically answered his next question without thinking. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Uh...¡± ¡°Could you share them with me?¡± What should I say? My mind went blank, and the only response that came out was completely absurd. ¡°We, um... we should appoint commoners.¡± ¡°...Appoint commoners?¡± I hesitated for a moment, realizing how ridiculous my answer was. But what choice did I have? I had to follow through with what I said. ¡°Yes, yes. Let the commoners participate in politics.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Sweep away the useless nobles... and let the commoners take over instead. Haha...¡± As I said that, Lord Frey furrowed his brow slightly. ¡°Without any conditions?¡± ¡°Ah, um...¡± ¡°That seems... a bit dangerous, isn¡¯t it?¡± He looked at me with a disappointed expression. ¡°No, no! That¡¯s not what I meant!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Terrified that I might actually get executed, I scrambled to explain myself. ¡°I¡¯m not saying we should get rid of all the nobles... Just the stupid ones, you know? And we wouldn¡¯t appoint commoners without conditions... We¡¯d, um, elect representatives.¡± ¡°...Elect them?¡± ¡°Yeah, to balance things out with the nobles.¡± Lord Frey¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as he listened to my desperate and nonsensical explanation. Even I realized how absurd it was. Pitting ignorant, uneducated commoners against highborn, refined nobles? It¡¯s even worse than what I said before! Someone, please help me. I don¡¯t want to die yet. I should have just stayed home today. ¡°We¡¯d have them keep each other in check. The two factions would compete, and that way, both sides would be motivated to do their best in politics, and... and they¡¯d expose each other¡¯s corruption...¡± I kept babbling, driven by nothing but the desire to survive when Lord Frey¡¯s voice interrupted my rambling once again. ¡°What if things get too heated?¡± ¡°Th-then the Imperial Family could intervene? They could mediate and present compromise solutions, or, depending on the situation, take sides...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And that way, the monarchy would naturally grow stronger. The commoners would be loyal because they get to participate in politics, and the nobles would try to curry favor with the Imperial Family to avoid being outdone by the commoners...¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Y-yes. That¡¯s... that¡¯s my idea.¡± Before the conversation could drag on any longer, I hurriedly wrapped things up and sat back, my mind completely blank. What did I even say...? I was so panicked that I barely remembered what I just talked about. The only thing I know for sure is that I probably said something really stupid and dangerous. ¡°Young Master.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± As I sat there, sweating nervously, Lord Frey¡¯s butler whispered something into his ear. - Whisper, whisper... ¡°...¡± But even as he listened, Lord Frey¡¯s starry eyes remained fixed on me. ¡°So, you¡¯re from the Hollind family?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. And also...¡± ¡°...Interesting.¡± Looks like my life is really over now. . . . . . Sometime later... ¡°I-I¡¯ll be going now...¡± ¡°Alright.¡± With sunken cheeks, I stood up shakily, and Lord Frey nodded at me with a gentle smile. ¡°Goodbye, then...¡± ¡°Oh, wait a moment.¡± I was about to make my escape when Lord Frey called out to me. ¡°About the opinion you shared earlier.¡± ¡°....!¡± Frozen in place, I stared at him with a pale expression. ¡°It¡¯s too soon to apply such ideas to the Empire, and you didn¡¯t mention the potential downsides or areas that need improvement.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°And it¡¯s quite a dangerous way of thinking as well.¡± Hearing his words, I closed my eyes, accepting the fate that was surely coming. ¡°I like it.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a new perspective I hadn¡¯t considered... and I like dangerous ideas.¡± For some reason, Lord Frey glanced nervously at the left side as he added in a quieter tone, ¡°...Maybe.¡± As a chill ran through the room once more, I couldn¡¯t help but tremble. ¡°Anyway, it was an interesting conversation.¡± ¡°Y-yes... Th-thank you... Now I really must be going...¡± ¡°Oh, one more thing.¡± I forced a shaky smile and tried to quicken my steps, but then Lord Frey spoke again. ¡°W-what is it...?¡± ¡°Do you have a communication crystal?¡± His eyes sparkled as he asked. ¡°Ah, yes! H-here...¡± Without thinking, I pulled out the crystal from my pocket. - Crackle... ¡°Huh?¡± I watched in disbelief as Lord Frey reached out and touched the crystal. ¡°W-What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve inscribed my contact onto it.¡± ¡°...?¡± Staring at him in confusion, I held the crystal closer. ¡°...W-what!?¡± Moments later, I realized what he meant and clutched the glowing crystal in shock. ¡°Let¡¯s keep in touch, Miss Trisha.¡± Trisha Lye Hollind¡¯s first official appearance in high society was later remembered as the debut of the future leader of the reformist faction, a figure who would stand alongside Serena, the great prime minister during the reign of Frey and Clana. ¡°W-Why?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Trisha¡¯s high-society debut was thus a great success. Chapter 481: Side Story - The Social Gathering (5) Chapter 481: Side Story - The Social Gathering (5) ¡°Th-Thank you... Thank you so much...¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to bow. I just gave you my contact info, that¡¯s all...¡± Frey hurriedly helped Trisha up from her bowing position, where she had been practically groveling in gratitude. ¡°W-With this, I won¡¯t get kicked out of the family... Haha, hehe... Ehehe...¡± But Trisha, still mentally overwhelmed by the fact that she had secured Frey¡¯s direct contact information, remained out of touch with reality. ¡°I¡¯ll treasure this forever...¡± ¡°Yes, well... goodbye.¡± Frey, seeing her in that state, kindly escorted her to the door. ¡°...Hm?¡± Just as he was about to bid her farewell for good, Trisha¡¯s legs wobbled, and she staggered, causing Frey to change his expression to one of cold seriousness. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± ¡°...Hic.¡± More than annoyance at being called back, Trisha, intimidated by his stern look, began to hiccup nervously. ¡°If you leave now, where are you headed?¡± ¡°W-Well... home, I suppose...? The tea party was a disaster, but since I got your contact info... I won¡¯t be kicked out, so...¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± Frey let out a deep sigh, gazing at her with a cold expression before extending his hand. ¡°H-Huh?¡± Slowly and gently, Frey began to examine the area around her neck and arms. ¡°Don¡¯t go home for now.¡± ¡°...H-Hic.¡± Frozen in place under Frey¡¯s touch, Trisha hiccuped again at his words. Is he going to execute me after all? No... the way he said it, he¡¯s not letting me go home... maybe... maybe I¡¯ll become Frey¡¯s possession... ¡°Sit over there.¡± ¡°...Y-Yes, yes, yessir.¡± She scurried to the table as Frey directed, her forehead sweating profusely as she thought to herself, ...Could this actually be good? Maybe I can get by easily from now on. ¡°...¡± Watching her, Frey¡¯s butler, Kania, quietly approached him. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Young Master?¡± ¡°You saw it too, didn¡¯t you, Kania?¡± Still gazing coldly down the hallway, Frey began speaking in a low voice. ¡°That young lady had marks on her neck and arms.¡± ¡°...Yes, she did.¡± ¡°Judging by the marks, she was beaten with a cane, right?¡± ¡°Correct, and repeatedly.¡± Kania was well-versed in torture, so she could recognize such marks easily. Getting the confirmation he needed, Frey quietly gritted his teeth. ¡°It pisses me off.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°How many hidden gems are buried and lost, unable to shine? Forever buried under these corruptions ¡° ¡°If I had to guess, probably enough to fill ten rooms like this one.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want fools holding back talents like hers.¡± Kania, watching him closely, quietly pulled out a notebook, her eyes gleaming. ¡°Shall we flip the table?¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t. It¡¯s still a loyalist family after all.¡± ¡°Understood. It seems there will be some shifts in the power structure of the Hollind family soon.¡± ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s good news.¡± With that, they had effectively and mercilessly decided the fate of a noble family. ¡°You¡¯ve become even sharper than before.¡± ¡°What choice do I have? Running a country is no child¡¯s play.¡± Frey scratched his head, answering with a wry smile, then added quietly. ¡°Besides, I take care of my own.¡± At that, Kania, her eyes wide in surprise, stared at him. ¡°That statement just now...¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Frey, noticing her sudden change in demeanor, began sweating nervously as he realized what he had implied. ¡°Can you handle the responsibility?¡± ¡°N-No, you know... I didn¡¯t mean it that way! I meant she¡¯s on my side...¡± ¡°Very well, let¡¯s return to our seats.¡± Frey hurriedly opened his mouth to explain as Kania, with a gentle push, urged him toward the table. ¡°Kania! I... I wanted to have a private conversation with you...¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t be possible.¡± Turning toward the left table where he had been sitting earlier, Frey suddenly fell silent. ¡°The table is... gone.¡± Indeed, the left table that had been there moments ago had completely disappeared. ¡°Ah...¡± Reaching out toward where the table had once stood, Frey found himself under the scrutinizing gaze of everyone in the room. ¡°¡±¡±...¡±¡±¡± Including Serena and Roswyn, who were all staring at him with their necks craned forward. - Tremble, tremble, tremble... And for some reason, amidst them all sat Trisha, completely pale with fear. ¡°What are you doing, young master?¡± Kania, who had already gone over to sit next to Trisha, beckoned him with a gesture. ¡°Hurry and sit down.¡± ¡°O-Oh, I-I just remember I have something to take care of real quick...¡± After agonizing over countless decisions in that brief moment, Frey once again opted for immediate safety and hurried toward the exit. - Crack... crack... But the door and windows were already frozen shut. ¡°Why... Why won¡¯t it open...? Haha...¡± ¡°Sit.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± . . . . . ¡°E-Excuse me?¡± ¡°....¡± This is uncomfortable. ¡°C-Can someone please say something?¡± ¡°...¡± No joke, this is seriously uncomfortable! What on earth is happening to me today? Suddenly, the left table disappeared, leaving me with no choice but to sit at this table. And now, I¡¯m being stared down by people I normally wouldn¡¯t even dare to look in the eye. ¡°About the idea you mentioned earlier.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t bad. How about we discuss it further later?¡± Even Lady Serena, who was sitting next to me, leaned in with an expectant smile. I don¡¯t even remember what I said, how can we discuss it! ¡°A-Ah, w-well. S-Sorry, I¡¯m kind of busy...¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. I can make time for you.¡± The more I tried to wriggle out of it, the deeper I sank into this mess. ¡°By the way, besides that idea you mentioned earlier, do you have any other suggestions?¡± ¡°P-Pardon?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be the only one, right? I bet you¡¯ve got a few more amazing ideas up your sleeve.¡± Great. The only way to deal with this is to lower her expectations all at once. ¡°Y-Yes, like... a flying carriage, maybe?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Y-Yeah, you know... if we tied dragons to the carriages, they could fly across the sky, and we¡¯d be able to travel super fast?¡± As I threw out a childish fantasy I used to have, I immediately noticed the shift in the atmosphere. ¡°...Are you serious?¡± ¡°U-Uh, that is to say...¡± Lady Serena¡¯s eyes turned cold in an instant. No! If this keeps up, I might get assassinated! I need to fix this somehow... ¡°Th-The dragon thing was a joke... But how about a carriage that flies on its own?¡± ¡°How would that work?¡± ¡°Well, you attach wings to the sides of the carriage... and make them flap like a bird¡¯s.¡± ¡°And how would you power it?¡± ¡°Um, maybe using magic crystals...? I heard that the Cloud Kingdom recently mined so many magic crystals that they don¡¯t know what to do with them... If we struck a deal and imported them in bulk, it¡¯d be a win-win for everyone...¡± I forced a smile, trembling as I spoke. Lady Serena stared at me for a moment before looking away. Wait, why does it even matter when we already have teleportation! Realizing how ridiculous my suggestion was, I slumped my head onto the table in despair. ¡°Teleportation is a top-tier magic, so it¡¯s definitely risky... There have been a lot of accidents during intercontinental travel... And, now that I think about it, a flying carriage could be used as a strategic weapon too...¡± It¡¯s over... I¡¯ve caught the attention of the head of the Empire¡¯s Secret Service... Watching her mumble to herself, I was certain she was already planning my assassination. I feel nauseous. If this keeps up, I might faint. ... Actually, that might be better. - Gulp, gulp... ¡°...!?¡± Just as I was contemplating knocking myself out by slamming my head against the table, I noticed Miss Eurelia chugging champagne across from me. ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°W-What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Her wine glasses were scattered around her, and her eyes were completely unfocused. ¡°Uh...¡± ¡°What the... what is going on...¡± My survival instincts, honed through years of social navigation, suddenly flared up. I have a bad feeling about this... Shifting uncomfortably in my seat, I glanced nervously at Lord Frey as I mumbled to myself. But... if I get up now, I¡¯ll lose the opportunity of a lifetime... A chance to extend my life and secure an easy future, all at once. As I weighed the two options, disaster struck. ¡°F-Frey...¡± Wait, did I just hear that right? ¡°I love you...¡± Eurelia, her face flushed red, had her head bowed as she confessed tearfully. This is some top-tier gossip material, something I could milk for the next five years. No, wait, this isn¡¯t the time to be thinking like that. ¡°Why... Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Is it because of my family?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Is it because... my family is your family¡¯s enemy?¡± What is she even talking about? ¡°Is it because... my father did such disgraceful things?¡± I didn¡¯t want to hear this. This kind of information only makes me feel uneasy like my head¡¯s on the chopping block. Lalalala. I didn¡¯t hear anything. I didn¡¯t hear a word. ¡°If that¡¯s the case... I¡¯ll make amends somehow.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already given up our family¡¯s power. I¡¯ve given up on my father¡¯s petitions. I¡¯ve gathered all the information about those involved in those dirty dealings.¡± ¡°Mhmm.¡± I¡¯m not listening. I¡¯m not hearing this at all... ¡°I even brought a written contract. To transfer the Justiano family¡¯s control to the Starlight family.¡± ...She¡¯s crazy. As I shook my head and covered my ears, I couldn¡¯t help but pull my hands away. Honestly, though, this is too entertaining to ignore. This kind of juicy gossip comes once in a lifetime. ¡°E-Even after all this... will you still not accept my feelings?¡± ¡°........¡± ¡°I-Is my love... still not enough?¡± Wow, Eurelia, the once-proud daughter of the noble Justiano family, was kneeling on her chair. I can¡¯t even imagine how many men would be jealous if they saw this. ¡°For now, let¡¯s sober up and talk about this...¡± Frey tried to speak calmly, but then he suddenly stopped. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± It was because both Lady Serena and Lady Roswyn were staring at him, wide-eyed. I¡¯ve seen that look before. When I visited the Frozen Kingdom, the penguins there had the exact same expression. ¡°...It¡¯s not going to work out.¡± ¡°...!¡± Under their silent pressure, Lord Frey, now sweating profusely, finally shook his head, and Eurelia, who had been kneeling, looked utterly devastated. - Fwoshhh... Wait, what¡¯s happening now? Something dark began to seep from around Eurelia¡¯s body. ¡°Young master, I suggest you take back what you just said.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Confused, Lord Frey watched the ominous aura creeping out from Eurelia, as his butler urgently whispered in his ear. ¡°Eurelia is starting to emit a large amount of black mana.¡± ¡°What nonsense is that? She¡¯s a white mage.¡± ¡°She¡¯s also a warlock. If you leave her like this, she¡¯s going to go berserk.¡± ¡°Shit.¡± ¡°Young master, hurry.¡± I should have just left earlier! This is getting dangerous. - Tremble, tremble, tremble... ¡°I mean! I¡¯m saying it¡¯s not going to work right now! Right now!¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°I¡¯m really busy, okay? I¡¯ve got a lot on my plate. So, it¡¯s hard for me to give you an answer at this moment, you see.¡± As I trembled in fear for my life, Lord Frey fought desperately. ¡°....¡± ¡°What I mean is, I can¡¯t say anything right now, but who knows what might happen in the future... You know what I mean, right?¡± There¡¯s no way she¡¯s falling for that. No way. Eurelia, the Ice Queen, wouldn¡¯t fall for such a vague excuse... - Smile...! She fell for it!! Immediately!! ¡°Hehehe...¡± What are you smiling at!? Are you stupid!? With dazed, drunken eyes, Eurelia reached out to Lord Frey, grinning. ¡°I really do love you... Frey...¡± ¡°Why, though? Why do you love me?¡± Lord Frey looked genuinely confused as he asked. Is he seriously asking because he doesn¡¯t know? ¡°You¡¯re my first love...¡± ¡°But why!?¡± Just look in the mirror and you¡¯ll find the answer! ¡°...You were kind... You taught me magic...¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Magic...¡± ¡°...???¡± How does he not get it!? Is he seriously that dense? ... Really? - Thud...! ¡°Oh.¡± While I was fuming inside, Eurelia, who had been holding Lord Frey¡¯s hand and smiling, suddenly collapsed face-first into the table. ¡°Snore...¡± She had fallen asleep. ¡°Poor thing...¡± ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s going to be interesting when she sobers up.¡± I¡¯m actually curious about how she¡¯ll react when she wakes up. Not that it has anything to do with me, of course. And for the record, I¡¯m drinking fruit juice to avoid such embarrassment. Besides, I¡¯ve built up a high tolerance from all those etiquette classes I took over the years. ¡°In any case, it¡¯s my turn now.¡± Relieved that the situation had passed without incident, I suddenly heard a cold voice. ¡°Lord Frey.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± It was Aishi, the princess of Cloud Kingdom, who was staring at Lord Frey. ¡°This may be sudden, but I¡¯d like to propose to you.¡± ¡°...!?¡± What nonsense is this now? Why is the princess of the up-and-coming Cloud Kingdom, a potential rival to the Empire, proposing to a Duke¡¯s house? ¡°Ahh, I, too, must take responsibility. Human.¡± This is bad. I¡¯m starting to lose track of what¡¯s happening. Now, after the princess of the Cloud Kingdom, the fox princess is proposing too? Is this really the kind of open-minded era we¡¯re living in? ¡°Aren¡¯t you accepting handmaidens? I¡¯d like to serve your household for a few years...¡± Even the Horizon family sisters were getting in on it! Why is my head spinning like this? Is it because my brain can¡¯t keep up with the situation? ¡°I¡¯ll be your slave... if you¡¯ll accept me...¡± ¡°M-Me too...¡± ¡°...Please use me as your shield.¡± What nonsense are those commoners and knights babbling now?! A-Anyone help!!! ¡°Why are you all... treating me like this?¡± ¡°¡±...¡±¡± ¡°Why... Why are you doing this?¡± Holding my aching head in my hands, I lowered my gaze. ¡°...Do you really not know?¡± Hearing Lord Frey¡¯s scared voice, something inside me snapped as I looked up. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Let me explain it to you.¡± Without even thinking, I found myself speaking my thoughts out loud. ¡°These people here have collectively lost their minds.¡± ¡°Ms. Trisha? What are you...¡± ¡°You¡¯re an incubus in human form, Lord Frey. With a face that could drive anyone mad, a tragic backstory to boot, and you go around teaching magic, saving lives, and casually touching people... Do you really think there¡¯s a single noblewoman who wouldn¡¯t fall for you?¡± ¡°W-What...¡± ¡°Honestly, I think you owe everyone here an apology for unintentionally seducing them.¡± Why does this feel so satisfying? ¡°Go on. Apologize right now...¡± Ah. ¡°...Hic.¡± That wasn¡¯t fruit juice in front of me... it was fruit wine. ¡°¡±¡±...¡±¡±¡± ¡°Hic...¡± I¡¯m doomed!!!!!! Chapter 482: Side Story - The Social Gathering (6) Chapter 482: Side Story - The Social Gathering (6) ¡°Please, just spare my life... Please, at least let me live...¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you.¡± I gestured to Ms.Trisha, who was pale and bowing her head repeatedly in fear, trying to reassure her, but her expression didn¡¯t improve. ¡°It¡¯s over for me... It¡¯s all over for me... I¡¯m finished...¡± - Swish... ¡°...Ack.¡± Seeing her like that, I was feeling a bit troubled. That¡¯s when Kania quietly extended her hand to the back of her neck and swiftly made her faint. ¡°Sleep is the best cure for a hangover.¡± ¡°...You¡¯re not wrong.¡± Nodding in agreement, I looked at her, who was now slumped lifelessly over the table. I sighed as I glanced around the room. ¡°Man... This is getting out of hand.¡± To sum it up, I have no intention of taking on any more wives. I¡¯m barely managing the ones I have now, and if I were to accept all the recent proposals? I¡¯d probably die young, without any of the benefits of my happy ending. How am I supposed to turn them down? At least for those who haven¡¯t directly proposed or confessed, there¡¯s an easy way out. I can simply assign them to be maids or handle other tasks. But if I do that, they¡¯ll undoubtedly end up living with my current wives. Wouldn¡¯t that cause conflict? ¡°To think they¡¯d make such bold statements right in front of my fiance?e. Ha.¡± Even now, Serena and Roswyn were glaring at them with sharp, disapproving eyes. Given how they got defensive whenever any woman came near me, things would only escalate from there. ¡°So, you want to serve in my family¡¯s mansion?¡± With that in mind, I asked in the calmest voice I could manage. ¡°Y-Yes, Young Master.¡± At that, Vener quickly bowed her head to the ground. ¡°E-Even though I¡¯ve been so disloyal... If you give me the chance to atone, I will serve the Starlight family for the rest of my life...¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± It seemed Vener¡¯s goal was loyalty to the family. If that was all, I could manage it. I could assigned her to my parents¡¯ and Aria¡¯s mansion rather than the one I lived in. My family could certainly use more protection, so it would benefit both me and her. ¡°Then, I¡¯d like to assign you to guard the mansion where my family resides.¡± When I casually hinted at this, Vener looked at me with wide eyes. ¡°A-Are you... accepting me...? Me...?¡± ¡°...Let¡¯s put it that way.¡± ¡°A-Aah...¡± Suddenly, tears welled up in her eyes, and she began to sob quietly. ¡°Th-Thank you... truly...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°For accepting a traitor like me... I¡¯m really, really grateful...¡± Thinking it was best to stay silent and watch, I looked down at her as she cried on the floor. Eventually, she slowly stood up, wiping away her tears. ¡°T-Then... I¡¯ll go and follow your orders... to protect your family...¡± With her nose turning red, she started heading for the exit. ¡°...Take care.¡± I waved her off with a simple goodbye, but she suddenly stopped in her tracks and began to shake again. Was she always this emotional? As I scratched my head, I noticed the gazes from the other two. ¡°¡±...¡±¡± ¡°So, what about you two?¡± Turning my attention to Arianne and Alice, I tilted my head and asked what they wanted. ¡°Well, um... I haven¡¯t seen Irina much lately...¡± Arianne spoke up first. ¡°We¡¯ve been together since we were kids... But now we rarely get to see each other... So I was thinking... if I could work at your mansion, I might at least get to see her more often...¡± ¡°...¡± Her motivation was none other than Irina. I suppose that makes sense, given their long history as friends. ¡°Well, in that case...¡± Just as I was about to agree, thinking it wasn¡¯t much of a problem, Kania leaned in to whisper something in my ear. ¡°...About her, there¡¯s an issue with her lineage.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Because of that, I¡¯m afraid it might be difficult to have her stay where we live...¡± ¡°What do you mean by that, Kania?¡± What was she talking about? An issue with Arianne¡¯s lineage? In a household where warlocks, demons, and dragons all live peacefully together, how could lineage be an issue? ¡°According to my own investigation...¡± I looked at Kania, filled with curiosity, as she explained further. ¡°It turns out her family name is actually ¡®Nivelia.¡¯¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Hearing that, everything clicked into place. ¡°Arianne Nivelia. She¡¯s the last descendant of the Nivelia family.¡± ¡°My goodness.¡± The Nivelia family. Once a prestigious house that protected the southern continent before the Empire and the First Hero appeared, now only mentioned in myths and legends. It had been hundreds of years since they vanished entirely, but... ¡°Umm, Lord Frey?¡± ¡°...¡± The reason their name still wasn¡¯t forgotten is because... ¡°I¡¯ll also apologize for the mistake I made before...¡± ¡°Uh, right.¡± ¡°I... I just want to see the face of the friend I promised to spend my life with, even if it¡¯s just once.¡± The Nivelia family bore the legacy of ¡®Dragon Slayers,¡¯ the ones who exterminated the evil dragons that ruled the southern continent before the First Hero and Demon King ever appeared. ¡°Please, I beg of you...¡± ¡°The reason there are no more dragons in the southern continent... It¡¯s because of the Nivelia family, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Many scholars believe that the reason for the Nivelia family¡¯s disappearance is that they crossed the continent to defeat the dragons of the western continent and were wiped out in the process.¡± ¡°If I let her stay with Irina, what do you think will happen?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what would¡¯ve happened before Irina awakened, but now...¡± It seemed impossible after all. ¡°Wh-Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t allow it.¡± ¡°W-What!¡± . . . . . ¡°P-Please reconsider!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something I can just change...¡± ¡°I¡¯m begging you! Look, I¡¯ll get down on my knees...!¡± After several minutes of Arianne tearfully pleading, we finally reached a compromise. ¡°I¡¯ll hire you as the head of security for the place we live.¡± ¡°Y-Yes.¡± ¡°But you can only visit Irina once every two weeks. And when you do meet her, one of us must be present.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If you agree to these terms, sign the contract here. As for your salary and other conditions, you can review them below...¡± - Scribble...! Kania, who was explaining the terms in a businesslike tone, glanced at Arianne, who had signed the contract without even reading the rest of the terms. ¡°Just to remind you, Irina is now the Young Master¡¯s wife.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°And she¡¯s pregnant.¡± ¡°WHATTT!?¡± At Kania¡¯s next words, Arianne, who had been carefully folding the contract, jumped to her feet in shock. ¡°S-She is? That... that stone-faced Irina?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°She¡¯s pregnant!? That rigid Irina!?¡± ¡°These days, she¡¯s been lying on the couch reciting dragon language for prenatal education.¡± ¡°This is crazy... She¡¯s really gone mad...¡± Arianne¡¯s face was red with surprise. She suddenly began to nervously twirl her twin pigtails with her fingers. ¡°That girl, who always kept her distance from men, really did that...? Seriously...?¡± ¡°...¡± Watching her from the side, Kania leaned in to whisper to me. ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. She¡¯s a mage specialized in defense.¡± Thankfully, her talent lies in defense magic, not offensive magic. Her awakened ability is also ¡®Sealing,¡¯ so if she had been more aggressive, there might have already been trouble by now. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± As I was pondering this, Kania shook her head and pointed at Arianne. ¡°That cold Irina, with Frey... if they slept together...¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Did she get embarrassed? Damn, that¡¯s hot...¡± Arianne, still with her head hung low, muttered to herself in a low, eerie voice. ¡°Come to think of it... a love that transcends species... this is... twice¨Cno thrice as exciting...¡± ¡°... As you can see, she¡¯s not quite in her right mind either.¡± ¡°Yeah, I can see that.¡± ¡°...Are you aware that a romance novel about you is circulating among the noble ladies?¡± ¡°What about it?¡± As I nodded quietly, Kania asked an unexpected question, and I stared at her in confusion. ¡°Could it be?¡± Noticing Kania¡¯s meaningful gaze directed at Arianne, I broke into a cold sweat and began to listen closely to Arianne¡¯s muttering again. ¡°There¡¯s probably Demon Kings in the mansion too... right...?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The forbidden love between the Hero and the Demon King... The secret relationship between master and apprentice... An affair between a master and his servant... The villainous noble and his pet...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°There are so many storylines... This is insane... Absolutely insane...¡± What am I listening to right now? ¡°My investigation revealed that Arianne has been writing erotic fiction for quite some time.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°While part of her motivation to work at the mansion is undoubtedly Irina, the other part... seems to stem from rather... Coughimpure...Cough personal reasons.¡± So, the last descendant of the legendary Dragon Slayer clan... ¡°Is writing erotic fiction... about me?¡± There¡¯s no way... ¡°The exalted Empress who rules the during the day but is dominated at night in bed, the Saintess who must remain pure yet carries the forbidden fruit of love in her womb... The apprentice who waits anxiously every day until she becomes an adult... And, and...¡± ¡°Enough.¡± ¡°...H-Huh?¡± Should I just sue her? Chapter 483: Side Story - The Social Gathering (7) Chapter 483: Side Story - The Social Gathering (7) ¡°Just to remind you, if you¡¯re caught writing erotica, you¡¯re fired on the spot.¡± ¡°...Understood.¡± After a long time persuading her, I finally managed to stop Arianne from going off the rails. ¡°As long as it¡¯s not erotica, right...? Then it¡¯s fine, isn¡¯t it...?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Honestly, if you make it too obvious, it¡¯s not that great. There¡¯s an art to subtlety...¡± Wait, will she really stop? - Drip... Arianne, whose face had turned red, was trying to avoid my gaze when blood started trickling from her nose. Seeing that it became clear she didn¡¯t fully understand what I was saying. ¡°You¡¯re having a nosebleed.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Rubbing my aching head, I wiped the blood running from her nose with my hand and gently pinched her nose while tilting her head back. ¡°Do you bleed often?¡± ¡°N-No...¡± ¡°Take it easy, please. I¡¯m worried about you.¡± I used to think Arianne didn¡¯t sleep much because she was a bookworm like Irina. Little did I know it was because she stayed up late secretly writing erotica. ¡°If you keep this up, it could get serious.¡± Irina might be fine without sleep since she¡¯s a dragon, but Arianne¡¯s situation is different. Even though she¡¯s a descendant of Dragon Slayers, she¡¯s still human. ¡°...¡± As I looked at her with concern, helping to stop the bleeding, Arianne¡¯s face flushed even more as she stared at me. ¡°W-With... a f-friend¡¯s boyfriend... an u-unforgivable relationship...¡± ¡°What?¡± And then she started muttering strange things again. ¡°T-The man who stole her one and only friend... forces her head back... as she loses control of her body...¡± - Drip, drip... ¡°...Sniff.¡± Suddenly, she began gulping as if she were in pain. ¡°Sniff, ugh... ah...¡± ¡°Her nosebleed is getting so bad it¡¯s going down her throat. Young Master... she¡¯s choking... on her blood.¡± As I stared at her in confusion, Kania sighed and muttered. ¡°C-Can¡¯t... ugh... ah... B-Breathe.¡± ¡°Look, there¡¯s a doctor right here, so just calm...¡± ¡°I-I wonder if this is what it feels like to have your throat c-choked.¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± Of course, this happens. . . . . . ¡°Why are the people around you all like this?¡± ¡°....¡± Miho, who was shoving a fox bead into Arianne¡¯s nose to stop the bleeding, asked me with a tired expression. ¡°Is there not a single normal person around you?¡± Normally, I would¡¯ve wholeheartedly agreed, but considering Miho, the one asking the question, wasn¡¯t exactly normal either, I decided to keep quiet. ¡°I-I¡¯m normal, though?¡± Then, picking up on my silence, Miho raised her voice defensively. ¡°Normal people don¡¯t fall in love with a man who forcefully kissed them and drained their vitality...¡± ¡°If you add ¡®handsome,¡¯ then it makes sense.¡± ¡°...Sigh.¡± ¡°Besides, the one who got kissed likes it, so what can you do?¡± Serena let out a sigh, her attempt to reason with Miho falling flat. ¡°Well, Miho is the most reasonable one, after all.¡± Breaking the silence, Serena muttered, and I unconsciously nodded in agreement. Among the madness that surrounded me, Miho was practically a breath of fresh air. - Wiggle, wiggle... As I pondered this and stared blankly at Miho, her tail began wagging furiously in excitement as she gave me a hopeful look. ¡°So, what¡¯s your answer?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Are you going to take care of me?¡± Once again, I reiterate¡ªI have no plans to take on more wives. ¡°Human?¡± As I averted my gaze, Miho peeked out and tapped me with her tail. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± To avoid her gaze, I turned my head to the side and ended up locking eyes with Alice, who had been fidgeting nearby. ¡°So, what about you?¡± I had almost forgotten about her thanks to Arianne¡¯s overwhelming presence, so I asked her quietly. She lowered her gaze and spoke softly. ¡°Well...¡± Bracing myself for yet another bizarre answer, I began sweating as Alice finally spoke. ¡°I want to atone for the pain I caused you...¡± ¡°Pain?¡± ¡°What pain...?¡± Serena and Roswyn¡¯s eyes lit up with curiosity as they started questioning her. ¡°L-Lord F-Frey¡¯s left arm... Mmff!?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hire you. It¡¯s fine.¡± Panicking, I clamped my hand over her mouth and glanced nervously at Serena. ¡°What about his left arm?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, ha ha.¡± ¡°Frey?¡± ¡°...¡± Alice was genuinely a good person who had come to atone for her sins. The problem is if she said that out loud right now, she probably wouldn¡¯t live to see tomorrow. ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°But aren¡¯t you currently employed by Lecane?¡± ¡°Dual contracts are illegal, you know.¡± As I continued to keep her mouth shut while maintaining a forced smile, the Horizon sisters asked their questions. ¡°S-She got permission. She¡¯s allowed to work both jobs at the same time...¡± ¡°Tch.¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be troublesome if too many people start working here...¡± Feeling exasperated, I threw them another question. ¡°Come to think of it, you two also wanted to work as maids, right?¡± ¡°Uh, yes.¡± ¡°If you let us, we¡¯ll work really hard.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°...What?¡± The other people, well, they had some valid reasons, but... ¡°S-Sister, were we just rejected?¡± ¡°I-I think so.¡± But what¡¯s the deal with these two? ¡°H-He doesn¡¯t get carried away by the atmosphere... What do we do now?¡± ...Why do I get the feeling my house is being treated like a tourist spot? ¡°Even with just Kania, our mansion runs like clockwork. It¡¯s flawless, I actually don¡¯t need another maid.¡± ¡°Fufufu.¡± For some reason, Kania chuckled with satisfaction at the sight of me using her as an excuse to turn the twins away. ¡°That¡¯s right. Kania alone is enough to handle everything.¡± ¡°...I¡¯m sorry, but legally speaking, I¡¯m now Kania Raon Starlight.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then I¡¯ll take over cleaning Frey¡¯s room.¡± ¡°Rejected. I can¡¯t let you have that.¡± But that was short-lived, and soon enough, the tension between Kania and Serena flared up again. ¡°Anyway, there¡¯s no reason for me to hire you.¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°Let me hear it. Why would two young women with bright futures ahead of them want to work as maids at my mansion? I don¡¯t get it.¡± Ignoring the now-familiar squabble, I threw out the question. The twin noble ladies lowered their heads and started confessing. ¡°T-To be honest... We came because we wanted to see the animals that you and your companions are raising...¡± ¡°Specifically, the spirits.¡± They were talking about Serena¡¯s Owl, Ferloche¡¯s Gugu, Clana¡¯s chick, Irina¡¯s dog, and my silver cat. I had only recently discovered that they were actually spirits, but they¡¯re our family and friends. But why would these two want to see them so much? ¡°Well, it¡¯s tied to the Elf Kingdom... things are a bit complicated...¡± ¡°The elders... they¡¯re actually spirits, and...¡± Just as I started to listen to their nervous, sweat-soaked explanation, it happened. - BOOM! BOOM! - CRASH!!! ¡°...!?!!¡± A deafening noise echoed throughout the hall. ¡°A-An attack?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible. There¡¯s maximum security in place...¡± Startled, Roswyn jumped up, and Serena rushed over to me, trying to reassure us. ¡°I-I even cast a barrier spell at their request.¡± Arianne, who had been groggy from anemia, muttered as she wobbled beside the still-tipsy Eurelia. ¡°Cooo!!¡± ¡°Guuguugu!!¡± Then, suddenly, familiar voices rang out in the hall. ¡°Woof! Grrrr...¡± ¡°Chirp, chirp!¡± ¡°Meow!¡± Five spirits smashed through the windows. ¡°P-Please, elders! Calm down!¡± ¡°T-The Elf Kingdom is desperately looking for you!!¡± The spirits rushed straight toward the Horizon sisters. ¡°You need to return to the kingdom immediately! Waaaaah!¡± ¡°The World Tree is withering! Without the Spirit King, the cycle... WAHHHHH!¡± Before I could react, the spirits had already grabbed the twins, clamping their beaks and paws over their mouths, and started dragging them out of the hall. ¡°Ouch! It hurts! I said it hurts, you old geezers... Ugh.¡± ¡°Do you have no shame pretending to be pets? No matter how fascinating these people¡¯s stories are, you can¡¯t just leave your thrones behind... Guh.¡± What in the world is happening in this tiny tea hall? ¡°T-Teacher...¡± As I watched the two sisters flail their arms in the hallway, I suddenly felt something soft in my hand. ¡°I like you, Teacher...¡± This is getting ridiculous. Eurelia, who had somehow woken up, was hugging my arm, giggling sleepily. ¡°Y-You¡¯re my first love...¡± ¡°You already said that.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s true... I¡¯m not joking...¡± ¡°Let go.¡± ¡°The first person who ever taught me... was you...¡± The atmosphere, already in disarray, was descending into complete chaos. ¡°You were different from those stupid teachers and tutors... You shattered my arrogance and taught me something new...¡± ¡°Go back to sleep.¡± ¡°...Hehe.¡± I quickly pressed down on the back of Eurelia¡¯s neck, making her pass out. She slumped against my shoulder, still wearing a goofy smile. ¡°Someone take her home¡ªand while you¡¯re at it, snap some pictures of her like this and send them along too.¡± ¡°An arrogant lady imposing herself onto her Teacher... This is crazy... what¡¯s with this storyline... so hot...¡± - Flick! Sensing that any further chaos would lead to even worse outcomes, I began to rapidly take control of the situation. ¡°Ouch, that hurts.¡± ¡°If you make one more lewd comment, I¡¯ll make it hurt more.¡± ¡°...Oh.¡± I handed the dazed and exhausted Arianne over to Kania. ¡°U-Um, what about me?¡± ¡°Oh, by the way, did they say that the leader of the fox tribe was attending today¡¯s meeting, Kania?¡± ¡°Yes, I saw him earlier in the adjacent hall at the council meeting.¡± ¡°...Yippp!¡± Using a little trick to escape from Miho¡¯s advances felt a bit underhanded, but it worked. ¡°As for those who were hired today, Kania will fill you in on the details later. For now, let¡¯s all wrap it up and go home.¡± ¡°...Young Master?¡± As for the rest, I left them in the capable hands of Kania. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got things to do, so I¡¯ll be going now...¡± ¡°Ummm.¡± I had just about finished everything and was trying to make my escape when suddenly someone called out. ¡°W-What about me?¡± ¡°...Ah.¡± Aishi¡¯s shy voice from behind me froze me in place. ¡°A-As a princess... I¡¯ve officially proposed to you, so... You can¡¯t just ignore that...¡± ¡°I¡¯m doomed.¡± Or rather, to be more precise¡ª - Creak... The moment her voice echoed, the door to the tea hall opened, and someone walked in, freezing the entire room. ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me...¡± ¡°¡±...!!!¡±¡± With that person¡¯s arrival, a terrifying tension immediately filled the once-chaotic tea hall. ¡°The princess of the Cloud Kingdom...¡± ¡°Uh, um...¡± ¡°...Proposed to my son?¡± Just her mere presence was enough to make the entire empire tremble. The pinnacle of the old imperial power. ¡°...How amusing.¡± It seemed she had grown bored since the tea hall had been settled far too easily. ¡°Don¡¯t you all agree?¡± The Duchess of Starlight had arrived. ¡°Mind if I sit beside you for a moment?¡± ¡°...Please be gentle, Mother.¡± ¡°Hoho.¡±